Chris Pine: To Shat or Nat? That is the question.

[Spock/Uhura Fan]

Okay, so my poll-craziness is coming to an end after this one, I promise!

But I was thinking about how some people I’ve come across in the past wanted Chris Pine to be more like William Shatner in TOS. I’m not sure if that’s a good idea because, to me, William Shatner is to acting what Cher is to singing. They both have great followings, but their “distinctiveness” is hard to imitate without it seeming like a mockery.

That is why I was glad to see that Chris didn’t try to emulate Shatner’s style. He seemed to stay true to the character while giving him mannerisms that came across as genuine for Chris’ portrayal of the character. So, what do you think? Should he have tried harder to be more like the Shat, or was his performance just right. Obviously, once again, the writing had something to do with how the character was received, but I’m speaking strictly about Chris’ performance.


Please discuss.

 

[Xaios]

I'd say no, for exactly the reason that you specify: only William Shatner can be William Shatner. Pine did a great job of channeling the essence of Kirk, a brash leader of men, without emulating Shatner, and it worked beautifully.

 

[Methos]

yeah, i'm happy with Pine to carry on as he was... he doesn't need to imitate Shatner to do a convincing Kirk, he already did that... any further would just turn his acting into a mockery of Shatner...

M

 

[Spock/Uhura Fan]

It's Alive!!!

Thank you both. I was beginning to think maybe it was a bad question because the thread is so dead, but at least someone was willing to respond and put some life into it.

I think William Shatner did a wonderful job as the James Kirk that grew up with his father as a guiding force, but Chris does a wonderful job as the somewhat renegade version that didn't have that luxury and misses it.

I do wonder if as he goes through these movies if it won't end up being a blending of styles, though.

 

[R. Star]

People are going to be comparing him to Shatner no matter what. If NuKirk is going to get out of Prime Kirk's shadow it's going to be because the writers come up with some good material AND Pine sells it.

As things stand NuKirk is just Prime Kirk's alternate, less capable self in my opinion. Maybe the new movie will change my mind on that.

 

[Methos]

It's Alive!!!

*Has a truly, truly, bewildering mental image of NuKirk in a cheerleaders outfit cheering S/U Fan on*

Riiiiight... excuse me...

*runs to find the mind bleach*

M

 

[Sindatur]

Considering where the first movie started at in Kirk's life, and the different upbringing, it would've been really wrong for NuKirk to be just like Shatner Prime Kirk in TOS. Shatner Kirk in TOS was already an established Captain of the Enterprise in the First episode, or course, he's going to be a much more confident and competent Leader than NuKirk, fresh out of the Academy, no experience as Captain. Those who say he should've been more ShatnerKirk-like make no sense to me.

Since this movie has him already established as Captain of the Enterprise, I think there's definitely room to him to be more ShatnerKirk-like, at least by the end of the movie, if not early on, but, I don't think he ever needs...to...imitate...Kirk's....Staggered....Speech....Pattern

 

[Satyrquaze]

I got the part where you said:

...because, to me, William Shatner is to acting what Cher is to singing.

And found myself voting NO then and there regardless of the validity of the statement.

Seriously, if we could have Shatner shoehorned into the new Trek movie, I'd rather see Shatner himself play the role of Prime Kirk. And, I think the sanest among would agree that it would be a disaster.

 

[Gojira]

I think Chris Pine made an excellent Kirk. He can interpret the characteristics of Kirk without copying Shatner's mannerisms and acting style.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

The worst thing Pine could ever do is try to imitate Shatner. It would come off as a parody and more worthy of a Saturday Night Live skit than a Star Trek movie.

 

[Xaios]

The one point in the movie where I thought he was channeling the spirit of Shatner, he managed to do it without it being cheesy. It's the point at the end of the movie where he steps onto the bridge, takes a look around, and exclaims "Bones!"

I got goosebumps at that moment.

 

[Kegg]

I love William Shatner's Kirk. I also love Pine's Kirk. Pine really made it his own, as written and directed it would have been very easy for Kirk to just be unlikeable - he is fairly dickish at times - but his impish grin, charisma and chemistry with Quinto really work.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and Pine's Kirk ain't broke. Sure, I'd like see - and expect to see - him mature over the films, but that's not the same as having him transition into Shatnerian mode.

