Mothering Instinct: New Voyages' The Holiest Thing

After an extensive delay it seemed that New Voyages' latest offering slipped on line with almost no fanfare whatsoever.

Which is an utter disservice because The Holiest Thing is a cracking hour of original Star Trek material; in fact one of the best they've produced. Be warned if you've not watched it yet, there will be SPOILERS as we examine their ninth installment. 

With a slight revamp of the ship, we find the USS Enterprise attending Lappa III and a terraforming project led by Doctor Carol Marcus (Jacy King). An apparently freak accident vapourises the Federation ground base and leaves a large crater prompting Kirk to launch a full scale investigation.

The episode, written by Rick Chambers, is the origin story of the Kirk/Marcus relationship that formed a central part of The Wrath of Khan and will no doubt be totally overlooked for the upcoming Beyond.  It also marks the first time Brian Gross took on the role of Kirk even though we've already seen him in Mind Sifter which was released last year. That episode was a lot darker than the material Gross is presented with in The Holiest Thing and acts as a great comparison to show the range he is able to carry in the lead role. I actually preferred Brian here in a story that felt much more personal which I suspect was helped due to the fact that this is a script which focuses on a select number of the crew.

It's been a long time coming for The Holiest Thing. Originally set to be uploaded for Valentine's Day 2014 - as promo'ed at the end of Kitumba - but the choice was made to hold the release, rework it, give it an even better polish and present it to the world in a format that the production team were happy with. I can't fault the decision because it's a great episode for the most part led by a top script and some of - if not the best - lead acting in an episode of New Voyages.

As I've noted, Brian Gross is exceptional as Kirk and suits the more intimate one-on-one material and certainly exploring the captain's softer side is something that he's nailed. Perhaps the bigger surprise - and a pleasant one - is Jacy King as Carol Marcus. Whether delivering technobabble or expressing her emotions to Kirk as their relationship develops, King is totally believable and may well be the real star here. I found her performance one of the best in New Voyages and certainly their strongest guest star to date.

Also returning are Brandon Stacey as Mr Spock and John Kelley as Doctor McCoy. Both are firm stalwarts of the New Voyages episodes providing their usual, excellent portrayals of the iconic characters. Oddly though, Stacey does seem to be opening up Spock's emotional side with a hint of his human half ebbing through in more than one scene. Both Spock and McCoy play critical roles here. The science officer leads the investigation into the events that have transpired on the planet surface with Doctor Marcus and stands to the "business" aspect of Kirk. On the other side we have the Chief Medical Officer who acts to calm the captain's emotions as he falls for Carol. Kelley always seems to revel in the role and his interactions with Kirk are particularly good to watch and balance against some of the conflict/uneasiness you can sense the captain has with Spock in this story. I kind of think the Vulcan is finding his bromance threatened with that discomfort more than evident.

The choice to place Scotty, Sulu and Uhura (no Chekov this time) very much in the background does mean that their actors don't get a huge shot at the limelight here but it means the pacing is kept particularly tight and there's no baggage here. Everything just damn well works and it's a great episode from beginning to end. Chambers also drops in some key points that homage the second Star Trek feature film - terraforming, life from lifelessness, protomatter and more. The nice thing is that they actually work within the script and don't feel like the writer is just hammering them in for the sake of making fans go into continuity overload.

Graphically it's once again superb. The updated nacelles and forward torpedo tubes start to make the transition from TV to movie starship. For some this might seem a bit weird but I'd recommend watching the vignette Going Boldly which shows the upgrades taking place.  Sadly there's no CG Lieutenant Arex this time but we can hope for the future! The Ferengi ship too is very faithful to their species and the confrontation between the two vessels is stunning with the Enterprise emerging from the darkness to discover the hidden opponent. The environment of Lappa III is well realised in both the opening segment and in the away mission undertaken by Spock and Marcus. Nod for the homage to the forcefield spacesuits of The Animated Series too! 
However...


This is all well and good for the first 43 minutes but then things take a bit of a turn. For the first section of the episode we've been wondering what has been the cause of the explosion - an accident or outside intervention? When it's revealed that there's an alien ship hiding out we have some idea that there's more to this than we initially thought but the problem I have is who these aliens are revealed to be - the Ferengi.

