This page was created in 1.8979 seconds.
Subcategories:
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 15, Episodes 29 & 30: Operation-Annihilate!/ Catspaw
Amazon Price: $15.99List Price: Usually ships in 24 hours By: Paramount Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $2.65 |
Buy at Amazon.com |
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13
Average rating: 3.5 of 5
Slightly below average shows bridge seasons 1 and 2 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Operation: Annihilate-The string of winning episodes finally came to an end in the final show of season one, which concerned pancake-like creatures that attack Spock's central nervous system. This was by no means trek at it's worst incidentally; just a step down from the prior six shows produced. The episode feels more like a second season episode in that it lacks the complex themes of its precursors; still it manages to work in a loss for Kirk and the effects that physical pain can have on the way we present ourselves. (As an aside, one thing that does connect this episode with season one is the slow pace at which the story develops.) This is one of those shows though that despite a disturbing premise doesn't have a lot to say in the end, and relies on a gimmick for the ultimate resolution of the conflict. Also dulling are the absence of significant guest performances and the un-engaging sets; both may well have been due to both empty coffers and fatigue at this point. Virtually everyone involved had certainly laid it out there in season one, both in terms of effort and sincere emotional investment; it wouldn't always be that way. (2.5 stars)Tidbit: Both of the dead Kirks would appear in other episodes: the elder 79 times as Captain Kirk, and the younger once as Tommy Starnes in And the Children Shall Lead.
Catspaw, an episode which employs Halloween frights (witches, black cats, etc.), was the first episode produced in the second season. There is a light, jaunty quality to both the music and the performances not seen during season 1. It's almost as if everyone gave a collective sigh when the show was finally renewed, and thought they wouldn't be as heavily scrutinized the next year. Whether or not this was a good thing is certainly open to debate, but there is no denying that the second season shows feel more relaxed and lighter than the first.
But back to Catspaw. This episode and the 3rd season opener (Spectre of the Gun) were the only episodes written with a specific airdate in mind. This was meant to be first and foremost a Halloween episode, and it does a decent job of providing some frights. (Spectre of the Gun aired within a day or two of the anniversary of the gunfight at the OK Corral.) But Catspaw is ultimately too reliant on a parade of gimmicks (that don't even frighten the landing party) to be engaging. Uninspired performances by Antoinette Bower and Theo Marcuse don't help any either. Other than the gimmicks, there just isn't much here; on the other hand, the gimmicks keep the show moving. (2.5 stars)
Editorial Review:
"Operation-Annihilate!" Ep. 29 - Kirk finds his brother Sam dead, and the people of the planet Devena are victims of an epidemic of mass insanity. "Catspaw," Ep. 30 - On Pyrus VII, Sulu and Scotty are rendered zombies by the evil magic of Korob and Sylvia, who then turn their trickery on the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan
Amazon Price: List Price: By: Paramount Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $4.50 |
Buy at Amazon.com |
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 378
Average rating: 4.5 of 5
Editorial Review:
Although Star Trek: The Motion Picture had been a box-office hit, it was by no means a unanimous success with Star Trek fans, who responded much more favorably to the "classic Trek" scenario of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Inspired by the "Space Seed" episode of the original TV series, the film reunites newly promoted Admiral Kirk with his nemesis from the earlier episode--the genetically superior Khan (Ricardo Montalban)--who is now seeking revenge upon Kirk for having been imprisoned on a desolated planet. Their battle ensues over control of the Genesis device, a top-secret Starfleet project enabling entire planets to be transformed into life-supporting worlds, pioneered by the mother (Bibi Besch) of Kirk's estranged and now-adult son. While Mr. Spock mentors the young Vulcan Lt. Saavik (then-newcomer Kirstie Alley), Kirk must battle Khan to the bitter end, through a climactic starship chase and an unexpected crisis that will cost the life of Kirk's closest friend. This was the kind of character-based Trek that fans were waiting for, boosted by spectacular special effects, a great villain (thanks to Montalban's splendidly melodramatic performance), and a deft combination of humor, excitement, and wondrous imagination. Director Nicholas Meyer (who would play a substantial role in the success of future Trek features) handles the film as a combination of Moby Dick, Shakespearean tragedy, World War II submarine thriller, and dazzling science fiction, setting the successful tone for the Trek films that followed. --Jeff Shannon
Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 1 on HD-DVD (digitally remastered)
Amazon Price: List Price: Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $60.00 |
Buy at Amazon.com |
Editorial Review:
* 10 discs (1405 minute total run time)
* Plays in any HD DVD player
* Also plays on region 2 players in PAL format
* Disc content cards written in German for added effect
Bonus HD DVD features:
* Starfleet Access on-screen graphical interface allows viewers to access 'Picture in Picture' video commentaries, comparisons of remastered vs. original effects, encyclopedic information (science, life forms, technology), episode trivia and more on the following episodes: - Where No Man Has Gone Before - The Menagerie, Part 1 - The Menagerie, Part 2 - Balance of Terror - The Galileo Seven - Space Seed - Errand of Mercy
* Spacelift: Transporting Trek into the 21st Century - from the new visual effects to the sound, this documentary provides an in-depth exploration of the remastering of classic Star Trek episodes
* Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories - join crew member and "extra-extraordinaire" Billy Blackburn as he shares his own behind-the-scenes home movie footage of life on the set of Star Trek
* Interactive Enterprise Tour - explore the Enterprise interior and exterior in detail
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 19, Episodes 37 & 38: The Changeling/ The Apple
Amazon Price: $17.99List Price: By: CBS Paramount International Television Amazon Marketplace: 22 new & used starting at $2.75 |
Buy at Amazon.com |
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10
Average rating: 3.5 of 5
Before V'Ger, there was... NOMAD! 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.
REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek® Original Series DVD Volume 19: The Changeling © / The Apple ©THE CHANGELING © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:
Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Man vs. Machine / Inperfection
Historical Milestone: The first temporary death of a core character (Scotty™); Spock™'s first mind-meld with a machine life-form
Notable Gaffe/Special Defect: In a few of the long shots of Nomad™, you can just make out the line that keeps him `suspended' in mid-air.
Expendable Enterprise™ Crewmember (`Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: Four dead
REVIEW/COMMENTARY: Out of all the Kirk™-outwitting-the-computer-by-talking-it-to-death episodes, this one is likely the most notable. It also was something of an inspiration to Star Trek: The Motion Picture (and you thought ST:TMP was uninspired!) with the whole The-Enterprise™-crew-must-stop-a-senitent-machine-trying-to-return-to-the-planet-of-its-creators-AKA-Earth-and-eliminate-all-imperfect-lifeforms scenario. Fortunately, unlike its big-screen clone, The Changeling™ isn't chock-full of overlong special effects sequences, nor does it lack primary colors. Bottom line: if you're thinkin' of taking a look at ST:TMP, just watch this eppie instead. You'll thank me for it some day...
Aside from this show's parallels to the Trek crew's first big-screen adventure, The Changeling™ features one of my all-time fave Trek moments: Nomad erases the mind of Uhura after taking a listen to her infernal caterwauling some tin-eared folks would call `singing'. Now if that ain't a blessing in disguise, I don't know what is! Oh yes, don't forget to check out Uhura's re-education sessions with Nurse Chapel; you'll see what likely inspired the creators of Hooked on Phonics™!
THE APPLE © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:
Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Cultural Stagnation / Self-Reliance
Expendable Enterprise Crewmember (`Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: Four dead
REVIEW/COMMENTARY: Continuing this volume's Man-vs-Machine theme, once again Kirk™ & Co.
Take a few liberties with the Prime Directive to put a stagnant society of innocent beings back on track towards `normal' development by destroying a machine that controls them, much like what was done in Return of the Archons™. Throw in a few deadly dart-shooting flowers, land-mine rocks and vaporizing lightning bolts, and you've got a few great ways to off a few red-shirts! And for a twist, let's add Spock surviving a dart-flower attack as a way of showing off the toughness of his amazing half-Vulcan biology! You gotta do that at least twice a season, y'know...My fave moment in this eppie is at the end, where Kirk alludes to Spock's appearance looking similar to that of Satan. This moment was Roddenberry & Company's little poke at some of NBC's execs statements that Spock looked a bit too satanic for network TV after viewing the series' first pilot. Fortunately, Roddenberry fought to keep the character in the show, and the rest as they say is history...
`Late
Editorial Review:
"The Changeling," Ep. 37 - Nomad, a deadly robotic space probe, is on target for Earth. Can Captain Kirk outsmart the killer computer? "The Apple," Ep. 38 - Vaal, protector of Gamma Trianguli VI, tries everything is its power to destroy Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise during an ill-fated visit to the strange planet.
