ST09 Tidbits (T-13): Online Sales Strong + ET Sneak Peek Tonight + New Interviews & Reviews + more April 24, 2009
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Great Links, Star Trek (2009 film) , trackback
Star Trek is now two weeks away (less than that for the those going to Thursday early shows), and the buzz keeps on building. Today we have the first indications of ticket sales (going well), a DVR notice for an ET exclusive tonight, more interviews, some interesting review perspectives, and more. Plus, did Nathan Lane get cut from Star Trek?
Reminder: Tickets available online (including IMAX)
As we will begin every tidbits, we remind you that you can now buy advanced tickets (including early shows) for Star Trek at Fandango. You can also get tickets for IMAX at Fandango.
Star Trek online sales strong – even outpacing Wolverine
Remember last week Ad Age said that Wolverine would outsell Star Trek 2 to 1? Well the first reports for online sales shows that the battle is a lot tighter and Star Trek is actually a bit ahead. THR cites MovieTickets.com sales figures showing that even though Wolverine is selling well, Star Trek is outselling it in early online sales. TrekMovie contacted Fandango and they said that both films are selling briskly, but that Trek is currently outselling Wolverine by a bit there there as well. They noted it is very early and that most sales will come much closer to the film and so there is a caution not to read too much into it, but it is yet another good sign for the film.
Speaking of Wolverine, the latest TV commercial for that film has a familiar voice doing the narration:…teaching us the lesson that we can all get along…mutant and Starfleet:
Star Trek Exclusive on ET Friday night
Entertainment Tonight will have an ‘exclusive sneak peek inside Star Trek‘ on their Friday night edition. ET is promising a “first look at Kirk in the captain’s chair! Spock in a romance! Nero the villain!” along with “behind-the-scenes look at hitmaker J.J. Abrams at work and the set.” Here is a promo clip:
Nathan Lane’s deleted scene?
Nathan Lane was a guest on The Late Show With David Letterman on Wednesday night, and he brought a special Star Trek clip with him, here it is:
Interviews of the day – Abrams, Nimoy, and Yelchin
links and excerpts
JJ Abrams GQ
excerpt (on why they didn’t do a Batman Begins style total reboot):
Abrams: I think we stumbled on a story that’s a better version of that. We’re telling a story that uses the backstory, the history of the world that Gene Roddenberry created, but doesn’t suffer from that thing a lot of prequels suffer from, where you think, “As exciting as this is, I’ve seen the other movies—I know they live. You can’t get me—I’ve seen Alec Guinness play that guy!” That’s a default problem with any film that’s a true prequel. So this movie is a strange hybrid. We’re not completely restarting everything. Leonard Nimoy’s in this movie, and he’s playing Spock. It connects. And at the same time, it’s its own thing, and it’s alive and vital. But this movie’s intended for people who’ve never seen an episode of Star Trek, so even though it’s not a complete restart, the work we had to do is in many ways the same. You have to make sure you’re giving people a way in, and that requires telling a story that assumes nothing. But if you love Star Trek, there are so many
references and allusions in the film that’ll be rewarding, because you’ll finally get to see scenes that have been discussed but never seen before. You’ll finally understand how certain things happened in Kirk’s backstory, or Spock’s. I love that there’s two ways you can experience this film: If you happen to be a fan, it’s fantastic, and if you’ve never seen it before, all the better.
Leonard Nimoy – Dayton News Journal (report from FX convention)
Excerpt (on what it was about the new team that convinced him to do Spock again)
… I was struck by the intensity of their feelings about the classic Star Trek material that we did. By their awareness of what the characters were about, and how important the characters’ development was, and how important the ideas of those shows were. I was really touched by them, very touched. In fact, it’s been reported I got misty at that meeting, and I actually did. Because for a long time, I felt marginalized. I thought, no, (the new Treks) have nothing to do with me. It’s over for me. But these people made me feel that what we had done in the original series was still relevant, and useful, and meaningful, and they wanted to get back in touch with that," he said. "And that’s what brought me into the project.
Anton Yelchin – LA Times
Excerpt (on Chekov)
With [Chekov], it was fun to capture the comedic aspects. Naturally, he’s kind of funny sometimes. I adjusted it, but I wanted to be close to the [original version]. Certain things I took: the v’s to the w’s. He says wessels. He doesn’t say the v, which is an odd choice. It’s the kind of choice that they made 40 years ago when he was this Cold War stereotype. But it’s fine. It’s great.
