it's friday morning and i wish i was in New York right now instead of
heading off to yet another hectic day at the office.

for all of you who are going (and have already left for/) to the
convention...  have fun!  be safe!  and above all else, enjoy!!
(HBSis... rememember what i told you! ;-)   )


and for those of us who aren't lucky enough, for whatever reason, to
be going to the con... you do realize that after this weekend,
this list is going to be inundated with tonnes of stories about the
con!?!

..... and i for one... CAN'T WAIT!!   if i can't be there in
person... i guess this'll be the next best thing!


catch you all on the darkside of the moon!

tayryn

Hi everyone...

I was reading more of my backlog of digests and came upon a comment someone
had made about how 1999 doesn't seem to have the strong fan base Galactica
has, seeing that they are trying for a revival and so on.  I interpreted
this post, so I could be wrong, as saying the Year 1/Year 2 divide can harm
the fandom.  Yet look at Galactica, and look what followed it.
Galactica:80.  If anyone thinks year 2 is bad (and I don't, even though I
prefer Year 1), look at the differences between Galactica and G:80.  Now
that to me was a show getting brutlaised, and the fact that there was only
ONE story that had any redeeming qualities (the Dirk Benedict one), shows us
how lucky we are.
As I say, I prefer Year one, but I have hunted all the video shops, second
hand memorabilia stores etc for Year 2 tapes to fill my collection.  I am
now at the stage where I need only one tape, the ITC Volume 20 tape.
Does anyone know if the DVD's are definitely coming out?
Also, for those who have read it, what is everyone's opinion of the Chris
Drake UFO & Space:1999 book.  Having never seen UFO I couldn't comment on
that section but I felt the book was like one of these cheaply made efforts
to promote a show.  There was sparse details of the circumstances that led
to such an upheaval in Year two.  No mention for example of the frequent
electrical strikes that allegadly plagued Year one and caused the varying
light colours in Main Mission.

Douglas Nicol

At 6:11 PM +0100 9/1/00, Douglas wrote:

>If anyone thinks year 2 is bad (and I don't, even though I
>prefer Year 1), look at the differences between Galactica and G:80.  Now
>that to me was a show getting brutlaised, and the fact that there was only
>ONE story that had any redeeming qualities (the Dirk Benedict one), shows us
>how lucky we are.

I personally think Year Two is almost irredeemably ghastly,
Douglas....but your comparison to "80" certainly hits the nail on the
head.  That show was utterly terrible and beyond saving!

>Does anyone know if the DVD's are definitely coming out?

Well, yes...but the official "press release" hasn't been out yet.  It
looks like Carlton here in Britain, and A & E there.  I don't know if
they're going to be totally different releases, though?

>Also, for those who have read it, what is everyone's opinion of the Chris
>Drake UFO & Space:1999 book.

Very nice.  Admittedly, it could have been better, but it's perfectly
adequate for what it is.  (Makes a nice companion book to Derek
Meddings' "autobiography".)  Having seen (really must get around to
purchasing it!) the new "Thunderbirds" coffee table book, THAT is the
one we really should be aspiring to!

>Having never seen UFO

Boy!  You should!  You're in for a treat.  It's considerably better
than production stills might suggest.  There's a definite unique
atmosphere to that show.  And remember -- Year One is really "UFO
Year Two" ! <g>

>No mention for example of the frequent
>electrical strikes that allegadly plagued Year one and caused the varying
>light colours in Main Mission.

I don't remember this?  Could you elaborate?
--

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
pete@...
non-paint screenwriter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	 Cute Girl Scout
"Hi, I'm from 2638, and I'm selling Girl
Scout Cookies!"

	 Frazzled Writer
"Well, I'm rewriting the Second Act, now."

(Movie: "Author, Author!")
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Douglas mentioned electrical strikes during year 1 causing light colours in
Main Mission,  I believe he is refering to the Miners' strike during 1974.
Though I don't remember much of it at the time (I was VERY young at the
time), I do remember my parents buying candles, and being in candle light as
we lost our power supply.  It seems totally unthinkable now.

I'm sure that there was an emergency generator available during production
of year 1, but I don't know what Douglas means by 'light colours.'  All the
35mm prints I've seen from year 1 look fine to me; I'm wondering if Douglas
has watched 'dodgy prints' of the show?

