Abrams: My Star Trek Not A ‘Rehash’ September 3, 2008
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Abrams, Star Trek (2009 film) , trackback
Star Trek’s producer/director JJ Abrams is focusing on promoting his new show Fringe this week, but of course the subject of Star Trek keeps coming up. In a couple of new interviews, the multi-tasking Abrams talks about how his Trek balances the fans and a new audience and how it is ‘real’ sci-fi.
Star Trek as balancing act
Abrams describes how Trek is both a film for Trekkies and a film for regular film goers.
AV Club: How do you put your varied interests to work in a franchise like Star Trek, which has fans deeply devoted to certain immutable core elements? How do you make it yours?
JJ Abrams: Well, I was never the type of Star Trek fan that had expectations or limits about what the "right" version of a Star Trek movie should be. But at the same time, one of the reasons I got involved with Star Trek was because it has such devoted fans, so I felt it was critical to honor them and honor the series. I learned as much as I could about the show, and looked for help from Bob Orci, one of the creators of Fringe, who was also one of the writers of Trek, and an avowed Trekker. He knows all the arcane details, so he was the one kind of keeping me honest on the set.
Ultimately, though, I wasn’t making this movie just for the dedicated fans. I was making the movie for fans of movies. The final product, I think, doesn’t require any prior knowledge of the show Star Trek. I mean, almost anyone, if you stopped them on the street and asked who Kirk and Spock are, they’d know. I think people will typically have some sense of those two guys. And then there are fans who know every episode and argue about what the Star Trek canon is. This movie does acknowledge a world that has pre-existed off the screen for decades, but when you see it, it’s not going to be quite what you’d expect, and definitely not just a rehash of things you’ve seen before. It’s a very new take on the thing that it’s also beholden to. It’s a very interesting balance .
Star Trek as sci-fi
In a separete interview with BuddyTV / Television Without Pity, Abrams talked about how Star Trek is more real sci-fi compared to other projects.
TWoP: You’ve become a science fiction icon to fans. Is that something you ever expected to happen? Is that where your passion is, that genre?
JJ Abrams: No, of course not. The truth is, to be lucky enough to get to work on shows at all, let alone, shows that you really care about or interest you. It’s a thrill and an honor. Doing Star Trek, that really is science fiction. On Lost, you can kind of argue it was a science fiction show, but we weren’t open about that at the beginning. And then Alias had a sci-fi bent from the beginning. Star Trek is Star Trek, you know what I mean? I don’t regard the genre as much as I like stories that are often just a little bit off-center or weirder. That usually means some version of science fiction.
JJ is listening
Last week we noted that Simon Pegg, Star Trek’s new Scotty, was clearly keeping track of Internet buzz for Star Trek, and of course Fringe co-creator and Star Trek co-writer Roberto Orci is a regular commenter at TrekMovie.com, so we know he is keeping up, but apparently so is Abrams…
TWoP: Do you read what the web folks say about your show? Are you going to read what the fans are saying about Fringe after every episode?
JJ Abrams: Yeah, I’m beholden to the audience, and the Internet is a great way to get a sense of what people hate and what they love and what they want more of or less of. It doesn’t mean you follow it all the time, but if something resonates, you can’t deny it. It’s not a bad tool to have in your toolbox.
From more from Abrams on his past projects, favorite shows, and Fringe, goto: AV Club and BuddyTV.
Fringe, created by JJ Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, premieres next Tuesday on Fox.
Abrams with his Fringe actors: (L-R) Lance Reddick, Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson at FOX’s “Fringe” premiere party August 25
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Comments»
“interesting balance”
Nice way of putting it!
After all this time can any film live up to our expectations?
more chat nothin said !
First !!!
Interesting to know that he reads stuff on the web. I hope he can separate the whackos from the majority.
Even more non news news. Never seen a Genre film with so much non news news. Starting to Pi*s me off again when I see production art, actual clips, props, hell even actual footage of other films like Watchmen, Terminator, Wolverine and Harry Potter. Films that are arguably likely to be as financially viable if not more so than our beloved Trek. And runaway successes like Iron and Dark Knight also fed their fans with a nice stream of footage and goodies for the fans again nearly a year before the actual release. Tired of the apologists too so I don’t wan’t to hear it.
Harry, it is difficult to gauge expectations when one does not know what to expect.
Still it’ll be nice to get some visceral sense of this film. It might off set the risk of over the top expectations.
Hey J.J.! How about some sneak preview?
After all, we were gearing up for this December…
Can’t wait to see the best version of Star Trek ever!!! Shake it up JJ!!!
I agree. More showing, less talking.
Show pictures! Make a trailer with real footage!
Make the fans feel valued rather than ignored.
The idea that secrecy is going to make for a better premiere and more money is ridiculous!
Fans are going to see the movie 5 and 10x if they like it.
Showing pictures and trailers before the pushed back premiere is only going to build interest, not kill it.
Unless the movie is so bad that he’s afraid…
#4 – Lord Garth
I’m 100% in agreement with you. The Dark Knight supplied pictures, and plot details for months and months before the movie premiered.
And it is now the second largest grossing movie of all time.
The argument that keeping the movie secret is necessary for it to be a success is totally blown out of the water.
It won’t suck like the Phantom Menace… I’m sure it will rock
Very cryptic with the clues. Yes, I am starting to think that Sir JJ is speaking only to me, and in code. Helter Skelter and all that rot.
Just kidding.
THE WOMEN!!
=h=
JJ if you’re reading this, throw us a bone!
My wife and I got absolutely hooked on Alias…to the point of watching an entire season on DVD to the wee hours of the morning (not a good idea if you have a toddler at home…DAMN YOU JJ!)
If Abrams utilizes the same strategy with Trek, audiences will likely leave the theaters next May salivating for a sequel. That’s an entirely new generation of addicted fans. Just what the franchise needed…right?
We need more than a bunch of tight love-me shots of the principles…
Any word on a holiday sneak preview out there?
Sorry, but I really, really *love* the secrecy. I hate knowing everything about a movie before I walk in a theatre. I want to be surprised. I want to feel suspense. I even like the feeling of being disappointed firsthand, rather than having 100 critics tell me something sucks beyond compare.
I say good job keeping the lips sealed Mr Abrams! It can’t be easy.
The fact of the matter and I think we all know this by now but Sir JJ drives a macintosh, and in fact displays a very large macintosh in his trousers as he walks down the street swinging to an fro all the live long day.
These facts are not in dispute and these facts one cannot refute.
When Sir JJ says, “My Star Trek is not a rehash”; I think what he is saying is that theres a sense of ownership on his journey. Its as if he has shared the commonality of the experience yet taken away his own individual reflections and personal growth. He speaks yets says nothing. He says nothing, yet says everything. When he speaks…
THE WOMEN!!
=h=
#15 Me too. I plann to stop reading trek news on the internet a week or so before May 9 so I don’t accidentally snag a spoiler.
JJ & Co. have debunked almost every description of this film, except for re-invigorization (Lindelof). It will simply be a big-budget sci-fi flick with new actors playing our Trek faves before the Five-Year-Mission, AND a new updated perspective on the world of Trek as a whole. The “Batman Begins” analogy posted elsewhere is probably the only clue we need to see where Trek 11 is going.
As for the lack of info, it is strange that the few starts we’ve had (Teaser in January, posters in Summer) were not followed up with anything. In marketing, when you spend money to promote something, the attention span of the consumer is yours until it’s not. So far, it’s been an unprofessional waste of what little money was spent. Iron Man, Dark Knight and Indy IV are models of how to get the public into a film well before its release, and keep ‘em hooked until opening day and beyond.
Anyone out there who knows the information that was put out in the run-up to the release of Superman Returns feel a sense of deja vu? It feels like the same crap Brandon Routh was peddling about the wonderful blending of all aspects the new film would pay homage to Superman past and present. Then what happen was we were left with a mediocre story.
Let us hope and pray that this is not the case and it turns out to be more along the lines of Batman Begins and the Dark Knight. Oh, and definitely not anything like that stupid movie Cloverfield, … I want my money back J.J.
I wish JJ well with Fringe, but doubt I’ll tune in unless I hear some serious buzz — or someone telling me what’s diff here from X-Files and SO many other shows.
As for Trek secrecy — it’s still JJ’s ball and bat. If he doesn’t want to play just yet, we’ll have to wait.
I would really like to see a trailer that gives a glimpse of the Enterprise and maybe some of the characters. it doesn’t have to give me much, but something to talk about besides the endlress talk!!! Maybe in front of an upcoming Paramount film??? Like Eagle Eye on Sept. 26!!!
I’d be happy if they would just let us know when the next trailer is going to be in theaters!!!
But, doesn’t he know that all most fans WANT is a re-heated, re-fried, re-hash? How DARE he bring a new interpretation to the table? Who cares if the average movie-going audience doesn’t like it, as long as WE get what we want?
“the Internet is a great way to get a sense of what people hate and what they love and what they want more of or less of.”
What I LOVE is Star Trek and what I WANT MORE OF is genuine preview material (screenies and trailers) and what I HATE is you* for not providing any.
A picture is worth a 1000 words and all that…
*(”you” meaning whom ever is responsible for this stupid secrecy.)
Yeah, the lack of info is getting frustrating for me, too. The longer we go without seeing anything, the more cynical it seems I become. I mean, come on, it’s Star Trek. Millions and millions of people already know what it is, and they’re counting on them to see the movie. Hiding things you’ve changed, such as the look of Enterprise, until the last minute tamps down on any large-scale fan backlash you might get.
Or I just could be becoming too damned much of a cynic. :)
#4—”Tired of the apologists too so I don’t wan’t to hear it.”
Then turn off your computer, Garth, before I resurrect Mr. Poopey face.
#9—”The argument that keeping the movie secret is necessary for it to be a success is totally blown out of the water.”
I’ve never heard that argument. It is just the way that Bad Robot prefers things, and I think that the “surprise element” will ultimately afford the audiences a big payoff in the end.
I think back to TWOK. If I had not known until the scene where Chekov finds the “Botany Bay” emblem on Ceti Alpha V that Khan would be returning as the villain in the story, or that Spock would die in the engine room until I saw it on screen….I can only imagine the added impact of those elements to the story.
