list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Trekkies on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Trekkies/115847/default.aspx Title: Trekkies
Year: 1997
Director: Roger Nygard
Plot: Thirty years ago, science-fiction editor Art Saha coined the term "trekkies" when he saw a few fans of Star Trek's first season wearing pointy ears. Today, the word is found in the Oxford dictionary, and aficionados of the long-run series have seen their subculture achieve stratospheric status. In this documentary on the fan mania surrounding Star Trek, Denise Crosby (Star Trek: the Next Generation) serves as tour guide, stopping off at a radio talkshow, visiting fans in their homes, interviewing actors of both the original and later series, and visiting fan clubs and conventions. Starbase Dental, a Trek-themed drilling station operated by dentist Dr. Denis Bourguignon, is only one of the unusual fan homages revealed here. World premiere at the 1997 Hamptons and AFI Los Angeles film festivals. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 8
Number of Lists: 5
Number of blog posts: 3
Number of discussion threads: 1
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:53:16 GMTTrekkies1997Roger NygardThirty years ago, science-fiction editor Art Saha coined the term "trekkies" when he saw a few fans of <a href=/films/287836/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Star Trek</a>'s first season wearing pointy ears. Today, the word is found in the Oxford dictionary, and aficionados of the long-run series have seen their subculture achieve stratospheric status. In this documentary on the fan mania surrounding <a href=/films/287836/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Star Trek</a>, <a href="/players/P____15880/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Denise Crosby</a> (Star Trek: the Next Generation) serves as tour guide, stopping off at a radio talkshow, visiting fans in their homes, interviewing actors of both the original and later series, and visiting fan clubs and conventions. Starbase Dental, a <I>Trek</I>-themed drilling station operated by dentist Dr. Denis Bourguignon, is only one of the unusual fan homages revealed here. World premiere at the 1997 Hamptons and AFI Los Angeles film festivals. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide8Taggedy Taggged (6-10)5313http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t04364ui5tb.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Trekkies/115847/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Watchin_Wednesday/Re_September_17th_Wordplay_2005/624/35309/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Movie Watchin Wednesday
Post Date: 9/19/2008 12:12:15 PM
Body: I really enjoyed the documentary. I was afraid it was going to be one of those 'freak show' documentaries where its hard to tell if the fimmakers are putting a subculture on display for everyone to gawk at, or if they genuinely care about these people and exploring their passion. The film reminded me a lot of 'Trekkies'--most likely because it was a similar demographic being explored, but I actually felt that the filmmakers of Wordplay did a much better job of attempting to 'normalize' Crossword puzzle enthusiasts by showing their normal home lives, and using cameo's by a few celebrities who normally wouldn't be thought of as 'the crossword puzzle type'. Trekkies, on the other hand, seemed to exclusively point out how strange and bizarre the Star Trek obsessed fans are, setting up viewers to laugh at them and marvel at their oddities, instead of being intrigued by their enthusiasm. I came away wanting to do crossword puzzles. Very well done!
]]>Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:12:15 GMTseelyMovie Watchin Wednesday9/19/2008 12:12:15 PMI really enjoyed the documentary. I was afraid it was going to be one of those 'freak show' documentaries where its hard to tell if the fimmakers are putting a subculture on display for everyone to gawk at, or if they genuinely care about these people and exploring their passion. The film reminded me a lot of 'Trekkies'--most likely because it was a similar demographic being explored, but I actually felt that the filmmakers of Wordplay did a much better job of attempting to 'normalize' Crossword puzzle enthusiasts by showing their normal home lives, and using cameo's by a few celebrities who normally wouldn't be thought of as 'the crossword puzzle type'. Trekkies, on the other hand, seemed to exclusively point out how strange and bizarre the Star Trek obsessed fans are, setting up viewers to laugh at them and marvel at their oddities, instead of being intrigued by their enthusiasm. I came away wanting to do crossword puzzles. Very well done! http://www.spout.com/blogs/minerwerks/archive/2008/6/2/30310.aspx Post By: minerwerks
Post To: minerwerks Blog
Post Date: 6/2/2008 1:22:31 AM
Body: In 'They Shoot Movies, Don't They?', a documentary crew follows Tom Paulson, a young guy who gives up a development deal and dumps all his savings into his first feature film. But he runs out of funding and must try to beg borrow and steal the completion funds to make a final cut. I happened to notice this film at the end of a shelf in my local library. Since I had never heard of it, I thought I'd check it out. When they're good, I love movies about movies, but they are rarely transcendent. It looks like a documentary, but I had my suspicions, and the tagline on the box ("A true story based on a lie") sounded perfectly cagey. If you care to check this film out and don't want it spoiled, stop reading. There are some interesting ideas at work here that really deserved a much better film. At one point, the despondent filmmaker asks the documentary director if he can help with funds. Now, most of us would probably believe in the concept that a documentary filmmaker should remain detached and neutral from the subject. But as the filmmaker's girlfriend points out to the documentarian, the fact that they are making the documentary about this difficult situation is affecting the situation to begin