You know, when I heard about Roddenberry's plot suggestion before, I thought I heard that it was the Enterprise folks that deliberately went back to save Kennedy. Entirely out of character for them. I have to admit, it makes more sense to me that it was an enemy that they had to save themselves from.
Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and JFK? (Roddenberry's movie)
- Thread starter TiberiusK
- Start date
The plot was quoted as Kirk and Crew saving Kennendy in one of Shat's books, but he later claimed otherwise. Susan Sackett, Bob Justman, and Joel Engel all claim that Spock and Kirk had to prevent the altering of the timeline, meaning they had ensure that Kennedy got shot.
The details are pretty hazy, and it could be that several different drafts had contradictory plots.
^That's entirely possible that some drafts had Kirk and Co. saving Kennedy and others where they have to kill him...
Boy, what would Oliver Stone do with the Magic Phaser theory?
Boy, what would Oliver Stone do with the Magic Phaser theory?
You know it's funny, I was thinking about this lost movie idea of GR's today, so you can imagine my surprise at finding there was a thread on this already.
As Sir Rhosis said, I wish that this 60 page treatment was available for reading. I've always been big on the 'paths not taken' and would enjoy reading this, Planet of the Titans and The God Thing. Unfortunately, I'm afraid none of these lost ideas will ever see the light of day.
Leonard Maizlish died years ago.
Ernie Over and Majel sorted through all of Gene's papers - that's how they found the paperwork that was developed into the TV series "Andromeda" and "Earth: Final Conflict" and the comic series, "Lost Universe".
Gene "Rod" Roddenberry Jr has mentioned in interviews that the Estate has copies of all the "Phase II" scripts, and the attempts to make the first feature film, but as Paramount paid for them to be developed in the first place, it's not up to the Roddenberry Estate to publish or sell them. That would include the JFK treatment.
"The God Thing" was different. Gene (and others, including Walter Koenig and Susan Sacket, IIRC) had already tried to work with it, and then Majel turned down Michael Jan Friedman's attempt to expand it. Pocket wasn't interested in Roddenberry's biographer, David Alexander, having a go at it. So it stays in limbo. And probably isn't all that innovative today.
Ernie Over and Majel sorted through all of Gene's papers - that's how they found the paperwork that was developed into the TV series "Andromeda" and "Earth: Final Conflict" and the comic series, "Lost Universe".
Gene "Rod" Roddenberry Jr has mentioned in interviews that the Estate has copies of all the "Phase II" scripts, and the attempts to make the first feature film, but as Paramount paid for them to be developed in the first place, it's not up to the Roddenberry Estate to publish or sell them. That would include the JFK treatment.
"The God Thing" was different. Gene (and others, including Walter Koenig and Susan Sacket, IIRC) had already tried to work with it, and then Majel turned down Michael Jan Friedman's attempt to expand it. Pocket wasn't interested in Roddenberry's biographer, David Alexander, having a go at it. So it stays in limbo. And probably isn't all that innovative today.
While I enjoyed the first season of E:FC and thought Andromeda had potential, some of that material should have stayed lost especially that horrid comic book.
A shame as it would give us, the fans, a better understanding of what Trek could have been and provide an intriguing contrast to what had been.
Not to mention Walter Koenig's attempts to help Roddenberry polish the script into a viable manuscript. He mentions TGT in his autobiography Warped Factors.
It's a shame that project died as it is the one I would like to see eventually unearthed and brought to life. Perhaps, one day. Maybe Pocket will have another go, and if they do I'd suggest Christopher L. Bennett for the job because of the deft handling of the post-TMP era in his book Ex Machina.
Or perhaps New Voyages can adapt the script much like they did for David Gerrold's "Blood and Fire." After all, they do have Rod Roddenberry's blessings.
I did mention Koenig.
As I said, Rod has already explained that the "Phase II" scripts are owned by Paramount. They paid for them to be developed, and they own them. They may wish to use them some day. Maybe not even for ST, but those scripts would sit in piles besides hundreds of other half-started Paramount projects. You don't go throwing stuff out into "public domain" if there's a chance you might one day make your money back on it.
Although I'm sure most of you know this already, I'll throw out the mention that the book on Phase II by Judy and Garfield Reeves-Stevens has fairly detailed synopses of the scripts, as well as the outline for In Thy Image (TV version, not the movie version that was a pre-cursor to TMP).
