From: 4224_5201@uwovax.uwo.ca (Dark Lord of the Sith)
Subject: Re: STAR WARS vs GALACTICA vs STAR TREK
Organization: University of Western Ont, London
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 02:35:11 GMT

THIS IS A REPOST OF THE ORIGINAL STAR WARS vs GALACTICA vs STAR TREK

     Back in grade seven (around the same time as ST: The Wrath of Khan), I
had a running debate with fans of the original Star Trek (and the movies).
We debated the merits of Star Trek vs Star Wars, and to a lesser extent,
Battlestar Galactica. Ten years later my opinions of changed little.

     I have seen every episode of ST:TNG and 90% of the episodes of Classic 
Trek and find not one shred of evidence that this show is somehow better
than the unpretentious adventure SF that inspired Star Wars, Battlestar
Galactica, and even Buck Rogers. (That's right Trekkies, you are being
flamed!)

THE ORIGINS OF STAR TREK

     Anyone who's read a Gene Roddenbery interview knows that he read science
fiction magazines as a youth. In fact the general ideal for Star Trek a taken
from the 1940's magazine Astounding Science Fiction. The editor had a policy
that no matter what happens, the humans will be victorious or their values
will eventually triumph. This should be more than apparent to anyone who has
watched Star Trek.

     In the episode "Arena" (based on an Astounding SF story from 1944!) 
the episodes ends with the federation triumphant and the inferior Gorn race    
condemned never to rise up above the evolutionary ladder. In the ST:TNG
episode Redemtion II, human values triumph again as Worf shies away from
executing the little putz who conspired to take away his family's hour
forevery. Star Trek is in essence a benelovent imperialist attitude that says
"We know what is good for you".    

INTELLIGENT SCI-FI 

     If you want real Science Fiction and real Science fiction stories,
try reading Galaxy magazine from the 1950's, something Roddenbery probably
didn't like. (Incidently, ex Vice President Quayle is something of a Star
Trek fan). This magazine is the first to include sophisticated stories of
REAL literary value: Pohl, Kornbluth, Dick and numerous others. This 
magazine had a political awareness not found in Astounding SF and Star Trek: 
Both Generations.

REAL SCIENCE FICTION TV

     If you do not like reading, try watching REAL intelligent science
fiction TV - the original Twilight Zone, with much writing from Charles
Beaumont, 1950's writer. (Incidently, Roger Corman turned one of his anti-
racist novels into a movie called Intruder where William Shatner stars as
a racist bigot!). Or try watching Outer Limits, with contributions from  
Harlan Ellison (better than City on the Edge of Forever, chopped up by
Roddenbery for TV watchers). This show was produced from Leslie Stevens,
the man who with Glenn Larson produced the 1980's version of Buck Rogers
and Battlestar Galactica.

REAL SCIENCE FICTION MOVIES

1. Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS and VOYAGE TO THE MOON
2. THINGS TO COME (1936)
3. Stanley Kubrick's DR STRANGELOVE, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and 2001 SPACE ODYSSEY
4. SILENT RUNNING
5. SOLARIS
6. Ridley Scott's BLADE RUNNER

If you want intelligent SF, ignore STAR TREK at all costs!

REAL ADVENTURE/SCIENCE FICTION

     On the other end of the Science Fiction world, real adventure movies 
which inspired Star Wars, are the original Flash Gordon serials and Buck 
Rogers. DESTINATION MOON, from George Pal (SF King), WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE,
INVADERS FROM MARS, THE THING (from Astounding's Campbell), and all of the
giant atomic mutations from the US and Japan (Godzilla lives!). Harryhausen's
BEAST FROM 20000 FATHOMS, 20000000 MILES TO EARTH. 'Nuff said.

WHAT YOU MISSED FROM GENE RODENBERRY

     Star Drekk is pretentious pablum for people who do not know science 
fiction, science adventure or science fact. The only thing which saves the    
original show is the cheesy special effects, the soap opera, and the
personality of its leading characters Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty et al.
If you want REAL GENE RODDENBERRY, please rent out PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A
ROW (1971), featuring Rock Hudson as a homicidal, sex-mad school counsellor.
This is the Gene that Trekkies want to hide from the general public. 

CONCLUSION

     Long Live Flash Gordon, Star Wars, Galactica, Buck Rogers, V, 
Alien Nation, Quantum Leap et al. Unpretentious entertainment for real 
people. Long Live the Twilight Zone and Outer Limits, real thinking person's
science fiction. Star Trek ... great FX and/or soap opera.. but SF never.

     Every time you buy a Star Drekk Pocket Book from Gene's professional 
hacks, you are taking away valuable time from reading real SF. Save your
money. Only the books from the 1970's (from Blish and others) are worth your 
time.

John P. LaRocque
J.LaRocque@uwo.ca

"Farm chores sure could be dull, and Luke Skywalker was bored beyond belief.
He yearned for adventures out among the stars - adventures that would take him
beyond the furthest galaxies to distant and alien worlds.

"But Luke got more than he bargained for..."
                            from Star Wars the paperback (1976, first edition)

"Ag... Ag..." 
"Apologies accepted" - Darth Vader
-- 

John P. LaRocque
J.LaRocque@uwo.ca

"Farm chores sure could be dull, and Luke Skywaker was bored beyond belief. He
yearned for adventures out among the stars - adventures that would take him
beyond the furthest galaxies to distant and alien worlds.

"But Luke got more than he bargained for..."
                            from Star Wars the paperback (1976, first edition)