Daily Archives: March 5, 2015

RIP Harve Bennett

Rest in peace, Harve Bennett. We’ll always be grateful that you saved “Star Trek.”

The first “Star Trek” movie had come out in 1979 to mixed reviews and, by some estimations, disappointing box office.

Paramount didn’t give up on the franchise, but decided to economize on the second installment. The studio handed control to Paramount TV producer Bennett, who had produced “Mod Squad,” “Six Million Dollar Man,” “Bionic Woman” and other series.

Bennett produced “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” directed by Nicholas Meyer, on a modest $11 million (!) budget by reusing models and footage from the first movie.

The resulting movie, released in June 1982, was a critical success and a crowd-pleaser, bringing in $78 million at the box office.

And guaranteeing the movie series would continue.

Thank you, Mr. Bennett.

New ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ trailer

Now with new, bigger picture.

‘Cause I can, hopefully.

Here’s the trailer.

MMMS: I was a member

Remember the Merry Marvel Marching Society?

In the 1960s, it wasn’t enough that Marvel’s comics were the coolest to read. Marvel made sure you felt like you were part of the Marvel comics scene with the Merry Marvel Marching Society.

Created by editor Stan Lee and publisher Martin Goodman in 1964, the MMMS was a fan club for Marvel comics, basically.

For your dollar, you received a membership card, a scratch pad, sticker, a large pinback button and a 33-and-a-third record of the MMMS song sung by (allegedly) Marvel bullpen types.

I wonder how many of us joined? And how many still have their MMMS gear? (I still have my button. Somewhere.)