Customer Reviews:

• The lower 1%
  By lower 1% I refer to the types of fans this video depicts. I personally have been a fan for about 25 years and none of my acquaintences are as geeky and nerdy as those portrayed here. If you are a fan and want to see what the other half does this is and interesting culture study. But for a non-fan you may find the fans portrayed here a little TOO weird. If you want a really clever comedic "homage" to Trek try Free Enterprise. It's more of a movie than a documentary like Trekkies and it's loaded with references only true fans will get....more info
• I'm a fan, I'm not a nut
  As a long term fan of Star trek, I had heard about this documentary on the trekkies out there.

  A DOCUMENTARY WITH ONLY ONE THREAD; STAR TREK FANS
  I found this documentary to be a bit jumbled, but entertaining.
  It was apparently begun, to document the phenomena, which are the Trekkies. With this in mind, it tries to capture the breadth of the interest. It shows a smattering of what a very large group of people interpret this to be. It is different with each.
  Some make it a hobby

  Some make it a merchandizing opportunity
  Some act out their favorite creatures in fantasy roles.
  Some make it a club
  Some a way of life.
  All get a real kick out of it.
  For this reason, there was a greater focus on some of the extreme interests rather than the run of the mill fan. This included a town in Iowa that claims to be Captain Kirk's future birthplace, to a man who had his name changed to William T. Kirk. I can only assume it included the middle name of Tiberius as well.

  THERE ARE SOME WEIRD PEOPLE OUT THERE!
  Some fans are a strange lot. I can understand the fundamental attraction of the show, as I have watched it since the original series. However, and this is a big however, I don't understand making it a way of life. Hey, all I have is a Bajoran earring and tapes of the movies... Sheesh.

  THIS GROUP SPANS GENERATIONS AND AGE GROUPS
  There are several people this show focuses on, from a teen who has inherited the family interest and pursues it as a hobby, an intense hobby, a middle age woman that calls herself "Commander", a dentist who's practice is themed in Star trek and a young woman who is a major Data groupie. These are just some of the extremists that this show has fostered. I think this represents more their personal tendencies than anything this series fosters. But this is their focus.

  ACTORS ARE FRANKLY BEMUSED BY THE PHENOMENON:
  Most of the actors in the Star trek series are mystified by the level of appeal and absolutely floored by how widespread and how many people are caught up in the frenzy.
  Interviews with the actors show how much fan mail and interest in the conventions has affected their lives. From overly persistent fans who mail items daily, to those fans at death's door with a last request. One on-going letter was from a near suicidal fan.

  MOMENTUM IS NOT DECREASING:
  Based on the sales of memorabilia, costumes, fan-fiction, convention frequency (weekly, somewhere in the world) and the auction prices of items associated with the show, this will be around for a long time.

  HAS A LIFE OF ITS OWN:
  Most noticable during Denise Crosby's interview with fans, this interest is a cult following that has only a little to do with the show. The vision of Gene Roddenberry has a following all its own. The actors are only a small part of it and really for that matter is the show itself. There is enough in reruns to keep this going for a century.

  STAND-UP STAR TREK.
  The very end of the show has some stand up comedians lampooning Star trek. Very obviously fans, but also very funny. I wish they had more of this in this documentary. One line, I particularly like was. "The theme for star trek, was to go where no one has gone before. Well, they why was someone always there waiting for them then!"

  Fans will enjoy this documentary and get a couple of chuckles, others most likely will not....more info

• For anyone who's watched Star Trek
  This is a wonderful movie for anyone who has watched any season of Star Trek and loved it! You will see all the extremes and may even see some of yourself in there....more info
• We're all Trekkies on this bus...
  I was skeptical when my wife brought this video home to watch but the wonderful spirit of this movie caught me almost immediately...the interview techniques are great...they quickly move from one well-known Star Trek actor to another...each answering the same question but with a different twist...these are interspersed with the Trekkies (or Trekkers) comments too...there is an explanation of the difference between "Trekkies" and "Trekkers" that shows without comment how many different aspects there are to this "scene." The movie is lighthearted but still respectful of the impact that Star Trek has had on many lives...including even Whoopi Goldberg's...the Star Trek actors themselves tell their own anecdotes about the Trekkie phenomenon...James Doohan (Scottie) actually brought tears to my eyes with his story...To top it all off, they show 3 different comics doing Star Trek jokes while the credits are rolling...This is a movie for everyone...Trekkie or Trekker!...more info
• the point is made
  This documentary really shows how ST has ingrained itself in all levels of the culture. At some point during this DVD, I was a little concerned for some of the individuals involved, but gradually by the end of the film reminded myself that the point of the ST universe is acceptance of all.
  
