Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek XI?

[Samuel T. Cogley]

Outpost4 said:
Don't forget the first TOS character to be recast - the U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701, with TOS-R. I'd argue that once Trekkies accepted TOS being updated, the door was opened.

That's an interesting point.

Not that I've followed it too closely, but from my perspective, it seems that there was much more furor and resistance to the "updates" to the original series than there is to the idea of a recast.

Some posters here still have signatures urging us to boycott the remastered episodes.

I don't think I've seen even one person urge us not to watch Star Trek XI just because the actors have been recast.

Is this a case of two unrelated issues? Or a case of gradual acceptance of more and more change? Or something else entirely?

And how much is Nimoy's participation in Star Trek XI a spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down?

 

[The Old Mixer]

^I imagine the resistance to TOS-R is based on the idea that if the remastered version with the new effects is the only version available in the new format...it will eventually become the only version available, period, a la Star Wars.

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

The Old Mixer said:
^I imagine the resistance to TOS-R is based on the idea that if the remastered version with the new effects is the only version available in the new format...it will eventually become the only version available, period, a la Star Wars.

Good point.

But TPTB seem to be more than happy to make infinite versions of everything Star Trek available. They package it and repackage it as long as we keep shelling out the dough.

I'm guessing that as long as enough of us will be willing to pay for it, the original will always be available in whatever format is currently relevent.

I've got all the originals on DVD, but I suppose even that format will become obsolete in a number of years.

 

[Michael Chris]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Dale Hoppert said:
You're my brother in Christ and I love you, so don't be offended, but if you don't like Star Trek why are you here?!

LOL. Well, I used to love Star Trek of all sorts, but then I don't know, I stopped. But that was well after I joined here and started to like this place.

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Naib Michael Usul said:

Dale Hoppert said:
You're my brother in Christ and I love you, so don't be offended, but if you don't like Star Trek why are you here?!

LOL. Well, I used to love Star Trek of all sorts, but then I don't know, I stopped. But that was well after I joined here and started to like this place.

I guess the better question for you, then, would be: "Are you looking forward to Star Trek XI?"

Could it potentially re-ignite the flame for you, or are those embers pretty much cold?

 

[Dale]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Naib Michael Usul said:

Dale Hoppert said:
You're my brother in Christ and I love you, so don't be offended, but if you don't like Star Trek why are you here?!

LOL. Well, I used to love Star Trek of all sorts, but then I don't know, I stopped. But that was well after I joined here and started to like this place.

Understood. I just had a hard time imagining someone who doesn't like Trek coming here simply for the scintillating conversation.

 

[Lord Garth]

I think the worry was built up over people who spent far too much time in the ENT Forum and then got the idea that Stewey, Slarus, and whoever else have you, spoke for the majority of people.

There's a difference between louder opinions and more opinions. People who are content are far less likely to speak up, the result is that what you see on message boards is always distorted. I've tried to explain these things before but it didn't seem anyone was listening.

Most people understand that depicting a younger Kirk and Spock requires younger actors. They're capable of making this leap. Don't anyone say "no they're not" because yes, they are.

What you'll find among people who are resistent is that they're against the movie in general -- recast or not -- because 1) they're not interested in TOS, or 2) don't want to see TOS "contaminated further".

As for my own position, I was in favor of a reboot not a prequel, but this is okay. The footage from last week with Zachary Quinto as Spock sold me. Short of the story turning out to be complete shit, I'm looking forward to a Star Trek movie for the first time since 1996.

 

[Michael Chris]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Samuel T. Cogley said:
I guess the better question for you, then, would be: "Are you looking forward to Star Trek XI?"

Could it potentially re-ignite the flame for you, or are those embers pretty much cold?

Yes, I'm definitely looking forward to Trek XI. Don't know on the second part!

 

[Cary L. Brown]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

The problem with this poll is that, like most polls, it didn't have a choice the correctly reflects my opinion... so I can't answer without giving a false answer.

My perspective is CLOSEST to the "grudging acceptance" entry. But that's not entirely correct.

I have no problem with recasting new actors to play versions of the original characters on a very limited basis (say, a movie or two) provided that the actors continue to play the original characters.

I have a HUGE problem with having an actor (or an entire production team) come in and decide that he or she is going to create a new character that just happens to have the name and a few common characteristics with the original, yet is "new" in many ways.

If you're going to create a NEW character... MAKE IT A NEW CHARACTER. How hard is that?

