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STAR TREK: 765874 UNIFICATION (2024)

SUMMARY:                   RUNNING TIME: Approx. 7:48 Min.

Produced by Otoy in conjunction with The Roddenberry Archive, this 4K 2024 short film includes William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy’s widow, Susan Bay Nimoy, as two of its executive producers.  Paramount and Skywalker Sound are among the project’s additional collaborators.    

From Jules Urbach’s virtually dialogue-free story, Carlos Baena directed this film.  Star Trek composer Michael Giacchino supplies a poignant, piano-driven musical score.  Though much of the film is produced through CGI and on sets, some location shooting occurred in San Marino, California.    

As noted in other sources, Shatner’s ‘Captain/Admiral Kirk’ (though CGI and body double Sam Witmer) appears in three familiar incarnations: his Original Series form, the motion picture era (circa Star Trek II), and primarily his Star Trek: Generations look.  Working from Nimoy’s CGI likeness (reminiscent of his elderly appearance in the Kelvin Timeline Trek films), Lawrence Selleck appears as Spock’s body double. 

Other cast members include Robin Curtis reprising her ‘Saavik’ from Star Treks III-IV, and briefly Gary Lockwood (remarkably, without a body double), in his sole reprisal of ‘Gary Mitchell,’ from Star Trek’s second TV pilot, “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” 

Nods/footage consist of: Trek’s first TV pilot (“The Cage”), Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and the Kelvin Timeline Trek films.  Otoy’s three previous Trek short films, including 2023’s 7658754: Regeneration (which depicts Spock on Veridan III son after Star Trek: Generations), are hinted. 

SPOILER ALERT: The film begins with a single written line recalling Kirk’s insightful advice to Lt. Saavik about peceiving the pendulum between life and death early on in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.  Otoy’s 765874 Regeneration had previously revealed that Spock had claimed the late Captain Kirk’s Starfleet badge from his mountaintop gravesite on Veridan III.  Next, seen exploring a lush garden-like park, Kirk is now without his badge, but otherwise still resembles his look from Star Trek: Generations.  At the park fountain, he quietly encounters a large yet mysterious contingent of observers.

Among them is an now-elderly former protégé, with whom Kirk exchanges grateful glances in this reunion.  She, in turn, introduces her late middle-aged adult son – to Kirk’s amazement.  Approaching an alien ‘gatekeeper’ of sorts, Kirk is evidently given a token.  It transports him into a shadowy mirror-like realm, which reflects Kirk’s past as a starship captain and then a Starfleet admiral.  His earlier counterparts vanish once the present-day Kirk emerges.  Reattaching his badge (the token), Kirk again shifts to another reality. 

The film’s sole dialogue replays Kirk’s wistful thoughts contemplating the Genesis Planet from Star Trek II.  Awaiting Kirk (having entered the Kelvin Timeline’s alternate reality) is a private suite on New Vulcan, where, in his final moments, is his dying best friend.  Spiritual unification across space and time has occurred, as two Starfleet legends witness a final sunrise together.  In essence, the film becomes both an epilogue to 1994’s Star Trek: Generations and a prologue for 2016’s Star Trek: Beyond.      

                                             Cast:

Captain James. T. Kirk: William Shatner & Sam Witmer (Shatner’s body double)

Spock: Leonard Nimoy & Lawrence Selleck (Nimoy’s body double)

Saavik: Robin Curtis

Yor: Gordon Tarpley

Sorak: Mark Chinnery

Gary Mitchell: Gary Lockwood

Yeoman J.M. Colt: Mahé Thaissa (body double for Star Trek: The Cage’s late actress Laurel Goodwin)

Crusher: John Daltorio

Observers By The Fountain: Credited Extras

Stand-Ins: See Film Credits 

Note:  With its credits included, the film’s running time is actually 10:44.  This short film serves as a 30th Anniversary tribute to Star Trek Generations.  For others, it further offers a 40th Anniversary homage of Star Trek III: The Search For Spock. 

REVIEW:

Though thirty years late, William Shatner’s ‘Captain Kirk’ finally gets a death scene worthy of the pop culture icon.  The same applies to Leonard Nimoy’s ‘Spock’ almost a decade after the actor’s passing.  For that matter, giving Robin Curtis’ underrated ‘Saavik’ a welcome though long-belated thank-you for her own Trek contributions makes good sense.  The fact that her scene at last acknowledges Saavik as Spock’s romantic soulmate does wonders for the character.     

Displaying Star Trek’s thoughtful afterlife, 765874: Unification is a cinematic gem in just under eight minutes.  As a heartfelt tribute to the nearly 60-year legacy Captain Kirk and Spock share, such silent storytelling is undeniably brilliant.  Despite some noticeable limitations of CGI in recreating Shatner’s Kirk (as he appeared thirty years ago), this film’s production values are still top-caliber. 