Interesting Trek perspectives – Newbie & Scientist weigh in
There are a couple of new reviews of the Star Trek movie, from different perspectives. First up New Scientist takes a look at the film from a scientific point of view, noting what tech was "dubious" and what was "more plausible" [note review is very spoiler].
Another interesting take comes from CNET who dispatched a total Trek newbie to an advance screening. Success with those who are not steeped in Trek canon is important, and her feeling that Star Trek "is just plain fun" should come as welcome news to Paramount.
ST09 Tidbits bits
Even more stuff:
- AskMen.com profile of Chris Pine
- HDRoom has rumor that Star Trek Blu-ray will come out Nov. 17
- Toshiba UK launches Star Trek promotion
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Comments»
Nathan Lane / Leno … hmmm .. just me or not funny? ( and I do like Nathan Lane )
I want to remind people that SPOILERS are not allowed in non-spoiler article comments, even spoilers about Wolverine
Must be the 1st!!!
Larry Spock…lol
very moving comments by Mr Nimoy. got me misty eyed too!
Greg
UK
Cooooool…I want that lapjack for my A300 now!!
1: I think I have to respectfully disagree — I thought that the Nathan Lane video was a trip.
As always, I enjoy reading SPOILER-FREE comments about the film, film making process, etc. And, I always enjoy reading commentary by Mr. Nimoy — he’s such a talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and a top-notch individual to boot.
Leno??? errr….that was Letterman. I thought it was cute. The only hilarious part was when he talked about looking for batteries for his phaser!
I’ve noticed Abrams is subtly adjusting how he connects with both the fanbase and the newbies. It’s nice that he addresses both sides in the same comment for once, in a postive light non-the-less.
AP Thaks for the tip about tonight. Ive been waiting for them to do something on Trek. I only watch about once a week so I probably would have missed it.=/\=
Slightly off topic, but has anyone noticed how there are a few “space” related news articles popping up in the media lately. I remember learning about this form of marketing when I studied media at university.
Media Spin Doctors (aka PR bullsh!t artists) attached to movies are known to create “news” that happen to somehow relate to their projects. For example, you will see an article on a news website about some retired astronaut speaking about a secret government conspiracy to cover up extra-terrestrials living among us; right next to the article, there will be a link to a trailer for the new Star Trek movie.
I find this type of marketing very interesting; it is interesting to see how often this is done when you really look at media and analyze it closely.
Hi Anthony,
Can you do us all a huge favour and republish all the reports with SPOILER info that’s coming out in a summary with links a week after the movie comes out?
I’d love to read NEW SCIENTIST take on things and a few other reports you’ve published in recent weeks but I’ve decided at this late stage I don’t want to know anything new about the movie.
It would be nice to go back and check out these opinions after we have a common frame of reference!
Has anyone done a mash-up putting the audio from Wolverine over a Star Trek promo, or vice versa? There are some interesting parallels in the narrations.
- Harry
OK,
I like X-men and all, but Wolverine is evil and it must be destroyed. Star Trek MUST come in first at the box office. STAR TREK RULES!
“Larry Spock.”
Good stuff, although my favorite Spock riff has to be from Eddie Murphy’s BOOMERANG, where he claims Spock’s real name is “Spock Jenkins.”
boycott the xmen film so star trek comes in first!
The new startrek was shown at many Greater Union cinemas across Australia on Wednesday night for thousands who were lucky enough to nab free tickets. It premiered as a ‘mystery movie’ so the public did not know what would be showed, and therefore many who were not considering watching Star Trek ended up seeing it – and the consensus was that it is a blast. Many have already started spreading the word.
See this website for reviews from the general public:
http://www.greaterunion.com.au/movies/star-trek-11/
I thought “Larry Spock” was funny but that the set-up to the clip was HILARIOUS! Karl, the Needy Klingon! Ha!
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The New Scientist makes an excellent point—that this new Star Trek is NOT about a “great idea” but is simply a re-use of a mundane concept—a vengeful villain.
