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In the JJ-fied Star Trek of today, it's easy to look upon the pitifully low-budgeted original series and giggle. The episode "Spectre of the Gun," Gene Roddenberry's 1968 nod to the cowboy Western, is different. Yes, the xenophobic Melkotians, whom Captain Kirk and crew have been sent to meet, truly look like rainbow shit. But when the Enterprise ignores warnings and proceeds to the planet Melkot, they are charged with re-enacting the roles of the losing Clantons in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The Tombstone, Ariz., setting is really just a bunch of façades, which the Trek writers explain away as something the Melkotians created from Kirk's mind. Loophole closed! Trek, as usual, lays on the camp. "What can I do, Captain? You know we're always supposed to maintain good relations with the natives," Chekov says as he tongues a dame. An odd, Buddhism-inspired finish will give plenty of material to the committed actors from Trek in the Park, who will voice the dialogue live. Fulfilling its years-old fantasy, the Ennio Morricone-obsessed Federale will score the episode live as part of Holocene's quarterly Fin de Cinema series. This is as good a chance as any to inoculate non-Trekkie friends. Like Scotty, they'll be downing Scotch to kill the pain, until they learn that Trek is all too painless. "Well, you should have warned me sooner," Scotty says. "Fire away!"
- Showing at: Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., on Saturday, April 27. 7:30 pm.
- Best paired with: Corona.
- Also showing: Upstream Color (Hollywood).
WWeek 2015