Douglas, can you elaborate?

Wishing I was in NY at the convention right now.

Best wishes to you all

Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Briggs [mailto:pete@...]
Sent: 01 September 2000 23:41
To: Douglas; OnlineAlpha@egroups.com
Subject: Re: [OnlineAlpha] Year 1/Year 2 and Galactica



At 6:11 PM +0100 9/1/00, Douglas wrote:

>If anyone thinks year 2 is bad (and I don't, even though I
>prefer Year 1), look at the differences between Galactica and G:80.  Now
>that to me was a show getting brutlaised, and the fact that there was only
>ONE story that had any redeeming qualities (the Dirk Benedict one), shows
us
>how lucky we are.

I personally think Year Two is almost irredeemably ghastly,
Douglas....but your comparison to "80" certainly hits the nail on the
head.  That show was utterly terrible and beyond saving!

>Does anyone know if the DVD's are definitely coming out?

Well, yes...but the official "press release" hasn't been out yet.  It
looks like Carlton here in Britain, and A & E there.  I don't know if
they're going to be totally different releases, though?

>Also, for those who have read it, what is everyone's opinion of the Chris
>Drake UFO & Space:1999 book.

Very nice.  Admittedly, it could have been better, but it's perfectly
adequate for what it is.  (Makes a nice companion book to Derek
Meddings' "autobiography".)  Having seen (really must get around to
purchasing it!) the new "Thunderbirds" coffee table book, THAT is the
one we really should be aspiring to!

>Having never seen UFO

Boy!  You should!  You're in for a treat.  It's considerably better
than production stills might suggest.  There's a definite unique
atmosphere to that show.  And remember -- Year One is really "UFO
Year Two" ! <g>

>No mention for example of the frequent
>electrical strikes that allegadly plagued Year one and caused the varying
>light colours in Main Mission.

I don't remember this?  Could you elaborate?
--

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
pete@...
non-paint screenwriter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	 Cute Girl Scout
"Hi, I'm from 2638, and I'm selling Girl
Scout Cookies!"

	 Frazzled Writer
"Well, I'm rewriting the Second Act, now."

(Movie: "Author, Author!")
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
OnlineAlpha-unsubscribe@egroups.com

Pete Briggs' opinion of Chris Drakes 'Space 1999 and UFO' book  was:

> Very nice.  Admittedly, it could have been better, but it's perfectly
> adequate for what it is.  (Makes a nice companion book to Derek
> Meddings' "autobiography".)  Having seen (really must get around to
> purchasing it!) the new "Thunderbirds" coffee table book, THAT is the
> one we really should be aspiring to!

Got it in a nutshell Pete. I though Chris Drake's book was good for the
photos,but otherwise extremely disappointing. Some biographies of cast
members (eg Koenig,Straker etc) and background to Moonbase Alpha and
SHADO...most of it being of dubious origin. In other words a lot of it
came from Chris Drakes mind and while I haven't a problem with this, I
don't regard it as "authentic". Also, do we need yet MORE episode
guides?

The new 'Thunderbirds" book is everything the SPACE 1999/UFO book
wasn't. Lots more detail,lots more facts, a LOT of production background
(a particular plus point).

From a purely personal point of view,I'd like to see an in depth
retrospective book looking at the creation and production of SPACE 1999.
Tim Healds book was excellent for the time,but reads now as little more
than an extended PR piece for Year 2.

Simon

On Fri, 1 Sep 2000, Douglas wrote:

> Hi everyone...
>
> I was reading more of my backlog of digests and came upon a comment someone
> had made about how 1999 doesn't seem to have the strong fan base Galactica
> has, seeing that they are trying for a revival and so on.  I interpreted
> this post, so I could be wrong, as saying the Year 1/Year 2 divide can harm
> the fandom.  Yet look at Galactica, and look what followed it.
> Galactica:80.  If anyone thinks year 2 is bad (and I don't, even though I
> prefer Year 1),

I feel the same way.

>look at the differences between Galactica and G:80.  Now
> that to me was a show getting brutlaised, and the fact that there was only
> ONE story that had any redeeming qualities (the Dirk Benedict one), shows us
> how lucky we are.

