'KOOL TV' HITS THE MILLION!

The cast of the original STAR TREK movies raise their glasses to celebrate KOOL TV's fabulous landmark.

A big, epic THANK YOU to all our worldwide readers for their support in helping the KOOL TV website reach this epic one million hit milestone.

There's lots more features, showcasing old and new TV series, on the horizon, not to mention more of our always popular KOOL TV "Babe of the Week"...

To quote our TREK-ian friends: "The Human Adventure is just beginning..."

"SECOND STAR TO THE RIGHT!" THE ORIGINAL 'STAR TREK' LIVES ON!

These are the continuing voyage of the Starship Enterprise...

The colourful and innovative sixties TV phenomenon, often imitated never bettered, would, despite its less than acclaimed launch in September 1966, finally help to make science fiction storytelling a credible reality for weekly small-screen audiences-sophisticated, smart, thrilling, funny, sexy and intelligent, with a terrific series cast, the original cew of the Federation starship USS Enterprise continues to live long and prosper, travelling to warp speed heights of action and adventure, as STAR TREK, created by Gene Roddenberry, gains critical mass near its Fiftieth Anniversary.

This wonderful mid-seventies art by popular sci-fi artist Ken Barr is a wonderful encapsulation of all the classic TREK elements: the crew, the Enterprise, the weaponry and technology of a bright, peaceful utopian 22nd Century tomorrow we should all aspire to reach, the strange new worlds and civilisations waiting to be contacted and explored, and the many classic monsters- friends and foes- that have ingrained themselves on our imaginations and pop culture over the years.

Recently winning its deserved accolade by the US TV GUIDE magazine as Favourite Classic Show, Kirk and company have been our guides, our protectors and our friends. And their adventures continue in the UK- with the 79 digitally re-mastered, high quality episodes airing weekday evenings courtesy of the HORROR and PARAMOUNT CBS DRAMA channels.

The Human Adventure continues...

STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES (Every Episode Tribute) - YouTube
Star Trek: The Original Series Opening and Closing Theme 1966 - 1969 - YouTube
Star Trek The Video Game - William Shatner vs Gorn Trailer - YouTube

A bit of fun for two Spocks: Zachary Quinto vs. Leonard Nimoy: "The Challenge" - YouTube

STAR TREK goes PIXAR: MINION FACTORY: Pixar Boldly Goes Where No Man Has Gone Before!

COMING SOON: 'STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES' SOUNDTRACK COLLECTION

A world without the original STAR TREK series, and its classic music, is unthinkable!  Image: CBS PARAMOUNT.

When one thinks of the incredible legacy of the original game-changing STAR TREK television series created by Gene Roddenberry, we all remember the great cast of characters and the colourful, exciting, strong and memorable storytelling. But vitally, and just as importantly, we also loved the shows music. Not just the stirring original theme composed by Alexander Courage that came through our television sets each week heralding a new adventure to be savoured, but its regular thematic incidental music, too, brought to such vivid life by the acclaimed likes of film composers such as Jerry Finnerman (a later favourite of Clint Eatswood's), Gerald Fried, Sol Kaplan (whose music for THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE remains as menacing (almost pre-JAWS like) and haunting as ever), Fred Steiner and George Duning. Geniuses all, and never equalled nor bettered on the small-screen for their compositions of spirited drama, colourful action and always romantic emotions. So much so that subsequent STAR TREK spin- off series in the late eighties just couldn't compete and, for the most part, didn't bother to do so-presumably a deliberate decision made by the then production teams. The Original Series music may be part of the sixties but it has a life of its own now which has transcended its pop culture birth. It endures in the hearts and minds of the worlds fans and much remembered by general audiences, remaining as endlessly compelling and lovely to hear in the episodes as ever.

The Original Series soundtrack collection: coming soon...

