Best behind-the-scenes book about any TREK production, period
350978
OMG, this is amazing. It's like Stephen E. Whitfield's classic THE MAKING OF STAR TREK on steroids. The level of detail is astonishing. The book covers the conceiving and making of the first two pilot and all the episodes of the first season, quoting hundreds of memos from Gene Roddenberry, Robert Justman, John D.F. Black, and others, and providing a wealth of information that I've never seen anywhere before.

As just one example of the fascinating level of detail: Robert Bloch's script for "What Are Little Girls Made of?" had to be rewritten because Bloch had heavily relied on three of his own older short stories in creating the script -- a fact not disclosed to the STAR TREK producers, but discovered by their outside research firm.  No real problem, right?  Except Bloch didn't own the copyright to those stories; the magazine they were published in did.  There was also concern that the episode infringed on an earlier "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" episode, and so the twist ending -- that Korby was an android, too -- was added, and not by Bloch.

The book is illustrated with lots of small (although sharp) photographs, many of which are "trims" -- unaired beginnings and endings of scenes, or otherwise unused footage, often taken from old Lincoln Enterprise film clips; others are behind-the-scene photos or publicity shots from other series of guest actors.

I co-edited (with David Gerrold) a book about STAR TREK myself (<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Boarding-the-Enterprise-Transporters-Tribbles-And-the-Vulcan-Death-Grip-in-Gene-Rodenberry-s-Star-Trek-Smart-Pop-series/dp/1932100873/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Boarding the Enterprise: Transporters, Tribbles, And the Vulcan Death Grip in Gene Rodenberry's Star Trek (Smart Pop series)</a>&nbsp;and I've read every previous making-of TREK book. I say again: none come close to this level of detail.

The book itself is a large-format, handsome, well-produced, print-on-demand edition, fully professional -- and worth every penny. Five stars.
2870480
I have been a fan of Star Trek since I was a little kid.  This book is more than just information it brings back the memories of watching the movies, the TV show, the cartoon version and reading all the books.

Live long and prosper.
577490
This is a great way for anyone who owns the original broadcast shows as a set.  CBS/Paramount assembled some really good episodes in the remastered versions.  Why bother?  Well, let me tell you.  The remastered versions are incredibly well done.  They include added exterior space shots, plus the Enterprise looks slightly darker in color - making it look more like the color of the ship on Next Generation. PLUS---and this is amazing - the artists who did all the painstaking work on this--did an excellent job adding new shots - like in "Amok Time" - on the remastered version - we see a super wide shot of Capt Kirk, Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock walk toward the center of the meeting place---it's AMAZING!!!  Love it.  Plus - when we see the Enterprise shoot her weapons, the weapons are more colorful, more precise and just a heckuva lot cooler.  So for anyone hesitating about buying the remastered set--- it's money well spent.  Perhaps one has to be a truly truly hard-core Star Trek fan to want the newer versions, or heck, maybe you're thinking only true fans would stick with the originals - but regardless of what you decide, this "Best of" DVD is a cool way to take a peek at what the remastered versions look like.  As for it's cost of $10 - please, it's SOOO worth it.
3352384
Just when you think there isn't anything else new to be written about the history of Star Trek, something like this comes along. Written as a series of quotes from the men and women who've lived and breathed Star Trek since the beginning, the book is never less than interesting, and oftentimes downright surprising. The 550-page volume, the first of two in the series, actually flies right by once you're partially through it. Very highly recommended for fans and non-fans alike who want an inside peek into the glorious history of our favorite franchise!
2533648
Great book! I have read both volumes and the research is incredible. The author provides behind the scenes anecdotes and stories about each episode. Growing up watching Star Trek in the 1960's, and reruns for years, I can remember each episode as described and it is simply amazing how the phenomen of the TV show has grown and maintained its position as a leader in the science fiction genre.
755454
I have read so many pejorative reviews of this little book, but to me, it's a gem.  So it's not a new technical manual; it's not supposed to be.  It is a very concise collection of CG images of Star Trek's most famous starships.  Any Star Trek collector should have this little marvel in his bookcase.  Besides having a two-page photo of a gorgeous CG full-color image, each starship also has a page with a wire-frame model and technical information.  The weakest part of the book is the description of each ship.  There are a few misspellings, and clumsy phrases.  Moreover, the writers took a few creative liberties regarding their subjects.  Nit-picky Trek-techs probably object to the latter.  No matter, I like the images.  The paper quality is also great; glossy and smooth.  Buy one!
2144370
Babylon 5 was unique in television.  The main plot for the entire series was mapped out before the show even started.  As a result, it developed a loyal fan base that still loves it.
This book is the first in a series of five episode guides to the series.  Covering the first season, it has a separate chapter for each of the twenty-two episodes, plus the pilot.  Each starts with a plot summary, but then goes into behind the scenes stories and commentaries.  Through interviews with cast, crew, and creator J. Michael Straczynski, author Jane Killick is able to give a full picture of what went into each episode.  Some of my favorite parts are the stories of bloopers or jokes the cast played on each other.  I also find the summaries useful if I'm looking for a particular episode to rewatch.
Starting out the book is an interesting chapter about the five year struggle the producers had to get the show on the air.  It really gave me a new appreciation for what JMS went through to make his vision a reality.
Also included is a season 1 overview.  While I might not agree with all of the author's commentary, I find her perspective interesting.
Any fan will love to have this well researched book for a behind the scenes look at a wonderful piece of science fiction television history.
4822184
I found this book while looking for a copy of "The Twilight Zone Companion" at a local bookstore. With it's unassuming cover (and lack of any official Paramount endorsement) I picked it up and thumbed through it. This is a refreshing look (if such a thing can be said about a TV show that is almost 50 years old) at an old favorite of mine.

