Today seems to be Sulu Day. George Takei may not be appearing in the new Star Trek movie, but the man who originated Sulu still has some thoughts on his past life and the future of the franchise. Regarding why The Original Series seems to be ‘hot’ again (with Trek Remastered and the new Star Trek movie), Takei cites Gene Roddenberry’s vision. He tells Dreamwatch…
It’s Gene Roddenberry’s core philosophy I think. With each succeeding spin off series I think the producers got a little further and further away from Gene’s philosophy: to look to the future as a bracing challenge.
Takei draws a distinction between Trek and his latest work on NBC’s Heroes:
Star Trek was so optimistic: we were able to work together for our common good. On Heroes, we explore more the grey area. Those with powers don’t necessarily work together. There are those who let their human fallibilities come into play, and use their powers for that. The powers are an exaggeration of what we all have: it’s how we use those powers that make society better or worse.
Regarding the new Sulu, John Cho, Takei expressed confidence and revealed that he knows a bit about what we can expect:
We’ll see how good an actor he is! He has one spectacular scene that’s going to be wonderful.
Regarding the film’s director, Takei thinks he can rise to the challenge:
I’ve had conversations with J.J. He has some real daunting challenges. When Star Trek first came on, the technology was just mind-boggling. This compact device, they flip it open and they can talk…. That’s gone now. The mobile is a nuisance in our society. How do you create that reality for this jaded 21st Century audience? But he’s a very inventive and creative guy!
Check out the full interview at Dreamwatch
“We’ll see how good an actor he is! He has one spectacular scene that’s going to be wonderful.”
How does he know?
and there will be no “first” on this thread…
When Star Trek first came on, the technology was just mind-boggling. This compact device, they flip it open and they can talk…. That’s gone now. The mobile is a nuisance in our society. How do you create that reality for this jaded 21st Century audience?
EXACTLY! Which is why JJ won’t be able to make it match button for button with TOS, but we have no reason to believe it won’t be very faithful to the characters and spirit of the original. Relax everybody! This could give Trek a whole new life.
or he could blow it by straying too far. i’ll wait to see the enterprise before passing judgment.
Me want movie NOW!!
I don’t think we are jaded about starships, at least I know I am not. I wish we were in the position to be so, but we are nowhere near that yet. And I don’t think the communicator was mind boggling in the 60s, basically a walkie talkie (albeit with a really good range), which was well understood at that time.
Glad to see more comments from the TOS cast. He’s a true professional and what he says matters to me, and perhaps to others…
I want to see the Enterprise too…but I’m dying to see the new communicators and phasers.
What about Quinto? I need more info on him!!!!!! Please!!!
Darth “Quinto my Eggo” Ballz
Darth, my dear half-brother, what the hell are you on about?
yes please, we need to know more about quinto’s every move. how does he feel about brad and angelina, for example?
#3, Dan,Paramount killed Trek not the fans or Berman/Braga.
Never forget that.
Let’s be fair: Paramount with Berman/Braga in charge of Trek killed it. More Berman.
Who’s Berman/Braga…?
I have to agree… I want to see it right this minute…
I’d settle for seeing just one tiny bit of new design though, if we see just something, we’ll know how far they want to take design changes and the longer the lack of info goes on, the more I’m warming to changes.
Even the feel of say, galaxy quest, rather than Enterprise would work for me. Lots of sleekness without losing that hint of retro.
Every reassuring interview with the old cast just makes me feel better about it.
Let’s not forget the fact that Braga is a great writer. Hate him all you wrote but he is a great writer. I came name many episodes of TNG, VOY, and ENT that was excellent and will be probably be considered classic. All Good Things, Timeless, Shuttlepod One, Cogenitor, Living Witness, and Cause and Effect are just a few.
why do harry and darth seem to always follow each other in the posting [#s 9 & 10] ?
This is the second time in the last few days I’ve noticed it…
hmmm…
…also I’m glad these Takei stories are comming out… what after all the “Quinto” and “Shatner” and “new Enterprise designs” articles!
;-]
oh, I know why Darth and Harry are both here, it’s so everyone can say this site has BALLZ
#15: We may have seen “a tiny bit of new design” in the first teaser poster, which showed the TOS Enterprise command insignia over textured command yellow and science blue. Maybe I am just being optimistic.
re: 2 and numerous others from various threads
Why some people Have A Cow over “First” comments puzzles me.
“Stop doing that!” Some people cursed.
When a poster would scramble for “First!”
“Don’t you know it’s a sin
To claim you’re first in?
My veins, they are ready to burst!”
MOOOOOOOO!!
A “First” comment wastes very little space and gives enjoyment and self-esteem to the user. And isn’t that what Star Trek is all about?!
(Oh, yeah….I forgot…It’s about Shatner)
PS – Takei news is growing very annoying. MOOOOOOOOOO!!
@6 – I totally disagree with your assessment of the communicator. I grew up watching the original series when it first aired. Trust me – we all thought those compact long range communication devices WERE amazing.
Let me guess what that scene is…hmmmm
Don’t Call Me Tiny?
Or “OH MY!!”
Takei is talking about the scene where young Sulu is daydreaming of commanding his own starship one day and flies the E straight into the back of a Romulan Bird of Prey. Oh, my!
mmmm
broke my tea cup …
Takei is apparently
A) friends with Abrams
B) has seen filming/the script
Hmm…I don’t buy it.
Maybe, “My GOD!”
1. Xai –
It’s obviously a conspiracy.
2. Xai –
Amen.
Stanky, you write a mean limerick! Congrats and as Picard would say, “nicely done!” :)
Thirtieth! Strike up the band!
