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Posted by Jukka Aho on 09/30/05 21:42
"Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning" is now out and available for free
download.
"Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning" - of which you may already have heard a
word or two on various forums, including Slashdot - is a feature-length
(runtime: 103 minutes), part-silly-jokes, part-dark-humor sci-fi parody
with Hollywood-quality 3D CGI and blue screen effects, an aspect ratio
of 2.35:1 and an original 5.1 soundtrack. It has been released to the
Internet as a free download under the Creative Commons license. (If
you're impatient, go to <http://www.starwreck.com/> for more information
and download links. Go go go!)
If you're a sci-fi fan at all - and, especially, if you're familiar with
the respective idiosyncracies of the "Star Trek" and "Babylon 5"
universes (which the movie spoofs and pokes fun at) - this is a must
see. "In the Pirkinning" should also be an inspirating watch for anyone
who's interested in seeing how far you can actually push the technical
limits in an almost pure-amateur production.
Being an independent amateur project created on a shoe-string budget,
streered by a core team of five hobbyists, supported by literally
hundreds of extras and an active fanbase, the movie has been in the
making for 7 years. It was eventually finished in August 2005, and
subsequently released on DVD. (The DVD release was not for commercial
reasons but primarily for the benefit of the SW fanbase who were
interested in buying such a thing and supporting the team. They still
take in DVD orders if you'd like that better than a download.) And now
it's time for the Internet release.
"In the Pirkinning" is actually the sixth installment in the "Star
Wreck" series, which was first conceived in 1992. The first four "Star
Wreck" parodies were animations with voice acting and 2D/3D CGI. The
fifth movie ("Star Wreck V: Lost Contact") was already a live action
flick, employing blue screen techniques and advanced 3D CGI, but even
though the story itself was quite funny, the overall technical quality
was pretty low and amateurish. The now-released sixth part of the series
picks up the story where it was left in "Lost Contact" but is a quantum
leap up in technical quality, placing it in the domain where you may
momentarily forget that you're watching an amateur production.
Especially the CGI effects - space battles, bridges of the spaceships,
etc.- easily rival those seen in mainstream sci-fi tv shows. Of course,
there is no doubt that the amateur cast acts mostly like amateurs do,
but they're also supported by three professional actors, even though in
minor parts.
A brief plot summary: "The future looks bleak for Captain Pirk.
Originally from the far future, he traveled back to save the world, but
was shipwrecked on the 21st century. The world of the past is a
dangerous place and he is finding it difficult to convince the ladies he
is, in fact, an intergalactic space hero from the future. To make things
right Pirk comes up with a questionable plan to save mankind's
future..."
"Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning" is featured on IMDB (with reviews)...
<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472566/>
....and there's a brief overview of the whole "Star Wreck" series on
Wikipedia:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wreck>
You can also watch (and download) the trailer for "In the Pirkinning" at
<http://www.starwreck.com/trailer.php>
And last, but not least, the official download site for the _actual full
movie_ is at
<http://www.starwreck.com/>
(Click the big "Download" button on the top bar.)
The previous "Star Wreck" movies are also downloadable from the
above-mentioned site, although they may be temporarily offline at around
the SW:ItP Internet release date. (Don't worry, they will come back
later.) There is also a discussion board for the SW movies at the same
site (http://forum.starwreck.com/).
Download the movie, enjoy it, and spread the word to those who you know
might be interested in this sort of thing. The Star Wreck team (which I
am not part of, but you can certainly count me in as a fan of the
series!) would like to have the widest possible exposure and audience
for their now-completed, seven-years-spanning hard work. (After all,
what's the use of making a movie if nobody watches it?) Thank you for
your support.
* * *
(This announcement has been crossposted to "rec.video.dvd.titles",
"rec.video.desktop", "rec.video.production", and "rec.video.releases".
Followups have been set to "rec.video.dvd.titles" only.)
--
znark
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