There's been a lot of Star Trek since the original series premiered in 1966, but I didn't really care for anything after The Next Generation. And my favorite is the original, I have a soft spot in my heart for that show from the '60s that is dated in many ways and all-too-relevant in others. This book covers the original series and the time after it, leading up to the announcement of the first Star Trek movie. I was pretty young back then, and not a fan of the show until around the time the movies were out, so I've been fascinated by that "in-between" period when all there was were reruns and a growing fan movement.

The author covers a lot of topics in this book. It's not just the history of the show -- he also focus on certain aspects. For example, there's a chapter on little-known contributors to the show; one on feuds between people involved with the show; one on the technology in the show and how feasible it is; one on "what went wrong with Season 3"; one on the projects that Gene Roddenberry undertook after the show was cancelled; and many more. There are some things in this book I'd never known before (for example, one of our local independent stations in the Philadelphia area (the now defunct WKBS, Channel 48) had been the first to show the series in syndication) and there are many pictures from back-in-the-day that I'd never seen before. Another thing the author does well is not spending too long on any one topic. Each chapter is just the right length.

If there's one thing negative to say about the book it's that there are some inaccuracies, but none of them are major and shouldn't dissuade you from buying this book. For example, the book states that Shatner's role in Airplane II was that of the spaceship captain (he was actually commander of the moonbase -- no big deal) and the date given for George Takei's autobiography is about a decade later than it actually came out (probably no big deal to anyone other than George!). Still other facts are somewhat off. For example, it's noted that James Cameron acknowledged the works of Harlan Ellison in creating The Terminator: technically true, but Cameron did this begrudgingly just to avoid a lawsuit from Ellison; it's stated that Shatner considers "The Devil In The Dark" to be the high point of the show along with "City On The Edge of Forever", but that's not exactly true: Shatner states that "Devil" is a favorite of his because of the support he received while filming the episode due to the death of his father. The book also claims that Roddenberry and Robert Wise clashed during the making of "The Motion Picture", though I'm pretty sure the author meant that Roddenberry clashed with screenwriter Harold Livingston, as their conflicts are well known in the making of that film. It's also mentioned that the Talosians wanted Pike and Vina to breed slaves in "The Cage", which I'm not 100% sure but I think is wrong. None of these are very significant, but they're worth noting.