Casual viewers, however, should be forewarned: the blink-and-you’ll-see-miss-it glimpses of so many franchise incarnations, including Star Trek: Discovery’s Yor or Yeoman J.M. Colt from Captain Pike’s era, may seem bewildering.  While Yor’s inclusion (assuming one researches it), as does as a near-omnipotent Gary Mitchell, visually make sense, so many other quick cuts (i.e. even a glimpse of Star Trek: Picard’s Daystrom Station where Kirk’s remains are evidently now in storage) aren’t necessarily pertinent teases. 

Still, this story’s ethereal substance is obvious to grasp; and, frankly, that’s what matters most.  As a classy mini-reunion depicting the original Kirk and Spock a final time (given their previous appearance together was 1991’s Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country), 765874 Unification makes a welcome gift for any Trekker.     

BONUS FEATURES:

The film includes a dedication to Leonard Nimoy. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:              9 Stars

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Comic Books & Graphic Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS – JOURNEY TO THE FORCE AWAKENS: SHATTERED EMPIRE (MARVEL Comics)

Issues # 1-4 Written by Greg Rucka.

Issues # 1-4 Art by Marco Checchetto; Angel Unzueta; Emilio Laiso; Andres Mossa; & VC’s Jose Caramagna.

Collection Cover Art by Phil Noto.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2015 by Marvel Comics, this 124-page trade paperback reprints the same-named 2015 four-issue mini-series. 

Set in the closing moments of Return of The Jedi, amidst the Death Star II shootout, Rebel pilot Lt. Shera Bey aids Luke Skywalker’s borrowed Imperial shuttle escape back to Endor.  On planet Endor, Shera’s husband, Sgt. Kes Cameron is among General Han Solo’s commandoes in their effort to disable the Death Star’s outer force field defense system.

Having briefly reunited on planet Endor, Shera and Kes continue their Rebellion commitment in thwarting the Empire’s still-potent remnants.  As Han Solo’s shuttle pilot, an undercover Shera helps his commando squad take down Endor’s last remaining Imperial outpost.  Deciphered Imperial messaging indicated that the Empire now intends to attack multiple planets simultaneously in vengeance.  While Han, Chewbacca, and Kes are involved in leading multiple counterstrikes, Shera becomes Leia’s pilot in her diplomatic return to planet Naboo.

As the Empire bombards Naboo with catastrophic weather-altering technology, it’s up to Leia, Shera, and an unexpected third pilot to mount a vastly outmatched counterattack against a Star Destroyer and its TIE Fighter squadron.  Their only chance is whether or not the Rebellion fleet can reach Naboo in time to save the planet from destruction.  A parallel between the Han/Leia romance and the Damerons’ young marriage is conveyed.   

Shera and Kes contemplate the quiet future they should commit to, along with her father and their young son, Poe.  Recruited by Luke Skywalker, Shera accompanies the Jedi Knight on his personal extraction mission to planet Vetine.  It appears that the Imperials are holding on to a Jedi relic that Luke desperately wants to recover without Rebel reinforcements.  A hint of Kes and Shera’s imminent future is revealed.       

Note: This title is also available digitally and in hardcover.

REVIEW:

It’s really a glorified hodgepodge. Aside from Marvel/Disney’s slick production values, the content of Shattered Empire is relatively good, but it isn’t a must-have.  Specifically, writer Greg Rucka, with a terrific art team, conjures up a sufficiently appealing premise for an episodic mini-sequel to Return of The Jedi. 

It’s a shame, though, that plot elements of Shattered Empire couldn’t have been extended out to six issues vs. the conventional four-issue industry standard.  That way, there could have been more time spent with the franchise’s original characters, as opposed to playing supporting roles for Shera Bey and Kes Dameron.  

If anything, the four-part Shattered Empire offers a good read for Star Wars fans for most age groups, in terms of setting up Poe Dameron’s future link to The Force Awakens.  Besides introducing Poe Dameron’s parents convincingly, Rucka’s conveyance of Han and Leia’s leadership during their own separate missions is well-constructed.  The final issue shifting to Luke Skywalker’s personal side trip (which conveniently includes Shara Bey), however, is more of an obvious plot tack-on than it should be.   

As for this title’s additional padding, Princess Leia # 1 and Marvel’s original Star Wars # 1 supply just enough to attain a respectable page count.  Serving best as a welcome library find, Star Wars: Shattered Empire, at least, offers a kid-friendly escape back into a galaxy far, far away. 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The full-page cover precedes each issue.  The cover artists are: Phil Noto (Issue # 1) and Marco Checcheto (Issues # 2-4).  Splitting pages are variant cover reprints.  For Issue # 1, the variant cover artists are: 1. Francesco Francavilla; 2. Checchetto; and 3. Pasqual Ferry & Chris Sotomayor.  Issue # 2’s variant artist is Kris Anka.  Issue # 3’s variant artist is  Mike Deodato.  Sarah Pichelli & Paul Mounts are the variant artists for Issue # 4.          