With that said, I don’t understand why some people are so impatient as to get up in arms about the lack of photos, etc. when the movie does not debut until May. IMO, STXI will only be able to sustain about 3-4 months of aggressive hype, and that would mean that the real campaign would likely not begin prior to X-Mas.
This is NOT Iron Man. It it NOT The Dark Knight. This is Star Trek like we have never seen it before. Abrams is going to keep most of it a secret and a surprise. You can drive yourself crazy being impatient, so why not just relax?
Regardless of what you complain about here, you are going to show up anyway…and Abrams knows that. My guess is, he will show mainstream audiences just enough to intrigue them and have them questioning their preconceived notions about Trek when the aforementioned hype machine gets going around December or so. Don’t expect any more major details or promotion campaigns before then. If you don’t expect anything, you can’t be disappointed…
Look kids, no Christmas until December 25. Or May 9th as the case may be.
I predict that when this movie opens, we will see this movie and we will be absolutely stunned by everything that we didnt know on September 3.
He didnt make this movie for the die hards. He made the movie for fans of movies. But what that really translates into is “I hope that someone other than the 1000 people who visit trekmovies dot org everday go to see my movie”
And if you ask him what his favorite movie is that he made, he will tell you that all of his movies are like children and you love them all equally. But that Star Trek is the best, obv. How can it not be with a mac in the pants so brilliant?
THE WOMEN!!
=h=
#25—-”Millions and millions of people already know what it is, and they’re counting on them to see the movie. ”
Are you threatening to NOT see the movie? Please….They are counting on them, and they will not be let down. You’ll be there day one…I don’t care what you say.
Everytime I read an interview with someone attached to STAR TREK the more excited and confident I get about it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: JJ Abrams and company are making something special.
I want Benjamin Sisko.
Poopey Face are you on the Bad Robot payroll now???
If so I am much more interested in how Lost will play out than non news news about Trek. Does Locke become Jacob??? Oh wait Screenrant has a 2mm swash of Spock’s uniform tunic gotta go!!!!!! Damn!!! sorry false alarm.
OK guys this is HUGE!!!!!! Kevin Smith said Trek was good!!!!!!!
LAME LAME LAME
#31—”Poopey Face are you on the Bad Robot payroll now???”
I just never was into peeking at my Christmas presents early…I always liked the thrill of Christmas morning better.
I think there’s always the possibility of a sneak preview of Trek, just not during the holidays when it’s still almost five months before release.
On another note, I’m torn on the secrecy thing. I like finding things out, but I also understand JJ’s wanting to keep things under wraps. He doesn’t have to show us anything right now if he doesn’t want to. I think more things will come out as the marketing plan heats up much later this year.
As Worf would say….”Enough talk!! More Trailers!!!!”
One key ingredient of a successful film premiere is pre-release buzz. I really don’t understand the Omerta-type secrecy involved with ST and how this killing of the buzz is supposed to enhance the anticipation.
#33—”I think there’s always the possibility of a sneak preview of Trek, just not during the holidays when it’s still almost five months before release. ”
The “holidays” is when I expect the first real trailer, and I would expect the hype campaign to get more aggressive from there. By no means would I anticipate any kind of “sneak preview” at that point. I just mean that Paramount and Bad Robot will actually begin actively promoting STXI then. To this point, the extent of it has been a few off-topic questions about it while they are out promoting projects that will debut more immediately. I think that’s about all it will be until around December.
#35—”I really don’t understand the Omerta-type secrecy involved with ST and how this killing of the buzz is supposed to enhance the anticipation.”
The “buzz”, at this point, is really only among established ST fans. Mainstream audiences will have a much shorter attention span for Trek. The type of promotion campaign that can cause “buzz” among mainstream moviegoers is still months away, IMO.
“And then there are fans who know every episode and argue about what the Star Trek canon is.”
. . . No idea which fans he means, here. . . Hmmm. . .
#15. Sean, I’m with you. I’d rather not know the nitty-gritty until I see it on the screen. That said, I wouldn’t mind seeing a cast photo — on the bridge, in full uniform. It would take me back to Starlog’s first photos of “ST: The Motion Picture.” (Would Robert Wise have called it a “reboot”? Surely it was. And surely “The Wrath of Khan” was a reboot of a reboot.)
#23. Diabolik, you *are* being ironic, aren’t you? Please say you are.
#28 Um, I don’t recall ever saying I wouldn’t be going to see it anywhere in that post. Though probably not opening day. I’ll wait for the Sunday matinee.
I kind of find it a bit wierd that when a movie first comes out and you ask them what they thought of it, they say It was “Awesome,” 2 Thumbs up. But later, those same people say that the same movie SUcked. What changed, why is it one minute they are excited and the next such a downer about it. That is what I see about Episode one of Star Wars. Like the character “Jar Jar Binks.” People first said, “yay, he is funny.” They even impersonate him. BUt then those same people say, “He was annoying, I hate him.” Does anybody else see a pattern like that?
I think lost in all this back and forth is the fact that Earl in #30 has made a rather bold and forthcoming statement on an apparent life choice.
Good for you, Earl.
I, too, was in the “show me stuff now” camp. I have come to realize that I was wasting my time. So, since I still wish to remain enthusiastic about the movie, and have no real reason to get upset, I choose to be patient. I know that this is not for everyone and I can respect that. But getting mad about it brings you to a point of either embracing the secrecy or being done with this whole thing until the movie comes out. Because JJ is the immovable object on this, I’m afraid. He won’t be changing his policy.
Plus, he’s being all secrety and stuff because Shatner is really in the movie.
(Tee Hee)
#34
Haaaaaaahaaaahaaaa….impossible.
“JJ if you’re reading this, throw us a bone!”
He’s already talking about his tool and his toolbox. I can only guess that his bone won’t be far behind.
#4 and #9 Knowing too much sometimes can hurt the film more then not knowing..take Nemesis for example, we constantly got fed information and little previews and it did not help the movie any when It came out infact it may have killed what was a good movie over all. I’d Rather know a little and wait then know everything and not have Trek do good. Yes some info would be fun but JJ tells us when we can have a few treats, not the rabbid fans who can’t wait.
Everyone can keep on arguing about which is better, getting previews or keeping it secret.
I’m just glad there is another Star Trek.
This franchise was on hold until JJ asked for it. I cannot wait to see this movie, but I will and if we get something from JJ & Company we get it, if we don’t, we don’t.
I don’t really care because there is a new Star Trek movie coming out ….. and I want it to be a hugh hit so more Star Trek movies or TV shows can come out.
In 2 or 3 years when they are talking about the next Star Trek movie and the new series that is coming to TV nobody will care that you didn’t get to see a preview of STXI 9 months before the release date….
and that Star Trek in coming back is all I really care about!
Tommy
#40. Said:
“I kind of find it a bit wierd that when a movie first comes out and you ask them what they thought of it, they say It was “Awesome,” 2 Thumbs up. But later, those same people say that the same movie SUcked.”
I’ve noticed this about people as well. Very odd.
#38 – I still have my Starlogs from the first movie, and the subject of the shooting model from ST: TMP came up at work. We all remember back to when we’d race down to the drug store and look for the newest Starlogs.
Thankfully there wasn’t the Internets back then. Can you imagine the dabates?
spoilers are fun and I am all for them….but I don’t want the spoilers to runin a good movie. Yes it would be great to see the Enterprise now but that isn’t going to happen for a few weeks at most. I am looking foward to all the things that build up to the premiere day and such but we as Trek fans need to make it so this movie does better then the last two movies.
JJ, some kind of a picture that isn’t a spoiler would be cool. Something to tide us over until the next trailer comes out (hopefully) after Thanksgiving.
And yet again I cannot spell. By dabates, I mean debates.
#49, I think a good non-spoiler picture would be a group shot of the new crew in full uniform. I don’t see how costumes could possibly spoil the plot. Also, let’s see a full image of the new Enterprise.
technically the original series we know is a reboot…of the original cage pilot with jeff hunter…and the 1979 motion picture was a reboot of the planned star trek phase II, so the wrath of khan would be a reboot of a reboot of a reboot of a reboot so this new film is a reboot of a reboot of a reboot of a reboot of a reboot
technically this post is a reboot of your post.
It is possible to cut together a trailer that displays some of movie without giving the whole plot away.
Some quick snippets of some starship action and some quickies of the cast in action would suit me fine.
Would it ruin anything to give us a two minute trailer?
The last Trek movie I saw that I knew nothing about before seeing it was TMP and we know how that turned out.
#54—”It is possible to cut together a trailer that displays some of movie without giving the whole plot away.
Some quick snippets of some starship action and some quickies of the cast in action would suit me fine.
Would it ruin anything to give us a two minute trailer?”
No. And I’m sure we’ll get that around Christmastime.
#54—-”The last Trek movie I saw that I knew nothing about before seeing it was TMP and we know how that turned out.”
That depends upon who you talk to. TMP is my second favorite Star Trek film. I love it, especially the Director’s Edition, which I think is a brilliant cut.
Benjamin Sisko is THE man, not sissy. So, I want return of the Emissary.
Benjamin Sisko: At 0800 Hours station time, the Romulan Empire formally declared war on the Dominion. They have already struck fifteen bases along the Cardassian border. So this is a huge victory for the good guys! This may even be the turning point of the entire war. There is even a ‘Welcome to the Fight’ party tonight in the ward room. So… I lied; I cheated; I bribed men to cover the crimes of other men; I am an accessory to murder. But the most damning thing of all is… I think I can live with it. And if I’d have to do it all over again… I would. Garak was right about one thing…a guilty conscience is a small price to pay for the safety of the Alpha Quadrant. So I will learn to live with it…because I can live with it. [pauses] I can live with it. [pauses] Computer, erase that entire personal log.
#57— “Return Of The Emmissary”? That sounds like novel material. If they made it a UPN made for tv movie– I’d watch it— but a feature film?
Never going to happen…
40. eagle219406 –
“I kind of find it a bit wierd that when a movie first comes out and you ask them what they thought of it, they say It was “Awesome,” 2 Thumbs up. But later, those same people say that the same movie SUcked. What changed, why is it one minute they are excited and the next such a downer about it. That is what I see about Episode one of Star Wars. Like the character “Jar Jar Binks.” People first said, “yay, he is funny.” They even impersonate him. BUt then those same people say, “He was annoying, I hate him.” Does anybody else see a pattern like that?”