Oh yeah.  I've seen about half of one episode of Galatica 80 recently and
it was awful.  It was blatantly obvious it was made with zip budget and it
was badly written.  Funnily enough you could probably turn the one I saw
into a Touched By An Angel episode without much trouble.

tim gueguen 101867

On Sat, 2 Sep 2000, Mike.b wrote:

>
>
> Douglas mentioned electrical strikes during year 1 causing light colours in
> Main Mission,  I believe he is refering to the Miners' strike during 1974.
> Though I don't remember much of it at the time (I was VERY young at the
> time), I do remember my parents buying candles, and being in candle light as
> we lost our power supply.  It seems totally unthinkable now.
>
> I'm sure that there was an emergency generator available during production
> of year 1, but I don't know what Douglas means by 'light colours.'
He means the colours of Alpha's interior panel lighting.  There's a good
discusion of the topic in the Production Guide on the Catacombs site at
Space 1999 net.

tim gueguen 101867

Did anyone on this list just watch the 1976 edition of 'I love the 70s?'
They were discusing the great drought of 1976, and broadcast an advert for a
Space 1999 ice lolly, made by Lyons Maid.  Does anyone remember this lolly -
I can't remember it at all!

Mike

At 10:16 PM +0100 9/2/00, Mike.b wrote:

>Did anyone on this list just watch the 1976 edition of 'I love the 70s?'
>They were discusing the great drought of 1976, and broadcast an advert for a
>Space 1999 ice lolly, made by Lyons Maid.  Does anyone remember this lolly -
>I can't remember it at all!

Yes, I remember the damned thing!

I *think* it was basically Lyons Maid (?) getting rid of their
surplus stock of "Dracula" ice lollies (which were green, with a red
centre.)  They had HORRIBLE painted artwork on a bunch of cards,
which came inside the packet.   I remember the hot summer of that
year, having one on the beach in Wales, and it took me ages to peel
off the puny paper slip-wrapper, which remained resolutely stuck to
the lolly.

Ghastly!
--

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
pete@...
non-paint screenwriter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	 Cute Girl Scout
"Hi, I'm from 2638, and I'm selling Girl
Scout Cookies!"

	 Frazzled Writer
"Well, I'm rewriting the Second Act, now."

(Movie: "Author, Author!")
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i guess about now everyone is enjoying the con
was just thinking about you all
i hope you are having fun and taking lots of pics
let us know as you get home
how it went

Always a fan

Kevin


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- "Mike.b" <alphan@...> wrote:
> Did anyone on this list just watch the 1976 edition
> of 'I love the 70s?'
> They were discusing the great drought of 1976, and
> broadcast an advert for a
> Space 1999 ice lolly, made by Lyons Maid.  Does
> anyone remember this lolly -
> I can't remember it at all!
>
> Mike
>
>


Take pity on this poor American here!  LOL - what's an
ice lolly?

I'm guessing it's what we call a popsicle over here?

How sad are we?  Discussing ice lollies while others
are at the con, discussing other things!  <g>

Jennie

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/

yes - a popsicle

> of 'I love the 70s?'
> They were discusing the great drought of 1976, and
> broadcast an advert for a
> Space 1999 ice lolly, made by Lyons Maid.  Does
> anyone remember this lolly -
> I can't remember it at all!
>
> Mike
>
>


Take pity on this poor American here!  LOL - what's an
ice lolly?

I'm guessing it's what we call a popsicle over here?



	 Colin

	 "if it doesn't suck ink

	 from a bottle, it isn't a real pen"



	 AOL IM: colin in ohio

	 ICQ # 66636556






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Jennie,

<Take pity on this poor American here!  LOL - what's an
ice lolly? I'm guessing it's what we call a popsicle over here?>

You are correct, our ice lollies are your popsicles.  I hope the folks are
having a good time at
the convention;  we won't have to wait long to find out!

Best

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: Jennie [mailto:mag7scoundrel@...]
Sent: 03 September 2000 23:22
To: Moonbase Alpha
Subject: Re: [OnlineAlpha] Space 1999 ice lolly...



