Shatner Has Not Seen Trek XI

[KingstonTrekker]

Just read this article on TrekWeb (originally from Time):

http://trekweb.com/articles/2009/08...onventions-JJ-Abrams-and-New-Trek-Movie.shtml

Let me state that I am a fan of Shatner. However, I was opposed to his involvement in Star Trek XI due to his character's death in Generations. I am also not in favour of him appearing in Trek XII. Now that Nimoy has effectively passed the torch, I hope that Trek XII will leave the Prime Universe behind and take off in new directions in the Abramsverse.

Shatner's comments in the article are confusing. JJ Abrams offered to arrange a private screening. Shatner said he declined because he did not want to be seen in public?? Going to a private screening???

As a result, Shatner's comments left me wondering:

-Is Shatner not going to the movie out of spite?

OR

-Is he truly not wanting to see the movie because he cannot let go/accept that someone else is playing Kirk? (Which is fine by the way -- the man is entitled to his own private feelings on the topic. I have just found his public comments and attitude toward the movie to be a bit arrogant.)

The cynical side of me wonders if he wants to buy Abrams dinner so he can make a pitch for his involvement in Trek XII.

What do people think?

 

[SalvorHardin]

I don't know what really goes on in Shatner's mind.

He has an official youtube channel where he has repeatedly uploaded videos that have to do with Trek XI and the folks involved in it, for what that's worth.
And then there's this Captain's Summit interview where he says to Stewart that he has never watched a full episode of TNG.

It's probably a difficulty to actually see onscreen someone else play Kirk and come face to face with how much the time has passed.
I'm sure he'll see it at some point and he'll jump at the opportunity to be in XII if the part is right.
I really like Shatner and I'd like to hear his opinion but I'm also not losing any sleep.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

OMG! Because i live in a cave i hadnt seen that clip from Conan. What a hoot!

And just how tall is Conan? He seriously TOWERS over Shat.
I try not to figure out what goes through his mind. It is a labyrinth of greatness.
Who am i, but a mere mortal, to try to figure him out.
And lets face it, What would God want with a private screening?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Conan's somewhat on the tall side, and Shatner is a very short guy.

Angelique Pettijohn told the story of auditioning for "Gamesters Of Triskelion" and after looking at the script saying to the casting director and producer - against her own better interests - that she didn't think she was right for the part. "This character is described as 'an amazon.' Look at me, I'm tiny."

Whereupon the Trek folk laughed and said "honey, you haven't met Shatner - next to him you'll look like an amazon."

Shatner is cool, he's funny, he's a good actor, he's got a strange enough sense of humor to be both intriguing and irritating. I love him. I guess one can't help being interested in what he thinks of things - but honestly there's not really a good reason in the world to give a flying fuck what he thinks about anything, is there?

 

[Borgminister]

Shatner is cool, he's funny, he's a good actor, he's got a strange enough sense of humor to be both intriguing and irritating. I love him. I guess one can't help being interested in what he thinks of things - but honestly there's not really a good reason in the world to give a flying fuck what he thinks about anything, is there?

Amen.

 

[Rackon]

Conan's somewhat on the tall side, and Shatner is a very short guy.

Angelique Pettijohn told the story of auditioning for "Gamesters Of Triskelion" and after looking at the script saying to the casting director and producer - against her own better interests - that she didn't think she was right for the part. "This character is described as 'an amazon.' Look at me, I'm tiny."

Whereupon the Trek folk laughed and said "honey, you haven't met Shatner - next to him you'll look like an amazon."

Shatner is cool, he's funny, he's a good actor, he's got a strange enough sense of humor to be both intriguing and irritating. I love him. I guess one can't help being interested in what he thinks of things - but honestly there's not really a good reason in the world to give a flying fuck what he thinks about anything, is there?

"...a very short guy..."

Erm...not to gainsay Pettijohn but...

Shatner's not tall but he's truly not THAT short, or at least, he didn't used to be (I've known him for 20+ years and - though I haven't stood next to him for a couple years - he used to be around 5'8" - 5'9", though he does seem to be shrinking these days.) I'll see him in a couple weeks so I'll give you a report. Maybe he's shrunk a few inches since 1987. But I would have always described him as medium height.