 

[Rhaven]

I think NuKirk will always be different from TOS Kirk. Yes, they essentially are the same man, but NuKirk had a different upbringing. Losing his father and growing up without his influence will mold a different adult. Some things will be the same, some friendships will stay eternal and some things will be very different. It's that difference that peaks my interests.

 

[Spock/Uhura Fan]

^ The difference in this case is what peaks my interest too.

It's Alive!!!

*Has a truly, truly, bewildering mental image of NuKirk in a cheerleaders outfit cheering S/U Fan on*

Did it look a little something like this?

*runs to find the mind bleach*

M

Oh, so sorry then.

[...] I don't think he ever needs...to...imitate...Kirk's....Staggered....Speech....Pattern

I got the part where you said:

...because, to me, William Shatner is to acting what Cher is to singing.

And found myself voting NO then and there regardless of the validity of the statement.

Seriously, if we could have Shatner shoehorned into the new Trek movie, I'd rather see Shatner himself play the role of Prime Kirk. And, I think the sanest among would agree that it would be a disaster.

So, does that mean that I made the question too easy? Is it a "slam dunk," in a manner of speaking? I notice that the results are 100% "NO" as of right now.

And I wasn't trying to be insulting when I made that comparison. I just meant to get across that they are distinct in what they do.

The worst thing Pine could ever do is try to imitate Shatner. It would come off as a parody and more worthy of a Saturday Night Live skit than a Star Trek movie.

http://www.myspace.com/video/saturd...st-voyage-of-the-starship-enterprise/33829799

And one of the best parts is when they mistake NBC for Nabisco.

 

[Satyrquaze]

I got the part where you said:



And found myself voting NO then and there regardless of the validity of the statement.

Seriously, if we could have Shatner shoehorned into the new Trek movie, I'd rather see Shatner himself play the role of Prime Kirk. And, I think the sanest among would agree that it would be a disaster.

So, does that mean that I made the question too easy? Is it a "slam dunk," in a manner of speaking? I notice that the results are 100% "NO" as of right now.

Yeah, you may have made it too easy. My answer was always NO, but you adding that little tid-bit made it a "HELL NO".

 

[R. Star]

Wait was that Pine?!

Okay Paramount... when you audition news Trek actors, make sure they've never performed in drag in the past! This is becoming a pattern now!

 

[Spock/Uhura Fan]

Wait was that Pine?!

Okay Paramount... when you audition news Trek actors, make sure they've never performed in drag in the past! This is becoming a pattern now!

Yes it was: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kol7dFZHAk

Enjoy.

And what pattern would you be talking about?

 

[Kegg]

So, does that mean that I made the question too easy? Is it a "slam dunk," in a manner of speaking?

I think it may suggest there isn't a middle ground here.

If you're not satisfied with Chris Pine's Kirk, you probably still wouldn't be satisfied with Shatnerian inflection. You'd probably want a Kirk played by a different actor, or written a different way, or just not at all (because Shatner is irreplacable). Those who can roll with Pine being Kirk however clearly don't feel he needs to cue up the Shat much.

 

[Spock/Uhura Fan]

So, does that mean that I made the question too easy? Is it a "slam dunk," in a manner of speaking?

I think it may suggest there isn't a middle ground here.

If you're not satisfied with Chris Pine's Kirk, you probably still wouldn't be satisfied with Shatnerian inflection. You'd probably want a Kirk played by a different actor, or written a different way, or just not at all (because Shatner is irreplacable). Those who can roll with Pine being Kirk however clearly don't feel he needs to cue up the Shat much.

That's a very good point. Perhaps I should have asked the same question I asked about Zachary and Mr. Nimoy--Whether or not the torch had been successfully passed.

 

[Galileo7]

yeah, i'm happy with Pine to carry on as he was... he doesn't need to imitate Shatner to do a convincing Kirk, he already did that... any further would just turn his acting into a mockery of Shatner...

M

Agree.