The opener for the 2015 Princess Leia mini-series is then presented afterwards.  The issue’s creative team consists of writer Mark Waid; artists Terry and Rachel Dodson (who also supply the full-page cover); colorist Jordie Bellaire; & VC’s Joe Caramagna on letters.

Set immediately after Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope, Princess Leia recruits an embittered Rebel female pilot (and fellow survivor from Alderaan) for an unauthorized excursion to Naboo.  Defying General Dodonna’s orders to stay put (given there’s an Imperial bounty out on her), Leia gambles that her pilot can out-maneuver Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles, whose X-Wings are in an interception pursuit.

Between Mark Waid’s likable scripting and the Dodsons’ sufficient visuals (still, their cover image surpasses the average interior artwork), Princess Leia # 1 makes for a nice read.  Waid smartly plays up Leia’s often icy exterior for some insightful scenes with Luke (briefly), General Dodonna, and a newly introduced Rebel pilot, Evaan.  While this single-issue ‘teaser’ isn’t a must-read, Waid and the Dodsons make it easy enough to visual the familiar actors playing out the dialogue.   

From out of Marvel’s archives is the first issue of its original 1977 Star Wars comic book adaptation.  The creative team consists of writer Roy Thomas; artist Howard Chaykin; and letterer Jim Novak.  The uncredited cover art team is Chaykin and Tom Palmer. 

Though its artwork seems primitive today, this first issue’s plotting reasonably follows George Lucas’ script.  Including the film’s deleted Luke and Biggs sequence at Anchorhead on Tatooine, Thomas nimbly conveys the movie’s iconic dialogue in comic book form.  This Thomas/Chaykin collaboration, in that sense, makes for a decent blast from the past.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                 5½ Stars

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STAR TREK: GENERATIONS (1994 Movie Novelization)

Written by J.M. Dillard Based Upon The Story & Script Co-Written by

Ronald D. Moore, Brannon Braga, & Rick Berman.

SUMMARY:

First released in 1994 by Simon and Schuster’s Pocket Books imprint, Star Trek: Generations’ novelization was penned by J.M. Dillard.  Depending upon its format, the page count for Dillard’s novel evidently varies from about 280 pages up to 304 pages.

Set approximately a year after the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, the now-retired Captain James T. Kirk, Montgomery Scott, and Pavel Chekov are on hand for the U.S.S. Enterprise-B’s media-friendly launch ceremony.  A subsequent space emergency inflicts severe damage upon the new Enterprise during its rescue of survivors from three crippled El-Aurian refugee ships due to the destructive Nexus ribbon. 

Among the characters introduced are helmsman Ensign Demora Sulu (Hikaru Sulu’s daughter); the Enterprise-B’s rookie Captain: John Harriman; and a deranged El-Aurian scientist, Dr. Soran.  In a cameo appearance, The Next Generation’s Guinan is among the rescued refugees.  The legendary Captain Kirk, however, is among those casualties tragically lost in space amidst this makeshift rescue mission.

Seventy-eight years later, Captain Jean-Luc Picard anguishes over news of his estranged brother and beloved nephew having perished in a fire at the family’s French vineyard.  Picard’s grief is interrupted by Dr. Soran, who has suspiciously survived a Romulan onslaught upon the space station he was working from.  Having stolen an experimental and ultra-destructive power source known as ‘tri-lithium,’ Soran’s ruthless scheme becomes apparent.  He intends to detonate a star impacting far-off-planet Veridan III to expedite his reunion with the time-warping Nexus. 

Like others familiar with The Nexus, awaiting Soran inside is immortality and escapes to seemingly all of his heart’s greatest wishes.  With hundreds of millions of innocent lives at stake, the lone obstacle impeding Soran is Picard’s valiant crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D.  And quite possibly a long-lost Starfleet hero seeking to make a difference once more.         

Instead of further reiterating the film’s main plot and various subplots, included are some highlights that aren’t in the film.    