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 25, Episodes 49 & 50; A Piece of the Action/ By Any Other Name
Amazon Price: $15.99List Price: Usually ships in 24 hours By: CBS Paramount International Television Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $5.02 |
Buy at Amazon.com |
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11
Average rating: 4.5 of 5
Flivvers, Fizzbin, and a centuries-long trip to Andromeda 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.
REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek Original Series DVD Volume 25: A Piece of the Action / By Any Other NameA PIECE OF THE ACTION PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:
Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: The consequences of cultural contamination
Historical Milestone: Kirk `introduces' a few skells to the fictional card game `Fizzbin'
Expendable Enterprise Crewmember (`Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: none
REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
This is one of the series' most cheesy and fun-filled hours. It's rather apparent that Shatner had the time of his life playing the part of a stereotypical 20s/30s movie mobster. The combination of his legendary acting and the colorful mobster lingo make for some of the most amusing bits of Star Trek hamminess out there! Not to be outdone, Nimoy does an admirable job of playing the straight man to Jimmers' mafioso shenanigans! Makes ya wanna get on the blower and tell alla' yer trekkie buds all about it! Or maybe drive on over to their house in your flivver, and let `em in on the deal personally! That sound jake to ya, kid?Notable guest star: the late Vic Tayback, best known on the sit-com `Alice' as the crusty diner owner/cook Mel, keeps the fun flowin' as Jojo Krako, the chief rival of main heavy Bela Oxmyx. I could almost see one of his molls turning to him and uttering, "kiss mah grits"!
BY ANY OTHER NAME PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:
Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: The advantages and pitfalls of being human; human frailties and learning to control and deal with them
Expendable Enterprise Crewmember (`Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: One dead
REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
Ah, the ol' shrink-the-crew-down-into-weird-geometric-blocks episode... pure old-school Trek silliness! Throw in Mr. Scott gettin' hooched-up with one of the Enterprise crew's captors, and Jimmers seducing the alien babe-of-the-week (SURPRISE!) in order to regain control of his vessel from his captors, and you've got... well, nothin' you haven't seen before in previous old-school Trek eppies, really. Still, I find it entertaining in its own funny way, and by golly that's all that matters!'Late
Editorial Review:
"A Piece of the Action," Ep. 49 - Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise crew visit a planet that has developed a civilization based on a book a previous Starfleet crew left: Chicago Mobs of the Twenties. "By Any Other Name," Ep. 50 - The U.S.S. Enterprise is commandeered by the Kelvans, a group of aliens from the Andromeda galaxy who have assumed human form and plan to take over the Milky Way galaxy.
Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home
Amazon Price: List Price: By: Paramount - Model: PARD017974D Amazon Marketplace: 17 new & used starting at $4.39 |
Buy at Amazon.com |
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 219
Average rating: 4.5 of 5
Hilarious and tender movie 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
My title sounds like a romantic comedy, but watching the Enterprise crew trying to fit in with the 1980s world is just great.
The back story of the hump back whale is also a lesson to all of us about what can happen if we do not wake up and take care of Gods creatures.
Some people consider this movie silly because of the ease of time travel whenever convenient, but that is why it is called science fiction.
I watched Them Shoot from My High School Classroom 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
And that is the truth. They shot scenes from this fine film in my high school's backyard (The Former Alameda Naval-Air Base). And that was years and years before I ever met the likes of Blane, my production manager at the trophy shop, who laughs at me whenever I talk Trek with some of my customers. Heck Blane, I know you own this title on DVD AND VHS! Just like me. Why don't you just admit it already. It won't make you any less annoying to let the world see the fact that you are a nerd, like us (I mean you ex-wife and me). Maybe one day, when you're really drunk on too much Bud, you'll throw your ball at the bowling alley, miss every single pin, and remark, "No, I'm from Iowa, I just work in outer space."
Editorial Review:
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 08/19/2003 Run time: 118 minutes Rating: Pg
Trekkies/Trekkies 2
Amazon Price: $26.99List Price: Usually ships in 24 hours By: Paramount - Model: D055368D Amazon Marketplace: 8 new & used starting at $20.52 |
Buy at Amazon.com |
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6
Average rating: 5.0 of 5
Trekkies 1 + 2 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.
Trekkies 1 is hilarious. Trekkies have the best sense of humour . Who could imagine golf fanatics poking fun at themselves this way. And on the serious side, the amount of charity and good will that trekkies give every day is inspiring. As a trekkie for over 30 yrs, I laughed, cryed, was slighly cringing at times but overall had fun. And if you're not a trekkie, find out what it all means. It's not so scary. You'll be surprised!!