While their motivations are feasible and trade with the outpost (unbeknownst to Doctor Marcus) to provide them with the ability to make protomatter makes total sense, I don't see why it had to be the Ferengi. It could have been a new race, even Romulans for instance but the appearance of the galaxy's most profit-hungry merchants doesn't seem to fit. The performance of guest star Clayton Sayre as the Ferengi Commander is spot on but they aren't a race I would associate at all with The Original Series.

The other challenge this episode has is the pacing of the last ten minutes. Chambers has done a magnificent job to this point but then we seem to have a lot that he wants to cover in a very short period of time; the reason for Carol requesting that Kirk leaves her alone and "stays away" and that she's pregnant. Hang on a minute - haven't these two only been together for a matter of days?! That's good going if ever...

I appreciate that the Kirk/Marcus origins story is something never covered onscreen but to ram such big plot points into a tight epilogue does make it feel very rushed. I actually believe they could have left off both these points and kept this story as an initial meeting and the start of a relationship. Certainly the concluding revelation does line up with the concept of Marcus as the "mother" of new worlds (if only she knew...) but this could have been explored in a follow up or even just a little vignette/afterwards.

One final point has to be to recognise Carl Sheldon who appears as the older Scotty in the prologue and epilogue of The Holiest Thing. Very similar to the wraparound of Captain Sulu in World Enough and Time it shifts the series firmly to the modern day and recognising the later spinoffs while adding a new twist to the classic series. It's also one piece of the episode that was shot long after the original material was filmed thanks to Kickstarter funds raised by fans.

New Voyages has played a blinder here. A truly great character episode that has evaded the screen for too long. Gross has certainly affirmed his abilities in the role of Kirk and I simply can't wait to see what the next story, Torment of Destiny, has to offer. This is set as a sequel to the classic For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky guest starring Battlestar Galactica's Richard Hatch. Plus it seems we may eventually get to see the lost Origins story written and directed by David Gerrold. Hopefully more on that one soon.

Did you enjoy The Holiest Thing? Is it one of New Voyages' finest hours?

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Star Trek: My Shadow of Darkness

Ok, this is gonna sound really bad but I'm fed up with Into Darkness.

There you go; I said it and I don't regret a word of it. I'm sorry I'm going to brass a lot of people off in the course of this but hey, it's my opinion and I've just been kidding myself that it doesn't matter. It does. This is my last article for some time on the subject I hope. I need a break from the overload and yes, I have written quite a lot on it leading up to the premiere but enough is enough. For the sake of Scotty, let's call time; final round.

startrek.com

So why do I feel like this on the 24th May 2013 when the movie has only been out in the UK since 9th May 2013? The simple answer is because I do but in the bigger picture there are a whole battalion of reasons why I've actually got bored of the latest Star Trek installment. I don't think it's awful or that JJ has destroyed Star Trek forever. I do have opinions on that and briefly I don't think he has - in a lot of respects he's updated it and made it more accessible for Generation Y and the Millennials because of how they view and digest media. For example the media campaign, the viral site and the app are prime examples of a job well done. They caught us and held us right through the build-up, enticing us with little extras, pictures, clips, sounds and prizes...should we have realised at that point that the whole was not going to be as good as the sum of the parts? Were our own expectations as a community so high that whatever JJ and his crew managed to pull out of the bag, Khan or not, would never have satisfied the carnal sci-fi hunger of every Star Trek fan alive?!

What bugs me to tears is the constant battering and microscopic breaking down of every single facet of the movie beyond anything I've seen before and I've seen Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In fact because the internet was awash with them, I purposely avoided writing movie review here on Some Kind of Star Trek because I felt I was drowning in them 24/7. Instead we looked at the novelisation and the differences it highlighted in contrast to the movie itself as well as a more numerical take on the film at the box office. We wanted to avoid being samey and do something different; that's what we do -  that's what we encourage from bloggers who want to write here.  

