Elaborate Google Doodle celebrates the 46th anniversary of 'Star Trek: TOS' While Paramount and Namco Bandai release new 'Star Trek' screenshots and trailer
The Journey Continues
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C
It's Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, and it's the 46th anniversary of "Star Trek: The Original Series" (TOS), which debuted in the United States on NBC on Sept. 8, 1966. Google has gone to great lengths to create an elaborate, interactive Google Doodle for the occasion.
It's not just your typical static Doodle, either on the site's home page, either. Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) is the first G, while Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) play the parts of the O's. Meanwhile, Dr. James McCoy (the late DeForest Kelley) is the second G while Sulu (George Takei) and Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (the late James Doohan) are the L and the E respectively. Unfortunately, there aren't enough letters to include Chekov (Walter Koenig).
The Doodle, as we said, is pretty elaborate. For example, you can click on Uhura to see a close-up image of the communications officer, clicking on the main bridge console lets you hear the bridge noises familiar to viewers of TOS: whines and whirs.
If you click on the turbolift doors, you are taken to the transporter room. There, you can beam down to a planet, where the Gorn from the episode "Arena" awaits. You can even make Kirk "fight" the Gorn.
Finally, if you take the Gorn out with a makeshift cannon (you'll see it) similar to the one used in the actual episode, you will return to the bridge, and then seen the Enterprise as above, but with "Google" instead of "Star Trek," displayed on the screen.
After that, you get the typical Google Doodle search results displayed, for "Star Trek."
We have embedded a video showing the action, if you'd prefer that to actually having to do all the clicking yourself.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Ryan Germick, who was behind this particular Google Doodle, said:
“We often talk at Google about how awesome it would be to talk to a computer and get exactly what you want and have that kind of engagement, where the computer just knows all (like in Star Trek), and that’s what we’re moving toward. Other than that, it (this Doodle) just seemed like a perfect fit. There are so many Star Trek fans, myself included, it seemed like such a fun thing to celebrate.”
Ironically, on the same day as the anniversary and Google's Doodle, it seemed apparent that the "Star Trek" reboot sequel finally had a name.
Paramount and Namco Bandai release new 'Star Trek' screenshots and trailer
Today Paramount Pictures and Namco Bandai Games released a new trailer and several screenshots from their upcoming video game "Star Trek." The new screenshots showcase the "dynamic co-op multiplayer starring Kirk and Spoke," along with the Gorn.
Developed by Digital Extremes, "Star Trek" features an original story penned by Marianne Krawczyk ("God of War") along with the writers of the new "Star Trek" films: Bob Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof.
Watch video: Star Trek GamesCom trailer
The cast of the 2009 movie will be lending their voices to the game, with Chris Pine as Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock.
Additional features include:
- EXPLORE- Uncover new areas on the Enterprise and other ships, explore never-before-seen sectors throughout the galaxy including exotic planets, treacherous jungles, remote space stations and other locales.
- ULTIMATE CO-OP – Built from the ground up as a co-op experience, Star Trek packs two vastly different gameplay styles and unique character abilities into one game. The result: the most
- THE GORN RETURN - Determined to conquer the galaxy, the Gorn return as re-imagined versions of the classic Trek villains, infecting their foes with venom that can poison, cause hallucinations, and even kill. Ranging in size and abilities, the Gorn seed mayhem and destruction as they destroy populations and deplete planets of their resources.
- SCOPE AND VARIETY –Authentic set pieces and ever-changing gameplay underscore the adventure in Star Trek. Hijack enemy battleships, jump precariously through zero G onto moving spaceships and Swim through subterranean waterways.
- 23rd CENTURY WEAPONS – Star Trek employs a wide variety of weapons and gear, putting you in complete control of a huge load out of 23rd Century tech, including unique signature weapons for Kirk and Spock. Combined with your character’s special skills, every encounter, every no-win situation will turn out differently based on who, what and how you play.
