The more J.J. Abrams opens his mouth about this movie not being a "geekfest" the better I feel. I've been a Star Trek fan since 1991. I've seen Trek at its high points (25th anniversary, 30th anniversary), and at its lowest (Voyager-Enterprise/Insurrection-Nemesis). In that time, my experience has consistently shown that the people I've known who were not already fans of the various shows/movies primarily looked at it solely from what they've seen depicted in the media with regards to the typical Star Trek fan (see Shatner's "Get a life" sketch from SNL). To them, Star Trek has always been a supergeeks only club.
Since the teaser that was attached to Cloverfield, on up to the recent release of the new trailer, many of these same people have increasingly expressed interest in the movie, be it because of J.J. Abrams, or that it has Simon Pegg, or Zachary Quinto, or even, much as some of us may hate to see Star Trek described this way, because that new trailer looked badass.
I am hopeful, for the first time in my years as a fan, that people who've never gotten why I am a fan, and who have always seen Star Trek solely as a "geekfest" may just walk into that movie theater, and, even if it's not quite the same Star Trek I've always known and loved, see this movie and say "I get it now." or "That was cool." or something.
How that can possibly be a bad thing, I don't know.
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"You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons."- Blazing Saddles
at this point, I would like to add my own self to the growing list of people who have this to say about JJ Abrams: "Fuck this guy and ___________"
You can fill in the blank. I would recommend some of the following:
-his double talk
-his lame writing team destroyers of Transformers
-Hollywood brattiness
-and his inability to wipe his shoes before
entering the house of Trek
-the guy who gave him the keys to the Enterprise
-and the guy who hired the guy who gave him the
keys to the Enterprise
-his re-boot/re-think/re-hash of Trek
I know that we are facing a significant and -depending on the success/failure of ST:XI -perhaps permanent turn in Trek as we know it. They will never go back to the Trek we know and love if this movie is a success. Trek fans are obviously being marginalized much like an insignificant political party would be after a coalition government has been established. I cannot imagine conventions featuring only these news actors being much a draw to the established fanbase that attend such shows so, cons may eventually be different. Hell, in order to pay less in royalties and likeness fees, we may see Quinto on the cover of a Star Trek book as Spock instead of Nimoy...who knows? The point is that the next time Trek returns to TV (and I am convinced it will happen), we are going to be sorely disppointed: more so than at any other time.
There is only one thng that comforts me in this small but important part of my life: Whatever becomes of this Trek partition - and the outlook is not good - I take comfort in knowing that the old data on this drive is permanent. TOS, TNG, DS9, the weak VOY, TAS ENT, the one or two thousand books et al will not be changed. There are still books to read and episodes to revisit. The Trek we have is an inexhaustable energy source- even the worst of it (which, for me, mean Star Trek IV:TVH). Perhaps that is the real test for this new movie: will it qualify for the special designation that full Trek fans give crappy Trek: 'Even though it sucks, it's still Trek and thus has a place on my shelf.' I pesonally hope that it does because that would eliminate the need for the partition. If it doesn't qualify (it could be great and still not make a damned bit of difference), then it will be a movie completely on the outside and irrelevant, even WITH the inclusion of Nimoy.
In any event, I agree with someone who posted here earlier: the more this guy speaks, the more uneasy I feel.
Quote:
"This is a very funny scene where Kirk is in Uhura's room, watching her undress, and she very quickly realises he's there."
I was actually thinking this was the case regarding that scene. Right before you see Uhura taking off her top, there's a shot of Kirk apparently hiding under a bed, looking like he's someplace he's now supposed to be. And that the scene would be comical rather than sexual.
The sex scene later in the trailer is not Kirk and Uhura, as some have assumed, but Kirk and an Orion :)
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"Take a Romulan chill pill and have some faith!"
-Erik Jendresen, writer of Star Trek: The Beginning
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
-General George S. Patton Jr.
"I am NOT Scorned."
-Scorned as Gage/Gage_2
It's the "talky geekfest" what makes Star Trek what it is. The alternative might be Star Wars full of action and adventure.
J. J. Abrams, (a.k.a. "the Savior of Trek") is a wonderful man. I only now realized why.
Here, for the past months I have thought it was because of his long list of successful shows and other enterprises. I thought it was because of his writing skills and sharp directorial instinct.
I was wrong.
I now realize that J.J. Abrams is, perhaps, an unbelievably tolerant man, a man of patience, a man of true selflessness.
All this time, he has allowed someone like Robert Orci, a man of self-professed passion for things "trekky," to be around him. And not only around him, mind you, but also to participate in discussions and even write scripts for him. I am sure he has even allowed Mr. Orci to openly practice his passion (of course, so long as he didn't force it upon anyone else around him).
Yes, Mr. Abrams is a very gracious man. Here I thought all this time he was simply motivated by a desire to due justice to the history of Star Trek. Now I know how he really feels about the people who paid to keep Star Trek afloat for over 40 years. And yet, despite that, he still let's them around him. That is amazing. Who knows, maybe one day, a fan of Star Trek could become President.
I feel so silly now.
[OK, all satire aside: I have been, and still am, wishing the best on the film and even Abrams. But, you know, even someone like me (an older fellow with alot of life experience and fond memories of Star Trek going back to watching TOS in first run) is getting weary with all the "Hey! Give us a chance!! We're not like 'them.' You know...'THEM.'" I have a thick skin, but I also have a low threshold for condescending comments.]
BTW...
this is really funny. it also is a great example of how movie trailers are not always representative of the movie they are advertising.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAcERijUXp4
b.
this movie could be good. it could be bad. (same writers as transformers is not good. i havent seen any evidence that bob orci could write his way out of a wet paper bag...)
that being said...
this guy (j.j.) needs to stop isulting me.
i enjoy watching star trek. i love it.
when im at home watching an episode of TOS im not a nerd. im not engaging in a geekfest. i am THINKING about serious issues. i am THINKING about people, relationships, and our place in the world.
and any way you look at it the best episodes of star trek revolve around great scenes with two people in a room together TALKING about a serious situation and turning it upside down, giving the viewer a new perspective on a human issue.
so...
quit talking so much smack.
he acts like all star trek is bad.
like it is a disease.
i dont appreciate it. im sure he doesnt care.
just come see me when LOST starts making some kind of sense and it quits looking like you are making it up as you go.
this movie may be good for what it is.
but it will be something completely different.
if you look at it like that then...
just quit insulting star trek in order to sell star trek to people who arent going to like star trek anyway. this is a thinking persons show. it is about thinking.
and TALKING.
p.s.
if there is one character like that of john tuturro's transformers character in this movie then you have ruined the whole thing. i am scared of the writers more than anything. with reason I.M.H.O.
b.
I really need to stop reading articles about Abrams. The more he opens his mouth, the more uneasy I feel over this movie.
Love to find out how Kirk ends up in Uhura's quarters. Lucky duck ;)
I agree, no "GEEKFEST!"
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"Life's tough. It's tougher if you're stupid."
-- John Wayne
"In the counsels of Government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the Military Industrial Complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together."
--Dwight D. Eisenhower Farewell Address, 1961
"I'm a politician, which means I am a cheat and a liar, and when I am not kissing babies I am stealing their lollipops."
-- Jeffrey Pelt, The Hunt for Red October
"Liberals, Intellectuals, Peacemongers, IDIOTS!!!!"
- General Decker, Mars Attacks
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