Into Darkness Posters... and Guns?

[Yorkshire Niner]

Saw a poster on a bus shelter for Jar Jar's new Trek film last night.

Now I'll admit that I am NOT a fan of his reboot. For me, it's all aimed at cinema goers who aren't real Trekkies. It's sci-fi action candyfloss - nice and sweet and pleasant enough to eat... but isn't really proper food and will make you feel sick if you eat too much.

I could go on further about breaking up the Holy Trinity of Kirk/Spock/McCoy and making it Kirk/Spock/Beyonce instead and about the grammatically stupid title but I'll restrain myself in this initial post.

Anyway, the one thing that really disappointed me about the new posters for the film was the prominent position of guns in it. Kirk, Spock and Uhura are all sporting hand-held pistols that look very much like modern-day firearms and make the characters look like FBI agents!

As far as I'm concerned, Star Trek has always been 'anti-guns'. Yes, they've all carried and used phasers but the subdued design of them (and simple things like a stun setting) have always been hallmarks of Gene Roddenberry's anti-militaristic - some might even say pacifistic - philosophies. I don't think any other Trek movie posters have so prominently featured main (Starfleet) characters brandishing guns. So disappointing to see Jar Jar once again showing that he really doesn't get what Star Trek is all about. And he never did.

 

[topas]

I don't think any other Trek movie posters have so prominently featured main (Starfleet) characters brandishing guns. So disappointing to see Jar Jar once again showing that he really doesn't get what Star Trek is all about. And he never did.

Or did they? At least that's what I remember from posters and publicity photos for TOS:

Wrath of Khan
Spock publicity 1
Spock publicity 2
Spock, Kirk, Scotty
Spock, Kirk
Kirk
Kirk again

Noticed what these official photos used to promote the series back in the 60's have in common? Truth be told it's a lot easier to find crew promo pics with guns rather than with tricorders.

Oh, and TNG tried the same marketing:
Picard 1st season promo

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I don't think any other Trek movie posters have so prominently featured main (Starfleet) characters brandishing guns. So disappointing to see Jar Jar once again showing that he really doesn't get what Star Trek is all about. And he never did.

Or did they? At least that's what I remember from posters and publicity photos for TOS:

Wrath of Khan
Spock publicity 1
Spock publicity 2
Spock, Kirk, Scotty
Spock, Kirk
Kirk
Kirk again

Noticed what these official photos used to promote the series back in the 60's have in common? Truth be told it's a lot easier to find crew promo pics with guns rather than with tricorders.

Oh, and TNG tried the same marketing:
Picard 1st season promo

/THREAD

That didn't take long.


Dukat, it's hard to make a rational argument that people will take seriously when you spend half your post spelling out your preexisting bias against and insulting the fans, JJ Abrams, and the previous film before even making your point. There's actually a half-decent conversation on the subject of the Charlie's Angels posing in the posters that could have been had if you hadn't poisoned the well with your opening post or dragged out all the tired cliches about Roddenberry's vision or what Star Trek is really about.

 

[Yorkshire Niner]

Hmmm I think the subtle differences between gun and phaser make all the difference (except for that shot of Kirk with that big rifle/turkey-baster thing!). Pointing something that is clearly a make-believe sci-fi weapon is not the same as two-handedly brandishing something that looks like a big modern revolver.

 

[Yorkshire Niner]

/THREAD

Hardly.

 

[SalvorHardin]

Aaaand the goalposts are on the move.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

/THREAD

Hardly.

Don't misunderstand. I don't doubt your ability to drag the carcass of this dog of a thread along the road for miles and miles, I'm just saying that it was pretty much done for once you tied it to the bumper in the OP. Topas was just humanely trying to put it out of its misery as soon as possible.

 

[Franklin]

This has probably been brought up in another thread, but that gun/rifle/phaser thing Kirk is holding in the publicity stills topas posted recently sold at auction for $231,000.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/06/showbiz/star-trek-rifle-auction

 

[Desert Kris]

Saw a poster on a bus shelter for Jar Jar's new Trek film last night.

There is no new Star Trek movie coming out with anyone involved with it by the name of Jar Jar. There is a new movie coming out that is directed and produced by someone called J.J. Abrams, however.

I could go on further about breaking up the Holy Trinity of Kirk/Spock/McCoy and making it Kirk/Spock/Beyonce instead and about the grammatically stupid title but I'll restrain myself in this initial post.

I don't know about Beyonce, but there may be a change in emphasis toward Kirk/Spock/Uhura?

And you're wrong about the guns, as well.

 

[BillJ]

I love that someone who is a fan of a character who had a hand in executing millions of Bajorans has the audacity to complain about a poster with weapons in it.

Saw a poster on a bus shelter for Jar Jar's new Trek film last night.

Now I'll admit that I am NOT a fan of his reboot.

No shit...

 

[Ssosmcin]

hallmarks of Gene Roddenberry's anti-militaristic - some might even say pacifistic - philosophies.