  These people's passion drives them to be better people, and thats something no one should criticize. While bizarre at times, the people in the film follow Roddenberry's guidelines for life - were the world to do so, I doubt we would face most of the problems we now deal with globally.
  
  The need to belong manifests itself in different ways for different people. ST is clearly an outlet for a rather large group to be a part of something larger than themselves. They don't hurt anyone doing it. They embrace different cultures and ways of life. They support each other with a common belief.
  
  Who can argue with that?...more info
• Informative and entertaining
  This movie is a must for trek fans (from those with little interest to full out trekkers). The DVD includes scenes from trek conventions, interviews with cast from all the series, and interviews with fans. You learn alot about the kind of people that are interested in star trek as well as the views and opinions of the cast members. I highly recommend this movie for star trek fans young and old....more info
• Trekkies, Live Long And Prosper!
  I'm not quite a Trekkie (for one thing I've not been to a Star Trek Convention---yet!), but I remember first watching some of the rerun episodes of the original series when I was about 9 or so. I remember being excited when STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979) was announced, and I made sure to see it in the theater soon after it came out. I didn't see STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (1981) till many years later, ditto for STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME (1986), I don't think I've still ever seen III, I've seen part of V (eventually I'll get around to seeing the rest of this travesty), I've never seen VI, but I've seen all the rest (you know, with The Next Generation cast). As for the series(es), I've seen most of TOS, about half of TNG and DS9, and almost all of Voyager, which is my personal favorite.

  So that's my Star Trek confession; I wanted to get that out of the way as soon as possible. You can tell that I am a casual fan (well, maybe a *little* more than that), but not an actual "Trekkie." However, I've always been interested in the Star Trek phenomenon and how it came to be, especially considering that the original series (otherwise known as TOS) only lasted 3 1/2 years! Well, I got all the answers (well, most of them, anyway) while watching TREKKIES on cable TV one night. This documentary was directed by Roger Nygard in the spirit of wonder, and love, for the die-hard fans who spend hours dressing themselves up as their favorite character, or alien race, to attend these conventions. As is also shown, there are those who dress "in uniform" in their daily lives, such as the lady who's a postal worker in Little Rock, Arkansas, who famously kept her Starfleet uniform on when serving as a juror in the Whitewater Case. Then there's the dentist whose office is truly amazing and a space-age wonder to behold (known affectionately as "The Starship Dentalprise"). There's also an Illinois man who is dressed as a Vulcan doctor of the Federation 24/7 (who comes across as the most "normal" one on here, and is quite likable). There are countless convention scenes featuring William Shatner (no, he doesn't tell anyone to "Get a life!" as he famously---or infamously---did on "Saturday Night Live" back in 1986), James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Majel Barrett Roddenberry (also known as "The Voice of The Computer" in every one of the series and the films, as well as being Gene Roddenberry's widow), DeForest Kelley, Denise Crosby from TNG, etc...it's all very entertaining, and it made me really want to attend a Convention badly!

  I found it particularly touching when James "Scotty" Doohan related a story about a woman who had been going through a rough spell who had been contemplating suicide, until she started watching reruns of the show in the early 70's and became inspired by Scotty's example. His eyes began to well up with tears as he described the incredibly gracious letter she had sent him, a letter that, mind you, she wrote 30 years ago! It shows that sometimes fans have just as big an impact on the celebrities themselves as vice versa!

  TREKKIES is an enjoyable 86-minute documentary that is especially recommended for Star Trek fans, and recommended still for all who have even the slightest interest in this strange and wonderful phenomenon. It captures the positive energy and the excitement of the Conventions without making the Trekkies themselves look stupid or foolish. It doesn't poke fun; rather, it celebrates the fun. Have some fun and watch this!

