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Do you think it'll be a meaty role for Nimoy?

mythme said:
It was announced that Nimoy would be playing "old" Spock. Aside from his recollections of this early days on the Enterprise, I hope there is some clues to what Spock's fate was when we last saw him on Romulus. If we really want to bring it full circle, it would be VERY nice to tie up the Reunification with the Romulan change-of-heart after the Dominion War and Nemesis (whether you like it or not). It would bookend Spock's long career serving the Federation nicely.

Nah, I don't think so.

Too much to cram into 120 mins.
 
I'm guessing it's more then old Spock telling someone about his first meeting with Kirk at the beginning and end. Maybe there is a 24th century plot that echoes and/or connects to the events in Spock's flashback.
 
mythme said:
It was announced that Nimoy would be playing "old" Spock. Aside from his recollections of this early days on the Enterprise, I hope there is some clues to what Spock's fate was when we last saw him on Romulus. If we really want to bring it full circle, it would be VERY nice to tie up the Reunification with the Romulan change-of-heart after the Dominion War and Nemesis (whether you like it or not). It would bookend Spock's long career serving the Federation nicely.
Well, my ... ahem... "suggestion" was that the film starts with an aged Spock being asked, by a character, off-screen, about "the great hero, James T. Kirk" and whether or not he was always the hero that history records him as. That's when Spock starts relating the tale to his unseen young companion. And that it wouldn't be til the "bookend" closing scene when you'd see that this character is a Romulan, about to leave for Starfleet Academy... ;)
 
You could pull that off by just showing the back of the Romulan's head at the beginning, hiding the ridges, and showing the front at the end.
 
Cary L. Brown said:
mythme said:
It was announced that Nimoy would be playing "old" Spock. Aside from his recollections of this early days on the Enterprise, I hope there is some clues to what Spock's fate was when we last saw him on Romulus. If we really want to bring it full circle, it would be VERY nice to tie up the Reunification with the Romulan change-of-heart after the Dominion War and Nemesis (whether you like it or not). It would bookend Spock's long career serving the Federation nicely.
Well, my ... ahem... "suggestion" was that the film starts with an aged Spock being asked, by a character, off-screen, about "the great hero, James T. Kirk" and whether or not he was always the hero that history records him as. That's when Spock starts relating the tale to his unseen young companion. And that it wouldn't be til the "bookend" closing scene when you'd see that this character is a Romulan, about to leave for Starfleet Academy... ;)

Its a nice idea, although I dont think they will go down that road unless the plot is Romulan-centric. If thats your ending (or even if its a coda), the general audience won't know what the hell is happening.

The Nimoy/Shatner* story needs to tie into the Quinto/Young Kirk story. Wherever they end up in the future, it'll be tied into the main plot somehow. For that to work, the plot would have to be how much they hate the Romulans in the 23rd century or something.


*Assuming they can afford him. Its money. There's no way they wrote a script with old Spock without old Kirk. No way.
 
CorporalClegg said:
It could also be something as simple as him speaking to the pile of rocks on VIII.
I like that idea, it could potentially be pretty powerful if they pulled it off right.
 
I for one have absolutely no interest in Spock looking back to the past. If they can work it in in some kind of weird temporal/aging/Deadly Years/old school zaniness kind of way, then I would be really happy about Nimoy's character. But Reunification was awful, and I don't want to think about anything post TOS with this TOS movie.
 
Interview with Leonard at TrekMovie.

Linky

Seems like its more than one scene.

Anthony, good job! I wonder if you were thinking of this thread title when you asked him :lol:
 
seigezunt said:
Based on that interview, I have a strong suspicion that old Spock will appear in bookend...

I got the exact opposite impression. Nimoy said that he turned down GEN because there was no "Spock role": The Spock character had nothing important to do and didn't do or say anything "Spockish".
A bookending role is almost as bad. Most movies that have bookending could have been made without them (do all those fantasy stories really need the grandfather talking to the grandson at the beginning and end...?).
They way I see it, Nimoy will only come back if the role of old Spock has some impact on the main plot (or is a part of it).
 
jon1701 said:
Interview with Leonard at TrekMovie.