startrek.com

Every Talosian and his ceti eel is kicking off about That Carol Marcus Scene and it's even been admitted by Damon Lindelof that it was gratuitous - purely to get the viewers and because they just wanted it there.  In fact I commented that it looked like a fan-boy pleaser way back when it first cropped up in the trailers (and subsequently every Into Darkness internet search).  Oh and now to counter all the criticism there's the Benedict Cumberbatch shower scene. Perhaps they doth protest too much? Is this actually a sign that Lindelof has made a bit of a mistake and now there's some furious backpedaling taking place? Seems to be the case from my perspective. In reference to the "original"  scene here - good grief; we get it and it's illuminated the internet like a nuclear explosion that will surely help increase the "meagre" takings Into Darkness has seen at the worldwide box office as might the new "deleted scene" that JJ is flaunting around the press in some vain attempt to show equality and that it wasn't meant to be as gratuitous as his writer has made perfectly clear. Two words: damage limitation. However...

That's also good and clever marketing whether you like it or not. There's no such thing as bad publicity and creating the furore over the Marcus scene has certainly brought the movie to the fore and it's portrayal of characters in the Star Trek universe right to the peak.. The portrayal of said female characters is particularly poor - Uhura and Carol are badly used, Kirk sleeps with two and Harewood's wife says not a word. The female navigator who replaces Chekhov gets a better part. Ultimately, the more we rant about it, the more people will want to see what we're all talking about and those box office coiffures will steadily expand. 

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the trailers and the hype all along the way. It was a really well orchestrated ride and the film is, well, average to say the most. There are a lot of massively negative and polar opposite scarily over the top reactions out there which just defy me as to how we can rant and rave at such diametric opposites with so much fury. Ladies, gents; it's a movie and one person's interpretation of someone else's idea. That's the be all and end all of it. I get the point of reviews but it just seems that we're going beyond the pail now even as hard-core fans. I enjoyed it but I've managed to remain in control of my emotions and my bladder when asked for an opinion and refrained from multiple exclamation marks at the end of sentences!!!

http://www.scottchambliss.com

OK, maybe just the once I haven't but there's more to Star Trek than two reboot movies from JJ Abrams. I'm at a loss as to why you would even want to go and see it multiple times (there's  guy on Twitter I saw who was thinking about going for a sixth time - DVD/blu-ray???) unless you just want to help make the movie get a few more bucks and not be the "disappointment" some have labelled it. Surely we should be happy that Abrams created two new slices of Star Trek even if they aren't necessarily everyone's cup of tea because it's got everyone jabbering on about it. Saying the acting is amazing or waxing lyrical that it's just the best cinematic experience ever seems like the recipe for a stomach empty of astronomic proportions that we don't need to hear. Sorry - just an opinion however in comparison to previous outings this has gone to another level. Maybe the overwhelming influence of social media (including this blog) and including Twitter, Facebook, Google+, websites, Pinterest, publishers, writers, etc etc have more than aided in the frenzy to get a word in edge-ways on the subject. I know for one that  I've mentioned about the borrowed dialogue from The Wrath of Khan as well as other bits that didn't satisfy me, bits that I liked, things that niggled but perhaps the Star Trek community should just come together and decide that as of June 1st 2013 we'll stop bitching about the damn film and move on. Let's go back to complaining about viral videos of Riker sitting down, if DS9 or Voyager was better or whether THAT Picard meme is really, really, really annoying. Right. Let's make it official, who's with me in making June 1st 2013 International Star Trek Out of Darkness Day. No bitching, grumping, hair-pulling, over-enthusiasm, glorifying or in fact any emotional reaction to the movie at all. Let's keep it decidedly Vulcan...Or not....

Some of the magazine and news slots have been pretty awful and inconsistent with terrible editorial errors (Heat magazine referencing John Anderson is one of my favourites (right)) that show a total lack of understanding and a desire to jump on the boat whether right or wrong - check your stuff first if you're in the limelight might be a word of wisdom! While you might want to pass a verdict, seeing the movie helps if you're going to write something about it in the first place.