Great for Trekkies or Trekkers 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
Since I'm some what of a Trekkie or Trekker, depending on your preference, I enjoyed both DVD's. I definately recommend them if watch or have watched Star Trek.
Great look at Star Trek fans 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Some of the people shown in these documentaries are a little over the top. But for the most part it shows the dedication the fans have to the ideals of Star Trek and the positive impact the shows have had on people's lives. I love that Denise goes all around the world interviewing fans. Star Trek isn't just an American show. It belongs to the world.
A must have for any Star Trek fan 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
I enjoyed these DVDs, I took long enough to finally buy them but Star Trek is something I have been involved with since that first show on television. The cast interviews are worth the cost of the DVDs.
Those who haven't always been Star Trek fans will learn a lot about the Phenomenon that is Star Trek. Not only did its creator inspire a believe in better future for mankind, it inspired the people who made that future possible. Our technology today owes a lot to the inspiration that was then science fiction, but is today science fact.
You won't be disappointed in my estimation IF you buy them.
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 1, Episodes 2 & 3: Where No Man Has Gone Before/ The Corbomite Maneuver
Amazon Price: List Price: By: CBS Paramount International Television Amazon Marketplace: 31 new & used starting at $2.97 |
Buy at Amazon.com |
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 77
Average rating: 4.0 of 5
Strong episodes 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
"Where No Man Has Gone Before" was actually the second pilot episode and the first featuring Captain Kirk (William Shatner). In it, a mysterious energy barrier at the edge of the galaxy transforms two crewmembers (Gary Lockwood and Sally Kellerman) into dangerous beings with god-like powers. Here we see series creator Gene Roddenberry's fascination (obsession?) with omnipotent beings that caused Harlan Ellison to lament that Roddenberry had only one idea-that God is mad.
In "The Corbomite Maneuver," the Enterprise resorts to a bluff in order to escape destruction by a more powerful alien craft. More TOS regulars, such as McCoy (DeForest Kelly), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), and Sulu (George Takei), make their first appearances. There is some good interaction between the crewmembers regarding the enormous pressures that accompany space exploration.
A couple of good, solid Trek episodes.
Editorial Review:
"Where No Man Has Gone Before" (Ep.2): An energy barrier heightens the psionic abilities of two crew members. "The Corbomite Maneuver" (Ep.3): Krik bluffs an alien ship to prevent the Enterprise from being destroyed.
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 20, Episodes 39 & 40: Mirror Mirror/ The Deadly Years
Amazon Price: List Price: By: CBS Paramount International Television Amazon Marketplace: 10 new & used starting at $8.20 |
Buy at Amazon.com |
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23
Average rating: 4.5 of 5
Excellent Moral Drama 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Spock is the constant in both universes: warlike tensions and forces surpressed by principles of logic and wisdom, an intellectual powerhouse in both universes. Spock offers wisdom. Most advanced and civilized societies have histories of brutality, conquest, and imperilism. Spock rational viewpoints seem neural in Universe that has migrated towards imperilism, militarism, and universal dominance.
This episode introduces the first rip in the space-time continum and poses the possibility of infinite alternate realities coexisting simulateously. On the time side, future episodes will explore more fully this rip in time, as Picard moves through time and problem solving with Data at different points in time. However, in Mirror/Mirror a moral diploma not physics theory is unreveling.
The Enterprise encounters an ion storm and while beam down to the Hulkins, they switch places with identities of an alternative Universe. The Alternate Universe is imperilistic, antagonistic, and forceful. In the Alternate Universe power, glory, and strength are worship and command structure advanced is through assassination by lower ranking officers. Captain Kirk has managed to maintain supreme power by a weapon of emmense power given too him by an alien race and with this video interface weapon, he has been able to locate his enemies and vaporize them. No opponent dare oppose Captain Kirk because that would mean annihilation. The Hulkins are a peaceful people driven by a deep morality code too preserve the peace. The Hulkins tell Captain Kirk, they can not give the Federation Dialithium mining rights because the Federation would use the power generated by the crystals for war and destruction. This information did not set well with the Alterate Federation council and a decision was made too destroy the Hulkins and take the crystals by Force.
