News
Theaters Screen 'Star Trek' TV Show
By Robert Marich
Oct. 10, 2007 --- The curious Menagerie two-part episode of the Star Trek TV series will be screened on 300 cinema screens Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m., in the latest of a string of special-interest fare booked in movie theaters by National CineMedia.
AMC, Cinemark, Georgia Theatre Co. and Regal Entertainment Group circuits are participating. With that 7:30 p.m. start time, the cinema run of Star Trek: The Original Series – at $12.50 per ticket that is a premium price-- will bump regularly scheduled movies.That's unlike
This one-sheet poster gives a theatrical feel to the cinema showing of Star Trek TV episodes.
some other special programming such as kids fare screening Saturday mornings (see Aug 7, 2007 story “Theaters Book Non-Movie Attractions” in this same file/see Click For More News).
The Star Trek screening aims to corral the sci-fi series’ legions of fans and is also a promotional springboard for the 10-disc boxed DVD set of the first season of Star Trek, which Paramount Home Video will make available Nov. 20.
The cinema presentation includes “an introduction from creator Gene Roddenberry’s son, Eugene ‘Rod’ Roddenberry, and given a behind-the-scenes look at how the episodes were digitally re-mastered from the original negatives – including the reinvention of the old TV show special effects using new CGI animation, and the orchestral re-recording of the show’s theme music – in a new 30-minute in-theatre exclusive featurette,” according to a press release.
The DVD boxed set is in the Toshiba-backed HD DVD format, which is the first time Menagerie is available in high definition DVD (no Blu-Ray version). The same episode – which was telecast in 1966 by NBC Television -- was released in standard definition DVD in Feb. 2000 and Aug. 2004.
This episode is famous because it used parts of the never-telecast pilot – known as The Cage episode – as flashback material. Most of the cast from The Cage – which was the original pilot -- was replaced, although Leonard Nimoy (Spock) was carried over. In the Menagerie, the Spock character is on trial for hijacking the starship Enterprise, telling a strange tale involving another Enterprise crew.
About National CineMedia
National CineMedia (NCM) LLC operates the largest digital in-theatre network in North America through long-term agreements with its founding members, AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), the three largest theatre operators in the U.S., and through multi-year agreements with several other theatre operators. NCM LLC produces and distributes its FirstLook pre feature program; cinema and lobby advertising products; comprehensive meeting and event services and other entertainment programming content. NCM LLC’s national network includes over 14,000 screens of which over 12,300 are part of the company’s Digital Content Network (DCN). NCM LLC’s DCN covers 156 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50). During 2006, approximately 550 million patrons attended movies shown in theatres owned by the NCM LLC founding members (excluding Loews). (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 44.8% interest in and is the managing member of NCM LLC. For additional information, visit www.ncm.com or www.FathomEvents.com.