Over-analysing Star Trek Into Darkness is just killing anything that was good/bearable about the whole experience. I can get the themes, the characters are fine, the effects are good but we're dissecting it way more than it needs to be as a global community. Let me say it again; it's a film. I would try and avoid all these posts, tweets and the like, but everyone has a fierce opinion which you can't get away from but let's just start taking deep breaths and calm the **** down. We have effectively become part of that very marketing campaign through our maelstrom of views and comments right across the world. JJ Abrams, Bad Robot and Paramount couldn't have wanted a better, free medium to give opinion because they can sit back, relax and take it all in without spending a penny/dime/centime. Cha-ching, that's the sound of success right there. What we're missing is the notion that the "rebooting" of the Star Trek universe is confined to two blockbuster movies in 2009 and 2013 but encompasses the whole franchise history at the same time. It has reignited interest in Star Trek both virulently within its existing fanbase and also within new fans who are discovering it through these more action-orientated JJ installments. Whether good or bad, people are interested, news abounds and I would suspect that searches for the topic on Google have gone absolutely mental. 

http://www.scottchambliss.com

It's not a failure the more we discuss it and keep the fires burning. It's incited a fanbase into meltdown but perhaps we need to appreciate it's an action movie for the modern age and not Prime Star Trek. It is what it is and there's nothing we can do about it - although if it manages to raise a new TV series to our screens a la The Avengers with Agents of SHIELD then I doubt we'll be complaining. Ok, we probably will won't we? It'll be all Abrams-ified and that'll cause another storm in a nebula.

Now I applaud people for their opinions whatever they may be, it's what makes the world turn, sells newspapers, governments fall and Star Trek forums the bloody battlegrounds they are, but for the love of Kirk and Picard, how many times can you read a review of the film saying the same thing? Or reviews that just talk about how it's not "like it used to be". Sorry people, it's called Change. Yes, Star Trek Into Darkness has it's faults, yes it has some great moments and lines that will go down in Star Trek lore I'm sure but it'll never be a classic nor is it one of the worst things ever. It's average at best and average at worst. I doubt the Oscars will be heralding it as the next multiple award-winning movie to rival Ben Hur or Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Effects and hair-styling more likely but don't hold your breath.

Dammit, it's even made me write this piece on how I'm fed up with it. What gets me though isn't that I'm annoyed or grumpy with everything surrounding the film. I love the merchandising that's come out, I love the magazines, the books, t-shirts, little starship models, faux Lego Kre-O kits, behind the scenes videos that have been playing, uniforms, the whole shebang and a kitchen sink - it's just how we're dealing with the film and those involved with it that makes me uncomfortable. We don't seem to respect other fans views on the movie for one thing and there just seems no end to the bitterness. Trekkers/Trekkies always get a name for being obsessive, over the top, nerdy etc and we're always trying to prove that we're the opposite - we're cool, we're down with the kids (ok - bit extreme) and definitely not total mummy's boy, living in the box room at age 50 geeks who trawl the internet to pass opinion and comment on the length of Riker's beard. Sadly while the film attempted to be cool and hip and everything we wanted (almost) so that Trek fandom would be respected a bit more, what did we all do....? Yeah...box room, internet, you can fill in the rest. We reverted to type without even a slight prod of a Klingon pain stick.

trekmovie.com

Anyway, back to the point; it's all got too much really. Whether it's psychoanalysis, Carol's underwear (two mentions here alone), deep-meaningful's over the plot themes, Chekhov's accent, Uhura and Spock's relationship or disgust at the size of the Vengeance nacelles, we've got to rein it in. There's more to Star Trek than one 133 minute movie and maybe, just maybe some "interpretation" of Gene Roddenberry's 1960's vision will do just that. Love it or hate it, the rebooted universe is here and we can't erase them from history (we can of course personally recognise or deny them entrance to canon) and would we deny someone the right to be a fan of Star Trek if this is what gets them involved to being with? I suspect not. In all that's good in Threshold there's worse stuff that's considered canon and even more dire material that's in the non-canon universe of novelisations. We're reading too much into these two segments. Seriously. We are.

