The purpose of this Star Trek movie petition is to tell Paramount we strongly disapprove of their current Star Trek 11 movie plans and want them to be changed.
20060606
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First off, I think the cross-over idea is as cheesey as "The Flintstones Meet The Jetsons" or "The Simpsons Meet The Critic" or whatever. While I'm a bit apprehensive about the Kirk and Spock thing, I'll wait and see if the film is any good in its own right.
I think some Star Trek fans are a bit too big on ideas and not big enough on details. "Let's have a series about Sulu's ship" or "Great! A series about the early years of the Federation". They sound great in the single sentence there, but whether the series is any good or not comes down to the writing of the individual episodes, the characters, the acting, the dialogue, etc. A borg on a federation star ship? Good as a novelty of course, but if she hadn't been as good looking as Geri Ryan then we'd be used to her quite quickly and she'd just be another crew-member.
Secondly, I have (what in my opinion) is a better idea: Start a new series of big budget films, based in the Star Trek universe, but not necessarily on any characters we know. Invite different writers, directors, actors, etc. for each one of them who can write films about anything they like, the only rules: It must be in the Star Trek universe, and it can't break what's already established as Star Trek "history". And maybe it has to have a bit of Sci-Fi in it...
OK the odd time you might have like a trilogy of these movies or something with the same characters, but this is not necessary.
The idea is that it opens it up so people can have a completely new ideas for sci-fi movies, have an already established "World" to fit them into (and the Star Trek world is an expansive one) but they don't have to worry about how Picard, Riker, Troi, Crusher, Worf, LaForge and Data and the Enterprise are going to fit into it.
Furthermore it will bring new freshness to the franchise which is bound to be running out of ideas (and understandably so at this stage) with the whole "high-ranking crewmembers explore strange new worlds" premise.
I think the idea of a cross-over is, at best, stupid. It won't bring in new viewers, and I'm sure it won't bring in a good deal of older fans. I, for example, hated Voyager and disliked DS9, so would not want to see a movie about them. And I'm not alone. Of the few friends I have that like Star Trek (and there are very few left), none of them are fans of Voyager, and only one likes DS9. I think the Trek series needs a rest. But short of it getting that, I hope they don't worry so much about the old fans, and worry more about making Trek look cool to a larger number of people. I'm a long time fan, but man it's gotten stale. It needs a boost, and it needs new fans. I know there are a lot of fans against it, and I know they've said it's not the direction it's going in, but I think it's way past time for a relaunch. Start fresh, have a plan, and tell a good story. This is much more likely to bring in new fans than some cross-over. And the only thing that's going to save Star Trek is a major influx of new, younger fans. And no, I don't think making it like The O.C. will bring in younger fans. Spending a lot of money, getting a good writer and Director, getting good actors, and not making it look as "nerdy" as it has for the last decade or so is what needs to happen.
Cause it's stupid... if the last guys who drove star trek into the ground were making this movie, I'd agree... but this is a whole new creative team, a whole new chance.
Considering the creative hole star trek has been in for so long, there can't be anyplace to go but up!
Dedicated "trekkers" should stand aside and let another generation of kids have thier trek and stop being so selfish.
While it isn't exactly original or earth-shattering, the proposed story involving a young Kirk and Spock before they were on the Enterprise at least has the potential to be interesting, depending on who gets cast and what story Abrams comes up with. And the name recognition of the characters Kirk and Spock will certainly grab the attention of more casual fans than Riker, Janeway, Sisko, etc.
The crossover idea is pure fanwank, and will do nothing to dig Trek out of the hole it's in. TNG wore out its welcome with their last film, and neither DS9 nor VOY ended their TV runs with enough viewers to justify flogging those horses further on the silver screen.
I believe that a remix/remake or crossover is doomed to fail for the following reasons:
1.) Today the fans have become so splintered. Each seem to demand that a new treatment be TOS, NG, DS-9, Voy etc.. Whatever their peticular favourite.
Each appears to be willing to boycott, or even worse, outright undermine any new efforts - if it does not match their individual tastes.
For example, look how much effort was spent by these fans to undermine Enterprise. Instead of just enjoying it for being a new treatment, or simply not watching, they go online afterward and tear each episode to pieces, complaining about this and that.
You can no longer make these people happy. If you do not believe me, just look at all the bitching and complaining on the Trek BBS's, and make up your own mind. The famous Trek goodwill and community is gone.
2.) What ever happened to the stories of exploration of space?
So many of the "continuity junkie" fans just seem want the mythos of Trek to keep the established personalities running into each other via a "time warps" or some such nonsense. Instead of exploring a vast galaxy, our heroes keep bumping into each other - just so we can see Picard next to Kirk and such.
Really quite silly actually.
3.) A remix will fail because Hollywood producers will ignore the original "Roddenberry Vision" and imbue a new show with all the mindless crap were being fed in all the other shows today.
Why did we love the original?