  RECOMMENDED; AGES 8 & UP...more info

• From a non-fan's point of view...
  Well, I have not been a fan this monumentus series, I have no idea why, but at the time I am not. So I went into this with, "expectaions", and well, they where met. It made me appreciate the whole Star Trek fan scene, because like everyone, I enjoy things like the Trek fans do. However, they did make the fans seem a little, not to be rude, dorky or easily impressionable. The dedication that these fans have is out of this world. It is like myself and wrestling or other television. This documentary is indepth, with collectors showcasing their prize action figures, drawings, comics and such about Star Trek, how a dentist changed his office into a Star Trek galaxy, how their are hundreds, probably thousands who can speak the specific Trek languges. Trekkie or Trekker you may ask? Well, why do you not just call yourself a fan?

  A good choice to add to your collection, I would Suggest you see "Free Enterprise", that is a better flick, and William Shattner curses. Maybe I will see some of the episodes after seeing this...

  Have a good one! Ryan...more info

• An interesting look at Star Trek fanatics
  I like watching Star Trek - The Original Series, so I knew I had to watch "Trekkies." It's an interesting movie to watch. Denise Crosby interviews a bunch of people who are major Star Trek fans and they're called Trekkies. It also features interviews with many of the most popular people from all the Star Trek series from the original series to Voyager. You'll recognize a lot of the people such as William Shatner, James Doohan, Leonard Nimoy, and many others.

  Parts of the movie are real interesting such as taking a trip to a dentist's office and seeing the whole inside of the building decorated with memorabilia from Star Trek and all the employees wearing a Star Trek uniform. Another good part of the movie is when Leonard Nimoy (Spock from the original series) tells a story about someone tapping him on the shoulder and saying "Hey I know you, you got your ears changed." He turned around and saw that it was John Wayne. This movie features not only in depth interviews with fans and stars from Star Trek, but it also shows footage from conventions and towns that are dedicated to Star Trek.

  My only complaint about "Trekkies" is that some of the interviews of hardcore Star Trek fans can get a little repetitive, but it is an interesting movie to watch and I recommend anybody who likes any of the Star Trek series to watch "Trekkies." If you're a Trekky yourself and you go around wearing a uniform or decorate your home with Star Trek stuff, etc. I'd recommend buying the movie. Myself, I'm just a casual Star Trek watcher and I wouldn't ever wear a uniform or anything like that, so I guess I'm not a Trekkie....more info

• Side-splitting laughter from beginning to end
  Whether you're a casual or hardcore fan of all things Trek, this film couldn't be more enjoyable. Throughout it, you catch yourself either laughing at the pure zaniness of these real-life "trekkies" or laughing with them. Believe me when I say that some of these folks are OUT THERE! It's rewatchable to the nth degree and is always fun when a group of people pop in for a visit - even non scifi guests get a kick out of it. Of all the movies I saw in 1999, Trekkies has a proud spot at the top of the list (and I'm casual fan at best)....more info
• The movie is good, but the soundtrack ROCKS
  Where can I buy this soundtrack? Jimmie Wood, JJ Holiday and Billy Sullivan are my new jammin' toons... I had to record from the DVD. Where can I see these guys LIVE?...more info
• Some People Just Prefer Living on Other Planets....
  And can you blame them?
  
  This documentary is a peek inside the universe of the Star Trek Fan (I believe they refer to themselves as "Trekkers" and not "Trekkies"), directed by Denise Crosby, who performed in the first two seasons of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
  
  Particularly noteworthy are the dentist and his wife whose dental office is made up like "Star Fleet Dental" (very original - if I lived in Florida, I would go there). The dentist and his dental assistant wife wear Star Fleet uniforms as they work on your mouth, and the dental office is filled with Star Trek paraphernalia. Also worthy of note is the Klingon language school, where people go to learn how to say "Ka-Plagh!" with the right intonation and spirit. They're serious about it, too. No "la plume de ma tante" stuff for these folks. I didn't see whether or not they ate live Gagh (worms), though. I wouldn't put it past them, these folks are dedicated.
  
