[2.5/4.0]
In the history of American television, no series has attracted as much devotion as Star Trek. The original series and its progeny have created a following that contains elements stranger than anything that ever appeared on the science fiction series. This film is a documentary that examines the obsession some people have with the show.
The film is narrated by Denise Crosby, who is a former cast member and also a participant in the documentary's inquiry. The technique used is primarily interviews and profiles of particularly possessed individuals, interviews with current and former cast members recounting their experiences, and encounters with the show's fandom.
Interspersed with the interviews are many scenes and quick sound bites from several of the many of the series' ubiquitous conventions, where fans gather, in complete space regalia, to listen to cast members talk, buy and sell memorabilia, and generally commiserate with other fans. The propensity of the conventioneers to dress as characters from the show creates an odd and humorous mood. It is not unusual to see people take an interest, but the absurdity of the lengths they go to is continuously laughable.
What is most compelling is that it is possible to discern several different types of fans. There are those who digest the moral order espoused by the show and synthesize it as a personal religion by which they live. There are some who put all their creative energy into following the show, like the teenage fan who appraises and trades memorabilia, and who even developed a computer graphics generated sketch of an episode based on the series. Some fans are more casual and do not feel the need to outwardly display their affiliation with the show but they see the meaning and poignancy developed in the series' narrative, and they like to discuss this with others. All of these seem like harmless and quirky individuals who have an interest but not an unhealthy attraction to the show. However, one type of fan was unnerving, and that is those who have an obsession with a particular cast member and character. One woman in particular keeps her multitude of pictures and other totems connected to her favorite cast member in a safe, and paints a disturbing picture of obsession.
The primary flaw with the film is that it does not have a focused theme that it follows through its narrative like a standard documentary. It meanders between the various interviews with short convention snippets collected in between. Without a central theme, the film appears to be little more than a carnival freak show.
Recommended. Judged by the requirements of documentary filmmaking, this film is lacking in vision by not making a clear statement about its subject. It is definitely entertaining. Watching the film is probably more fun as a group activity, since a group of viewers can laugh together at the odd creatures on screen.
(c) 2000 Murali Krishnan The Art House Squatter http://ArtHouseSquatter.com
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