Because it was 1960's era television. It dared to dream big, to show humans at their best. What could we become if we got our act together? People now see such ideas as corny and simplistic. A remix today would end up a dark thing like the new Battlestar.
For the future of Trek, I suggest to leave it alone. I'm willing to let it die instead of having it turn into just more Hollywood mindless mush. Please leave it for the legacy it is.
How can you make a petition against a film which we know nothing firm about.
it seems self defeating for Trek fans to attack the return of Trek back from the Dead.
if the film sucks I will be the first to say it...but I am of the school of thought that says a film needs to exist before I can make that claim...or at least a full outline of the cast/crew/plot...and maybe a preview.
this petition to me just seems to be one of those thigns that make Trekkies look like moronic geeks
First off I would like to seperate myself from the other comments posted here. I actually think your crossover idea would be cool. Here's my problem. The storyline in Nemesis was absolutely disgraceful. It ignored continuity previously established in Star Trek movies and tv shows to try and appeal to a wider audience. And if this crossover film was made then there would be more than a good chance that it would follow the whole "Data is dead and his memories are in b4 storyline". Now THAT would be something that I would boycott. The whole Kirk and Spock in the academy idea isn't that bad. If however you change your petition slightly to include the demand that all events that took place in Nemesis should be ignored and the movie should pick up where insurrection left off, then I will sign your petition. Otherwise the original series prequel film will have my full support.
I for one welcome JJ Abrams vision. This is his idea and Paramount trusts him and just signed him up for a 5 year contract so this is pretty pointless
To me the setting of Trek XI is irrelevent, but I undersand why Abrams and Paramount want to get back to basics and make a "Batman Begins" for the franchise. It is time to bring in new fans and relaunch Trek. All these 'crossover' type ideas would be fine for a DVD but not a big summer picture.
For those who want to keep up with the latest info on Trek XI check out my new Blog. Star Trek XI: The Blog (click my name to see the blogs)
which includes Star Trek XI: The FAQ with a summary of all info to date
I agree with the very fist guy. A series of story-arced big-budget films would allow the writers to not feel that they have to throw in the kitchen sink in every movie.
16 comments:
First off, I think the cross-over idea is as cheesey as "The Flintstones Meet The Jetsons" or "The Simpsons Meet The Critic" or whatever. While I'm a bit apprehensive about the Kirk and Spock thing, I'll wait and see if the film is any good in its own right.
I think some Star Trek fans are a bit too big on ideas and not big enough on details. "Let's have a series about Sulu's ship" or "Great! A series about the early years of the Federation". They sound great in the single sentence there, but whether the series is any good or not comes down to the writing of the individual episodes, the characters, the acting, the dialogue, etc. A borg on a federation star ship? Good as a novelty of course, but if she hadn't been as good looking as Geri Ryan then we'd be used to her quite quickly and she'd just be another crew-member.
Secondly, I have (what in my opinion) is a better idea: Start a new series of big budget films, based in the Star Trek universe, but not necessarily on any characters we know. Invite different writers, directors, actors, etc. for each one of them who can write films about anything they like, the only rules: It must be in the Star Trek universe, and it can't break what's already established as Star Trek "history". And maybe it has to have a bit of Sci-Fi in it...
OK the odd time you might have like a trilogy of these movies or something with the same characters, but this is not necessary.
The idea is that it opens it up so people can have a completely new ideas for sci-fi movies, have an already established "World" to fit them into (and the Star Trek world is an expansive one) but they don't have to worry about how Picard, Riker, Troi, Crusher, Worf, LaForge and Data and the Enterprise are going to fit into it.
Furthermore it will bring new freshness to the franchise which is bound to be running out of ideas (and understandably so at this stage) with the whole "high-ranking crewmembers explore strange new worlds" premise.
I think the idea of a cross-over is, at best, stupid. It won't bring in new viewers, and I'm sure it won't bring in a good deal of older fans. I, for example, hated Voyager and disliked DS9, so would not want to see a movie about them. And I'm not alone. Of the few friends I have that like Star Trek (and there are very few left), none of them are fans of Voyager, and only one likes DS9.
I think the Trek series needs a rest. But short of it getting that, I hope they don't worry so much about the old fans, and worry more about making Trek look cool to a larger number of people. I'm a long time fan, but man it's gotten stale. It needs a boost, and it needs new fans.
I know there are a lot of fans against it, and I know they've said it's not the direction it's going in, but I think it's way past time for a relaunch. Start fresh, have a plan, and tell a good story. This is much more likely to bring in new fans than some cross-over. And the only thing that's going to save Star Trek is a major influx of new, younger fans. And no, I don't think making it like The O.C. will bring in younger fans. Spending a lot of money, getting a good writer and Director, getting good actors, and not making it look as "nerdy" as it has for the last decade or so is what needs to happen.
I feel that we should be gratful that a new movie is being made at all..
No, I don't wanna sign this petition.
Cause it's stupid... if the last guys who drove star trek into the ground were making this movie, I'd agree... but this is a whole new creative team, a whole new chance.
