Age of The Nerd
As we get ready to head into “nerd heaven” a.k.a. San Diego Comic Con, we were super excited to have the opportunity to catch up with director Spencer F. Lee to chat about his upcoming documentary film “From The Bridge”. The panel for the film which will feature Comic Con favorite Greg Grunberg (Star Trek: Beyond), often nicknamed the “Mayor of Comic-Con”, as moderator and will feature writer-director Spencer F. Lee, Nichelle Nichols, Rod Roddenberry, Kerry O’Quinn, Tom DeSanto, uber cos-player Cecil Grimes and special guests. This amazing panel was also be hosted by none other than George Takei!
Following the debut clips which will screen at the start of the Thursday, July 19th 10am panel, Grunberg will lead a spirited discussion and Q&A on the evolution of science fiction, fantasy, comic book and horror fandom and the positive impact each has had on popular culture.
What is even more exciting is that the “From The Bridge” panel will be kicking off SDCC 2018 and we could not possibly think of a more appropriate film to get us off to an amazing start on of weekend of fandom!
“From The Bridge” features original interviews with Stan Lee, Nichelle Nichols, Gene Simmons, Joe Dante, Tom DeSanto, Kerry O’Quinn, Norman Jacobs, Adam Nimoy, Bryan Fuller, Neal Adams, Doug Jones, Rod Roddenberry, Howard Roffman and many more including Super Fans. This groundbreaking documentary feature is set for a theatrical run in late summer 2018 and will be released on VOD, DVD, and Blu-ray in November. North American distribution will be handled by Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company.
We spoke to Spencer F. Lee about a wide variety of topic surrounding the film and he even teased us a bit about a major surprise or two that will be happening at the panel, so definitely be sure to put this one on your must see list at SDCC, as we certainly can’t wait.
Lee told us many times throughout the interview what an “absolute honor” it is to be the very first panel kicking off Comic Con on Thursday and that he has “a lot special things to share and show” the fans in attendance, so he is definitely hoping for a “packed house”. He went on to tell us that it is his sincere “hope that every enjoys what we have done with the film and telling the stories of these iconic creators and SuperFans” and that the film was created with “nothing but pure love”!
Lee shared with us some of his history growing up in rural Louisiana and going to with his mother as a young child to see “Star Wars” at the drive-in movie theater and that is where the obsession began. They later got cable television and he then began to get into shows such as “Ultraman”, “Flash Gordon”, “Lost In Space” and then horror films such as “Fright Night” and the “Nightmare On Elm Street” film franchise. Lee said, “it was a magical time” and these shows, films and comic books became “his entire universe, much the same as other fans who grew up around the same time period”.
Lee also shared several stories with us in regards to his amazing interviews for the film with artists and creators such as KISS founding member Gene Simmons, Fangoria founder Kerry O’Quinn and Rod Roddenberry. He also revealed that there were a few people he would have loved to get for the film, and is of course “still holding out hope until the last few seconds” such as George Lucas and Mark Hamill. Sadly, Lee told us he was set-up to interview the late Carrie Fisher for the film, however she became ill and had to cancel the appearance at the Georgia women’s conference were the interview was supposed to take place and then tragically passed away a month or so later.
Lee revealed some of the various reasons why he can understand George Lucas not wanting to participate, as the famed “Star Wars” creator has certainly had a rather tumultuous relationship with fans over the years, but you never know, there is still some time for him to change his mind. One of the most interesting pieces of fandom history that Lee was able to get his hands on for “From The Bridge” is the rare and possibly only clip of George Lucas meeting Gene Roddenberry for the first time. Lee tells us the story of how the encounter was captured by a fan who was on-site and happened to be filming the moment on a VHS camcorder and luckily the clip was able to be restored.
Lee also shared some insights from this interview with “Star Trek” pioneer actress Nichelle Nichols, who speaks about her meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and his advice urging her to go back on TV, as she was a true role model for African American women all over the world.
When asked about his hopes about what “From The Bridge” will speak to fans, Lee tells us that “it is a story about humanity and a message and that is what speaks to fans”. He went to say that this film truly “celebrates fandom and that is what it’s all about in the end”.
You can listen to our full interview with “From The Bridge” writer/director Spencer F. Lee below:
Pop Culture Madness! – Interview with “From The Bridge” Director Spencer F. Lee
