LOGAN'S RUN (1976) Promo Featurette

Courtesy of YouTube user "Greathall75," here is a nicely restored copy of MGM's nearly 8 minute-long advance featurette created to showcase the spectacle of their forthcoming sci-fi epic, Logan's Run.

This rare promotional film premiered on January 13, 1976 at the MGM owners meeting, held at the MGM studio in Hollywood, California. It was also shown to exhibitors at the National Association of Theater Owners convention in March of 1976.

Since it was never inteneded to be seen by paying audiences, it includes a number of what would now be considered "spoilers." It also contains clips from deleted scenes, as well as alternate camera angles of familiar sequences from the film. The music is from Ice Station Zebra (1968) as Jerry Goldsmith had not yet finished recording the Logan's Run score.

Enjoy.

Countdown: this is Space: 1970 post #997...

PLANET OF THE APES TV Annuals

1975 Annual

1976 Annual

1977 Annual

Here are the covers for the UK Planet Of The Apes Annuals, published by Brown & Watson between 1975 and 1977. As with all of these uniquely British publications, these were hardcover books aimed at children, containing articles, stories, comics and activities/puzzles.

Having grown up in U.S., I never knew these publications existed until I was an adult and saw images of them on the Internet. I now have a Space: 1999 annual and the Star Maidens one, both bought online a few years ago. I wish I'd had these as a kid - especially the ones that tied-in with short-lived genre shows like Man From Atlantis and Logan's Run.

German SPACE: 1999 Comics

These terrific Space: 1999 ("Mondbasis Alpha 1") comics covers from Germany were sent to me over two years ago (!) by reader Kessler Tobias, but got lost in my e-mail. In any case, better late than never! Kessler didn't include any publication info, or identification of the artists, but damn, look at these! 50's pulp-styled robots! Giant ants! Enjoy!

Happy 40th Anniversary, STARLOG!

Ahh... this stunning cover painting of Star Trek's Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock by Jack Thurston graced the first issue of Starlog magazine, back in August, 1976. Which means that this month marks 40(!) years since the debut of the 70's greatest science fiction media periodical, a magazine that was literally my bible for two decades.

(Actually, as former Starlog honcho David McDonnell points out in the comments below, the first issue actually went on sale in June of that Bicentennial year. I stand corrected. Still... better late than never!)

Starlog not only kept me informed of new and upcoming genre films and television, but opened my mind to the classic (and not-so-classic) productions of the past. It was in the pages of Starlog that I first discovered the films of George Pal, the television series of Irwin Allen, and the original Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon movie serials. It fed my insatiable hunger for behind-the-scenes information on special effects and gave me countless cool photographs of miniature spaceships and alien monster to obsess over.

Yeah, Starlog was an important part of my formative years... in many ways, the biggest part.

In retrospect, maybe I should have called this site Starblog...?

BIONIC WOMAN U.K. Annuals

As with most popular television series of the Seventies, The Bionic Woman (along with its older sibling show, The Six Million Dollar Man) was popular in the United Kingdom, and received the uniquely British "annual" treatment for young viewers. There were two of these hardcover collections of fiction, games, articles and comic strips, published by Brown Watson and with artwork by Ian Gibson, released in 1977 and '78.

Special thanks to Star Kids Scott Weller (for much better cover scans) and Jeremy Briggs (for additional publication info)!

The Bionic Dog!

When The Bionic Woman switched networks in its third year from ABC to NBC, it debuted with the surprisingly affecting tail - I mean, "tale" - of cyborg canine Maximillian, Dr. Rudy Wells' (Martin E. Brooks) first bionic test subject. The million-dollar dog (Max-a-million, get it?) was experiencing psychological difficulty adjusting to his bionic prosthesis, and only Jaimie Sommers' patience and compassion could save him from being put down by an uncharacteristically cold Dr. Wells.

While that week's TV Guide ad makes the episode look like kid-friendly fun and games with a super-powered pooch, the episode is surprisingly emotional, due, in large part, to Lindsay Wagner's usual fine, empathic acting. I really like this one, and was pleased by the addition of Max to the bionic brigade.

(Not coincidentally, my dog is named Max, too.)

News: AT THE EARTH'S CORE (1976) Hitting Blu-ray in January

Good news for fans of the John Dark/Kevin Connor lost world epics of the Seventies: Kino Video and Scorpion Releasing have announced that they will be bringing to Blu-ray the Edgar Rice Burroughs adaptation At the Earth's Core (1976), starring stalwart Doug McClure, Star Wars' Peter Cushing, and the stunning Caroline Munro. The disc is scheduled to be released on January 13, 2015.

Here's what Kino has to say about their upcoming release:

There's more than lava at the Earth's core. There's also Pellucidar: an underground empire where gargantuan pterodactyls torture and enslave all humanoids - including the lovely Dia (Munro). But all that could change when a surface-dwelling scientist (Cushing) and an American businessman (McClure) drive their powerful "Iron Mole" straight into Pellucidar...stirring up a great deal more than dirt, rocks and lava!