I also would like to add an apology. I'm sorry if this has seemed like a blog rant but I needed to expunge these feelings from my mind before I got jaded by the whole experience. it's been a little unnerving at times and there's still something about the whole Into Darkness bubble that just makes me uneasy - perhaps it is the sense that it's action movie of the season rather than a proper Star Trek experience. Maybe it's just because we seemed to be promised so much more - the options are numerous, the whole less than the parts perhaps but still an acceptable movie. I only saw it once, in 3D and that was enough. Is that telling me something about how I saw the movie? Am I wrong to not want to go back and experience it again and again in such a short period of time? For now I'm happy to have seen it, read the novel, got the great Michael Giachinno soundtrack (lot of snippets on there from the 2009 movie as well as new pieces) and can wait for the blu-ray. It won't change my life and nor will I be willing Abrams pain and death for his take on Star Trek. But does this mean I'm not a true fan? That I don't care enough? Can I expect to be lynched from my bed in the early hours and forced to watch Into Darkness over and over again until I submit? 

The answer is no. The reason is, and you'll get there before I do, it's just a movie. I do love Star Trek and I would miss it if I didn't have a regular fix, read a book, write about it and get my other half reminding me that "I'm too obsessed" (she has a point and that's one reason why I love her - she grounds me back in reality) but if I really settle down and act like a normal person, it doesn't matter. I find it hilarious sometimes when people find out I'm a fan - they don't think I look like a Trekker. Appearances huh, don't be fooled!

Now to prove a point and take some of my own medicine to calm the **** down I'm off to watch Spock's Brain, Shades of Grey and Star Trek: Nemesis back to back....now stop sniggering at the back - go and wait for Star Wars Episode VII, then we'll see....

Additional images screenshot by SKoST unless stated

Star Trek Into Darkness: None of You Are Safe...

It's amazing what 8 hours of sleep can mean in the promotional world. Welcome to PREMIERE MONTH!!!

Not one,  or two,  but three swanky new  it's of visual media have made their way onto the internet. Two are TV spots from the US which are very similar but still include one or two new shots and some additional dialogue so they're worth a minute of your time. Entitled Vendetta and World there's much the same here, both are heavily focused on Kirk and include the same "not seen before" shot of him about to open communications with a young lady in a nightclub before being interrupted by Admiral Pike. 


I'm still getting that sense that this is all heavy set-up for the character - a ladies man, a risk taker and one still not totally happy with authority as we saw in the 2009 reboot. I'm wondering when that action beat they seem so fond of using over the beginning of the trailers will get copyrighted by Bad Robot and Paramount the amount we are hearing it...

However, the clip we really want to be watching is Meet Carol. Thanks to +Jay Mann  on Google+ for bringing this one to my attention over breakfast!

Just to recap so far in the minute clip series we've had WWSD?, We'll Fit!, I Allow It and now the latest addition to the crew gets her first outing.... And clothed. I'm still bugged that she has a strong English accent when Marcus of The Wrath of Khan was clearly American; as is her father. At only 30 seconds it's shorter than the rest (and forgive me for the subtitles but that's the only shot available at the minute. It's a wonderful little scene especially for the interplay between Pine and Quinto as Kirk and Spock respectively regarding the new arrival. I will warn you that there is a minor spoiler element here and I'm going to mention it in the paragraph immediately following the clip...

Spock: You requested an additional science officer, Captain?

Kirk:  I wish I had.

So. Doctor Carol WALLIS? WALLIS???!! Ok,  this suggests something a little underhand is going on because we know that Alice Eve is playing Carol Marcus and have done for a long, long time. This makes me think that Admiral Marcus is in some way connected a lot deeper to the film plot than we might initially believe. Indeed, he's the one who's assigned her to the ship.I don't think there can be any other reason for such subterfuge. Perhaps Carol is intended to be there to watch over Kirk? The dialogue between Kirk and Spock is wonderful and reminiscent of the best of The Original Series. I hope this is maintained throughout the movie.

Spock: Impressive credentials...but redundant now that I am back aboard the Enterprise

Kirk: And yet the more the merrier...have a seat, Doctor.

Once more another great string of narrative that indicates the boy in Kirk is still very much alive and kicking - whether it matures before the end of the movie...? Oh - and that final shot of Spock's look across at Carol is an absolute killer...

If you get a chance also drop by the startrek.com website later today to see their new Star Trek Into Darkness t-short range featuring Harrison and Kirk. I wouldn't be surprised if these aren't the only two we see in the run up to the opening weekend (which is THIS MONTH!!!)