Maybe among junior highers. I can’t say I’ve met anyone who flip-flopped on their perception of Jar-Jar. The people you’re describing are either afraid to have their own opinion or didn’t have one to begin with.
What you need to understand is that JJ is actually building the Enterprise life size. That is what we saw in the first teaser trailer. Why do you think they close ST: The Experience. A new Star Trek Land is being built and everything is being moved there. Same reason the release date was pushed back….to coincide with the new theme park….
JJ must be bored stiff with this type of comment to reporters.
we need a picture or something, something tangable.
cheers
greg
UK
45. Tommy –
“Everyone can keep on arguing about which is better, getting previews or keeping it secret.
I’m just glad there is another Star Trek.
…and that Star Trek in coming back is all I really care about! ”
Thanks Tommy, I wish there were more posts like yours.
Ok. J.J. we love you and we think you will give us all what we want. But PLEASE GIVE US ALL WHAT WE WANT NOW. A! TRAILER!!!!!! If you don’t then we will come to your House and screem KHANNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1. Ok i feel better now. Please give us something. Or we will commit muteney. Ok well maybe not that. but as kirk would say. Sounds like fun!!!!!!.
With fans like Trek has, who shred the smallest bit of released info, it’s impossible to generate positive buzz. Best to keep us all in the dark til release. He knows fandom too well.
54 – Don’t you be dissing ST: TMP! Loved it when it came out. I saw TWOK about 200+ times (I still have the damn film memorized), but TMP may just be my favorite.
Can we have a countdown calendar on the site which counts down to May 9th??
Ya know a calendar that says
233 days 17 hours 43 minutes and 14 seconds…13 second…12 seconds…
One thing I would be concerned with is how the ‘general audience,’ those who are not Trekkers, perceive comments about how faithful the new Trek film is to the hardcore fans.
I believe the majority of fans, at least those I see on here, trust Abrams and the rest of the powers that be to produce a quality film. I would not be concerned with ticking off the fans at this point, since I believe many of them will see the new movie out of sheer curiosity. Therefore, really push the movie toward the general audience, those who have no clue what Star Trek is. Go so far as to say, “Well, the movie has Kirk, Spock, and the Enterprise in it, but you’ve never seen them look quite like this!”
Does this make sense? Suppose I’m just thinking out loud today…
Does Kirk have real hair in this one?
#63 I aggree, look at what happend when fans got a small bit of info on Nemisis.
I’m happy to see that J.J.’s watching whats said on the net. He can clearly see the growing discontent with all this Hush hush nonsense. Show us all a real picture not a little snippet. A real image,of costumes and sets and the Ship.
It will only generate buzz inside and outside the net. The trek community will hail it and hate it.
But since you want to appeal strongly to the non-fan,show something tangible. That’s not reverse psychology,it’s common sense.
Stop being so vague. I don’t check this website that often cause a lot of times the news is nothing. Maybe once and a while something good pops up but,for the most part.(sigh)
But if your are reading this,then give us something like a date.
As to when the next trailer hits,when the new images are coming and when a full preview can be expected.
Don’t say soon,cause you know that’s insulting the audience.
Thank You,
Good night.
I don’t need to see tons of material. I just want to see the new Enterprise in it’s full glory. That’s all. If JJ showed us the Enterprise, and only that until May, I’d be happy.
Just show us the ship, and I’ll be a perfectly happy fan until May. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Or, if not that, at least tell us WHEN we will get to see it.
“63. diabolik – September 3, 2008
With fans like Trek has, who shred the smallest bit of released info, it’s impossible to generate positive buzz. Best to keep us all in the dark til release. He knows fandom too well.”
Okay I can agree with that,but its non fandom he wants too. So that alone should be grounds for releasing something.
#66—-That makes perfect sense, and in a way, that’s just what they are doing when talking to more mainstream media outlets. That is just good marketing strategy. You don’t market the same product to two different demographics exactly the same way.
If my business runs two ads for the same product—one in “Men’s Health” and another in “Cosmopolitan”, they will be two entirely different ads…bet on it. That is the way advertising goes. You must know how to appeal to the target audience.
If one of the film’s producers (writers or the director) is speaking to trekmovie.com (for example), he will likely take a completely different approach than if he were speaking with “TV Guide” or “Entertainment Weekly”, and vice-versa. Whether he emphasises how much it is the same, or how much it is different will likely depend upon the audience.
Why doesn’t JJ just go to us fans and say “care for a little snort?” and show us a clip?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#67—-Will Sarek tell young Spock to clean up the Sehlat poop from the yard?
#71—-”Okay I can agree with that,but its non fandom he wants too. So that alone should be grounds for releasing something.”
Right….in December or later. Do you really believe that mainstream “buzz” can be sustained any longer than 4.5 months for Star Trek?
I think JJ will surprise everyone with this movie.
I really can’t understand all the impatience. What difference does a small clip of the Enterprise or Kirk in cadet uniform make? The things most of us are interested are questions of quality storytelling, the degree of fidelity and to some the question of canonicity. Will it fit somewhere into the old Trek lore or is it a complete restart from strach that only pays tribute in some tiny nodds to the source material?
These are all questions, a short teaser with actual footage won’t answer! Why offering something like that to a fanbase that already IS excited about the movie? Now offering trailers and stuff would be directed at the mainstream audience that has got only some vague ideas about that movie being upon us anyway. And they won’t care for it for about 9 months, would they? That’s why we won’t see anything until Christmas as other posters already pointed out.
And again, I really believe we have to come to terms with the idea of getting something like a big budget pilot episode for TOS! Not gonna happen. The problem with this movie is: it’s not gonna be half the fanboy’s dream-come-true that any episode of New Voyages / Phase II or Of Gods and Men represents! It’s gotta be a mainstream flick with Trek in name, that may or may not stay true to the SPIRIT but NOT to the LETTER of Trek lore.
The danger of this “interesting balance”: if they fail to uphold that balance, they will p*ss of both diehard fans and mainstream audience for a long long time.
Give us a new trailer please!!!!!
This is Gettin’ old. Fine don’t give us anything!! Nothing!! No trailer!! No Previews…..Nothing!! Don’t even Release the Movie, just let The Fans think about what a Star Trek TOS REBOOT/REHASH could have been like. No merchandise!! No photos!! It’s a Movie about nothin’. Nothing Happens.
Nothing.
#79—-I’ve got three sons (8mos., 6, 10) who have never pitched a fit like that. Calm down. It’s only September 3rd!
There is a good chance that with all this talk and nothing else that this thing is going to run out of steam long before it opens, or at least have many people asking what all the fuss was about when it does. IMHO, this is one of the most badly-handled film promotions in the history of cinema.
I love “Star Trek” (TOS crew) more than anyone, but it’s going to be a lot of hype for this one to live up to, and a year after its release I think a lot of fans are going to have a hard time believing that they invested so much energy into something that will be just another DVD release sitting on the rental shelves.
#77 and #79 will you hold judgement unit you see it movie or is that too much to ask? Also I agree with #75 that the buzz can only last so long before a mainstreem veiwers lose intrest in the product. JJ is trying to make a flim for more then just Trekiees, he is trying to make a great film first and a good Trek film second. He is not just trying to make a film that fans like but that moviegoers will like too, the last Next Gen filim was an attempt to make a film that fans would like first and see what happend to it!
#79: Very funny in a xxx way.
No really, do you really believe that only single die hard fan who doesn’t receive his teaser trailer in time will boycott the movie and not gonna be seeing it because of no promotion in September 2008??? Our excitement is already building and they are almost doing nothing. They’re just talking! A very cheap and effective way of promoting the film to the fanbase…Right…We may grow weary of those interviews because we want to see more. But will any single one of us stay at home next May because he’s still fed up not getting his baby preview at the beginning of his pregnancy?
Are YOU going to stay at home just because you’ve seen the first trailer in January and not in October?
Now the long gap between the teaser and the first trailer is due to the movie being postponed five months. They would’ve given us the teaser in July 08 had they made up their minds on that move in January! It may feel a little awkward but that’s it.
They won’t waste money on promoting this movie for nine months but will concentrate their efforts on creating a buzz in early 2009. Trek will be everywhere then and that’s all it gotta need in order to succeed (hopefully)…
#81 I want this film to be the best and do the best so I don’t mind the secrets JJ and crew keep…too much info and you’ll lose intrest in the Trek base, that is what happend with Trek XI and it had no intrest to those who were not all ready trek fans. I want this movie to have intrest that pull both Trek fans and non Trek fans into this movie….for it to do well it must reach both and not just one group.
#82—-”IMHO, this is one of the most badly-handled film promotions in the history of cinema.”
The promotion of STXI hasn’t even begun yet!
All you are hearing is the occasional evasive answer to a question asked while they are promoting something else.
86 – It’s ALL promotion. They know exactly what they are doing. Talk is cheap. But it’s still promotion.
#82: Well, is there anything else we could do? I suppose even four years after the end of Enterprise, getting a life is totally out of the question. No matter what the Shat has been telling us for….um…two decades now LOL
#88 – Touche! Good one.
OK OK It’s not a friggin rehash…It’s a reeboot but not really…he want’s trekkies to like it and new people as well. How many times do we have to hear this stuff and act like it’s new. Show me the God Blessed Ship already!
I know there were some grammatical error on my previous entry, but I was flustered. Sorry
#87—-They are not out “officially” promoting STXI. That won’t happen for at least a few months. How can you say it is one of the most badly handled campaigns, when you know full well that the “campaign” hasn’t begun yet.
Abrams is not out promoting STXI. He is out promoting Fringe, and happened to be asked a question about Trek. That is hardly a “promotion campaign”.
Expect to see a “promotion campaign” begin around December with a full fledged trailer. It should get far more aggressive from there. This film will only be able to sustain the interests of mainstream audiences for a short window of time. The last thing they should do is start “emptying the clip” 8.5 months before the film opens, particularly when it is well-known that Abrams doesn’t give away secrets anyway. If they had known the release date would be pushed back to the coveted May time period, we would likely not have gotten any details as early as we did.
Patience, my friend.
Screw canon. Screw the movie. I’m in lorv with Anna Torv………..
:-)
what if the last 2 years have been a joke and we’ve all been in a holodeck. theres no fiilm and it’s the biggest April fools type calamity that there ever was
Just a thought?
