Western Wednedays: The Great Train Robbery

I recently watched this film (for the second or third time) for my film studies class. Since I'm busy with school right now I figured I review it for Western Wednesdays as its fairly short and therefore easy to review briefly...

     The Great Train Robbery was released in 1903. It is directed by Edwin S. Porter, a director working for Thomas Edison's film production company, Edison Studios. It tells the story of three bandits who rob a train and abscond with the money, only to be caught and gunned down by a posse.

     The Great Train Robbery is one of the most innovative and influential films ever made. It was one of the first films to use cross cutting, showing two scenes which happen at the same time but in different places. Early in the film the bank robbers attack and tie up a telegraph operator. After they leave his daughter arrives, unties him and then proceeds to recruit a posse to track down the robbers. However, this scene is not shown until after the events of the robbery, even though it takes place at the same time. This technique would become quite common in other films. It was also one of the first motion pictures to use panning shots and location shooting. Besides this, its financial success helped to make film a viable commercial medium.

     Beyond its impact on film in general this film has had a marked influence on the western genre. The plot, involving the robbery of a train, is one that is seen quite often in western movies, most notably Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), a film about the exploits of two famous bank robbers whose robbery of a train in Wyoming in 1900 also inspired this film. In the scene where the telegraph officer's daughter goes to the dance-hall to gather together the posse one man is scene shooting at another feet to make him dance, this is also commonly seen in western films and novels.

This shot, of one of the robbers firing at the audience, was shown at the beginning or the end of the film depending on the projectionists whim.

     Does it hold up? Kind of, if you like older silent films. The stunts are not that well done (at least by modern standards) and the cross cutting is somewhat confusing (a more experienced editor might have cut back and forth between the robbers and their pursuers more often) but the location shooting gives the movie a more realistic feel than many other films of the this era and robbery and the shootouts are still fairly exciting. If nothing else, The Great Train Robbery is worth seeing for its important place in film history. It is only 12 minutes long after all.

Score: 8/10

Star Trek: My 20 Favorite Episodes

     Fifty years ago, on September 8th, 1966, the first episode of Star Trek, "The Man Trap", aired on CBS. In honor of this momentous occasion I present to you my 20 favorite episodes of the original series.

     To create this list I went back and watched about 30 episodes that I remembered really liking, then ranked them accordingly. I've tried to include a variety of plots (ie. time travel, parallel world, artificial intelligence, intergalactic war etc.) and tones (both serious and light hearted). I tend to look for three things in any Star Trek episode namely good interaction between the cast (Kirk, Spock and Bones), thought provoking thematic material, and good pacing. All the episodes I selected contain one or more of these things and if supporting cast members (Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, Nurse Chapel, Chekov) are involved more than usual in an episode, so much the better.

Honorable Mentions

"The Enemy Within" (Season 1 Episode 5)
Written by Richard Matheson
Directed by Leo Penn

     One of the very first episodes that I ever watched, "The Enemy Within", written by veteren sci-fi writer Richard Matheson (I Am Legend), is a really intriguing commentary on the duality of man, his animalistic and often violent instincts on one side and his more evolved sense of morality and empathy on the other. It also features one of William Shatner's best performances as a more subdued Kirk who has been physically separated from his darker half. It probably would have made the cut if it wasn't for a rather insensitively handled rape subtext (rape is one subject that Trek writers never seem to get a very good handle on).

"Tomorrow is Yesterday" (Season 1 Episode 19)
Written by D.C. Fontana
Directed by Micheal O'Herlihy

     In this episode the Enterprise is thrown back in time to 60's era earth where they are spotted by a U.S. Air Force pilot and forced to beam him aboard. The crew must figure out how to return to the 23rd century without damaging the timeline. It's a really fun episode and was originally intended to be the second episode of a two parter, following the "The Naked Time". It was reworked into a stand-alone episode written by Trek regular D.C. Fontana. His script anticipates Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, both in its lighthearted tone and in establishing that the Enterprise can time travel by using what's called the slingshot effect.

"Bread and Circuses" (Season 2 Episode 25)
Written by Gene Roddenberry and  Gene L. Coon (based on a telepaly by John Kneubuhl)
Directed by Ralph Senensky

     One of three episodes, along with "A Piece of the Action" and "Patterns of Force", where the crew of the enterprise encounter a planet whose cultural closely parallels earth history. In this case it's ancient Rome. It's not as comically entertaining as the former or thought provoking or well paced as the latter but it's the only one of the three to fully embrace parallel planetary development theory as opposed to someone purposely basing their culture on that of ancient earth and the implication (at the very end of the episode) that Christian worship is able to transcend space and time as a force for peace and liberation really intrigues me. It also features a really nice moment between Spock and Bones which was edited out of the original broadcast version.

Countdown of My 20 Favorite Episodes

20. "Day of the Dove" (Season 3 Episode 7)

Written by Jerome Bixby 

Directed by Marvin Chomsky

     Tensions run high aboard the Enterprise when the crew comes into conflict with the crew of a Klingon ship. Kirk, Spock, and Bones discover that they are all being manipulated by a mysterious alien entity that feeds off of violent emotions. They and the crew must overcome their violent impulses, and convince the Klingons to do the same, if they are to escape from the entity's control and from an eternity of pointless conflict.

     One of the few great episodes from Star Trek's uneven third season, "Day of the Dove" explores themes of hatred and violence. Watching the cast turn against each other is highly entertaining but there's also a spiritual quality to Jerome Bixby's story. The idea that the entity, or others like it, have been around since the beginning of time causing trouble echo's the Christian idea of the devil, an idea that transcends many different religions and mythologies. When Kirk tell's the entity that "We'll be on guard now" he seems to be speaking for all of humanity. This is also the first episode to really humanize the Klingons and explore their militaristic culture in a meaningful way. This is due in part to the performances of  Micheal Ansara and Susan Howard, who play the captain of the Klingon ship and his wife, respectively.