#26
You’re probably right; from the sentence “I’ve had conversations with J.J.” (always watch out for that key sentence!) we may rather deduce that Takei doesn’t know anything about the film. I’d be surprised if Abrams’ conduct of conversations was that …inconsistent.
So Takei has seen the script, but Shatner hasn’t… interesting.
re #20-
Time to milk Stanky. His poems is good. Feller has the gift ‘o gab and whatnot.
As far as Takei knowing that Cho has a big scene in the flick, I’ll bet Cho told him. That’s who you should try to get to spill the beans, Anthony. Maybe that dudes a blabber-mouth.
No gun turrets, fins, or propellers on Quinto.
First off Berman did not kill Trek – he brought it back to life. Let’s see, seven seasons of TNG, how many seasons of DS9 and Vogager? and the continuation of the movie franchise. I would agree that the direction of the last movie was bad, but give the guy some credit for bringing Trek back with TNG!
Secondly, has anyone thought that Shatner possibly does have a role in the new movie and is making such a big fuss so it is a big surprise? Just a thought. I agree with #32 that is seems strange that Takei has seen the script and not Shatner.
34 – Johnnie, I think you’re right. We’ve been too hard on Berman, et al. Everybody makes artistic mistakes. If you’ve ever heard Sinatra’s record of “Leavin’ On A Jet Plane” you know even the best can stumble. Berman kept trek going in the 90’s with DS9 and Voyager, and mostly decent TNG films.
Also I’ve been suspecting since last summer that they want to surprise everyone with Shatner in the movie. I’m not so sure now, but still, it would be a sweet prank to pull off, what with Shatner complaining so much (too much?), and then ending up in the movie.
#26–Maybe Takei has been approached by Cho and asked for insight on a certain scene in the script. My guess is that it would be a scene that will appeal mostly to fans of the old TOS in some way, a link to something already established. He wouldn’t have had to see the script, just have a conversation with Cho about a specific scene in it.
#37 W00t!!!!!
First of all, I give Berman credit. I think he failed by not knowing when to move out of the way. His creative well ran dry somewhere after TNG ended, so he should have left it to someone who could steer it in the right direction. That said, if you don’t count the original series, Enterprise is my second favorite Trek, right behind TNG. I abhor Voyager and DS9 gets a ‘meh’ out of me.
Second, I hope they do change the look and feel of the interior of the Enterprise quite a bit. It should look more like it did in TWOK rather than the classic series. The audience is going to be rolling over laughing if they actually put the 60’s chic blue and purple everywhere and have the women running around with beehive hairdo’s. Yes, it was good for the time, and yes the show has an enduring appeal, but it’s so utterly dated that I would be embarrassed if I go see Trek ’08 and it falls back on those styles. And if they approach it as some sort of period piece, I’m going to hurl.
Third, the original Enterprise design was fine for the small screen, but it needs an overhaul for the big screen. They did good with the first six movies, so if they’re going to start from somewhere, it should be that design, and then maybe retrograde an item or two. The dish on the front has got to go.
I’m sorry, but as a physicist here, the TOS communicator is still AMAZINGLY amazing.
It is unbelievably better than a cell phone, to wit:
–It doesn’t need a cell tower, or ground relay lines.
–It apparently has an almost endless battery power: in no episode did it lose power.
–It can communicate from surface to standard orbit.
–It doesn’t need a clear line of sight: it works through planets (unless you’re assuming the comm officer, Uhura or whomever launches commsats when they get in orbit. Maybe ultra-violet ones, eh?)
–It knows who you’re wanting to call already.
Know any cell phones that do any of those?
Nevertheless, the communicators were fresh in the minds of the people who designed cell phones, and as they’ve evolved, they’ve come to resemble them even more, so the comparison will always be there whether the cell phone is literally equivalent or not.
Talk and talk, what is talk?
#34, umm, no sir.
Berman gets no credit regarding the TNG TV show, that credit goes to Piller and his Season 3 creative team, and credit goes (Of Course) to the Great Bird for creating the series (Yes, Roddenberry did create The Next Generation, not Berman.) Yeah Berman was a producer, yeah he brought the shows in on time and budget but any producer can do that. Mike Piller set the show on its true course to history, and it is he who I wished would have taken over for Roddenberry.
I won’t even give Berman credit for DS9, I give that to Piller as well, and then Behr and Moore. Voyager & Enterprise, yes, I blame those on him (The good for Braga, and the bad for Berman and Braga to share.)
Rick is no writer, he just likes to put his name on for story credit.
“Yeah, the Enterprise will be in this story. There’s my contribution, make sure my name goes up first.” – Rick Berman (on anything Trek with a “Story by” credit.)
#41, Ba – Hum Bug!
I don’t hate Rick Berman, I just wish that the TNG films were in better hands because now the Anti-TNG fans can yak on forever with how TNG ruined the film franchise because they weren’t good enough for the big screen, and that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Berman just wasn’t good enough, and he allowed the focus to become ONLY Picard and Data when Riker could have been action man, Worf could have been more than just comic relief and the others could have been more than just stand ins. They could have been more grand in scale (Although Generations and First Contact were nearly there) and more about tackling the heavy issues instead of what the last two did.
I’m more upset about how he handled the TNG films than I am with what he created in VOY and ENT. The Next Generation is just as much Gene Roddenberry’s legacy as the Original Series is, and I hate that they weren’t given their fair shot to have a full series of films with a competent producer who had the b***s to take risks with the franchise.
DRE – I will agree that I wish the TNG movies were more in the “spirit” of the TOS movies, although I wish there was more of Data. I thought the TNG/Borg movie came close to the old spirit. It would be nice to deleve into many of the characters brought out in the books.