I’ve said many times that I’m keeping an open mind about the new movie… but I’ve also said before—and I hope that somehow this message gets to Orci, Kurtzman, Abrams, etc.—the NEXT movie can’t just be another shoot-em-up action-in-space movie with a villain wreaking havoc. That is NOT what Star Trek was about, really, and not what’s at its heart. You want to keep telling those stories–go somewhere else. Go make a real Star Wars movie, or some superhero flick. But not Star Trek. Star Trek IS about action and adventure and heroes, but these things aren’t always related to a simplistic “good vs. evil” theme or storyline.
There are so many great, adventurous, fun–but also deeply interesting and thought-provoking ideas out there—creepy, eerie, horrific and science-fiction-y ideas—that Star Trek could tell… that could be done in a movie VERY well… THAT is what Star Trek ALSO needs to keep it fresh and interesting.
Think of how some of the classic episodes of TOS could have been done as MOVIES, on a grand scale with a larger palette and more space and time to tell more intricate stories. And very few of these involved comic-book type villains.
PLEASE with the next film, let’s get back to THAT kind of Star Trek—the kind that the movies never touched upon.
16. (Gabriele)
Thanks for the link! Those reviews are AMAZING. O_O
Just when I think Paul has reached the apex of creepiness, he never fails to be creepier.
Larry Spock? Hmmm…
I’m still waiting for someone to make one like this. It would be so “now”:
“What’s your name?”
“I’m James Tiberius Kirk, bitch!”
(it’s probably out there, but I haven’t really looked.)
:-)
Nathan Lane is a trip! I must have watched The Birdcage with him and Robin Wiliams a hundred times, and it never gets old. I thought Karl and Larry were awesome, too.
http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/04/24/review-jj-abrams-star-trek-epic-sci-fi-at-its-finest/
That review (blessedly spoiler-free) has me grinning like a goof. I can’t freakin’ WAIT to see this movie!!
I would love to have spent a day on the set just to watch how JJ and the cast worked to put this whole thing together. It always amazes me how they can turn the various props, greenscreens, etc into something so spectacular looking.
The clip with Nathan Lane was hilarious!
I now have locked in tickets to see Trek film twice! Once on 7th in standard, and the 8th in IMAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3D baby! And will so tape the ET segment tonight! Com to Butthead! ahhahahahahahahahahaha
Larry Spock is my great great great great great great great great grandson.
Michael: I do not believe Star Trek is showing in 3D. Anyone confirm?
As far as I know, the entire film was shot in standard anamorphic widescreen… there were no sequences done in IMAX format.
SaphronGirl.
Even if they were shot in IMAX format that is still not 3D (i.e. 3d glasses) that is just a larger format film standard.
#10–yes I’ve noticed this and experienced the dark side of this…. i put the film’s trailer or a TV spot for it on my myspace page or type Star Trek into a message I send someone and the ‘custom-tailored ads’ become links to A GEEK DATING SITE:(
27- 3D what when how???
Just got some tickets for the 7th, and feeling pretty good about it. Can’t wait!
#19 I think that JJ, Orci, Kurtzman, Burk, Lindelof, etc. would all agree with you. But I think they realize that the only way they can get to telling a non-villain story is to get people back in the seats first.
BTW, TMP didn’t really have a villain, V’Ger was just misunderstood. IV’s probe wasn’t truly a villain either. In V, Sybok was just misguided. But yeah, otherwise you’re right. The movies have mustachioed villains.
I’ve always thought the pilots had that right combination of unusual villain with a twist (the Talosians) or inadvertent villain (Mitchell) that works. Here’s hoping an “edge of the galaxy” mission might re-tell the tale of Mitchell and Dehner; along with involving that “little blonde lab tech” Marcus, and a few other TOS backstory that doesn’t require a big mustache.
I have IMAX tickets in Chicago for the 9th. I wanted to go at first on the 8th, but the girlfriend and I are heading up to Milwaukee to watch the Cubs Spank the Brewers.
Nathan Lane should have worn a sombrero in that parody clip.
Oh, well…
=A=
That Nathan Lane clip was, indeed, hilarious! Larry Spock. LOL.
Letterman is the king!
“Randall –
Think of how some of the classic episodes of TOS could have been done as MOVIES, on a grand scale with a larger palette and more space and time to tell more intricate stories. And very few of these involved comic-book type villains. ”
Yeah, baby! “Spock’s Brain” on the big screen! ;-)
(just joking)
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Awesome quote from Nimoy!! Spock Prime!!
36 – I’ll be in Milwaukee for the Cubbies game May 9th.