19. "The Ultimate Computer" (Season 2 Episode 24)

Written by D.C. Fontana and Laurence N. Wolfe
Directed by John Meredyth Lucas

     The Enterprise is selected to be the test vehicle for the new "M-5 Multitronic System" designed by renowned computer scientist Dr. Richard Daystrom (William Marshall), a system which will control all the ship's functions without human assistance. When the M-5 malfunctions, destroying an unmanned freighter without provocation, Kirk orders it taken off line. The M-5 then takes over the ship, generating a force field to keep the crew from shutting it off. Under M-5's control the Enterprise attacks Federation vessels that are taking part in war games as part of the test, causing them to fire on the Enterprise in retaliation. Kirk, Spock, and Scotty must act fast to take control from the M-5 before the ship is destroyed.

     "The Ultimate Computer" is the best of Star Trek's evil AI episodes. The overused plot device of defeating the AI by convincing it to destroy itself works better here because of M-5's connection to Daystrom, who programmed it with his own engrams. This is due, at least partly, to William Marshall's performance. His Richard Daystrom is a man driven by a need to prove himself and reclaim his former glory. Because of this the episode becomes a commentary not just on the dangers of computer automation but also of prideful ambition. Fontana is really good at writing characters whose large ego works toward their detriment. Shatner puts in a solid performance in this episode as well, as Kirk's ego is shaken when he is confronted with the prospect of being replaced by a machine.

18. "A Taste of Armageddon" (Season 1 Episode 23)
Written by Robert Hammer and Gene L. Coon
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     The Enterprise escorts Senator Robert Fox (Gene Lyons) to Eminiar VII to establish diplomatic relations with Federation. On arriving they receive a warning, barring them from approaching the planet surface, but Fox orders Kirk to enter orbit anyway. Deciding to investigate the situation Kirk beams down with Spock and a security team only to find that the planet is involved in a "war" with nearby Vendikar. In this war, attacks are simulated with computers and any person designated a casualty must be executed in a disintegration chamber. The planets leader, Anan 7 (David Opatoshu) informs Kirk that the Enterprise was "hit" in one of these attacks and that his crew are all considered casualties and must report for execution. When Kirk refuses to senf his men down, he and the landing party are taken prison. Kirk and the others must escape and warn the Enterprise before Anan 7 can lure them into a trap. Meanwhile, Senator Fox butts heads with Scotty, who distrusts Anan 7 and wants to threaten the planet with military action.

     Joseph Pevney and Gene L. Coon can usually be counted on to make an engaging episode and this one is no exception. "A Taste of Armageddon" is notable mostly for its strong ant-war themes. The idea presented is that war on Eminar VII has become so sterile and routine that the people of the planet no are no longer motivated to seek peace and Kirk's impassioned plea for peace at the end of the episode is just classic Trek. On the other hand the federation's General Order 24 could be read as an allegory for nuclear weapons, in which case this episode could be read as a defense for the use of such weapons to ensure peace. Given this, it's not surprising that this order has since been revoked by Federation law in Trek continuity. This episode is also the first in which Scotty takes command of the Enterprise.  In a scene inspired by James Doohan's military career he disobeys an order from Fox and refuses to lower the shields.

17. "The Doomsday Machine" (Season 2 Episode 6)

Written by Norman Spinrad
Directed by Marc Daniels

     Following a distress call from the USS Constellation, the Enterprise finds her sister ship stranded in space with only one survivor aboard, her captain, Commodore Matt Decker (William Windom). He informs them that his ship was attacked by a giant, planet-killing machine which severely crippled it. After evacuating his crew to a nearby planet Decker then watched helplessly as it was completely obliterated by the machine. The beleaguered Decker is beamed aboard the Enterprise while Kirk, Scotty and some engineers attend to the heavily damaged Constellation. When the planet killer returns, cutting Kirk off from his ship, Decker takes command of the Enterprise, determined to destroy the machine at any cost.

     "The Doomsday Machine" is one of the darkest episodes of the original series and it's also one of the best. Norman Spinrad based his script for the episode on a Moby Dick-esque novella he wrote. William Windom puts in a really good performance as the Ahab-like Commodore Decker, a role reportedly offered to Robert Ryan! His obsession to destroy the planet-killer is what drives the episode and ultimately, makes it work so well. It also serves as an interesting counterpart to "A Taste of Armageddon", an episode which, in some ways, can be seen as justification for the existence of nuclear weapons. This one, on the other hand, can be read as a cautionary tale about the implications of having weapons with such great destructive capacity.

16. "All Our Yesterdays" (Season 3 Episode 23)
Written by Jean Lisette Aroeste
Directed by Marvin Chomsky

     The Enterprise arrives on the planet Sarpeidon in order to evacuate its populace before the planet goes supernova. There Kirk, Spock and Bones meet the planet's last inhabitant Atoz (Ian Wolfe), who shows them the Atavachron, a time portal which the inhabitants of Sarpeidon have used to escape into the planet's past. Before he can explain this, Kirk, hearing a woman scream on the other side of the portal, jumps through it, followed by Spock and Bones. Kirk finds himself stuck in a time resembling 17th century earth. Spock and Bones are stuck in a frozen wasteland with a single inhabitant, a girl named Zarabeth (Mariette Hartley), who Spock finds himself inexplicably drawn toward.

     Marvin Chomsky was really the show's secret weapon in it's third season. Both of the episodes he directed are among the best. "All Our Yesterdays" owes a lot to "The City on the Edge of Forever" . Both episodes feature a time portal that a member of the Enterprise accidentally steps through and both are tragic romances. This time, however, its Spock who falls in love. Eschewing typical Sci-Fi tropes about messing with history this episode instead explores Spock's friendship with Bones and his attraction toward Zarabeth, which he is ultimately forced to choose between. It also showcases the history and culture of both Vulcan and Sarpeidon. Kirk's adventure is less interesting but the parts with Spock and McCoy more than compensate for this.

15. "Arena" (Season 1 Episode 18)
Written by Gene L. Coon and Fredric Brown
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     Kirk, Spock, Bones beam onto the Federation outpost on Cestus III with an away team only to find it destroyed. The Enterprise is then attacked by an unknown enemy. Kirk decides to hunt down and destroy the enemy ship in retaliation for the attack on Cestus III but a powerful alien race called the Metrons intervenes, forcing Kirk to face the captain of the opposing ship one-on-one in a battle to the death on a barren planet, with the fate of the Enterprise in the balance.

