Friends becoming interested because of movie

[Augustus]

I hope this topic isn't buried in the dozens of new threads that are appearing but I wanted to see if others were having this experience...

One of my roommates can be easily described with the jock stereotype.
But I persuaded him to go see the movie last week. He really liked it, is thinking about seeing it again. I came home from work today and to my surprise he was watching an episode of Enterprise. (The one where the vulcans and andorians almost go to war) and he said he had been watching them for a couple of hours "trying to figure out what was going on". And he asked me a ton of questions about characters, time line, etc.

He is interested in going back and seeing the other shows and movies... all because this movie opened up his eyes to Star Trek....

My life-long fandom is slowly becoming publicly vindicated.

 

[Kirk's_Tights]

My husband never listens to me and then realizes that I am always right, haha.


The same thing happened with the Friday the 13th series. The past few years, I've been trying to get him to watch the old ones and he dismissed them entirely, not even watching for a split second and giving them a chance. I finally convinced him this year to see the new one and when we got home, he wanted to watch the entire series of movies.


I watch Star Trek everyday at 1PM and he never watches it. Now...well, I'm right again.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

I have a few friends that show some interest. They rolled of their seats laughing at the few links I gave them to online TOS episodes, but they are interested in following DS9; I now have no DS9 DVD in my possession until I get them back.

 

[Phily B]

My friend IMed me the other day saying he just ordered DS9 Season 1.

I told him to start with TNG Season 3 though.

 

[darkshadow0001]

A friend of mine really liked this movie, too. I won't say it converted him into a Trekkie, but I think he's a bit more apted to see the older films now. I did show him Star Trek:First Contact (movie) he said it was ok but it didn't have the action in it. But, he seemed to like this film.

 

[fresh]

My friends saw the new movie as 'good' Trek and still want nothing to do with 'old' Trek.

I guess it's the same thing as me not caring about the Adam West Batman after seeing Batman Begins.

They all said they hope Paramount makes sequels though.

 

[trekker670]

I'm a high school student and am known as being the trekkie (yes, Trekkie) of the school, and its surprising how many people have come to me and said either how much they want to go see the movie or how much they loved the movie. Some of those that have seen the movie have said they want to see more, including the other series and movies (so, not just JJ's version).

 

[Shatmandu]

My life-long fandom is slowly becoming publicly vindicated.

I'm right there with you. I've actually heard people talking about Star Trek on the street.

I bought the novelization of the book today at a Wal-Mart in Asstick, Indiana, and the 19-year old girl at the checkout stand told me she went with her Dad, a long-time Trek fan, and she loved the movie. So did he. They're going back to see it again with her Mother.

Several people from work have brought it up, out of the blue. One lady was so happy: she said her teenaged son saw the movie and was inspired to get a haircut for the first time in two years. She was so excited, she insisted he take her to see the movie the next night!

My retired father-in-law, who is not a fan, wants to go see it with me the next time I go.

My wife, also not a fan, is wanting to go, but only if I agree to go see "My Girlfriend's a Ghost" or whatever the hell that movie is the next weekend.

Joe, might not take that bargain

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

My friends would be asking me a lot about this movie if I had any friends.

What?

 

[Augustus]

My friends would be asking me a lot about this movie if I had any friends.

What?

At least you have friends here... right?

 

[Alexis]

My girlfriend wants to see this movie after seeing the trailers and reading some articles about it and wants to watch some old Trek movies because I told her this is a completely different Trek and she wants to see it with a better perspective on the old stuff. And she was never interested in Star Trek.

And a good buddy of mine started watching DS9 because of this movie. I think it's a very positive thing that's happening to the franchise at the moment.

 

[CommanderRaytas]

I know some people who really liked this film but still think TOS isn't worth the effort. Oh well, but it's a start, isn't it? I told them to watch DS9 instead.

 

[Alexis]

I know some people who really liked this film but still think TOS isn't worth the effort. Oh well, but it's a start, isn't it? I told them to watch DS9 instead.

TOS is really outdated to a lot of people (actually, it's just outdated, period). And the leap between the new movie and TOS is quite a large one at that, I think.

 

[Eddie Roth]

^^ Not that much. The characters in TOS resonate the same way as in the film (or the other way around, if you've been a fan before). But people are different. Some actually enjoy the camp or the 60s aesthetics. For those who don't, there's plenty of more modern TV Star Trek out there. The interest is there, I can see it too. For the first time ever, I believe, the search term "star trek" is more popular on amazon.de than "star wars".

 

[Alexis]

^^ Not that much. The characters in TOS resonate the same way as in the film (or the other way around, if you've been a fan before). But people are different. Some actually enjoy the camp or the 60s aesthetics. For those who don't, there's plenty of more modern TV Star Trek out there. The interest is there, I can see it too. For the first time ever, I believe, the search term "star trek" is more popular on amazon.de than "star wars".

I just don't think a 40+ year old show is going to appeal to a lot of newcomers, that's all. The appreciation for TOS usually comes after watching the other shows.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

The appreciation for TOS usually comes after watching the other shows.

Or not at all. All the TOS episodes I like amount to, perhaps, three or so. And a couple movies, but certainly not every one. It's just a different level of acting, writing and set design. Not superior, not inferior, just different. And cheaper, in a way; you have to suspend your disbelief and use your imagination a *lot*. Perhaps too much; you could just as well read a book for that.

 

[balls]

A friend of mine from college (we're both 40) called me the other day and asked if I'd seen the movie. I have been a life long fan and he has seen a few episodes of each of the series, but was never a fan. He was so jacked up about the movie he wants to go back to watch TOS. He even asked about the spin offs. I told him that I'd give him a list of eps to watch. I think this is great that the movie is generating some interest in watching what came before.

 

[Balrog]

Let's see, my wife actually wants to see it AGAIN! That's a victory in itself because she never wants to see the same movie twice in the theatre.

I have a good friend who doesn't like Trek that much. He's a SW fan. He's seen it 3 times already and thinks it's better than any of the SW prequels.

My boss, who's not a fan of Trek and outwardly mocks the show, went to go see it with his wife and LOVED it. Miracles do happen!

A friend's wife who came to the movie with us and didn't even know what a "Red Shirt" was loved it and now wants to watch TOS and the TOS movies so she can get all the references in the new movie.

Yeah, I'd say Trek has become "cool" again.

 

[barnaclelapse]

I don't really pay attention to that sort of thing. It's cool that people are showing an interest in Star Trek because of the movie, and if it gets them into some of the older material then all the better, but I don't spend a lot of time worrying about it one way or the other.

 

[SmoothieX]

I had been really intereted in seeing it, but the TV commercials were turning me off. I think the commercials did a disservice, they came off looking like an angsty action movie with a bunch of good looking young people. My wife had no interest in seeing it, and I went into it skeptically but as a Trek fan had to see it.

My parents saw it over the weekend, and raved about it. They watched TOS as adults in the 60s, so if it was good enough for them, I figured I'd like it. I saw it afterwork on Monday since my wife was stuck at work late.

I kept raving about it and she turned to me and asked, "Do you think I'd like it?" I told her as someone who isn't into sci-fi it wouldn't be as exciting for her as for me, but that it was a good movie and she'd definitely be entertained.

I'm going to see it again this weekend (I'm recovering from foot surgery so about all I can do is sit around and watch movies!) and I think she might come along.