JJ ABRAMS Enterprise

[Jet Beetle]

As an age-bound representative of the "youth of today", I can say that there is a fairly large contingency of youth audiences supporting smarter entertainment.

Obviously, no show/franchise/movie will ever have ONE demographic, the support of young age groups has proven itself significant.

Look at the success of Lost. Look at the immense successes of the Matrix and Pirates of the Caribbean films. Now, people will argue till the sun goes down about the quality of these examples, but you'd be hard pressed to convince anyone that these pieces of entertainment are extremely ambitious, and exponentially more complex, both in structure and thematic content, than any other popular entertainment.

People complain about movies (and TV) that lack story, and when they're given pieces of pop entertainment chocked full (spilling over into other medias, in some examples) of character, plot, and deep thematic content, they run away screaming.

You really aren't using the Matrix as an example of good story telling are you? The Matrix was a showcase for new effects - not that it was a bad thing but it in no way broke new ground as far as story goes. It was simply the Wizard of Oz, except Dorthey "Knows Kung Fu"

And Take Johnny Depp out of Pirates and you have Cutthroat Island - this is why Disney only hired him back for the 4th.

I'd like more examples of proof that the youth of today crave smart movies - because evidence points strongly in the opposite direction. I'll toss my hat in on music as well.

Show me todays Rocky, Close Encounters, Jaws, Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, French Connection, -- hell, show me something on quality of Neil Simon or Blake Edwards. Kids today play video games - and that's what movies are made to compete with - that and the remote control. The movies of 20 years ago are still getting sequels and reboots now - this is our bathwater you swim in.

 

[nickytea]

Show me todays Rocky, Close Encounters, Jaws, Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, French Connection, -- hell, show me something on quality of Neil Simon or Blake Edwards. Kids today play video games - and that's what movies are made to compete with - that and the remote control. The movies of 20 years ago are still getting sequels and reboots now - this is our bathwater you swim in.

The examples you listed are all great films, by my measure, but the only one that really REALLY stands out as being ambitious (thematically or structurally) is Back to the Future. I'm talking about furthering the craft.

And Neil Simon? Neil Simon? Sure, the man is funny, and he wrote a few decent plays, but he can never stand toe to toe with the great playwrights. The man's got Steven-King-syndrome. His mass volume of content is so inundated with mediocrity, that it soils the taste (personal feeling here) of his other work that's almost great. But comedy is the most subjective of performance arts, so I'll stop there.

I think your belittling the examples I used by applying an over simplistic template that doesn't quite fit them. Wizard of Oz with Kung fu? Not only does that analogy fall apart at the superficial level, but it fails to acknowledge a gigantic mass of those movie's content.

But this thread is about Trek. It's in the hands of someone intelligent, who has the ambitions to tell an intelligent story. Call it dumb all you want, but when that movie comes out, I'll be ready to spar. :lol

 

[Betamin]

Though I'm not overly hip to the designs I've seen of the bridge and the ship, (the ship could have come out a LOT worse) I'll go see the movie with an open mind. I grew up watching the series, so it'll be interesting to see the new actors take on well known characters.

 

[micdavis]

If the characters do not become caricatures of the original and the story is solid, I am sure it will be an enjoyable film.

However the more things that fly in the face of the original, simply will pull the me out of the movie. I can't fight the fact that I know what I know.

When Indy pulls out his pistol and shoots the two swordsman in TOD, sure it was funny, but all it did in my mind was pull me out of the chase that was going. Because it was a great big, "Oh we did this last time, it'll be funny again". Forget the fact that the second movie was a prequel and the set-up for the joke wouldn't have happened yet. Unless of course it is standard proceedure for Indy to shoot all swordsmen.

I enjoy little nods to other movies embedded in films as much as the next guy. But if you take that too far it invades the suspension of disbelief.

Unfortunately for me too much variance from established marks will make it less enjoyable.

Deliver the Star Trek I know and I'll spend endless dollars on the trinkets and bobbles. If it's mediocre, you only get my ticket money.

I bet there are far more people on my side of this dynamic than there will be "new" fans joining the fray. So alienate the fan base. You'll never get now the number of fans back that you disenfranchise. There are just too many other things to spend money and time on these days.

 

[Ramiel]

Hey! This REALLY isn't Star Trek!:eek

(Sorry guys if I'm late to the party, but I've finally found that bootleg copy of the movie I missed before...:cool)
:rolleyes

 

[micdavis]

Here's more bad news.

Art Director - Keith Cunningham. Previous experience Batman & Robin.

Holy ******!!!!!

 

[Jet Beetle]

As an age-bound representative of the "youth of today", I can say that there is a fairly large contingency of youth audiences supporting smarter entertainment.

Obviously, no show/franchise/movie will ever have ONE demographic, the support of young age groups has proven itself significant.

Look at the success of Lost. Look at the immense successes of the Matrix and Pirates of the Caribbean films. Now, people will argue till the sun goes down about the quality of these examples, but you'd be hard pressed to convince anyone that these pieces of entertainment are extremely ambitious, and exponentially more complex, both in structure and thematic content, than any other popular entertainment.

People complain about movies (and TV) that lack story, and when they're given pieces of pop entertainment chocked full (spilling over into other medias, in some examples) of character, plot, and deep thematic content, they run away screaming.