The bottom line is that I found this big to be a very enjoyable read. From the wide range of subjects it covers, to the vintage (and often new-to-me) pictures, to even just the layout and presentation of the book, this book succeeds. I was glad to have found it, and recommend it to any Trek fan.
3548764
This book is amazing. I read it from cover to cover and ended up satisfied with all the details the authors placed in them. The book carries details ranging from the subspace communications system to the weapons and even the environmental system of the station. The information on it is not contained only to details about the station but everything connected to it including the Runabouts, and the Defiant. It gives off an effect that there is really a station named Deep Space Nine. The paper used was high quality glossy paper which doesn't crumple easily and the numerous images in them were in color. Although it could have been better with a hard cover, it's excellent the way it is.
3375426
This has to be one of my three favorite books. The other two are "The Twlight Zone Companion" by Marc Scott Zicree and "The Alfred Hitchcock Presents Companion" by Martin Grams. Like those books, The Outer Limits Companion covers the complete background production, synposis and episode guide, rare photos, and magnificent documentary approach. To make it short and sweet (and I mean this literally) this the hands-down, ultimate book on the subject. Buy it!
4104215
Nothing else comes close.  The amount of inside insight as well as the direct endorsement by Roddenberry (before he passed) and Justman validates the amount of in-depth research that that this author had to spend yrs gathering this material.  Luv that he breaks it down to each season and cannot wait for Season 2 and 3 shortly.

This has been a longtime in the making as virtually every other Star Trek TOS book past 10 years almost always has regurgitated info us knowledgable fans already know.  Trust me - if you luv the original series and think you know everything then you won't be able to put this book down.  Well worth the price.

Only surprise is that this book hasn't been mass marketed better by the author...it's a winner!
4521464
A much needed book that explores in a cohesive way the ups and downs of the studio system and how they came to bear on the career of an under=appreciated auteur.

First, the shortcomings.  They begin during the acknowledgments, during which we read that Levy spent years and years on this book, aided by the kindness of Minnelli's widow, Lee Anderson.  I'm assuming that he also spent some time with "Tina Nina," the wretchedly named "other daughter" of Minnelli.  In all those years of work, though, did he ever stir himself to interview any living person outside of the fourth wife and second daughter?  It's hard to tell; there are no notes and the critical apparatus makes it impossible to tell where Levy or his research assistants uncovered any particular bit of information.  The story reads smoothly but at crucial junctures one wonders how many opportunities were squandered to interview X or Y who have since passed on.  I would estimate there must be literally dozens of key personnel alive today who workd with Minnelli, and it would have been nice to hear their input.

If he had actually interviewed Zsa Zsa Gabor, for example, she might have saved him from his Gigi blooper by telling him, "No, dahlink, that was Eva in Gigi, not me."

Also, why does Denise Hale come off so badly?  I can only think that the wife who succeeded her didn't care for her.  Denise Hale just sounds like an ignorant, greedy user, and that's hardly a well-rounded picture.

That said, I admired the parallels Levy found in Minnelli's movies, the links between them, the way, for example, that Madame Bovary recapitulates the plot of The Pirate (though I would give higher marks to Jennifer Jones' performance than he does).  His discussions of the movies he likes are often very fine; it's when he wants to dismiss a movie that his writing goes wacky, like he's just another queen in the bar at last call.  I didn't know that Liz Taylor wanted Sammy Davis Jr to play her lover (the Charles Bronson part) in The Sandpiper!  It sounds ludicrous when you hear about it first, but the more I think about it, the more I wish it had happened.  A friend of mine and I were talking about Levy's book the other day and we agreed that, for a man who wants to put his subject into the Parnassus of the great Hollywood directors, he certainly hates a lot of Minnelli's films--and even some of the best ones!
1632607
In the intro to INSIDE THE TARDIS: THE WORLDS OF DOCTOR WHO, James Chapman states that, "This book is NOT ... yet another internal history of Doctor Who, recounting the Doctor's many adventures and listing all his foes and companions" (my emphasis).  Instead, the book provides a cultural history of this wonderful, long-running program from the contexts of 1) the institutional history of the BBC, 2) British (and, to a lesser extent, American) science fiction, and 3) "developments in British society and culture" since Doctor Who's genesis (he also examines many of the major changes in tv production technology and techniques during these years in passing).  And, while the author does not examine each and every Who story, he does elucidate on how the three aforementioned influences have been reflected in each of the various production eras by illustrating their effect on many selected stories, usually ones that are now viewed as Who classics.  Indeed, according to Chapman's research of the Beeb's archives, fans who don't think much of the Graham Williams and John Nathan-Turner stories ought to be a bit more forgiving as those two producres had to contend with BBC upper-management meddling and outisde influences (e.g. the emergence of sci-fi as mainstream entertainment after the success of "Star Wars" in 1977) to a much greater degree than their predecessors.  And, of course, the author also examines how each of the Who producers' tastes and styles were reflected in their production eras (e.g. Letts' use of allegory, Hinchcliffe's preference for pastiche, Williams' embrace of parody, etc, etc).

