This week I want to celebrate two of my favorite TV stars from the 1960s: William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Both actors celebrated their 81st birthdays within the last week.
I wouldn't call myself a straight-up Trekkie. But I will admit that when I was 16, I succumbed to the powerful urge to buy this lovely box set of the original series of Star Trek.
Much like my love for Dark Shadows, part of my love for the original series of Star Trek stems from the show's high level of campiness. I also appreciate, however, that most episodes of Star Trek do attempt to convey positive messages.
The characters of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock have always been two of my favorites from the show. I love watching the dynamics of the relationship between these two very different characters.
And I have always loved that William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy are close friends in reality, as well.
I wouldn't call myself a straight-up Trekkie. But I will admit that when I was 16, I succumbed to the powerful urge to buy this lovely box set of the original series of Star Trek.
Much like my love for Dark Shadows, part of my love for the original series of Star Trek stems from the show's high level of campiness. I also appreciate, however, that most episodes of Star Trek do attempt to convey positive messages.
The characters of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock have always been two of my favorites from the show. I love watching the dynamics of the relationship between these two very different characters.
And I have always loved that William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy are close friends in reality, as well.
Instead of sharing a clip from Star Trek to celebrate these actors' birthdays, I want to share two clips that I have discovered over the years of the Shat and Nimoy in their careers as solo . . . singers.The first clip is Leonard Nimoy's "Ballad of Bilbo Baggins."
This song is really too campy for words. I read that it was filmed while Nimoy was still working on Star Trek, so the actor was still wearing his traditional Spock hairdo. And those backup dancers . . . are they supposed to be wearing hobbit ears or Vulcan ears?
The second clip is William Shatner's rendition of the Elton John hit "Rocket Man."
While Nimoy's "Ballad" cracks me up, the Shat's "Rocket Man" kills me. Shatner performed this song at the 1978 Science Fiction Film Awards.
I have shown this video to everyone close to me. Reactions have ranged from confusion to awe. I know that this song is ridiculous, but it really feeds into the legend that William Shatner has created of himself: "I'm a rock-it-man!"
Happy Birthday to William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy!
Fun...I learn so much from your postings!
ReplyDeleteI actually have that DVD set--it can withstand a fall down some concrete stairs--well worth the money. Both of them look like they're doing pretty well for 81. Great post! Except now I have Bilbo Baggins stuck in my head.
ReplyDelete--Shawn
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ReplyDeleteSomething caught my attention during my read of your blog.
ReplyDeleteYou said the "campiness" appeals to you, but how do you define "camp"?
Is it anything that's old, or is something that's old and done with a low budget a la plastic reptile mask in Star Trek.
Additionally, could something in the current day qualify as camp, or would it have to be considered, camp-esque because it wasn't really old?
And one last question, would Star Trek: Next Generation qualify as campy too?
P.S. I took my last comment down because I missed an errant comma. Sorry.
Hi, Chris!
DeleteI call anything low budget, cheesy, and hilarious "camp." I don't call everything that is old campy. Also, in my opinion, something doesn't have to be old to be campy.
And I haven't seen enough of Next Generation to be able to qualify it as campy or not. I've really just stuck with TOS in the Star Trek realm. I'm definitely a fan of those plastic reptile masks!