  God bless them all, every obsessive one. Blue-skinned and scaley-skinned and in and out of uniform. And may they all be reincarnated on the planets of their choice. Make it so....more info
• Wow!!
  This is a documentary film about the people that love Star Trek enough to make it a part of their everyday lives. I'm a Star Trek fan. I have all the DVDs including the original series when they were first released several years ago. Before that, I had all the laser discs, and before that I had all the VHS tapes, and before that, I had all the beta tapes of every episode of the original series. When the movies came out, my friend and I played hooky from work to go to the first show on the first day, standing in line for hours. I met an old high school friend standing in line at the fourth movie. He was wearing a copy of Spock's death robe that he made while pausing the third movie on his TV and tracing the Vulcan symbols and then replicating them on this long black robe. It was facinating. I go to the conventions too. I don't dress up, but I can quote numbers, titles, and lines from all of the original series.
  
  Anyway, I love this movie. If you are a fan, you must have this DVD. If you know a fan and you don't understand, you have to watch this DVD. It is absolutely fascinating. There's a whole world of Trekkies and Trekkers out there and you can get as involved as you want to.
  ...more info
• great documentary
  This film covers the "dark" side, so to speak, of Star Trek fans. Or so I thought until I saw it a second time. The weird, obsessive, and utterly bizarre are on display in this movie. But through it all this is a big thank you to Trekkies. It talks about the path of how the convention phenomena started. It goes over what Star Trek means to people. But it also revels in the truly bizarre. You have normal fans on display. But obsessive fans just make better entertainment. In my opinion, the documentary does not denigrate these fans. A lot of these people are just comfortable being themselves and like being Trekkies. More power to them.

  I have to say the sections regarding Star Trek porn, etc. serve two purposes. They titilate. They make an interesting film. If the film had normal people in it, it would not be that special. Secondly, if you have to cover the range of fans you have to cover the normal to the bizarre. To the film's credit it did not totally dwell on the bizarre.

  The film is wonderfully crafted. It is generally upbeat, but it changes tones on occasion. I highly recommend it for any Star Trek fan, sociology classes, or anyone interested in a good film. One of the better documentaries I have ever seen....more info

• Star Trekkin', across the universe...
  This is not a typical film documentary. It is an attempt to go where no one has gone before - into the mindset of the Trekkie, the kind of fan of Star Trek (in one or more of its various incarnations), those people who populate the world of the Sci-Fi convention, stand in line to be the first to see new feature films while wearing Vulcan ears or Klingon uniforms, and can always tell you the points of discontinuity in the shows.

  I remember once upon a time when William Shatner was a guest on `Saturday Night Live', one of the `alternative' comedy shows in America, when he played himself at one such Sci-Fi convention, poking fun at people who live in their parents' basements at the age of 40, spending their time trying to decipher codes and learning the Klingon language.

  One of the feature stars of this documentary is Denise Crosby, who ironically played one of the few Star Trek major characters to be killed - as the documentary points out, you could almost invariably tell who was going to be killed (un-named red-shirt guard beaming down to a hostile planet), and were reasonably sure that the major characters, though they might die, will be resurrected again before the episode is done. In some ways, Crosby's character of Tasha Yar was resurrected, although not as a regular character.

  Here we enter into the world of people like Barbara Adams, `the Commander', a woman who was highlighted on the national news in the United States for being picked for the jury for various Clinton offenses, and insisted upon wearing her Star Trek uniform to court. Silly as it sounds, she had her own sense of integrity, and one of the things that has consistently been praised about Star Trek is its hope in humanity and integrity of the key players in the science fiction drama.

  Also highlighted were the dentists who turned their office into a Star Trek exhibit, and dressed also in uniforms to tend to their patients - such surroundings tended to make those nervous about dentistry more at ease.

  In 1997, the internet was still very much in its infancy - the ideas of everyone having websites of their own was quite a way off, but Star Trek with its focus on technology for the future was already part of the growing world-wide computer system. Bulletin Boards, chat rooms and listservs galore were dedicated to the theme of Star Trek, and that is highlighted here.

