Down the Starlog Rabbit Hole
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2024
- George re-reads his old Starlog magazines and finds all sorts of interesting information!
Follow me on Letterboxd to keep up with what I'm watching:
boxd.it/DVbJ
Follow Me on X:
/ filmjournalguy
If you enjoy my work and would like to see more, please consider donating to my Patreon:
/ georgedoll - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
As a Gen-X’er who grew up in the 70’s and 80’s (born in 1970), I can tell you that Starlog Magazine truly was a lifeline for us hardcore fans. Especially for those of us geeks who grew up in the Midwest burbs. Along with Bantha Tracks, Cinefantastique, and a host of other fan made zines or publications (official and unofficial).
I can just imagine how exciting it would be to get your copy in the mail every month. Thanks for sharing!
Very,very true.
This was the video equivalent of a friend unloading about his recent obsession. We definitely need a sequal.
Haha love it- will work one
The early 80s were a great time for being a sci-fi geek.
Totally!
Starlog was great! I was a horror nut in the 80s, so Fangoria and Gorezone were my magazines of choice, but I'd still grab a copy of Starlog when possible.You're so right about the isolation of being into a niche genre during that era, but it really didn't lessen the enthusiasm - if anything, the hard work required to explore your interests made it that much more satisfying. Oh, and that guy from "V"! He was such a memorable character!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thinking about doing a Fangoria video next. Would you recommend that I watch V?
I would go to Jewel (Chicagoland grocery chain) and get Starlog Magazine to read the classified ads in the back where different toy shops would mail you a printed catalog of their “vintage” inventory. I was only interested in Star Wars action figures, and I’d pour over the catalogs and choose the figures I wanted and then my dad would let me use his credit card to order them and I’d give him the cash.
I still have all the toys and action figures I bought back then. But that was how you did it before the Internet and eBay - this was all in the early to mid-‘90s.
I might still have a few of those Starlogs in my collection of old comics and trading cards.
Love this video. And I love seeing Final Cut Pro in the background🤘
Final Cut Pro guy for life.
Great story- there's totally something to that. When we didn't have everything we wanted on demand- the "hunt" element of collecting made everything much more special. glad you enjoyed!
I picked up my first Starlog off the shelf in 1977, it was issue #7! I was one of those "nerds" that had no friends who liked SF like I did. It's great to see young people still finding Starlog to this day and loving it!
So cool! Glad you enjoyed the video- there's another installment coming very soon!
Hey there, George! Cool video! Sorry I'm late to post this comment, but I truly hope you see it!
I had a fan letter regarding ST II: TWOK published in issue #64 when I was an 18 year old kid (I'm almost 60 now). About a month later, I received a letter in the mail from a gal named Melissa who lived in Houston, TX. It was short and sweet, but the info was incomplete, so I was unable to reply. However, I kept that letter because I just knew that someday, I'd hear from her again. That day came 6 years later as we were both members of a pen pal club and I got a new letter with her complete info on it! I wrote her back immediately, but was so *excited* that I call Directory Assistance, got her home number and called to speak to her. I told her of her initial letter - which she'd forgotten about, and we talked for an hour! That truly began our friendship, but I consider we've been friends for 42 years now. We've met 3 times, as business had brought her to Chicago in the early 2000's. All because of Starlog! 😎😎💜💜✍✍🖖🖖
See the March 2000 issue, and there's a centerfold story about the Sci Fi Museum I designed and built in Old Sacramento. I so remember being part of ST fandom then, and getting every issue of Starlog!!
I will do that but then you have to come on my second episode and talk about it
Internet archive has pdfs of all the issues and has that for cinemagic made by the same publishers! Imforgot about the starlog communications handbook! I had that and every issue for while.
Great video! Thanks. It was very interesting. I've loved Starlog magazine since I was a teenager. Do you think this video could become a regular in your channel? It would be wonderful to hear more stories from the Starlog rabbit hole. Congratulations!
Possibly! It was a fun video to research and populate with clips and photos...maybe I'll do Fangoria next. Glad you enjoyed it.
I was lucky enough to buy issue #1 when it was first published and I was immediately hooked. I couldn't wait for the next issue to be published so I would haunt my local bookstore until the next issue came out. I subscribed off and on over the years and did manage to miss some issues. At one time, you could buy back issues of the magazine directly from the publisher, but they had a fire in a warehouse that destroyed their collection of back issues, a large portion of which was the highly sought after 1st issue. Over the years I have filled in the missing issues by visiting Mile High Comics in Denver so I now have a complete collection. As you stated, they are a fantastic piece of sci-fi history and an incredible lens into what was going on in sci-fi movies, tv, books, etc. during the time Starlog was in publication.
I had a subscription for a couple of years. Starlog was a great source for insider information about coming films and ones in production. It was where I first heard about the Jodorowski version of Dune
Would have been awesome to get that in the mail and have the inside info!
Definitely more Starlog please
great to hear!
Hear, hear.A great idea.
Thoroughly enjoyed this unexpected reminder of the realities of fandom at that time. Living in Ireland, I relied on 'Starburst' more, but purchasing either/both magazines required trips to London's Forbidden Planet store for the first few years.
Wow- I'm going to look up Starburst
Starlog, Fangoria, Fantastic Films, Future, Cinefantastique, etc. - the sci-fi/horror internet of the 70s and 80s.
Great Video! Please do more videos on Starlog!
Will do- I've got another one coming down the pike very soon
I was drawn to Starlog Magazine by the Covers. The stories inside were fairly good. But, the pictures were beat feature. And usually had a behind scenes photo section for most recent movies
All very fun stuff to look back at! Thanks for watching
Nice presentation!