These two are the same images that appeared on the Empire magazine a few months back. I'm not a great fan because they don't wash very well after a few wears (so my better half has shown me on other similar products but if you love the film they're a great way to show your fanaticism for the movie.

Now I warn you to calm down pretty quickly - I thought that the Enterprise nose-dive poster was the last one we were going to get...WRONG...WRONG...WRONG

...Because this morning THIS was released and my God is it amazing. It's an IMAX poster and one that really drives the adventure element of Star Trek Into Darkness into another league. I think we can all work out what it shows....AND HOW GOOD DOES IT LOOK!!! The perspective of the two ships is brought to the fore and you have to ask how the heck the Enterprise will manage to defeat Harrison's super-starship.

As we draw to the middle of the day the trailer I've been expecting has FINALLY arrived - heart, mind and now soul make up the Harrison viral (dare I say it) Trilogy. Entitled Disruptions, the focus here is the relationship Uhura has with Spock and also her position as the voice of the ship to some degree. It's a great piece to round off the "new" trio of Kirk, Spock and Uhura which includes several new shots including one of an UNMASKED KLINGON which will now have you madly scrolling down to see it. Here's the viral for your enjoyment plus the script to add to your Harrison Viral collection.

I'm convinced that this will be the last of the virals given the "theme" I pointed out in previous editions of these countdown blogs.

And here's those extra clip shots from the trailer....including that very special one of the Klingon we've all been waiting for!

JUST LANDED!!!

There's a brand new clip on line right-the-heck-now from Paramount - entitled Keep Going, Scotty, it's another minute of action as Kirk and his chief engineer run through the ship as she begins her deathly descent. Not only that but it's totally new - all of it. How brilliant is that to end the day?! I've also included a few screenshots including the lovely addition of seatbelts - only taken the best part of 50 years for them to be properly installed (and I'm not counting the Nemesis cut scene). The way the whole set seems to be twisting is jaw-dropping especially that crewman who's definitely not wearing his seatbelt...! Shame the Budweiser Brewery is back as Engineering but I guess budget and sponsorship must have something to do with that. Dialogue-wise it's a little light on the ground but we're here for the action and the - literal - edge of our seats....

Usual tag - keep up to date with the Countdown to Star Trek Into Darkness label below and check back for more! You could even subscribe and get it sent to you to read while you have your breakfast (hint)

Vendetta and World courtesy of trekmovie.com (Youtube)
Disruptions Uhura viral and Keep Going Scotty from Paramount International.
Disruptions viral screenshots from SKoST

Star Trek Into Darkness: Berlin Done

trekmovie.com

Another location ticked off and a glam premiere night held in the German capital. 

Apparently this was the biggest launch night of the movie yet with five of the cast (above) and JJ in attendance. I suspect the official world premiere in London might just top it in a couple of days time! You can also check the dates of release here with a handy link through to the full listing. Luckily Abrams has still got time to slot an interview or two in (filmed in Australia) and he's been talking to IGN recently about how he's making Star Trek for non-Star Trek fans. I think initially this can be seen by the phenomenal takings that the 2009 film managed in comparison to all the previous 10 movies. 

JJ openly admits that he's not a fan but went into it looking at what he would want from a film and then combining it with Star Trek lore but still ensure you didn't need to know a massive backstory to enjoy it. Essentially, he's made it his own and you don't need to see anything other than the 2009 reboot. If you're already thinking about what's going to be happening with the undoubted third installment from the JJ-verse, you could do no worse than drop over to a great site, io9 and their new blog regarding who might be in the running - or should be int he running to direct Star Trek Into Darkness' follow up if Abrams is out of the frame.

Anyway, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's round up what's going on today.

SKoST

"You're much cleverer than your reputation suggests." - Carol Marcus

"I have a reputation?!" - Kirk

A new TV spot entitled Reputation has also hit the screens today. The majority of it we've seen before but there are a couple of new shots buried in there as well as some new dialogue between Kirk and Pike. I'm liking the setup concept behind these trailers as it's giving us an impression of where the characters are within their personal journeys. In the case of Kirk were seeing how he's not totally matured into the legendary captain  we knew from the Original Series (parallel universes aside)  and you get the hint that this movie is not only a step into darkness but also a significant turning point in Kirk's life. It seems this could be his boy-to-man event much more-so than the first film. 

