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Why is the new film doing so terribly outside the US..???

Trek is popualr in Oz, only the TV station that has the broadcast rights doesn't get it. It's run by sports-fixated boofheads for sports-fixated boofheads. Back in the day, I was once told, the owner, Kerry Packer liked trek, but didn't let it get in the way of making a dollar.

Yes, Kerry Packer was a hge ST fan, and insisted that his buyers purchase the ST license to broadcast TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT. The programmers tried running TNG in prime time, but it came third out of five, several weeks running. So they moved it to late night timeslot and it consistently came first every night it aired. That's precisely what TV advertisers like: a #1 show, not a disappointing #3.

Since the episodes of TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT had already been available Down Under via sell-thru video, the diehard ST fans had no need to watch modern ST on commercial TV. Why should the Nine Network have persistd with ST in prime time when they proved it was doing as well as could in the timeslot? It's not like it is a charity case.
 
The programmers tried running TNG in prime time, but it came third out of five, several weeks running.
I remember the fuss (so-called) WIN - Nine's regional affiliate in my area - made about the premiere of Voyager. I recall thinking how cool it'd be to have a Trek series in prime time. So what did they do? They scheduled it against Blue Heelers - IMHO one of the stupidest TV shows ever made but which was incredibly popular at the time (to each their own and all that). They doomed the series from the start. Programming decisions like that didn't help Trek's cause.
So they moved it to late night timeslot and it consistently came first every night it aired. That's precisely what TV advertisers like: a #1 show, not a disappointing #3.

Since the episodes of TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT had already been available Down Under via sell-thru video, the diehard ST fans had no need to watch modern ST on commercial TV.

Why should the Nine Network have persistd with ST in prime time when they proved it was doing as well as could in the timeslot? It's not like it is a charity case.
Of course, the Nine types could point to all this stuff as perfect justification for their decsions, too. If Trek consistently won its timeslot and they could flog advertising space with a clear winner, they were obviously going to do so. The fact we didn't like having to sit up 'til all hours was beside the point.
 
^ Many years, by the final episodes of DS9 and Voyager. I think quite a bit of my love for Enterprise came from not having read about and seen pictures of the episodes before watching them, unlike the other series.
 
They scheduled it against Blue Heelers - IMHO one of the stupidest TV shows ever made but which was incredibly popular at the time

Sure, but "Voyager: Caretaker" had already been out on home video for at least a year! So it was never going to score big ratings, and WIN gambled that some ST fans wouldn't be watching first-run "Blue Heelers". (And why was Blue Heelers "stupid"? It was a fairly standard cop show with appealing actors, good acting and high production values.)

If Trek consistently won its timeslot and they could flog advertising space with a clear winner, they were obviously going to do so. The fact we didn't like having to sit up 'til all hours was beside the point.
Exactly. And you could have been renting the tapes like everyone else. It wasn't Nine's fault that Paramount sold the rights this way. And the strategy is why Seven angrily let their ST license lapse in 1987.
 
Isn't the film dubbed in many foreign markets? Obviously, since much of the greatness of the film lies in the greatness of its acting, dubbing would harm it. Imagine how ridiculous one of the film's greatest lines, Spock contemptuously telling the Vulcan Science Council "Live long and prosper" would sound dubbed - it would ruin the line.

Much of the film's dialog is deep and clever, but also untranslateable. For example, how would the play on the quadruple meanings of the word "fine" between Spock and Amanda, and then between Kirk and Uhura, be translated? Probably not possible. Or Ayel's "unwise" - surely that word has connotations difficult to translate. Likewise "aural sensitivity" or "bones" or even the connotations of "Live long and prosper" or "old friend" or McCoy's comments. The words can be translated, but not so much their sense, their associations.
 