Patterns of Force Star Trek Nazi episode airs on German TV (trailer)“To boldly go where no man has gone before”. That was the promise of the originalStar Trek series, and although the wording of the statement has changed from “no man” to “no one”, the mission of Star Trek remains the same. Case in point? The “Patterns of Force” episode showed for the first time on a public channel on German television on Friday night. Those who might be thinking, “So what?” might be inclined to change their minds when they realize that this old Star Trek episode is none other than the Nazi episode aired originally more than 40 years ago.According to The Local, the Star Trek Nazi episode, which aired during the original show's second season was set to play on a public German TV channel ZDFneo. That episode first aired some 43 years ago. It is only now considered something that the German public might be ready for. Initially, because Spock called Nazi Germany “the most efficient society” that the world had ever seen, it was deemed unfit to be shown on television in post-World War II Germany.The aftermath of the National Socialist Movement in GermanyFor those uninitiated in German culture and history, references in the media and in general society to the Nazi period in Germany have been made illegal, which includes Nazi symbols like the Swastika or German propaganda films. These cannot be accessed or owned by the general public in Germany. For this reason materials like Mein Kampf, the book written by Adolf Hitler orTriumph of the Will, the film by Leni Riefenstahl have been seen by very few in Germany outside the world of academia or on the shelves of a museum.In recent years the policies around these issues have been revisited, and according to a report inTime the call has been made to allow works like Mein Kampf to be made available to a larger audience. Those supporting the movement, including some in the Jewish population, argue that it's important for people to have access to these works so that the atrocities of the time can never be forgotten—a cautionary tale of sorts.To seek out new life and new civilizationsGene Roddenberry's Star Trek TV series lead each week by Kirk and Spock explored many of the social, political and moral issues that were relevant during that time, racism included. This episode is no exception. The Star Trek episode takes place on the planet Ekos. Captain James T. Kirk and his first officer Mr. Spock are there looking for one John Gill.When they find the historian and Star Fleet professor on the planet, they discover that Gill has taken on the role of the Führer, and that he is leading the peoples of the planet in a war against a neighboring planet called Zeon. The people of Zeon are called “Zeonist pigs” by the Ekosians. The powers that be on Ekos will rid the Zeon of this “problem” by way of the “Final Solution.”Clearly, the parallel between World War II Germany has been made in the Star Trek episode, including the reference to the “Final Solution”, which was the plan that the National Socialists enacted to get rid of the “Jewish Problem.” That the episode can be shown on a public channel in Germany, as opposed to the paid channel, is quite astonishing. The characters on Ekos sport the brown shirts of the German SS offiers and wear the Swastika on their arm. Video games likeBlack Ops that only offer glimpses of the Nazi symbol have been banned from the shelves of German stores.“Patterns of Force” first aired in the U.S. in 1968. According to The Local“Patterns of Force” was excised from the series when ZDF first broadcast the original Star Trek in the mid-1970s, and was also removed when private channel Sat 1 aired the show in the late 1980s and early 1990s.The episode was only dubbed into German in 1995 and was first shown on German pay TV in 1996.Go where no one has gone before, indeed.Star Trek trivia- William Shatner, who played Kirk and Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock are Jewish.
- During the “Patterns of Force” episode, Spock tells Kirk that he should make a very convincing Nazi. It's one of the episode's most famous Star Trek quotes.
Star Trek Throughout the Last 46 Years
The Starship Enterprise is seen in the opening scene of Star Trek the Original Series from Season 1: Episode 1 "The Man Trap." From the shape-shifting creature featured in the first TV episode on Sept. 8., 1966, to the last episode on June 3, 1969, when Capt. James Kirk loses his consciousness to a woman determined to kill him, "Star Trek" has taken its viewers "where no man has gone before." (CBS Paramount Television/Getty Images)
The Voyager Crew
The title of JJ Abraham's sequel to his Star Trek reboot has reportedly been leaked, and will be titled Star Trek Into Darkness, according to film website Comingsoon.net.
Although the website cannot confirm the title, they claim the domain names www.startrekintodarkness.com and www.startrekintodarknessmovie were both registered on Thursday (September 6) through MarkMonitor, an anonymous domain registry service used recently used by Paramount Pictures for G.I Joe: Retaliation.
