Star Trip: The ...What? Generation

[oswater]

I know better than to bother, but what the Hell...

I'm generally - almost universally - supportive of anyone who attempts to make a movie, because even in the absence of anything else it requires inventiveness and dogged determination to get it done and not a little bit of courage to exhibit it. As Sondheim is supposed to have observed, you get nothing by discouraging an artist. Most people improve if they stick with it.

I rarely say anything at all about humor and parody. For some reason, a lot of first efforts fall into these areas. Understandable, as everyone thinks they're funny; certainly we all amuse ourselves (who was the litigant in the 1950s obscenity case who quipped "no one can say we've lost the capacity to entertain ourselves as long as masturbation exists?") Sadly, comedy is difficult.

I broke my rule here because the writing in this thing is witless, unfunny and without real redeeming merit while managing to be broadly insulting. I don't concern myself so much with the feelings of the creator in this case because oswater's presentation has been so tone deaf, condescending and lacking in introspection or humility that I don't expect to penetrate his carefully constructed defensive shell in any event.

As for Troi...I got a laugh out of that character when he was Prince Precious in Flesh Gordon, but in those days I was usually drunk, stoned and stupid.

(I know, but it seemed only sporting to tee one up for oswater and friends. Have at it, kids.)

Thanks for responding again. There is no "defensive shell" if you articulate your point like you just did. You can not like my movie, that's all well and good.
You understand that this is a thread to discuss my video. You originally came here to just insult it and me. So naturally, I insulted you back. You shouldn't come to a discussion and be offended when someone talks back.
Everything you said in the post above is fair. You think its masturbatory and unfunny. Great. That's a whole lot more to work with than just some smarmy comment about how I'll never waste your time again.
So thanks for the "tee up"? Tell the coach to bench me because your opinion isn't what matters. It was you originally being arrogant, rude and facetious. And *I* wasn't the only one to notice it either.

Oswater: I see you don't have bbs messaging yet. Drop me a line tonight if you get a chance at jtatkin@hotmail.com. I have something to send you related to your film.

Email sent! Thanks again.

 

[Maurice]

Ultimately, you're right but the guy posted here to be mean spirited on purpose, so I felt it warranted a response.
I'd love to see your work, though. If you took the time to watch something of mine, I'd happily watch yours.

Sure, if you're interested. Here's a bunch of music videos I directed for The Kinsey Sicks over the past few years (it takes a few moments for all the thumbnails to load):

The Official GOP Economic Platform as sung by the Kinsey Sicks
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO7dHmNGj9A&cc_load_policy=1[/yt]


I Will Watch YouTube (Every Breath You Take parody)
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KB1ailDfnc[/yt]


Things You Shouldn't Say
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JMyLgLgQ0c[/yt]


Touch-A Touch Me, TSA Security
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLqZknQ6GcQ[/yt]


Twisted Christmas Parodies Medley
(the last song is really nasty)
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CGHMC70y_Q[/yt]


Bedroom Ants (Lady Gaga parody)
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKFxmqmD-vA[/yt]


BP is Creepy (about British Petrolum)
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C90DVNVORw[/yt]

​

 

[oswater]

I've never heard of this group before. This is some funny stuff.
So are you a part of the act or were you just involved in the music videos?
Either way, funny act and your production is slick.

 

[Maurice]

I've never heard of this group before. This is some funny stuff.
So are you a part of the act or were you just involved in the music videos?
Either way, funny act and your production is slick.

This year is the group's 20th anniversary. There are two feature films about them (a concert film titled "I Wanna Be a Republican" (trailer) and a documentary titled "Almost Infamous").

I'm not a singer. I became familiar with the group because an actor who appears in three of my short films once performed with "Trixie" of the Kinseys, so we got to know each other that way. I went to help them shoot "Bedroom Ants" and ended up being their regular video director.

Thanks for the compliment about the production. I've learned to be a very fast filmmaker from having worked in five 48 Hour Film Project contests and from doing these videos, most of which are shot in one day. Doing stuff like that teaches you how to think on your feet. I generally err on the side of getting the best performances and a lot of coverage over technical perfection and complex camera work, because the more choices you have in editing the better.

 

[oswater]

Hey everyone! I have a little update for y'all.
Thanks to the help of a very kind man who prefers to stay anonymous: We have re-released a new cut of the episode "Encounter at Candilandia"
NEW music!
MODERN effects!
SLIGHTLY ALTERED footage!
Hope y'all check out the new cut, it addresses a lot of technical problems people had with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jydQRvd8QVs

Let me know what y'all think! Hope you like it!

 

[sojourner]

No thanks. 5 seconds of the original was enough.