--- "Mike.b" <alphan@...> wrote:
> Did anyone on this list just watch the 1976 edition
> of 'I love the 70s?'
> They were discusing the great drought of 1976, and
> broadcast an advert for a
> Space 1999 ice lolly, made by Lyons Maid.  Does
> anyone remember this lolly -
> I can't remember it at all!
>
> Mike
>
>


Take pity on this poor American here!  LOL - what's an
ice lolly?

I'm guessing it's what we call a popsicle over here?

How sad are we?  Discussing ice lollies while others
are at the con, discussing other things!  <g>

Jennie

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
OnlineAlpha-unsubscribe@egroups.com

You mean the Con is now and not closer to the 13th of September?

--Clif

--- Uziyahu / Clif <uziyahu@...> wrote:
> You mean the Con is now and not closer to the 13th
> of September?
>
> --Clif


Yep - I *think* the dates were Sept. 1 through 3 but
there may be something even going on tomorrow too.
But don't hold me to it!

September 4 is an American holiday called Labor Day,
and a lot of people don't have to work (I'm not one of
them!), so I believe they planned it to coincide with
the long weekend so more people would have a chance to
come.

Methinks that's why the list is so quiet!  <g>

Jennie

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/

On Sun, 3 Sep 2000, Jennie wrote:

>
>
> --- Uziyahu / Clif <uziyahu@...> wrote:
> > You mean the Con is now and not closer to the 13th
> > of September?
> >
> > --Clif
>
>
> Yep - I *think* the dates were Sept. 1 through 3 but
> there may be something even going on tomorrow too.
> But don't hold me to it!
>
> September 4 is an American holiday called Labor Day,
> and a lot of people don't have to work (I'm not one of
> them!)

Its also a holiday here in the land of Bryan Adams.

tim gueguen 101867

TIMOTHY GUEGUEN wrote:
> Its also a holiday here in the land of Bryan Adams.

Canada???  You think Bryan Adams is a Canadian???  Have you heard the
Royal Canadian Air Farce skit, "Bryan Adams, Canadian?"

--
Robert C. Gilbert // Business Cards Plus Graphic Design
Fon: (306) 373-9438 Fax: (306) 477-2494
ICQ#: 74738683  email: bcpgd11@...
Personal -WWW-: http://members.home.net/bcpgd/ 	 IBO#: 0867122
Business -WWW-: http://www.Quixtar.com       Password: ebiz

Indeed the con IS now. I've been thinking about it all weekend as I'm struggling
through a tough home improvement project. All I keep thinking is that I could be
hob-nobbing with my favorite stars and friends...instead here I am hammering
away.

I can't WAIT to hear all the stories. I hope for all the details!

Colleen Bement
   ----- Original Message -----
   From: Jennie
   To: Moonbase Alpha
   Sent: Sunday, September 03, 2000 8:14 PM
   Subject: Re: [OnlineAlpha] Con is Now?




        My Groups | OnlineAlpha Main Page | Start a new group!



   --- Uziyahu / Clif <uziyahu@...> wrote:
   > You mean the Con is now and not closer to the 13th
   > of September?
   >
   > --Clif


   Yep - I *think* the dates were Sept. 1 through 3 but
   there may be something even going on tomorrow too.
   But don't hold me to it!

   September 4 is an American holiday called Labor Day,
   and a lot of people don't have to work (I'm not one of
   them!), so I believe they planned it to coincide with
   the long weekend so more people would have a chance to
   come.

   Methinks that's why the list is so quiet!  <g>

   Jennie

   __________________________________________________
   Do You Yahoo!?
   Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
   http://mail.yahoo.com/

   To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
   OnlineAlpha-unsubscribe@egroups.com






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi eveyone,
Just got back from the con last night,  could't stay until the end
unfortunatly. It sure was a wonderful event, really did enjoy every
minutes of it. There was so much to see,to learn and to enjoy. Barry,
Catherine, Prentis and Zienia are very kind people, they were always
available to talk to the fans and sign autograph.... I learn a lot from
the interview with Johnny Byrne,Christopher Penhold and Keith Wilson,
they are also very nice guys... We were very desapointed thought that
Martin Landau didn't make it to the con.
The trailer of Space is terrific, so are all the remastered episodes,
and the screening.
I thank all the committee who organised that wonderful event and made it
possible , it is a time I will treasure for many years to come...
greetings,
Linda

There was so much to see,to learn and to enjoy. Barry,
> Catherine, Prentis and Zienia are very kind people, they were always
> available to talk to the fans and sign autograph....