     An iconic episode "Arena" features the famous (or perhaps infamous) fight between Kirk and the giant lizard like alien called a Gorn.  Another Pevney/Coon collaboration with an underlying message about rejecting violence, one which takes a little to long to set up. Kirk's arc here, going from a single minded quest for retribution to finding true cultural understanding showcases Rodennberry's vision of a compassionate and "evolved man. It's also great fun watching Kirk battles the Gorn and improvise a weapon in order to defeat him. Watching the crew of the enterprise use their knowledge of science to ultimately win the day is always satisfying.

14. "Patterns of Force" (Season 2 Episode 21)
Written by John Meredyth Lucas
Directed by Vincent McEveety

     Investigating the disappearance of Federation cultural observer John Gill (David Brian), the Enterprise arrives at the planet Ekos. When the ship is attacked by a primitive nuclear missile, Kirk and Spock beam down to investigate. On the planet's surface they discover a culture closely resembling that of Earth's Nazi Germany, complete with a holocaust against the Zeons, a more advanced culture from a neighboring planet. When they further discover that John Gill is the leader, or Führer, of this Nazi state, Kirk determines to confront Gill on his inexplicable violation of the Prime Directive.

     "Patterns of Force" is the best Trek episode dealing with parallel worlds. It's also John Meredyth Lucas' best script. His exploration of the effectiveness of fascism as a system of government is really complex. It's definitely a darker episode, about how easily man can fall into systematic violence when motivated by a strong group mentality. It has some lighter moments as well though, especially when Bones enters the scene. He and Spock's conversation about fascism at the end of the episodes is a particularly good moment. As a student of history I find all of this to be really fascinating. Director Vincent McEveety keeps the episode well paced and suspenseful throughout. If nothing else, this episode can be enjoyed as a solid political thriller.

13. "The Menagerie: Part I and II" (Season 1 Episodes 11 and 12 )
Written by Gene Roddenberry
Directed by Marc Daniels (and Robert Butler)

     Responding to a a message from Spock's former captain, Christopher Pike (Sean Kenney), the Enterprise arrives at Starbase 11. There they find that Pike has suffered from a severe burn accident and is now confined to a wheelchair, able to communicate only by answering yes/no questions with the aid of a red light on his wheelchair. Commodore Mendez, doubting that Pike was even capable of sending the message, orders an investigation. Meanwhile Spock kidnaps Pike and commandeers the Enterprise for unknown purposes. Kirk and Mendez pursue Spock, forcing him to beam them aboard. Finding out that the Enterprise is headed for the forbidden planet of Talos IV Mendez convenes a court martial, trying Spock for mutiny and disobeying Star Fleet orders. During the proceedings Spock presents recordings of Pike's original adventures on Talos IV as evidence. These recordings show that he was held against his will by powerful alien telepaths determined to use him to breed a race of slaves. Kirk increasingly worries about what his first officer is up to.

     "The Menagerie" was the first Star Trek episode to win a Hugo award for Best Dramatic Presentation. It's also the original series only two-part episode. It was made because Gene Roddenberry ran out of scripts half-way through Season One and, by cleverly utilizing footage from the unaired pilot "The Cage" as Spock's evidence for the court martial, this only episode only required a minimal amount of new material. It takes the brilliant (though somewhat problematic) premise of the pilot and explores it in more humanistic terms. What started as an exploration of reality, illusion, and free will becomes more complex, looking at old age and disability as well. Besides this, it also works well as a thriller. Seeing Spock commandeer the Enterprise for unknown purposes, at the bemusement of his shipmates, makes for great television. It's also interesting to see the Enterprise at an earlier date. Captain Pike (played by Jeffrey Hunter in the flashbacks) later became a reoccurring character when J.J. Abrams rebooted the franchise in 2009.

12. "The Corbomite Maneuver" (Season 1 Episode 10)
Written by Jerry Sohl
Directed by Joseph Sargent

     When the Enterprise encounters a mysterious and powerful alien ship, its commander, Balok (Clint Howard), identifying his ship as the flagship of the "First Federation", threatens to destroy the Enterprise for trespassing into First Federation territory. Kirk enters a game of cat and mouse with Balok, trying to bluff his way out of the situation. Meanwhile his new helmsman, Bailey (Anthony Call), struggles to cope with the stressful situation.

     "The Corbomite Maneuver" was the first episode of the series to be produced after NBC bought the pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before". It is also the first (filmed) appearance of Bones, Uhura, and Janice Rand. It establishes Bones friendly relationship with Kirk really well, though he and Spock's antagonistic rapport had yet to really show itself. Kirk's battle of wits with Balok is really exciting and the episode presents one of the show's central themes, the wonder of discovery and contact with the unknown, really well. There is a somewhat sexist line from Kirk that I don't care for and the uniforms were still being refined but, nevertheless, for people wanting to get into the show, I'd say this is a pretty good entry point.

11. "Dagger of the Mind" (Season 1 Episode 9)
Written by Simon Wincelberg
Directed by Vincent McEveety

     During a supply run to the penal colony on Tantalus IV, an escaped inmate stows away aboard the Enterprise and attacks one of the crew. The inmate, former doctor Simon Van Gelder (Morgan Woodward) demands asylum aboard the Enterprise only to be subdued by a Vulcan nerve pinch from Spock. On McCoy's insistence, Kirk beams down with psychiatrist Lt. Helen Noel (Marianna Hill) to investigate. There they find the inmates oddly complacent. Dr. Tristan Adams (James Gregory), who runs the facility, shows Kirk an experimental device which, he claims, Dr. Van Gelder mentally injured himself with. Meanwhile, aboard the Enterprise, Van Gelder becomes increasingly frantic, warning Spock and Bones that Kirk and Noel are in danger.

     The first episode of the original series I ever watched "Dagger of the Mind" features strong direction from Vincent McEveety, who keeps the episode really suspenseful. Though it features some nice, lighter moments between Kirk and Noel who, it's revealed, have a history, this episode has some really dark undertones. It's an almost Orwellian exploration of  criminal "rehabilitation" at the cost of identity loss. It also introduces the Vulcan mind-meld, a plot device which would become a staple of the franchise. Morgan Woodward said that the role of Simon Van Gelder was the most exhausting of his career and took a toll on his personal life while also opening up new acting opportunities for him.