 

[Trekker4747]

Is it because the movie is designed with a Vaudevillian style?
Is it because the characters discuss things like sex, desire and attraction?
Is it because Troy, a male playing a female character, is feminine?
Or is it because of the 'curing homosexuality' joke in the first act?

Either way you slice it, only one of the characters is written as a homosexual.

I haven't been in this thread since the first time around, so here goes...

If Troy is supposed to be female then it was sold all wrong. (The mustache and lack of any real female features being key) Also the character very much acts like every, single, gay stereotype that has ever existed. So with THAT it's hard to not see the character as a gay man but as a woman. It was supposed to be a gay stereotype, not a female character, and you know it.

Sorry I find it offensive. And I say that as a straight man.

 

[Captain Atkin]

"Star Trip: The ...What? Generation" isn't for everyone. Of course, neither was "Flesh Gordon", and that film still has a lot of fans. What is funny to one person can at the same time be wholly unfunny to the next. Humour is subjective. What makes a person laugh depends on personal taste.

 

[boobatuba]

Of course, neither was "Flesh Gordon", and that film still has a lot of fans.

Appeal to popularity fallacy. Lots of people think homosexuals will and should be tortured for eternity in a lake of fire, too...doesn't make that point of view any less evil.

 

[Captain Atkin]

Of course, neither was "Flesh Gordon", and that film still has a lot of fans.

Appeal to popularity fallacy. Lots of people think homosexuals will and should be tortured for eternity in a lake of fire, too...doesn't make that point of view any less evil.

Sorry, you lost me. Are you are saying that "Flesh Gordon" is an evil film? I'll admit, it's not a very good film... but... evil?

 

[boobatuba]

Sorry, you lost me. Are you are saying that "Flesh Gordon" is an evil film? I'll admit, it's not a very good film... but... evil?

I didn't give any opinion about "Flesh Gordon" at all. I pointed out that simply because a lot of people like something doesn't make that something "good."

 

[Captain Atkin]

Sorry, you lost me. Are you are saying that "Flesh Gordon" is an evil film? I'll admit, it's not a very good film... but... evil?

I didn't give any opinion about "Flesh Gordon" at all. I pointed out that simply because a lot of people like something doesn't make that something "good."

I understand. My girlfriend feels the same way about a TV show I love called Star Trek. Sure, lots of people love it and think its good, but she won't have any of it.

 

[boobatuba]

I understand. My girlfriend feels the same way about a TV show I love called Star Trek. Sure, lots of people love it and think its good, but she won't have any of it.

Sure. But in the same manner, if she alleged that something in an episode were offensive, it wouldn't be fair to say it isn't just because Star Trek has a lot of fans (or, as was asserted earlier, that it's not offensive because the writer of the offensive thing had "immunity" because he/she was part of a particular group).

 

[Captain Atkin]

Sure. But in the same manner, if she alleged that something in an episode were offensive, it wouldn't be fair to say it isn't just because Star Trek has a lot of fans (or, as was asserted earlier, that it's not offensive because the writer of the offensive thing had "immunity" because he/she was part of a particular group).

When it comes to comedy like this, you are always going to risk offending a few people. Personally, I find this about as offensive as a Police Academy or Naked Gun film. Even "Star Trek: DS9" had Quark become a woman in one episode, and that was played for laughs but still offended some fans. If you make a joke about something political, racial, sexual, or religious to a group of people, it is very likely that someone will be offended.

 

[USS Intrepid]

I didn't find the gay stereotype offensive, but I did find it puerile. I realised very quickly the humour in this just wasn't my thing. Nothing wrong with that though, as Captain Atkin pointed out, these things are entirely subjective.

 

[Trekker4747]

Really, I think we've come far enough in society to see that type of gay stereotype to be as offensive as black-face.

 

[USS Intrepid]

I can't really disagree with that, but I think there's a fine line between offensive and puerile. And that line is different for different people. Which is really the only point I was making.

I agree it's a stereotype, and I don't think there's anything positive in portraying people like that. Others may disagree.

 

[Avon]

yeah you should totally add some blackface to this. and maybe a greedy jew too.

 

[Trekker4747]

yeah you should totally add some blackface to this. and maybe a greedy jew too.

Maybe a dumb blonde, a really smart Indian. Stuff like that would really class it up.

 

[Captain Atkin]

Part of the joke of the film was the crew's claim that homosexuality had been eradictated by the 24th century, when obviously it hadn't been, as the running gag is that all of the bridge crew are in denial about their true sexuality. The only one who seems to be interested in women in the film is the robot.

Homosexuality was never addressed in 1980s TNG (in relation to human relationships), and I don't personally see anything wrong with poking fun at that, which is what this fan film seems to be doing.