Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 10, Episodes 19 & 20: Arena/ The Alternative Factor

Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 10, Episodes 19 & 20: Arena/ The Alternative Factor


Starring:Star Trek Original Series
Studio: Paramount Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Volume 10 of Paramount's DVD series of original Star Trek episodes includes "Arena," based on a script by Trek producer Gene L. Coon, the other indispensable figure (besides Gene Roddenberry) in making Star Trek what it was. After writing what he believed was an original teleplay about a one-on-one battle between Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and the reptilian commander of an enemy vessel, Coon realized he had probably been subconsciously inspired by a similar short story written by Fredric Brown (who was promptly credited and paid). The concept of a human-and-alien duel to the death in primitive terrain, however, was slightly ubiquitous in the 1960s (see "Fun and Games," a masterpiece from the original The Outer Limits TV show), and was revisited in the '80s via the Arnold Schwarzenegger feature, Predator. But under Coon's guidance and direction by Joseph Pevney, "Arena" stands on its own as a particularly strong story of what battle does to one's humanity. Shatner is in great form for this one.

Also in this volume is a minor episode, "The Alternative Factor," in which Kirk encounters two versions of a fellow named Lazarus (Robert Brown), one from our own dimension and the other from an antimatter cosmos. The latter Lazarus intends to create an opening between worlds, potentially causing an intergalactic Armageddon. Though directed by Gerd Oswald, an interesting feature filmmaker from Hollywood, "The Alternative Factor" has to work a little too hard to make its point. Still, it isn't boring, and the theme certainly fits that long-standing Star Trek obsession with dualities. --Tom Keogh
Description
"Arena," Ep. 19 - While pursuing a ship that destroyed a Starfleet base, Kirk intrudes into the territory of the highly advanced Metrons, who decide to settle the conflict. "The Alternative Factor," Ep. 20 - The Enterprise takes on board a man with a dual personality. It is soon discovered that there are really two of them--one with the power to destroy the universe!
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 10, Episodes 19 & 20: Arena/ The Alternative Factor
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • From heighths to the depths
  • Forgettable, Implausible and Among the Weakest Eps of the Season
  • An Alternative Opinion
  • One strong episode, and one very weak one
  • Two Classic Episodes for a Classic Series
 Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 10, Episodes 19 & 20: Arena/ The Alternative Factor
Starring: Star Trek Original Series
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video
Classic Sci-FiClassic Sci-Fi | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Star Trek | Series & Sequels | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video
Star Trek: The Original SeriesStar Trek: The Original Series | S | TV Series, A-Z | TV Series | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | 1960s | By Decade | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
Hart, HarveyHart, Harvey | ( H ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
Sargent, JosephSargent, Joseph | ( S ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
All ParamountAll Paramount | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $7.49DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( S )( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 9, Episodes 17 & 18: Shore Leave/ The Squire of Gothos
  2. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 11, Episodes 21 & 22: Tomorrow is Yesterday/ The Return of the Archons
  3. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 13, Episodes 25 & 26: This Side of Paradise/ The Devil in the Dark
  4. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 12, Episodes 23 & 24: A Taste of Armageddon/ Space Seed
  5. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 7, Episodes 14 & 15: The Galileo Seven/ Court-Martial

ASIN: 6305755035
Release Date: 2000-03-21

Amazon.com

Volume 10 of Paramount's DVD series of original Star Trek episodes includes "Arena," based on a script by Trek producer Gene L. Coon, the other indispensable figure (besides Gene Roddenberry) in making Star Trek what it was. After writing what he believed was an original teleplay about a one-on-one battle between Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and the reptilian commander of an enemy vessel, Coon realized he had probably been subconsciously inspired by a similar short story written by Fredric Brown (who was promptly credited and paid). The concept of a human-and-alien duel to the death in primitive terrain, however, was slightly ubiquitous in the 1960s (see "Fun and Games," a masterpiece from the original The Outer Limits TV show), and was revisited in the '80s via the Arnold Schwarzenegger feature, Predator. But under Coon's guidance and direction by Joseph Pevney, "Arena" stands on its own as a particularly strong story of what battle does to one's humanity. Shatner is in great form for this one.

Also in this volume is a minor episode, "The Alternative Factor," in which Kirk encounters two versions of a fellow named Lazarus (Robert Brown), one from our own dimension and the other from an antimatter cosmos. The latter Lazarus intends to create an opening between worlds, potentially causing an intergalactic Armageddon. Though directed by Gerd Oswald, an interesting feature filmmaker from Hollywood, "The Alternative Factor" has to work a little too hard to make its point. Still, it isn't boring, and the theme certainly fits that long-standing Star Trek obsession with dualities. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars From heighths to the depths.......2007-03-30

This disc roller-coasters from one of Trek's best episodes to one of its worst. "Arena," in which Kirk faces off against a powerful reptilian enemy, has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. The full-body monster suit is really high quality and holds up well even today. The frequent Trek moral about how we can all get along if we take the time to listen to each other gets one of its earliest expressions. Even the frankly ridiculous manner in which Kirk assembles his weapon doesn't detract from the fun of this episode.