with. Are they preying upon a desperate person? It's a provocative concept that could be explored in many ways that are hinted at here. In case you hadn't guessed from my tone, this is not a real documentary. The filmmaking team has done an admirable job keeping the look and performances natural enough to fool most people. But anyone who really gets into the business of filmmaking might be suspicious of the flashes of trade magazine articles we see with no recognizable names. It also seems odd that we don't see minute one of the film that is supposedly being completed, 'Mirage.' Not sure if that title was chosen as a hint or a joke, though. Now, the other thing that drags this film down is the decision to set it in the world of filmmaking and dive into the reality of that world. While there are attempts to make all the people in this film relatable, the depth of immersion in the film world can be a bit off-putting. Adding to this, the story is built on the well-worn conflict of art and commerce that can be painfully obvious. The ending puts a new twist on this, but the film doesn't earn it by weaving it in to the fabric of the story. Like I said, the team that put this film together had an amazing eye for detail and a talented group of actors putting in extra effort to manage their illusion. But in the end, making people appreciate the quality of the deception can't really drive interest to a bigger audience. On the subject of the ethics of this... There is a quite entertaining commentary track on the DVD where the filmmaking team describes their attempt to sell this film. Finding that most people lost interest as soon as they knew the film was fake, they adopted the mysterious answer, "It's as real as it gets." With this, they manage to get a meeting with the marketing guy who masterminded the 'Blair Witch Project' campaign. But that meeting doesn't go quite as you may expect. It's a fun listen. Now, even though this film isn't a real documentary, I wasn't too offended by the deception. Someone smart at the library placed this in the fiction category, so that was a hint. I mention this because there was a film I previously picked up from the library called 'Hacks,' released by Film Threat on DVD. The 'Hacks' deception was so elaborate that the film ended up in the documentary section at my library. As soon as I popped the disc in, not only did I discover that the film wasn't real, but I also discovered that it was awful. Full of weak attempts to play "fake" and rambling improvisations that thought they were funny when they were really just tedious. Some critic on the IMDB suggested that if you didn't like this movie, you probably were turned off by the humor and missed the satirical point. Honestly, I wasn't offended by anything I saw. It wasn't tasteless, it wasn't edgy, it was just bad. Now if someone could only confirm my suspcions that several sequences of 'Trekkies' were faked.
]]>Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:22:31 GMTminerwerksminerwerks Blog6/2/2008 1:22:31 AMIn 'They Shoot Movies, Don't They?', a documentary crew follows Tom Paulson, a young guy who gives up a development deal and dumps all his savings into his first feature film. But he runs out of funding and must try to beg borrow and steal the completion funds to make a final cut. I happened to notice this film at the end of a shelf in my local library. Since I had never heard of it, I thought I'd check it out. When they're good, I love movies about movies, but they are rarely transcendent. It looks like a documentary, but I had my suspicions, and the tagline on the box ("A true story based on a lie") sounded perfectly cagey. If you care to check this film out and don't want it spoiled, stop reading. There are some interesting ideas at work here that really deserved a much better film. At one point, the despondent filmmaker asks the documentary director if he can help with funds. Now, most of us would probably believe in the concept that a documentary filmmaker should remain detached and neutral from the subject. But as the filmmaker's girlfriend points out to the documentarian, the fact that they are making the documentary about this difficult situation is affecting the situation to begin with. Are they preying upon a desperate person? It's a provocative concept that could be explored in many ways that are hinted at here. In case you hadn't guessed from my tone, this is not a real documentary. The filmmaking team has done an admirable job keeping the look and performances natural enough to fool most people. But anyone who really gets into the business of filmmaking might be suspicious of the flashes of trade magazine articles we see with no recognizable names. It also seems odd that we don't see minute one of the film that is supposedly being completed, 'Mirage.' Not sure if that title was chosen as a hint or a joke, though. Now, the other thing that drags this film down is the decision to set it in the world of filmmaking and dive into the reality of that world. While there are attempts to make all the people in this film relatable, the depth of immersion in the film world can be a bit off-putting. Adding to this, the story is built on the well-worn conflict of art and commerce that can be painfully obvious. The ending puts a new twist on this, but the film doesn't earn it by weaving it in to the fabric of the story. Like I said, the team that put this film together had an amazing eye for detail and a talented group of actors putting in extra effort to manage their illusion. But in the end, making people appreciate the quality of the deception can't really drive interest to a bigger audience. On the subject of the ethics of this... There is a quite entertaining commentary track on the DVD where the filmmaking team describes their attempt to sell this film. Finding that most people lost interest as soon as they knew the film was fake, they adopted the mysterious answer, "It's as real as it gets." With this, they manage to get a meeting with the marketing guy who masterminded the 'Blair Witch Project' campaign. But