  1. Following Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, the novel begins in 2293 with the U.S.S. Enterprise-A crew’s farewell party.  Foreshadowing a hint of his ultimate fate, Captain Kirk rues a lingering back injury.  He also realizes that retirement will prove far lonelier than expected.  After Carol Marcus rejects his pseudo-marriage proposal, Kirk subsequently exchanges parting gifts and temporary goodbyes with Spock and Dr. Leonard McCoy. 
  • Over the next several months, Kirk relentlessly pushes himself through a series of physically strenuous hobbies to alleviate his boredom.  Among his reckless new pursuits is orbital skydiving, which the also-retired Montgomery Scott and Pavel Chekov witness in a mixture of worry and envy.  Note: The orbital skydiving sequence was filmed with William Shatner, James Doohan, and Walter Koenig, but it was deleted from the movie’s theatrical version. 
  • An emergency drill aboard the U.S.S. Excelsior ends after Chekov notifies Captain Sulu of their captain’s death.
  • Spock and Dr. McCoy poignantly reunite as the first guests to arrive at Kirk’s memorial service.
  • Kirk’s nearly eighty-year existence within The Nexus is expanded, including a marriage ceremony to Carol Marcus, with their late son, David, in attendance.
  • Indicating that Dillard composed the novel during the movie’s initial filming schedule, Kirk’s original death sequence is depicted.  Yet, its content was panned in test screenings and subsequently replaced in a hasty reshoot prior to the movie’s November 1994 release.    

Note: This title has been released in multiple formats, including hardcover, paperback, and audiobook. 

REVIEW:

Given the script’s contrived content (i.e. a laundry list of Paramount and/or Rick Berman’s cookie-cutter plot edicts), novelist J.M. Dillard merits some applause for salvaging what she can.  Case in point: it’s easy to visualize Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley playing out her well-written chapel sequence.  The same applies to imagining the Kirk/Carol Marcus wedding scene, as this segment adds some welcome depth to Kirk’s Nexus experiences.  Depth, not to mention, plausibility … yes, that’s where this novelization, unfortunately, becomes a mixed bag.

Like several other Trek authors (in this instance, i.e. Peter David, Vonda N. McIntyre), Dillard is effective in freshly mining the franchise’s primary characters and conveying them as believably as one could.  Still, even Dillard’s solid literary talents can’t fix The Nexus’ preposterous nature into anything resembling dramatic Trek storytelling.  Given how The Nexus was abandoned by the franchise as a single one-and-done concept, Dillard is left too little substance that is legitimately compelling to work from.  This assessment of implausibility applies equally to The Nexus and Data’s eye-rolling emotion chip crisis.    

Hence, Dillard’s work predictably falls short of McIntyre’s underrated movie novelizations of Star Treks II and III exploring the unintended repercussions of The Genesis Device.  More so, unlike Peter David’s stellar Star Trek: The Next Generation – Imzadi, Dillard doesn’t have access to a far better Trek time-warping concept: the Guardian of Forever. 

As with much of the film’s cast, J.M. Dillard at least imbues Star Trek: Generations with more class than its hackneyed storyline frankly merits.  Still, for fans who enjoy Star Trek: Generations onscreen as is, Dillard’s novelization makes for a welcome treat.  Casual readers, otherwise, ought to find her novel as a slightly above-average adaptation. 

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

None.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    6 Stars

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MAGNUM P.I. {Original Series}: LEST WE FORGET (Season 1: Episode 10)

SUMMARY:              APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 47:00 Min.

First aired on CBS-TV on February 2, 1981, Lawrence Doheny directed this mid-season episode off co-series creator/producer Donald P. Bellisario’s script. 

With an U.S. Supreme Court nomination at stake, Judge Robert Caine (José Ferrer) discreetly hires Magnum (Selleck) to help resolve a past Hawaiian love affair dating back forty years.  Baited by a congratulatory telegram he has recently received; Caine comes back to Honolulu seeking answers.      

Specifically, Caine intends to find the local prostitute (Anne Lockhart) he had briefly married under his real name (Miguel Ferrer).  He confides to Magnum that he hasn’t seen his then-wife since just a few hours prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Given a single day to find the enigmatic ‘Diane Westmore,’ Magnum’s sleuthing indicates some close to Diane (June Lockhart) are evasively holding tight to sordid old secrets. 

Seeking to deter Magnum, one reckless assailant even resorts to drive-by gunplay.  Magnum ponders exactly what other details is his pensive client hiding from him.  With Caine subsequently pressured by an extortionist, Magnum has to work fast to save a possibly still-timeless romance. 

A desperate Higgins (Hillerman), meanwhile, ingratiates himself to Magnum, as he needs a substitute bridge partner on short notice.  Given how even Higgins’ ‘lads,’ Zeus & Apollo (Brutus & Dominique), are on their absolutely best behavior, Magnum warily commits.

