|
|
|
Confessions of a Sci Fi Geek |
|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Friday, 22 May 2009 |
My name is Greg, and I am a Science Fiction geek.
There, I said it, and I don’t care what people think of me now that they know.
I know my fascination with the fantasy worlds came at an early age when my Uncle John gave me my first copy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit for my 7th birthday. With that book, and subsequent discovery of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, my induction into the geek world was complete.
The two most well known franchises of the geek world are Star Trek and Star Wars. But
I have never been one of those Star Wars vs. Star Trek sci-fi nerds. Don’t get me wrong, I am a nerd; I just don’t believe one franchise is superior to another…at least enough to get into heated debates over.
Of course, Star Wars came first for me. I still can remember seeing the movie at a drive-in theater with my family in the summer of 1977. I may have been only 8 years old, but I can vividly remember being thrilled at the epic space battles portrayed on the big screen.
It was not long after that when I discovered Star Trek on television re-runs. The 1966 series was rediscovered by fans in the 70’s, and its popularity spurred the first Trek movie in 1979.
Since then Trek has had spawned 10 movies, four television series and countless books. Star Wars has also been fruitful. While only five more movies (and the last three I don’t believe should count), the mythology has only grown through the crafty manipulation of George Lucas who decreed that any book written in the Star Wars universe has to be approved by him, and must follow a certain continuity.
That dictum has fostered a rich, colorful tableau that any Star Wars fan can enjoy. Reading the books is a way of keeping the characters alive and growing. They are not locked into a strange timeline where no one ages and you have to wonder when something takes place; it is all laid out in a nice, linear fashion.
This column is just a long way of giving a movie review of the latest Star Trek movie. As disappointed as I was with the last Star Wars films, the re-imagining of the Star Trek mythos hit all the right notes for me.
Without ruining the film for anyone who hasn’t seen it – I was impressed with the way the story handled the elaborate history of the Trek franchise, yet created a world all to itself.
Old school Trek fans can rest easy knowing that their beloved fictional universe is safe, and fans new to the genre have a wonderful, easy to follow introduction to a new world. Classic Trek got plenty of nods with homage’s to the original series and follow up shows. Quick-eyed viewers even go to see a Tribble in one scene.
So yes, I am a geek, and I am proud of it. It is up to you to deal with it. |
|