  Various of the original series cast members were interviewed and talked about their surprise at the after-the-fact success of this three-year series that was cancelled so long ago. The first convention, to which they were invited, was thought to be a small affair, but it ended up being packed, standing room only, lines around the block. The phenomenon of Star Trek was established, and it was this fan base dedication that prompted Paramount to release the first feature film, and continue the franchise with the television series of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which did its best to incorporate as many of the original cast members along the way. DeForest Kelly, as McCoy, was on the first episode; later episodes would include Leonard Nimoy as Spock and James Doohan as Scotty; the bridge-film Star Trek:Generations provided a link with Chekov (Walter Koenig), Uhuru (Nichelle Nichols) and Kirk (William Shatner).

  Cast and crew from the original series, the films and the Next Generation series were included in this documentary, as well as some members of the spin-offs Deep Space Nine and Voyager (this was prior to the current, beleaguered series Enterprise). Majel Barrett gave touching and humourous stories about Gene Roddenberry, her husband, the creator of the series and power that kept the vision alive and consistent, including confirming that Roddenberry's ashes were taken aboard the space shuttle. `Outside notables' such as astronaut Buzz Aldrin and author/newsanchor Robert MacNeill provided glimpses of how the Star Trek phenomenon affected the world beyond it, including the first NASA space shuttle being christened `Enterprise'.

  Often hilarious, sometimes hysterical, particularly with the almost cultic devotion bestowed upon the object of adoration that some seem to have, this film looks at life as a Trekkie with a loving eye - those who take Klingon language classes and join their own `starships' as crew members are not ridiculed or mocked. This is a fun film, and is not intended to be serious documentary; issues such as timelines of series and showcases of particular production issues is left out in favour of the more incidental, and often more human, aspects.

  One of the common themes of the actors is their surprise not only of the success of the series and film after its cancellation, but the dramatic impact it made on all of their lives. James Doohan was forever Scotty after the series, so much so it became a running theme - the line in Star Trek IV of McCoy to Scotty, when Scotty was `playing' a visiting professor - `Don't lose yourself in the part!' was but one of many inside jokes. Nichelle Nichols being told by Martin Luther King, Jr. that she could not quit the role as she had become a symbol to African Americans is another interesting part of Trek lore.

  This is a film that inspires a lot of emotion in Trek fans (not the least being the continuing definitional battle between `Trekkie' and `Trekker'). Love it or hate it, it is now part of the greater corpus of Star Trek media.

  The film ends on a bizarre note, with a host of stand-up comedians running through a series of jokes about Star Trek and Star Trek fans. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; to become the object of comedy shows that one's establishment is fairly secure....more info

• Funny stuff
  I like the original Trek series for the camp value, and the occasionally great scripts in the early shows. The new series never did much for me.
  That said, I found this hilarious and weirdly touching. Sad that so many millions base their lives around loving an old tv show, but hey, it beats being a puppet of organized religion or the military and hating and killing people you don't know, so wtf.
  Some hilarious moments here. Get it for any trekkies you know....more info
• Hilarious and horrifying simultaneously
  This is far and away the most jaw-dropping documentary I've ever seen. As a portrait of obsession, it leaves even "Burden of Dreams" in the dust. You don't have to know anything about "Star Trek" to be moved and appalled by this human freak show. (There is no condescension in that statement. We are all freaks in one way or another, as Diane Arbus illustrated. These people simply wear their alienation on the outside, sometimes as actual Starfleet uniforms, where it can be filmed by a camera. One could argue, as some of them do, that this is a more honest and courageous way to live.)

