Consider if you will JJ Abrams. In the new issue of Star Trek Magazine, Abrams still won’t talk details on Star Trek XI, but did discuss how he thinks Trek relates to some of his favorite franchises.
I always loved it when stories that were somewhat outlandish and larger than life were told with the intensity of a real life drama – things like Planet Of The Apes had such an impact when I saw it as a kid. Most episodes of The Twilight Zone were dramatically told. Star Trek is a good example too – in many ways, that series shared some of the qualities (and in some cases, crewmembers or cast members) of The Twilight Zone.
I loved how Star Trek and The Twilight Zone would take things incredibly seriously – but that’s not to say there wasn’t humour of humanity built into those stories. The humanity was the thing that made those shows resonate and matter. Overall, I feel that watching larger than life, extreme and often preposterous situations told with the same commitment, as a true –to – life drama, was always my favourite kind of storytelling. Science fiction and thriller genres, when done well, seem to do that consistently.
Abrams also talked to the mag about how directing this years MI:3 led to getting hold of the Trek franchise:
The Mission: Impossible experience was great fun because it was suddenly the opportunity to direct a movie of that genre with that star [Tom Cruise]. It was too good to be true. Star Trek really just came out of that experience, but my plan was never to become a film guy who just brings TV shows back to life.
These comments are consistent with previous comments about how his focus will be on character and drama for Trek XI. Abrams had previous told the LA Times that The Twilight Zone is his favorite TV show, and told Variety that he loved Trek most when it was ‘scary’. So say goodbye to technobabble as you enter the Abrams Zone.
Star Trek Mag is out in the UK, and will be out in the US in a few weeks, excerpts via SciFi Pulse
The “Twighlight” Zone??? Heh.
well that is how they spelled it in the exceprts…but I guess I should fix it.
Star Trek Magazine interviewing Abrams… he’s definitely attached to this project form beginning to end.
I caught trek 2 ;wrath on TV the other night.Boy did those effects age poorly.corny stuff.And the carpet padding on he walls of the turbo-lift…cheesey.But a really good BIG TV episode.Lots of room to UP the quality and break the mold for the new guys.
How about a little trivia? Without “googling it”, who can name the castmembers of TOS that appeared on The Twilight Zone and how many episodes. To be honest, I think I know the answer, but I may have to “google” it myself. :-)
I loved the The Twilight Zone… In fact, I had found out what channel Star Trek Remastered was playing by stopping my channel surfing to watch an old Twilight Zone. The 90’s Twilight Zone never came close.