Yesterday, we learned of the loss of Ricardo Montalban, best known for his work on Fantasy Island. For me, of course, he is most identified with a different role, one of the greatest villains in the history of science fiction, Kahn from the second Star Trek movie.
From those horrific insects that wrap themselves around Chekhov's cerebral cortex to the concept of a Genesis device to the introduction of the Kobiyashi Maru sequence (the inspiration for one of my favorite Star Trek novels), this is a movie full of sci-fi awesomeness. It is, I believe, the blueprint upon which the other great Star Trek movie, The Undiscovered Country is based, complete with a worthy nemesis quoting classical literature (Shakespeare in VI, Melville in II). And both grapple with Kirk as Peter Pan, reluctantly aging. And, if the script I found on-line is true (though I don't remember it this way), both end with Kirk quoting Peter Pan - from which I've developed one of my favorite rhetorical set-pieces.
While others will remember Montalban for different roles and for his trailblazing work on behalf of and as a Latino actor, I'll remember him for helping to resurrect a franchise that looked dead after (Motion Picture - for good reason).
Rest in peace.
Egocentrism
- egocentric
- Brookline, MA, United States
- I'll post rants here, and musings; articles and thoughts about articles. I'll keep it quite complex and yet astoundingly simple: whatever it is I am interested in at any given moment.
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