  My only reservation about this film (which doesn't detract from its "entertainment" value - although there is much more than entertainment to gleaned from it) is the unsettling feeling - also found in the Maylses Brother's controversial "Grey Gardens" - that the documentarian is exploiting the naivete of his subject. (This happens all the time in print journalism, of course - as Janet Malcolm pointed out in her book "The Journalist and The Murderer" - but it's more disturbing in film for some reason, perhaps because the victim is right there in front of you.) The "trekkers" pour out their peculiar little hearts to Denise Crosby - a flesh-and-blood emissary from their dream universe! - as they would to no one else, apparently having no idea that she regards them with, at best, bemused tolerance and, at worst, anxious repugnance....more info

• Interesting film
  in a documentary sort of way, but the undercurrent borders on pathetic. Even if you're a major Star Trek fan, you really want to tell most of the people in this film (other than the series' stars, who have moved on) that they truly need to get a life.
  ...more info
• An entertaining, but so-so documentary
  I am not a fan of Star Trek, nor have I watched any of the movies or many episodes of any of the series; I'm not even sure how many there are. I am familiar with many of the characters, the actors who portray them on TV and in the movies, and, largely thanks to Futurama, I have some knowledge of the world of Trekkies. This is a film documenting Trekkie culture and life.
  
  I locate Star Trek fandom and subculture alongside Stars Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and those who participate in anime "cosplay" (a term formed by slamming together "costume" and roleplay"). Trekkies tend to entrench their lives within the context of the Star Trek narrative, merging their reality with Gene Roddenberry's fantasies. For some, it's as simple as wearing Star Trek uniforms outside of convention settings, forming groups, holding meetings, and speaking with the terminology and languages borrowed from the series and movies. For others, it's hard to tell where Star Trek ends and real life begins.
  
  James Doohan (Scotty) is by far the most endearing of the cast who appear in this documentary. His recounting of a life-changing event with a fan is particularly moving. Leonard Nimoy is both amused by Trekkies and grateful for the success that the show has afforded him. Patrick Stewart doesn't appear in the film at all, not even in archival footage. Cast member responses to Star Trek are as varied as fan responses.
  
  I have a feeling that the film is not altogether unbiased. There are moments when fans make self-criticizing statements, seemingly without a hint of irony. There are some suspicious editing techniques as well. I don't think the film explicitly mocks Trekkies, but it does suggest that all Trekkies exhibit extreme and strange behavior. And so, yes, this is a documentary about Trekkies, but it's not about the millions of Star Trek fans who watch reruns of the show in jeans and a T-shirt.
  ...more info
• An Interesting Subculture
  Although I've watched many of the countless episodes of the original Star Trek and all of its spin-offs, as well as viewed most of the films, I wouldn't consider myself a big fan of Star Trek. Outside of the major characters and a few of the ships, I don't remember many names of planets, alien races, etc. As a matter of fact I really didn't have much interest in watching this film until I happened upon it one day on cable.
  
  It honestly amazed me at how serious some people take this juggernaut that is "Star Trek." Some of the folks documented here seemed to be pretty normal, excepting the fact that they carry a phaser around with them. Others were just a little bit too serious for my taste, such as the lady who is addressed by her rank of "commander" at work and the man who has flirted with the idea of getting Vulcan ear implants.
  
  With that stated, however, there are plenty of people out there who obsess over other things a little too much as well. For instance, lots of kids dress up like the pop queen flavor of the month. Tons of folks as of this writing are walking around with "West Coast Choppers" clothing on but have never even touched a bike before. Also, there are plenty of fans of reality shows right now who have their favorite "Survivor" or castaway, etc. The one thing that separates "trekkies" and "trekkers" from this bunch is that most of them stick with Star Trek for their entire lives.
  
  Soon enough, West Coast Choppers will be a fleeting memory and all of the people who think it is cool right now will be wearing some other T-Shirt or cap. Pop princesses will go out of style and end up in the pages of Playboy. The same goes for some reality TV stars. Though "Survivor" and many of its copiers are still around, they are beginning to take heavy ratings losses. But unlike those things, "Star Trek" continues to pull in fans and followers. I'm pretty sure that someone dressed like a Klingon will be going to a convention twenty years from now. I'm also sure that West Coast Choppers gear will be replaced by that trusty ol' Harley Davidson jacket.
  
  In other words, fads come and go, but much like Harley Davidson, Boston Red Sox lovers/haters, and Elvis, Star Trek lives forever. I won't be carrying the torch for Trek, but I'm not going to sit here and pick at "trekkies" for being what they are. At least they're devoted to something, and they don't try
  to latch on to the latest trends or fads. What they have is special, and though I might find it a little weird, you have to respect them for being true to themselves.
  