                Cast:

Thomas Magnum: Tom Selleck

Jonathan Quayle Higgins: John Hillerman

Theodore “T.C.” Calvin: Roger E. Mosley

Orville “Rick” Wright: Larry Manetti

Judge Robert “Bobby” Caine (present-day): José Ferrer

U.S. Navy Ensign Robert “Bobby” Wickes/Caine (1941 flashbacks): Miguel Ferrer

Mrs. Diane Westmore Pauley (present-day): June Lockhart

Diane Westmore (1941 flashbacks): Anne Lockhart

Kiki: Elizabeth Lindsey

Tickler: Scatman Crothers

Mueller (Mrs. Pauley’s chauffeur): David Palmer

Sculley: Larry Shriver

Maku: Merlin “Sonny” Ching

Jessie (1941 flashback): Patricia Herman

Jessie’s Knife-Wielding Thug (1941 flashback): Uncredited

Moki: Remi Abellira

Moana (Diane’s maid): Judith Sykes

Zeus & Apollo (Higgins’ Doberman Pinschers): Brutus & Dominique

Club Hostess: Reri Tava Jobe

King Kamehameha Club Patrons (present-day): Uncredited.

Hotel Patrons (present-day): Uncredited.

Wiki Wiki Club Patrons (1941 flashback): Uncredited.

Mrs. Blackmore: Uncredited

Military Police: Uncredited

Honolulu Cops: Uncredited

U.S. Serviceman (1941 flashback?): Grady Bumpus.

Notes: 1. The episode cleverly casts José Ferrer’s son, Miguel Ferrer, and June Lockhart’s daughter, Anne Lockhart, to play their characters’ younger selves in the flashback sequences.  2. This episode predates Mike Post & Pete Carpenter’s iconic Magnum, P.I. TV theme.  Instead, “Lest We Forget” was among the several early episodes utilizing Ian Fairbairn-Smith’s jazzy first-season generic instrumental as the show’s opening theme.  One also gets an alternate version of the opening credits sequence that would be used for seven subsequent seasons.       

REVIEW:

Donald P. Bellisario imbues his script with measures of poignancy, humor, and depth as possibly overcompensation for its few action scenes.  The end result frankly resembles a cliché festival taken from a go-to playbook for melodramatic plot twists.  Still, the overt romanticism motivating “Lest We Forget” makes this episode very watchable. 

Overcoming an excessively contrived script, the appealing cast ensures that viewers get a classy Magnum, P.I. caper from its early days.               

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     6 Stars

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FATHER BROWN (1974): THE SECRET GARDEN (Season 1: Episode 13)

SUMMARY:                                 RUNNING TIME: 51:00 Min.

First airing on England’s ITV on December 19, 1974, “The Secret Garden” is the final episode of this first (and single-season) Father Brown TV series.  Faithfully adapting G.K. Chesterton’s same-named 1910 short story, Peter Jeffries directed this episode off Hugh Leonard’s screenplay.

In 1920’s Paris, wealthy French police chief Aristide Valentin (Mayne) voices his desire to seek humane commutation for a death row inmate he previously sent to prison.  Despite Valentin’s considerable political influence, he realizes that making an in-person plea is his last opportunity before the condemned’s execution that same night.     

Meanwhile, at Valentin’s posh fortress-like estate, his dinner party guests await him.  Among the guests are: married British aristocrats – the elderly Galloways (Luckham & Benham); their socialite daughter Margaret (Waugh); her soldier ex-fiancé, O’Brien (Dance); an amiable physician (Davies); American millionaire philanthropist Julius K. Brayne (Dyneley); and Brayne’s own associate, Father Brown (More). 

Father Brown ponders Valentin’s stringent security measures necessitating the front door as his manor home’s sole entrance – not to mention, a spiked high wall surrounding the estate’s backyard perimeter.  Brown is told that Valentin routinely receives death threats. 

Subsequent after-dinner conversation includes the topic of capital punishment.  O’Brien then departs for the garden to tempt Margaret into resuming their former romance, much to her father’s disgust.  An eccentric Brayne also leaves the room.  He is last seen playing with Valentin’s mounted sword collection in the hallway.

Wishing to thwart O’Brien, a drunken Lord Galloway stumbles upon a grisly discovery in the darkened garden: specifically, a well-dressed mystery corpse with a severed head.  The murder weapon is established as O’Brien’s missing Foreign Legion saber.  Valentin calmly seeks to shield his guests from his own police force’s imminent scrutiny.  Suspicion soon pivots towards another guest besides O’Brien. 

The priest’s sleuthing suggests, however, that all may not be what it seems.  For instance, how could the unknown intruder/victim have circumvented various defenses and gotten inside the estate?  By the next day, this macabre enigma worsens once a second decapitated head is discovered.  Father Brown realizes it’s up to him to thwart a culprit’s potentially perfect crime. 

                   Cast:

Father Brown: Kenneth More

Commandant Neil O’Brien: Charles Dance

Aristide Valentin: Ferdy Mayne

Lord and Lady Galloway: Cyril Luckham & Joan Benham

Lady Margaret Graham: Eileen Waugh

Julius K. Brayne: Peter Dyneley

Dr. Bernard Simon: Rowland Davies

Duchess of Mont St. Michel: Rosemarie Dunham

Ivan (servant): Athol Coats

Beaumont: Stefan Gryff

Unnamed Servant: Hugh Cecil. 