Catherine Schell was there?

--Clif

I am home!  As things go my local connection is down again!  I may have to
change net providers this has happened ALL SUMMER!  I tried to log on last
night but couldn't so now I'm logged on a meter line (Charge by the minute)

Let me talk in brief about the convention and write longer reports later.

I had a GREAT time!   The guests were fantastic, polite and fun!  I got a
bunch of autographs met a bunch of people from the lists:
(This is partial from memory, apologies if I leave you out I haven't had
coffee yet!)
David Welle, Raja, Mateo, Anthony, Robert Ruiz, Pat Sokol, Terry Bowers, The
Lindows, John Muir (He was the convention guest who pulled the whole thing
together and had great insights on the show!  Buy his book NOW!!!!) Matt,
Brian Dowling, Martin Willey, Gareth bunches of others!  Complete list to
follow.

Panels were very good, especially panels analyzing the show.  Catherine
Schell was WONDERFUL.  Cheerful funny, pretty great stories (Dished some
dirt out too!!!!!)  Penfold and Byrne were fabulous to listen to as the
episodes were discussed.  John Muir set up panels talking about certain
aspects of the show with clips and we all discussed it together with Penfold
and Byrne.  Keith Wilson was very nice (Marc Martin LISTEN TO THIS and
forward to UFO if you like) Wilson said Sylvia couldn't draw and he designed
everything she got credit for on UFO!!!!  Has we heard this before?? I don't
know.  I do have that statement on tape!  I  thought that was pretty wild
when he said that.

Everyone was very nice to me, the fans, the pros and the committee.  Tom and
Robert were totally overworked by the con and I hope the both of them had
some moments to enjoy the show.

Richard Hatch, Jack Stauffer, Corrine Orr, Grace Lee Whitney were also
terrific but honestly, I was there for Space 1999 and pretty much missed
everything they did.  If someone else taped their events I'd be happy to
trade my tapes with you.

There was a big "Eye of Triton" Prop from RATM and it was on stage all the
time.  it was behind Catherine Schell as she spoke and it was a surreal
sight seeing her sit there with the "Eye" watching behind her!

Johnny Byrne donated an autographed copy of the RATM script to the auction
and said some really funny stuff about it.  This is from my memory, exact
words are on tape: He said something like  " I have an item which may
interest a certain someone on Online Alpha!  If he was here he might bid
millions of dollars on it.  Unfortunately he can't be here this weekend I
believe he's at home watching it (All this is what Johnny said!)  RATM went
for around $250 I think!  (Really funny)

Keith Wilson donated original artwork pre-production sketches, one from RATM
(AGAIN!) $2700, Sketch of Captain Zantor $2300, and a small pencil drawing
of the stungun ($400)  Catherine Schell, Robert Ruiz and Keith Wilson
auctioned these.

Prentice and Zienia read a scene from Last Sunset and then auctioned of that
autographed script!

I laughed my ass off watching episodes (Remastered) with Raja and also
watching parts of the media competition.  Gareth had some wonderful stuff
and there was a bunch of others but my thoughts are scattered right now.
(Also Julia is watching the Rugrats movie for the 25,000th time and I'm
having a hard time concentrating!)

I'll have to write more later, I have to get some coffee!   I taped around
16 hours of video and 4 hours of audio (Thank you Matt, David and Mateo for
watching my taperecorders on the he panels I missed.)  Once I get my act
together I'll work on getting copies out.  There are also transcripts in the
works.  I shot 2.5 rolls of film and will put the pics on CD if they come
out good.

Oh, The Alpha room was GREAT!  I saw it on Sunday, model show also was very
very good.

All in all I had a blast, there was a couple of bumps in the road but
nothing got in t he way of making it a great convention.  More news later!


Your pal
captphil!

