RA
by Marc Shapiro
THE TREK IS BACK
When asked if he's surprised
that Star Trek has survived well into
the 1980s, Leonard Nimoy
chuckles, "That really is funny. Of
course, I'm surprised. It's shock
ing to think that a television show
that barely made it to a third
season in 1967 is around in any
form 21 years later, let alone being
on its fifth motion picture."
That's right, folks, the outer
space opera that's old enough to
buy its own beer is about to make
its fifth big screen splash with Star
Trek V: The Final Frontier. All the
Trek regulars, Sulu, Uhura, Bones,
Chekov and (beam me up) Scotty,
are on board. This film cost a lot
of lunch money ($32 million big
ones) and is being directed by Cap-
tain Kirk himself, William Shatner.
But that's about as much news
as is getting out on The Final
Frontier. Nobody is giving away plot
particulars, which side the
Klingons are on, or any of that
good stuff. In fact, "You'll have to
wait until we open in June" seems
to be the answer to nearly every
question posed.
"One thing I can tell you is that
this film has definitely been a
workout," says Nimoy. "This is a
Shatner directed film, which
means there's been more running
and jumping than in the previous
four Star Trek movies put together.
All the other films have taken place
in relatively contained environ-
ments, but in this one we're riding
horses, climbing mountains and
doing stunt flying."
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Since Nimoy has given up the
directing reins on Star Trek V, the
Final Frontier has been, relatively
speaking, a three-martini lunch.
Nimoy, however, hasn't been
sleep-walking through this film. He
has taken this opportunity to get
deeper into the character of Spock.
"In a sense I think I've changed
my approach to playing Spock. It's
gotten progressively easier to play
him over the five films and I've
seen new coloration and character
facets in just about every film.
"Spock, at this stage, has got
ten more comfortable with himself.
He's less defensive and more settl-
ed than in earlier films and defin-
itely more so than in the television
series. He's still this superintel-
ligent character, but in Star Trek V
the audience will see that he has
developed more in the way of
personal insights."
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One can't help but notice that
there are a few more wrinkles and
crow's feet on Nimoy's face, and
on the faces of the other Star Trek
regulars for that matter. This may
be Star Trek, baby, but real flesh.
and blood actors do get older. My
new math tells me that Nimoy,
Shatner and company may be
approaching the end of their Star
Trek adventures.
"I know the question is on a lot
of people's minds as to how much
longer we can all continue to do
this. When we started the show in
the 1960s, I don't think anybody
even considered whether we could
do Star Trek for this length of time.
But more and more people are
coming up to me and asking, 'Are
all of you still alive?' I guess maybe
we should all start thinking about
the future."
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KING DIAMOND
PLAYS A PRIEST
Anyone familiar with the satanic
leanings of horror headbanger
King Diamond has probably felt
that he's a walking fright flick in the
making. Anyone will be right come
March when filming begins in
Florida on the King's first fright
feast called Boggs.
Boggs, directed by Aleks Rosen-
berg, focuses on the demonic
exploits of a TV minister, a la Swag-
gert, with the power over life and
death and a con that has suckers
participating in a lottery that will
allow them to enter the pearly
gates. The film, in the best gross-
out tradition, will feature gucky in-
sects and gore by the bucketful.
"It is definitely going to be a
horrible movie," cackles Diamond,
who is licking his wounds after
being exploited on Geraldo.
Rivera's satanism special. "But it
is going to be horror on a number
of different levels. There will be the
expected gore and horror ele-
ments. There will also be the
underlying terror of poor people.
sending in their last cent to a
televangelist in hopes of getting in-
to heaven. To my way of thinking.
that is the scariest idea of all."
Diamond's role is a relatively
small one. In a sequence where
viewers play a lottery, Diamond
portrays a deranged looking priest
pounding a mad tune on the piano.
"Playing a priest is definitely not
typecasting," laughs Diamond,
"There will be the underlying terror of poor
people sending their last cent to a tele-
vangelist in hopes of getting into heaven.
To my way of thinking, that is the scariest
idea of all."
Who would have guessed that King
Diamond would ever act in a horror film?
"but that's the kind of challenge I
like. I've learned to act in front of
the camera through the videos I've
done. What we do on stage is
definitely acting. But this film will
be a new experience for me."
Diamond came by this virgin
thrill shortly after recording his last
Lp "Them." A friend of a friend
introduced him to the film's direc-
tor who, after hearing King's vinyl
output, asked him to create some
mood music for the film. One thing
lead to another and....