#94 – just as long as it doesn’t involve someone coming out of a shower and it was all a dream.
Geez # 79, they’re Really lettin’ you Have it, and all you wanted was a new trailer. Glad That wasn’t Me.
J.J. & co. must be getting a little tired of being asked questions about Star Trek when the film is months away and they have other projects on the go!
Star Trek, for me, is not really about the gadgets, ship, uniforms, or anything else material. It is the human relationships (chiefly those between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy) that drive the story. Star Trek has a particular philosophy, with core elements being adventure, optimism, freedom, and equality. For me, if this essence is captured in the new film, I shall be happy. It should not be a ‘big issue’ if the nacelles of the Enterprise are a slightly different colour, or if the ship is not absolutely identical to what we know. Besides, I actually think that some such changes are necessary: to a modern audience, the original communicators and bridge stations will look very dated, which is especially problematic for a show set in the future! I only hope that J.J. & co. have paid particular attention to such TOS classics as ‘The City on the Edge of Forever’; ‘The Naked Time’; ‘The Doomsday Machine’; ‘Amok Time’; and, of course, ‘The Wrath of Khan’.
PS. I like the secrecy: I think it will make the film more exciting.
There’s been so much Trek how could it not be a rehash?
#80 A movie about nothing you say? Ahh yes, the adventures of Captain Seinfeld and Lt. Com. Kramer. In the first episode, Lt. George Costanza gains psychic powers and turns on his longtime friend. :)
88 – Promotion began with the first posters in the theaters by Christmas of 2007. Or was it 2006? It’s getting too old to keep track. Or I am. I still maintain that even if Abrams and Co. are ostensibly promoting “Cloverfield” or “Fringe,” if “Trek” is being discussed by them to the media, it is promotion. Lots of talk only, yes. But it is still promotion. It’s designed to whet our appetites. It’s cleverly played hype and promotion. But I will agree with you about patience. I just get concerned that a lot of fans and fans-who-could-be will get put off by months of talk and little else. Believe me, I want this movie to succeed. But I think they need to start to do something more significant than just talk. And I’m in full agreement with you about the limitation of mainstream audience attention. It just seems to me that life-long fans (I watched the original runs on NBC as a kid) could be treated to a little more. It seems that we have different definitions about promotion. But peace to you also, my friend. I hope you will find this film to be all you are hoping it will be.
Where are the tons of Viral sites? Dark Knight had about a billion websites.
Unless #79 got edited (I only read “Give us a new trailer please!!!!!” for that post”) I would that that hardly constitutes pitching a fit.
My #102 should read “I would say that that…”
Alias rehash of La Femme Nikita.
Lost rehash of Lord of the Flies and Myst
Mission: Impossible III rehash of Mission: Impossible: I and Mission: Impossible II.
Cloverfield rehash of japanese monster movies and blair witch.
Fringe rehash of the X-files.
J.J. Abrams is the king of rehash.
I wouldn’t mind hearing a new few musical cues from Michael Guacamole.
I’m not sure I can wait all these months until the film, with nothing but interviews over and over until then.
23. diabolik –
“But, doesn’t he know that all most fans WANT is a re-heated, re-fried, re-hash? How DARE he bring a new interpretation to the table? Who cares if the average movie-going audience doesn’t like it, as long as WE get what we want?”
What you mean “we”, Kimosabe?
104. King Rehashed – September 3, 2008
“Alias rehash of La Femme Nikita.
Lost rehash of Lord of the Flies and Myst
Mission: Impossible III rehash of Mission: Impossible: I and Mission: Impossible II.
Cloverfield rehash of japanese monster movies and blair witch.
Fringe rehash of the X-files.
J.J. Abrams is the king of rehash.”
Oh yeah and….
“Lord of the Rings” a rehash of The Kalavala and Beowulf etc
“Star Wars” a rehash of Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon etc etc etc
“Indiana Jones” a rehash of early 20th century adventure and pulp fiction
“Batman” a rehash of Robin Hood, Zorro, the Shadow etc etc etc
“Incredible Hulk” a rehash of Jeckyl and Hyde
There is nothing new under the sun, m’boy.
Personally, I’m waiting for the “Girls of Star Trek” pictorial in Playboy!
31.- : Closettrekker aka Poopey Face are you on the Bad Robot payroll now???”
I also have questioned if Closettrekker is a worker of J.J. Abrams’ planted on this site to be damage control. I have questioned it for a year now. I think it is possible that some on here are J.J. Abrams’ plants. I hope not, but it is possible and sometime seems it.
When he says it’s for fans of “movies” …
Does he mean fans of “The Shawshank Redemption?” Casablanca? Raiders of the Lost Ark? It’s A Wonderful Life? The Incredibles? Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan?
… or does he mean fans of “Armageddon?” Top Gun? Battlefield Earth?
108. Izbot-
Oh yeah and….
“Lord of the Rings” a rehash of The Kalavala and Beowulf etc
“Star Wars” a rehash of Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon etc etc etc
“Indiana Jones” a rehash of early 20th century adventure and pulp fiction
“Batman” a rehash of Robin Hood, Zorro, the Shadow etc etc etc
“Incredible Hulk” a rehash of Jeckyl and Hyde
There is nothing new under the sun, m’boy.
———
So in the end
J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek is just another rehash.
112. King Rehashed –
“So in the end
J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek is just another rehash.”
My point is you can call every movie or property out there a rehash of something. You could say Led Zepplin is a rehash of early 20th century blues music. TNG was a rehash of TOS. Superman is a rehash of Jesus. The 21st century is a rehash of the 20th. The space shuttle is a rehash of the airplane. Family Guy is a rehash of The Simpsons. The Electric Company was a rehash of Sesame Street.
The trick is to make it fresh and breathe some new life into it. Until we actually *see* the new film why don’t we reserve a little judgment, K?
#113 – “Superman is a rehash of Jesus.” Umm… what DO they smoke at your church?
It’s not Trek unless the Captain is bald.
110. King Rehashed –
“I also have questioned if Closettrekker is a worker of J.J. Abrams’ planted on this site to be damage control. I have questioned it for a year now. I think it is possible that some on here are J.J. Abrams’ plants. I hope not, but it is possible and sometime seems it.”
Paranoid much? Some of us are actually optimistic about this new movie and are actually looking forward to seeing it. We want to hope for the best rather than dumping on it as if its a foregone conlusion it will fail. What’s with the doomsaying? What would you want from a new Star Trek film? So far all I can tell from your posts are that you want it to fail so you can be first to say, “I told you so”.
I love Star Trek (that’s why I’m here so much) and I want more. I’ve taken the good with the bad over the years — the good I enjoyed the bad I do my fair share of bitching about. One thing I don’t do is piss all over it before I’ve even seen it. As for anti-JJ Abrams sentiment I and many other people were not impressed with any of Peter Jackson’s work prior to Lord of the Rings but he surprised us. Same with Spider-Man director Sam Raimi. I just didn’t get any of that Evil Dead stuff but he impressed me with Spider-Man.
So you don’t like any of JJ’s stuff so far. I get it. But I assume you like Star Trek. I just don’t get all the negativity over something you haven’t seen yet. It’d be different if Star Trek was put in the hands of someone who didn’t understand Star Trek or sci fi in general. I’d be crying if Brett Ratner or Michael Bay or McG or anyone who’s directed a movie based on a video game were putting this movie together. But from what I’ve been reading here and hearing from the writers I don’t feel like I’ve got that much to worry about.
It sure can’t be any worse than the worst Berman & Braga episodes (talk about rehash!).
I could give a rat’s patooty about this movie being canon or at least close to canon as Berman and Co. didn’t adhere to it in their 15+ years with it, but damn, JJ and Paramount could at least post a picture of the cast on the bridge or a picture of the Big “E”. I’m starting to wonder if maybe as somebody suggested up the line here that they might be a bit worried about what they do have. They could post a 10 minute trailer on the net and I will still see the damn thing!
114. Brett Campbell –
“#113 – “Superman is a rehash of Jesus.” Umm… what DO they smoke at your church?”
Ha! Well strictly looking at the broad strokes (a man-god from the stars, only begotten son, savior of humanity, stands for truth justice and peace, in the comic he famously died and returned to life)…
And we only smoke the highest quality stuff in my ‘church’
104. King Rehashed
“Lost rehash of Lord of the Flies and Myst”
-I’d even throw in a little Land of the Lost for good measure.
how the hell is batman like robin hood?
#45 I agree. I’ve said it before and will say it again!! Star Trek was DEAD before JJ Abrams took over. I’m glad someone as talented as JJ is going to take us into a new era.
#117 Certain points of canon are important, but it’s not like it’s God’s Law or something. You are right though, it would be damned nice if they would at least show us an image of the ship and maybe a bridge shot. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK JJ, ROBERTO, ETC. ARE YOU GUYS LISTENING!!!!
#118 – Ha! Okay, good points indeed! When are going to invite me to a Mass? ;)
#118 – I think years ago on “Saturday Night Live” there was a sketch where some stoner or other asked another, “If Superman and Jesus Christ got into a fight, who do you think would win?” More folks to invite to Mass…?
[...] en TrekMovie rescatan el hecho que JJ Abrams señala que la película lo ha llevado a explorar una ciencia [...]
120. Energize –
“how the hell is batman like robin hood?”
This is getting way off topic but in the tradition of a vigilante fighting for those who can’t defend themselves (the poor in Robin Hood, the underprotected populace of Gotham in Batman). Plus Robin was originally named for Robin Hood. Those Erroll Flynn films of the 30s influenced a lot of those early comic book creators.
But I digress, this is getting away from my point in those posts above.
#102—-Actually, what was #79 became #80. That is the “fit” to which I was referring…
#110—”I also have questioned if Closettrekker is a worker of J.J. Abrams’ planted on this site to be damage control.”
That is certainly not the case. If you were really watching my posts for a year, you would know that I was initially critical of the potential alternate timeline concept. It took awhile for me to reconcile with that. The idea that Abrams would plant someone for “damage control” is actually quite absurd. That would suggest that they actually or accidentally did some actual damage. I do not think they believe there is any “damage” to control, nor do I myself believe there to be.
I often respond to those whose criticism I believe is unjustified, but only because I generally “get” what they are trying to do.
I own a furniture design and manufacturing company based in Houston, Tx. I have no affiliation with Abrams or Star Trek other than the fact that I am a fan of both.
