William Shatner joins Minnesota filmmaker's documentary on "Space: 1999" Eagle Transporter
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota filmmaker is living out some of his childhood dreams while working on a new documentary film, and doing so alongside "Star Trek" star William Shatner.
Jeffrey Morris' "The Eagle Obsession" focuses on his lifelong obsession with space and science fiction. Morris wanted to be an astronaut and was inspired by several sci-fi series of his childhood, especially with the 1970s British series "Space: 1999."
"I was like 7 years old when I saw the show, first time was back in 1975, and it really hit me. You know, the show was set 25 years in the future, so being 1999 I did the math and I'm like, 'OK, I'm going to grow up to live in the world that's in that show, something like that.' The idea of living on the moon, traveling into space, that sort of thing,'" Morris said. "So I think for me and millions of other people around the world, we were all very inspired by not only the real things that were happening with NASA at the time, but also the science fiction shows like 'Star Trek,' 'Space: 1999,' that sort of thing."
Morris says the iconic Eagle Transporter spacecraft featured on "Space: 1999" is the crux of his project.
"Me and like all of my friends, we were all super into this little sci-fi spaceship. And for 50 years, about almost 50 years, we've all like been collecting them and people have been building models of them," he said. "There's even a guy in Denmark who's built an enormous 25-foot one in his backyard that I showcase in the documentary. And the whole point for me was like why do so many people have this obsession with this old sci-fi spaceship? Well, I think it turns out that it's connected to this future that we all thought we were going to grow up to live in."
To tell the story, Morris has gathered all kinds of incredible star power, including real astronauts, and perhaps pop culture's most iconic fake astronaut — the 93-year-old Shatner.
"I am talking to William Shatner next week and talking with Captain Kirk himself, and that's exciting," he said. "So excited to have a chance to meet my childhood heroes and tell the story and not just me, but millions of people around the world have dreamt of the future we haven't seen yet. You know, we are going back to the moon now and it's been over 50 years and it's been exciting to document this."
Part of Morris' documentary is being filmed at a virtual sound stage in Minneapolis, featuring and LED screen to recreate one of the planet environments of "Space: 1999."
He also had a chance to work with fifth-grade students at Blaine's University Avenue Elementary, an aerospace magnet school.
"I showed them the vehicles and everything from the show 50 years ago and they ate it up, they loved it. And I had them design and create their own versions of a spacecraft," he said. "These kids, they are going to grow up to be the next generation of aerospace scientists and astronauts."
Morris is working to raise $100,000 to bring his vision to the big screen, and hopes to debut it at the Toronto Film Festival in 2025, which is also the series' 50th anniversary year.
"I have to tell you that it's overwhelming to interact with people and tell this story, and I am truly honored and humbled to tell the story and get it out there," he said.