Notes: 1. As forewarning, though not exceedingly graphic, there are three or four close-up glimpses of ‘severed heads.’ 

2. Interestingly, Valentin’s literary counterpart appeared in the first Father Brown story, 1910’s “The Blue Cross” (aka “Valentin Follows A Curious Trail”).  Valentin was that mystery’s featured player rather than Brown.  Hence, “The Secret Garden” makes for an intriguing sequel. 

3. In terms of possible coincidence: reminiscent of “The Blue Cross,” Agatha Christie’s 1930 Murder at The Vicarage features St. Mary Mead’s vicar, Reverend Len Clement, over Ms. Jane Marple in her whodunnit debut.   

REVIEW:

Filmed on videotape, it’s readily obvious “The Secret Garden” relies upon well-dressed sets vs. any sense that the cast is inside a castle-like manor home.  Aside from this minor quibble, it’s an old-school Father Brown whodunnit well-played for its macabre source material. 

For fans of G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown, seeing “The Secret Garden” faithfully visualized makes for solid viewing – no matter its logical contrivances.  Kenneth More’s Father Brown, in that regard, effectively spells out what some viewers likely will have already deduced.      

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:         7 Stars

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DVD DVD/Blu-Ray Extra Movies & Television (Videos) Sports (TV & Videos) WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

WWF INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION “RAVISHING” RICK RUDE (with BOBBY “THE BRAIN” HEENAN) VS. THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR (WWF SUMMERSLAM ’89: Aired Live 8-28-1989)

SUMMARY:                         RUNNING TIME: 16:02 Min.

Nearly five months after his WrestleMania V I-C Title win, “Ravishing” Rick Rude would again face The Ultimate Warrior in this grudge rematch.  This SummerSlam ’89 showdown would occur at The Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on August 28, 1989.  Giving Rude a ringside advantage is his unscrupulous manager, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, whose interference had previously sealed Rude’s title win over the Warrior. 

The match commentators are Jesse “The Body” Ventura and Tony Schiavone.  Also making a pivotal ringside appearance is “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, as he would be Rude’s next major feud.

Notes: This title clash has been collected at least times on WWE DVD sets: specifically, the first SummerSlam anthology (1988-1992); The History of the WWE Intercontinental Championship; and The Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection.  In his last WWF Pay-Per-View main event a year later, Rude subsequently challenged for The Warrior’s WWF World Championship inside a steel cage at SummerSlam ’90 in Philadelphia, PA. 

For trivia’s sake, Rude and the then-called ‘Dingo Warrior’ were once mid-80’s tag team partners in the Von Erichs’ World Class Championship Wrestling promotion.  

REVIEW:

It’s been said that far too few competitors (i.e. “Macho Man” Randy Savage) could consistently conjure up excellent in-ring chemistry with The Ultimate Warrior.  Among them, “Ravishing” Rick Rude is another name that comes to mind.  Beyond these two wrestling icons, it’s likely a steep drop.  Case in point: even “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig’s solo clashes with the Warrior, comparatively, were a few shades beyond merely watchable.   

It’s indisputable that this Warrior-Rude bout’s initial few minutes imply another glorified Warrior squash win in the making.  Patient viewers, however, are subsequently rewarded with perhaps the best I-C Title showdown since 1987’s Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat feud.  I don’t make this assessment lightly – given I’m admittedly a fan of neither Rude nor the Warrior. 

Rude and the Warrior’s SummerSlam ’89, however, effort readily surpasses the Honky Tonk Man’s endlessly cheap 1987-88 finishes – escaping the far more talented likes of Savage, Steamboat, and Jake Roberts, among others.  Specifically, Rude leads with a high-caliber heel performance that prompts the Warrior to keep up with him for over fifteen minutes.  The Warrior, in that sense, overcomes his ultra-limited power move set (and matches running only a few minutes) to appear closer to Rude’s in-ring equal. 

What’s peculiar is that Bobby Heenan briefly teases some outside interference, but then nothing actually happens.  It’s possible that a consummate professional like Heenan wouldn’t upstage Roddy Piper’s own contribution.  Accordingly, fans will get a decisive yet hardly surprising end to the first Rude vs. Warrior title feud.   

For a nostalgic return to SummerSlam ’89, this WWF Intercontinental Title match deserves re-discovery.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  8 Stars

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THE HARDY BOYS (1995): JAZZMAN (Season 1: Episode 2)

SUMMARY:                APPROX.  RUNNING TIME: 22:00 Min.

