New JJ Abrams interview

[SalvorHardin]

As expected, he doesn't give anything serious away.

"Rather than answer anything that would give away the fun of the movie, I would say that the character that Benedict plays, he brings such an incredible power to it. His voice alone, I actually as a joke should have had him read the lunch menu," Abrams said, deftly dodging the question with a laugh. "He makes anything sound great and brings such a force to it that hopefully when you see the movie, this character, all speculation aside, will be really compelling, not because of any connection to anything past, but because of who he is and what he brings to it."

"The whole thing, not just his backstory, but his agenda, his plan, his secret, all that is what, for me at least, makes him such a frightening and cool villain," Abrams said. "Also, the real villains — when they're not just two-dimensional, angry vengeful types — don't see themselves as the bad guy. They are the good guy and have complete rationale and motivation. So true to form, the character that Benedict plays has an absolute sense of right and wrong, and he's on the right side."

"This movie was not made for 'Star Trek' fans; it was made for movie fans. But if you're a 'Star Trek' fan, I think you'll be really happy," Abrams said, once again avoiding answering the question directly. "There's a lot of stuff in here for you, but we couldn't just make the movie only for fans of 'Star Trek.' The thing about the movie that I love also is that we didn't even make it for fans of the first movie we did.
A lot of sequels I've seen tend to assume you love the characters and know them really well and get things off to a fast start where you don't have any sense of investing in the characters in the beginning, so we tried to treat this as a movie that works on its own. Certainly it's a sequel, certainly if you saw the first movie, great. You don't have to have seen the first film. This movie is its own thing, and there are definitely nods to prior 'Trek' lore in the film."

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1698753/star-trek-into-darkness-villain-jj-abrams.jhtml

 

[Franklin]

Harrison's backstory: He became embittered as a kid because all the other little villains in Villain Land made fun of his name. He vowed he'd show them and grow up to become the most frightening and coolest villain ever.

 

[Mach5]

"This movie was not made for 'Star Trek' fans; it was made for movie fans.

Someone should tell this asshole to stop repeating that shit like a braindead parrot. It's annoying, and borderline disrespectful.

 

[SalvorHardin]

2 posts? That took longer than I expected.

 

[Pondslider]

 

[urbandk]

JJ was booked, so MTV just replayed an interview he gave four years ago.

also

There needs to be a JJ apology tour for him to individually apologize to every fan whose feelings he hurt.

 

[Bishop76]

Too funny. Not sure how it's disrespectful. It's just smart business and smart movie-making. Also, I've seen what fans want on this board and it's usually frighteningly bad.

 

[Romulan_spy]

"This movie was not made for 'Star Trek' fans; it was made for movie fans.

Someone should tell this asshole to stop repeating that shit like a braindead parrot. It's annoying, and borderline disrespectful.

Actually, JJ is right here! This is why Trek 09 was successful when the TNG movies bombed. The TNG movies were too much of a niche market, only appealing to die hard TNG fans. Trek 09 worked because it appealed to all movie fans while still giving Trek fans lots to enjoy!

 

[Franklin]

"This movie was not made for 'Star Trek' fans; it was made for movie fans.

Someone should tell this asshole to stop repeating that shit like a braindead parrot. It's annoying, and borderline disrespectful.

Actually, JJ is right here! This is why Trek 09 was successful when the TNG movies bombed. The TNG movies were too much of a niche market, only appealing to die hard TNG fans. Trek 09 worked because it appealed to all movie fans while still giving Trek fans lots to enjoy!

Well, it is a trite thing for J.J. to say, but yes, it's also a necessary thing to say.

If "Star Trek" is going to continue to be successful, it needs to regrow a fan base. To that end, it needs to be shown as accessible and entertaining even if you don't know who Gene Roddenberry is. The original fan base (those who still even follow Trek) is now full of old people like me, and we don't live forever.

Fandom is unlikely to ever be the same, too. It will be a more casual acquaintance with Trek. Abrams' point is you can enjoy "Star Trek" on its own without needing to make the commitment to it that leads one down the slippery slope to being a Trekkie and posting on boards like this.

All you need to do is be interested enough in it to plop down your $10 or $12 every two years or so, and that will be fine, thank you.

 

[The Wormhole]

"This movie was not made for 'Star Trek' fans; it was made for movie fans.

Someone should tell this asshole to stop repeating that shit like a braindead parrot. It's annoying, and borderline disrespectful.

At least he didn't take this opportunity to point out that he's always been more of a Star Wars fan than Star Trek, like he did in every single interview relating to Trek XI. Even on the DVD.

 

[Nerys Myk]

"This movie was not made for 'Star Trek' fans; it was made for movie fans.

Someone should tell this asshole to stop repeating that shit like a braindead parrot. It's annoying, and borderline disrespectful.

Why is it annoying and disrespectful? I'm a Star Trek fan and the last thing I want to see is a movie made just for Star Trek fans.

 

[Mach5]

Not sure how it's disrespectful.

I said BORDERLINE disrespectful, and that was mainly my irritation speaking. There's a difference between "not JUST for fans", and "not for fans". The fact that this movie is meant for general audiences doesn't bother me one bit. What bothers me is Abrams repeating the same shit over and over again, like it's some kind of a mantra, devised to rid the franchise of the whole "uncool" syfy basement-fanboy nerd stigma.

Also, I've seen what fans want on this board and it's usually frighteningly bad.

