Star Trek XI Could Save Trek

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Permalink Reply by Mike on July 6, 2008 at 10:08pm

Unfortunately, you're probably right. Ever get the feeling that Paramount is trying like hell to drive a stake through Trek's heart?

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Permalink Reply by Zero Kid on July 6, 2008 at 10:33pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't TMP origionally plotted to be the opening episode of the never-launched Phase II series? It wasn't the best, I agree on that, but it did put everything back in motion some 10 years later. Above all else, I'm anticipating seeing this, where as I've never seen any of the movies in theates on the count of my age and etc.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on July 6, 2008 at 11:15pm

In the early 70s, Roddenberry sold a pilot called Genesis II to CBS. It got good ratings and was green lit to go to series, but at the last minute was dropped in favor of Planet Of The Apes (which bombed). When the time came to do TMP, they were so rushed that they just dusted off an old Genesis II script and retooled it for Star Trek.
VERY convoluted history!

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Permalink Reply by Dan on July 13, 2008 at 12:54am

Lets hope. I am looking forward to seeing it.

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Permalink Reply by Dave on July 13, 2008 at 1:39am

While I am a big fan of the original, seeing the actors chosen for the parts I am looking forward to seeing the movie. I have hope that they will do justice to the original. The only thing that worried me at first was Spock, but seeing the actor's ability to pull off cold logic (albeit psycho logic) even there I have a glimmer of hope. As far as Batman... yeah they kinda frakked that up with Batman and Robin... The two Keaton Batman movies were fun and dark, and actually to me had a believable hero in the quiet and somewhat shy millionaire, and the self assured forceful persona of Batman. That was lost with the Kilmer Batman, and that was too bad, in my humble opinion.

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Permalink Reply by T'Bree on July 13, 2008 at 5:32pm

I just hope they don't morph these well-known characters into something they aren't. If they pretty much keep them in tune to the originals and just take the universe itself into "new" territory then there is a big chance the retoole or reboot or re-imagining (a rose by any other name . . .) will rekindle the flame. But it needs to be a powerhouse story, something some of the later movies lacked.

My biggest fear is what's been termed Trek fatigue. I'm dubious they've left enough time in between series to allow the potential audience to feel honest withdrawls, if you will. One reason the TOS movies on the whole were so successful is the Time factor. Ten years passed with no Trek, only a few books to keep us warm at night. And -- they allowed the characters themselves to age, along with the majority of the audience. The same actors played the characters' older selves and we could relate to that change.

The "powers that be" are being rather cunning and smart about this latest venture, inasmuch as they've employed our well-known and beloved Spock, as his elder self, to be a part of this storyline to help launch the new cast -- if indeed they have any future plans at all to further the franchise. Whose to say? This could be a one-shot!

It is my fervent hope that we don't suddenly have several Spocks, Kirks and McCoys, et al, running around Tinsel Town, as in the case of the Batman films, for instance, as too many interpretations of the roles will muddle the characters and that is not good at all.

A friend suggested this new and latest recasting is not unlike the many who have participated in a Shakespearean play. I beg to differ with him on this point -- to be cast in a Shakespearean play while it allows for some interpretive bursts of creativity due to directing, etc., there is a script to follow. Romeo calls to Juliette and she comes out to the balcony and they have this great romantic scene.

Those writing Trek "anew" if you will, have no such hard and fast "script" to follow, as it were, to act as a stabilizing factor. Trek will be different from this point forward. There is nothing that says a balcony scene even has to happen or that certain words of affection need be uttered at all.

That, on its face, doesn't mean it will automatically be a bad thing. I'm just worried about those first 79 stories that have persisted for 40 plus years being made null and void in favor of this so-called New Trek.

However, not to worry your heads about it. I shall purchase my ticket and be in that queque to see Star Trek XI, nonetheless, with as open a mind as is humanly possible. And I'm guessing a lot of my fellow skeptics will be overrun with morbid curiosity and will, albeit cloaked in a disguise to hide their identities, come out to see it for themselves. Let's hope so.

For then and only then can we truly debate its merits!

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Permalink Reply by Gal XE Questr on July 31, 2008 at 1:55am

I've never believed in the "Trek fatigue" theory. Those years were never without the everlasting reruns of the show. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder", if it's EVER true, certainly doesn't apply here. Have you ever met a fan of any movie or book who didn't see or read it over and over? It's that continued experience that keeps a fan emotionally involved. And that's going to keep the previous shows from being "nullified", as well. This reboot just gives us a chance at a new view of the old story. And new eyes will see it, too, I hope. I know I don't want it to fade away with us old folks.

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Permalink Reply by T'Bree on July 31, 2008 at 10:35am

While reruns of the original Star Trek abounded planetside, you still had to live in a region where it was running. Not all of us had the privilege of seeing it during that entire ten year span. I caught it in the early 70s, where I fell in the love with the crew and the show. But by the mid-70s when my new hubby joined the Navy and we got stationed in another state, there was no Star Trek to be had. (In fact, I ended up buying the VHS version of the entire original series in the late 80s because it still wasn't being played where I lived -- which was within the L.A. broadcast area at that time!)

Many of us were primed and ready for it to return to the screen -- large or small.

However, once the spin-off series began the quality of the shows deteriorated. And the series began to overlap. I don't think that did the franchise any good. There is a certain amount of fatigue since the theme didn't vary enough and unfortunately, the writing wasn't as sharp. It's kind of like having three CSI versions on TV now. I only watch the original one. The other two don't intrigue me enough, since mostly, beyond a new cast of characters only the venue has changed. Yawn.

So, I beg to differ with you. While we haven't grown fatigued at the idea of Star Trek, the newer incarnations have left a lot to be desired. I just hope this new movie can spark our imaginations and provide some real inspiration once again.

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Permalink Reply by databrent on July 13, 2008 at 6:38pm

Well, I'm standing in line already (at least in my mind *g*), and I very, very seriously hope and wish that ST XI will save the Star Trek franchise. I haven't seen any of the films you're talking about in your post (I don't like "Batman" and "James Bond" either....lol), and I'm not all sure that one can even compare them with Star Trek. All I know is that I want Star Trek to come back to TV. I don't really care for movies that much. I'd give away any movie for a new St series!!! *sigh*

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Permalink Reply by Zero Kid on July 13, 2008 at 8:59pm

Same here on all parts.

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Permalink Reply by Gal XE Questr on July 31, 2008 at 1:18am

I kind of agree with you about TV, mostly because movies come and go so quickly, now, that they don't have time to make a dent in the public consciousness. They make a splash, if they're lucky, and then they're history. TV shows have a chance to grow on you, the way The Original Series did way back when. That needs to happen again if the franchise is to continue.

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Permalink Reply by Skoobie San on July 14, 2008 at 1:41am

I can only hope you're right. Everything from Voyager to the last couple of movies and the Enterprise series made me feel alienated from Star Trek for awhile. They killed Data???? OMG! He was my favorite TNG character. Borgs and Humans working together to eliminate a species??? WTF??? Klingons pre TOS with ridged foreheads???

I can only hope that someone up on high is looking at where the franchise has failed, and learn that when going into the past of an already existing universe, they shouldn't try to "reinvent the wheel", and take new freedoms with the time line, but instead, stick to the tried and true formula, keep to canon, even design the sets to feel more like that era. Follow what has been established through past story lines. I just hope Paramount doesn't break my heart and make me wish I didn't have my favorite tattoo.

I'll probably end up buying it anyway, and watching it until I like it, much like Metallica's St. Anger album. Didn't like it at all when I first heard it, but I already bought it, and just played it and played it, until I could see some good in it.

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