First airing on September 30, 1995, this episode of the Canadian syndicated TV series was directed by Jon Cassar off Dave Cole’s script. 

At a downtown church, journalist Frank (Gray) and computer ace Joe (Popowich) Hardy serve as the best man and wedding photographer for their friend: Tommy (Small), a local news vendor.  Yet, Tommy inexplicably no-shows the wedding and has seemingly dropped from sight. 

The Hardys promise his worried fiancée, Anita (Clarke), that they will find Tommy.  Following clues from Tommy’s newsstand, Frank & Joe’s investigation uncovers his long-suppressed former life as a jazz musician.  More so, after serving decades in prison, an elderly mobster (Tager) is now shadowing the Hardys.  He, too, wants to find Tommy, as they evidently have a personal old score to settle.     

                 Cast:

Frank Hardy: Colin K. Gray

Joe Hardy: Paul Popowich

Anita: Norma Clarke

Tommy (Carter): Ron Small

Jimmy: Aron Tager

Jordan: Karen LeBlanc

Pawnbroker: Ellen-Ray Hennessy

Bartender: Robbie Rox

Wedding Guests: Uncredited

Priest: Uncredited

Nightclub Patrons: Uncredited

Pedestrians: Uncredited

Flashbacks: Uncredited.

Notes: There are sporadic hints that the series was filmed in Canada (i.e. a close-up of a license plate).  Reminiscent of their 1970’s incarnations, the show was produced in tandem with a Nancy Drew TV series – likewise, it wasn’t long for this world.  Both single-season series only ran for thirteen episodes and were effectively canceled the same night: December 16, 1995. 

REVIEW:

Despite its limitations, this obviously low-budget episode makes for some passable viewing.  While competently directed, the episode’s flimsy plot is something of a letdown for stars Colin K. Gray and Paul Popowich.  They simply don’t get much of a mystery conveying that they are ‘The Hardy Boys,’ as opposed to some unremarkable, twenty-something amateur detective duo.  Among this cast, only guest star Karen LeBlanc makes a vivid impression in her minimal screen time.

Still, “Jazzman” delivers a watchable, all-ages caper to sample this mid-90’s revival of The Hardy Boys.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        4 Stars

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NANCY DREW (1995): THE DEATH AND LIFE OF BILLY FERAL (Season 1: Episode 7)

SUMMARY:             APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 22:00 Min.

First airing on September 30, 1995, Bruce McDonald directed this episode of the Canadian syndicated TV series off series story editor Laura Phillips’ original script. 

In this incarnation of Nancy Drew, Nancy and her two friends: Bess and George live downtown in a large city at the supposedly haunted Callisto Hotel.  This episode doesn’t specify the girls’ careers or if they’re still college students – all one gets is that George is evidently an amateur filmmaker.     

Five years have lapsed since rock star Billy Feral’s (Bissonette) enigmatic demise.  A pilgrimage by Feral’s mourning fans descends upon The Callisto Hotel on the  anniversary of his death.  Per George’s (Tanner) video footage for a Feral documentary she is filming, Nancy Drew (Ryan) views suspicious visual evidence that Feral’s ghost is haunting The Callisto’s fan memorial.  More so, Nancy and her friends find that others residing at The Callisto are keeping secrets about the musician’s tragic life.

               Cast:

Nancy Drew: Tracy Ryan

George Fayne: Joy Tanner

Bess Marvin: Jhene Erwin

Billy Feral: Joel Bissonette

Amina: Kyrin Hall

Simon: Uncredited.

Pete: Matthew Smith

Seymour: Conrad Bergschneider

Clerk: Eric Kimmel

Video Store Customers: Uncredited

Other Callisto Residents: Uncredited

Feral’s Fans: Uncredited.

Notes: There are sporadic hints that the series was filmed in Canada.  Reminiscent of their 1970’s incarnations, this series was produced in conjunction with a Hardy Boys TV series – as it, too, wasn’t long for this world.  Both single-season series only ran for thirteen episodes and were effectively canceled the same night: December 16, 1995. 

REVIEW:

To its modest credit, this episode sports an okay series lead in Tracy Ryan (frankly, co-star Joy Tanner might have made better casting) and a potentially intriguing premise.  At only twenty-two minutes, the plot’s rudimentary execution, however, is really more akin to what one might expect from The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo.  One could also imagine that the script somewhat echoes elements of Eddie and The Cruisers.      

Considering this Nancy Drew’s obvious budget limitations, “The Death and Life of Billy Feral” doesn’t strive for more than it can achieve.  At most, it’s an easily forgettable ghost story tease meant for an all-ages audience.  For undemanding viewers, this contrived episode is worth catching once – if at all.       

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                      3½ Stars

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MATLOCK {Original Series}: THE BLACKMAILER (Season 4: Episode 23)

SUMMARY:              APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 47:00 Min.