that meeting doesn't go quite as you may expect. It's a fun listen. Now, even though this film isn't a real documentary, I wasn't too offended by the deception. Someone smart at the library placed this in the fiction category, so that was a hint. I mention this because there was a film I previously picked up from the library called 'Hacks,' released by Film Threat on DVD. The 'Hacks' deception was so elaborate that the film ended up in the documentary section at my library. As soon as I popped the disc in, not only did I discover that the film wasn't real, but I also discovered that it was awful. Full of weak attempts to play "fake" and rambling improvisations that thought they were funny when they were really just tedious. Some critic on the IMDB suggested that if you didn't like this movie, you probably were turned off by the humor and missed the satirical point. Honestly, I wasn't offended by anything I saw. It wasn't tasteless, it wasn't edgy, it was just bad. Now if someone could only confirm my suspcions that several sequences of 'Trekkies' were faked. http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/5/12/28804.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 5/12/2008 11:24:23 PM
Body: Although I am often hesitant to admit to people I am a fan of Star Trek, I have really nothing to worry about compared to the guys portrayed in Trekkies, a fascinating documentary about the fans of the world's most successful franchise. Basically, this is Cinemania with Star Trek enthusists. The film is produced and hosted by Denise Crosby, who starred for one season on The Next Generation as Tasha Yar, and follows the actress as she attends various Trek related events and interviews fans, fellow actors and writers for the series. Like most everyone involved in the production of the series, Crosby approaches the fans with a combination of pride, awkwardness and awe. Everyone is certainly glad that their work is appreciated, but what can you say when a man brags about role playing your female character with a blonde wig at home while his wife plays the guy you had sex with on the series? And that same guy runs his own Star Trek themed dental office, and forces his secretaries and hygienists to wear uniforms? It is probably impossible to overstate how big Trek fandom is (one guys says that the tie-in merchandise alone is a billion-dollar industry). Just watching the film, it's astonishing to see how many people are really, really really into this stuff. There's Barbara Adams, a Whitewater juror who wore her uniform to court to "show Star Trek pride." There's the people who have their own Klingon club and play miniature golf for charity in full costume (Who would give them money?). There's the guy who runs a Vulcan funeral parlor (thankfully the film doesn't say exactly what a Vulcan funeral entails). The strange difference between this film and Cinemania is that unlike the depressed, lonely cineastes, the Trekkies (some of whom insists one being called "Trekkers") seem to be relatively happy people, and contrary to popular belief, many are married. Star Trek seems to bond them to other fans instead of isolating them. In fact, if you set aside the fact that they are wearing fake-looking uniforms, many of the couples and families featured are so clean cut and straight arrow that they could be the next door neighbors on Leave It to Beaver or The Donna Reed Show. So, are these people tragic figures who are wasting their lives away for a TV show, or are they lovable eccentrics? I guess that if you have positive interactions with others, have a job and contribute to society (many say there local Trek club requires community service as part of the series "philosophy"), you can do whatever you whatever you want. One fan makes an intriguing point - you can watch sports every day of the week, memorize sports statistics and dress or paint your body to support your team and you are considered totally normal, but if you watch Star Trek, memorize fictional backstory and go to conventions, and you are a weirdo from the planet Geekdom. I do think, however, that a lot of energy can be better spent in other areas. I like Star Trek because I think that it's artistically good and fun to watch (I hate the people who have never seen it and think it's a more adult version of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers), but I don't think it would be appropriate to adopt the "philosophy" to one's life. There have been a lot more "real" and better thought out philosophies around, one's that actually have a definable text. For me, the most moving part of the film depicted Crosby as the guest on a radio show. A caller related a story- back in the '80's, his father died and coincidentally the episode where Crosby's character is killed aired around the same time. He said the episode helped him with his pain and thanked the actress for her performance (I've seen it and it is very moving). That's one way art can make a positive effect in someone life, and one you don't need to dress up in a cheesy costume to appreciate. Trekkies (1997)
]]>Tue, 13 May 2008 03:24:23 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog5/12/2008 11:24:23 PMAlthough I am often hesitant to admit to people I am a fan of Star Trek, I have really nothing to worry about compared to the guys portrayed in Trekkies, a fascinating documentary about the fans of the world's most successful franchise. Basically, this is Cinemania with Star Trek enthusists. The film is produced and hosted by Denise Crosby, who starred for one season on The Next Generation as Tasha Yar, and follows the actress as she attends various Trek related events and interviews fans, fellow actors and writers for the series. Like most everyone involved in the production of the series, Crosby approaches the fans with a combination of pride, awkwardness and awe. Everyone is certainly glad that their work is appreciated, but what can you say when a man brags about role playing your female character with a blonde wig at home while his wife plays the guy you had sex with on the series? And