I comment about the marketing aspect because I often deal with maketing product in my own business…
I praise the recasting of the iconic TOS-era characters because I have been waiting for that to happen for twenty years…
I like who is in charge because, well…I like JJ Abrams…
And by the way, “Lord Garth” is far too smart to have meant that as anything but a joke…
#99. Marshall McMellon
His Psychic Powers Tear a hole in the space time
continuum and “Relationship George” kills “Independant George” as worlds collide:)
#81
Have more kids why don’t ya.
Cue Carly Simon….
Anticipation, anticipa-ay-ay-ay-shun!
Its breaking my heart, its driving me crazy!
…the adventure continues…
ya know….. I’m a little too busy for posting at this moment, so I’m out for now Peeps. later
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.
Closet- I KNEW someday you would return to Poopeyface… such a definitive, yet organic styling – one you so justly deserve, my darling…
#120 – Not so far off topic, really. The article is about Mr. Abrams saying it’s not a rehash. You are arguing that it has to be to some extent. You are correct.
Some very great writers acknowledge the fact that thematically there are a rather finite number of stories to be told. Different characters, but not so different motivations. And all good tales somehow have to center around conflict and some sort of resolution — even if it can be viewed as a failure.
And the character in a good tale has to grow and change like a real human being. Kirk was a compelling character because he was always learning, growing and changing from his experiences and new encounters. James Bond does not grow or change. Not as compelling a character in my book.
I’m still chuckling over your Jesus and Superman comparison, but you did make some interesting and valid points I hadn’t really otherwise considered. Do you think Jesus could see through lead? He could certainly see through people. I would say this entire debate is on topic with the article more than you might initially acknowledge. It’s certainly made for one of the more interesting threads I’ve read here lately.
Thank you for continuing to run this website, even though they keep giving us NOTHING
#133 – You’re absolutely right. Thank you, folks.
#109 – Decker-Unit. Are you sure that you shouldn’t be spelling your user-name with a “P”? ;D
Enjoy that spread.
#110: “I also have questioned if Closettrekker is a worker of J.J. Abrams’ planted on this site ”
DO YOU THINK THIS BECAUSE CLOSETTREKKER’S CONTRIBUTIONS ARE USUALLY INTERESTING & INSIGHTFUL WHILE 95% OF THE “COMMENTS” SHARED BY THE REST OF YOU MEANDER FROM INANE TO PETTY?
I don’t know what it is, but in the last couple of days I have noticed that people are getting too personal in their online debating and I ask people to tone it down
RE: people on payrolls
I assure everyone that this site does not condone sockpuppeting from anyone, and that is not going on here.
one other thing
I HATE all caps
“DO YOU THINK THIS BECAUSE CLOSETTREKKER’S CONTRIBUTIONS ARE USUALLY INTERESTING & INSIGHTFUL WHILE 95% OF THE “COMMENTS” SHARED BY THE REST OF YOU MEANDER FROM INANE TO PETTY?”
Sixteen posts in one thread does seem a bit like overkill.
What Star Trek needs is a Batman like Robot.
#9 – “The argument that keeping the movie secret is necessary for it to be a success is totally blown out of the water.”
I’d like to know where you saw that quoted.
Its not about secrecy or pandering to the fan boys who cry for the one image that will convince them personally that this film is OK or not. JJ doesn’t make the marketing decisions… Paramount does. Complaining isn’t going to make it happen any faster. JJ may read the boards… Paramount marketing does not.
The Internet has become a curse to film goers who have to tread carefully all over the place to avoid having any film or TV series spoiled before they can view it themselves. The Internet has turned fans into a bunch of whiny cry babies if they can’t have what they perceive as their god given right of unfettered access to everything before the film opens.
Well screw that attitude. My personal preference would be that no material appears anywhere online until a week before the film opens and then only the vaguest hints at that. No story break downs, no images of the cast, no views of the ship. I don’t want to walk into the theater and know it all before the title appears on the screen.
The soonest anyone will see a trailer is Christmas and that’s only iffy at this point. The soonest we will see any photos of anything related to the film will be AFTER the trailer has played out in theaters. You will probably see the soundtrack and novelization out a few weeks before the movie opens.
IT’S MARKETING you should be complaining to not J.J. Abrams.
Paramount Pictures
Marketing Department
5555 Melrose Avenue
Hollywood, California 90036
Good luck getting a reply out of them.
I for one appreciate Closettrekker’s posts, especially in regards to the subject of marketing. When it comes to marketing, you have to strike when there’s going to be maximum interest, and that time has just not come yet. Some movies suffer from a lack of marketing, others hurt from an overkill (One of the major reasons I think so many people disliked Episode I).
I think we forget that we have been living with this movie for so long, so a period of relative quiet is seriously misconstrued as a lack of interest or care on the part of JJ, Paramount, etc. The hype machine will start up when it’s supposed to, and now, heaven forbid, we have to wait like everyone else.
126. Closettrekker –
“I own a furniture design and manufacturing company based in Houston, Tx. ”
Hey Closet, you aren’t on any commercials jumping in the air, your hands full of cash talkin’ ’bout how you gonna “Save! You! MONEY!!”, are you?
Kirk, Spock, Mccoy, the Enterprise and some adventure not a rehashing? Sounds like Star Treks 1-6 to me! (except with less quality and a less legendary cast!)
Sorry I just don’t agree with the idea that the movie wouldn’t sustain interest. If something were released now.
Star Trek’s got too much built in interest.
And while the general public maybe fickle,you could just show it a little now,then wait till 4 months before the release and start with the more intense hype.
And eventually when the last 30 days arrives.
Then nauseate the public with it like the studios always do.
#136 and #141—Thanks. That is much appreciated.
#138—”Sixteen posts in one thread does seem a bit like overkill.”
Sorry. I like to talk. Always have…
#142—(lol) No, but that was pretty funny…
#132
If you’d seen Superman Returns, you wouldn’t think the comparison was such a stretch. There was a clear and deliberate allegory being presented there. It’s in the originals too, but not as blatant.
NEED MORE PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!PROPS!COSTUMES!THE BIG E!ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OH!!!!!AH!!!!!!(HEMERAGING FROM LACK OF DECENT INFORMATION)
ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…
6HGYTHGY…..
It should be in 3 D
Cripes people,
Like we’re entitled to something. The movie ain’t ready yet. Keep yer britches on. This is embarrassing.
We’re mostly adults here, aren’t we?
OK, I admit it. I’m on both Anthony’s and JJ’s payroll. Yep, I’m getting thousands a week just for coming in here and cheerleading for the new film.
I just couldn’t keep that in anymore. I suppose this spoils the job for me, but I couldn’t be dishonest any longer. It was eating at me.
That being said, I’m still really excited about this film. I couldn’t give a bat’s barf about canon as long as they honor the spirit and the characters of Trek. And I wish you naysayers would moderate your hate a bit, especially since you haven’t seen squat yet. Go ahead and voice your reservations, but getting all up in somebody’s grill when you have absolutely no evidence that your fears are founded is just silly.
Trek fans should be better than that.
Again, Anthony, JJ, I’m sorry to reveal that I’m a plant. Do I still get paid for a full week? It’s technically Thursday now, so the week is almost over anyway.
..November 2008..
Wow!!! — The passion continues. At this point I believe that we can accept the fact that Abrams and crew are an extremely talented group of professionals. We can also accept the fact that their dedication to their craft is second to none. We can also accept the fact that they have not only produced what will be (at least) a GOOD MOVIE — but will do EVERYTHING possible to make it a $ma$hing $ucce$$. Personally for me — I have all the confidence that in May 2009 we will leave the theatre being pretty impressed. Having said that, if not giving us at least a 60 second trailer — PLEASE two or three group shots of the crew on the bridge or in action. I’d even settle for Pike and crew on the bridge. But PLEASE give us something to that can really “Whet our appetites”. I don’t believe that is asking for so much….
I am surprised to see what kind of discussion has followed JJ’s most recent comments. I have been quite critical of JJ’s comments in the past and I’m opposing the idea of a reboot, but this here seems to be one of his most informative and conciliatory comments.
By the way I keep noticing Cloverfield being cited as a JJ Abrams film. He produced it, but that’s it. Matt Reeves directed from a script by ‘Buffy: The Vampire Slayer’ alumnus Drew Goddard.
#150 :-)
What’s with everybody wanting pictures so soon? I mean, sure, it would be cool, but is that what Trek has been reduced to? Eye candy? I love the look of TOS and expect they will come up with some dazzling interpretations of those designs without straying too far from home base, but honestly aesthetics is not what Star Trek, ( no bloody TNG-Ds9-Voyager or enterprise) has been about. It’s Kirk, Spock and McCoy and how these very real people react to the incredible, imaginative and very dangerous situations while exploring the unkown.
The only thing a picture would do at this point is polarize the fan base even more. Fans can’t wait to rip tp shreds, or praise, the new ship, the uniforms, the props, etc etc. Do you think JJ and his team wants ANY degree of negativity to proliferate on the web due to something as petty as the fonts on a ship’s hull? Isn’t it better to see the new designs and judge them within the context of the movie, as intended, rather than a still here and there with no knowledge of the story or scene?
Give it a rest people, we will get some pics in due time, but the movie is a YEAR away. Now is not the time to flood the internet with pics that will only fuel speculation and rumor.
But a new trailer around the holidays, reminding people that a new Trek based on Kirk and Spock is on the way, would be great. In fact, if they DON’T try to get something in theaters come November, to play in front of Quantum of Solace, it will be official that the studio suits HAVE lost their minds.
#47. I remember them thar days. And who else on this board will confess to reading a mag called All About Star Trek Fan Clubs? That was a goodie.
156
I’m sorry but your wrong. It’s not question of aesthetics or design. In the hearts of many fans, the Enterprise was another member of the cast. And we want to see what they have done to our favorite cast member.
#158—Subtle changes in asthetic appearance to the Enterprise would be no different than subtle changes in the appearances of the uniforms, IMO.
The USS Enterprise NCC-1701 we saw in “Where No Man Has Gone Before” was never feature film worthy in appearance, and certainly not in 2009.
“And we want to see what they have done to our favorite cast member.”
Sounds like you are gearing for battle to me. I hope I am wrong.