That was the Roddenberry of the 80's. The Roddenberry of the 60's created a TV series about a pretty obviously military organization what had guns, space battles, fist fights and all sorts of other violent confrontations. Gene's own scripts had plenty o'violence.

He retconned his own beliefs with TNG, but the original series was filled with everything but the saluting.

 

[The Wormhole]

I'm all for dissing Abrams, but Roddenberry should not be put up on a pedestal. More relevant, however, there is nothing about action or guns that goes against Roddenberry's "ideals" or his "vision."

As far as I'm concerned, Star Trek has always been 'anti-guns'. Yes, they've all carried and used phasers but the subdued design of them (and simple things like a stun setting) have always been hallmarks of Gene Roddenberry's anti-militaristic - some might even say pacifistic - philosophies.

First of all, Roddenberry didn't begin his pacifistic "military is evil" thing until TNG. In TOS, Starfleet was very much a military and things were not in any way truly pacifistic. Is was in TOS season 1 (directly supervised by Roddenberry) that we find out Starfleet has a protocol for obliterating populated worlds. The phasers were very clearly guns. Kirk even calls himself a soldier

Even in the utopia peace loving and military hating paradise of TNG things don't always get resolved peacefully. Did Riker really need to vaporize that girl in The Vengence Factor? Couldn't Worf or Data or someone have simply stepped in to restrain her when she doubled over after bieng shot by Riker on the stun setting? Remember, that had to get Roddenberry's stamp of approval before it was filmed.

Honestly, I don't think Abrams and his cohorts misunderstand Trek. No offense, but I believe it is you who misunderstands Roddenberry.

 

[marksound]

Saw a poster on a bus shelter for Jar Jar's new Trek film last night.

Now I'll admit that I am NOT a fan of his reboot. For me, it's all aimed at cinema goers who aren't real Trekkies. It's sci-fi action candyfloss - nice and sweet and pleasant enough to eat... but isn't really proper food and will make you feel sick if you eat too much.

I could go on further about breaking up the Holy Trinity of Kirk/Spock/McCoy and making it Kirk/Spock/Beyonce instead and about the grammatically stupid title but I'll restrain myself in this initial post.

Anyway, the one thing that really disappointed me about the new posters for the film was the prominent position of guns in it. Kirk, Spock and Uhura are all sporting hand-held pistols that look very much like modern-day firearms and make the characters look like FBI agents!

As far as I'm concerned, Star Trek has always been 'anti-guns'. Yes, they've all carried and used phasers but the subdued design of them (and simple things like a stun setting) have always been hallmarks of Gene Roddenberry's anti-militaristic - some might even say pacifistic - philosophies. I don't think any other Trek movie posters have so prominently featured main (Starfleet) characters brandishing guns. So disappointing to see Jar Jar once again showing that he really doesn't get what Star Trek is all about. And he never did.

Thanks. I needed a good laugh this morning.

 

[aeriolewinters]

Thanks. I needed a good laugh this morning.

Chances are, This guy is actually John Harrison, and he's just pissed that the movies aren't about the prime verse anymore.

 

[Yorkshire Niner]

/THREAD

Hardly.

Don't misunderstand. I don't doubt your ability to drag the carcass of this dog of a thread along the road for miles and miles, I'm just saying that it was pretty much done for once you tied it to the bumper in the OP. Topas was just humanely trying to put it out of its misery as soon as possible.

Still.... at least your thoughts are with the people of Boston, eh? What a great guy.

 

[Yorkshire Niner]

He retconned his own beliefs with TNG, but the original series was filled with everything but the saluting.

That's probably a fair point. The poster just didn't scream "Star Trek!" at me. Three people in their winter coats with big guns - no phasers, no ship, no badges and no uniforms.

 

[Tom Servo]

He retconned his own beliefs with TNG, but the original series was filled with everything but the saluting.

That's probably a fair point. The poster just didn't scream "Star Trek!" at me. Three people in their winter coats with big guns - no phasers, no ship, no badges and no uniforms.

You know if you're trying to have an intelligent discussion about this, starting your post with the Jar Jar rhetoric doesn't really help the argument.

 

[Xaios]

He retconned his own beliefs with TNG, but the original series was filled with everything but the saluting.

That's probably a fair point. The poster just didn't scream "Star Trek!" at me. Three people in their winter coats with big guns - no phasers, no ship, no badges and no uniforms.

Indeed. We've never seen the cast go for long periods out of uniform and without the Enterprise before.

Oh wait, Star Trek III and IV exist. Carry on.

 

[M'Sharak]

Hardly.

Don't misunderstand. I don't doubt your ability to drag the carcass of this dog of a thread along the road for miles and miles, I'm just saying that it was pretty much done for once you tied it to the bumper in the OP. Topas was just humanely trying to put it out of its misery as soon as possible.

Still.... at least your thoughts are with the people of Boston, eh? What a great guy.

I think we're done here. Run along, now.