For fans of the original Star Trek, the fight between Kirk and a Gorn warrior in the episode "Arena" is a thing of weird beauty. Well, as beautiful as a slow-motion, clearly choreographed fight between an actor and a stunt man in a rubber suit can be, anyway. Now, 46 years later, it's time for a rematch. Yes, really.
The campy wrestling match between Kirk and the Gorn in "Arena" is one of the highlights of *Star Trek'*s first season, in large part because of Alexander Courage's great score and also because, come on: Who doesn't love obviously fake aliens throwing styrofoam boulders around the place?
With Trek back in everyone's minds because of this summer's upcoming Star Trek Into Darkness flick, someone decided it was time for the two to go head-to-rubber-head once again. And thanks to an ad for NAMCO Bandai's Star Trek: The Video Game, that's exactly what happens. The only problem: It's 82-year-old William Shatner and an equally graying Gorn opting for a rematch:
What's that Karl Marx quote about history repeating itself, firstly as tragedy, then as farce?
Yes, now we're at the point where William Shatner himself is making fun of himself for being too old for this kind of nonsense. I mean, sure, he's looking pretty good for 82, but still, part of me has just died a little. Chris Pine, if you're pulling this kind of stuff four decades from now.... Well, I'll be impressed that Star Trek has lasted that long, to be honest, but you know what I mean.
