Plenty of Nothing

L'Uomo Meccanico (1921)

Movie. Review.

Liquid Hydrogen Tank

I can't help thinking that the Aries 1B of 2001: A Space Odyssey and the Trade Federation starship of the Star Wars prequels are both inspired by the liquid hydrogen tanks at Cape Canaveral. Source.

Bolaji Badejo

Bolaji Badejo, who played the xenomorph in the original Alien movie, died of sickle cell anemia on this date 25 years ago.

The War in Space (1977)

Yūko Asano starred in The War in Space, which opened on this date in 1977. Source.

Pahvo, Ontario

Now that Star Trek is being shot in Toronto, the Vasquez Rocks are out, and the Niagara Escarpment is in.

Shin Godzilla

Review.

Alien Gargoyle

Alien gargoyle on Paisley Abbey.

Salt Vampire

On September 8th, 1966, CBS broadcast "The Man Trap", the first episode of Star Trek to go to air, though it was the sixth one produced. The network executives wanted to lead off with a monster, assuming that the audience's taste in science fiction had been formed by 1950s creature features. The salt vampire costume was designed by Wah Chang, and worn by Sandra Gimpel. Jeanne Bal played Nancy Crater, the shapeshifting creature's human form. In a typical Trek inconsistency both Kirk and McCoy behave in the film Star Trek VI (1991) as if they've never met a shapeshifter before -- even though McCoy carried a torch for Nancy Crater, and the creature tried to eat Kirk's face.

Shrill Keys

In Fritz Lang's Frau Im Mond the eminent members of a lecture audience express their disdain for the idea of lunar exploration by blowing on the their tubular house keys, producing notes of derision.

Space Battleship Yamato Passes Over Nagoya

Footage.