Special Features:

    Reversible cover art work
    Brand New on camera interview with star Caroline Munro
    Brand New on camera with Director Kevin Connor
    Audio commentary with Kevin Connor
    Original Trailer

Sounds like an essential purchase! Here's hoping that this does well, so that Kino might also score the rights to Warlords Of Atlantis (which still doesn't have an authorized U.S. release) and the Time Forgot flicks.

Trek Into Space History

On this day in 1976, NASA's prototype space shuttle Enterprise was rolled out of its assembly facility in Southern California and displayed before a crowd of several thousand. Among those in attendance were most of the officers of Star Trek's starship NCC-1701, including Leonard Nimoy, future Internet superstar George Takei, an apparently sleepy DeForest Kelly, and a gloriously bearded Jimmy Doohan.

Gerry Anderson Posters By Eric Chu

I don't often spotlight new products on this site, but this one is pretty damned irresistible, especially since there's virtually no vintage merchandise to tie in with the 1975 Gerry Anderson telefilm, The Day After Tomorrow - Into Infinity. Big thanks to Star Kid Mike Lynch for bringing this poster, painted by the amazing Eric Chu and offered by the official Gerry Anderson website, to my attention.

Of course, I poked around the site a bit, and discovered that the talented Chu had also created posters for various other Anderson properties, and was especially taken by his two paintings for Space: 1999, representing both seasons of that epic series. Gorgeous, gorgeous work.

LOGAN'S RUN (1976) Studio Press Tour

Here's an interesting look behind the scenes at the making of Michael Anderson's Logan's Run feature, via a 1975 MGM press publicity tour. We get brief glimpses of Anderson, producer Saul David and costume designer Bill Thomas, who shows off a few of the film's costumes, including a rather different Sandman uniform than the one actually used in the final movie.

It also looks like it's David Hasselhoff (Starcrash) modelling the Sandman uniform, though I can't positively confirm it. If it isn't him, the resemblance is striking!

Unused SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN Comic Art by Staton

 

Here's an interesting find: an unpublished cover painting of The Six Million Dollar Man's Colonel Steve Austin battling an alligator by my friend and collaborator, legendary cartoonist Joe Staton, intended for the fourth issue of the 1976 Charlton Comics series. For some reason, a considerably less-dynamic piece by Jack Sparling was used instead.Cool, huh?

Behind-The-Scenes Pix #46: KING KONG

Jessica Lange is in good hands in this rare behind-the-scenes shot of the full-scale animatronic gorilla arms built for Dino de Laurentiis' production of King Kong, on the blue-screen stage in 1975-76. Carlo Rambaldi's much-hyped, life-size robot Kong turned out to be an unconvincing dud, but these robot appendages were actually pretty remarkable feats of 70s engineering...

Behind-The-Scenes Pix #45: ARK II

Hollywood sci-fi legend Robby The Robot awaits his cue on location during filming of Filmation's 1976 post-Apocalyptic adventure series, Ark II. In the episode, Robby portrayed Alpha-One, a robot created by Ark II crewmember Samuel (José Flores), who nobly sacrifices himself to save his organic comrades. 

A much in-demand automaton, Robby guested on a number of Space: 1970 favorites, including Project U.F.O., Space Academy, Wonder Woman and Mork & Mindy.

AT THE EARTH'S CORE (1976) Lobby Cards

Of all the John Dark/Kevin Connor/Doug McLure adventure fantasies of the Seventies, I think At The Earth's Core is my favorite. Mostly because of the presence of Caroline Munro, I admit, although I'm also grateful for Peter Cushing's inclusion in the cast.

I also enjoy the bizarro man-in-suit creatures created by the filmmakers to stand-in for the prehistoric beasties of Edgar Rice Burroughs' original novel. Their fanciful designs frankly delight me. I can only assume that the producer/director team of Dark and Connor chose not to use dinosaurs in Core order to differentiate this flick from their Time Forgot films.

July's Space Babe: Jean-Marie Hon

July's Space Babe is pretty Jean-Marie Hon, who co-starred in two Space: 1970 favorites: Ark II and Man From Atlantis. On the Saturday morning Filmation series, Ark II, Jean-Marie portrayed the youthful and idealistic scientist Ruth, who traveled a post-Holocaust America with her equally-idealistic companions Jonah, Samuel, and talking chimp, Adam, bringing technological and humanitarian aid to the scattered remnants of civilization. On Man From Atlantis, she was Jane, communications officer aboard the advanced research submarine, Cetacean, providing back-up support for aqua-mariner Mark Harris's undersea adventures.

I've been able to find out very little about the lovely Ms Hon online. She was born in 1955 in San Francisco, and acted on television from 1976 (Ark II) through 1985, appearing in TV movies and in guest shots on shows like Hawaii 5-0 and The Hardy Boys. According to what little I've been able to uncover in my Internet safaris, she retired from acting to raise a family and became a pharmacist. She appeared in the supplemental interview material on the Ark II DVD set from BCI a few years back, and still looked beautiful.

