Sci-fi fans orbit Saturn Awards

Duncan bench-pressing a Volkswagen, unable to attend ceremony

By DAVID JAY LASKY

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George Barris arrives in his Munsters car for the Saturn Awards.

 

HOLLYWOOD -- Tim Allen couldn't be there, but his "Galaxy Quest" co-stars the Thermians, made it to the Saturn Awards where they accepted his acting kudos for him.

The Park Hyatt Hotel event Tuesday to honor science fiction and fantasy films was beamed up on the Internet for the first time via Dean Devlin's Centropolis, scifi.com and mothership.com.

Batmobile creator George Barris, who arrived in the Munsters' coach he also built several years ago, received a lifetime achievement award as did Dick Van Dyke.

Peter Fonda, who presented Barris his award, said, "I'm a big fan of science fiction films. What's real science fiction though is remaking 'Easy Rider.' "

Frank Darabont accepted the supporting actor award for Michael Clarke Duncan, joking, "He's bench-pressing a Volkswagen." Meanwhile, Haley Joel Osment's kudo for younger actor was accepted by his equally precocious sister, Emily, who was a hit with the aud. Among the honorees were Richard Donner, recipient of the President's Award for his prolific career, and Douglas Wick the George Pal Memorial Award. Best sci-fi pic was "The Matrix," fantasy, "Being John Malkovich"; horror, "The Sixth Sense"; and action-adventure-thriller, "The Green Mile."

Talking about their favorite horror and sci-fi pics, Katherine Helmond said, "Invasion of the 'Body Snatchers' still gives me the creeps," producer Wick enjoyed "Nightmare on Elm Street," and Devlin admitted he's "not a big slasher fan" but "grew up a Trekkie because my mother was on 'Star Trek.' "