"The Alternative Factor," however, is pretty bad. It has a promising opening as cosmological disruptions on a galactic scale lead Starfleet to evacuate a whole area of space and leave the crisis in the hands of Kirk and crew. The payoff, however, is distinctly underwhelming. This episode is a confused mess with some of Trek's worst visual effects.

2 out of 5 stars Forgettable, Implausible and Among the Weakest Eps of the Season.......2006-07-15

If you are picking and choosing which volumes to collect, give this one a miss. The 2 stars are for "Arena" which although requires a massive leap of faith to believe Kirk invents a "gun" while on the run in a manner which to any observer would realise is much, much more likely to blow up in his face instead does have a very good moral about how jumping to conclusions and fighting before diplomacy is not the best way to solve differences (George Bush, you listening?)which redeems an otherwise very average episode.

Too bad you can't give negative, anti-stars, as the "Alternative Factor" to put it candidly, really sucks big-time! The storyline is just simply ridiculous and the whole episode is riddled with errors. In the beginning, Spock tells Kirk there is no life on the planet below; if he meant animate life, he should have said so as we are soon transported to the surface where all manner of plant-life is seen. This is just one example but overall, the script-writing and acting are among the worst of this the first season.

Save your bucks for another volume.

5 out of 5 stars An Alternative Opinion.......2003-10-24

Being an ORIGINAL trekkie (I care not for johnnie-come-lately Trekkors who have no clue what this series meant in '66), I have strong memories of watching Kirk and Spock every week. When the reruns began to be aired locally (some years after the rest of the country, apparently), I got to see stuff I did not remember. The Alternative Factor became my personal favorite because of the struggles: 1. Kirk and Spock not understanding the nature of the situation 2. Lazarus dealing with his opposite self's actions after they swap universes 3. Stopping anihilation successfully.
The state of budgets and special effects somewhat hurt the visual storytelling, but the rest of the show I find heroic in a very classical sense. I was always blown away by the magnitude of the sacrifice of the rational Lasarus, and Kirk's words at the end chill me even today. Maybe having a friend who looked like, and whose intellect was on the order of Spock's, gives me a different perspective toward this tale. I always felt like Kirk to his Spock, but without a ship to command (Boy, did we need one). Hey, If networks today would pay attention to what Gene and the guys were up to, we'd have shows like...like...like...Enterprise today. Hey, we do! Trek Lives! Long Live Treckkiedom!
This is story telling at it's peak, galactic in scope, human at it's heart, and gut wrenching in it's conclusion. They don't come better than this, even with bigger budgets. This is the stuff that inspires kids to be great achievers, and grown-ups to think about why we do what we do. Great stuff, if you pay attention.

3 out of 5 stars One strong episode, and one very weak one.......2003-09-09

Arena-This strong episode sees Kirk locked in a life and death struggle with the lizard-like Gorn. The episode commences with the kind of in-the-trenches warfare rarely seen on TV. The brutality of the killing brings out bloodlust in Kirk, who seems ready to exact revenge until control is taken out of his hands. A rather innovative take is then applied to the battle, one which forces Kirk to rely on his wits and keep a level head. It is one of the trademarks of Trek that Kirk eventually shows mercy. Here that mercy is rewarded; if only it were so simple in the real world. (4 stars)

The Alternative Factor-This episode, in which a loner travels between universes in a small ship, just never comes together. Despite the fact that nothing short of the universe is at stake, the episode feels trivial. While Robert Brown certainly has a tough assignment here as the two Laseruses (Laserii?), he seems torn between trying to make each of them `real' while still being sufficiently different that the viewer will not become confused. Unfortunately he does not succeed in either regard, and the seemingly haphazard storyline doesn't assist the viewer any either. The team also seems to struggle to fill up the episode's allotted hour, but the main problem is the story is presented in a way that doesn't make sense; everything feels arbitrary and desultory. The self-flagellation between universes, while memorable, is not particularly effective either. About the best thing about this episode is the end-the disturbing idea of someone spending eternity battling a madman. (2 stars)

5 out of 5 stars Two Classic Episodes for a Classic Series.......2003-08-07

"Arena" - Episode 19 - This episode features a duel between our Capt. Kirk and the Gorn. An interesting plot, surreal music, location and the Gorn character give this episode a wonderful campy feeling. Great episode to watch at pitch black night!!