10. "The Tholian Web" (Season 3 Episode 9)
Written by Judy Burns and Chet Richards
Directed by Herb Wallerstein

     The Enterprise encounters her sister ship, the USS Defiant, after a long search only to find that its crew have killed each other. After discovering that the Defiant is dissolving in an inter-dimensional drift, Kirk is caught on board and fades away with the ship. With the arrival of an unfriendly Tholian ship and the spread of a kind of space madness caused by proximity to the rift, Spock must decide whether to flee or stay and try to retrieve the captain in hopes that he survived the inter-phase.

     "The Tholian Web" is the best episode of Trek's spotty third season. In it we see how much of a middle man Kirk is to Spock and McCoy as their relationship is really put through the ringer in his absence. Watching the whole crew react to Kirk's supposed death one of my favorite scenes in the series. The episode also delves into inter-dimensional theory a concept  that would be explored further in the Enterprise episode "A Mirror Darkly" which was a sequel of sorts to this one. With all the craziness going on, this episode bears a strong resemblance to season one's "The Naked Time" and, like that episode, is well paced and suspenseful. Judy Burns had never written a screenplay before this episode but she could have fooled me.

9. "The Trouble With Tribbles" (Season 2 Episode 15)
Written by David Gerold
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     The Enterprise arrives at Deep Space Station K7 in response to a distress call. Arriving there, Kirk meets Under-Secretary Nilz Baris who sent the distress call so the Enterprise could guard a consignment of grain bound for Sherman's Planet. Annoyed at being summoned for such a menial task Kirk reluctantly agrees, using this as an opportunity for the crew to get some much deserved rest and recreation. A trader named Cyrano Jones (Stanley Adams) gives Lt. Uhura a tribble, a small fuzzy creature which reproduces at a remarkable rate. Soon the Enterprise and the space station are overrun with the creatures. The arrival of Captain Koloth and his Klingon battle-cruiser further complicates matters, as Baris fears for the safety of his grain.

     "The Trouble With Tribbles" is one of the most beloved episodes of the Original Series. Scotty gets more character development in this episode than usual as we learn how much pride he takes in being the engineer of the Enterprise when some Klingons decide to insult it. There are themes in the episode dealing with overpopulation and food distribution but the real reason this episode is famous is the comedy. Watching Kirk's exasperation as he tries to deal with Baris, the Klingons and, of course, the Tribbles, is highly entertaining. The climax, or low point of this struggle, where Kirk is literally buried in Tribbles, took eight takes to get right. Perhaps the appeal of this episode is best summed up in the words of William Shatner, "The trouble we had with 'Tribbles' was [to] keep your straight face. It was just a lot of fun."  

8. "Space Seed" (Season 1 Episode 22)
Written by Gene L. Coon and Carey Wilbur
Directed by Marc Daniels

    The Enterprise encounters the derelict SS Botany Bay, a relic of late 20th century earth, floating in space, her crew kept alive in suspended animation. Kirk, Bones and Scotty beam aboard the freighter along with historian Lt. Marla McGivers (Madlyn Rhue) and revive a man that McGivers identifies as the leader. Bringing him on-board the Enterprise they discover that his name is Khan (Ricardo Montalban). Spock discovers that he is actually Khan Nonien Singh, a warlord and genetically engineered superhuman form the eugenics wars of the 1990's. When Khan seduces McGivers, who has become infatuated with him, into helping him take over the ship, Kirk and his crew must prevent Khan from using the Enterprise to begin his new rule over mankind.

     This episode is famous for introducing Khan but he is not yet the revenge driven mad man of Star Trek II here. The script, originally written as a concept for a different Sci-Fi series by Carey Wilbur is really intelligent and well written. Khan is portrayed as a sophisticated autocrat, one who believes that he ought to ruler over others because his innate superiority makes him more capable. He makes an interesting foil for the more moral and empathetic Kirk, Spock and Bones. Given its somewhat sexist implications, Khan's relationship with McGivers is one of the weaker aspects of the episode, but it's also one of the most fascinating. Having studied history her whole life McGivers is fascinated by this savage, assertive man from the past. She's also sick of serving on the Enterprise, where she rarely gets a chance to do anything important. Joining Khan gives her the opportunity to take part in and help shape history instead of just studying it. It's just to bad that she seems so indecisive most of the time. Despite this, "Space Seed" remains a really smart and entertaining episode.

7.  "The Devil in the Dark" (Season 1 Episode 25)
Written by Gene L. Coon
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     When workers at the mining colony of Janus VI are killed by a mysterious creature, the Enterprise is sent in to investigate and eradicate the creature. On arriving, the Chief Engineer of the colony, Vanderberg (Ken Lynch), explains the situation. Then the creature attacks the colony's nuclear reactor room, killing the guard and stealing the circulation pump. Kirk and the crew must kill the creature and retrieve the pump within 48 hours, or the reactor will go critical. Spock however, has misgivings, suspecting that the creature may be the last of its kind. On finding the creature he and Kirk discover that it is intelligent, and that it's intentions have been misunderstood.

     If "The Trouble With Tribbles" is about population control "The Devil in the Dark" is its pro-life counterpart. It's also Coon's best script. Kirk and Spock, in protecting the Horta, demand respect for intelligent life in all it's forms and at all it's stages. What's surprising is the way the miners react when they learn that they've been destroying the Horta's eggs, not with blind anger but compassion and understanding. This episode presents Roddenberry's vision at its most optimistic. The banter between Kirk and Spock which closes the episode is one of the best exchanges between the two characters ever. William Shatner, who's father died during the filming of this episode, has said that it's his favorite, partly because of the positive experience he had when the cast and crew helped him to cope with his loss.

6. "Mirror, Mirror" (Season 2 Episode 4)
Written by Jerome Bixby
Directed by Marc Daniels

     During a mission to the peaceful planet Halkan a transporter malfunction causes Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, and Scotty to become trapped in a mirror universe. Here the Federation has been replaced with the brutal Terran Empire which the counterparts of Kirk and his crew in this universe serve. Attempting to impersonate their doppelgangers, who have been trapped in the universe which our heroes left, Kirk and company must find a way to return to their own universe. Matters are further complicated when the Terran Empire orders Kirk to destroy Halkan unless they meet their demands.

