Alien Vault: The Definitive Story Behind the Film (2011) – Ian Nathan

I remember the summer that Alien opened, 1979, two years after Star Wars rocked the world. The Force stayed with me all through my childhood, and through to this very day. But Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, and a little magazine called Starlog, got me very interested in genre film and television. I wasn’t…

The Running Man (1982) – Stephen King as Richard Bachman

Despite being a fan of the 87 Schwarzenegger flick, I’d never read the original source material, so being long past due, I dug into it and was delighted to find that the novel was a completely different experience, and worthy of a cinematic adaptation in its own right. Ben Richards lives in the slums, a…

Tron: Legacy (2010) -Joseph Kosinski

Tron was a big part of my childhood. I remember seeing it in the theatre, and I remember my father falling asleep next to my sister while I was enraptured by the film. The use of computer technology, and the blossoming game world that seemed to fascinate every 80s kid was up there on the…

Magnum, P.I. (1981) – Don’t Say Goodbye & The Black Orchid

  Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck) is back at it this week, with this double dose of episodes. First up is Don’t Say Goodbye, which features Ted Danson as a guest star. This one was written by Babs Greyhosky and T.J. Miles, who penned the original story. It aired 26 March, 1981. Thomas is called to…

Doctor Who (William Hartnell) – The Celestial Toymaker

  Michael Gough menaces the Doctor (Hartnell) in this week’s story! Written by Brian Hayles and airing in 4 parts, The Celestial Toyroom, The Hall of Dolls, The Dancing Floor, and the Final Test, from 2 April to 23 April, 1966, this story was originally planned to be Hartnell’s exit as the Doctor. The TARDIS…

Tron (1982) – Steven Lisberger

I remember the first time I saw this, it was in the Hyland Theater in Kingston, which is now known as Stages Nightclub (sigh). My father took us to see it, but he obviously didn’t get it, cause he fell asleep during the film’s run time. But I loved it. I was intrigued by video games, the…