Terminator, and a bit of a SF-related rant

[rhionnach]

I saw Terminator Salvation last night. I managed to keep awake during it, unlike Wolverine, so I guess it was marginally more interesting. There were a few good touches, including the brief appearance of a T101, but this was balanced by a number of daft ones. I know that if I was in a helicopter and about to set off an explosion involving nuclear charges I would prefer it if the helicopter reached a safe distance before doing so. Additionally, I was under the impression that the T101 was a robot covered in human skin which made me wonder what the whole heart powered cyborg thing was all about, apart from contributing to the open air heart transplant in a field hospital scenario. (Trying not to give things away here but it's difficult). Anton Yelchin was quite good in it (he's cute, like a Hobbit) but I think I prefer him in Star Trek, which I am going to see for the 9th time today!

Speaking of Star Trek, may I have a rant? (Yes, of course I can, it's my blog and I can do what I like. No one needs to read it if they don't want to.)



I have been a Star Trek fan for 39 years. Longer than anything else in my life. Before Star Trek I watched the Gerry Anderson stuff such as Thunderbirds, Stingray, Fireball XL5, right up to Captain Scarlet. Then they brought out Joe 90 , which I found so hideously awful that I refused to watch it. I read what I could from the limited choice available to me in the local library, which was extremely limited due to the bizarre behaviour of the despot librarian in charge (see http://rhionnach.livejournal.com/36269.html for explanation). Once I had full access to the (improved) library I steadily read my way through their SF selection.

Due to various factors I never realised that my behaviour or preferences were in anyway out of the ordinary, or “inappropriate” for me as a female in the West of Scotland. It came as a surprise to me when working in a shoe shop as a summer job at the age of 18 that the all female staff advised me to read romances instead of SF, as “light” reading. I failed to see the point of wasting time on “light” reading when I could be reading something I enjoyed! And I certainly didn't think I would enjoy romances. (I was right).

I also came up against opposition to my liking of Star Trek when I went through an unfortunate phase of born-again Christianity. (I recovered) I was told that my liking of such things would lead me into the occult. This opinion was partially based on the fact that bookshops tended to put SF next to Horror and one thing would inevitably lead to another. I was also told that I was making Star Trek my god and this was a Wrong Thing.

My next opposition came when I was a student and I walked into the room one day to hear one of the “mature” students voice the opinion that it would do me good not to see Star Trek. I was also asked by my peers when I was going to grow up and stop going to conventions. (Obviously never, as I have been attending conventions every year since 1977!)

I've had instances of this off and on throughout my life, usually from people who have a more blinkered way of life and who expect me to conform to their way of thinking. (No, I detest soaps! Why should I watch them?) So it came as a bit of a surprise when someone expressed the opinion last night that the frequency with which I have been going to see the new Star Trek film was “disturbing”. Especially surprising as this person is not unfamiliar with the world of SF fandom themselves.

I am of the opinion that Star Trek and SF has given me a better quality of life than I might otherwise have had (West of Scotland female and all that). I fail to see this as a bad thing. I enjoy what I do and have no intention of stopping any time soon. I am puzzled as to why people would want me to stop doing what I enjoy doing. I don't like some interests that others may be into but I don't tell them to stop it, to grow up, or whatever. I try to ignore their interests as much as possible as long as it doesn't impinge on my life. All I expect is the same in return.

Comments

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

The heart surgery plotline was absurd, and ignored even the most basic medical protocols (did Wright and Connor even share the same blood group?). Given the death toll, surely there had to be another donor available, rather than sacrificing one of your best weapons: a superpowered cyborg.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

Incidentally, I started watching Trek on its first BBC run (1969) and also attended my first con in 1977 (Fantasycon, first weekend in Feburary). Small world.