that same guy runs his own Star Trek themed dental office, and forces his secretaries and hygienists to wear uniforms? It is probably impossible to overstate how big Trek fandom is (one guys says that the tie-in merchandise alone is a billion-dollar industry). Just watching the film, it's astonishing to see how many people are really, really really into this stuff. There's Barbara Adams, a Whitewater juror who wore her uniform to court to "show Star Trek pride." There's the people who have their own Klingon club and play miniature golf for charity in full costume (Who would give them money?). There's the guy who runs a Vulcan funeral parlor (thankfully the film doesn't say exactly what a Vulcan funeral entails). The strange difference between this film and Cinemania is that unlike the depressed, lonely cineastes, the Trekkies (some of whom insists one being called "Trekkers") seem to be relatively happy people, and contrary to popular belief, many are married. Star Trek seems to bond them to other fans instead of isolating them. In fact, if you set aside the fact that they are wearing fake-looking uniforms, many of the couples and families featured are so clean cut and straight arrow that they could be the next door neighbors on Leave It to Beaver or The Donna Reed Show. So, are these people tragic figures who are wasting their lives away for a TV show, or are they lovable eccentrics? I guess that if you have positive interactions with others, have a job and contribute to society (many say there local Trek club requires community service as part of the series "philosophy"), you can do whatever you whatever you want. One fan makes an intriguing point - you can watch sports every day of the week, memorize sports statistics and dress or paint your body to support your team and you are considered totally normal, but if you watch Star Trek, memorize fictional backstory and go to conventions, and you are a weirdo from the planet Geekdom. I do think, however, that a lot of energy can be better spent in other areas. I like Star Trek because I think that it's artistically good and fun to watch (I hate the people who have never seen it and think it's a more adult version of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers), but I don't think it would be appropriate to adopt the "philosophy" to one's life. There have been a lot more "real" and better thought out philosophies around, one's that actually have a definable text. For me, the most moving part of the film depicted Crosby as the guest on a radio show. A caller related a story- back in the '80's, his father died and coincidentally the episode where Crosby's character is killed aired around the same time. He said the episode helped him with his pain and thanked the actress for her performance (I've seen it and it is very moving). That's one way art can make a positive effect in someone life, and one you don't need to dress up in a cheesy costume to appreciate. Trekkies (1997) http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/3/6/25930.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/6/2008 3:01:31 PM
Body: Ten-percent of Harry Potter fans are addicts. This is a fact, according to a recent scientific study. But after watching We Are Wizards, a documentary about Harry Potter fandom directed by Josh Koury, it seems clear that the study was a waste of time. One only needs to see this film to know that Potterphiles go a little overboard with their love for the boy wizard. Koury’s film is not simply Trekkies for the Hogwarts set, however. It’s not so much about the obsessed as it is about the inspired; We Are Wizards puts the spotlight on those Harry Potter enthusiasts who have turned fandom into a source of creativity. Like most popular franchises, J.K. Rowling’s series of novels and Warner Bros.’ movie adaptations have spawned their share of fan fiction, fansites and podcasts on the web, which has in turn introduced the phenomenon of fans of fans. But considering Pottermania and the Internet exploded at about the same time, the significance of online Potter fandom is huge. Let the multiple lawsuits brought by Rowling and Warners against the fans be a testament to that. These legal battles have opened up new debates regarding intellectual property and fan loyalty with regards to the (world)wide-open arena of the web. Just last week, in fact, yet another fan was sued for publishing a non-fiction work celebrating the Harry Potter lexicon. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:01:31 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/6/2008 3:01:31 PM Ten-percent of Harry Potter fans are addicts. This is a fact, according to a recent scientific study. But after watching We Are Wizards, a documentary about Harry Potter fandom directed by Josh Koury, it seems clear that the study was a waste of time. One only needs to see this film to know that Potterphiles go a little overboard with their love for the boy wizard. Koury’s film is not simply Trekkies for the Hogwarts set, however. It’s not so much about the obsessed as it is about the inspired; We Are Wizards puts the spotlight on those Harry Potter enthusiasts who have turned fandom into a source of creativity. Like most popular franchises, J.K. Rowling’s series of novels and Warner Bros.’ movie adaptations have spawned their share of fan fiction, fansites and podcasts on the web, which has in turn introduced the phenomenon of fans of fans. But considering Pottermania and the Internet exploded at about the same time, the significance of online Potter fandom is huge. Let the multiple lawsuits brought by Rowling and Warners against the fans be a testament to that. These legal battles have opened up new debates regarding intellectual property and fan loyalty with regards to the (world)wide-open arena of the web. Just last week, in fact, yet another fan was sued for publishing a non-fiction work celebrating the Harry Potter lexicon. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/documentary/MemberTagFilms.aspxdocumentary
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