Several compositions of music from the Original Series were released on album and cd in the mid to late eighties, with varying results, of which some featured specially recorded new orchestrated recordings. But now, in a recent wonderful announcement, those brilliant folks at the new La-La Land Records company have worked closely and dedicatedly with CBS PARAMOUNT to create a genuinely beautiful and lovingly crafted fifteen (yes, fifteen!) disc set, with a special 100 page accompanying book, that will feature all the music (included unused cues) composed for the Original Series and its three iconic seasons, and all remastered to the highest quality control standards possible...

Check out this great behind the scenes feature for what looks set to be one of the great soundtrack releases of the year, possibly ever, later this fall...Star Trek: The Original Series Soundtrack Collection- Behind the Score - YouTube

Whilst we wait, why not check out these lovely and very cool retro posters for selected episodes of the Classic Series: The final frontier goes far-out in 4 retro Star Trek: TOS posters | Blastr 

Plus, this lovely new animated tribute to the shows legendary main titles from The Quintek Group: Star Trek Alternate Title Intro on Vimeo

KOOL TV REVIEW: 'THE VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE - MEMORIES OF STAR TREK AND A LIFE IN HOLLYWOOD', BY NICHOLAS MEYER

To Boldly Go. Nicholas Meyer recalls his continuing work and life related to STAR TREK and Hollywood in THE VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE. Images: PARAMOUNT.

THE VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE: MEMORIES OF STAR TREK AND A LIFE IN HOLLYWOOD


By Nicholas Meyer

Published by PLUME books

Reviewed by Scott Weller


The last person you'd expect to save the STAR TREK movie franchise from extinction back in the early eighties would be a film director with only one previous and middling successful film behind him, possessing very little interest in the science fiction genre or even STAR TREK, but ex-publicist, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author and passionate film-maker Nicholas Meyer would ultimately be that man, not only saving it but also creating an enduring and populist Box Office legacy that continues to sustain itself to this day-his writing/directorial work on STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, still unsurpassed in my book, guaranteeing him his deserved place in both sci-fi and movie history. Going on from his Horatio Hornblower inspired re-vamp of the format to co-write the ever popular family favourite time-travel epic featuring those beloved whales George and Gracie: STAR TREK IV : THE VOYAGE HOME (then the most successful movie of the franchise in 1986 and whose popularity would see in the TV launch of a new TREK series: THE NEXT GENERATION), and co-conceiving, writing and directing the final adventure for the original classic starship Enterprise team led by Captain James T. Kirk and Mister Spock: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY, giving the ageing but no less inspiring cast the triumphant adventure/lump in the throat goodbye send-off they deserved, Meyer's enthusiasm, dedication, all-round talent and ingenuity have firmly left their mark alongside the name of the series original creator, Gene Roddenberry, and four time movie producer Harve Bennett.

Writer/director Nicholas Meyer. Image: ULIKE.

Recalling the best of times, and also the occasional worst of times within his career, both TREK and outside of it, Meyer recently penned a charming, intelligent and very amusing look back at his life and work in the ever-changing fortunes of war that is the movie industry. THE VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE is a lovely look back at a Hollywood that sadly no longer exists, as Meyer, a talented visualist from childhood and a long time lover, nay absorber, of movies and literature, makes his first naive but successful steps as a movie publicist, then bringing his love of Sherlock Holmes to literary life with two best selling original adventures in the early to mid-seventies-The Seven Per Cent Solution (made a year or so later into a film with Nicol Williamson and Robert Duvall) and The West End Horror-both excellent books I heartily recommend-then finally making the big gamble, leaping in to film-making, with the critically acclaimed and highly enjoyable cult H.G. Wells in modern days thriller: TIME AFTER TIME, a  movie directing spring board which, by luck (which Meyer would fortunately be blessed with a lot over the years (as well as knowing the right people at the right time)) led him to the famed gates of PARAMOUNT STUDIOS and onto the bridge of the equally legendary starship Enterprise. Along the way, Meyer fondly recalls the trials and tribulations, privileges and sacrifices large and small that he has made in his life and career path-the good friends he would establish a long-time bond with and the worldwide destinations he has visited, loved and occasionally loathed in both his work and reality.

Meyer directing William Shatner in STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN.

With a make-up disfigured Ricardo Montalban on the STAR TREK II set.

