Current Shareware 1994 January/SHAR194.ISO/articles/cvm01_06.zip/PART4-5

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[This is part FOUR of FIVE of Volume 1, Issue 6 of CYBERSPACE VANGUARD:
News and Views of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Universe.  If your site
did not receive all five parts, or if you would like the entire thing
sent to you in one large chunk, write to [e-mail].

CV is registered with the United States Copyright Office.  Permission is
granted to repost the issue IN IT'S ENTIRETY.  For other reposting, contact
the above address.]

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

--!1!--  Ramblings of a Deranged Editor (& a few deranged readers ...)
--!2!--  Within the Realm of Extreme Possibility:  Creator CHRIS CARTER
                                                             on the X-FILES
--!3!--  The Highlander's Heart:  An Interview with ADRIAN PAUL

                End of PART ONE

--!4!--  The Art and Science of Leaping Tall Buildings
--!5!--  A Writer's Guide to STAR TREK:  THE NEXT GENERATION
--!6!--  Reviews by EVELYN  C. LEEPER
--!7!--  THE OLD COMIC CURMUDGEON: R-E-S-P-E-C-T ...

                End of PART TWO

--!8!--  The Infamous Reply Cards and What You Said
--!9!--  SF Calendar: What's Coming Up in the Near Future
--!10!--  All The News That's Fit To Transmit

                End of PART THREE is in the middle of --!10!--

                PART FOUR is the rest of the news

--!11!--  Spoilers Ahoy!  Including TWILIGHT ZONE Episode Guide
--!12!--  Contests and Awards
--!13!--  Conventions and Readings
--!14!--  Publications, Lists and the like
--!15!--  Administrivia
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....................

Television
....................

....................

HIGHLANDER
....................
by Debbie Douglass

     The clash of swords locked in Immortal combat returned to the small
screen when the second season premiere of the syndicated TV series HIGHLANDER
aired this month. This series and the HIGHLANDER movies on which it's based
have sparked a fast growing fandom which has already generated a fanclub,
several electronic discussion groups, one letterzine and three upcoming
fanzines. Loyal longtime movie fans have finally found a place to share their
opinions. Meanwhile groups of loyal fans scour dealer tables at science
fiction conventions searching for anything remotely related to the show and
the movies.
     This HIGHLANDER fan movement continues to astound me even as I view it
from the inside. You see I'm caught up in the middle of it. I am a HIGHLANDER
fan.  I'm fascinated by the idea of Immortals living among us, yet apart,
involved in their own individual dramas.  People who have experienced
centuries of history firsthand, but still remain human. They aren't
superheroes.  They're not supernatural beings. They are just like you and me
except they can't really die. That is unless a 7 foot tall lunatic takes
their head off with a broadsword. And yet imagine the tragedy of their lives
as they watch their friends and loved ones die of old age, a process forever
denied them.
     My fascination led me to the USENET newsgroups where I discovered other
HIGHLANDER fans. We started talking as a small email group in February which
grew into the BITNET mailing list that I manage. We have fun trading tapes of
episodes we missed and discussing topics ranging next week's episode to the
history of the real Clan MacLeod. Endless discussions arise about the
differences between the American and European versions of the original movie.
     Intriguing still is the directions that the producers have taken the
series so far. We've seen morality plays covering topics ranging from drugs
and medical experimentation to the angst of adoption. And they promise more
surprises yet to come. The series will be welcoming two new characters this
season. Introduced in the season premiere, Joe Dawson, played by JIM BYRNES,
is a bookstore owner who is really a high-ranking member of The Watchers, a
secret society dedicated to observing Immortals.  Charlie DeSalvo, played by
PHILLIP AKIN, is a ex-Navy SEAL and martial arts expert who will be
introduced in a later episode.
     The producers are continuing to follow their successful practice of
offering guest star roles to rock singers. Last season, we saw JOAN JETT,
ROLAND GIFT of The Fine Young Cannibals, and The Who's ROGER DALTREY briefly
transformed into Immortals for our enjoyment.  Already this season, famed
rock star SHEENA EASTON has finished filming her shot at Immortality for an
early episode.  She and ADRIAN PAUL worked together previously in her music
video 'Strut' during Mr. PAUL'S days as a dancer. Also joining the lists of
noteworthy guest stars we have ROWDY RODDY PIPER, the wrestler, and GERAINT
WYN DAVIES.  Wyn Davies is no stranger to immortality.  He portrays a modern
day vampire on FOREVER KNIGHT, a late night CBS series.  {Note - FOREVER KNIGHT
is currently on hiatus but will be returning next spring.}
     Twenty-two episodes are planned for the second season, which is ranked
No. 10 among weekly syndicated series and is shown in 137 US markets.
Fourteen of the new episodes will be shot in Vancouver and eight in Paris.
-----------------------------
NEWS:

