Case of Indigestion, A
About the Story
Noir films emerged in the United States in 1940s. The storylines usually involve crime investigations with flashbacks and voiceovers. Noir films are known for flawed, cynical main characters including detectives and femme fatales. Stark lighting and dramatic shadows define the fatalistic, pessimistic noir visual style and mood. Famous noir films include The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, and Double Indemnity.
The science fiction TV series, Star Trek, ran from 1966 to 1969. In it, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise travel through the Milky Way exploring planets and alien cultures. At first, TV executives urged Gene Roddenberry, the show’s creator, to get rid of the character Spock because they thought he looked satanic. The stock “redshirt” character―who wears a red shirt and is always killed off―became a fan favorite. Several episodes were set on planets that conveniently look like Earth so that the show could reuse props, costumes, and sets. The episode, “The Trouble with Tribbles,” features small furry aliens that have a penchant for reproducing en masse.
