The man who directed two out of the 4 TNG era Trek films seems OK that their reign is over. In an interview with the Indiana Star Jonathan Frakes (TNG: Riker) admitted that he doesn’t know anything more about Trek XI than what is rumored, but didn’t understand those fans who are against a Kirk & Spock prequel:
Seems like a perfectly good idea. . . . (The movie’s producers) just need to remember Gene Roddenberry’s vision
It is good to see that he hasn’t joined the chorus of other TNG actors (Sirtis, Spiner and Dorn) who are slamming Star Trek XI for its rumored premise (and presumably for not including them).
Distressed over Remastered Edits
On the subject of the remastered Star Trek Frakes expressed concerns over how it is edited. When asked if it is a good or bad idea he said:
It’s not good if they re-edit it. Special effects are so good today, so it can’t hurt. What I’m concerned about is if it’s recut, or when shows are sped up by lifting out frames to fit into a particular time slot. That’s a little distressing.
Of course none of us like that fact that the show is cut down for syndication, but such is the nature of the business. Any show from the 60s is going to have 5 or more minutes that have to go if you want to show them in syndication. The good news is that CBS Paramount have unedited versions of Trek Remastered ready to go into DVDs in 2008 (ish).
Check out IndyStar.com for more from Frakes
Frakes will be appearing on Sunday at the Starbase Indy Convention in Indianapolis, IN.
NOTE: If any TrekMovie.com reader attends this convention, feel free to send a con report to our tipline (especially if there is any discussion about Trek XI or Trek Remastered)
Sounds like Frakes is a pretty reasonable and open guy. Good for him!
I’m cautiously optimistic about the prequel idea, I loved Alias and love Lost, but when I read what Abrams wanted to do with Superman I get a little worried. I just really wished The Next Generation crew got the proper sendoff they deserved, like the Kirk and crew did in ST:VI. (ST: Enterprise too for that matter).
I think Jonathan is wrong about the TOS-R reedits. There doesn’t seem to be ANY reediting because of TOS-R’s special FX. The only reediting they’re doing is trimming for syndication. I hate the syndication cuts, but that’s got nothing to do with the Remastering project.
In fact, I read that they’re actually remastering the original uncut versions, which is what will be eventually released on DVD.
#3 – I may be giving him too much credit, but I interpreted the article to mean that Frakes is referring to the sydicated cuts…. he says “if” a lot, so I think that he may be fuzzy on the details of TOSR, and just saying that he hopes they aren’t making edits…
The TOS/R episodes we are seeing are just “cut” no re-cut or sped up. TNG for the European market is “sped up” by 10% or so to save time. It leaves Riker with a noticeably squeaky voice.
I always liked Frakes. If he reads this site, let me just say thank you for years of great work.
Though my ultimate alleigence is always with TOS, I too, thought TNG got a raw deal in the movie department… I never saw Resurrection or Nemesis… whichever one had the Enterprise crashland was the last one I saw, and even though I thought it was cool at the time, later, I started to feel it was kind of a hollow gimmick.
at least they got movies……..
Eric August, Abrams worked to a concept by producer Jon Peters, as did Kevin Smith. Difference this time is Abrams is fully in control of the film and has final cut.
As for Frakes’ remarks, I hope the new film ***doesn’t*** follow ‘Roddenberry’s vision’: I hope it follows the ideas of Roddenberry, Gene Coon, John Meredyth Lucas, Harve Bennett and Nicholas Meyer, to mention a few.
I’m sick of Roddenberry getting credit for so many successful elements of Trek. He created it, but many other people developed it! He had less and less involvement with the show as time went by! Enough of the TNG-era worship of the ‘god Roddenberry!’ He was simply one of many talented people who made TOS Trek great!
Not to mention the fact he created it Dom, but I guess in this world of commitees you would want Roddenberry squeezed out of any influence just like the studio right?
At least Roddenberry like Lucas did it his way and didn’t pan to every Joe with an opinion or create by commitee.
Not entirely sure what you’re getting at Josh. I suspect you’re insulting me, but I all in favour of people with good ideas and the knowhow running with it, unhindered. But Roddenberry wasn’t up to the task of making Trek work by himself.
And did ‘committee’ – Coon, Meredyth Lucas, Bennett, Nimoy and Meyer – make worse Trek than ‘Roddenberry’s vision’? For my money, they were given a good core idea – Roddenberry’s – but took it in a more interesting direction!
And yeah, Roddenberry created TNG (actually David Gerrold arguably had more influence at its genesis!) but other people ultimately made even that concept work for as long as it did!
You are both wrong…
According the First Church of Shatnerology, William Shatner is the genius behind Star Trek..and the universe in general. He also created the internet!
:o
Unlike Roddenberry-worship, Shatner-worship is very cool! ;)
Amen, brother! Spread the gospel!
“TNG for the European market is “sped up” by 10% or so to save time. It leaves Riker with a noticeably squeaky voice. ”
Er, not quite. TNG (or any other 480i/60Hz programme shot for the ‘NTSC’ market) is sped up by 4% when converted to 576i/50Hz for the ‘PAL’ market. That’s the same speedup as that which ‘PAL’ countries encounter when 24fps film-based footage is telecined to tape for broadcast/DVD, and is a factor introduced by the standards conversion itself, not “to save time”.
Nicely explained Joffonon, and it is a difference in speed that maddens me about the British Region 2 DVDs compared to say America’s Region 1 DVDs.
Now does anyone know if this “PAL” 4% speedup will ALSO apply to our HIGH DEFINITION dvds too ?…
Thanks.