Video Tidbits
    

     Pokémon The First Movie will be released on March 21 on VHS and DVD. The video will include an All-New Mewtwo game card.

     Did you get sucked into buying a Disney classic because they advertised that it would be only available for a short time? Well, bowing to profit pressures, Disney has now discontinued that practice know in the industry as a moratorium strategy. Except for special releases, you'll soon be able to buy the entire Disney catalog on VHS.

     BigStar.com is now offering free feature-length movies through their website. One of the first available is Metropolis - the sci-fi classic that inspired C3P0. Additional genre titles include: Night of the Living Dead, Little Shop of Horrors, and The Terror. Watching movies this way leaves a lot to be desired. Not only will you notice the loss of some of the image, but even with a high-speed connection, it's quite a small picture. But hey, it's free.

Star Trek V (Ack, the 5th series not the movie!)

     Ah, but the testing has already begun! Paramount is running focus groups to determine which ideas have the best chance of flying. Guess what's being tested? Starfleet Academy, among others. Anyway, here is a brief list of the series ideas they are testing:

• DS9 Sequel
  This series would be able to use the cast from NG and DS9 as guest stars during sweeps weeks to boost ratings. Certainly the easiest to produce, but also the least exciting to watch. We've seen it before.
  
• Starfleet Academy
  More like a Starfleet Space Above and Beyond. Young soldiers, cranky but endearing instructors, and 90210 type love triangles and angst. Just what UPN wants? Add a couple of wrestling regulars and put it in the line-up!
  
• In The Beginning
  Perhaps the best idea so far... A pre-Starfleet Earthship "Enterprise" voyaging in search of brave new worlds and civilizations. This series, from initial reports, is hoping to draw on the best concepts from the Classic series. The crew gets to do some exploring - something that DS9 really couldn't do because they were always stuck next to the wormhole and NG never did much of because space was already too well known.

     Like I said before, don't expect any of these series too soon. They are just testing the ideas right now. Many of the Star Trek production staffers are now taking other work and won't be available until summer. Even if any of these ideas get the go-ahead, they couldn't start production until late this year or early next year.

Star Wars: Jar Jar Returns

Frakes Scores Stupendous Stash
     It's been reported that Jonathan Frakes has signed a six-figure deal to direct Steve Was Here for Centropolis. In case you didn't know, that's the company run by Starcon/Starfest favorites Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich - the guys behind Stargate, Independence Day and Godzilla. This would mark the second Next Gen alumni that Dean and Roland have tapped for their movies. You'll remember that Brent Spiner played a brilliant, yet fatal role in Independence Day as a wigged-out scientist. Dean Devlin says he's known Jonathan for years. They met as actors in the BNG (before NG) days, but now, ironically, will work together behind the camera.

     Steve Was Here is a spoof about a small town of people who lie about an alien encounter to stir-up tourism. What they get is a lot more than they bargained for.

Witch, Witch, Another Witch?
    Surprise, surprise, guess what's coming this Halloween - More Blair Witch. First a sequel in October and then a prequel in summer 2001. Break out the motion sickness pills, it's going to be a rough ride. Click here for Starland's upcoming video release dates.

Travolta Must Like Sci-Fi
    Variety reports that Columbia Pictures is in negotiations to sign John Travolta to its version of Seven Days - titled Travel Agent. The movie is about a man who goes back in time six months to stop an assassination. Don't look for the movie too soon however, John's committed to Point of View before he can take-on anything else right now.

More Experience(d) Rumors
     Unfortunately, talk about the Star Trek Experience seem to be picking-up steam. Variety now reports that Universal City Studios has filed a lawsuit against Paramount Parks saying that the Star Trek Experience simulator ride infringes on patents Universal owns. Universal claims they've had similar technology since 1993.

     If, as reported a few days ago, Paramount is unhappy with the attendance at the attraction, this lawsuit might be the nail in the coffin for the Experience... Even more reason to move it to LA you guys. Just ditch the ride so you can settle the Universal suit and move the museum to your studio lot. Whatever you do, please move it somewhere we can see it.

     On a related note, the Star Trek tour is now in Singapore. One of our customers said he had to have a uniform so he could go to it in style.

Star Wars Episode 1 VHS Only
     It's now official. The Phantom Menace will be released on April 4th but only on VHS in pan-and-scan for $24.98srp and in a Widescreen Collector's Edition for $39.98srp. The Collector's Edition will include a behind the scenes documentary, a 35mm strip from the original movie print and a 48 page collector's book.