Considering the creative hole star trek has been in for so long, there can't be anyplace to go but up!
Dedicated "trekkers" should stand aside and let another generation of kids have thier trek and stop being so selfish.
While it isn't exactly original or earth-shattering, the proposed story involving a young Kirk and Spock before they were on the Enterprise at least has the potential to be interesting, depending on who gets cast and what story Abrams comes up with. And the name recognition of the characters Kirk and Spock will certainly grab the attention of more casual fans than Riker, Janeway, Sisko, etc.
The crossover idea is pure fanwank, and will do nothing to dig Trek out of the hole it's in. TNG wore out its welcome with their last film, and neither DS9 nor VOY ended their TV runs with enough viewers to justify flogging those horses further on the silver screen.
Actually, I quite *liked* the Flintstones-Jetsons movie.
Of course, I was five at the time, but still...
Anyhow, I think it's revealing that nearly as many fans have come out *against* the petition as for it. And that's just the few who bothered.
William Shatner seems OK with it
so I imagine he would say to you
...get a life!
I want to see the more classic trek.
Bring them back in a new movie....
There are many years of Kirk's and Spock's missions on the Enterprise that have not seen film.
Let's bring em back in a big movie way.
I can't wait to see the Enterprise on the big screen.
I believe that a remix/remake or crossover is doomed to fail for the following reasons:
1.) Today the fans have become so splintered. Each seem to demand that a new treatment be TOS, NG, DS-9, Voy etc.. Whatever their peticular favourite.
Each appears to be willing to boycott, or even worse, outright undermine any new efforts - if it does not match their individual tastes.
For example, look how much effort was spent by these fans to undermine Enterprise. Instead of just enjoying it for being a new treatment, or simply not watching, they go online afterward and tear each episode to pieces, complaining about this and that.
You can no longer make these people happy. If you do not believe me, just look at all the bitching and complaining on the Trek BBS's, and make up your own mind. The famous Trek goodwill and community is gone.
2.) What ever happened to the stories of exploration of space?
So many of the "continuity junkie" fans just seem want the mythos of Trek to keep the established personalities running into each other via a "time warps" or some such nonsense. Instead of exploring a vast galaxy, our heroes keep bumping into each other - just so we can see Picard next to Kirk and such.
Really quite silly actually.
3.) A remix will fail because Hollywood producers will ignore the original "Roddenberry Vision" and imbue a new show with all the mindless crap were being fed in all the other shows today.
Why did we love the original?
Because it was 1960's era television. It dared to dream big, to show humans at their best. What could we become if we got our act together? People now see such ideas as corny and simplistic. A remix today would end up a dark thing like the new Battlestar.
For the future of Trek, I suggest to leave it alone. I'm willing to let it die instead of having it turn into just more Hollywood mindless mush. Please leave it for the legacy it is.
Sincerely,
Tim
How can you make a petition against a film which we know nothing firm about.
it seems self defeating for Trek fans to attack the return of Trek back from the Dead.
if the film sucks I will be the first to say it...but I am of the school of thought that says a film needs to exist before I can make that claim...or at least a full outline of the cast/crew/plot...and maybe a preview.
this petition to me just seems to be one of those thigns that make Trekkies look like moronic geeks
First off I would like to seperate myself from the other comments posted here. I actually think your crossover idea would be cool. Here's my problem. The storyline in Nemesis was absolutely disgraceful. It ignored continuity previously established in Star Trek movies and tv shows to try and appeal to a wider audience. And if this crossover film was made then there would be more than a good chance that it would follow the whole "Data is dead and his memories are in b4 storyline". Now THAT would be something that I would boycott. The whole Kirk and Spock in the academy idea isn't that bad. If however you change your petition slightly to include the demand that all events that took place in Nemesis should be ignored and the movie should pick up where insurrection left off, then I will sign your petition. Otherwise the original series prequel film will have my full support.
I for one welcome JJ Abrams vision. This is his idea and Paramount trusts him and just signed him up for a 5 year contract so this is pretty pointless
To me the setting of Trek XI is irrelevent, but I undersand why Abrams and Paramount want to get back to basics and make a "Batman Begins" for the franchise. It is time to bring in new fans and relaunch Trek. All these 'crossover' type ideas would be fine for a DVD but not a big summer picture.
For those who want to keep up with the latest info on Trek XI check out my new Blog. Star Trek XI: The Blog
(click my name to see the blogs)
which includes Star Trek XI: The FAQ with a summary of all info to date
This is quite possibly the funniest waste of bandwidth on the entire internet (a rather bold statement, but hey, what the hell).
More power to you.
let me get this straight
after Trek was declared dead...the brought back to life in some kind of miracle...and with JJ Abrams no less
you want it dead again??
wow...with fans like these no wonder Trek died
I truly believe that a prequel to the original series is a disaster in the making, history has shown us that this formular does not work
I agree with the very fist guy. A series of story-arced big-budget films would allow the writers to not feel that they have to throw in the kitchen sink in every movie.
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