HIGHLANDER fans were saddened to learn of the passing of actor WERNER
STOCKER, who portrayed the Immortal priest Darius last season. Mr. Stocker
suffered from a cerebral tumor and passed away in late May, several weeks
after shooting was completed on the first season. He will be missed, and we
will not forget his final role as the peaceful Darius.

CHRISTOPHER LAMBERT and his wife, actress DIANE LANE, celebrated the birth of
their daughter, Eleanor Jasmine on Sept. 8, 1993.

THE GUNMEN, described as a modern western starring CHRISTOPHER LAMBERT, MARIO
VAN PEEBLES, and PATRICK STEWART is scheduled to open in theatres in the US
on November 24.

Filming for the lastest HIGHLANDER movie will start in the middle of November
in Canada. Scenes will also be filmed at locations in Scotland and New York.
HIGHLANDER III: THE MAGICIAN will be closer in tone to the first movie
according CHRISTOPHER LAMBERT in a recent interview on NBC's TODAY show."

HIGHLANDER, the first movie, will be re-released on home video by Republic
Pictures in the USA on November 3rd.

"HIGHLANDER - THE GATHERING" will be released on home video by Hemdale films
in the USA on Oct 27. This video includes the episodes "The Gathering" and
"Revenge is Sweet" edited together as a feature length movie. Features:
Christopher Lambert, Adrian Paul, Richard Moll and Vanity.

---------------------------------
Although the net reaction to LOIS AND CLARK:  THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN
seems to be mostly favorable, the show has been running third behind MURDER,
SHE WROTE and the less-well-received-from-what-we've-seen SEAQUEST DSV.  The
group Viewers for Quality Television has asked ABC President TED HARBERT to
be patient and not start moving the show around, but his response was that a
network can't always afford t be patient.  (Editor's note:  A little move
might be in order, in this editor's opinion, if only to correct the
ridiculous mistake of pitting it against its major network competition in
terms of audience.  Let's hope, however, that they don't pull a YOUNG INDY
and make viewers guess when it will be on next.)
     Ratings have been holding steady, however, while those for SEAQUEST DSV
have been dropping like a ... well, fill in the blank.  Every week it loses a
large part of its audience, and at this rate it will be below L&C before
long.  What's more, while L&C's ratings are certainly not spectacular, ABC
reportedly likes the demographics of the audience.  Don't look for quick
cancellation of SQ, though, as NBC had purchased the full 22 episodes before
the season even started.
     Other talk from the producers has established that although S.T.A.R.
Labs has been mentioned in the show, viewers should not hold their breath
waiting for characters from THE FLASH to appear.  It is simply a matter of
economics, as it would mean mucho bucks for DC Comics.  Also, it has been
said that if the producers "smell" cancellation, they will proceed with the
engagement of Clark and Lois.
     And lastly, a bit of Superman trivia:  Bessolo was both the name of the
street where Superman's rocket was being stored in a recent episode of LOIS
AND CLARK and the real name of GEORGE REEVES, the 1950's SUPERMAN.

SEAQUEST DSV will be adapted for comics by Nemesis Comics, starting in
November with a story detailing the origin of the Seaquest written by DAN
CHICHESTER with ERNIE COLON doing the artwork.  HOWARD CHAYKIN will do the
cover art.