I just got back from 4 days in LA for Progfest 2000.  One of the featured
bands was a Los Angeles prog group called The Rocket Scientists who I liked
enough to buy a CD.  Well, on their release called "Oblivion Days", they do
a progressive rock version of the Year 1 theme.  Heavy guitars and synths.
It's very cool!  It's entitled (what else?) "Space: 1999".

Check out The Rocket Scientists at their label's website
http://www.thetank.com/ .

----- Original Message -----
From: "linda bazinet" <lindabaz@...>
To: <onlinealpha@egroups.com>
Sent: 04 September 2000 12:20
Subject: [OnlineAlpha] MM 2000


> Just got back from the con last night,  could't stay until the end
> unfortunatly. It sure was a wonderful event, really did enjoy every
> minutes of it. There was so much to see,to learn and to enjoy. Barry,
> Catherine, Prentis and Zienia are very kind people, they were always
> available to talk to the fans and sign autograph.... I learn a lot
from
> the interview with Johnny Byrne,Christopher Penhold and Keith Wilson,
> they are also very nice guys... We were very desapointed thought that
> Martin Landau didn't make it to the con.

The comments re: Barry,Catherine,Prentis and Zienia comes as no
surprise. Likewise the comments on Byrne,Penfold and Wilson.

And I'm afraid its no surprise that Landau "didn't make it" to the Con
either. Did any one REALLY think he would???



Simon

> And I'm afraid its no surprise that Landau "didn't make it" to the Con
> either. Did any one REALLY think he would???
>

Didn't he send a letter saying he would?

--Clif

----- Original Message -----
From: "Uziyahu / Clif" <uziyahu@...>
To: "Online Alpha" <onlinealpha@egroups.com>; "Simon Morris"
<simon31@...>
Sent: 04 September 2000 19:32
Subject: Re: [OnlineAlpha] MM 2000


> > And I'm afraid its no surprise that Landau "didn't make it" to the
Con
> > either. Did any one REALLY think he would???
> >
>
> Didn't he send a letter saying he would?
>
> --Clif


He certainly did!!!  He also did last year and didn't show. My point
being....why does he accept invites when it sounds suspiciously as if he
has no intention of showing (and before anyone says it....I don't accept
this crap about 'work commitments' all the time.) A day out of his
schedule wouldn't hurt him I'm sure.

Simon

> > Didn't he send a letter saying he would?
> >
> > --Clif
>
>
> He certainly did!!!  He also did last year and didn't show. My point
> being....why does he accept invites when it sounds suspiciously as if he
> has no intention of showing

Maybe that's his way of saying, "Get a life?" : /

--Clif

"My assistant fucked up."

-- Keith Wilson, when asked about the significance of the misspelled name
KEONIG on the medical monitof.

Matt!
_____________________________________________________
Matt Butts  <mattb@...>
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
http://www.scc.net/~mattb
ICQ 73308502

Well, a little more than ten hours after MM: 2000 ended, I've flown back
home, and am now writing this.  As I only got 1.5 hours of sleep last night
(talked for a little while after the con officially terminated at midnight,
then had to pack, then had to leave the hotel very early in the morning),
so it feels almost like a long day, and it feels strange to be out of the
"concrete canyons" of New York (which I actually found fascinating to look
at).

Anyway... I enjoyed the convention a whole lot.  Very interesting, and very
fun.

The number of guests was totally impressive:  Catherine Schell, Barry
Morse, Zienia Merton, Prentis Hancock, Johnny Byrne, Keith Wilson,
Christopher Penfold, George Bellak, John Hug, Kevin Conner, Richard Hatch
and Jack Stauffer from /Battlestar Galactica/, John Muir (who helped
moderate a lot of panels), Grace Lee Whitney, and more.  Incredible.

The guests were great, and besides being on several panels apiece, they
often mixed with attendees.  The *number* of guests added another
dimension, in terms of how many of the panels would put several guests
together, to not only get individual viewpoints, but to get comparisons and
direct interaction.

Catherine Schell was absolutely charming, and despite her great hesitation
to attend conventions in the past, looked very comfortable and like she was
having fun (and I heard it reported she did indeed feel very welcome and
was enjoying her time).