158. BK613 –
“156
I’m sorry but your wrong. It’s not question of aesthetics or design. In the hearts of many fans, the Enterprise was another member of the cast. And we want to see what they have done to our favorite cast member.”
You can see the Big E in the teaser trailer clear enough to recognize that it hasn’t been turned into something from Star Wars or the new Batmobile. It wasn’t painted bright orange and the nacelles weren’t moved to the front and some big cannons weren’t jutting out the sides so I think it’s safe to assume they haven’t “done anything to my precious Enterprise”.
We’ve gotten as clear an image of the Enterpise in the teaser as we’ve gotten of the cast in the posters. Actually we’ve seen more of the Enterprise than the cast.
I can just hear the petty quibbling: “That’s not what the hangar deck doors look like!!!!!! They’ve destroyed everything! I hate JJ Abrams” blah blah etc etc. Yeesh.
#146 – Thank you pointing that out. I’m not very well versed in the Man of Steel mythos, but I will look into the comparison points you speak of and I will try to view “Superman Returns” someday.
Correct me if I am wrong, but didn’t Superman — at least in one of the comic book series — die and resurrect at some point? I seem to recall reading or hearing that somewhere. That would be another comparison point between him and J.C., wouldn’t it? Perhaps even a rather significant one. Plus they also both escaped near-certain death while infants, didn’t they? Gets a little more interesting the more you think about it. Thanks #146, and, of course, Izbot.
#126 to me @ #102: Thanks for clearing that up.
161. Brett Campbell –
“Correct me if I am wrong, but didn’t Superman — at least in one of the comic book series — die and resurrect at some point?”
Yeah I mentioned that in my little comparison in #118 but it may have gotten lost in there. It was the multi-part storyline “The Death of Superman” followed by about three months of Superman-less stories in his own titles dealing with the void caused by his absense followed by his inevitable return from the dead. This was in the mid-90s.
And Superman Returns (the movie) also more or less deals with his return to earth after leaving for 5 years — not an actual death and resurrection but thematically an echo of that.
Plus he has a big “S” for “Savior” on his chest.
AP, I apologize. The CAPS key locked-up on me. (peanut butter fingers)
I apologize to all of you who post “inane” or “petty” comments.
H-Town Rocks!
What say you Closettrekker we combine our Trekker cred to bring The Experience to Space City? Maybe in an abandoned warehouse near the new soccer stadium.
Peace out!
Izbot & Closettrekker
U guys are great, I stop by every day, sometimes more than once, Seems I only need to read your comments to get up to speed.
keep up the good work.
oh, and Izbot you take the words right out of my mouth, every time your spot on,
thanks
#163: Much has been written about Supes as a Messiah figure. He’s initially believed to be the only surviving son of Krypton, sent by his Father. He has supernatural powers which he uses to help mankind. In Superman the Movie, he reverses time to so he can bring Lois back to life. Jesus-like.
H-Town Rules!
166. Zip –
“oh, and Izbot you take the words right out of my mouth, every time your spot on”
Thanks, that’s cuz I plagiarize.
#167—”H-Town Rules!”
My family and I like it too.
166. Zip -
Also I think Closettrekker and I have recently been outted as JJ Abrams plants here to spy on the fans and do spin control. Nothing to see here folks, move along. These aren’t the droids you’re looking for and all that.
Star Trek II seems to be a very closed production regarding information. The cast and crew interviews are repetitive. Maybe trekmovie could replace them with other articles until real news breaks?
171. Kev-1 –
“Star Trek II seems to be a very closed production regarding information. The cast and crew interviews are repetitive. Maybe trekmovie could replace them with other articles until real news breaks?”
That’s kinda already done around here. Lots of articles on other Trek-related subjects other than the new movie.
#170—”Also I think Closettrekker and I have recently been outted as JJ Abrams plants here to spy on the fans and do spin control. Nothing to see here folks, move along. These aren’t the droids you’re looking for and all that.”
And yet I haven’t seen a dime of compensation…what’s up with that? Is none of that $168 million budget slated for me?
I think we get a percentage of the box office totals. That’s what JJ told me. Didn’t you get the memo?
159: “The USS Enterprise NCC-1701 we saw in “Where No Man Has Gone Before” was never feature film worthy in appearance, and certainly not in 2009.”
That’s true for the original studio model, of course. But Star Trek Remastered has demonstrated that the original design holds up perfectly if presented using today’s technology. For the movie, you’d have just needed to add some more detail: hull plating, maneuvering thrusters, weapons ports and all that.
I haven’t abandoned hope that we’ll be shown exactly that ship when the 5 year mission begins at the end of the movie. There’s no problem if the ship we have seen in the trailer is refitted into the original at some point.
#175—I have no “inside information” of course, but I think you will have to prepare yourself for the distinct possibility of something more “updated” and impressive than that original design. What impressed me as a child will not likely impress my kids anymore. It has to be something that will make younger audiences applaud. I think Knowles described it as a cross between the movie Enterprise and the original.
Either way, I do not think I will have any trouble imagining that it is the same ship which carried my childhood fictional heroes to Capella IV, or to victory over the Romulan BOP near the Earth outposts along the border of the Neutral Zone.
IMO, it just needs to honor the basic principles of the original design and look fantastic. Things change. Don’t be afraid of it. Your technical manuals will be no less canon than they already were. It’s a fictional story.
I just want to point out to Izbot and Closet that there are other articles on the site to comment on. Why, I pi$$ed off a whole slew people on the Rachel Nichols thread. You guys could go over there and tell me I’m wrong. Ya’ bunch of Planty McPlants.
As BND says, I kidz cuz I luvz.
177. THX-1138 The Fandom Menace -
“I just want to point out to Izbot and Closet that there are other articles on the site to comment on. Why, I pi$$ed off a whole slew people on the Rachel Nichols thread. You guys could go over there and tell me I’m wrong. Ya’ bunch of Planty McPlants.”
Ooh, thanks for the tip! I haven’t looked in on that thread lately! Spin control…away!!
176: I’m afraid of nothing! ;-)
- I saw ‘CHARLIE’S ANGELS’-the movie- a few days ago…and..guess what…i saw one of the new romulans there…very strange..new world and new civilisation…Maybe the angels where to great to appear in a new STARX TRESK movie as a cameo..we got a brand new romulan – as a pirate- instead…But i still can’t wait to see the brand new reboot of S.T…..
man, I’m gone for a week and this site turns into a rant, everyone demanding pics, demanding this , that, and the other thing…good things come to those who wait,,,have a lil patience….that being said….I’d really like ta see the Enterprise. I’ll just get online one day and there’ll she be.
Peace and long life
All I can say is that there better not be pissing jokes (ala Transformers, Fringe) in Star Trek. Guys, it aint’ funny.
#181
What do you mean “turns” into a rant? From day one it’s been a rant. As a matter of fact since 1966 Star Trek has been about disagreeing; from sets to characters to plots.
“What do you mean “turns” into a rant? From day one it’s been a rant. As a matter of fact since 1966 Star Trek has been about disagreeing; from sets to characters to plots.”
Discussing, dabating, disagreeing, ranting — yup! I’ve been listening, sometimes participating, for 30+ years. To me, it just shows the depth of Trek. That there is so much to it: the richness of its universe and the passion of the fans who love it.
182. cagmar –
“All I can say is that there better not be pissing jokes (ala Transformers, Fringe) in Star Trek. Guys, it aint’ funny.”
God I agree! I used to end all most posts here with “No fart jokes in the movie, no fart jokes in the movie, no fart jokes in the movie”. That was the stupidest choice Berman and Braga made in the first two seasons of ENT, to include potty humor in every episode. Totally felt out of place. That and the forced titilation (rubdown in the decon chamber anyone?) and the mandate that someone said either “ass” or “son of a bitch” each episode. Why? Just dumb. And potty humor has wrecked animation for me.
#158—Subtle changes in asthetic appearance to the Enterprise would be no different than subtle changes in the appearances of the uniforms, IMO.
————————————————————————————————-
Yep your opinion. :-)
For me I’ve waited nearly 40 years to see a TOS era Enterprise represented on the big screen. I expect there to be changes and I accept that (I am completely open to it as a matter of fact), but I don’t equate those changes with minor costume changes. One is like changing your clothes the other is like remodeling your home.
—————————————————
“And we want to see what they have done to our favorite cast member.”
Sounds like you are gearing for battle to me. I hope I am wrong.
————————————————–
An invalid assumption on your part. There was no hidden meanings intended in that statement. I’ve liked what little I’ve seen and I sincerely want to see more.
#186—”An invalid assumption on your part. ”
Good.
Way to go JJ!
But I think you should start desensatizing us Trekkers to the
new actors in thier roles. It whould be great to see them onscreen
and already e comfortable with the new crew in the roles.
A small plot description whould be great too!
I’M BACK BABY!!!!
#175:
“I haven’t abandoned hope that we’ll be shown exactly that ship when the 5 year mission begins at the end of the movie. There’s no problem if the ship we have seen in the trailer is refitted into the original at some point.”
That is exectly the kind of fanboy’s dream you will have to abandon pretty soon, especially if the movie is a success and there are any sequels. Not gonna happen.
It may well be that in case of failure this movie may be declared a new pilot for TOS. But in case of success, the entire five year mission will be rebooted with a series of sequels. TOS won’t be anything more but the shear source material for that new franchise. TOS will be the comic books, the movies will be its adaptation!
Anything else would be a big surprise…
The Enterprise will never ever look again like it did on TOS. The actors (aside from Nimoy) will never be in the same roles again. Trek got old, and it has to move on.
As a mature adult, I’ve accepted this, and look forward to the new incarnation. I will, however, be very disappointed in young Mr. Orci if he puts in a bodily function joke. It’s never been funny, it never will be. I hope he was mature enough now to avoid crap like that.
#164. lol! Nice one, Centurion! Like it! Like it!
#186 “For me I’ve waited nearly 40 years to see a TOS era Enterprise represented on the big screen.”
Apparently you never saw AIRPLANE II where Shanter views it through a periscope on the moon. It looked gorgeous on the big screen.
#190—”But in case of success, the entire five year mission will be rebooted with a series of sequels. TOS won’t be anything more but the shear source material for that new franchise. TOS will be the comic books, the movies will be its adaptation!