I was at that FX Show when Nimoy made that quote, it was great seeing him talk about the movie and reminiscing about the past.
#41—-I tried to win tickets on 97.5 ESPN radio to the exclusive screening of ST09 on May 2nd in Houston. I needed to be the 5th caller, but I just missed it.
Do you know where this is being held? That was the first I had heard about an H-town premiere…
I’ll be very surprised if there’s truly anything new in “sneak peek”.
#44 No, I haven’t heard anything about that. Hope you get in, though. I’m still planning on May 8.
Nathan Lane should have played the gay Tellarite shuttle pilot.
Hahaha! I can’t stop thinking about Timon from The Lion King every time I hear Nathan Lane speak!
I never really thought about it before, but I guess the original actors probably WOULD feel a bit marginalized after all the spinoffs and TNG movies that have come afterward, and kind of diluted the Star Trek name.
Where once their show was something unique and special, now it’s just one small cog in a huge franchise machine. And their characters are just a few among DOZENS out there now.
I can definitely see how that would be a bit dispiriting.
#35 Daoud:
“I think that JJ, Orci, Kurtzman, Burk, Lindelof, etc. would all agree with you. But I think they realize that the only way they can get to telling a non-villain story is to get people back in the seats first.”
I hope you’re correct in this. But I also think there could have been more inventive, imaginative ways to get this movie going, plotwise, than to just chuck in another villain.
And I hope next time they don’t go that route.
Sadly, you bring up the two worst Star Trek films (with the original crew that is) for examples. I wouldn’t use them. With better execution, yes, both ideas could have been brought off and would not have resulted in the bad and boring films that they did. But I’d rather see the “new” Star Trek looking back to the original series itself for inspiration and ideas.
And to be frank, I’d rather see science fiction writers being called in on this in the future. No, they shouldn’t necessarily write the script—screenwriting should be left to professionals who know how to script a movie. But for story and ideas, I’d rather see the guys who are neck-deep in science fiction contributing to Star Trek again.
#39 richpit:
Yeah, I know…. but seriously, think of “Devil in the Dark” as a movie (with some kind of subplots that get things going back on the ship as well)… a terrifying monster in the underground shadows that turns out to be an intelligent mother…
Or “The Doomsday Machine” as a film.
Or “The Menagerie” or “Where No Man Has Gone Before” (as Daoud suggested).
“Wolf in the Fold” also, and at least a dozen others that could have been expanded and embellished into larger, more intense and intricate stories for the film screen.
I’m not saying they should go and remake these—but that these should be the inspiration. “Spock’s Brain” notwithstanding. :-)
#51 Agreed with you. And to be clear, I agree that V’Ger and Sybok were poorly executed. The Probe in IV was great in that it really didn’t give a damn about humans, it was there for the whales. That was throwing the anthropic principle on its ass, a good thing.
“Doomsday” is a great example you give. What I’d love to see is combinations… tying Doomsday to Where No Man, in that the barrier was someone’s defense against the Doomsday machines. (I know the Q version with 0 and *^* etc.) Heck, even encounter the Botany Bay on the way, and put them on Janus instead of Ceti Alpha. Then you get your Devil.
I’m kidding.
Getting some external story ideas then letting O&K&L&B&JJ script it out and produce it will be fine.
Hey, imagine Spock’s Brain as giant clones of Spock on a plant planet instead. Just kidding again. Although it’d be nice for Walter Koenig to get some “original story by” credit. :)
I’d rather see a Prime Directive plus exploration film for the sequel. Heck, there’s the title to use.
Or, I always thought the J&GR-S novel “Prime Directive” would have made an excellent movie…new world to explore, plenty of action, good character moments…elaborating on that story or adapting it to the screen might make for a good movie (and I know that Bob Orci is familiar w/ it). However, I also think that a built from the ground up original story would be wonderful as well…something NEW in the Trek universe…
#52 Daoud:
Right—and well, I’ve mentioned on this site before—the one thing that TOS had, and did–which the movies never touched upon—and TNG never got much into either—was the essential closeness that the horror genre and science fiction genre have to one another.
I’d like to see a SCARY, creepy, and eerie Star Trek–not necessarily an entire Star Trek movie done as a horror story–(and when I say “horror” I’m using the classic definition, of nightmare-like and eerie, not violent and mad-slasher-filled) but a story that has strong elements of that in it. MANY of the episodes of TOS did this (Devil in the Dark for example, but there were many). An exploration story, as you say, that brings in elements of the creepy, otherworldly, and even terrifying and strange.