So far, what I've seen of this movie leads me to believe that we'll be seeing the same folks we've always known, just portrayed at a different place in their lives and by different actors. And with the limited exposure we're talking about (if we see three films, that's less than six hours of screen time, after all... and I'm not convinced that we'll see even three films), it would be EASIER to just keep these guys the same characters instead of trying to "develop" new versions.

The images we've seen, so far, of Quinto tell us that they don't intent to change the characters in major ways.

I can live with minor deviations from the classics. The way I look at it is that Shatner and Nimoy, after all, were just actors portraying some other guys (granted, those other guys don't exist... but pretend that they do for the moment). Now, we have new actors playing those same other guys. But they're still going to be playing the SAME people.

So... I can live with it. If the characters aren't the same, though... THEN I'll go get my pitchfork and torch, and go looking for a castle.

 

[Outpost4]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

And don't forget how much Shatner's portrayal of Kirk changed over the years:

TOS - driven, risk taking, often obsessed

TMP - cool, reserved

ST:2 - combative, tricky, longing for his youth

ST:3 - loyal, back to being obsessed

ST:4 - a lark

ST:5 - on a quest

ST:6 - old, out of touch

 

[Sharr Khan]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Naib Michael Usul said:

Dale Hoppert said:
You're my brother in Christ and I love you, so don't be offended, but if you don't like Star Trek why are you here?!

LOL. Well, I used to love Star Trek of all sorts, but then I don't know, I stopped. But that was well after I joined here and started to like this place.

I can understand this, I started to lose interest and see some of the warts on Star Trek at certain point mostly because for me it had begun to become bland.

Sharr

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

Lord Garth said:
I think the worry was built up over people who spent far too much time in the ENT Forum and then got the idea that Stewey, Slarus, and whoever else have you, spoke for the majority of people.

That's true, to some extent.

But even without basing it on those who are the loudest, from a pop-culture standpoint this is a pretty big deal. Just look at how much coverage Star Trek XI has been getting in the mainstream media.

Most everyone knows of Kirk and Spock. And those characters have only been played by Shatner and Nimoy. (Don't get cute with the younger versions of Spock in Star Trek III, etc. You know what I mean.)

The first recast is always going to be the most controversial.

Superman, for example, has been recast many times. Each successive time it gets easier. Change becomes the norm.

I guess I'm just surprised that there hasn't been a bigger (or more vocal) resistance on the part of the fans (a class of people that usually seem highly resistant to change). It seems like most people are either on board or cautiously optimistic.

 

[Lord Garth]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Outpost4 said:
TMP - cool, reserved

I'd say he was obsessed in TMP too, so would McCoy.

 

[Outpost4]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

^ True.

My larger point remains. Shatner has changed his take on Kirk over the years and not just because the character has grown old. Certainly that's been part of it but Kirk has never remained static. Why should the portrayal of Kirk be any different now?

I say bring on the new guys. Who knows? Maybe we'll learn more about James T. Kirk through the performance of a totally new actor.

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Outpost4 said:
My larger point remains. Shatner has changed his take on Kirk over the years and not just because the character has grown old. Certainly that's been part of it but Kirk has never remained static. Why should the portrayal of Kirk be any different now?

True, to some extent.

But if anyone is given license to alter a character over time, it's the actor who brought him to life.

If we accept Shatner's various portrayals of Kirk, we do so because they make sense within the context of the story and/or because who better than Shatner to show us how Kirk would act?

With a new actor stepping into Shatner's shoes, the audience will likely be less forgiving if the portrayal does not live up to our expectations.

 

[Dale]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Not all the credit or blame rests with the Shat... Kirk's been written by numerous people over the years... if it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage.

This homily brought to you by the Writer's Guild of America. Support the strike!

 

[Outpost4]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

^ And with Nimoy and Meyer as directors. They had a hand in Kirk, too.

Chris Pine can never live up to our expectations. He shouldn't try.

Daniel Craig was successful because he broke our expectations. ' Shaken or stirred? Do I look like I care? '

Agreed that Pine has a tough row to hoe.

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Outpost4 said:
Agreed that Pine has a tough row to hoe.

Some of that pressure will likely be mitigated by what sounds like a smaller part for Kirk in the film than many would expect.

He might have the luxury of sneaking up on us.

 

[egonbeeblebrox]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Huge fan of TOS, and I'm iffy about the re-casting, but I'm giving it a fair chance. Why not? I love Jim Kirk. He's The Man. I know it won't be the same without Shatner, but, eh.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

BTW, I voted "huge fan" and "cool with recasting."

Big surprise.