RUSSELL JOHNSON, who appeared in such films as THIS ISLAND EARTH and IT CAME
FROM OUTER SPACE, was awarded the Ig Nobel Prize at M.I.T. on October 7.
Johnson is most famous for his role as the Professor on GILLIGAN'S ISLAND,
for which he received the spoof prize.  While promoting his autobiography,
HERE ON GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, (NOT a steamy tell-all, by the way) he told a
Toronto writer that his standard answer for why, when he made such fantastic
inventions, the professor didn't just fix the castaway's boat, is "Fix the
boat? Wow! That never occurred to me!"  (John Mack, whose research helped to
inspire CHRIS CARTER to create X-FILES, was also awarded the Ig Nobel prize for
his research into UFO abductions. The prizes are sponsored by M.I.T.'s JOURNAL
OF IRREPRODUCIBLE RESULTS.)

Never underestimate the power of the press.  Earlier this month, a fatal fire
was blamed on the animated BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD, which was shown on MTV in the
early evening, when younger children can watch it.  A five year old was
reportedly inspired by the pair, for whom "Fire is cool" (huh-huh-huh-huh) is
a bit of a catch phrase.  He set fire to his family's trailer, killing his
two year old sister.
     The day the story hit the airwaves, early evening news said that MTV was
denying any responsibility, and that they had no intention of changing the
program or it's time slot.  MIKE JUDGE, who created the pair, said that what
was good about them was how stupid they made the dumb things they do look.
An hour later, national news reported that MTV was re-evaluating the pair's
place in the schedule.  By 11pm, MTV had decided to eliminate all references
to "fire" from the show.  Before a week was out, the 7pm showing had been
moved to 10:30pm (to be replaced with "Videos That Don't Suck").
     Before the controversy, SIMPSONS creator MATT GROENING said that he was
thrilled with the explosion in animation.  He told the Los Angeles Times that
"After BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD, I think everything is permitted.  I love Beavis,
but I just want to kill that darned Butthead."

OK, here we go with more news on the DR. WHO front.  According to sources in
the UK, the BBC will produce at least one special next year.  They are
reportedly considering doing a series of specials as a means of "testing the
waters," so to speak.
     Also, there's been some talk of "lost episodes" recovered in foreign
film cans shipped back to the BBC after years in storage, and these seem to
have been confirmed.  There is no word on whether there are any complete
stories, but apparently there is the additional complication that the copies
that were returned were not in English.  The BBC does have the audio msters,
however, and is reportedly looking into remastering the films from them.
     As for what happened to the original plans for a fall special, the truth
is probably somewhere between the official line that the BBC had never
planned to make the special in the first place and the talk that it was
cancelled behind the back of high muckety-mucks amid political and
commericial maneuvering.

Here's a scary thought for you:  RON PERELMAN, who owns Marvel Entertainment
Group, told NEW YORK MAGAZINE that he is willing to spend up to $1 billion
"putting together a real entertainment company."  What that says about
Marvel, we don't know.  Perelman paid $100 million for SCI Television, a
group of television stations, as the base for a national network he would
like to start.  He also said that he wanted to produce his own shows.

MATT FREWER (MAX HEADROOM) will be doing the voice for possibly one of the
most famous mutes in film history, the PINK PANTHER.  The panther, who did
actually do a little bit of dialogue in one of the live action films where
he first appeared with the credits (sounding very distinguished), will sound
like "a hyped-up version of my own voice," Frewer told UPI.  "What I did was
sautee a large Spanish onion over low heat, chuck in a little oregano and let
it happen."  He also said that he had a tendency to act out the panther's
movements in the recording booth.  "To the producers and animators watching
from outside I must look pretty much like a guy having an epileptic fit."
     MGM's newly revived animation department will make produce 40 new
episodes with Mirisch-Geoffrey-DePatie-Freleng, who created the original.
Other voices will include DAN CASTELLANETA (HOMER SIMPSON), JO ANNE WORLEY,
RUTH BUZZI, JOHN BYNER, JOE PISCOPO, and CHARLES NELSON REILLY.