THAT would get people back in to Star Trek as well—that kind of excitement and fun.
Can someone tell me why I can’t view any video clips attached in this website? Do I need to download something? I can view youtube and various news website videos, but not trekmovie.com’s.
I would greatly appreciate some advise.
FirstShowing.com review:
J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek – Epic Sci-Fi at its Finest
While a total of 79 episodes of “The Original Series” have established one of the most detailed and distinct sci-fi universes ever imagined, it only took Abrams one movie to successfully re-inject all of those characters we love and everything that made that series so classic and entertaining into an exciting and refreshing restart of a beloved franchise.
http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/04/24/review-jj-abrams-star-trek-epic-sci-fi-at-its-finest/
#54: A really good point. The Twilight Zone-ness of TOS, the creepy-sci-fi-anthology aspect, has sometimes been overlooked in all the attention paid to Trek as an optimistic vision of the future, Trek as a way to slip social commentary past the censors, etc.
AP did my post get censored or did it not go through ? If the prior pleae let know why so I can avoid in the future if the latter then Ill resend. Thanks.
HDRoom has rumor that Star Trek Blu-ray will come out Nov. 17
Nov. 17? I hope it is true cuz it would be a perfect birthday gift for me!
Whooooooo!
#27: Well, I have my tickets, and I’m seeing in in *4-D*!
So there.
I already bought 2 tickets for the early IMAX show on Thursday at 7 PM in Indianapolis. Hope to see some of you locals there!
#10 Aussie Adam … It’s true that public relations professionals frequently connect current and potential news as a means to draw attention to their client or campaign. But it’s absurd to think that the PR folks at Paramount somehow prompted a bizarre claim by a former astronaut (who, incidentally, also has said he tried to psychically communicate with humans back on Earth during his Apollo 14 mission) or, say, arranged for astronomers to discover an Earth-sized planet all in time to hype a movie. Space news, like other news, happens all the time. Wise webmasters and their advertising departments make sure related ads, if they exist, appear near such stories, just as happens in newspapers, TV and radio. And by the way, I am a public relations professional with 22 years in the business and proud of the work I do, which involves neither ’spin’ nor ‘bull—-.’ So please, let’s drop the snide comments about people’s livelihoods.
RTC I agree. Much of the heightend interest in articles about space are in response to peoples interest in the movie not vise/versa.
Wolverine will be a hit, not as big a hit as the previous X-Men movies, and it will also be the beginning of the decline of the X-Men series.
Ironically, Star Trek looks new and original, and will really shut Wolverine down I believe.
I’ve been talking to a lot of my young friends who would have admittedly had no interest in Star Trek in the past, that are down-right EXCITED about this movie. The marketing is working.
Some of my friends are coming up to me and saying “I want to become a trekkie” just after seeing the promos for this movie. And that’s exciting.
But I am concerned for this movie and how it will resolve the whole time travel thing. This isn’t like First Contact where the Borg went back in time to prevent something pivotal to the creation of the Federation effecting a character we’ve only seen once and maybe heard references to in TOS and TNG! No! This is a Romulan going back in time using a ship modified with Borg technology to destroy the back story of one of the greatest Captains in Starfleet History (hrm… actually an odd parallel). He’s essentially messing with the timeline that we know and believe because it lead us to these characters that we know and love, and I personally believe had it not been for what Kirk did, the Federation would’ve ended up differently by the time TNG came around. Essentially what I’m saying is that if at the end of the movie, everything is “how it’s suppose to be” yet they don’t stop Nero in from wrecking the timeline, then doesn’t that change the history from that point on? Doesn’t the events in TOS, TNG, DS9, and VOY not to mention the other movies change in some minor to significant way? Because I just cannot see a way for JJ to keep the characters the same from the first movie and still keep them the way they were as we know them. And if he does find a way, won’t that make the entire movie feel almost cheap?
/rant. Sorry I got a little carried away. I hope for the best for this movie, but I’m still concerned because I don’t want Enterprise and this new movie to be the only thing certain in the Trek timeline.
#57 Dunsel_Report:
EXACTLY.