"Alternative Factor" - Episode 20 - An excellent episode that deals with the orignal crew being thrown into unfamilar territory. A man named Lazarus is thrown into an odd state of flux where him and his counterpart switch between a positive and negative universe. An insane Lazarus on one of the sides is bent on destroying both universes. They both eventually meet to fight in the gap between universes eternally. Great epsiode that explores a more complex concept of the universe than the crew usually deals with!!
Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 10, Episodes 19 & 20: Arena/ The Alternative Factor
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • From heighths to the depths
  • Forgettable, Implausible and Among the Weakest Eps of the Season
  • An Alternative Opinion
  • One strong episode, and one very weak one
  • Two Classic Episodes for a Classic Series
 Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 10, Episodes 19 & 20: Arena/ The Alternative Factor
Starring: Star Trek Original Series
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Star Trek | Series & Sequels | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video
Star Trek: The Original SeriesStar Trek: The Original Series | S | TV Series, A-Z | TV Series | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | 1960s | By Decade | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
( S )( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
All ParamountAll Paramount | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 9, Episodes 17 & 18: Shore Leave/ The Squire of Gothos
  2. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 11, Episodes 21 & 22: Tomorrow is Yesterday/ The Return of the Archons
  3. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 13, Episodes 25 & 26: This Side of Paradise/ The Devil in the Dark
  4. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 12, Episodes 23 & 24: A Taste of Armageddon/ Space Seed
  5. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 7, Episodes 14 & 15: The Galileo Seven/ Court-Martial

ASIN: 6305755027
Release Date: 2000-03-21

Amazon.com

Volume 10 of Paramount's DVD series of original Star Trek episodes includes "Arena," based on a script by Trek producer Gene L. Coon, the other indispensable figure (besides Gene Roddenberry) in making Star Trek what it was. After writing what he believed was an original teleplay about a one-on-one battle between Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and the reptilian commander of an enemy vessel, Coon realized he had probably been subconsciously inspired by a similar short story written by Fredric Brown (who was promptly credited and paid). The concept of a human-and-alien duel to the death in primitive terrain, however, was slightly ubiquitous in the 1960s (see "Fun and Games," a masterpiece from the original The Outer Limits TV show), and was revisited in the '80s via the Arnold Schwarzenegger feature, Predator. But under Coon's guidance and direction by Joseph Pevney, "Arena" stands on its own as a particularly strong story of what battle does to one's humanity. Shatner is in great form for this one.

Also in this volume is a minor episode, "The Alternative Factor," in which Kirk encounters two versions of a fellow named Lazarus (Robert Brown), one from our own dimension and the other from an antimatter cosmos. The latter Lazarus intends to create an opening between worlds, potentially causing an intergalactic Armageddon. Though directed by Gerd Oswald, an interesting feature filmmaker from Hollywood, "The Alternative Factor" has to work a little too hard to make its point. Still, it isn't boring, and the theme certainly fits that long-standing Star Trek obsession with dualities. --Tom Keogh

Description

"Arena," Ep. 19 - While pursuing a ship that destroyed a Starfleet base, Kirk intrudes into the territory of the highly advanced Metrons, who decide to settle the conflict. "The Alternative Factor," Ep. 20 - The Enterprise takes on board a man with a dual personality. It is soon discovered that there are really two of them--one with the power to destroy the universe!

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars From heighths to the depths.......2007-03-30

This disc roller-coasters from one of Trek's best episodes to one of its worst. "Arena," in which Kirk faces off against a powerful reptilian enemy, has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. The full-body monster suit is really high quality and holds up well even today. The frequent Trek moral about how we can all get along if we take the time to listen to each other gets one of its earliest expressions. Even the frankly ridiculous manner in which Kirk assembles his weapon doesn't detract from the fun of this episode.

"The Alternative Factor," however, is pretty bad. It has a promising opening as cosmological disruptions on a galactic scale lead Starfleet to evacuate a whole area of space and leave the crisis in the hands of Kirk and crew. The payoff, however, is distinctly underwhelming. This episode is a confused mess with some of Trek's worst visual effects.

2 out of 5 stars Forgettable, Implausible and Among the Weakest Eps of the Season.......2006-07-15

If you are picking and choosing which volumes to collect, give this one a miss. The 2 stars are for "Arena" which although requires a massive leap of faith to believe Kirk invents a "gun" while on the run in a manner which to any observer would realise is much, much more likely to blow up in his face instead does have a very good moral about how jumping to conclusions and fighting before diplomacy is not the best way to solve differences (George Bush, you listening?)which redeems an otherwise very average episode.