An Out Of This World Triple Feature!

This is a drive-in trip I'd have loved to take in '78! A triple bill re-release of John Dark/Kevin Connor science fiction adventures from American-International Pictures: The Land That Time Forgot (1975), The People That Time Forgot (1977) and At The Earth's Core (1976) - all starring the indomitable Doug McClure!

Sorry posting has been so light the last few days, but I've been fighting the flu, and the battle's been wiping me out. I think I've got the bug on the ropes now, so, with a little luck, I'll be back up to form - and posting regularly - again soon. Stay tuned, Star Kids!

ALL ABOUT STAR TREK FAN CLUBS Magazine... Revisited

About two years ago, I wrote about the fairly obscure fan magazine, All About Star Trek Fan Clubs (yeah, that was its official title). As I mentioned in that post, AASTFC was published in 1976-1977, ran six (I think) quarterly issues, and received national newsstand distribution.

The rather amateurish - though earnest and enthusiastic - magazine covered Star Trek fandom in all its pre-Internet/home video Seventies forms, with fannish articles on conventions, collectibles, episode trivia, pull-out posters, lots of fan art, interviews with the Trek cast (and prominent "Trekkers!"), fanzine reviews, and, as its clumsy title promised, extensive fan club listings.

It was an interesting magazine, and for a rural science fiction fan without access to conventions or fan clubs, it was a window onto a larger world of Trek (and sci-fi)  fandom. Anyway, I included scans of the covers of the three issues I owned with that previous post. I've since snagged scans of the other three issue covers, and thought I'd share them here. Enjoy!

STAR MAIDENS (1976) Paperback Novelization

"On Medusa, the laws of nature had decreed that the female of the species should reign supreme - leaving the lesser able males to take care of domestic chores, nursery duties and other menial tasks.

For eons, the Medusan women ruled their world. But then Medusa entered the orbit of Earth, and rumour got out that here was a planet controlled almost entirely by men... a paradise planet to which two of the most rebellious manservants managed to escape, so beginning the feud between Earth and the incredible Star Maidens..." 

Yes, I still intend to review the Star Maidens (1976) German-British television series here at Space: 1970. I have the DVDs on hand, and just need to carve out some time to sit down and watch the whole series from beginning to end. I've enjoyed the episodes I've seen so far, and want to watch the rest... I just haven't gotten to it yet.

Here's the cover to the Corgi UK paperback tie-in novel by Ian Evans. I do not own a copy. Wouldn't mind having one, though...

THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN (1976-1977) Charlton Magazine Cover Gallery

Neal Adams

As they did with the Space: 1999 property, Charlton Comics of Derby, Connecticut published both a series of color Six Million Dollar Man comic books and a black & white, magazine-format series. The magazine artwork was produced primarily by Neal Adams' Continuity Associates in New York, with scripts written primarily by Charlton staff writers Joe Gill and Nicola Cuti.

I've showcased a couple of these great pieces before; specifically, Jack Sparlings art for Issue #3 and Earl Norem's striking cover for Issue #5. I hope you enjoy this bionic art gallery!

Neal Adams

Jack Sparling

Earl Norem

Earl Norem

Earl Norem

Earl Norem

March's Space Babes: Deidre Hall & Judy Strangis

March's Space Babes are Deidre Hall and Judy Strangis as Electra Woman & Dyna Girl - two of the Seventies sexiest Saturday Morning superheroines! A sort of distaff take on Batman & Robin (by way of the campy 1966 television series), Electra Woman & and her teen sidekick, Dyna Girl, battled a bevy of colorful super villains every weekend with the help of their assistant Frank (Norman Alden) and the sophisticated, ray-projecting, "electra-comps" they wore on their wrists.

Part of Sid & Marty Krofft's 1976 anthology series, Krofft Supershow, the microbudgeted adventures of Electra Woman & Dyna Girl featured tiny sets, cheap video effects, ridiculously over-the-top performances, and an awesome theme song. Electra Woman was played by the lovely Deidre Hall, an iconic soap opera actress best known for her 40+ year run on Days Of Our Lives. Born in 1947, the actress worked as a model and in commercials before landing the Electra Woman role and - right around the same time - her part on Days Of Our Lives.

Cute teen sidekick Dyna Girl was portrayed by the pouty Judy Strangis, who was only a couple years younger than her co-star. She had been a regular on the television series Room 222, and was a popular TV guest actress during the early 70s. But, according to the IMDb, she had an unfortunate experience with a stalker and retired from "face" acting; she has been doing almost exclusively voice-over work ever since.

There were only 16 episodes of Electra Woman & Dyna Girl produced, but I remember watching it every Saturday. Back then, I didn't notice the cheapness of the production, all I cared about was seeing the two pretty young women in their colorful costumes shooting laser beams from their clunky wrist communicator/computers.

I even have an Electra Woman action figure on a shelf in my office....