One of the key, original aspects of the character of Star Trek has been lost over the years as it got turned into this kind of second-rate space opera mired in cheap politics (the incessant alliances and wars and battles portrayed in the subsequent shows and the TNG movies) and soap-opera-esque story arcs. THAT is what took the epic heroism and sense of old-fashioned, swashbuckling adventure out of Star Trek.
ORIGINALLY, if you look back and exam MOST of the episodes of TOS—they have this Twilight Zone/Outer Limits quality to them—not always ENTIRE episodes—but there are moments, here and there, or a pervading atmosphere about it in the background. Even in episodes that some people don’t think much of—for instance, Return of the Archons–which I happen to like—but think of the eerie moments in that, helped along with the music and the camera work–where sometimes, particularly at the beginning, it feels like some kind of creepy dream that someone’s having… some eerie little bizarre nightmare—not so much terrifying as just skin crawlingly weird.
THOSE kind of moments permeated TOS, in many episodes. And if you look back at “Where No Man Has Gone Before”—-it comes off very much like an episode of the Outer Limits in color…. that kind of very creepy, twisted dreamlike quality that almost all the episodes of that show had… Gary Mitchell becomes a truly creepy monster very quickly, very much the kind of character you’d see in an Outer Limits story, and it’s all handled much the same way. The Cage has elements of that too–a lot of them—as do many of the later TOS episodes. Some more than others.
But THAT is the one thing that’s been lacking in Star Trek ever SINCE TOS. TNG only managed it, now and then, to my memory, in the episodes dealing with the Borg. I hardly ever saw this aspect show up in any of the other ST series, and certainly never in the movies.
What all these guys have forgotten, and what they SHOULD go back and reinject into Star Trek, is that it had its roots in that otherwordly, dreamlike mode of storytelling, ala Twilight Zone and Outer Limits and the older radio dramas like Lights Out and Quiet Please and Dimension X and the like—stuff nobody remembers now, but they were a part of the fabric that made up the storytelling character of the original show. That, and that Forbidden Planet kind of thing, which as we know also was key to Star Trek.
It isn’t that Star Trek was ever LIKE those shows, really… but the point is, what it recognized was that if you’re going to tell science fiction stories about space travel and strange worlds and strange beings and such–then they have to BE strange. You can’t make them mundane and accessible—-the have to be weird and creepy, so that in watching you’re kinda pitched out of yourself and into this dream world… that’s the whole POINT of watching sci fi.. it’s key to the adventure, the sense of the thrill… of being in a futuristic world that’s like a dream or a nightmare.
A horror story or movie is about being in a nightmare in the here and now—of being tossed temporarily into a terrifying other existence that CAN’T exist but does, and is just like our world, but doesn’t WORK at all like it—and so you have monsters and killers and other horrific stuff, and it just happens, usually, to also be hugely scary. Science Fiction is and always has been, for the most part, very similar—only instead of being in a world just like this one, you’re in a radically different world, or a world of the future, or out in space. And sometimes it’s scary, and sometimes not so scary–but it should always be weird and creepy and otherworldly. Dream like.
Think of “Blade Runner.” That was basically a science fiction film noir—but it also had that same element of creepy otherworldliness–like a bad dream, or a half-bad dream, anyway.
Even 2001 had some of that, when you think about it.
It’s basic and key to science fiction, and it was basic and key to Star Trek right from the beginning. It didn’t matter if it was integral to every episode or was all through every episode—sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn’t…. but it was almost always there in one way or another.
THAT is what should be brought back into Star Trek. Bring that stuff back in, and the adventure and the excitement of it will come back, and the mundaneness of the later movies and the other ST series will be purged out.
#1 Mooseday
Gotta agree with you, not funny at all. course I can’t stand letterman either.
#57 “#54: A really good point. The Twilight Zone-ness of TOS, the creepy-sci-fi-anthology aspect, has sometimes been overlooked in all the attention paid to Trek as an optimistic vision of the future, Trek as a way to slip social commentary past the censors, etc.”
Agreed. None of the Treks after TOS could really pull off that weird, truly, other-worldly-ness feeling. I always thought The Man Trap would make a fantastic stand alone Twilight Zone or Outer Limits episode.
How wonderful is it that JJ, being a huge fan of Twilight Zone, more than likely picked up on that aspect of Classic Trek’s storytelling style, and probably brought some of that into his movie.
I wouldn’t mind seeing the adventures of Karl the Needy Klingon.
