We all know about his longstanding grudge with Trek, so I wondered if he'd ever given an opinion on the Trek spinoffs. Anyone know?
Did Harlan Ellison ever give an opinion on the spinoffs?
- Thread starter TalkieToaster
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Seconded.
Yeah, who cares what some old cranky guy says? Even if he's got a long history of perceptive criticisms about science fiction and a great narrative style explaining them? He's old and says mean stuff about Gene Roddenberry and gropes women on stage so anything he says is stupid anyway!
I have to admit I kinda feel the same way. Somewhere along the way, I think ol' Harlan crossed the line from "grumpy but amusing curmudgeon" into "ill-tempered and unpleasant old man" territory.
Gene is the creator of Star Trek. He is the great Bird. He created Star Trek, which spawned a fandom that lasts to this day. Not many franchises can boost such a devoted following. Ellison just has no right to disrespect the intellectual giant that was Gene Roddenberry.
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I have to admit I kinda feel the same way. Somewhere along the way, I think ol' Harlan crossed the line from "grumpy but amusing curmudgeon" into "ill-tempered and unpleasant old man" territory.
I think a bit of that is a media affectation. I met and spoke with Ellison years ago - I found him to be rather pleasant and engaging in person.
Ellison did give Trek XI a positive review and even said he'd like to work with Abrams. Don't know if he ever commented on TNG, DS9, VOY or ENT.
Gene is the creator of Star Trek. He is the great Bird. He created Star Trek, which spawned a fandom that lasts to this day. Not many franchises can boost such a devoted following. Ellison just has no right to disrespect the intellectual giant that was Gene Roddenberry.
I don't like either of them.
I like some of their work though...
There are people with FAR less "right" than Ellison who disrespect Roddenberry in virtually every forum on this board...
Gene is the creator of Star Trek. He is the great Bird. He created Star Trek, which spawned a fandom that lasts to this day. Not many franchises can boost such a devoted following. Ellison just has no right to disrespect the intellectual giant that was Gene Roddenberry.
Or, in simpler language: "Hey JJ, it's Harlan, let's remake City on the Edge of Forever for the next Trek movie."
trevanian
Rear Admiral
Gene is the creator of Star Trek. He is the great Bird. Ellison just has no right to disrespect the intellectual giant that was Gene Roddenberry.
You ARE being sarcastic, right? I mean we are talking about one of the greatest fantasists, and an awesome freaking essayist and a pretty amazing screenwriter (and no I'm not talking about GR.)
I'd be surprised if Ellison even bothered to watch more than a few hours of BermanTrek -- probably just eps of folks he was friends with.
Gritty? Downbeat? Did we watch the same movies?
I noticed that, too. Thanks for mentioning it.
I still have somewhere that newspaper where Harlan Ellison bashed the original, first Star Wars film in 1977.
That he gave an Abrams nuTrek film a positive review is - in contrast - interesting.
Should be interesting to compare both reviews.
Bob
I consider him to be a good writer, but not an authority on what makes a good or bad show.
trevanian
Rear Admiral
Gritty? umm, lessee ... engineering being mostly crude 20th century leftovers, throwing away exotic assembled in orbit approaches in favor of hammering ship together on the ground, articulating phasers that look like water hose sprayers they are so 'advanced' in appearance ...
Downbeat? Vulcan turning into a GHOSTBUSTERS logo, casual eradication of entire pre-Abrams Trek reality (something I guess Abrams wanted to do with the merchandising as well)
I don't think any of that had a thing to do with Ellison liking 09, but then again, I still can't figure out what he WOULD like about the movie, except that Shatner wasn't in it. Am really surprised he didn't do an OUTLAND sized takeout on the film just based on the absurdity of the lights on the bridge being aimed right into everyone's eyes so they shouldn't even be able to read a screen w/o sunglasses.
Yeah, I'm not getting the gritty part, either. It's not like Aliens or Blade Runner in Space. And for all the movie's faults, it's pretty optimistic about Earth in a lot of regards - we saw human faults, but not abject starvation, war, or even an economic ghetto. Earth was a technological wonder.
I blame the lens flares, frankly.
I blame the lens flares, frankly.
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