Jim orders in the alternate universe instruct him to destroy the Hulkins. Spock is order to kill Kirk, if he fail in destorying the Hulkins and Sulu order to kill Spock should Spock fail in his assignment. Spock eventual deduces that the original landing party has been acting strange and engages in hand to hand combat, in which, he is fatally wounded; McCoy is allowed to remain for five minutes to save Spocks life; Spock revives and mind melds, gaining an exact understanding of the other Universe. Jim soldifies the moral debate with Spock before switch back too his universe. Kirk asks Spock how many years until the Hulkin Revolt. Spock tells Kirk, "five year". "What is the outcome?", "The rebellion will be crushed", "In every generation there must be one who is the voice of revolution" "A man must have the power" "In my quarters is a machine of emmense power", "Indeed", "Consider the useless of waste". The moral illogic of imperilism is that control comes at a high cost in human lives. War is wasteful, war only serves self interest, this is wasteful. Consider the possibility that there exists an infinite resource of energy, energy that does not come at the cost of human lives. Vulcan the God of fire and warfare yielding too the promise of infinite energy and infinite human diversity with a morality too use this energy peacefully producing long term responsibility and abundant utility from human prosperity.
Editorial Review:
"Mirror, Mirror," Ep. 39 - Beamed up during an ion storm, Kirk and the landing party find themselves in a mirror universe aboard a U.S.S. Enterprise run by ruthless barbarians. "The Deadly Years," Ep. 40 - A landing party from the U.S.S. Enterprise becomes ill with a fatal aging disease and Chekov is the only one unaffected. Spock and McCoy search for a remedy using him as a guinea pig.
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 39, Episodes 77 & 78: The Savage Curtain / All Our Yesterdays
Amazon Price: $15.99List Price: Usually ships in 24 hours By: CBS Paramount International Television Amazon Marketplace: 22 new & used starting at $5.00 |
Buy at Amazon.com |
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7
Average rating: 4.0 of 5
STAR TREK THE ORIGINAL SERIES' LAST GASPING BREATH! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
We must be reaching the end, because Volume 39 of The Star Trek DVD series contians two of the last great episodes producedin the series three season run.At first look THE SAVAGE CURTAIN may be considered a ridiculously silly episode. This is the infamous episode where 'Abraham Lincoln' makes an appearance. True that this episodes plot is way too far out to ever actually occur but still you have to give the writers credit for their creativity even if this is too cheesy. Basically the story goes that the Enterprise crew are abducted by a friendly alien entity who takes the form of Lincoln. Lincoln insists he is who he actually is and requests that Kirk and Spock accompany him to the molten planet where (unbeknowst to our heroes) the rock like aliens, the Excalbians have organized a battle between good and evil. Pitting (good) Kirk, Spock, Lincoln and the greatest Vulcan philosopher Surak against (evil) Genghis Khan, Kahless the Unforgettable (founder of the Klingon Empire), Col.Green (someone who supposedly is a Tyrant in our future) and Zora (some fairly forgettable experimental witch tyrant here). The story has essentially an anti-war message. Some people consider this to be one of the worst episodes. I actually greatly disagee with that thought on this show. Of course it's nowhere near the best but it's effective and creative, especially considering that (by this time) the Star Trek series was on life support. Not the best but good for third season standards. Hey, at least they didn't credit Abraham Lincoln played by himself!
ALL OF OUR YESTERDAYS was the last great Star Trek episode to ever make it into production. Being only an episode away from the end of the series' three year run, in retrospect they should have ended with this one. The story essentially deals with time travel. The Enterprise journeys to Sarpeidon and Kirk, Spock and McCoy meet a peculiar old librarian (played by Ian Wolfe). It's a really effective time travle episode since this story has three settings: Present day Sarpeidon, Kirk in Sarpeidon's Victorian age, Spock and McCoy in Sarpeidon's ice age. The last setting really steals this episode. Partly because we see Spock's barbaric nature take him over. There is no doubt why Nimoy is on the front of the DVD case. He even gets an effective love interest in this story (played by Mariette Hartley). An interesting plot, great acting and a somewhat tragic ending make tihs episode one of the more memrable episodes from the tail end of the Star Trek series.
Overall this is another must. One of the better pair of episodes from the end Star Trek's wildly uneven third season. Highly recommended.
Editorial Review:
"The Savage Curtain," Ep.77 - Kirk, Spock, Abraham Lincoln and Surak must fight four of history's greatest tyrants in a battle of good and evil staged by the Excalbians. "All Our Yesterdays," Ep.78 - When Spock and McCoy try to rescue Kirk from a time machine accident, they emerge in an ice age. Spock, now a throwback to earlier Vulcan times, falls in love and refuses to return to Kirk or the starship.