The Starlog Project: Starlog #100, November 1985: The Importance of Being 100

Just think of all of the science-fiction media magazines that never published 100 issues: Fantastic Films (didn't even get halfway there), Questar, SF Movieland, Star Blasters, Science Fiction Illustrated, Sci Fi TV, Sci Fi Teen, The Monster Times, and more. How many can you name? The point is that it's difficult to keep a magazine afloat for a decade or more, so Starlog's 100th issue was quite an achievement.

Three big players in genre entertainment bought ads in this issue congratulating the magazine for its milestone issue: Lucasfilm, Warner Bros., and Amblin Entertainment.

Why am I listing all these things? Because this is a biggie list issue. The theme is "The 100 Most Important People in Science Fiction," who are featured in short writeups in a loooong article that sprawls throughout much of the issue. I won't reprint the list of names here, because, well, I'm too lazy. But suffice to say it includes many of the people you would expect to be on such a list of genre notables (Isaac Asimov, Frank Frazetta, Harlan Ellison, George Lucas, etc.), as well as some less well-known choices that might have surprised some readers (Olaf Stapledon, A. Merritt). This list would continue in the magazine's 200th and 300th issues, so pretty much anyone you though should have been on this 100 list gets onto the list sooner or later. I think my cat is number 293.

Starlog #100
100 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $3.95

In Starlog spinoff news, the sixth edition of The Best of Starlog is out, including new and previously published articles.

But back to issue #100. This special 100-page magazine includes extra color pages, as well as interviews with some of the biggest names in the field. And as much as it is a celebration, the magazine does not shy away from controversy, especially with publisher Kerry O'Quinn's interview with Gene Roddenberry, which includes quite a bit of religious criticism. They do something else that's not controversial but is rather cool: The issue includes separate short articles by each of McDonnell's predecessors as editor, David Houston (who gives some interesting background on the magazine's early years) and Howard Zimmerman.

The rundown: For the first time ever, co-publisher Norman Jacobs pens an editorial. The From the Bridge column is broken into two parts, with O'Quinn writing part and then Jacobs writing part. Jacobs tells us what most of us suspected; he's the business person running the Starlog empire (somebody's got to negotiate with printers and distributors). Meanwhile, O'Quinn talks about the magazine's growth and shares a barrage of quotes from readers (including one that, I think, was mine: "If there is any magazine on the market that constantly offers inspiration and positive values, it is Starlog" -- which is attributed to "John" in "Wisconsin," both of which I was, and it sounds very much like something I'd have written back then; I know, I know – that, and a dollar, will get me a cup of coffee). There is no letters page this issue, and Future Life, Fan Network, and Videolog also take the month off. But Log Entries is here! So short news items include Chris Henderson on a number of new genre books from Charles Shffield, Richard A. Lupoff, and others, and David McDonnell's roundup of news bits includes word on a Heavy Metal movie sequel (to be called -- but never made -- Heavy Metal's Burning Chrome), a sequel to The Ewok Adventure, and much more.

In the Other Voices guest column, Starlog's founding editor, David Houston, relates the tale of Starlog's inspiration and creation (including this insight, from an explanation of when Houston joined the company: "Kerry and Norman ... enjoy, and succeed at, the process of publishing: define a market, discover how to answer a need, locate effective suppliers, find and hire the right personnel, keep costs low, give it a best effort; and it doesn't make much difference what the subject matter might be. Evidently. They've come out with everything from astrology to wrestling."); "The 100 Most Important People in Science Fiction/Fantasy" kicks off with John W. Campbell Jr., and ends many, many pages later with Willis H. O'Brien; Kerry O'Quinn interviews Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry about life, the universe, and everything -- but mostly about religion; Mike Clark interviews Lost in Space creator Irwin Allen; Steve Swires interviews stop-motion effects magician Ray Harryhausen; Lee Goldberg interviews George Lucas; it's time-travel time: back in issue #92, Steve Swires interviewed John Carpenter in the first part of a two-part profile, and this issue -- eight months later -- part two of that interview is published; Swires also interviews Leonard Nimoy about Star Trek IV; Lee Goldberg interviews writer Harlan Ellison (who gets even more biting in part two of this interview, published next issue); Robert Greenberger interviews actress Nichelle Nichols; Randy and Jean-Marc Lofficier profile writer Richard Matheson; Steve Swires finishes his two-part interview with Peter Cushing (the first part ran in #96); Howard Zimmerman writes a guest Lastword column, in which he looks at the ways science fiction media have evolved in the past decade; and David McDonnell's Liner Notes column gives some background on this anniversary issue.

"I always liked the bizarre. I suppose that was part of my Germanic background. Fantasy films always attracted me. I can remember my parents taking me to see The Lost World and Metropolis when I was very young. My love for science fiction and fantasy led me to join the Science Fiction League in Los Angeles, where I first met Ray Bradbury and Forrest J. Ackerman. We all had similar interests. We dreamt about space platforms, and going to the Moon and Mars. That was in the 1930s, so most 'normal' people thought we were off our rockers."