Anything else would be a big surprise…”
I disagree, and for the following reasons:
1) I asked Bob Orci how STXI would affect my future viewing of TOS. His answer was, “My sincere hope is that it will enhance it.” Your assessment wouldn’t exactly mesh with that statement. It is unlikely that my future viewing of TOS reruns would be “enhanced” if the actual events and outcomes were effectively erased from canon and rebooted to accomodate the potential sequels.
2) One of the “Supreme Court’s” stated goals is to make a film which is not only accessible to mainsteam moviegoers, but to make a Star Trek film that the established fans will love as well. It wouldn’t exactly make sense to relegate TOS to irrelevancy and expect the established fans to appreciate that.
3) There are too many other possibilities. IMO, it is more than reasonable to expect that Spock (Nimoy) will be at least partially successful in preventing the Romulan villains from attaining their goal (presumably to change the past), perhaps not successful enough to prevent subtle changes in the asthetic appearance of the period, but successful enough to preserve the general outcomes of major events (like those depicted in the 79 TOS episodes).
Since TOS had no real story arcs (beyond the occasional two-part episode), it would be simple to insert the story for STXII (assuming their is one) within the existing 5 year mission. A simple reference to an event which has already passed would be enough to chronologically establish when the story takes place. It could also take place after the final episode of the 3rd season.
A potential STXIII could even take place after TMP, yet prior to the Enterprise being assigned to training duty. TMP (2.5 years after the end of the 5 year mission)-TWOK(15 years after “Space Seed”) leaves a pretty firm 7.5 year gap in the timeline.
I could be completely wrong, but there are far too many possibilities to simply assume that the entire 5 year mission will be rebooted.
Damned meddling Typonians!
Their=There…sorry.
I just heard a rumor that for breakfast on the set the food-synthesizer-replicator-thingy is programmed to serve up rehashbrowns. ;)
191. Einstein Jones –
“I will, however, be very disappointed in young Mr. Orci if he puts in a bodily function joke. It’s never been funny, it never will be. I hope he was mature enough now to avoid crap like that.”
I’ve agreed and commented on this in #185 but it bears repeating. Star Trek has never needed to pander to the lowest common denominator. It is an institution that prides itself on the fact that a second pilot was ordered because the first one was too brainy for the network execs. I’m encouraged that this film is avoiding self-parody and I hope they’ll be no bodily function jokes for the kiddies, no “You go, girl!”, no “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!”, no breakdancing or farting robots. Star Trek has usually been pretty classy or at least above those sorts of sitcom antics. It’s about mankind improving itself, facing extraordinary challenges and surviving into a new golden age. I watch Star Trek to *escape* from this world where I’m assaulted daily by toilet humor and chuckleheaded troglodytes.
Present company excluded, of course.
The food-replicator-thingy has also just added reconstituted Voyage-homefries to the menu.
Ladies and gentlemen, Brett Campbell is riffin’!
Well played, old bean.
#198
How ’bout some Undiscovered Country-fried steak?
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
THX – Thank you. When I was a little kid for awhile I believed we were all human beans.
Vulcanista – Sounds great, especially if you can serve it with all the right Wrath-of-Khan-diments.
I’m not understanding the whole mindset behind having only a single Star Trek film in production, if any, at a given time. The whole way that “original crew” cinema got scuttled in favor of the Next Generation pictures, then nothing happened to bring either Deep Space Nine or Voyager to the Silver Screen, appears rather narrow minded on the face of it. It would be like limiting the number of comic character movies to one every four years, rather than allowing Spider Man, Iron Man, Punisher and Batman, all to clutter the theater screens in a single year. Who could imagine such a thing? Four (or more, if you count Hellboy) comic book adaptations? Wouldn’t the audience soon tire of such an overflow?
And yet, with Star Trek, it seems that the market can only bear a single Trekkie-shoot at a time — and these, as widely dispersed as possible. No plans seem to exist for the Next Generation, the Voyager crew, Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, or even a Kirk-rescue “episode” involving the remainder of the original crew. Where is the logic in ignoring such a vastly untapped market of ticket sales?
202. K.M. Kirby, Esq.
Perhaps it is because TOS and TNG are the two best known Trek series outside fandom. Thr casual viewer on the street could probably tell you who Kirk and Picard were, but you might be hard-pressed to find one who could tell you anything about Sisko, Janeway, or Archer. Paramount might have thought about it if they thought there was the potential for success.
The only reason they haven’t made any Star Trek films is because the movies weren’t making enough money. Believe me, if they had been as successful as Paramount had wanted, they would have kept making them. It’s all and only about money.
Viewership was down with each series, as were the reviews. It simply wasn’t cinematically viable. Again, believe me, there were lots of accountants looking at the numbers and the possibilities. If there was a chance of squeezing money out of the old franchise, they would have.
I know these kind of people, and it’s all about the dough.
190: “That is exectly the kind of fanboy’s dream you will have to abandon pretty soon, especially if the movie is a success and there are any sequels. Not gonna happen.”
First of all, I consider the term “fanboy” to be an insult. But you haven’t directly called me that. Also, I always considered a fanboy a juvenile fan who likes overblown battleships with three nacelles and dozens of phaser turrets and a regiment of “Starfleet Marines” aboard. Maybe your usage of the term differs.
Secondly, and more to the point, I fail to see the connection between the movie’s success and the redesign of the Enterprise. You seem to see this connection, Closetrekker has made remarks about his, too. Why? As I have said before, Star Trek Remastered demonstrated that the original design holds up fine, you just need to present it with today’s visual technologies.
What we have seen in the trailer, on the other hand, is very close to the original, the same overall design, just some very pointless changes like those overblown nacelle caps. You think that’s the big difference which gets the youth excited over the ship? I don’t believe it. Those who find the original design boring will most likely find the STXI version boring as well, it’s too similar. And on the other hand, Nemesis had this “exciting” Reman Scimitar, a really “cool” design with an up-to-date agressive raptor-like look, just the sort of thing you would think gets young videogamers going. Did it help the movie? Did it draw the youth into the cinemas? No, absolutely not. So it does not seem to be true that the new movie really needs a new Enterprise in order to be a success.
[...] source: CLICK HERE [...]
#205—”I fail to see the connection between the movie’s success and the redesign of the Enterprise. You seem to see this connection, Closetrekker has made remarks about his, too. Why? As I have said before, Star Trek Remastered demonstrated that the original design holds up fine, you just need to present it with today’s visual technologies.”
The “remastered” version of the original Enterprise design holds up well for its audience, but therein lies the distinction. There is no evidence at all that new audiences are watching STR in significant numbers. All indications are that the audience still consists of older fans like us who are not seeing TOS for the first time. What I am talking about is the stated target audience of STXI—mainstream moviegoers and young people like my sons. They are not quite so enamoured with the original Enterprise. I honestly believe that, while STXI’s version will adhere to the basic design principles, I think we are in for a “souped up version” that will impress young people in the same way that the refit Enterprise in TMP impressed me.
“So it does not seem to be true that the new movie really needs a new Enterprise in order to be a success.”
I don’t think it is soley dependant upon that at all, just that a new interpretation (but like you said, close to the original) will be a part of that. It will be the promise of special effects, the likes of which have yet to be seen, along with visual scenes described by Harry Knowles as more thrilling than anything ever seen before in Star Trek or Star Wars which will draw in the mainstream crowd. With that said, it will be the wonderful characters and story which will ultimately tie them down to the franchise, if that is to happen at all.
By no means am I suggesting that the Enterprise will be radically different in STXI from the one we saw in TOS (Knowles describes it as a cross between the tv Enterprise and the movie one). But just as the iconic characters of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy have been recast, so has the Enterprise…I am sure of it.
“Nemesis had this “exciting” Reman Scimitar, a really “cool” design with an up-to-date agressive raptor-like look, just the sort of thing you would think gets young videogamers going. Did it help the movie? Did it draw the youth into the cinemas?”
Apples and oranges…The TNG characters never had an adequate feature film draw anyway. Why would a cool ship design in one of its worst films draw young people to the franchise?
The reason that Paramount is willing to fork out such a budget is simply this:
We are talking about the iconic James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy…and JJ Abrams. You could have put Tom Hanks in Nemesis, and it would have made little difference. People like me (am I am a huge Star Trek fan) barely acknowledged that there was a Star Trek movie in theater. I was not about to pay money to see characters I had no interest in. Mainstream moviegoers could not have cared less.
Guys, you’re missing one big thing here – special effects people want to redesign things. They don’t want to use somebody else’s designs, especially a forty year old one. I think we should be happy to have the basic design intact. What the hell does it matter if the skin is more detailed, or there is a different cap on the nacelle? I mean, Kirk has a brand new face! The Enterprise changed in every movie, especially the bridge. I don’t know why some exterior changes for this film are so controversial to some people.
I think anybody who nitpicks such a thing will never be happy with the movie, and probably doesn’t plan to be. Personally, I want to see a more detailed ship on the big screen. The plain, flat white Enterprise of TOS is a great idea for itty bitty TV screens, and nothing more.
I think the film makers made the right choice. Keeping the Enterprise plain for a few inflexible fans would have been the wrong choice.
I’m out of here. Respond if you want, but I’m not coming back to this tired old argument.
#209 “What the hell does it matter if the skin is more detailed, or there is a different cap on the nacelle? I mean, Kirk has a brand new face! ”
If it was a complete and total reboot it wouldn’t. But it’s not. It has Leonard Nimoy AS THE Spock created in 1966. We are being asked to believe that the characters in this film are the SAME folks Nimoy acted against in Star Trek, just younger. That common thread mandates that some things should not change.
Having said that, I also think the idea of an alternate timeline opens the door for many changes and it is that very “altered” timeline that will allow me to wrap my mind around Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, walking about HIS bridge (hypothetically..I haven’t seen the movie) and accepting it as HIS bridge, even though it is going to look very very different.
208. Einstein Jones –
“What the hell does it matter if the skin is more detailed, or there is a different cap on the nacelle? I mean, Kirk has a brand new face! The Enterprise changed in every movie, especially the bridge. I don’t know why some exterior changes for this film are so controversial to some people.”
You make a great point about the changing bridge of the Enterprise! It changed dramatically in every movie (I think STII & III were virtually identical but that’s it). People getting all bent out of shape with regards to the size of nacelle caps or the hangar bay doors make my eyes roll. From what I saw in the teaser it looks enough like the Big E to satisfy me.
