March 28, 2009
#159: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
This week we begin our spool-up to the awesome Trek XI with a re-watch of Trek II: The Wrath of Khan! We’re also joined by special guest Roger Nygard, producer/director of Trekkies and Trekkies 2. Highlights: we discuss the cultural differences between early Trek and TNG forward and the cultural significance of Trekdom, explain why TOS is still relevant regardless of dated SFX and hairstyles, hear the Audra hair report (think Whitesnake video), offer proper respect for Khan’s pecs, enjoy the inspiring depth of Kirk and Spock’s friendship, note that if Sean were transported to the Trek universe he’d be Bones, wonder again why the creature-in-the-ear scene is so disturbing, and encourage listeners to catch Trek III if possible even though we’re heading forward to IV next week.
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Chuck, Sean, and Audra:
My name is Hugh and I live in Ohio.
I just left a voice mail and I will leave some notes here too. I’ve been listening to the ‘cast for the last month or so. I have been enjoying your comments about Trek and THE WRATH OF KHAN.
I’ve been a Trek fan since the old days. Yes, I used to watch Trek with that Android Ruk from the episode WHAT LITTLE GIRLS ARE MADE OF. Okay, not really. But sometimes I feel that old. I was 6 when Trek started and I just loved it. Some of my best memories from childhood were watching Trek, and thinking about Trek, and building model kits from Trek.
You cannot believe how excited I got when, at around the age of 10, I found the Stephen Whitfield book, THE MAKING OF STAR TREK which described the first two seasons of producing Trek. I went to my first Trek convention in 1974…it was in New York City. I am still amazed that my parents let me travel there by myself for a convention. I went to a second Trek convention the next year. I cannot describe how happy this all made me.
Anyways, here are my comments about the ‘cast (which I am still listening to):
First: in TREK 1:
-the actress playing Illya, Persis Khambhatta, actually shaved her hair for the movie.
-there is a photo somewhere on line of her crying as her hair is getting clipped
Second: it sounds like you were watching the “special edition” of TREK II; kirk’s line about knowing something about ships that Khan did not know was not in the theatrical release edition.
Third: Andra, the episode with the man who seemed to be the First Officer who turned Godlike and evil was the second pilot: WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE.
-Gary Mitchell (played by actor Gary Lockwood who was also in 2001) gains godlike powers when the Enterprise encounters a forcefield when it tries to explore beyond the edge of the galaxy
-the actress playing the blonde doctor was Sally Kellerman (who went on to play the original Hotlips in the movie MASH).
The vulcan dialogue in both Trek 1 and Trek 2 was actually shot in English. They dubbed in the Vulcan dialogue in post production.
-the Klingon dialogue in Trek 1 was not dubbed in
-the late Mark Lenard, who played the Klingon Commander, would get fan audiences to recite all the Klingon dialogue with him at conventions.
Keep up the good work.
Hugh