Trump Releases Government UFO Files

With the release of some UFO files at the order of President Trump, I can't help but think that Russell Azbill, a friend in Jamestown, New Mexico who passed away last October, would be in his element.

He and I used to talk about UFOs and other things (such as Bigfoot) quite often. 

From Reuters:

May 8 (Reuters) - At the order of U.S. ​President Donald Trump, the Defense Department on Friday released dozens of previously classified files on alleged UFO sightings to provide what ‌it called "unprecedented transparency" to the American people, though analysts said many of the documents had already been made public.

The disclosure, opens new tab of documents, photos and videos of "unidentified anomalous phenomena" will be followed by future releases as more materials are declassified, the Defense Department said in a statement.

Upon the release of the initial batch, President Trump said that people can decide for themselves. 

To read more, go here.

Redneck Star Trek – Beam Me Up, Bubba

 For your amusement, we have a Star Trek parody, Redneck Star Trek – Beam Me Up, Bubba.

Leonard Nimoy As Sherlock Holmes

Many on Facebook had noted the late Leonard Nimoy's birthday yesterday. 

I spotted a photo of Nimoy playing Sherlock Holmes in a rather campy stage play in 1976. Alan Sues (of Laugh-In fame) played Moriarty. I shared it. Some people weren't even aware Nimoy played Holmes upon seeing the photo (shown above).

My parents and I went to see the play at the now-gone Shubert Theater located at the ABC Entertainment Center in Century City in Los Angeles. Somewhere around here, I have the program from the show. 

Campy though it was, I found it entertaining nonetheless.

Here's a newspaper advertisement:

Here's the cover of the play's program:

One of these days, I should dig around to see if I can find my copy of the program.

Vulcan Proverb

 

Mr. Spock Coffee Mug

Above, Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock. 

The other day, I had to pick up a few things over at Walmart.

While walking through the kitchenware section, I spotted a coffee mug. It was of the late Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock in Star Trek. 

On one side, it had an image of Nimoy (a good one) giving the Vulcan hand sign and on the other, Spock's Vulcan salute, "Live Long and Prosper".

Above, the Vulcan salute.

Since the mug was under $5.00, I decided to get it, even though I have a cupboard full of coffee mugs.

It also reminded me of the time I saw Nimoy perform at the Shubert Theater in Century City's ABC Entertainment Center as Sherlock Holmes and Alan Sues as Prof. Moriarty back in the 1970s. The ABC Entertainment Center (along with the Shubert Theater and the Playboy Club) was demolished in 2004. 

"Star Trek Beyond"

Above, the U.S.S. Enterprise. Photo by Paramount Pictures.

Tonight, I got out of the house to see Star Trek Beyond.

Compared to the last entry in the franchise, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Star Trek Beyond was a major shift in gears. Whereas Star Trek: Into Darkness has seen some criticism for being a bit "to dark" (I liked it), Star Trek Beyond was much lighter in tone (with a little touch of camp). It was almost like the original television series that focused on the interplay between the main characters.

The movie was set three years after the last movie. In the beginning, Captain Kirk had grown weary over the mundane routine of their five-year mission. That soon ended when a plea for assistance was received by Starfleet at a remote outpost in space (and what an "outpost" it was).

The passings of Leonard Nimoy (referred to as Ambassador Spock) and Anton Yelchin (Chekov) (due to a freak automobile accident) were noted and both were memorialized in this movie and during the end credits.

Overall, Star Trek Beyond wasn't Shakespeare, but it was a fun diversion. It was a satisfying movie for this casual Star Trek fan.

My grade: B+.

Revisiting "Star Trek: The Motion Picture"

The other night (Tuesday night, to be exact), I went over to the local CD Trader Store (they sell new and used DVDs, CDs and vinyl) to pick up some movies.

I was in the mood to re-visit the Star Trek movies featuring the original cast of the 1960s television show.

It was just my luck that they had a set of all of the movies, beginning with Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) and ending with Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (1991). It is pictured at left.

After I got home, I sat down to watch the movie over some chocolate chip ice cream.

The movie, directed by Robert Wise, hasn't aged very well, to say the least. Frankly, it was a colossal bore when it came out in 1979 and it remains a colossal bore today. The special effects were a disappointment, despite having John Dykstra and Douglas Trumbull on board. Granted, the special effects were before digital imaging. Matte lines and other flaws were very apparent.

Above, the refitted and rebuilt Enterprise in space dock.

At least the next entry in the movie series, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982) had a much better story and much better special effects.

It was interesting to see a much younger and thinner William Shatner.

Leonard Nimoy Now On His Eternal Mission

Above, a bust of Leonard Nimoy as Spock at the 2013 Son of Monsterpalooza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Actor Leonard Nimoy passed away today at age 83 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was best-known as the Vulcan first officer "Mr. Spock" on the 1960s television series (and movies) Star Trek.

He passed away at home. I had read a few days ago that he had been hospitalized.

While he was known as Spock, Nimoy also appeared in television's Mission Impossible and the syndicated show In Search Of as host and many movies since the 1950s (including one with Jack "Jimmy Olsen" Larson in 1952's Kid Monk Baroni).

Back around 1976, I had the opportunity to see Nimoy perform on stage in a rather campy production (as the title character) of Sherlock Holmes at the now-gone Shubert Theater in Century City. It was a joy seeing the man at work.

Nimoy appeared as "Spock-prime" in the two recent J. J. Abrams Star Trek movies. No doubt, the next Star Trek movie will honor Nimoy in some fashion.

While the title "television icon" is often given to some celebrities who may be undeserving, it certainly fits Leonard Nimoy.

LLAP.

Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy Suffering From Lung Disease

Above, an excellent bust of Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock at last year's Son of Monsterpalooza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Actor Leonard Nimoy, best known as Mr. Spock in the original Star Trek series and movie spin-offs, revealed last week that he was diagnosed with COPD.

According to an article in Newsmax:

Veteran actor Leonard Nimoy, best known as Spock in the 1960s television series "Star Trek" and a string of feature films that followed, said he was "doing OK" after being diagnosed with lung disease and urged fans on Thursday to quit smoking. 

"Smokers, please understand. If you quit after you're diagnosed with lung damage it's too late. Grandpa says learn my lesson. Quit now," Nimoy tweeted to his 810,000 followers. In Nimoy's case, the actor said, he was diagnosed despite having quit smoking 30 years ago.  

The 82-year-old actor added he was "doing OK. Just can't walk distances," and he signed off with "LLAP," an abbreviation of his character's trademark phrase, "live long and prosper."Nimoy first revealed in a Twitter message posted last week that he has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, a severe lung ailment that the U.S. surgeon general has concluded is linked to smoking.

To read more, go here.

Son of Monsterpalooza

Today, I made it over to the Burbank Marriott and Convention Center near Bob Hope Airport for this year's Son of Monsterpalooza.

Son of Monsterpalooza is like the big Monsterpalooza show, but on a smaller scale. Nevertheless, it was a lot of fun.

Fortunately, when I got there, the crowds had thinned out and I was able to move about with no problem. I was able to meet with actor Akira Takarada and Bela Lugosi, Jr. while at the show.

Lugosi, Jr. (whose table was a few feet away from Takarada's) asked me about Takarada as he wasn't familiar with his work. I explained to him that he was in the original 1954 Godzilla as part of the love triangle as well as other Toho epics. We also talked about being "neighbors" back in the late 1960s when he lived in Inglewood and I lived in Hawthorne.

Some highlights:

Above, some displays at the show.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, actor Akira Takarada and Armand with an autographed poster.

Above, Bela Lugosi, Jr. with a companion in a mask of his father.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, an attendee in the make-up chair.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a nicely-done bust of Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, more exhibitor displays.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Star Trek: Into Darkness (Paramount Pictures) was released on DVD/Blu-ray today, so I hopped into my jalopy and picked up the Blu-ray.

I just finished watching it and have to give it a "thumb's up."

I found it interesting with some good acting and great special effects. There were some disappointments and twists, but I won't divulge them as they would spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet.

However, I enjoyed a "role reversal" scene that hearkened back to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). It is hard to believe that 31 years have passed since the release of that movie!

The movie also includes a nice little cameo by Leonard Nimoy.

My grade: A. 

William Windom Dies At 88

Above, William Windom and Leonard Nimoy on "Star Trek."

A longtime familiar face on television and in the movies has passed away.

The New York Times reported:

William Windom, who won an Emmy Award playing an Everyman drawn from the pages of James Thurber but who may be best remembered for his roles on “Star Trek” and “Murder, She Wrote,” died on Thursday at his home in Woodacre, Calif., north of San Francisco. He was 88. 

The cause of death was congestive heart failure.

The show that Windom won the Emmy Award was My World And Welcome To It.  Prior to that, he co-starred with Inger Stevens in The Farmer's Daughter.

Back in the 1970s, I was with a group of friends at the Mann's Theaters in Tarzana (this was twenty years before I moved to Tarzana) waiting in line when I saw Windom with his kids jaywalking at a fast trot across Ventura Blvd. to get to the theaters.

To read the full New York Times article, go here.

Mr. Spock Meets Jimi Hendrix

A few days ago, I posted this photo (right) of Leonard "Spock" Nimoy with guitar legend Jimi Hendrix and mused if there was an interesting story behind it.

Well, there is a story behind it. Good friend Bob "The General" McArthur came across this website that contains the story behind the meeting between the two.  It also has a video of Nimoy discussing the meeting.










At left, is another version of the photo.  It also has Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding  (second from left).  Both he and Hendrix signed it.




As Spock would say, "Fascinating!"

Crazy Schedule, Etc.

It suddenly dawned on me that my next day off is next Saturday. I've been working steadily since Wednesday night. Not that I'm complaining, I can use the bucks. The shifts vary. Graveyard, swing and day. Yeesh!

My roomie is also working a lot in her chef job. Only she's putting in 10-12 hours on each shift.  Wow!

I just have to hang in through November so I can take some vacation time.

My check from ComiXpress arrived for sales of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan, so there's more to put into the bank. Every bit helps!

******

It is gratifying to see how much the teaser trailer for Legendary Pictures/Warner Brothers Godzilla (apparently set for 2014) caused such a stir at Comic Con and in the media. I don't recall this much excitement for the TriStar version in 1998.

******

It is sad to see how low President Obama's campaign will stoop in spreading lies about Mitt Romney's Bain Capitol record. It is purely an act of desperation.

The Romney needs to go on offensive!  We've a republic to save!

******

I came across this interesting photo.  It is Leonard "Spock" Nimoy with Jimi Hendrix.  There has to be an interesting story behind it!

Leonard Nimoy Ends Convention Appearances, But...

An era has come to an end.

Dallas News.com reports:

Leonard Nimoy attended what he says was his last Star Trek convention Sunday in Rosemont, Ill. The 80-year-old, best-known for playing Mr. Spock in the original TV series, formed four fingers into a V for Vulcan sign and intoned Spock’s most famous phrase: “Live long and prosper."

However, the Fox News.com's blurb on the Nimoy story has his Trek character slightly wrong:



Dr. Spock was a famous baby doctor who died years ago.