205. Holger –
“As I have said before, Star Trek Remastered demonstrated that the original design holds up fine, you just need to present it with today’s visual technologies.”
I dunno about that, the Remastered version looked less convincing than the original model a lot of the time. And most people out there — even a lot of Trek fans who don’t keep up with everything — aren’t even aware of the Remastered project. My wife, a longtime TNG fan, has tuned in with me a couple times to watch the Remastered TOS and often says, “I don’t get it. I thought there were supposed to be new effects. This still looks the same.” The average person needs something more convincingly “real”. Again, I’m not advocating a complete start-from-scratch redesign but surface detailing, some slight modifications etc are perfectly fine by me. And the TOS bridge with its static backlit slideprojector art, glued on jellybean buttons and plywood surfaces is way overdue for some “real”-ness.
#210 – “I dunno about that, the Remastered version looked less convincing than the original model a lot of the time. And most people out there — even a lot of Trek fans who don’t keep up with everything — aren’t even aware of the Remastered project. My wife, a longtime TNG fan, has tuned in with me a couple times to watch the Remastered TOS and often says, “I don’t get it. I thought there were supposed to be new effects. This still looks the same.” The average person needs something more convincingly “real”.”
I think part of it was that the Remastered episodes were far too often rushed, so they couldn’t give all the shots the richness they would have liked. There’s some great work there, and some only-so-so work there, too.
I think that, in many ways, Kuramura’s version of the Defiant in “In a Mirror Darkly” got a lot closer to what’s needed for today’s audience. It’d have to go a level more detailed for a motion picture screen, but his model was going in the right direction.
“Again, I’m not advocating a complete start-from-scratch redesign but surface detailing, some slight modifications etc are perfectly fine by me. And the TOS bridge with its static backlit slideprojector art, glued on jellybean buttons and plywood surfaces is way overdue for some “real”-ness.”
Agreed. Just as a small example, I recently downloaded and watched the trailer for “Blood and Fire” (ST: Phase II), and one thing that totally intrigued me was that they’ve updated that bridge set with dynamic screens. More than ever before, that bridge looks *alive*, with stuff going on all over the place. (And it was only a few displays caught in a couple of shots!) Take that, magnify the detail for the motion picture screen, and wow…
One of the things they have said all along is that everything will have the appearance of being more “functional”.
211. Alex Rosenzweig –
“Agreed. Just as a small example, I recently downloaded and watched the trailer for “Blood and Fire” (ST: Phase II), and one thing that totally intrigued me was that they’ve updated that bridge set with dynamic screens. More than ever before, that bridge looks *alive*, with stuff going on all over the place. (And it was only a few displays caught in a couple of shots!) Take that, magnify the detail for the motion picture screen, and wow…”
This was something I had hoped they would’ve done with the bridge set of the Defiant in “In a Mirror Darkly”. Sure it looked authentic and that was very cool but it also looked as lifeless as the corpses strewn thoughout the ship — especially in strong contrast to the NX-01 bridge set in the same episode(s).
#213 – “This was something I had hoped they would’ve done with the bridge set of the Defiant in “In a Mirror Darkly”. Sure it looked authentic and that was very cool but it also looked as lifeless as the corpses strewn thoughout the ship — especially in strong contrast to the NX-01 bridge set in the same episode(s).”
Actually, they did start to do it a bit on the Defiant’s bridge. When T’Pol downloads the information from the library computer, one screen shows the information racing past. But it looked like it was just that one screen that was “live”, probably because it was rigged for that one shot. The upper screens, though, in a number of shots, had different images flashing, or a status display changing to reflect changing conditions. It was subtle, but it was there.
Ironically, this is one example of how, in a way, the bridge from “The Cage” is more futuristic than the bridge from TOS. The big black fields, with pictures shining through cutouts, look more like large screens with images in pop-up windows than could easily be achieved with a direct adaptation of the screens on the TOS bridge (’though I like to imagine that maybe those upper screens were still like that, even in TOS, and the 2-screen or 1-screen patterns we saw were more like a preset default that maybe Kirk or Sock happened to prefer ;) ).
Great point Alex. I like the TOS ‘default screens’ idea.
I still prefer the Cage bridge to the regular season TOS bridge design.
The briefly seen, understated and muted color scheme was always very professional looking.
See…
http://startrekpropauthority.blogspot.com/2008/07/helm-navigation-console-from-star-trek.html
At least the Navigator and Helm had thier own video displays.
That’s a detail (IMO) that was always laking in all the series and movies. Those guys should be able to see thier own displays. In general, the bridge was always a great set. I hope Apple does not make the redesign look too rediculos. Obviously and unfortuatly (for us real fans) it’s still a closely guarded secret.
It’s funny though. By the time we see this ‘new’ movie, the ‘new’ bridge will already be two years old – using 2007 designs. Minus the visuals that they design this year in post production.
Someone please leak a pic of the new bridge so we can comment and possibly avert /fix any embarrassing oversights while there is time. My hopes are still very high, though! I am sure they will hit a grande slam with all thier efforts and I will be stunned by all the visuals. It would especially be nice to actually see the stars though a very large bridge dome. That’d be real nice.
But really, a small pic would be great to see and comment on. I priomise to be gentle with my critique.
Not a Rehash? How about a morsel from the appestitzer menu then?
214. Alex Rosenzweig –
“Ironically, this is one example of how, in a way, the bridge from “The Cage” is more futuristic than the bridge from TOS. The big black fields, with pictures shining through cutouts, look more like large screens with images in pop-up windows than could easily be achieved with a direct adaptation of the screens on the TOS bridge ”
Omg, just as long as that frickin’ animated msn paperclip doesn’t show up! “I see you are trying to stabilize the warp care. Can I help?”
216 – Good one! I’ve always hated that little effin’ paper clip thing!
Wow hadn’t tought of it that way 216, but you are right even though I do think the most fuctional bridge was of The Defiant(DS9) out of all the trek.
208: “The plain, flat white Enterprise of TOS is a great idea for itty bitty TV screens, and nothing more.
I think the film makers made the right choice. Keeping the Enterprise plain for a few inflexible fans would have been the wrong choice.”
I have never read anyone posting here suggesting that a replica of the 1966 studio model should be used in the movie. The same goes for the bridge set. On the contrary, some people have made up for themselves a mockery of TOS purists who insist on paper displays with wrinkles on the bridge and an Enterprise without surface details and weapons ports.
I don’t get the impression that anyone here really thinks that improved detailing on the exterior as well as interior of the ship is not absolutely necessary for doing a movie. If anyone should really doubt that I would suggest to him or her to have a look into the production history of ST:TMP.
As I see it, the argument here has always been about how far the changes should go.
#219—-”…the argument here has always been about how far the changes should go.”
Yes, that’s about right. But from those brief images of the new bridge (from which you admittedly cannot see a great deal), it appears that the interior has been changed a great deal to me. I never expected the color schemes from the 1960’s to appear on JJ’s Enterprise, so that is no surprise to me. As long as the Captain’s chair is where it belongs, Spock’s science station and Uhura’s console are to his right, and the navigator and helm consoles are in front of him, I think I’ll be okay. We have already heard that the doors will go “swoosh”, so that’s good news too.
Not so much as swoosh but sssshhhhhhiiiiisssssshhhhttttt
At least to my ears that’s what the doors sounded like anyway.
About the nacelles on the Enterprise in the Trek XI movie trailer (from earlier posts in this thread) — I didn’t interpret these to be the new caps on the nacelles. I thought we were seeing the “guts” of the engines, still under construction, and that caps would later be secured over these before the ship was launched. Perhaps I’m wrong about this, but did anyone else get a similar impression?
Yep.
But I still don’t understand how those engines really work.
I thought the front of the nacelles collected or sucked in space hydrogen as a means of fueling.
And how about the main deflector dish. Should’nt the dish glow all the time when at warp? The only time I have ever seen that happen is in the 2nd part of the Borg episode. Except of course the TMP Enterprise that dish new how to glow at least.
Closettrekker…I need a couch and I’ll spend $$ with a fellow Trekker. What brand and are you national? I am in Iowa. If you are shy about mentioning it here, let me know and I’ll provide an email.
=======================
I love that JJ is standing by his guns
#224—I appreciate the sentiment of fraternity, but we are more of a specialty operation. I make solid repurposed dining tables, coffee tables, consoles, buffets, bar tops, armoirs, benches, chairs, etc. (anything and everything which can be manufactured in hardwood) all from reclaimed solid South Pacific hardwoods and in Southern European style designs. It’s great stuff, but there is very little in upholstered furniture pieces, and nothing at all in a “conventional” couch. We do sell and ship everywhere though.
The whole thing really sounds great and I’m dying to see some footage myself although I heard the reason behind that was that Abrams wasn’t happy with the special fx shots yet. Anyways, the only thing that bothers me is the whole ‘appealing to non-fans’ aspect of what he’s been saying. Wasn’t that kind of the problem with Nemesis and some of the more recent stuff. They should stop worrying about trying to convert non-fans and concentrate on making a great Star Trek movie for people who love Star Trek. Cuz first of all people that don’t like Star Trek are not going to like Star Trek and could care less about the notion of a Star Trek movie being made at all. They don’t care. And second, if they Star Trek fans don’t like it (like Nemesis) then thats your whole fanbase. That being said though I’m still really excited and I think it’s gonna be good. Also, I’m glad its not gonna be rehash cuz they did A LOT of rehash in the televisions shows. And ya, the guy who brought up the Phantom Menace remark.. Star Trek should not be compared to Star Wars first of all.. and second Phantom menace wasn’t even the worst sw movie, attack of the clones was. But I think we all know which franchise is the better one and no comparisons are necessary of apt.
Closet… got a site? That’s sounding cool.
Xai.hamlin@yahoo.com
I’m excited about this film, but I grew up with the Next Generation cast. I really hope that after this film is released, we will see at least one more Next Generation film. They were on TV for 7 seasons. They were a great cast—the chemistry was amazing between them.
I think it sucks that bad writing may have condemned that cast to an early death in the film world. “Nemesis” was not a good send-off at all.
Let’s hope they someday soon give us another Next Generation film—this time produced by someone other than Berman, and with a script that wasn’t pulled off of a Cracker Jack box.
Next gen was lucky to ever have a movie.