My "Just Saw Insurrection For the First Time" Review.
- Thread starter Dale Sams
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Berman and Piller actually conceived of it as a lighter film from the getgo, because they didn't believe they could (or should) "out-Borg the Borg" and Berman was particularly fond of the success of The Voyage Home, and believed its lighter tone was largely responsible for its success.
That's all fine, I'd still ask for a *little* more gravity, a little more of a nod to the war than what they gave.
From Insurrection, am I to infer that the Enterprise-E is really the USS Bob Hope?
Go find a copy of Piller's book "Fade In," which describes in gory detail how Insurrection was written. It originally was substantially darker, with more gravitas. Studio-ordered rewrites watered it down into what wound up on screen.
The most awkward thing about it is that they didn't pursue the first draft because they ASSUMED Patrick Stewart might not like it. And then it turned it he did like the story, but they continued with a new draft.
The thing which surprised me is that it somehow felt smaller than First Contact. And more cloistered too, in a funny sort of way. FC actually felt bigger and bolder and more "in the open", which is somewhat ironic because INS featured literally more external scenes away from the Enterprise than FC and costed way more money to shoot. I think FC was just better at suggesting its world, hinting in a way which makes it seem so broad while the size is actually scaled right back. On the other hand, INS kind of puts it all up there on the screen and then doesn't do anything interesting with any of it. 
The thing which surprised me is that it somehow felt smaller than First Contact. And more cloistered too, in a funny sort of way. FC actually felt bigger and bolder and more "in the open", which is somewhat ironic because INS featured literally more external scenes away from the Enterprise than FC and costed way more money to shoot. I think FC was just better at suggesting its world, hinting in a way which makes it seem so broad while the size is actually scaled right back. On the other hand, INS kind of puts it all up there on the screen and then doesn't do anything interesting with any of it.
I always thought Insurrection felt "small" because it was about a few hundred people on an insignificant planet in the middle of a region no one cared about. In First Contact, the fate of the entire Federation was at stake--if they failed, everyone would be Borg. The stakes were higher and the scale was larger.
This pretty much sums up the movie for me.
It certainly is ironic that while INS had the bigger budget of the two (I remember reading that somewhere) and therefore, in production terms, more resources to throw at things, it all somehow ended up looking and feeling much smaller and cheaper than First Contact did.
Hey, thanks for mentioning 'Fade In'. I didn't know it existed, and as a writer, I think it's going to be a great read.
I haven't read the whole thing yet, but I'm willing to bet studio interference + time constraints = no time left.
I haven't read the whole thing yet, but I'm willing to bet studio interference + time constraints = no time left.
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Yeah, but you're repeating me, so it's okay. In fact, I endorse such actions.
I have read over and over again about how great their commentary is, but I have an older version of the movie on DVD.
I wish there was somewhere I could just read the transcript of it or something, I don't really want to buy a new blu-ray disc of one of the worst Trek movies of the entire series just to hear the commentary.
I'm reading Patrick's notes to Berman and Pillar in "Fade In", and frankly, I'm just facepalming. It's his character, he can do anything he wants. But he's really painting himself into a corner by wanting to move in those directions.
He complains that if they go in Pillers direction, we'll eventually see them singing "Row Row Row Your Boat"?? Better that than basejumping or parachuting from outer space which are some similar directions that Shatner took in being more "Humorous, lighter, swashbuckling."*
* I hope what I'm trying to say there gets across. Stewart seems to want to avoid some of the pitfalls of the TOS crew, and turns around and repeats different mistakes. And does it WORSE.
He complains that if they go in Pillers direction, we'll eventually see them singing "Row Row Row Your Boat"?? Better that than basejumping or parachuting from outer space which are some similar directions that Shatner took in being more "Humorous, lighter, swashbuckling."*
* I hope what I'm trying to say there gets across. Stewart seems to want to avoid some of the pitfalls of the TOS crew, and turns around and repeats different mistakes. And does it WORSE.
Sure TVH was lighter tone move, but to break it down to a one line description of the movie...
The Key to Saving Earth can be found only in it's past.
The crew of the Enterprise fight to save a Planet.
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