     Most famous for featuring an evil doppelganger of Spock who sports a beard, "Mirror, Mirror" presents a really interesting parallel universe. Jerome Bixby, who based the story for this episode on a short story he wrote, really digs into the workings of this world and its characters. Seeing how Kirk, Spock, and all the characters turn out in this universe is really interesting. Bone's insistence to save the mirror version of Spock when he is hurt shows how much he really cares for the Vulcan. Kirk's treatment of Lt. Marlena Moreau (Barbara Luna), his "kept woman" in this universe, reveals both the similarities and differences between him and his counterpart. Scotty's easygoing treatment of the whole affair reveals the character's quiet confidence that makes him so good at his job. I especially like how Uhura is able to blend into this world, in many ways, better than Kirk does, suggesting that her and her doppelganger are not that different. Finally, Spock's logical behavior throughout and his decision to let Kirk and company return at the end suggest that he too is not that different than the Spock we all know and love and that he may indeed take Kirk's advice and try to put an end to the Terran empire's reign of terror.

5. "Journey to Babel" (Season 2 Episode 10)
Written by D.C. Fontana
Directed by Marc Daniels

     The Enterprise is tasked with transporting Federation ambassadors, including Spock's father Sarek (Mark Lenard), to the Babel Conference to discuss the admission of the Coridan System to the Federation. Trouble arises when a Tellarite ambassador is murdered and Sarek is the main suspect. Later, he suffers a cardiovascular malfunction and Kirk is attacked and stabbed by an Andorian assassin. With the arrival and attack of an unidentified ship Spock is faced with a choice: give Sarek a lifesaving blood transfusion or take command of the enterprise in accordance with regulations.
 
     "Journey to Babel" along with "Amok Time" helps to flesh out Vulcan culture and Spock's background. It also helps to cement his friendship with Kirk and Bones. Mark Lenard's Sarek makes a really interesting contrast to Spock. Though this is his only appearance on the original series he would return to the franchise many times in the movies and the Next Generation TV show. His strained relationship with Spock is really the heart of this episode and is something that would not be resolved until the two part Next Generation episode "Unification". His mother Amanda (Jane Wyatt) acts as a balance between the two men. Her relationship with Sarek is also fascinating and always leaves me wishing for more. The way Kirk and Bones go out of their way to help Spock helps to further establish the depth of their friendship.

4. "Balance of Terror" (Season 1 Episode 14)
Written by Vincent McEveety
Directed by Paul Schneider

     While inspecting a line of Federation outposts, the Enterprise finds that many of them have been destroyed by an unknown enemy. A wedding aboard the ship, officiated by Captain Kirk, is interrupted when Outpost 4, near the Romulan neutral zone, is attacked. The Enterprise travels there to investigate and aid the the men at the outpost. After arriving they witness the outpost being destroyed by a cloaked Romulan Bird of Prey. Kirk decides to follow the Bird of Prey to the edge of the neutral zone before they can return to Romulus and report about the Federation's weaknesses. A games of cat and mouse ensues between the two ships and their commanders.

     Another episode featuring Mark Lenard but this time as a Romulan Captain (so much for continuity), "Balance of Terror" is a taught thriller in the tradition of old submarine movies. Indeed, writer Paul Schneider drew much inspiration from the WWII film, The Enemy Below but his script goes a step further and explores themes of racial distrust in time of war. In addition to introducing the Romulans this episode hints at their shared ancestry with Vulcans. This would become an important part of Trek mythology later on, as Spock would seek to reunify the two cultures, a goal he would pursue all the way up to his last prime universe appearance in Star Trek (2009). Vincent McEveety, who always excels at delivering suspense driven episodes, is at the top of his game here. Watching Kirk go toe to toe with the Romulan commander is probably the most intense climax in any episode of the original series. As a side note the woman getting married at the beginning of the episode, Angela Martine (Barbara Baldavin), is shown genuflecting, which was a bold move for the producers as prejudice against Catholics was common in the United States in the 1960's.  

3. "The City on the Edge of Forever" (Season 1 Episode 28)
Written by Harlan Ellison
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     While treating Lt. Sulu, Dr. McCoy accidentally injects himself with an overdose of cordrazine. Delusional, he flees from the bridge and beams down to a nearby planet where Kirk and a landing party pursue him. There they come across a large stone ring and a voice, calling himself the Guardian of Forever, explains that this is a time portal to any place and time. When McCoy appears and jumps through the portal and the landing party loses contact with the ship the Guardian explains that McCoy has changed history, causing both the ship and the Federation to be erased from history. Kirk and Spock decide to follow Bones through the portal and repair whatever damage he's done to the timeline and the Guardian agrees to return them to the present time once this is done. They come through and find themselves in Depression era New York City. They must use whatever crude tools they can find there to determine when McCoy will pass through the portal so they can stop him.

     Probably the most famous and acclaimed episode of the original series "The City on the Edge of Forever" was plagued with production problems. The script, written by renowned Science Fiction scribe Harlan Ellison, took over ten months to complete as Gene Roddenberry kept requesting rewrites. Before it was done the script had to be doctored by up to four other writers including D.C. Fontana, Gene L. Coon, Steven W. Carabatsos, and Roddenbery himself. Ellison was displeased by the final draft and he and Roddenberry had a long lasting feud as a result. The troubles weren't over even after the episode began filming however as it went $50,000 over budget. Despite all these problems the episode turned out amazingly well and went on to win a Hugo award for Best Dramatic Presentation. It certainly deserved it. This episode is a great exploration of causality and the limits of optimism. It features, perhaps, William Shatner's best performance of the series, as we watch Kirk fall in love with Edith Keeler (Joan Collins) only to be forced to let her go. It also has some great exchanges between Kirk, Spock and Edith Keeler. Joseph Pevney's direction was never stronger. It's simply a must-see episode.

2. "The Naked Time" (Season 1 Episode 4)
Written by John D.F. Black
Directed by Marc Daniels

     While documenting the breakup of planet Psi 2000 the crew of the Enterprise investigate the status of a research team on the planet's surface that has not been heard from in months. A landing party finds the team frozen to death, apparently after suffering from some form of madness. Without realizing it, one member of the party becomes infected with a strange red liquid. Soon more of the crew become infected and begin behaving irrationally with Ensign Riley (Bruce Hyde) getting drunk and taking over the ship via the engine room and Lt. Sulu running around the ship, shirtless, with a sword. Dr. McCoy determines that the water from the planet acts on the bloodstream like alcohol, impairing judgement and self-control. While he works on a cure Kirk and Spock, who are infected themselves, must work to regain control of the ship along with Scotty so they can leave the system before the ship's orbit decays.