Nonetheless, as I stated in the title of this review, this book is more a "luxury item" than a "must have" for dedicated Who fans becuz much of the analysis and examples provided in INSIDE THE TARDIS can also be found in various "Special Features" documentaries on particular Doctor Who dvds.  For ex., the excellent 53 min, 2006 doc entitled "Doctor Who: Origins", included in THE DALEKS/THE EDGE OF DESTRUCTION dvd, does as good a job of explaining the creation of this show as Chapman's book and the 42 min, 2004 doc, "Serial Thrillers", included on the PYRAMIDS OF MARS dvd, provides a great overview of Philip Hinchcliffe's era as producer during Tom Baker's first three years as the fourth Doctor.  Basically, this book is for Who fans who aren't on a tight budget AND like having the aforementioned type of info at their fingertips (i.e. in a book).

Also, please note that this book was published in 2006, so only the first season of the "new" Doctor Who series was covered. Enjoy

BTW, for excellent, but "barebones" plot summaries and production info on each of the 1963 to 1989 Doctor Who stories, I recommend Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier's&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Doctor-Who-Programme-Guide-Fourth-Edition/dp/0595276180/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Doctor Who Programme Guide: Fourth Edition</a>&nbsp;(which sells here on Amazon and also doesn't provide critical analysis of the stories).
3484815
I'm a long time Trekkie and I can tell you this book is really terrific.  In this "digital age" it's really nice to have something so solid and hefty to look over and admire.  All the maps and detail are excellent and it's obvious a lot of time was put into this trying to insure things made sense as they relate to star positions on the various series and in reality too.  Really an amazing effort and everyone should proudly have a copy of this on their Trek reference shelf!
1214514
Describing this movie is pointless - every Star Trek fan in existence has seen it countless times.  The reason to buy the 2-disc DVD are the Special Features that are located on it.  "Captain's Log" has recent interviews with William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Christopher Lloyd, and Robin Curtis.  It also offers a look back on the film from it's inception to the premiere.  "Star Trek Universe" has interviews with the designers and model makers of the space dock and Bird of Prey that are seen in the film.  It has Marc Okrand (a linguist) talking about how he created the Klingon and Vulcan languages.  "Terraforming and The Prime Directive" features NASA scientist Dr. Louis Friedman discussing the Genesis device and the Genesis planet and how we are now in the infant stage of the real thing as plans for making Mars habitable are underway.  "Archives" has many photos taken during filming of the movie, and the storyboards.  There are other features on this DVD such as commentaries, the creation of Klingon and Vulcan costumes and jewelry and the theatrical trailer.
I love this movie and never get tired of watching it.  My two favorite scenes both involve Enterprise; first when the ship is coming into space dock showing her battle scars and second when Enterprise is destroyed.  Sometimes I think Enterprise is the real star of this movie.  I already had Search For Spock but when the 2-disc DVD came out, I simply had to have it.  It is a must have for the Star Trek fan!  The interviews with the stars are very enlightening and entertaining and the "look back" is very interesting; I learned many things I didn't know.  The designers and model makers talking about special effects and how everything was made is wonderful, and although I can't speak Klingon or Vulcan, Marc Okrand discussing the languages had me in awe.  (How can anyone CREATE a language?)  Dr. Friedman discussing the greenhouse effect NASA will be creating on Mars and comparing it to the Genesis planet was very educational.
If you are a true Star Trek fan, you will buy this DVD!  It is a must have!  As Spock would say, "Fascinating."
3025665
To me, you need to read this before seeing Star Trek (2009).

That way you will know Nero's perspective; And why he does what he does in the movie.

And it brings a slight closure to the fate of The Next Generation Cast as well.

Highly Recommended for any Trekkie.
1866959
I have been thinking about buying this book since it's release.
It never was available at my local bookstore, so I finally pulled the trigger and ordered it.
After going through the book I can't believe I waited so long.
This has got to be one of the coolest concepts to ever grace the pages of a book.
Ortiz has tapped into a type of concept that could be applied to a lot of various subjects.
The 'posters' are truly one-of-a-kind and his interpretations of each episode is a classic unto itself.
If you have someone that is a Star Trek Fan or just an art lover - who appreciates various styles of movie posters - don't delay and purchase this book.
It has easily become on of my favorite Trek books.