Friday, March 19, 2010

Was Jason Alexander channeling William Shatner on Criminal Minds?


I've just discovered a TV show called Criminal Minds, and have been watching it for the last few days (It's shown on several channels throoughout the day, if you get Satellite). I don't really care for it, I'm just watching it because I've seen every NCIS and Law and Order ep out there, and so wanted to watch something new while I did my writing work....

Anyway, so I'm watching Criminal Minds and it's an episode called "Masterpiece" from 2008 and it guest-stars Jason Alexander (George Costanza from Seinfeld) as the serial-killing villain, Professor Rothschild. He's still short and stout, but he's got a magnificent mane of white hair, in the Charlton Heston as Moses wig, and he speaks in a very low, calm voice. ANd frankly, he does an excellent job. Very impressive.

But in the denoument scene, I couldn't help being reminded of Star Trek, and in particular "Whom Gods Destroy". Perhaps my perception was influenced by the fact that, although I haven't really bothered to seek out Alexander in anything else he's been in except Seinfeld, I do know that he is a fan of William Shatner's and can do imitations of him, and there was one Seinfeld episode where they're talking about The Wrath of Kahn, and Costanza actually raises his face to the heavens and shouts out Kahn! as Kirk did in that movie.

So I'm watching Alexander in the big denoument scene, with his gestures and his emphasis on words, and it did seem to me that he was doing an extremely toned down version of a Shatner as Kirk impersonation.

What he was also doing was walking around and around a stationary David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), and that reminded me of the scene from Star Trek's "Whom Gods Destroy" in which Kirk is circling Garth, trying to talk some sanity into Steve Ihnat's insane starfleet captain.

So that was kind of fun.

And the Criminal Minds team saves the five kidnapped people at the end, so it had a happy ending in that regard as well...

So all in all, not a show I'll be watching much, but I might check out Jason Alexander in other dramatic roles - should he be doing any! - just to see if this channeling of Kirk is a habit...or perhaps just my imagination.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Fess Parker in Daniel Boone episode: The Perilous Journey

I had wanted to upload Fess Parker's brief - but hilarious - cameo in Them! in which he plays a pilot who saw a giant ant flying in the sky. No one believes him so they put him in an insane asylum, where FBI agent James Arness comes to interview him.

Unfortunately, for reasons beyond my control, I can't do it, so I'm sharing a few clips from the one Daniel Boone episode of his that I have, Perilous Journey (because of course Steve Ihnat guest-stars as one of the villains.)

The Daniel Boone TV series is on DVD now, and although it is no longer "in print", used copies cam still be purchased.















My favorite scene. Take that, Tyler!


Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Richard Boone and Steve Ihnat in Kona Coast (1968)

This is the final come-uppance scene for the hero (Richard Boone as Sam Moran) and the villain (Steve Ihnat as Kryder). Steve is responsible for the death of a young woman, and Moran intends to have revenge.



I know it's foolish to rail against the action of a TV show made 40 years ago (or indeed, of any TV show, since of course by definition it's on film and can't be fixed!) but I must say it's always annoying when the villain acts really stupidly, which is the only reason why they end up getting captured or killed in the end.

It happened to Steve Ihnat in The Blue Light, when he runs away from Robert Goulet even though he's got a perfectly serviceable knife, and it happens here, when instead of plunking Richard Boone with his spear gun, he tries to run away....only to be cut off by Boone and... well - you'll see.
Grr.

I love Ihnat's vocal delivery in this, somewhat reminiscent of his vocal inflections in Mannix: Endgame... but how he could let Boone sneak up on him.... silly!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

FBI: The Escape

With Steve Ihnat and Ann Baxter, along with that Efrem Zimbalist jr. guy

Steve Ihnat in The Highest Fall of All

Steve has a supporting role in this episode of the anthology series Chrysler Theater, which starred Stuart Whitman as an actor/stuntman obsessed on performing the greatest stunt of his career. Steve plays his friend and sidekick.









Saturday, March 13, 2010

Mission Impossible: Steve Ihnat in "Amnesiac"



Well...part 1 of Steve Ihnat's appearances in this episode. The IMForce tries to find out where Steve has hidden a stolen substance called "trevanium." Paris (Leonard Nimoy) plays his accomplish whom Steve had shot and left for dead...who now has returned (with a new face, obviously - plastic surgery) but who can't remember anything. Anthony Zerbe plays Steve's superior who is lookng for the trevanium. The woman whom Steve is so attracted to is a member of the IMForce.

I call this Part 4....