     "The Naked Time" is a really entertaining episode. The script, by John D.F. Black, helps to shed more light on the characters early in the series run. We learn that Sulu fancies himself a swashbuckler and we see how brilliant of an engineer Mr. Scott is. More importantly, we learn how much the Enterprise means to Kirk, as his fear of losing command surfaces when he is infected. We also see how vulnerable Spock is and how much he struggles to contain his emotions. We learn that he and Nurse Chapel have feelings for each other when both of them become infected. This is reiterated later in the show. The scene where Spock breaks down crying, which is some of the best acting Nimoy ever did, was improvised. The episode is also a superb thriller, as events keep escalating until the (nearly) explosive conclusion where the Enterprise enters time warp for the first time. It's a favorite of George Takei, who taught himself fencing during his free time and apparently terrorized the film crew by poking them with his sword whenever they walked by.

1. "Amok Time" (Season 2 Episode 1)
Written by Theodore Sturgeon
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     Mr. Spock, who has been displaying erratic behavior of late, requests leave to travel to his home planet of Vulcan. When Star Fleet orders the Enterprise to Altair VI to represent the Federation at the inauguration ceremony for the planet's new president and refuses Spock's request, Kirk, seeing that Spock is in deadly earnest, insists on knowing why he must go to Vulcan. Spock reluctantly explains that he is going through pon farr, a condition experienced by young Vulcans, and that he must mate or he will die. Kirk disobeys Star Fleet orders and takes Spock to Vulcan. Once there he invites Kirk and Bones to attend the mating ceremony. On the planet they meet Spock's intended mate T'Pring (Arlene Martel) who requests the koon-ut-kal-if-fee, her right to a physical challenge between Spock and her selected champion. When she selects Kirk as her champion he decides, despite Spock's protests, to accept, only to learn that the fight is to the death!

     I had a hard time choosing between my top three episodes. Ultimately I picked "Amok Time" because it has the best interaction between Kirk, Spock, and Bones. Theodore Sturgeon really gets at the heart of their relationship and Kelley, Shatner, and especially Nimoy all put in great performances. The scene in the elevator were Spock asks Kirk and McCoy to attend the ceremony is, in particular, a really great, understated character moment as is the scene where Spock finds out that Kirk is alive and smiles, the only time in the series that Spock would show emotion without being influenced by some outside force.

     We learn a lot about Spock in this episode, both his culture and his character. We see the planet of Vulcan and meet other Vulcans for the first time. The Vulcan hand salute and the phrase "Live long and prosper" both appear here for the first time as well. Finally, we find out how private and prideful Spock and his culture are, as he avoids telling Kirk about pon farr almost at the cost of his life. There's also another hint at his romantic feelings for Nurse Chapel. Joseph Pevney's direction is quite strong and he gives the scenes on Vulcan a really exotic, otherworldly feel. In the end I love "Amok Time" because it does what Star Trek does best, telling a story about a new and strange world but a story that is surprisingly human and relatable at its core.

Western Wednesdays: No Name on the Bullet (1959)

Given my love for the western genre I've decided to try to write more about the genre. I'm going to attempt to post a new western related article every other Wednesday. I'm gonna call it Western Wednesdays ('cause alliteration ftw). This week I'll be reviewing the somewhat obscure psychological western No Name on the Bullet...

     No Name on the Bullet was released in 1959. It stars Audie Murphy and Charles Drake and was directed by Jack Arnold and written by Gene L. Coon (who later became a producer and writer for Star Trek).

     No Name on the Bullet is a somewhat subversive western. It takes the concept of a lone gunman who goes into a corruption filled town and sets things right and turns it on its head. This town certainly has some corrupt elements but it functions peaceably despite this. When John Gant (Murphy) rides into town this tranquility is immediately disrupted as everyone begins to panic and turn on one another, each wondering who Gant has come to kill. It's the kind of plot that might work well for a horror film. Trying to quell the madness is the town's doctor Luke Canfield (Drake) who sees Gant's presence in the town as a kind of epidemic, one that he's not equipped to cure. He and Gant have an interesting relationship and develop a certain mutual respect for one another. But there's a real contrast between these characters and their world view. Canfield believes in the value of human life and devotes his life to helping others stay alive. Gant views life quite differently. In his view most people have inner demons and are guilty of some crime. The doctor only serves to drag out their miserable, sinful lives. He, on the other hand, puts an end to them and dispenses justice which places him on a higher moral plain than everyone else because he's the only one who can see past the absurdity. Given the way the townspeople react to Gant's presence it would seem he has a point and this presents a continual challenge to Luke's ethical worldview. What Gant misses, and what becomes apparent when his intended target is finally revealed, is that people can make amends for their past mistakes and better their lives and the lives of those around them. The script does have some problems however as the actions of the townspeople don't always make a lot of sense. Some of them continue to fear for their lives when it should be obvious that Gant has no interest in them.

     Despite this issue Coon's psychologically driven script is easily the strongest part of the movie and it brings out the best in Murphy who gets to display a darker side here than he usually would. Casting an actor that audiences were used to seeing as an upstanding hero as, basically, the villain of the piece was a rather inspired choice and helps to reinforce the subversive nature of the film. Jack Arnold's direction is fairly effective, adding a forboding sense to the proceedings but it's also a bit by-the-numbers. Charles Drake is well cast as the upright and compassionate Luke Canfield. The supporting players, all seasoned character actors, also put in solid performances, especially R.G. Armstrong as Luke's down-to-earth, supportive father and Willis Bouchey as the pragmatic Sheriff Hastings. All in all No Name on the Bullet is a somewhat pedestrian western that's elevated by it's unique premise.

Score 8.5/10

Suicide Squad and Why Critics Matter

     I probably won't review Suicide Squad. I find myself with nothing of real interest to say about it that hasn't been said already. So here are my thoughts in a nutshell: Suicide Squad is lacking in a consistent tone, vision or narrative structure and somehow, despite having a fairly novel central concept for a film in this genre, it feels like every other superhero movie ever made. In addition to this, despite being filled with easter eggs and references to the comics, the writers of the film don't seem to have a very good grasp of who these characters are. So much for that. On to the main point of this article...