The sequel to JJ Abraham's 2009 Star Trekre-boot will star Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve and Peter Weller. It has been given a release date of May 17, 2013.
Last week, Zachary Quinto, who plays Mr Spock in the film, promised that Star Trek 2 will be "bigger" and "bolder" than its predecessor.
When asked how the sequel compares to the 2009 reboot, Quinto told The Wrap: "It was bigger. It was bolder, I think, than the first one, and that was pretty big and bold from my stand point. I'm really excited to see what they do with it."
Pine also discussed Star Trek 2 this week, insisting that the sequel builds on the 2009 movie. He promised: '"The force [the Enterprise crew] are met with is much more frightening. It's relentlessly action-packed and in terms of character development it goes places you'd never expect. The arc is huge for all the characters. It's a really big story - I can't hype it enough!"
Everything Star Trek is new again as J.J. Abrams reboots the beloved franchise this weekend in theaters around the world.Wired.com does a photographic comparison study of the old-school crew that manned the U.S.S. Enterprise in the original TV series and the new, wet-behind-the-ears version.The original update of the Enterprise, as seen in the first three Trek movies (then rebuilt for a couple more), inspired much of the look of the new movie's flagship. Just ignore the astronomical odds against the new (old)Enterprise being built in an Iowa cornfield within easy driving distance of James T. Kirk's childhood home.
Top photo: Courtesy of NBCBottom photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
The original James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner) enjoyed natural gravitas, warm lighting and a sturdy wood-and-leather command chair. The new version (Chris Pine) boldly plays in the snow without a coat and survives bouts with killer CGI.
Top photo: Courtesy of NBCBottom photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Spock Prime (Leonard Nimoy) was emotionless, calm and contemplative. Zachary Quinto's version is more intense and driven. He's also so uptight that if he broke wind, glass would shatter.
Top photo: Courtesy of NBCBottom photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
The original Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) opened the door for generations of black actresses like her successor, Zoe Saldana. But Saldana lacks 1960s Uhura's natural curves as, like most 21st-century actresses, she doesn't appear to have eaten since 1974.
Top photo: Courtesy of NBCBottom photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Though he takes some unnecessary ribbing these days for coming out of the closet, George Takei's Sulu (above, left) was a sober and professional presence on the old Enterprise bridge. John Cho (second photo below) follows up with the same basic performance. Meanwhile, while the original Chekov (Walter Koenig, above, right) was originally brought in as a Russian navigator meant to look like a Beatle, Anton Yelchin's version (first photo below) is a Russian technician meant to look like a poodle.
Top photo: Courtesy of NBCBottom photos: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
While the original Montgomery Scott (James Doohan) could hit the sauce occasionally, he was the best engineer in the fleet and a formidable commander when Kirk was off chasing green girlfriends. The new Scotty (Simon Pegg) is used mostly for comic relief in Abrams' Trek.
Top photo: Courtesy of NBCBottom photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Alternate Star Trek origin stories from novels and comic books use the dramatic tactic of having Kirk and Spock take an immediate dislike to each other. The new version wanders down that same road, though the two heroes get on the same page in time to save the day.
Top photo: Courtesy of NBCBottom photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
In the '60s version of Trek, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) was Kirk's sounding board and conscience. In Abrams' Trek, McCoy (Karl Urban) is more of Kirk's comrade and enabler. We'll see if the relationship grows in sequels.
Top photo: Courtesy of NBCBottom photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Star Trek's antagonists can take very different forms. In Abrams' reboot, Eric Bana plays Nero, a blood-thirsty, revenge-crazed Romulan villain. The Kirk of years past took out plenty of alien scum like Nero, but he struggled against fuzzier, less-threatening foes like Tribbles.
Top photo: Courtesy of NBCBottom photo: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
The original cast of the U.S.S. Enterprise was mature and seasoned — well into their five-year mission when fans caught up to them. The new cast is filled with rookies, forced into action because Earth is in dire need — and because film executives decided moviegoers can't stand to watch anyone over 25.
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