  As for this movie, it is an interesting look into the lives of some very different and unique people. Most of them are extremely intelligent and have sought out occupations in the scientific arena. What's so weird about that? Although I still sometimes wonder what is going through some of these peoples' minds, I have to admit that I do appreciate them a little more now than I did before.
  
  ...more info
• From One of the Stars
  I may be biased as a member of the cast of hundreds, but Trekkies is one of the most entertaining glimpses into the lives of Trekkies I have ever seen. In fact it is the only glimpse I have ever seeen. As an avid Star Trek fan, who was born and raised on all forms of Trek, I would recomend this film to anyone who loves the genre, or who just loves to make fun of the genre. Look for me as the Klingon singing along, and enjoy this hilarious look into the lives of fans and those fascinated by the fans of Star Trek....more info
• Honest look at the phenomenon
  A straight forward no, nonsense peek into the phenomenon of Star Trek fanaticism. Denise Crosby, presents a fairly unbiased look at the world of the Star Trek fan. Viewers can make up his or her own mind as to whether it's all in good fun, or that some of these people aren't "working with all thrusters".
  Essentially it is a collection interviews with fans at conventions as well as interviews with all the major cast members.

  As a documentary it is somewhat loosely put together. Let's just say it won't win any academy awards for best documentary.

  This DVD--licensed by Paramount-- and therefore, as usual overpriced is a low budget documentary which the studio clearly aimed at the die-hard fan willing to pay anything....more info

• An excellent mix of humor, history and ST culture
  Brilliantly edited documentary of the Star Trek phenomenon. Being a Star Trek fan helps the viewer understand some of the more discrete "inside" jokes, but thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless. The editor(s) has done a superb job of mixing the stories and interviews so the viewer transistions between laughing, slapping their foreheads in disbelief, and the occasional stark realization of just how influential Start Trek is in our culture....more info
• Where no fan has gone before...
  "Trekkies" is a fun,affectionate documentary about dedicated Trekkies. Denise Crosby (related to Bing,who starred as Tasha Yar) narrates. It's a whimsical travelogue in the world of Star Trek fandom. These Trekkies not only collect the movies- they want to live as members of the Federation of Planets on Earth.
  
  There's the Whitewater juror who came every day to the trial in her Star Trek uniform. There are people who study Klingon. There's a dentist whose office looks straight off the Enterprise. Denise Crosby and Brent Spiner (Data) are surprised-and a little flattered- when they discover erotic depictions of their characters. (We also learn that Spiner is a Texan,complete with Southern drawl) Slash fiction gets an interesting sidenote. A middle-aged woman,with her face shaded as if she were in the Witness Protection Program,talks about writing erotic stories about the escapades of Kirk and Spock. Times have changed. One wonders if,thanks to Frodo&Sam,Capt. Jack Sparrow&Will Turner,as well as Angel&Spike,this woman would've been "out and proud."
  
  "Trekkies" is an enjoyable excursion into the Star Trek subculture. Pop in the dilithium crystals, hit warp speed, sit back and enjoy!...more info
• One of the greatest documenteries out there!!!
  Many years ago I saw this for the first time and LOVED it. Eventually I bought it and it gets better with every watch. I'm not a huge fan of the Star Trek world (although I do like the shows/movies), but this DVD gives you a major look at the Trekkie community. At first it'll make you laugh but when you think about it, it's no different then the community of sports fanatic (Go Flyers!)....more info
• Live Long, And Prosper.......
  I have to admit it. I AM A TREKKIE! There. I said it. Having said that, I was extremely anxious about the release of the documentary, Trekkies. I thought it was just going to be one continuous insult of those of us who are dedicated Star Trek fans. To borrow a phrase from another reviewer, Boy, was I wrong.

  I am one of those Trekkies who will wear his uniform anywhere(I've worn it to work, conventions, and to the premiere of Star Trek: First Contact), and so, hearing of the WhiteWater juror didn't bug me at all. I mean, if she was a soldier or a policewoman, nobody would have said a word.