     The release of Suicide Squad has reignited a controversy about movie critics that's been going on for a long time now. Someone's even started a petition to shut down Rotten Tomatoes. The question is: are critics hurtful or helpful to the film industry? As I'm (sort of) a critic myself I strongly feel that critics are not just a helpful but an important part of the industry. I should clarify that if you enjoyed Suicide Squad or BvS that's fine, your entitled to your opinion buts there's no reason to begrudge critics of their own.

     A complaint I often hear is that critics are too critical. But being "critical" is a critic's job. The whole point of being a critic is to analyze a piece of art and determine whether or not we think it's worthwhile. Some argue that art is completely subjective and therefore the whole thing is essentially pointless. I wholeheartedly disagree. There are certain objective standards that can applied to any art-form. The main thing is to determine what the intention behind any given piece is and then to decide a) was this a worthwhile endeavor and b) does it effectively achieve what it was intended to. A movie like say, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen fails to meet the first criteria because it's a cynical cash grab that's designed to appeal to the baser instincts of its audience. The fact that it does this successfully is beside the point. On the other hand a film like say Star Trek V: The Final Frontier meets the first criteria because it's an installment in a beloved and successful franchise which its fans have a vested interest in seeing continue. But it utterly fails to meet the second criteria due to weak writing and terrible special effects. Finally you have a film like Batman and Robin that fails to meet either criteria.

Disparity much?

     It is not my intention here to reduce film criticism to some sort of litmus test of movie quality. This is simply the way, in a broad sense, that I personally tend to asses to overall quality of a film. Obviously a critic can and should go into more depth and try to appreciate a film from different angles. My point is that critics are, in a certain sense, guardians of quality and good taste in the film industry. If the recent DC films have proven anything it's that critical consensus can have an impact on the financial performance of a film, even if this is not always the case (look at the box office of the Transformers or Twilight films for proof of this). Why is this a good thing? Because it would be easy for movie studios to look at success of Micheal Bay or Roland Emmerich films and decide to make more films that are soulless spectacle with little to no heart or narrative coherence. When movies like Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad under-perform it makes them reconsider this strategy and pay more attention to what critics are saying. In other words, if critics continue to pan these movies and audiences continue to look at this and spend their hard earned money elsewhere, maybe, just maybe, DC will finally take note and release a movie that's actually good.

Star Trek Beyond Short Review

     Of all the films coming out this summer Star Trek Beyond was probably the one that I had the least confidence in. Everything released in advance of the film made it look like it the people involved didn't understand the essential appeal of the franchise. After all the director of Fast and Furious hardly seems like the right choice for a heady Sci Fi film. As a huge Trekkie this was rather disappointing, especially as the franchise celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and Beyond is the only thing Paramount is releasing. It turns out that my fears were unjustified however because Star Trek Beyond is easily the best Trek film since the release of Star Trek: First Contact (1996) or possibly even before that.

     The success of this film comes down to the script, written by Simon Pegg, who also play's Scotty and who co-wrote many of Edgar Wright's best comedies, and newcomer Doug Jung. These two writers seem to get Star Trek in a way that the previous writers, Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci, did not. The plot of the film is fairly simple. When the Enterprise is attacked by a mysterious alien swarm the crew becomes stranded and separated on a planet run by an enigmatic alien named Krall who captures most of the crew. Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Scotty must team up with another of the planets inhabitants, Jayla, in order to rescue their friends and escape. What makes it work is the interaction between the cast members. This was always one of the stronger aspects of this new rebooted series but the script for this film really gives them a chance to shine. Karl Urban as McCoy, who was sidelined in the first two films, is particularly good here and has a lot of chemistry with Zachary Quinto's Spock, who finally seems much more like the character from the original series. Chris Pine continues to shine as Kirk and his character has finally matured and feels much more confident sitting in the captain's chair then he did before. Simon Pegg, John Cho, and Zoe Saldana are all solid as Scotty, Sulu, and Uhura respectively and each of their characters is given something to do. Uhura's relationship with Spock works much better here than it did in the last two. She also has some nice moments with Sulu after they are captured by Krall. Pegg's Scotty has pretty good chemistry with newcomer Sofia Boutella's Jayla, who's a scavenger and, like Scotty, something of a technical wizard. Anton Yelchin (RIP) also puts in a solid, final performance as Chekov and both he and Leonard Nimoy are paid tribute to in subtle, classy way that doesn't distract from the plot.

     If the film has a weakness it's that Lin's direction is not great. Visually this film reminds me, far too often, of a network TV show one might watch on ABC or the CW. This is somewhat ironic I suppose as this film feels more akin to an episode of TOS than any Trek film since Insurrection which was released 18 years ago. Beyond is also somewhat light on thematic depth. The overall theme is basically constructive unity versus destructive self interest which is fine but not all that much is done with it compared with some of Trek's more nuanced stories of yore. Nevertheless, given the surprising amount of subtle character moments and the renewed sense of optimism found in this film along with the promise of a new TV series coming next year, Trek is on much more firm footing than is has been in a long while.

Score: 8/10

X-Men: Apocalypse - Brief Thoughts and Video Review

It's been awhile but the Brothers Thre3 have finally posted a new video review. I'll also give some more in-depth, spoiler filled thoughts below...

     Since shooting the review I have seen the film a second time. The main theme of the movie is the search that most people go through for a sense of purpose or belonging. On one side you have Kurt Wagner, Jean Grey, and Scott Summers, who find this through Charles Xavier and, to a lesser extent, Mystique. On the other hand you have Storm, Pysclocke, and  Angel, who find this in Apocalypse. So far so good right?

     Unfortunately there are two problems with this. One is that while Charles vision for a future where humans and mutants work together and help each other has always been clear Apocalypse is not given a clear vision to contrast with this. All he really ever says is that he wants to tear down the world and "build a better one". What this new world will look like is less clear. The other problems is that most of these characters get only minimal development or, in the case of Psylocke and Angel, none at all. Instead much time is given to fleshing out Apocalypse's fourth follower, Magneto. As Thomas stresses in our video review this is problematic because we've already spent a lot of time developing Magneto's character in the past and his arc in this film feels simultaneously repetitive and counter-intuitive.

