Star Trek fans and officials in Vulcan, Alberta participated in a campaign to have the new film premiered there. Paramount Studios did not agree to the plan. The town has no movie theatre, but could have revamped its gymnasium.
Mr. Spock and the Vulcans
Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock in the original Star Trek television series), intervened successfully on behalf of Vulcan that shares its name with the character’s home planet. He said that it was illogical for the town to be deprived.
During the evening, many people expressed their appreciation for ‘dear old Spock’ who convinced the studio to have the special evening.
Star Trek Costumes and Uniforms
About one thousand residents participated in the lottery that determined the three hundred previewers. Also, twelve people from across the country won tickets through a Facebook contest and joined the Vulcans.
The festivities began with a barbecue in the town of 2,000 people. The event had the feel of a Star Trek convention. Many people were dressed in costumes and uniforms to represent their favourite characters. A life-size cardboard Spock cut-out was placed beside the sign-in table.
As reported in the Calgary Herald, Vulcan tourism co-ordinator Dayna Dickens said, "I'm so excited. It's fairly surreal to have everybody come together tonight. To have so many Vulcans to be dressed up in their Star Trek costumes and just having their chance to be in the spotlight is just so special for rural Alberta."
The guests, picked up at the Vulcan space-themed visitors’ centre, travelled about eighty miles to the Chinook Centre in Calgary. Many of them seemed to be walking on air as they entered the theatre, and were beaming afterward. One fan told a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reporter that his favourite moment was seeing Spock on the screen again.
Bruce Greenwood Special Guest at Star Trek Preview
Special guest for the big event was Canadian actor Bruce Greenwood who was very pleased to participate in the Vulcan event. He portrays Captain Christopher Pike, the first Starship Enterprise commander and mentor to James T. Kirk. A versatile actor, Greenwood has appeared in many superior television programmes and excellent movies. He had the daunting task of portraying John F. Kennedy in the movie, “Thirteen Days”.
Bruce Greenwood said that he was thrilled for the people of Vulcan and the chance to have a good time in the celebration of their association with Star Trek. Pleased to now be linked to the amazing Star Trek franchise, his career is going boldly where it has not gone before.
Sources:
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
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