Good one on W. Shatner. Bart.
My opinion may be shot down in flames here. Its in conjuction with Peter's post.
What I have observed was that Star Trek began around the time that several of the hi-tech gadgetry was on the horizon. IMHO The gadgets were already in the foresee-able future and the movie writers used the concepts.
Now the first generation Star Trek debuted in 1966. However the second one had its beginnings in 1987.
Re: Peter's post;
I remember clearly reading a similar article on a Sunday in Townsville in 1978. Cell phones, Computers will be a household item like a TV. Best time to leave home to commute to work etc.
It was in the early 80's when "Electronics Australia" announced that TV's would become not much more than a "picture on the wall".
Before these announcements were made, sci-fi movie producers would have been aware of them. That would bring it into line with the timeline of the production of Star Trek and the gadgets becoming a real possibility.
What Star Trek did do was to recognise that people no longer were the uninformed movie goers of the 1950's. "Mars attacks" and such were just unrealistic. Movie buffs had become better educated to some of the facts of the Universe. Men from Mars was no longer accepted.
Warp speed space travel was necessary to negotiate the vast distances. I wont bore you with the rest of the list. The producers catered to a better educated audience.
To have done that I believe they had done their research and that is why Star Trek was the pedecessor to a series of successful sci-fi movies. It was kind of like looking into the future and the hi-tech stuff about to explode onto the market.
Star Trek was depicted to be an exploration vessel in the 23rd century.
Does kind of make it feasable.
Quality astro gear and hi-tech toys were coming within easier reach of the general populace. This had a two fold affect. Better education and an enquiring audience.
After the debut of "Star Wars" I watched a news crew interviewing members of the audience. Many loved it. It was refreshing. One silly bloke said, "You don't expect me to believe all that crap? That's far from real that stuff." (An unbeliever
)
I saw Avatar a few times. I have tried to imagine what its impact would have been like in the 1950's. It is quite advanced from the days of even movies like Star Wars.
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