TrekWeb.com - Chris Pine Says New Movie Will Not Please Everyone, Zachary Quinto on Spock

Chris Pine Says New Movie Will Not Please Everyone, Zachary Quinto on Spock

By GustavoLeao / 05:10, 5 January 2009 / Star Trek: Nemesis

The Wall Street Journal posted a new interview with Star Trek movie stars Chris Pine (Kirk) and Zachary Quinto (Spock) and here are a few excerpts of the article.

Chris Pine

WSJ: J.J. Abrams has said he's making the movie for future fans, not necessarily veterans. What's he doing to freshen the story that might rattle Trek fans?

Mr. Pine: I'm not well-versed in the Trek canon, but we're venturing into territory that's only been covered in these paperback novels they sell. It's definitely not going to please everyone. There's a scene where my character is in a bar and he's definitely inebriated and under the influence of his own arrogance. It's him becoming the Kirk everyone knows. In my book that makes the journey a little more interesting. If he's a clear-cut leader from the beginning, you don't have anywhere to go.

Why has this character become so mythic?

Kirk is still a little elusive to me. But what I think is so unique about this story is that, unlike other genre movies, "Star Trek" has always represented an incredible amount of optimism. In the late '60s, in a time of unrest, it represented this utopian world. As opposed to "The Dark Knight," which I enjoyed, but was so bleak and didn't speak kindly of humanity. Kirk is so iconic because he's the head of this fantastical utopian team. They aren't superheroes, they're men and women trying to achieve something good.

A lot has been made of the differences you bring to the Kirk character, but what aspects of the original did you keep?

There's a lot of humor, arrogance and decisiveness. I tried to bring in these qualities, but with this new element of a young man coming into his own -- he's a leader who doesn't know he's a leader yet. But the speech pattern? Absolutely not. In that territory it becomes an impersonation. I can only do my version of it.

Zachary Quinto

What things did Leonard Nimoy tell you about Spock to help you understand him?

Mr Quinto: It's been such an indelible mark on his life and he's metabolized it so gracefully. We spent some time watching episodes but it was an all encompassing experience. We'd go to his house. We'd meet sometimes at Paramount. I'm seeing him before the holidays. He's an advanced mind and heart and I want to hang out with him as much as possible.

A lot has been made of the differences you bring to the Spock character, but what aspects of the original did you keep?

Especially with Spock, more so than Kirk, there are characteristic movements. It's established in the mythology, this stillness and economy of movement. There are ways one holds oneself, such as the hands behind the back.

Why has this character become so mythic?

In this archetypal way, people respond to someone who's able to contain himself. He operates from a place of logic, but always with the betterment of others in mind. He's able to endure things and experience things from a place of balance.

More from Pine and Quinto on Star Trek can be found at the full interview.

23 comments Post New | Help

RE: I think Chris gets it.... | Report this post to moderator
By: Sam Cogley (Odo's file, contact) @ 05:55:23 on Jan 06, 2009

Don't forget, Spock was much more emotional in "The Cage," so maybe they're going with the angle that he hasn't quite managed to bring his human half under control yet.

--------

Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying,
And dying to me dont sound like all that much fun...
-John Mellencamp

Political tags-such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth-are never basic criteria.
The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire.
-Robert A. Heinlein

Samuel T. Cogley, Attorney at Law

Quote

Parent

Top

RE: I think Chris gets it.... | Report this post to moderator
By: OV-101 (Odo's file, contact) @ 16:06:35 on Jan 05, 2009

Quote:
It's like taunting an alocholic about whether he wants to do shots. It's in poor taste if you ever actually got the guy to drink and got him plastered and sent back to rehab. Am I making any sense?

Totally. I only hope that it is not out of spite. I hope it is in more in line with TOS' "The Paradise Syndrome", where Kirk has to piss off Spock to kill the mean nasty, great feeling, spores. It was a tool and not just a meanless jabb. I don't want to see too much, as Data would say, petty bickering. Ok, maybe between Spock and Bones but that's it!! There were episodes in the TNG era that made out Vulcans to be jerks. For one, DS9's "Take Me Out To the Holsuite" was the best example I can think of. There was the other, episode name escapes me, in S7 where Ezri discovers a Vulcan assassin/sniper. Interesting episode but it sure put some hints into what was to come in Enterprise. I wonder?

Great point about Karl. I didn't think how hard it would be to be Dr. McCoy. He was a very complex character, indeed. I always found the good Doc to be a bit Schitz (sp?). You never know what would piss him off. What I have seen so far I am pretty much pleased with Urban's work. I can get over the accent.

--------

"Life's tough. It's tougher if you're stupid."
-- John Wayne

"Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence."
--Dr. Leonard McCoy

"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

"It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires, both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid."
- Q from Q Who

Quote

Parent

Top

TrekWeb Merchants
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.ca
Amazon.de
Barnes & Noble

	More Top Stories	Comments
Nov 22	Quinto, Urban, Saldana, Cho and Greenwood on Their Hopes for Star Trek XII	2
Nov 22	Exclusive Digital Content Now Available With New Star Trek Movie on iTunes	1
Nov 22	No J.J. Abrams Version of the U.S.S. Enterprise in the Star Trek Online MMORPG	0
Nov 21	Faran Tahir on His 10 Minutes as Captain Robau in J.J. Abrams Star Trek Movie	2
Nov 21	J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman on Shatner and Nimoy	7
	Story Archives...Browse:

RE: I think Chris gets it.... | Report this post to moderator By: Sam Cogley (Odo's file, contact) @ 05:55:23 on Jan 06, 2009

RE: I think Chris gets it.... | Report this post to moderator By: OV-101 (Odo's file, contact) @ 16:06:35 on Jan 05, 2009

RE: I think Chris gets it.... | Report this post to moderator
By: Sam Cogley (Odo's file, contact) @ 05:55:23 on Jan 06, 2009

RE: I think Chris gets it.... | Report this post to moderator
By: OV-101 (Odo's file, contact) @ 16:06:35 on Jan 05, 2009