May 8: Captain's Log... Star date 5.8.9009. This is Captain Horowitz of the U.S.S. Gumption. While patrolling the outer Sanjaya Quadrant of the Kardashian system, we locked onto a strange frequency. Two humanoid creatures of the Filmspotting species were debating the merits of an
early 21st century piece of historical fiction called "Star Trek" from director J.J. Abrams. The much younger and better looking of the two Filmspotters, who calls himself "Matty," seemed to enjoy the movie’s silly paeans to "Star Trek’s" campy origins, whereas the more gregarious of the two, "Adam," felt the film "jumped the Spock" at its midway point. Very intriguing insight.
Then, if our translations are correct, the two went on to discuss an even more archaic piece of celluloid, the year 1967’s "In the Heat of the Night," on its surface a murder-mystery procedural but which also apparently serves as a boiling and revolutionary commentary on 20th century race relations in the United States starring two excellent thespians, Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. The transmission then ends with another historical artifact, a listing of the Top 5 Films of 2003. I am excited to see if these films exist in the Academy's archives. We will continue to examine the strange communication from this very alien Filmspotting duo before heading home to rendezvous with Star Fleet. Before warping home, however, Lieutenant Ditka wants to swing by Home Depot, maybe Bed Bath and Beyond. You know, if there's time.
Plus, Massacre Theatre -- presented by In Review Online -- Listener Feedback and music by Akron/Family.
** POTENTIAL SPOILER WARNING **
Adam is confident that he did not actually reveal any spoilers during the "Star Trek" discussion, but if you're really sensitive about knowing any specific plot points, then consider yourself warned.
Filmspotting #256
:13-15:11 - Review: "Star Trek"
Music: Akron/Family, "Everyone is Guilty"
16:07-20:18 - Voicemail/Contest/Polls
20:19-28:57 - Feedback ("Sugar," Summer '09 Movies)
Music: Akron/Family, "Creatures"
29:42-34:13 - Mass. Theatre (Winner: B. Stark)
34:14-44:56 - New Hollywood #4: "In the Heat of the Night"
Music: Akron/Family, "The Alps & Their Orange Evergreen"
45:23-51:49 - New DVDs/"Audience of One"/Donations
51:50-1:08:51 - Top 5: Summer Preview
1:08:52-1:12:14 - Close/Next Show/Outtake
NOTES
- In addition to our "Girlfriend Experience" contest, click here to get a shot at a pair of tickets to see "Anvil! The Story of Anvil."
- Check out Jeff Goldsmith's Creative Screenwriting Podcast, which can be accessed through iTunes here.
- Full Onion News Network "Star Trek" story here.
- Yes, we did skip right over "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" in our New Hollywood Marathon. Sorry for the lack of notice! It's just not the movie "In the Heat of the Night" is.
- The USA Today retrospective on Columbine can be found here.
- "Audience of One" official site
CORRECTIONS
- None yet that we know of...
Follow more notes and corrections at http://twitter.com/filmspotting.
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