No kiddin'.

What I find the most ridiculous is how many fans would rather watch another 25 seasons of Voyager, with the same old rehashed done-to-death shitty plots, than have their precious Star Trek go a little mainstream.

This is why Trek 09 was successful when the TNG movies bombed. The TNG movies were too much of a niche market, only appealing to die hard TNG fans.

TNG movies bombed because they were basically just mediocre TV episodes, that accidentally made their way to the big screens. Written by people who lost their "mojo" years ago, directed by people who didn't care enough, produced on a budget ridiculously low for today's standards.

It's exactly why ENT crashed and burned as well.

 

[Ovation]

"This movie was not made for 'Star Trek' fans; it was made for movie fans.

Someone should tell this asshole to stop repeating that shit like a braindead parrot. It's annoying, and borderline disrespectful.

Why is it annoying and disrespectful? I'm a Star Trek fan and the last thing I want to see is a movie made just for Star Trek fans.

Same here.

 

[Mach5]

Someone should tell this asshole to stop repeating that shit like a braindead parrot. It's annoying, and borderline disrespectful.

Why is it annoying and disrespectful? I'm a Star Trek fan and the last thing I want to see is a movie made just for Star Trek fans.

Same here.

Again, "not JUST for star trek fans" is one thing. I'm perfectly fine with that. I actually PREFER that.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Why is it annoying and disrespectful? I'm a Star Trek fan and the last thing I want to see is a movie made just for Star Trek fans.

Same here.

Again, "not JUST for star trek fans" is one thing. I'm perfectly fine with that. I actually PREFER that.

A semantic difference that's no difference at all.

Its a knee jerk reaction that just high lights the negative image of Star Trek "fans" and their proprietary and insular attitude.

 

[Mach5]

A semantic difference that's no difference at all.

I respectfully disagree.

Its a knee jerk reaction that just high lights the negative image of Star Trek "fans" and their proprietary and insular attitude.

Guilty as charged.

I'll be in my basement, if you need me.

 

[Pondslider]

"This movie was not made for 'Star Trek' fans; it was made for movie fans.

Someone should tell this asshole to stop repeating that shit like a braindead parrot. It's annoying, and borderline disrespectful.

At least he didn't take this opportunity to point out that he's always been more of a Star Wars fan than Star Trek, like he did in every single interview relating to Trek XI. Even on the DVD.

He also said that he was saw Star Trek: The Motion Picture in theaters and enjoyed it.

 

[Jaro Stun]

"This movie was not made for 'Star Trek' fans; it was made for movie fans.

Someone should tell this asshole to stop repeating that shit like a braindead parrot. It's annoying, and borderline disrespectful.

I'm pretty sick of their neverending "we make Star Trek which is not really a Star Trek, so don't worry..."
Just me personally, I feel insulted when I see this.

They are trying so hard to make it NOT feel, look or watch like Star Trek.
You ask why?

Star Trek is a brand, like any other. They know, Star Trek fans will go see it regardless of anything else, just because of the two magical words in the title.

Which means all the rest of potential audience remains, which will NOT see it, just because "Star Trek is the nerdy stuff", and they must try hard to persuade them, especially by smirking on the fans of the lore they abuse.

What we get now is
- Avengers with Star Trek in the title or
- Dark Knight with Star Trek in the title
- Star Wars with Star Trek in the title, etc.
basically any movie that happened to grab a substantial audience in the past, thinking - "let's do the same thing just put the guys into geeky Trek uniforms"

I so much more appreciate the honest effort of CBS to remaster TNG and maybe later series as well. Despite S2 "disaster" they are investing into the franchise I grew to love.
What JJ is doing is just grabbing some money, here and now. You think this will re-energize Star Trek? Spawn a new series? Think again. At best, one more movie to go and we are back where we have been at the end of Enterprise.

Disclaimer: I know I will go see that movie. Because I like good movies and good scifi movies. This may be one. But by far, I don't consider this Star Trek. It is waaay something else.

 

[Xaios]

One thing you have to realize is that JJ isn't speaking *to* Star Trek fans in these interviews so much as he's speaking to the general movie-going audience. After all, this interview is on freaking MTV.

 

[Sindatur]

Not sure how it's disrespectful.

I said BORDERLINE disrespectful, and that was mainly my irritation speaking. There's a difference between "not JUST for fans", and "not for fans". The fact that this movie is meant for general audiences doesn't bother me one bit. What bothers me is Abrams repeating the same shit over and over again, like it's some kind of a mantra, devised to rid the franchise of the whole "uncool" syfy basement-fanboy nerd stigma.

Also, I've seen what fans want on this board and it's usually frighteningly bad.

No kiddin'.

What I find the most ridiculous is how many fans would rather watch another 25 seasons of Voyager, with the same old rehashed done-to-death shitty plots, than have it's precious Star Trek go a little mainstream.

This is why Trek 09 was successful when the TNG movies bombed. The TNG movies were too much of a niche market, only appealing to die hard TNG fans.

TNG movies bombed because they were basically just mediocre TV episodes, that accidentally made their way to the big screens. Written by people who lost their "mojo" years ago, directed by people who didn't care enough, produced on a budget ridiculously low for today's standards.

It's exactly why ENT crashed and burned as well.

Did you miss the part at the end, where he specifically states that he did put fanwanky winks and nods in the film? That's to show respect for the longtime fans. I think you take his statement wrong, considering he included this statement as well.