"Yes, I will be acting, but you've
got to hear this music we've
created for the film," says Diamond
as he lopes over to a tape machine
and punches in a rough mix. The
snippets of music are scary in the
grand tradition of Psycho.
"This film is a test for me," says
Diamond. "I'm already toying
around with a horror film script of
my own and I feel once Boggs
comes out I will be able to put my
film plans into motion. This is a new
area for me but I'm confident that
I can pull it off."
CHOPPING LIST
Here's a shopping list of direct-to-
video or marginal theatrical releases
currently available in your local video
emporium for the price of a Big Mac
and a Slurple:
Black Roses (Imperial Video)
A neglected mixture of devil wor-
ship and heavy metal that features
a Carmine Appice led heavy metal
band terrorizing one cliché middle
American town. Featuring decent
demon FX, fair metal music and the
Creature from the Black Lagoon's
main squeeze Julie London.
The Nest (MGM Video)
Boy, I'd love to have the Raid
concession on this flick. Big, nasty
roaches with a deodorant problem
are out and about chowing down on
anything that moves! Directed by the
guy who co-wrote the original and
very hairy The Howling.
Iced (Prism Video)
And you thought every con-
ceivable variation on the crazed
slasher theme had been exploited.
Silly boy! You've obviously forgot-
ten the dead skier who invites his
good buddies and their good
bodies up to the high Sierra for
a weekend of sex and slayings.
Toxic Zombies (Raedon)
This one seems too good
to be true. Cigaret smokers.
turn into bloodthirsty, bug-
munching ghouls. Smoke
'em if you've got 'em.
VIDEO REVIEWS
The first three tapes are distributed by the Surf
Video Network. Never mind the name, these guys
have some hot skate videos available. For info write
to Surf Video Network, 825 Onstott Road, Lompoc,
CA 93436
RESURRECTION TOUR '88
Off The Richter Productions
How much skate footage where the camera
moves wildly with the skater can you watch before.
you feel seasick? How many shots from the deck
(where one wall is too far away to see real action
and the other is so close that the skater sails out
of the frame) can you take before your eyes won't
focus anymore? This endless 44-minute shoot of
a pro tour through Australia in April 1988 was film
ed by one of those guys with a video camera who
you see getting in the way at every contest. Of
course, the pros, including Hosoi, Jessee, Gon-
zales, Elguera, Miller, etc., rip it up. If you're a video
collector who needs to complete your Australian
collection, you should get this tape. Otherwise, save
yourself the headache.
SICK BOYZ
Mack Dawg Productions
San Francisco homeboy and cameraman extra-
ordinaire, Mike McIntyre, skimmed the cream from
his extensive video crop to create this nugget. Sick
Boyz contains some of the sickest skate footage.
from ramps, pools, streets, banks, deserts and wig
shops all over the Western United states. Natas,
Guerrero, Thiebaud, etc. are but a few of the ure-
thane masters featured in this flick. If you don't like
killer skating on every kind of terrain imaginable
by some of the best practicioners of the art, then
don't check out this video.
GOIN' OFF
T.R. Productions
Veteran cinematographer Tony Roberts from -
surfburg Santa Cruz, CA, put together this
documentary of California skaters on their home
turf. The skating in this video is fantastic-from
Caballero and Miller at Raging Waters to Natas in
Santa Monica to Salba at the Baldy pipeline.
Featuring unknown rippers as well as old timers,
this video gives you all the action you crave. There
aren't any team affiliations to worry about, so no
particular skater hogs the spotlight. Do yourself a
favor and snap it up if you can. T.R. Productions,
Box 2254, Santa Cruz, CA 95063-2254.
D.R.I. LIVE AT THE RITZ
Enigma/Metal Blade
Dude, moshed potatoes and gravy, know what
I mean? These D.R.I. guys crunch a bunch of
wicked warlock sweat soup minor chord mondo
Marshall mayhem thrash-metal, and they've got
the video to prove it. Now you can see all those
unintelligible lyrics live. They're still unintelligible,
but how that singer emotes! Not only do you get
to witness intense malodorous male bonding, but
there is some of the toughest damn hoppin' and
skippin' I've ever seen. Those nutty pitsters justi
can't get enough of each-other's bodily secretions.
If the "crossover" sound is your ball of wax, this
video will definitely burn your candle on both ends,
otherwise these guys might just seem like a bunch
of drips.
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