Originally published at: This Star Trek-spolitation film from Turkey is far out (1973) | Boing Boing
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WOW! Do people really know about Turist Ömer Uzay Yolunda? As a Turkish person, I am very proud! Turist Ömer is one of the most iconic characters of the old Turkey. He even made into some of our everyday expressions. YAY 
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Full disclosure: Not only have I watched this Star Trek-spolitation film, I have an electronic copy of it on my computing devices. I thought it would be best to get the truth out in the open before any harsh accusations are made that may jeopardize my bids for Super King of Earth (Super Regem Terrae) and/or Pope™. Thank you. No further questions.
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Seanbaby (who did much to popularize the better-known Turkish Star Wars) did a number on this one, but I can’t seem to find the original article.
Oddly enough, though…
ETA: Aha!
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I am curious why Turkey, specifically, made so many ripoff films featuring properties like Star Trek, Batman, Captain America, etc. I know there have been knock-off films in many countries, but Turkey seems to have cranked out a lot of them. Didn’t the original producers try to sue? Or couldn’t one do that in 1973? Enquiring minds would like to know.
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The way I see it, it was done with the purpose of just seeing what would come out from a fusion of Turkish and Western culture. Kinda like Tin Tin comics, you know? Take Turist Ömer, for instance. How would Turist Ömer, a very beloved and pointedly Turkish character, fit into an episode of Star Trek? How would he react? How would he interact with the characters? Thus, intentionally or not, exploring the Turkish people’s relationship with the “outlandish” nature of Western\European societies.
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I get that. I was thinking more along market/copyright lines. Even in 1973 an American production company couldn’t have got away with producing a Batman or Star Trek movie without either paying a license fee in advance or getting their ass sued after the film came out. Was the “intellectual property” madness that is so common nowadays limited to the USA back then? Or was international communication so limited that Turkish producers could make these things without Paramount or Warner etc. finding out?
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I haven’t looked into the copyright laws of that time, but I assume they didn’t take them that seriously? I mean, they don’t make one-to-one remake of the movies, they kinda make a parody of them.
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The Google translation of the Turkish subtitles are the best part.
Spock: “But you people have a different size. Does our possession make it angry at night?”
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We like your drones.
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He shows up in the book Mondo Macabro by Peter Toombs. As do a lot of international oddball characters.
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I think the latter. Turkish movies were so limited in distribution internationally that few knew about it outside of there. The IP lawyers weren’t paying attention. This was before VCRs and before the major Turkish diaspora (late 70’s to early 80’s) coinciding with “guestworker” programs in Western Europe.
The movie didn’t get much notice here until it showed up on grey market videotapes as a novelty.
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Despite my not understanding a single thing they said, it was a little funny when Omer had an electrode connected to his hat.
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Excellent book. I think the book may have offered an explanation as to why Turkey was so loose with copyright, but I don’t have my copy at hand to check.
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I think you could say the same for banner advertising in developing countries. I see vinyl banners all the time here in Tijuana, and it’s like…hey, isn’t that Megan Fox?
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So do we!
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This sounds almost as good as Brazilian Star Wars!
(I say that with affection, as someone who grew up on Os Trapalhões in the 80s in Brazil).
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