A large amount of the promotional material has spot-lit either Kirk or nemesis Harrison. Short, sweet and it's impressive how much mileage Paramount and Bad Robot are getting out of a fairly limited amount of trailer material. Here we get a shot of Kirk eyeing up the ladies at Starfleet Command, Pike and Kirk having a chat over a drink (probably a Bud) and some more of Carol Marcus bearing all while Kirk averts his wandering eyes. You just have to watch everything now just to spot a new shot or hear a new line of dialogue!

SKoST

"You have any idea what a pain you are?" - Admiral Pike

"I thought that's why you talked me into signing up in the first place?" - Kirk

If you've not caught it already, here's the direct link to the video posted by trekmovie.com

FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE

There's also a fantastic new IMAX poster which those lucky few who view it on Wednesday 8th or midnight on Thursday 9th will receive as part of their unique movie experience. Little bit jealous but I'll survive I guess! It's a gorgeous piece and if anyone out there who gets one doesn't like it,  I can suggest a very accepting home,  postage paid....! This print is part of a a new IMAX FANFLIX program around the sneak peek showings that are taking place at 8pm on the Wednesday night with Star Trek getting the first new image. 

Some sites have also suggested that these will be available at midnight showings on the Thursday but my inclination is more towards the former. The poster was commissioned by Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot in association with Gallery 1988 and artist Mark Englert so it's not your average cinema flyer poster - take good care fellow Trek fans! Just to add to your desires - it glows in the dark!!! (Way too cool!). Here's the image which, sadly here, doesn't glow. (this came in a bit late last night so apologies for the delay!)

How about adding this to the promo campaign - shot on the Enterprise bridge set, there's now an insurance advert for Esurance  - it's an amusing diversion for a few seconds if only to see the bridge set again and remember Spock's teaching in The Wrath of Khan that he is not thinking in three dimensions....!

How about this to add some Star Trek to your day perhaps? A BRILLIANT snippet of an interview with Simon "Scotty" Pegg which includes some great new footage ("D'ya hear that, I called him Perfect Hair!"). It certainly highlights Scotty as a larger than life character and Pegg has certainly added his own tweaks to the established image created by James Doohan.  (from Megatrailer.tv)

There's some new scenes of Scotty worrying about the ship sitting on the bottom of an ocean, getting a call from Kirk while in the bar with Keenser and a final addition with the engineer attempting to navigate the inclining corridors as the Enterprise begins her nosedive ("One day I've been off this ship! One bloody day!"). Check it out, what do you think? It's a complete turnaround from earlier in the campaign when he was blatantly absent but now the European leg is kicking in they seem to be wheeling Scotty out on every occasion - posters, premieres....It's great to see.

The UK Guardian newspaper has dropped a piece on line this afternoon looking for people to provide them with questions to ask JJ Abrams, Alice Eve, Simon Pegg and Benedict Cumberbatch when they interview them next week. If you're interested in adding your suggestion to the pot. The Guardian have asked that the questions be Star Trek and not Star Wars related...@Googleplay are also going to be doing something similar so you can tweet your questions to #AskBenedict (wonder who that could be for?!)

Just for note - if any of you are missing your #1701 email, make sure to check your spam. That's where mine seems to be ending up at the moment. Three emails in there today....! Has anyone posted to this and if so, what have you snapped or filmed? What's the draw and are we going to get something equivalent in the UK (as with the mobile app).

In the meantime, here are a couple more shots of the extra bits from the new promotional Scotty Speaks vid just to add to your mouth-watering, nail-biting and seemingly excrucitatingly long wait for Star Trek Into Darkness. (all captured by SKoST)

 "Do you have any idea how ridiculous it is to hide a starship on the bottom of the ocean?! We've been down here since last night!"

If it isn't Captain James Tiberius Perfect Hair..."

Don't forget to check back during the day for updates - are we going to get another Harrison Viral today? Is it Uhura? Also you can follow the promotional trail via the Countdown to Star Trek Into Darkness label below.