All in all, an excellent look at what might've been had Paramount not decided to return to the idea of doing a movie.
All in all, an excellent look at what might've been had Paramount not decided to return to the idea of doing a movie.
There is also the unauthorised Files Magazine special, a trade paperback called "Star Trek: The Lost Years" by Edward Gross (1987). It has numerous synopses, and includes interviews with Jon Povill and David Gautreaux (Xon).
Huh? Currently, there are "18 used & new available from $9.50" of the Reeves-Steven's "ST: Phase II" book on Amazon.
Huh? Currently, there are "18 used & new available from $9.50" of the Reeves-Steven's "ST: Phase II" book on Amazon.
Right. Missed it. Apologizes. Guess that's what I get for skimming the bbs at work and not reading throughly.
A pipe dream, I know but I threw it out there. I understand that hundreds of slush pile scripts never see the light of day and get held for a long time, but it makes me wonder about the script seperation rights with the WGA.
If JMS and Gerrold, among others, can sell printed copies of their scripts and profit under those rights, why can't the Roddenberry estate do the same with, at least, those written by Roddenberry himself? Those scripts by JMS, Ellison, Gerrold were bought as well. And Ellison has published scripts that were developed but not produced.
Paramount just had a better deal.
Although "Blood and Fire" was purchased as a story, written and rewritten, but ultimately shelved. Seems like a similiar situation as the early ST movie scripts and P:II. Now, it is being produced by the NV. Maybe due to it being heavily rewritten for another time period and set of characters? Or because it is non-profit?
Legal stuff creates a bigger headache than temporal anamolies.
Oh, well.
YEs, that is one idea that is portrayed in Shatner's Trek Memories, and Movie Memories Novels.... the Ham-o-saurus ME novels...
I would have like to see how that would have come out if they would have made such a movie or episode.
Although like Journey on the Edge of Forever, Tommorrow is Yesterday, and Assignment Earth. Changing the timelines is strictly forbidden or interfereing with time in Starfleet, so I really doubt Starfleet would have sanctioned such an endeavor. The Non interference Directive.
They would have busted Kirk's Ass if he did that against orders without a good reason.
But then again he was already busted for Star Trek IV where they made a plot where Man is incompetent and destroyed the answer to the probe that threatened Earth and took changing time to repair the damage. (returning Humpback Whales to repopulate the Earth)
Nathaniel
Nathaniel
I would have like to see how that would have come out if they would have made such a movie or episode.
Although like Journey on the Edge of Forever, Tommorrow is Yesterday, and Assignment Earth. Changing the timelines is strictly forbidden or interfereing with time in Starfleet, so I really doubt Starfleet would have sanctioned such an endeavor. The Non interference Directive.
They would have busted Kirk's Ass if he did that against orders without a good reason.
But then again he was already busted for Star Trek IV where they made a plot where Man is incompetent and destroyed the answer to the probe that threatened Earth and took changing time to repair the damage. (returning Humpback Whales to repopulate the Earth)
Nathaniel
Nathaniel
David Gerrold's "Blood and Fire" script was sold at conventions will all profits going to HIV/AIDS charities.
The script was then reworked as a "Starwolf" novel. The concept was rewritten enough so it was no longer identifiable as Star Trek.
If the Roddenberry Estate decided to reprint Gene's failed TMP sequel premise, and donate the proceeds to charity..., well that is different.
A bit off-topic, but I never thought of IV as Kirk and Company changing time. Well, maybe with the transparent aluminum thing, but as to their basic mission, all they were doing is removing two humpback whales, something which, butterfly effect scenarios aside, should have no discernable effect on the timeline.
I've heard about this a few times and always thought it a lousy idea. The versions I've heard though never involved the Klingons. It involved the Enterprise crew preventing the assassination. And that made no dramatic sense at all. I seem to recall Nimoy commenting on that but could be wrong.
Either way, I think the studio did the right thing in keeping Gene away from the movies. I don't think he was a good writer. He certainly wasn't the best on the series.
Either way, I think the studio did the right thing in keeping Gene away from the movies. I don't think he was a good writer. He certainly wasn't the best on the series.