First airing on NBC-TV on May 1, 1990, Christopher Hibler directed this second-to-last Season Four episode off Gerald Sanoff’s script. 

Smarmy Atlanta, GA newspaper cartoonist Ron Winfield (Buktenica) is notorious for teasing imminently salacious scandals in his comic strips.  His favorite targets evidently are self-involved politicians.  Hence, Winfield’s side gig is collecting hush money through his creative extortion efforts.  Taking offense to Winfield’s latest artistic threat is womanizing state Senator Peter Dolan (Haskell) over his extramarital affair with a colleague’s wife (Walsh) being publicly exposed. 

After confronting Winfield late one night at his home, an infuriated Dolan departs after a physical altercation.  However, does he then return to finish off the now-prone cartoonist?  Or perhaps somebody else takes lethal advantage?  It’s up to criminal defense attorneys Ben Matlock (Griffith) and Michelle Thomas (Stafford) to unravel the mystery of who had the most to gain … or perhaps the most to lose by killing a greedy Winfield.  

Ben and Michelle, meanwhile, must navigate a political minefield locally. Who knows if there still might be sordid secrets that Winfield gleefully sought to profit from?

            Cast:

Benjamin “Ben” Matlock: Andy Griffith

Michelle Thomas: Nancy Stafford

Assistant District Attorney Julie March: Julie Sommars

Conrad McMasters: Clarence Gilyard (credits only)

Senator Peter Dolan: Peter Haskell

Ron Winfield: Ray Buktenica

Mickey Alder: Claudia Christian

Sandra Hopkins: Gwynyth Walsh

Senator David Hopkins: Wayne Tippit

Judge Richard Cooksey: Richard Newton

Dolan’s Private Attorney: Mark Joy

Jury Foreperson: Ruth Peebles

Jury Members: Uncredited

Courtroom Gallery Spectators: Uncredited.       

REVIEW:

Unsurprisingly, it’s standard-issue Matlock whodunnit formula with the big ‘gotcha’ courtroom climax. Still, including spot-on guest star Peter Haskell, a game cast surpasses the script’s tawdry inferences and makes “The Blackmailer” watchable rerun fare.  Though this episode is instantly forgettable, plotting for “The Blackmailer” is a few shades more intriguing than an average Matlock.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    5½ Stars

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NWA U.S. CHAMPION “THE TOTAL PACKAGE” LEX LUGER VS. RICKY “THE DRAGON” STEAMBOAT (NWA Great American Bash – Glory Days: Aired Live 7-23-1989)

SUMMARY:                RUNNING TIME: 10:26 Min.

This NWA U.S. Championship bout was contested at The Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, MD.  It was a semi-main event for The Great American Bash: Glory Days card held on July 23, 1989. 

Having recently turned heel, U.S. Champion “The Total Package” Lex Luger arrogantly insists upon the no-disqualification stipulation be waived or he will refuse to wrestle.  Eager for personal vengeance after his beatdown by Luger the month before, Steamboat supposedly has no choice but to acquiesce to Luger’s demands.  Hence, the bout subsequently takes place under pro wrestling’s standard title defense rules. 

At ringside are commentators Jim Ross and Bob Caudle.  The bout occurs inside a double-ring due to the War Games bout (Road Warriors/Midnight Express/Steve “Dr. Death” Williams vs. The Freebirds/Samoans) on the same card.

Notes: Steamboat’s then-wife, Bonnie, and their young son make a customary cameo appearance during Steamboat’s extended ring introduction.  Reminiscent of his 1986 WWF encounters with Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Steamboat brings a presumably sedated Komodo dragon with him to ringside.

REVIEW:

While “The Total Package” falls short of the same match chemistry that “Ravishing” Rick Rude had with Ricky Steamboat, the end result is still solid.  Both the spry Steamboat and Luger (despite his somewhat limited move set) ensure that fans are entertained by a well-choreographed brawl.  Though heavily alluded to beforehand, the match’s inevitably cheap finish isn’t as bad as it may sound. 

If anything, Steamboat’s rarely seen sadistic streak makes Luger evidently his most ‘hated’ adversary since his epic 1987 WWF Intercontinental Title feud with “Macho Man” Randy Savage.  Given its less-than-decisive ending, this slightly-above-average showdown isn’t necessarily must-see viewing.   Catching a glimpse of the short-lived Steamboat vs. Luger feud, however, still makes for some fun nostalgia.     

Note: Prior to the NWA’s next Pay-Per-View, the inaugural Halloween Havoc ’89, Steamboat quietly quit the NWA.  Hence, his title feud with Luger was abruptly dropped, with Brian Pillman soon inserted as Steamboat’s replacement.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          6½ Stars