Isn't the film dubbed in many foreign markets? Obviously, since much of the greatness of the film lies in the greatness of its acting, dubbing would harm it. Imagine how ridiculous one of the film's greatest lines, Spock contemptuously telling the Vulcan Science Council "Live long and prosper" would sound dubbed - it would ruin the line.
I've seen the movie 4 times, all French dubbed and I had a ball. I became a fan of ST 25 years ago watching the French dubbed version of the show so I can say I wasn't too put off by the dubbing and translation. Of course, once I have heard the original version, going back to the dubbed one is a lot more difficult because you get used to the actors's voices and the dialogues. For instance, I had discovered "Dr Who" in French but once I had watched the show in English, I just couldn't stand the French version.

A many things, it depends on how well it's done, be it the translation or the delivery of the lines by the French actors who dub the movie.

I thought it was very well done for STXI. It could have been awkward because the actor dubbing Quinto was the same who dubbed him for Sylar but he didn't use exactly the same tone of voice and in fact I thought his voice was close to Nimoy's.
Of course, I can only compare with the short trailers for the original voices but I thought that Chekov was well done too, for instance. The only thing that bugs me is that we never have the Scottish accent with French dubbing. Scotty without it is weird :lol:

"Live long and prosper" has always been translated to the equivalent of "A long and prosperous life (to you)" in French so it doesn't come as odd to this ST fan. What with this translation and the actor dubbing Quinto's voice in the Vulcan Council scene, I certainly perceived the "fuck you all" undertone.
I think you also refer to the word "fine" used in the bar scene between Kirk and Uhura? The play on words functionned perfectly in the French version because we also have the two meanings here.
Same for the beautiful scene between Spock and Amanda.
"Old friend" isn't a problem either. I was even able to recognize Spock's famous sentence translated in French even if I had only ever heard it in English.
"Hobgoblin" was translated by "mule" in French so it became "Green blooded mule" :lol:

But you're right, Bones cannot be translated properly and McCoy's sentence in the shuttle is just that, a sentence. The reference to his nickname even completely bypassed me at my first viewing!
A double entendre with "aural sensitivity" couldn't be made in French and so Uhura's tirade seemed rather innocent. So much that I thought that Spock was refering to a teacher/student favoritism! Had I seen that scene in English, I would have immediately understood what it was all about :D

Now I want to see the movie again but it's no longer playing here :wah:
 
No, I'm not. And when I'm finished with my review of XI I will post and it will show it.
Do you intend to post this review here at TBBS? If so, why?

Among other places. I think the StarTrekXIsucks bloogspot would be good place as well. As for why. Why not?

Almost every post you make in this forum - and elsewhere - indicates that you have little or no respect for the posters here.
Wrong.

You belittle, you patronise, you condescend. You have no qualms about questioning the intelligence of anyone who doesn't see things your way.
I have done no such thing.

So why bother posting your critique of the movie here? (Never mind all the other, usually verbose, almost always condescending stuff you post.)
Once again; I have used no condescension at all, except when it comes to the bloody obvious.

Somebody who wishes to dispute "Rain is wet", which is on the same level as, "Bad things in a movie, diminish a movie", then I might get condescending out of sheer desperation for human kind. Remember this statement has nothing to do with the movie, my opinion about it, or anyone else's opinion about it. It is simple generic elementary: "Bad things in a movie, diminish a movie." "Rain is wet."

The simple fact is; there's no point in debating those who can't grasp this simple generic elementary. It's trying to speak in a language with someone who doesn't know the language while you're in the dark and thus no way to get a meaning across with gestures.

And as for why bother? Why not?

Do you imagine that anyone who reads your review will recant their view of the movie? That the scales will fall from their eyes and they will see that you, 3D Master, is right and all those who enjoyed this movie - faults and all - are wrong?
Not at all.

Why on earth does it matter to you what people think of the movie?
Because I'm a Star Trek fan, as what it can be. People like this empty pile of shit, we'll only be getting more empty piles of shit. Instead of more stuff I'd be looking forward to, it'll be just more nothing.