Meanwhile, Conan is a very tall dude, 6'4" or thereabouts. So it's not surprising he towers over Shatner. He towers over most of his guests.

Shat is cool.

I respect the man's talent and business savvy. I absolutely love him as Kirk. I admire his tenacity and longevity in a very tough business. I applaud the way he's reinvented himself as an actor and personality. I'm glad he shares my love for Saddlebed show horses or I would have never met him.

But I don't really care what he thinks about XI.

 

[destructive]

Shatner claims to have never seen a whole ep of TNG yet most of his books are set in that universe, impressive

(what a hack)

 

[Messianni]

Shatner claims to have never seen a whole ep of TNG yet most of his books are set in that universe, impressive

(what a hack)

That does not make him a hack, but nice try on the hyperbole though. He's the idea man for the books, they're usually written with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens who are huge Trek fans and can fill any gaps in continuity that Shatner may not know.

 

[destructive]

Yeah, that's my point, they write the whole f'n books, Shatner doesn't do squat

 

[Winterwind]

And you're privy to their writing process how?

 

[startrekrcks]

He needs to lighten up like what is his problem he is being arrogant

 

[trevanian]

And you're privy to their writing process how?

Probably via folks who've heard how Ron Goulart wrote all of Shat's TEKWAR stuff ... it is a process that works for him and for writers who have no ego to bruise.

 

[destructive]

And you're privy to their writing process how?

when Shatner says he's never seen a TNG episode, he's basically admitting he didn't write the books (or conceive of their broadstrokes)

that is all

 

[KingstonTrekker]

And you're privy to their writing process how?

when Shatner says he's never seen a TNG episode, he's basically admitting he didn't write the books (or conceive of their broadstrokes)

that is all

I agree with you. Shatner likely contributes some plot points, reviews outlines before the book is fleshed out, etc. However, I honestly doubt he is that involved in writing the books. How could he conceive major plot elements if he has never seen a full episode of TNG? How would he even know who the characters are?

He puts his name on the books and rakes in the $$. He has always viewed Trek as being one of his meal tickets.

 

[destructive]

aw hell, I'll go one further, I doubt Shanter's even READ one of his trek books

 

[Lightinspire]

I am a big Shatner fan but I think he is wrong not to have watched it and gave it a chance. Given that the only scenes he would have had in Trek XI was a holographic message does nothing to bringing him back from the rediculous death in Generations. People who want Kirk back to die a noble death want him brought out of the Nexus or back alive (it can be done sensibly because as he said, it is science fiction, it can easily be done). Even if it means to bring him back just to die a great death at the end of the same movie would be ok with me. Other than the bad language, I can agree with most of the posts here.

 

[Cicero]

And you're privy to their writing process how?

when Shatner says he's never seen a TNG episode, he's basically admitting he didn't write the books (or conceive of their broadstrokes)

that is all

I agree with you. Shatner likely contributes some plot points, reviews outlines before the book is fleshed out, etc. However, I honestly doubt he is that involved in writing the books.

He dictates (via recorder) long passages of dialogue and action, noting where he thinks a technological explantion of some sort will be required, where later Star Trek background he doesn't have would be useful, etc. He's the driving force of the collaboration.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

(I've known him for 20+ years and - though I haven't stood next to him for a couple years - he used to be around 5'8" - 5'9", though he does seem to be shrinking these days.)

For purposes of full disclosure, I'm 5'8.5".

While that was hypothetically just on the low side of "average" for men of my generation, the reality is that it's on the short side in America. Now film and television actors used to tend to be short, for reasons that aren't clear - Gore Vidal once famously (and with characteristic warmth and sensitivity) referred to them as "midgets with huge heads."

He's the driving force of the collaboration.

Certainly his name on the cover is the driving force of the books' sales.

 

[startrekrcks]

I don't know why the Shat is being like that does he have a problem with the movie answer me that

 

[Larraby]

I don't know why the Shat is being like that does he have a problem with the movie answer me that

He probably heard of the ludicrous storyline and decided to take a pass.