Martin Landau didn't attend, unfortunately (actually, I would have been
rather surprised if he had shown, I'm afraid), and neither Nick Tate and a
few others, but the slate was ambitious, and most of the many guests *did*
make it, so I didn't end up disappointed in the end (though I was
definitely very happy Catherine *did* make it :-)

Bringing in /Battlestar Galactica/ actually was a curiously complimentary
presence, in the sense it added something interesting to the Space: 1999
side of things, in that the both series are working on revivals, and the BG
crowd happens to be further along (still a major roadblock with Universal,
of course), so there was noticeable cross-discussion of that issue.

"Message From Moonbase Alpha" was reshown (twice).  It is, BTW, from what I
saw and heard, being treated as "canon" by most (all?) people, since it
Carlton (owner of the ITC library) gave special permission, it was written
by Johnny, and was acted by Zienia -- even though the film is only seven
minutes long (but what a seven minutes!).  Between "Message," all sorts of
discussion about possible revival efforts, the recent DVD announcements
being the buzz of the convention, the separately remastered episodes (four
or five), Powys Books possibilities, the Cinescape article, it was all
quite exciting.

Johnny is a major proponent of the revival, and the panels with him were
all very interesting.  When Christopher was present, things got even more
interesting.  The Keith Wilson tribute room was great, so was the George
Bernard Shaw tribute that several Space: 1999 actors played in, as was
watching Barry for "Merely Players."  I got to meet people again who
attended the last con, or who are Online Alphans.

The con committee really put a whole lot together.

There was quite a lot more, and I'm probably missing some of the really big
bits too (and more detail associated with what I *did* mention), but I'll
really have to "digest" it all (adn get some sleep), so later.

Pictures will be uploaded in due time as well (which shouldn't be more than
a couple weeks since I will develop them with the CD option).

----David

P.S.  New York itself is something else.  Many, many, MANY very tall
buildings, bright lights, speeding taxicabs, Times Square (two blocks
south), Empire State Building, etc.  I'd never been to the city before, and
despite being in downtown Chicago a few times, New York is still much
larger.  The convention hotel itself was 46 stories -- and there were
plenty of taller and almost-as-tall buildings surrounding it.  If you want
to talk other planets, NY almost felt that way to me.  NY added something
of a surreal and grand aspect to where the "location" aspect of the
convention.

P.P.S.  Well, after stepping away and then coming back to finish this note,
it's now fifteen hours after the end of the convention.  I'm missing it
already!

P.P.P.S.  Ack, now I sent the note to the wrong address.  Trying again, a
couple hours later.

In addition to the remastered episodes we expected, and a couple we didn't,
one of the nicest surprises of the convention was almost completely new
episode created from "War Games" and renamed "God's Will." This is genius:
it changes the ending so that WG was not a dream. The people who die really
die, though Mathias and Carter don't get killed. The big surprise is when
Tony Verdeschi and Fraser are cleverly dropped into a few scenes with a
little CGI wizardry, and we see as eagles carrying Paul, Kano and Victor
destroyed. In the end it is a year two cast (sans Maya) now left to go back
and somehow rebuild Moonbase Alpha while Main Mission is pretty much toast.
A narrator gives a closing monologue to the effect that it was the aliens'
fear of fear that had led them to destroy themselves. This ends year one.

This episode successfully ties the series together and creates a plausible
link between the seasons, leaving off right where year two needs to begin.
It's absolute genius, and Eric is to be congratulated for this triumph. I
thought it was miraculous.

Looking back on the episode, it adds a whole new significance to the scene
where Victor looks around at what is left of Main Mission, and achingly
says, "Goodbye, Alpha..."

Matt!
_____________________________________________________
Matt Butts  <mattb@...>
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
http://www.scc.net/~mattb
ICQ 73308502

Fellow Alphans,

             For the short time that I was at MM2K, I was like a ten-year
old kid watching the series, but this time interactively. I bombed out
in the trivia contest that evening which is all the excuse I need to get
the DVD's when they become available. If any of you heard the LOUD
impression of Brian the Brain in Ball Room One that night, that was I.
Darth Vader was not the ONLY one in all black! ;)


  |~~
[|8o}} Hey Tony! What's this about giving it the Ten Commandments?
THAT'S MY JOB, STEP ASIDE!
  |~~

Paul Apprich.


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