Too bad you can't give negative, anti-stars, as the "Alternative Factor" to put it candidly, really sucks big-time! The storyline is just simply ridiculous and the whole episode is riddled with errors. In the beginning, Spock tells Kirk there is no life on the planet below; if he meant animate life, he should have said so as we are soon transported to the surface where all manner of plant-life is seen. This is just one example but overall, the script-writing and acting are among the worst of this the first season.

Save your bucks for another volume.

5 out of 5 stars An Alternative Opinion.......2003-10-24

Being an ORIGINAL trekkie (I care not for johnnie-come-lately Trekkors who have no clue what this series meant in '66), I have strong memories of watching Kirk and Spock every week. When the reruns began to be aired locally (some years after the rest of the country, apparently), I got to see stuff I did not remember. The Alternative Factor became my personal favorite because of the struggles: 1. Kirk and Spock not understanding the nature of the situation 2. Lazarus dealing with his opposite self's actions after they swap universes 3. Stopping anihilation successfully.
The state of budgets and special effects somewhat hurt the visual storytelling, but the rest of the show I find heroic in a very classical sense. I was always blown away by the magnitude of the sacrifice of the rational Lasarus, and Kirk's words at the end chill me even today. Maybe having a friend who looked like, and whose intellect was on the order of Spock's, gives me a different perspective toward this tale. I always felt like Kirk to his Spock, but without a ship to command (Boy, did we need one). Hey, If networks today would pay attention to what Gene and the guys were up to, we'd have shows like...like...like...Enterprise today. Hey, we do! Trek Lives! Long Live Treckkiedom!
This is story telling at it's peak, galactic in scope, human at it's heart, and gut wrenching in it's conclusion. They don't come better than this, even with bigger budgets. This is the stuff that inspires kids to be great achievers, and grown-ups to think about why we do what we do. Great stuff, if you pay attention.

3 out of 5 stars One strong episode, and one very weak one.......2003-09-09

Arena-This strong episode sees Kirk locked in a life and death struggle with the lizard-like Gorn. The episode commences with the kind of in-the-trenches warfare rarely seen on TV. The brutality of the killing brings out bloodlust in Kirk, who seems ready to exact revenge until control is taken out of his hands. A rather innovative take is then applied to the battle, one which forces Kirk to rely on his wits and keep a level head. It is one of the trademarks of Trek that Kirk eventually shows mercy. Here that mercy is rewarded; if only it were so simple in the real world. (4 stars)

The Alternative Factor-This episode, in which a loner travels between universes in a small ship, just never comes together. Despite the fact that nothing short of the universe is at stake, the episode feels trivial. While Robert Brown certainly has a tough assignment here as the two Laseruses (Laserii?), he seems torn between trying to make each of them `real' while still being sufficiently different that the viewer will not become confused. Unfortunately he does not succeed in either regard, and the seemingly haphazard storyline doesn't assist the viewer any either. The team also seems to struggle to fill up the episode's allotted hour, but the main problem is the story is presented in a way that doesn't make sense; everything feels arbitrary and desultory. The self-flagellation between universes, while memorable, is not particularly effective either. About the best thing about this episode is the end-the disturbing idea of someone spending eternity battling a madman. (2 stars)

5 out of 5 stars Two Classic Episodes for a Classic Series.......2003-08-07

"Arena" - Episode 19 - This episode features a duel between our Capt. Kirk and the Gorn. An interesting plot, surreal music, location and the Gorn character give this episode a wonderful campy feeling. Great episode to watch at pitch black night!!

"Alternative Factor" - Episode 20 - An excellent episode that deals with the orignal crew being thrown into unfamilar territory. A man named Lazarus is thrown into an odd state of flux where him and his counterpart switch between a positive and negative universe. An insane Lazarus on one of the sides is bent on destroying both universes. They both eventually meet to fight in the gap between universes eternally. Great epsiode that explores a more complex concept of the universe than the crew usually deals with!!

DVD:

  1. The Abyss
  2. Alien Files/Cyberjack/The Cold Equations/Nautilus
  3. One Step Beyond, Vol. 10
  4. Johnny Mnemonic
  5. Dangaioh - Hyper-Combat Unit: The Ultimate Transformers
  6. The One (Special Edition) / The 6th Day (Special Edition)
  7. Lexx: Series 4, Vol. 4
  8. First Spaceship on Venus
  9. Star Trek - The Original Series, Vol. 4, Episodes 8 & 9: Charlie X/ Balance of Terror
  10. War of Planets & War of Robots

DVD

DVD

DVD

Which Way Por Favor?

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!/If I Ran the Zoo

Hi-Life

DVD: Santa's Funniest Moments and Practical Jokes

Purcell, Henry - Sacred Music