The buzz on Star Trek is growing quite strong. Early word of mouth is spectacular and tracking numbers and pre-sale tickets are rising daily.
My initial guess on Star Trek was that it would end end with a solid, but not spectacular total of $135 million in the United States.
With the surprisinlgy strong buzz about this film I think I am going to up my estimate to around $150 in the U.S. with the possibility of much more.
Could Star Trek be the Iron Man of 2009?
I don’t know about the rest of you, but when I was a kid TNG sure reeked of a mixture of sci-fi and horror. A lot of first season episodes made me not want to go to bed at night, “Conspiracy” especially, with the bugs taking over human bodies, and of course the shot of Commander Remmick’s head being blown to a million pieces by Riker, and then the mother creature burning through his dead torso, leaving a charring, messy carcass sitting in a chair. Freaky stuff. Let’s not forget “Skin of Evil”.
Then we move on to season 2, first with “Where Silence Has Lease”, where the parts that scared me the most were when Commander Riker first beams onto the fake Yamato, then we hear that strange, high-pitched, echoing animal screech, followed by the sound of a man screaming. Then there’s the part where Haskell suffers an involuntary nervous breakdown. And then we have “The Royale”, which has a bit of Twilight Zone-ish feel to if since it involves an artificial reality created to please one man captured by aliens, and the shot of discovering the astronauts mummified remains made me jump my seat when I first watched the episode.
I could go on forever, but since I’m not very patient when it comes to writing and the fact that we’ve all seen TNG anway, I’ll sum up by simply listing the rest of the episodes I personally think have the combination horror/sci-fi vibe coming from them, and you can analyze them later:
-Remember Me
-Night Terrors
-Identity Crisis
-Cause And Effect
-Schisms
-Timescape (especially the part where Picard draws the smiley face in the anti-matter cloud…creepy)
-Phantasms (Data’s head being pulled off, anyone?)
-Genesis
And of course, the creepiness factor of TNG can best be summarized in 3 simple words: Frame. . .Of. . .Mind.
66. creepy like tribbles? If want good scifi horror mashup see Event Horizon. I like a sprikling of monstes ect. my my Trek but lets not get carried away a Horta is not going to carry a feature film. Like many of the shows you mention the real monster is the one with a human(oid) face.
66–
people don’t like Return of the Archons, when the hell did that happen?
They’re obviously NOT of the body.
The Supreme court should just remake that for the sequel.
…I agree with a lot of what you’re saying. Post TNG Trek is quite a different animal than TOS, and TAS.
I like TNG, a great deal. I”m just glad this new film succeeded in bringing what I missed about TOS back and a beautiful way.
I wish Orci was here, having seen the film last night i have a question for him about the economic system the federation uses in the new films universe.
Hey Orci, are you gonna have a question answer session after everyone else sees it?
Wow, half of my sentence got deleted.
I”m sure it was my, user, error.
I’m not blaming the site.
oh, and ….
Tholians for the sequel.!!
In Tholian web, Spock implied there had been a federation/Tholian run in before. Couldn’t the previous run in be the sequel?
44. Closettrekker
I know how you feel about trying to win tickets. All this week,
KROQ-FM 106.7 here in Los Angeles has been giving away tickets to the premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. I haven’t won yet, but I’ll keep trying.
#71:
Look, I beg to differ. “Devil in the Dark” is a story that could EASILY be turned into a film. Not that I’m suggesting that they do that… but what I mean is, it’s that very attitude, that it wouldn’t work, that is the problem here.
Now, yes, a story confined to the underground of a single planet–that’s limiting. So as I said, you’d have to have some kind of subplot or parallel plot going on as well—but except for that, there’s no reason why a story LIKE “Devil in the Dark” couldn’t be adapted to feature length, enlarged and expanded on.
You create a situation on a planet, with a set up. In a film, more room to do that, a great canvas to paint it on. Then the Enterprise is called in–and as I say–here you’d have to have some additional plot point so that we’re not just limited to three or four characters on the planet, plus the “guest stars”…. and then a very tense, suspenseful, and creepy search for this creature… which could, again, be much more intricate and involved than was able to be depicted on the small screen.
Then the drama of a few confrontations with the creature, and then the final one where it turns out be what it is—a mother protecting it’s young. And of course the horta, on the large screen, could be much more scary and believable. Lots of potential for great SFX, with the creature tunneling through the rock at blinding speeds, and so on. And perhaps a “horta city” deep in the rock, abandoned except for thousands of horta eggs, etc.