–Ray Harryhausen, filmmaker, interviewed by Steve Swires: "Ray Harryhausen: The Man Who Can Work Miracles"

To view previous Starlog issue descriptions, click on "Starlog Internet Archive Project" in the keywords below or visit the Starlog Project's permanent home.

The Starlog Project: Starlog #51, October 1981: They're Still Calling It "Revenge" of the Jedi

Sooner or later, George Lucas changes his mind and decides that Jedi don't go in for lowly things like revenge, so he changes the final Star Wars film title to Return of the Jedi, but as of this issue (in 1981, that is), it's still Revenge of the Jedi. On the Starlog company front, this issue also features the first mention of an exciting new publication (one of my favorites) from the company, Comics Scene (advertised on page 17 for just $9.99 for six bimonthly issues -- buy now!).

Starlog #51
68 pages (including covers)
Cover price: $2.50

A cool issue. It's not often that a screenwriter gets a cover story in Starlog, or any magazine, for that matter. But Lawrence Kasdan in 1981 was the hottest screenwriter in Hollywood, having penned the screenplays for Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Empire Strikes Back -- both smash hits -- and directing Body Heat. So, even though this issue featured such giant names as Gene Roddenberry, William Shatner, and Ray Harryhausen, it's the nerdy writer who gets his mug on the cover. Now that's the revenge of the nerds.

Kerry O'Quinn uses his From the Bridge column to solicit reader input on what kinds of science fiction films they like; Communications letters give feedback on Superman II, responses to Alan Brennert's behind-the-scenes article about his work on Buck Rogers, criticism of Arthur C. Clarke's pro-evolution comments in his fifth anniversary letter, and more; Log Entries includes short news items on a museum exhibit devoted to the work of Walt Disney, a different exhibit showcasing the work of space artist Bob McCall, an announcement of the upcoming launch of Comics World (soon to be renamed Comics Scene, but we probably can't blame that on the Fantastic Films folks, a la Fantastica/Fangoria), NASA news, Ross Martin's obituary, Caroline Munro's 'Last Horror Film,' and more.

The feature stories are kicked off with part one of Steve Swire's interview with William Shatner, "The Once and Future Kirk"; Howard T. Brody gives an update on an upcoming Batman movie (that would have involved Adam West); David Gerrold renames his column again, this time changing from Rumblings to Soaring, and he talks about other, more personal transformations; Don McGregor got the plum job of interviewing the great Ray Harryhausen, who talks about his career and Clash of the Titans; Bjo Trimble's Fan Scene talks up "The Ultimate Fanzine"; Susan Adamo interviews Alan Bean, a former astronaut who paints spacescapes; Jeff Szalay interviews Gene Roddenberry, who's in a bit of a purgatory after the middlin' response to Star Trek -- The Motion Picture, and is being kept at arms length by the producers of Star Trek II (the article includes a sidebar by Szalay in which he recalls getting the Enterprise model ready for display in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.); in another very rare foray into publishing fiction, Philip K. Dick's "Return Match" is reprinted, with illustrations by Walter Velez; Sam Maronie interviews Jerry Goldsmith, who wrote the film scores to such films as Alien, Star Trek -- The Motion Picture, and Planet of the Apes; James H. Burns interviews Raiders and Empire scripter Lawrence Kasdan; Quest publishes some extra-terrestrial art by John D. Sanders; and Howard Zimmerman gives mini reviews of Superman II, The Great Muppet Caper, and Escape from New York (not so hot on Supe, liked the other two) in his Lastword column.

"[Lawrence] Kasdan is working from a 'very rough first draft' script that George Lucas wrote. His screenplay is also being influenced by a week-long meeting he had with Lucas and Jedi's director, Richard Marquand (Eye of the Needle, Legacy) in San Francisco. 'Revenge of the Jedi's basic thrust is to wrap up the trilogy's story,' explains Kasdan. 'You can assume that Jedi's structure will be like that of Star Wars and Empire: cutting back and forth.'"

--James H. Burns, writer, "Lawrence Kasdan: Part 2: From Scripting The Empire Strikes Back to Writing and Directing Body Heat"

To view previous Starlog issue descriptions, click on "Starlog Internet Archive Project" in the keywords below or visit the Starlog Project's permanent home.

Louis Leterrier to Vanity Fair: You Shouldn't Remake Clash of the Titans

In a Q&A with Vanity Fair, French director Louis Leterrier told the magazine that the Ray Harryhausen Greek fantasy film Clash of the Titans shouldn't be remade. "[Y]ou shouldn’t. It’s bad. Don’t do this," he said he told the studio.

And yet, um, y'know, he uh -- how do I put this so I don't insult his fragile artistic soul? -- well, he directed the remake.

Also: Fangoria's Allan Dart reviews the new Clash -- and prefers the original. You really shouldn't have remade it.