misread "removing" instead of "replacing", was amused
TMP, CGI, and Stephen Collins
- Thread starter TrickyDickie
- Start date
As a rule, I can accept that. But as I explained, the Cosby/Fat Albert matter is different for me. There, he wasn't just participating as an actor, but specifically as an educator. He was speaking directly to us, as Bill Cosby, and presenting himself as a guide on ethical behavior and respect for other people. He was narrating supposedly autobiographical stories based on his own childhood and framing them as his own hard-earned life lessons. So I grew up respecting Cosby for his values and moral example, not just for his talent as a performer playing unrelated characters. So that makes it a rather different situation than, say, watching a Victoria Vetri movie or a Woody Allen movie. They never claimed to be role models.
Watch enough TCM and it almost seems as though there was an entire generation of movie actors who didn't know what to do with their hands if they weren't fiddling with a cigarette, lighter, matchbook, etc. (I recently read an interview with Peter Capaldi where he pointed out how often the late Peter Cushing would fiddle with a pipe or cigarette holder whenever he had to deliver a long expository speech on vampires or mummies or whatever.)
As for TMP . . . bottom line: the character in the movie isn't Stephen Collins, it's "Will Decker."
The lessons that Cosby taught in that show are still valid. The fact that he was hypocritical with his own behavior does nothing to undo the lesson.
It's tough, I know. Even though I haven't watched Fat Albert in almost 40 years, I can still remember the expression on his face when there was unfairness/injustice.
In some cases, I look at it like the scene in 'I, Mudd' where Kirk says "I love you. But I hate you." Taking two sides of the same person and seeing it in different ways. Putting a comic spin on something that is otherwise deeply troubling.
Humor is salve for the heart and soul.
The only suggestion I have in regards to TMP and Stephen Collins is, they should definitely paint out the Decker Unit.
Forget CGI, if this was the direction you wanted to go, then recording a new actor in costume against a blue/green screen and edit them over Collins. That tech is here (or will be soon).
As far as removing objectionable subjects from productions, shall we remove slavery from Roots and Gone With The Wind? I'd say no, if you don't like what a movie shows, don't watch it.
As far as removing objectionable subjects from productions, shall we remove slavery from Roots and Gone With The Wind? I'd say no, if you don't like what a movie shows, don't watch it.
And just who are these people that are suggesting this? People who have nothing better to do with their time than sit in front of their computers and come up with asinine ideas that will go nowhere?
Oh, that's already fairly routine. Orphan Black does it all the time in scenes where two or more clones interact physically -- they'll digitally superimpose Tatiana Maslany's face or body over her stand-in Kathryn Alexandre, for instance. (There was a virtuoso example in last night's episode involving one clone handing another character an instrument that she then used in a medical procedure on another clone, with the other character touching both clones at the same time and the instrument coming into physical contact with both clones sequentially, all in a continuous shot. It was totally seamless.)
And then there's something like Ex Machina, where much of Alicia Vikander's head and body was digitally replaced with exposed android innards, although that was facilitated by her wearing a gray costume and skullcap that could easily have parts of it animated over or removed.
I'd rather have Walter Koenig erased from every Star Trek production and replaced with someone who can act
Walter Koenig is actually a terrific actor when he isn't saddled with a heavy Russian accent. You should see him as Bester on Babylon 5. Great stuff. He reminded me of Peter Lorre there.
Stephen Collins as Decker is fine. However, I would like Grace Lee Whitney edited into seasons 2 and 3 of TOS please.
Some fans shortly after the story about Collins broke. At the time, it seemed like it might be a typical knee-jerk reaction. But when you add in fans of 7th Heaven who were seriously outraged, etc, it just makes you wonder how far some people are willing to go when something becomes possible. Get enough money behind something and there's the push.
Right, because the world has completely forgotten about the existence of any movie made before 1975. Casa-whatta? Citizen who?