Either we're in a transitional phase, or people will be forever polarized. (I hope the former)

The examples you listed are all great films, by my measure, but the only one that really REALLY stands out as being ambitious (thematically or structurally) is Back to the Future. I'm talking about furthering the craft.

And Neil Simon? Neil Simon? Sure, the man is funny, and he wrote a few decent plays, but he can never stand toe to toe with the great playwrights. The man's got Steven-King-syndrome. His mass volume of content is so inundated with mediocrity, that it soils the taste (personal feeling here) of his other work that's almost great. But comedy is the most subjective of performance arts, so I'll stop there.

I think your belittling the examples I used by applying an over simplistic template that doesn't quite fit them. Wizard of Oz with Kung fu? Not only does that analogy fall apart at the superficial level, but it fails to acknowledge a gigantic mass of those movie's content.

But this thread is about Trek. It's in the hands of someone intelligent, who has the ambitions to tell an intelligent story. Call it dumb all you want, but when that movie comes out, I'll be ready to spar. :lol

You're on but by the time it comes out you will have already lost. :angel

And "Wizard of Oz with Kung Fu" is directly lifted from how the Wachowski's described their own film when asked -. And simplifying is how you get to basic structure. And yes - Neil Simon, I'm asking for his modern equivalent not if you like him? And you really and truly believe BTTF is the only one from the list that "furthered the craft"??? LOL:lol

 

[micdavis]

I'm going to start calling it ST-TLG.

Star Trek The "Lost" Generation .....and probably the Last.
lol

 

[nickytea]

And yes - Neil Simon, I'm asking for his modern equivalent not if you like him?

If I had to pick one, just knee-jerk, I'd pick Zach Helm. He doesn't yet have the volume of work, but I think he certainly has the talent.

And to stay on topic, JJ's Enterprise ... does it have bathrooms? Will we see them?

 

[Chronos]

Here's more bad news.

Art Director - Keith Cunningham. Previous experience Batman & Robin.

Holy ******!!!!!

Yikes! :eek

Batman and Robin is big, loud, and dumb. Kinda reminds me of a trailer I just watched....

 

[bcstanding]

I am astounded by the negative, whiny, knee-jerk reactions of many Trek fans this weekend. So many posts about irrelevant crap - look, you don't have to like what you see or what you think you know, but I think many of you have completely missed the point of Trek. How ironic that you are so upset because of a little bit of information you have been given about the new movie - which is based on a show whose core vales are diversity, tolerance, and optimism... This is a new chance to make sure "history never forgets the name Enterprise" and what it stands for.

 

[micdavis]

This is a new chance to make sure "history never forgets the name Enterprise" and what it stands for.

Well, that's the point isn't it.

It's not the Enterprise.

Seems it's already been forgotten.

I can see Patrick Duffy coming out of the shower already.

 

[Tripper]

Posting in threads like these has become pointless. It's all relative and posting your opinion isn't gonna do squat.

 

[Serafino]

1. You did it anyway.

2. You miss the fact that it's like a big worldwide venting session that will allow all participants to get over it as much as they can and give the movie as much of a chance as they're capable of once over the shock of the new.

 

[phez]

I do not know why but for some reason looking at that ship kind of gives me the feel of this thing flying through space. :lol

If the story and the acting are good enough it could be a really good movie regardless of all of the changes. That being the case, why couldn't they just leave at least the frigging ship alone for us old schoolers to relate to :unsure.

 

[Prop Collector]

Not that it matters, but I already found a continuity error. Kirk is shown driving a car in the trailer, however in the episode where they go to the Nazi planet, Kirk is barely able to drive.

Not that it matters to JJ, though.

 

[Jet Beetle]

If I had to pick one, just knee-jerk, I'd pick Zach Helm. He doesn't yet have the volume of work, but I think he certainly has the talent.

And to stay on topic, JJ's Enterprise ... does it have bathrooms? Will we see them?

I met Zach on Stranger than Fiction and I believe even he would tell you it's not the case. I knew who Neil Simon was when I was a little kid simply because of "Neil Simon's Murder By Death or The Odd Couple or
but I guess we could see "Zach Helm's Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" one day. :lol

He is not even close to Neil. By the time Neil was his age he was swimming in awards and credits. The old folks get this one. :lol


And oh yeah the new Enterprise sucks -- just to stay on topic.:love

 

[AnubisGuard]

That being the case, why couldn't they just leave at least the frigging ship alone for us old schoolers to relate to :unsure.

Because the people who are not "old schoolers" --in other words, the unwashed, Trekless masses this film needs to appeal to in order to be a commercial success -- would not be able to relate to it. To Joe Schmoe, moviegoer, Star trek is that geeky, uncool thing losers sit in their mom's basements watching.

Abrams is wise to steer clear of such baggage. Did he over do it? Maybe. But better to acknowledge that Trek needs a fresh face instead of leaving untouched a style that killed the last TV show and resulted in critical and finacial failure at the boxoffice.

 

[micdavis]

Not that it matters, but I already found a continuity error. Kirk is shown driving a car in the trailer, however in the episode where they go to the Nazi planet, Kirk is barely able to drive.

Not that it matters to JJ, though.

You, of course, mean the Gangster Planet. Sigma Iotia II

 

[Jet Beetle]

Hats off to you for pointing that out -

And two hats off to Mic for knowing the episode without missing a beat