Meanwhile whatever subplots or parallel plots have also been going on, and we’ve seen that. And they get wrapped up.
Then denoument, and we’re done.
No reason why this, or something like it, couldn’t be a film. In fact, it’d be a damn good one.
There’s absolutely no reason why Orci and company couldn’t come up with something similar, along those lines—a good, thought-provoking, and yet entertaining, scary, exciting story.
75 So the enterprise doesnt really have much of a role i n your senario. Too bad I rather like the ship…
#76:
Well, as I said—there’d have to be a subplot or parallel story within it, that would involve action in and around the ship.
And this was just meant as a defense of the IDEA I was getting at—that a return to the KINDS of stories told on TOS is Star Trek needs, now…. but not necessarily those exact SAME stories.
I just happen to think “Devil in the Dark” was one of the best, if not THE best, and is the KIND of story that could have been turned into a feature film, done right.
78 Touche’ DITD is on e of my favs too. WNMHGB with the shiny eyeballs looking at Spock & Kirk through the monitor (like seeing a one way mirror) really is creepy.
Letterman – not funny!
ooops 77
larry spock is funny , the rest not so much…
Pegg flying the star trek flag for the UK on J Ross tonight…umming and arring about tuning in as don’t want any spoilers as Wossy has seen it already….
“Star Trek is now two weeks away (less than that for the those going to Thursday early shows)”
Alas, still almost three weeks away for me because I work at an observatory and my nine-night shift begins on May 5. Seems kind of ironic that I have to miss the premier of Star Trek because I’m helping to explore the final frontier in my “day” job. I’ll have to work hard to avoid spoilers that week.
Re: “Larry Spock”
I was at a convention several years ago and Jane Wyatt took the stage. Someone asked her about Spock’s first name. Very deadpan, she announced that his name was “Harold Spock.”
Later in the day, Leonard Nimoy took the stage and someone mentioned the “Harold Spock” comment. He laughed and said if Jane Wyatt said it, it must be true. He then added that it brought a whole new meaning to that scene in “This Side of Paradise” when he’s asked his name and says, “You couldn’t pronounce it.” “Couldn’t pronounce it,” said Nimoy. “Yeah right, and now you know the truth.”
Since then, I’ve always considered it canon that Spock’s first name is Harold. :-)
Anyone else in the UK want to pitch on on this query?
I have seen no merchandise tie-ins here in the UK for the new film, no cereal box offers, Burger king or MacDonalds tie- ins, no billboard posters or even any ads on the TV, as yet!
Only a few chat show interviews ie: GMTV and tonights Jonathan ross with Simon Pegg……Or have i totally missed it all?
PATRICK STEWART. :D
He has a fantastic voice. It’s almost as awesome as Nimoy’s.
I love it so. ♥
And yay! I watch ET, anyways. xD
Just saw the Simon Pegg interview on Jonathan Ross, was good i thought, very positive :) Hopefully it’ll catch the attention of some UK movie-goers.
me to Trekmatt loved the Spock sleeping story! LOL!
ET just showed the ET exclusive, It was just new behind the scenes footage with interviews from some of the stars, Plus tiny snippets of new footage like Nero pulling out his weapon and attacking someone.
Just saw ET, way too short. Pretty cool though…was Bones missimg from the movie poster?
Saw ET. Yeah, waaay too short, but good. I always like seeing behind the scenes stuff. They showed several new snippets, such as a new snippet from the bar scene with a really good shot of that weird alien. Also, they showed a good snippet of Nero…. MINOR SPOILERS … attacking Captain Robau with a scepter on the Narada. Cool shot.
Yeah I like the alien @ the bar. I like the fact that he is pretty disinterested in Kirk and Uhura. Aliens with tentacles or eye stalks ect. would be distracting.
Did my earlier post get deleted?
Larry Spock, lol. does that mean that Spock’s actual first name is Mister?
Here’s another movie review, but this one’s different. Its a youtube review, and its the funniest review out too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfHZWQq6F_s
@66 Here here.
Thing I remember about watching TOS in syndication growing up was that creepy element of the unknown, and it is the thing I miss the most. I think the spinoffs mostly missed this element, however the TNG episode where the landing party enters a hotel through a revolving door and become trapped is a good example in a more modern tale.