Why does it matter that so many people enjoyed it while you didn't?
Why does it matter to you that so many people enjoyed it along with you? It seems you wouldn't be caring or posting about Star Trek if no one else cared for it. Which pretty much means from my point of you, you don't actually like it.

Why do you find it necessary to constantly criticise and belittle and question the intellect of people on an internet BBS who don't agree with you about a movie??
I have done no such thing.

I'm not being sarcastic. I'm genuinely curious as to why you devote so much time to challenging the views of a group of people for whom you clearly have little or no respect.
I'm challenging no one, I'm simply posting my point of view. But it seems I'm not allowed to. If one disagrees with a majority in this forum, one must shut up and say nothing.
 
...I'm challenging no one, I'm simply posting my point of view. But it seems I'm not allowed to. If one disagrees with a majority in this forum, one must shut up and say nothing.
You're allowed to have your opinion. I just happen to feel that your opinion is wrong.

This film had its flaws, but it hit the nail on the head with regards to what makes a Star Trek movie "good"...and that is the character interactions. All good Star Trek films have been first and foremost about the chemistry among the characters, specifically among Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.

This film could have used a bit more McCoy, but for the most part it had that most important Star Trek element of having enjoyable character interactions. Therefore, I liked it.
 
Isn't the film dubbed in many foreign markets? Obviously, since much of the greatness of the film lies in the greatness of its acting, dubbing would harm it. Imagine how ridiculous one of the film's greatest lines, Spock contemptuously telling the Vulcan Science Council "Live long and prosper" would sound dubbed - it would ruin the line.


"Live long and prosper" has always been translated to the equivalent of "A long and prosperous life (to you)" in French so it doesn't come as odd to this ST fan.

But doesn't it look bizarre for Quinto to say things that are not synchronized with his lip movements? His control over his expression is so perfect that to destroy that synchronization impairs the impact.

I think you also refer to the word "fine" used in the bar scene between Kirk and Uhura? The play on words functionned perfectly in the French version because we also have the two meanings here.
Same for the beautiful scene between Spock and Amanda.

There are four meanings of "fine" in use.

Amanda tells Spock "you'll do fine" (1).
Spock tells Amanda "fine has variable definitions. Fine is unacceptable". (2)
Uhura tells Kirk "I'm fine without it [your first name]" (3)
Kirk tells Uhura "You are fine without it" (4).

(1) means "acceptable" as in, "Don't worry, it'll be fine."
(2) alludes to a meaning of "excellent" as in "that was a fine performance";
(3) means "satisfied, not needing more" as in "Want more beer"? "No thanks, I'm fine";
(4) means "attractive."

Are all these connotations available in the French?

And what about when Ayel tells Robeau "Your refusal would be ... unwise"? How is "unwise" translated? A literal translation would sound like "unintelligent" which makes no sense. The word "unwise" in that context has very specific menacing connotations couched in extreme politeness - does the French translation have this (how was the word translated?).
 
But doesn't it look bizarre for Quinto to say things that are not synchronized with his lip movements? His control over his expression is so perfect that to destroy that synchronization impairs the impact.
Dubbing a movie is a very difficult job, so much so that I often wonder why they bother with it and don't just put subtitles with the original version :rolleyes:
Not only you have to translate the lines so they keep their original meaning, but you also have to make the dubbing actors speak the lines so they are in sync with the original actors.
When a blockbuster like STXI is dubbed, it's usually flawless. And believe me, lip sync in dubbed movies/series is a pet peeve of mine :lol:
The only problem that can occur is when you have a bad dubbing actor who can't find it in himself to try and say his lines with feeling, reproducing the nuances the original actor used. Since a lot of the acting is in the voice, you can loose emotional impact.
Can't wait for the DVD release, watching the movie in English will be like discovering it all over again :)


Are all these connotations available in the French?
Yep, they are and I think the guys who did the translating job must have been thankful for that :lol:

Uhura tells Kirk "I'm fine without it [your first name]" (3)
Translated roughly by "I'm doing great without it".
Kirk tells Uhura "You are fine without it" (4).
Translated by "You look like you're doing more than great".
Actually, this is one of the rare cases where I prefer the French version. I was a bit disappointed when I heard that last line in one of the movie exerpts on the official website because I thought it was funnier in French, probably because it makes for an even worst pick up line, a pick up line alas widely used in France :lol:

And what about when Ayel tells Robeau "Your refusal would be ... unwise"? How is "unwise" translated? A literal translation would sound like "unintelligent" which makes no sense. The word "unwise" in that context has very specific menacing connotations couched in extreme politeness - does the French translation have this (how was the word translated?).
Woah, let me try to remember, I've only 4 viewings under my belt...
I think they used a sentence like "Refusing wouldn't be a good idea". The menace under the polite sentence was very well felt.
 
Doin' fine in England when I went! And I won free popcorn with their ST contest!
 
No, I'm not. And when I'm finished with my review of XI I will post and it will show it.
Do you intend to post this review here at TBBS? If so, why?
Among other places. I think the StarTrekXIsucks bloogspot would be good place as well.
Preaching to the converted? Makes as much sense as anything.
As for why. Why not?
:lol:

Almost every post you make in this forum - and elsewhere - indicates that you have little or no respect for the posters here.
Wrong.
Really? Do you routinely question the intelligence of people you respect, claiming that they lack "functional minds" if they disagree with you?

You belittle, you patronise, you condescend. You have no qualms about questioning the intelligence of anyone who doesn't see things your way.
I have done no such thing.
Really? Claiming people lack "functional minds" because they don't agree with you / your interpretation of "facts" isn't questioning their intelligence? Not to mention your extensive track record of calling people idiots, thickheaded, incapable of reading, and so on.

So why bother posting your critique of the movie here? (Never mind all the other, usually verbose, almost always condescending stuff you post.)
Once again; I have used no condescension at all, except when it comes to the bloody obvious.
So you don't condescend, except when you do.

Somebody who wishes to dispute "Rain is wet", which is on the same level as, "Bad things in a movie, diminish a movie", then I might get condescending out of sheer desperation for human kind. Remember this statement has nothing to do with the movie, my opinion about it, or anyone else's opinion about it. It is simple generic elementary: "Bad things in a movie, diminish a movie." "Rain is wet."
So the fact that other people have different ideas of what represent "bad things" in a movie means nothing to you? Your idea(s) of "bad things" is / are the only ones that exist? There's no room for other viewpoints? The rain is wet / bad things in a movie "analogy" has limited credibility given that people have different ideas of what constitute "bad things", not to mention different degrees of willingness to overlook / get worked up about them.

The simple fact is; there's no point in debating those who can't grasp this simple generic elementary. It's trying to speak in a language with someone who doesn't know the language while you're in the dark and thus no way to get a meaning across with gestures.
Or people don't see things the same way and are entitled to their own viewpoints. Disagreeing with you isn't a bad thing. They are other interpretations of what's going on here.

And as for why bother? Why not?
Quite a witty retort there. Kudos. :bolian:

Do you imagine that anyone who reads your review will recant their view of the movie? That the scales will fall from their eyes and they will see that you, 3D Master, is right and all those who enjoyed this movie - faults and all - are wrong?
Not at all.
Good. :bolian:

Why on earth does it matter to you what people think of the movie?
Because I'm a Star Trek fan, as what it can be. People like this empty pile of shit, we'll only be getting more empty piles of shit. Instead of more stuff I'd be looking forward to, it'll be just more nothing.
And the fact that some people don't consider this movie a "pile of shit" is irrelevant? The fact that you consider it a "pile of shit" is the only relevant factor here?

Why does it matter that so many people enjoyed it while you didn't?
Why does it matter to you that so many people enjoyed it along with you? It seems you wouldn't be caring or posting about Star Trek if no one else cared for it. Which pretty much means from my point of you, you don't actually like it.
:guffaw: Sorry, that's too ludicrous to offer any further response.