  I will admit, I found the guy who said he wanted to have his ears surgically altered to Vulcan points a little far-out, but, it's all in good fun. Hey, Trekkies like us are no different than the people who went nuts over those four guys from Liverpool, back in the 1960's. The movie does a wonderful job of demonstrating that, yes, although Trekkies do some weird things(like wearing Starfleet uniforms in public), we're generally just like everybody else. We just have a hobby, and take it to the extreme.

  I would definitely recommend this movie, not only to so-called "normal" fans, but to anyone interested in seeing how this series has impacted not only television, but the American psyche as a whole. It's great fun, and, you might actually learn something....more info

• Funny but not cruel
  With the emergence of reality tv and Michael Moore's ambush documentaries, the documentary format has taken a beating. Instead of using the real moments in a phenomenon to weave together a story, some documentarians have delivered "look at the freaks" mockeries, indistinguishable from the mockumentaries that once parodied but now imitate. Even good documentaries like American Movie will fall into the "aren't my subjects so funny in their stupid ways" trap.

  By contrast, Trekkies presents a subculture subject to much mockery but never mocks them. The director isn't capturing his subjects at their most foolish. Yes, decorating a dentist office to look like the Enterprise or wearing the uniform to work is a bit weird, but the director doesn't play up the weirdness so much as allow the individual Trekkies to present themselves as themselves. Nygard avoids the wretched stereotypes (dateless, maniacal, obsessed) and presents intelligent, likeable, obsessed people who have enough insight to know that their hobby is silly, but they have fun with it.

  Much of the skill comes from the omissions. Nygard doesn't dwell too long on either the fan fiction or the Trekker/Trekkie debates. The less sane examples of fandom get a few minutes on screen and no more. Everyone has encountered the self-righteous humorless geek without a shred of insight. I'm certain Nygard met a lot of them in research. His unwillingness to use them is a sign of respect that anyone with a geeky obsession can appreciate.

  The one exception is the obnoxious 14-year old kid. He complains about the deficiencies in a uniform that someone worked very hard to make for him. He yells at his friend calling him on the phone because he's busy. He uses many impressive words whose pronunciations elude him. In a lesser director's documentary, he would have been a horrible stereotype. Nygard gives him enough screen time to come off as sympathetic. You might laugh at him but only because he reminds you of yourself at that age. If you find his Web site, you'll see an introduction indicating that he's rather embarrassed and chagrined . He need not be since all 14-year olds are horrible and he was at least interesting. (Besides part of the reason why I'm looking forward to the sequel is to see him as a grown up.)

  The only caveat is the presence of the Trek people. Some of them provide interesting insights while most of them just rehash the same old interviews from Star Trek programs past - including the tired old story about the actress playing Uhuru meeting Martin Luther King jr. Denise Crosby does a workable hosting job but many of her reaction shots undercut the respect the movie has for the fans. On the other hand, that Data/Tasha Yar picture was a bit much....more info

• Trekkies
  This is probably a must see for Trekkies, or Trekkers, or whatever. Or simply for anyone who remembers the series and wonders what all the fuss is about. As I write this (May 2004) a sequel, TREKKIES 2, is being released....more info
• Good looking kling on
  I think the best way to describe all of our youthful activities for the most part as akward..it is true of these folks.. They include some of the funniest moments ever caught on tape. I told you not to call here, we are busy! Good stuff. Great doc. Buy it!...more info
• A Respectful, Yet Light Hearted Look At Star Trek Fandom
  "Trekkies" does an admirable job treating "Star Trek" fans with much dignity and respect, as it explores the cultural phenomenom that is "Star Trek". Still, it is one of the funniest films I've seen in years. One wonders whether most of the "Star Trek" fans interviewed by actress Denise Crosby should heed William Shatner's "Saturday Night Live" advice: "Go get a life!" Among the most unintentionally hilarious segments are those of a Little Rock, Arkansas woman who dressed up as a Star Fleet Lieutenant Commander while serving on special US prosecutor Kenneth Starr's Whitewater grand jury and a Orlando, Florida dentist who has converted his office into a "Star Trek" shrine. Also rewarding are hearing the reactions of various "Star Trek" cast members towards fans. This is an absolute must for anyone interested in trying to understand the "Star Trek" phenomenom....more info