First there was SESAME STREET, and later the gang moved on to THE MUPPET
SHOW.  Then there was FRAGGLE ROCK.  Now Jim Henson Productions is
introducing a new generation of Muppets for THE SECRET LIFE OF TOYS, a new
television series that has already been bought by both the BBC and Germany's
WDR.  There is no word on whether, when, or where the 26 13-minute fantasies
will turn up in the United States, but international video distribution will
be handled by Buena Vista Home Video, part of Disney.  Disney also has a
liscensing deal with Jim Henson Productions.

If you're decrying the state of children's programming, check out CRO, a
Saturday morning cartoon that attempts to teach kids a bit of science and
technology through storytelling.  (ABC, 8 am)

COLIN BAKER has returned to DR. WHO -- sort of.  He has written DOCTOR WHO:
AGE OF CHAOS, a four issue limited series comic book where the 6th Doctor
goes on a quest to find one of his old companions (no word on which one.)
The artwork is by JOHN M. BURNS, and the first issue (which will sport a
metallic ink cover) will be available from Marvel after November 25th.

The third QUANTUM LEAP novel will be QUANTUM LEAP: THE WALL, by ASHLEY
MCCONELL, about the Berlin Wall.  The fourth book will reportedly be written
by MELISSA CRANDALL.

According to DR. WHO BULLETIN, film cans have been returned from Scandinavia.
For those new to the phenomenon, when foreign countries return film cans to
the BBC they occasionally contain episodes of DR. WHO that are currently
"lost".  They are the episodes that were originally shipped out to be shown
on foreign television.  This time the rumor is that a full copy of THE POWER
OF THE DALEKS was included, but the BBC are refusing to say what was in the
cans, fueling specuation that the story WAS there, and that they are
withholding an announcement until the upcoming annivesary.

FOREVER KNIGHT is reportedly on the way back, taking advantage of the new
trend of "direct to syndication" marketing.  The show is being distributed by
TriStar to CBS affiliates for the 11:30 Saturday night slot.   When
encouraging your local affiliate to pick it up, be sure to let them know you
are referring to the second, syndicated season, available in May, 1994.  The
address for TriStar television is 9336 West Washington Boulevard, Culver
City, CA 90232, if you want to encourage them to make the show available to
other stations of your CBS affiliate isn't interested.

....................

Star Trek
....................

On the movie front, ST VII will, as we have said, star the cast of TNG, with
possible appearances by members of the TOS crew.  There's been some question
as to how extensive those roles will be, along with talk that only cast
members who have appeared in TNG being included.  That, of course, narrows it
down to DEFORREST KELLEY, LEONARD NIMOY, and JAMES DOOHAN.
     Nimoy, however, has made it clear that he has certain requirements for
his appearance.  "I'm not going to walk through and wave," he told the San
Jose Mercury News.  "If they have something interesting for Spock to do, they
can let me know and I'll be there."  He also said that he had not been
approached about directing STVII.

GATES MCFADDEN may direct an episode of ST:DSN this season.  Also, convention
reports cite her as mentioning that WIL WHEATON is currently doing "computer
work" in Silicon Valley.

WALTER KOENIG is back at work after the heart attack that laid him out for
heart surgery this summer.  In addition to his Malibu Comics series RAVER
(which may be adapted as a video game) he is back to square one in finding
funding for a television pilot.  According to an article from Gannet News
Service, at the time of his heart attack he was set to start producing the
show, which they described as "sort of a zany STAR TREK ala MONTY PYTHON."
Also in on the deal were GEORGE TAKEI and NICHELLE NICHOLS.
      He was to appear in an early episode of BABYLON V, but was unable to
due to his heart attack.  However, according to J. MICHEAL STRACZYNSKI, there
will be another role created for him.

The season's last TNG will be a two hour episde, but it is not clear whether
it will be a cliffhanger to be resolved in the feature film, due out for
Christmas of 1994.

