"Scotty, beam me up!"

I've always LOVED good stories.

Whether they be told around a campfire, painted across the page, or come to life on a screen doesn't really matter to me. A good story is a good story.

Thinking back to my childhood, one of the continuing shows that may have formed my writing life has got to be Star Trek. This show was really special to me because my dad and I would watch it together. Mom wasn't really a sci-fi fan and wasn't all that interested the show.

Oh man, I was.

Going in search of brave new worlds? Seeking out new life forms? Going boldly where no man has gone before???? What's not to love?

The characters were well-drawn and acted. We didn't get a ton of info-dump about them either. We knew who they were by the way they reacted in the life-or-death situations they were thrown into. There was always a good dash of humor in the mix to defuse the intensity, but nothing too corny. A healthy dose of love scenes (usually with Kirk, but also with the other characters) helped to spice things up, up the ante and increase the conflicts they were already facing. The men were chivalrous, caring, courageous and had hearts of gold, even if they didn't keep the girl in the end in their quest to save all of mankind.

The remakes, movies and adaptations have been pretty good, but in my mind nothing beats the original series. Maybe it was because I watched those with Dad--my greatest hero.

How about you?

Are there movies from your childhood that have shaped you?

Kimberley Troutte
www.kimberleytroutte.com