Conferring with Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner on STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY.

Refreshingly not a bitching piece, Meyer's prose is funny, warm-hearted and nostalgic, yet also combined with a realist and practical sensibility about life in the movie industry-a place not for the feint-hearted, but a career avenue which can, occasionally- when the rights chemicals combine, produce emotionally satisfying artistic endeavours and monetary reward. Containing the occasional surprise, this film autobiography is highly informative and a page turner that you won't be disappointed with. Backed up with a lovely section of B/W career and occasional life/family photos, including lots of nice behind the scenes images from his three STAR TREK movies, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE is a solid and entertaining book I heartily recommend, and one that TREK fans in particular will find an essential purchase.


KOOL TV RATING: 4 out of 5


Meyer talks about his work here: FORA.tv - Nicholas Meyer: Memories of a Life in Hollywood


Check out the book: View from the Bridge, The: Amazon.co.uk: Nicholas Meyer: Books

Great Fan Trailer for Meyer's STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN: The Wrath of Khan HD Blu-Ray Trailer - YouTube

'STAR TREK': THE LEGEND CONTINUES...

TV's greatest space heroes are back: Kirk (William Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) in STAR TREK. Images: CBS PARAMOUNT.

Now has never been a better time to be a fan of Gene Roddenberry's seminal, world-busting sci-fi legend, STAR TREK, especially those die-hards devoted to the Original Series, with the news that the UK's CBS ACTION channel will re-commence their repeat runs of the William Shatner/Leonard Nimoy starring era, and in their recent episodic CGI upgradings, from Wednesday April 11th.

Check out the nice CBS ACTION trailer here: CBS Action - Sky 148 Freesat 137 Virgin 192

One of the great things about that supreme sixties era of the show were the many great sci-fi writers/novelists who contributed scripts and ideas. Norman Spinrad was one of those talented people, having crafted a second season story that many fans must surely have in their all-time top ten episodes-The Doomsday Machine, where the brave Enterprise crew take on a deranged Star Fleet Commodore and a seemingly impregnable robot weapon that destroys planets. What you might not know, though, is that Spinrad contributed one other story for that year which was ultimately and controversially scrapped from filming and its script presumed lost forever. Lost no more, though, as He Walked Among Us has now been found and will soon be made commercially available by CBS PARAMOUNT, working with the writer. More news on this as and when, but, in the meantime, check here for a feature on He Walked Among Us: Lost 'Star Trek' Script From Norman Spinrad Found | Airlock Alpha

Meanwhile, back to the Classic Series phenomenon itself and its links from the sixties to present day, Roddenberry's talented and humanist legend continues through his son Rod, who presents a new documentary perspective on just what STAR TREK and its legacy/influences ultimately means to him, his family, the Hollywood industry and the worldwide fans. Check out TREKNATION here: Trek Nation

The legendary U.S.S. Enterprise continues its bold five-year mission.

Filming has almost wrapped on that other interpretation of the Original Series: J.J. Abrams second re-imagined STAR TREK feature film featuring new actors in the roles of the immortal characters of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, etc. The first entry in the new series previously made more box office money for PARAMOUNT than ever before in TREK movie history, and, with its bigger budget, bigger action, bigger effects and hopefully bigger storyline and characterisations, the so far tentatively named STAR TREK II should continue to live up to the iconic first casts beloved and immortal flame.


UPDATE: 5/4: Writer/Producer talks about the status of the current film here: Alex Kurtzman on the Star Trek sequel, and Benedict Cumberbatch - Den of Geek

UPDATE: 29/4 Spock actors Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto talk about life and career playing Spock and the STAR TREK legend: 7 Things: Spock on Spock -- video.NEWSWEEK.com - YouTube

Finally, in this already busy year for London with the Olympics, there's a big top-secret event coming in October devoted to all things TREK. Details are vague (link: Star Trek London | Register your interest) but more news as and when...

UPDATE: 5/4: The event is a massive three-day convention of guests/talks, signings and exhibitions at London's ExCel centre. It sounds terrific. Sign on to the above site for more info...