Why do you find it necessary to constantly criticise and belittle and question the intellect of people on an internet BBS who don't agree with you about a movie??
I have done no such thing.
So the whole "functional mind" thing was praise?

I'm not being sarcastic. I'm genuinely curious as to why you devote so much time to challenging the views of a group of people for whom you clearly have little or no respect.
I'm challenging no one, I'm simply posting my point of view. But it seems I'm not allowed to. If one disagrees with a majority in this forum, one must shut up and say nothing.
To state that you're "not allowed" to post your point of view is arrant nonsense. If you look around you'll see that there are plenty of people who didn't care for the movie. The difference is that they don't insult, patronise, belittle or condescend to those who did. (Of course, you claim you don't do those things either, but I'm not going to waste any more time on that.) They've presented their viewpoints in ways that have invited discussion rather than as absolutes immune to criticism or challenge. The problem isn't with your views, 3D Master; it's the presentation. Unfortunately for you, most people don't like being insulted and patronised and whether you recognise it or not that's pretty much your schtick around here.
 
And what about when Ayel tells Robeau "Your refusal would be ... unwise"? How is "unwise" translated? A literal translation would sound like "unintelligent" which makes no sense. The word "unwise" in that context has very specific menacing connotations couched in extreme politeness - does the French translation have this (how was the word translated?).
Woah, let me try to remember, I've only 4 viewings under my belt...
I think they used a sentence like "Refusing wouldn't be a good idea". The menace under the polite sentence was very well felt.

Well, "unwise" is more formal and polite, and less of a cliche, and thus more menacing (and shorter, as well) than "wouldn't be a good idea".

Question: does Nero address Pike using "tu" or "vous"? He calls Pike "Christopher" in his introduction, which is almost jarringly informal.

I'd especially be interested in how Nero addresses Pike in German - using "du" or "Sie" - because the Germans place even more emphasis on using the correct second person singular pronoun than the French.

(For that matter, when, if ever, do Kirk and Spock switch from "vous" to "tu" in addressing each other?)
 
Do you intend to post this review here at TBBS? If so, why?
Among other places. I think the StarTrekXIsucks bloogspot would be good place as well.
Preaching to the converted? Makes as much sense as anything.

I wouldn't be preaching, I'd just be posting one more.

Really? Do you routinely question the intelligence of people you respect, claiming that they lack "functional minds" if they disagree with you?
I have done no such thing.

Really? Claiming people lack "functional minds" because they don't agree with you / your interpretation of "facts" isn't questioning their intelligence?
I have done no such thing.

Not to mention your extensive track record of calling people idiots, thickheaded, incapable of reading, and so on.
The only people I have ever called incapable of reading, idiots and thickheaded are those who were incapable of reading, were idiots and thickheaded. I had nothing to do with whether they agreed with me, it had something to do with whether they could read. These are people who claimed I wrote the exact opposite of what I actually wrote. And even after describing what I wrote in different words they still went on as if I wrote the exact opposite of what I wrote. (Which in fact, were people attempting to discredit my by misrepresenting what I wrote deliberately because they couldn't defeat the facts I raised and my arguments. Thus they tried to attack my person to try to diminish the veracity of my earlier posts.)

So you don't condescend, except when you do.
:rolleyes:

So the fact that other people have different ideas of what represent "bad things" in a movie means nothing to you? Your idea(s) of "bad things" is / are the only ones that exist? There's no room for other viewpoints? The rain is wet / bad things in a movie "analogy" has limited credibility given that people have different ideas of what constitute "bad things",
A plot hole is a plot hole is a plot hole. Bad characterization is bad. Lack of a coherent structure is bad. Etc.

There is no way to have different ideas of what bad things are. No critic is going to criticize a movie for having no plot holes.

not to mention different degrees of willingness to overlook / get worked up about them.
How wet you're willing to be, has no bearing on the fact that rain is wet.

How many bad things you're willing to overlook has no bearing on the fact the bad things are there, and if the bad things weren't in there the movie would have been better.