I bought my first issue in July 87 and kept buying them until the mid 90's. My favourite magazine by far!
That's awesome, glad you enjoyed the video!
Please be a guest on the Starpodlog podcast. You would make a good fit
Would love to- you got a link? Or could you put a bug in somebodies ear over there?
8:09 Dominique Dunne was mostly known for playing the role of Dana Freeling in Poltergeist (1982). Truly a tragic story.
I used to love this magazine
I agree as far as Star Log. But even before Star Log, there was Monster Times news paper.
I will have to look that up
My enjoyment and subscription of Starlog ended with the promotion of 'Megaforce'. Made me understand that the magazine would promote any crap in exchange for access.
Interesting perspective, I always felt they gave every new movie a fair shake bc they were trying to promote Sci-Fi in general. I feel they were pretty open with their reviews after the movies came out. They trashed Conan, Star Trek TMP and Blade Runner
I had a Starlog subscription from around no 10. I was also a Super-8 filmmaker. I had a subscription to that particular magazine. I bought Fantastic Films and Cinefantastique and other such Sci Fi movie publications of the time.
Thankyou for doing this!!!
Absolutely- part 2 coming soon
Cool video Starlog wasn't readily available where I lived but occasionally I would get a used copy
Great video, sir! Really enjoyed this look back into Starlog. It's not a magazine that I personally ever collected but I always remember seeing back issues in the comic book store over the years. Its presentation was super appealing and even though I'm a sci-fi guy, I guess I gravitated more towards the Fangoria & Famous Monsters magazines instead. I love the idea of the Jimmy Doohan fan club! Sign me up for that one! Hahahaha
I need to get into Famous Monsters- I think I'll track down a few issues. Would be a fun collab
You know what I have memories of seeing Starlog here and there, but I thought it was actually like a magazine about traveling the cosmos
Huge fan of Fangoria, GoreZone, Toxic Horror, and HorrorFan magazines.
Was a uk magazine called star burst, just as good as star log
Sci-fi and Fantasy fan clubs were life blood of volunteers for local PBS stations during Pledge drives. I know since used be responsible for get volunteers phone room during Drives at my local PBS affiliate. Just show a Dr Who or Hitchhiker's marathon. They're work for hours just get chance recruit new fans.
Ha! Your face when you phoned the Han Solo Hotline. Wasn't that unfortunate girl also on Poltergeist? Starlog sure was the focal point of a generation.
Yes! I failed to mention that she was in Poltergeist. Sad story
@@FilmJournal When I first saw Poltergeist, as a kid, I immediately thought she was wrong for the role. And didn't even know why she was in the picture. Her whole role seemed a distraction from the story. Still makes no sense to me.
well Starlog was hardly the only place to find this kind of world building....this video contradicts itself with acknowledging fanzines. That's an immense scene for sure. A few years ago I came across a collection of Cinefantasique at the library. It started as a fanzine but grew into a glossy magazine. I don't recommend checking out issues after the 1980's...nor would it be good to read closely their film reviews. What it excels in though is great behind the scenes coverage of films as they were being made. Lots of photos and art, lots of interviews with people working in the shadows of the limelight. The magazine covered fantasy, horror and sci-fi movies at a time those genres made a big evolutionary leap. It's worth it for movie lovers to look into their work
I'm sure there are other publications besides this one and Starlog to fulfill the "before the internet" narrative. You have a nice video though
Well, in my defense fanzines existed but were rather esoteric. Starlog you could buy on a magazine rack so it was a little more widely available. Thanks for watching!
Never heard of Starlog, but the Joe Pesci bit was 🤌
Haha thanks king
Super was certainly a life line to the geeks. I joined the Dr. Who fan club and met 2 of them and Sarah. Space 1999 never landed a US deal other than syndication which is why it was ultimately canceled. To my knowledge Brian Eno had nothing to do with the Last Temptation of Christ that was Peter Gabriel.
Born 1968. More please.
You just earned a subscribe and a bell
Part 2 coming soon- that's my next video.
George, I'm floored you haven't seen V. But I guess that's down to the age difference. You seem like an 80's kid, even though it's clear you're way younger. Yes, you must watch V. The original 2-part miniseries is art, and was a massive cultural thing. The follow-up 3-part sequel (The Final Battle) seemed better as a kid, but maybe doesn't hold up quite as well. And the weekly series that followed quickly ran out of steam.
Lots of 80's kids were traumatized by certain plot points, and many were playing V on the playground in 83-85. Lovely Blu-rays of the first 2 miniseries await you.
Okay- I’ll watch it- want to come on the show and talk about it?
@@FilmJournal Sure, I love the sound of my own voice.
Maybe if Packer has been handsome enough, he'd been invited to Kerry's Babe Lair...
yeah, he was kind of awkward and goofy
You're wrong to dismiss Lord of Light as silly. It's one of the most celebrated SF novels of all time. The name Zelazny is pronounced as it's spelled. You switched the N and the Z around and called him Zelanzy.
Read Lord of Light and you'll understand how someone could be inspired by it.
That’s a great point. I’m doing research for a video on Excalibur I’d like to complete this year and saw that Zelazny wrote a short story about Sir Lancelot that intrigued me. I should have been fairer to the book before making an offhand comment. Thanks
I bought every issue on the newsstand, starting with Issue 2. And I still have them in boxes. Never subscribed.
That's awesome. I've got a part 2 of this series coming soon. How far does your collection go?
@FilmJournal I believe to the last issue. I boxed them up long ago and haven't looked at them. I should.
Very interesting magazine! Being European I never heard of it before, but I really like it!