RUMORS ... RUMORS ... Here's what we've got on the next ST show, to be titled
(supposedly) STAR TREK:  THE NEXT FRONTIER.  First off, it will NOT follow
Wesley Crusher and his cohorts at Starfleet academy.  It also will NOT be set
on a USS Enterprise.  It will NOT have any of the regular TNG cast in it,
although nothing is certain, and both JONATHAN FRAKES and MARINA SIRTIS have
said that they would be interested in continuing on to the new show, so a
spinoff where Riker finally accepts a captaincy is not completely out of the
question, but it is VERY unlikely.
     Plotlines that have been mentioned vary widely, from "prolonged
exploration" of the Gamma Quadrant to a group of independant traders
(jokingly referred to as the USS Free Enterprise) to a show set on a Klingon
ship.  The staff writers have reportedly been asked to submit ideas and
there's still plenty of time, so anything is possible.
     Whatever they decide upon, it will be set in the same time period as
TNG and DSN to allow for crossovers, and rumors are that the producers are
looking for a Englishwoman to head the cast.

LEVAR BURTON will be appearing in PARALLEL LIVES, a movie for Showtime.  The
interesting thing about it is that there will be no script.  The actors, who
include JOBETH WILLIAMS (POLTERGEIST), and JIM BELUSHI (WILD PALMS), will
each make up a character and then bring it to director LINDA YELLEN, who will
weave them together into a story.  The final filming will consist of the
actors ad-libbing according to the script outline.

The cast of ST:DSN have signed 7 year contacts, where the original TNG
contracts were only 6 years.  People have been saying that they are moving on
the TNG movies because the cast wants too much money to continue in the show
now that their contracts are up, but that's NOT the case.  The plan has
ALWAYS been to move on to movies after the run of the show.  In fact,
originally, they only expected TNG to run for five years, where upon it was
said that they would move on to STAR TREK: THE NEXT NEXT GENERATION -- well,
OK, that wasn't the actual title, but it was the general idea -- while the
TNG people did movies.

WILLIAM SHATNER will be the grand marshal of the 1994 Rose Bowl parade.  The
theme is "A Fantasic Adventure."  Shatner, who raises horses and plays polo,
will ride his own chestnut gelding "I Prefer Roses."

Well, somebody's listening ...  An article in Entertainment Weekly reportedly
cited comments from fans on bulletin boards and at conventions as part of the
reason for a shift in emphasis of DSN.  There will be more guest stars,
mostly as Bajorrans, (FRANK LANGELLA and LOUISE FLETCHER we've already seen,
as well as JOHN GLOVER as a Trill and RICHARD BEYMER.)  There will also be a
new set of villians, tentatively called The Dominion, from the other side of
the wormole.

There probably aren't too many STAR TREK fans who are computer illiterates
(and even fewer reading this magazine!) but that hasn't stopped JENNIFER
FLYNN from writing STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION: TWENTIETH CENTURY
COMPUTERS AND HOW THEY WORKED: THE OFFICIAL STARFLEET HISTORY OF COMPUTERS.
Put out by Alpha Books, it reportedly carries a lot of actual information
below the covering of futurist technology.

PATRICK STEWART will be performing his one man A CHRISTMAS CAROL in the San
Francisco Bay Area to benefit Shakespeare/Santa Cruz on November 13.

When COLM MEANEY signed for DSN, it was with the stipulation that he could
disappear for a couple of weeks to make a movie occasionally.  If Cannes is
correct, he made good use of the opportunity with THE SNAPPER, based on the
second book in Roddy Doyle's Barrytown series, which started with THE
COMMITTMENTS.  The film deals with one Irishman's attempt to deal with his
daughter's independence when she becomes pregnant and refuses to name the
father.
     He can also be seen in INTO THE WEST.

It is the ultimate ambition of probably most of the people reading this:  to go
to the stars.  Though there is not yet a contest that will allow you to do
that, The Planetary Society, Time Warner Interactive Group, and NPTN's Academy
One are sponsoring a contest to allow one talented child's art to go to Mars.
The art contest carries a deadline of November 8 for paper entries and November
15 for electronic entries, so time is running short.  Judges include MIKE OKUDA
and RICK STERNBACH of ST:TNG.  For more information contact TJ Goldstein
([e-mail]) or Jim Baumgartner ([e-mail]).
--
CYBERSPACE VANGUARD MAGAZINE      Editor: TJ Goldstein, [e-mail]
            News and Views from the Science Fiction Universe
               Send submission, question, and comments to
  [e-mail]      or      [e-mail]