Once again: "Bad things in a movie, make a movie less good", has nothing do with how good anyone considers a movie; or even how good any move as objectively as one can get is - it is a simple, generic piece of elementary.

Or people don't see things the same way and are entitled to their own viewpoints. Disagreeing with you isn't a bad thing. They are other interpretations of what's going on here.
There is no agreeing and disagreeing about a fact. It's a fact, plain and simple. Rain is wet is a fact. Bad things in a movie diminish the movie is a fact. A chair is an object is a fact. Anyone attempting to disagree with a fact doesn't have functional mind.

And the fact that some people don't consider this movie a "pile of shit" is irrelevant? The fact that you consider it a "pile of shit" is the only relevant factor here?
Of course other people's opinions are irrelevant. I can't stand coffee. But if a majority like coffee I have to stuff the disgusting stuff down my throat? On a related note, I like tea - but because a majority like coffee I'm just going to have to shrug and accept if they remove tea altogether?

:guffaw: Sorry, that's too ludicrous to offer any further response.
There's nothing ludicrous about it; it's simple logic. You're asking me why I'm speaking my mind in a place where the majority doesn't agree with me. Obviously that means you find it a bad thing to speak your mind when it goes against the majority. So what if the majority wants to kill you? You keep quiet then and let them? Or will you be fighting them with reason first, then scream bloody murder (and attempt to escape)? I'm betting you want keep quiet.

In other words, your opinion of "not going against the majority" is only in place when it is with something you don't find important and don't like "enough". Since Star Trek falls under the latter as you're expecting me not to go against the majority on it; you must not like Star Trek all that much.

So the whole "functional mind" thing was praise?
I have not questioned none of the minds who disagree with me. I've questioned the minds of those who wish to dispute facts like, "Chair is an object", "Rain is wet", and "Bad things in a movie diminish a movie."

Which is an entirely different thing. Disagreement has nothing to do with it. Irrational trying to dispute facts has.

I'm not being sarcastic. I'm genuinely curious as to why you devote so much time to challenging the views of a group of people for whom you clearly have little or no respect.
I'm challenging no one, I'm simply posting my point of view. But it seems I'm not allowed to. If one disagrees with a majority in this forum, one must shut up and say nothing.
To state that you're "not allowed" to post your point of view is arrant nonsense. If you look around you'll see that there are plenty of people who didn't care for the movie. The difference is that they don't insult, patronise, belittle or condescend to those who did. (Of course, you claim you don't do those things either, but I'm not going to waste any more time on that.) They've presented their viewpoints in ways that have invited discussion rather than as absolutes immune to criticism or challenge. The problem isn't with your views, 3D Master; it's the presentation. Unfortunately for you, most people don't like being insulted and patronised and whether you recognise it or not that's pretty much your schtick around here.
I have done no such thing. The whole thread above, we didn't even get to my views; we've only been discussing facts in evidence.

Facts should not require discussion. "Rain is wet" whether one likes it or not and there's no discussion about it. "A chair is an object" whether one likes it or not and there's no discussion about it. "Bad things in a movie diminish a movie" is a fact whether one likes it not, and there similarly should not be and should not have been a discussion about it.

If people irrationally dispute, or rather refuse to accept facts, there's no point in trying discuss anyone's opinion on the facts - which is why I haven't brought in and we never discussed any opinions and judgments on those facts. When people are trying to tell me that rain is not wet, I will voice why this is false, and will attempt to get it through their thick heads rain is indeed wet. And if they continue to refuse to accept it; I'll point out to them they're irrational at best. But I won't bother to go to talk opinions with them; because it doesn't matter.
 
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3D is entitled to his opinion. The vast majority of people disagree with him and the franchise is in much better hands now then it was during the last few movies. The movie was entertaining but certainly not flawless, you can nitpick most movies to death if you really tried to. I have only seen it once and will buy the Blu-ray as soon as its available.
 
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