     DVD fans will have to wait, but VHS fans everywhere only have to wait until the week of April 3rd as the video is being released, simultaneously, world-wide.

Stephen Poe Voyages On
     Stephen Edward Poe, author of "The Making of Star Trek," died on Thursday, January 6, 2000. He was 63.

     Poe was a successful author and multimedia producer. Under the pen name "Stephen Whitfield," he wrote the classic book, "The Making of Star Trek" with Gene Roddenberry in 1968. In doing so, not only did Poe create the "making of" book genre, but he gave millions of fans a fascinating glimpse at the creative team whose weekly adventures were every bit as exciting as those of Captain Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise.

     Stephen Poe's last few years were dominated by a heroic battle against leukemia. Stephen took an active role in his fight against the deadly cancer, working closely with his doctors to beat the killer.

     During this struggle, Stephen wrote his last book, "Vision of the Future: The Making of Star Trek Voyager." It was a point of pride with Stephen that he interviewed virtually everyone in the production crew, celebrities and average workers alike, making many, many friends in the process.

     Stephen challenged the frontiers of medical science, and his efforts kept him alive long after the top experts in the field said he should be dead. In doing so, he helped those experts to explore new avenues of treatment, giving them experience that will benefit others suffering from leukemia. Up until the very end, he remained firmly convinced that he would beat the disease by helping his doctors to find a cure.

     In lieu of flowers, Stephen's wife, Fran, suggests that contributions can be made to the Stephen Poe memorial fund, so that the war against leukemia can be won. Donations can be sent to:

     The Leukemia Society In Memory of Stephen Poe 3105 Site Circle, Suite 101 Sacramento, CA 95825

Quark's Closing?
     There's talk that the Star Trek Experience in Las Vegas might be closing in March. It's under pressure for not attracting the crowds that its 70 million dollar investment demands. Recently, the entire administrative staff was replaced and cost-cutting efforts have been established.

     There were problems with the Experience from its genesis. The concept started as a high-tech experience for Las Vegas gamblers and proved to be a troublesome adventure. Three-years of planning didn't prevent the delays. When mechanical and safety problems with the virtual reality simulator could not be overcome, tour operators were left in limbo and unable to plan events concurrent with its opening.

     The initial attendance projections were probably calculated using Trek's popularity during Picard's reign over the Star Trek franchise. However, by the time the Experience finally opened, The Next Generation had already ceased production. Subsequent movies, Deep Space Nine and Voyager only segmented the Star Trek audience and much of the general public has turned its attention elsewhere.

     Ongoing problems have resulted from under-age clientele illegally playing in the casino areas. Newspaper stories report that the Hilton has been fined repeatedly for minors loitering in the casino areas. In fact, entry to the attraction encourages families to stroll past gaming tables and slot machines. Being fined thousands of dollars by the Nevada Gaming Commission certainly hasn't helped the bottom-line.

     It's an incredible shame. The museum is fantastic. The Smithsonian and Federation Science Exhibits were obviously just warm-ups for what was built in Las Vegas. The combination of historical information with actual props and interactive displays makes waiting in line for the virtual ride both enjoyable and informative. If you haven't been to the Experience, find a way to get there now.

     If, in fact, the rumors are true, Paramount should seriously consider moving the operation to Hollywood. A permanent home, as part of the studio tour, would greatly enhance Paramount's image with the public and would generate more revenue than the space it would displace. I don't even think they would need the simulator ride (and its overhead) to make it a must-see attraction for Star Trek fans visiting Los Angeles. Currently, Paramount's studio tour lacks a museum for visitors. A relocated Quark's Bar and gift shop would be a great revenue source. Universal got this idea a long time ago and makes more money from its theme parks than it does from movies.

Shameless Plug For Book
What does it take for me to mention your book on our website? Mention us in the book, of course. The Incredible Internet Guide For Trekkers is 310 pages of info on how to find info on Star Trek on the internet. On page 137 we are listed right next to the Star Trek Virtual Bookstore and StarTrekToys.Com.

There are sections covering: Actors, The films, Discussion Sites, Multimedia, Galleries, Software, Foreign Sites, Merchandise, Games, Reading, and more. As a bonus, there is a chapter on Stardates that contains info from the Star Trek novels, comics, series, and films - all presented in chronological order. You can order the book from your favorite bookseller. The ISBN number is 1-889150-11-8.

©2005 Starland · PO Box 24955 · Denver CO 80224-0955
Ph 303.777.6800 Fax 303.200.9009 Email starland@starland.com