     At the beginning of the film Magneto has given up on his quest to lead Mutant-kind to its (in his opinion) rightful place as the dominant species on earth. Instead he's living in Poland with a new wife and daughter, supporting them by working at a factory. When it's discovered that he's a mutant, his family wind up dead in a rather contrived sequence and he's left aimlessly searching for revenge as he was at the beginning of First Class. He winds up going through sort of a reverse of his arc in that film, this time following a violent and destructive leader only to have a change of heart and stand with his friends in the end. Despite this, it really feels, by the end of the film, like he's in a really similar place to where he was at the end of First Class rendering the whole thing rather pointless.

     As I mentioned in the video there's a missed opportunity here for socio-religious themes. Apocalypse fancies himself a god and wishes to destroy and replace the technology that he see's as a new, false god. This presents an opportunity to comment on post-WWII existentialism and how this might create a vacuum that a powerful being like Apocalypse could exploit. Unfortunately the film never goes in this direction, nor does it do anything very interesting with these concepts.

     The movie has other problems as well. There are subplots, involving Quicksilver and Moira Mactaggert that feel distracting and tacked on. Quicksilver's has an arc that is unresolved and Moira's presence through much of the film feels really awkward as she doesn't really understand what's going on until the climax. There's also a completely pointless scene where William Stryker captures Mystique, Beast, Moira and Quicksilver and Jean, Scott and Kurt must rescue them with some help from a conveniently placed (though admittedly cool) Wolverine cameo. There's also a scene where Magneto, in a fit of rage, destroys Auschwitz which, to me, felt a little insensitive.

     With that said the movie still works overall. There are some fun action scenes. The plot though a little thin and unfocused at times, is at least coherent. Finally, though Apocalypse doesn't offer a very interesting foil for him, Xavier is just as compelling as ever and I can understand why Jean, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and, ultimately, Storm follow him. The film is at its best when it's focusing on their side of the story. In the end X-Men Apocalypse is more uneven and disappointing than bad.

Score: 7/10

Les Miserables Review/Reflection

     I've never reviewed a book on this blog before. Although I love books I'm not as knowledgeable about literature as I am about film. But I had an experience while reading Les Miserables that I really wanted to right about. This novel touched me emotionally in a way that no book for a long time (or maybe ever) has.

     Before reading this book I had seen the 2012 musical film and really enjoyed it. One scene in particular got me a little choked up. But that was a more superficial emotional response. The book touched me on a much deeper level.

     There is a scene early on in the novel where the ex-convict Jean Valjean is given a meal and a place to sleep by the local bishop, Myriel. Everyone else in the town has denied him food or lodging up to this point because of his status as a convict. Notwithstanding the bishop's act of kindness Valjean steals some of his few valuable possessions, silverware, and flees into the night while the bishop sleeps, only to be caught by the police and brought back to the bishop's house. Valjean claims that the bishop gave him the silverware as a gift. Rather than expose this lie and condemn Jean Valjean back to prison the bishop backs up his story and gives him two silver candlesticks in addition to the silverware. The bishop tells him to see God's will in this act and to reform his life. This scene is very touching but what happens next is what really got to me.

     At this point, Jean Valjean, accustomed to nothing but misery and bad treatment from others, broods over the bishop's words and actions. Should he turn over a new leaf and dedicate his life to God? While this is going on Valjean meets a young urchin called Petit Gervais who is carrying a 40 sous piece which he drops. Out of malicious habit Jean Valjean covers this sous with his foot and, when confronted by Gervais, chases him off. Afterward, realizing what he's done and disgusted with himself he vows to honor Bishop Myriel's wishes and become an honest man,

     Believe it or not, I had an experience many years ago that parallels Jean Valjean's. Having come home from adoration one day I found that mom had made my favorite cookies, oatmeal raisin. My little sister, who often annoyed me decided to try one and, not wanting her to have one before I did I intentionally cut in front of her to try and prevent her from getting one. My dad noticed and scolded me for it. Usually I might have shrugged this off but something really struck me in this instance. Why had I done this? My little sister certainly meant me no harm, she just wanted a cookie like me. Why would I want to deprive her of that? I was coming face to face with my own selfish , malicious human nature. Subsequently I wept, out loud, in front of my father. I also made a kind of resolution never to act in this way again. Of course I have not perfectly lived up to that but I did change toward my sister. Things that would have annoyed me before no longer really bothered me.

     Reading about Jean Valjean's transformation in Les Mis brought me back to that moment. and made me realize, again, how much it had shaped me. There are plenty of books and movies that have moved me emotionally but none have connected with me so much at a personal level.

     I also connected with the character of Marius. His experience of moving away from royalism and toward republicanism and the rift this causes between him and his Grandfather reflects my own shifting political views of late and the inner struggle this has caused me as I've moved away from some of my parents political views. I also appreciate that Hugo's own views are somewhat moderate. While I can't agree with his unquestioning support of the French Revolution, given all the violent turmoil it led to, I was grateful that he did not fall prey to atheistic anti-clerical attitude of many of his peers. On the contrary, despite the fact that it was banned by the Catholic Church at the time of its publication, I was surprised to find Les Miserables to be, generally, a very pious work.

     Finally I would like to briefly address the two biggest potential problems with Les Mis, its astronomical amount of plot contrivances and Hugo's predilection for lengthy digressions from the text.

     Les Miserables is filled with plot contrivances. Characters that have past history with one another keep meeting, by pure chance, at very convenient moments in the story. At one point, for instance, Jean Vlajean is on the run from the police and takes shelter in a convent where a man he was saved just happens to work as a gardener. This man then helps Jean Valjean escape the police. The reason I don't really mind these kind of coincidences, which would usually strike me as lazy writing, is that there is a theme of divine providence which runs through the narrative and these contrivances reinforce this theme.

     Hugo also fills the book with some rather lengthy discussions about the Battle of Waterloo, the argot (jargon) of French criminals, Paris street urchins, and cloistered religious orders. This may be irritating to some but as a student of history I found it really interesting to look at these events and institutions through the eyes of someone who lived through it. It helps to place the reader in the historical period in which the story is set. It also gives the novel an epic feel. This is not just a book about some people living through the tumultuous period of post-Napoleonic France, it's the story of that period itself.

     I don't usually like to say that any piece of art is among my favorites without giving more time for it to really sink in but in this particular case I feel fairly confident in saying that Les Miserables is now one of my favorite novels.