GENE RODDENBERRY: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL (DVD Review) - 13/3/07

I purchase Star Trek Magazine every couple of months just for this purpose when it informs me about new stuff available on DVD to buy. The March/April 2007 (Issue # 131) of Star Trek Magazine from Titan Magazines had a great spread on this DVD "Gene Roddenberry: Up Close And Personal" and I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. Going to www.roddenberryinterview.com I immediately purchased a copy and eagerly awaited it's arrival from the USA and slammed it straight into the DVD player as soon as it came through the post. What a gem has been released on DVD here - We get a snapshot in time as Ellen & Gene Adelstein interview Gene Roddenberry in his Beverly Hills home on June 16th 1981 covering a wide variety of topics that have rarely been touched on before. In the very raw and natural footage we get some candid talk from the great man himself freely discussing some fairly momentous points in the history of Star Trek and his visions for humanity. Some points of note really fleshed out articles I had heard about; such as his novel about Kennedy's Assassination which had also come from other sources and his view that if humans could impress themselves memory-wise into computers space could be explored infinitely, which strangely enough also feature (But not surprisingly) in later Star Trek episodes. Originally aired in Tucson, Arizona, this interview had not been seen by the public since that time and as a Collector's Edition 40th. Anniversary it will sit nicely on my DVD shelf with my other Star Trek DVDs. A rare and truly fascinating interview that should inspire Trekkers and others about hopes for a brighter future for humanity as it's message shines through and holds as good today as it did then. SPECIAL FEATURES: We get a nice Introduction to the DVD from Gene's son Rod Roddenberry followed by the Original Interview Of Gene Roddenberry 1981. We then get Ellen Adelstein's Interview with Rod Roddenberry and we then get Outtakes from the Original 1981 Interview - These are quite insightful as they show Gene totally relaxed and just chatting over everyday things. Region 1 (USA) DVD - Exempt from Rating. Running Time: 1 Hr. 22 Mins. Copyright 1981/2006 Ellen Adelstein-Beshert Productions USA. Ellen can be contacted at: RODDENBERRYDVD@aol.com Beshert Productions, 520 881-7417, 2411 E. Waverly, Tucson, AZ 85719 US