Linky

Seems like its more than one scene.

Anthony, good job! I wonder if you were thinking of this thread title when you asked him :lol:
i dont know really...I had written down some questions, but that one was spontaneous. I am not sure I saw this thread but maybe I did and it was subconscious
 
EyalM said:I got the exact opposite impression. Nimoy said that he turned down GEN because there was no "Spock role": The Spock character had nothing important to do and didn't do or say anything "Spockish".
Agreed.
A bookending role is almost as bad. Most movies that have bookending could have been made without them (do all those fantasy stories really need the grandfather talking to the grandson at the beginning and end...?).
See, here's where I think you're totally off-base.

I think that the movie will gain most of its emotional impact from the knowledge that, though we know these characters from 79 eps, six films, and lots more... the point is that it's being told entirely from Spock's recollections (as opposed to a traditional "2nd-person" presentation as is the case with most films). This is really SPOCK'S STORY, but it's his story of his earliest meeting with a not-yet-quite-captainly Jim Kirk, and how Kirk went from being "that obnoxious pushy Lieutenant who got where he is 'cause his dad was also Starfleet" to "damn, this guy has the 'magic' that makes for an outstanding leader" in the eyes of those around him.

The nature of that crisis... the situation where Kirk had to sink or swim, and where he not only swam but managed to save a bunch of drowning people in the process (i'm talking figuratively, mind you!)... is something that nobody who hasn't read the script would be able to comment on, of course... and those who have (for instance, Nimoy) certainly aren't gonna talk.
They way I see it, Nimoy will only come back if the role of old Spock has some impact on the main plot (or is a part of it).
Old Spock and Young Spock are the same character. You can take this to the bank... every time we see "Young Spock" we'll be seeing him related through the memories of "Old Spock."

This movie, after all, probably ought to be subtitled "Spock's Memories." ;)
 
Cary L. Brown said:

Old Spock and Young Spock are the same character.
I'm not disputing that. But it doesn't matter how big young Spock's role is, the fact that Nimoy is in, means that old Spock has a substantial role to play too.

This movie, after all, probably ought to be subtitled "Spock's Memories." ;)
To be honest, we really don't know that. Everybody just assumed that Spock will be flashbacking, because it's such a common plot device. But for all we know it could be something totally different....
 
EyalM said:But it doesn't matter how big young Spock's role is, the fact that Nimoy is in, means that old Spock has a substantial role to play too.
Except that I think you and I (and I think Nimoy is saying the same thing I am here) would have different definitions of what makes for a "substantial role."

You seem to think, from what I'm reading here, that this means "he's the star of the movie" or that "the action takes place with him involved in it directly, in real time."

I think that it means "the role is meaningful, involves real drama and is there to serve a purpose other than to be a 'ticket punch'."

Nimoy is appearing. He's appearing because he sees that Spock.. HIS Spock... serves a real purpose in the film. I just don't see that purpose as being "running around phasering Klingons." ;)

Neither of us can say for certain... but I'd bet a month's pay that I'm right and you're wrong here. IF I was a gambling man... ;)
This movie, after all, probably ought to be subtitled "Spock's Memories." ;)
To be honest, we really don't know that. Everybody just assumed that Spock will be flashbacking, because it's such a common plot device. But for all we know it could be something totally different....
True, since nobody is going to release a script (nor should they), anything published on the 'net should be treated as pure conjecture. Unless someone has read the script, they can't speak with authority, and if someone HAD read the script and revealed plot elements, they'd be doing the movie (and the audience) a major disservice.
 
EyalM said:
seigezunt said:
Based on that interview, I have a strong suspicion that old Spock will appear in bookend...

I got the exact opposite impression. Nimoy said that he turned down GEN because there was no "Spock role": The Spock character had nothing important to do and didn't do or say anything "Spockish".

But he really backed away when the interviewer used the word bookend. I just got a gut feeling, why back away at that point. I would love to be wrong, btw.
 
I think it's more likely a flashback because we've seen way too many time traveling episodes. JJ probably realizes that it loses it's charm if it's overused. We know he is good at character driven story, and I think the flashback is a more personal method of bringing the past into the movie.
 
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