Comments on: Treknobabble #64: My Mind to Your Mind

By: Sean

Sean — Sat, 02 May 2009 23:31:14 +0000

(This is Reed posting on Sean’s computer.)

ProjectGenesis, Jay and I haven’t talked recently about more commentaries. I was disappointed in our Wrath of Khan one.

Kathleen, glad you stumbled upon Treknobabble. Please do comment at your leisure. (Ignore rus in chicago. I scared away the last female reader I had. Ha ha.)

Jeff, Trekkies around here are normal.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:30:09 +0000

Even if you’re sure the movie is going to be terrible, you should still go on opening night to see all the crazies that come out to a Star Trek premier. They alone are worth the price of admission.

By: rus in chicago

rus in chicago — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:54:46 +0000

(whispering) psssss, Reed there you go. she’s interested now offer her some of that trek chocolate and watch the magic happen

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:36:52 +0000

As a fan of all the older Trek stuff, I have had similar fears that this movie is targeting a “new market,” and will therefore water down what I consider the “real” content, and amp up the sfx and action scenes.

I’m so glad I stumbled upon this article, and now I’m off to read the others in the series of columns…

By: ProjectGenesis

ProjectGenesis — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:19:58 +0000

Any thoughts on doing more Jay/Reed commentaries for the Star Trek movies?

By: rus in chicago

rus in chicago — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:34:44 +0000

seriously, for all the love Wrath of Khan gets (and I love it too) the cinematography in that is horrible. Star Trek could use a little juice in the camera dept.

By: Reed Farrington

Reed Farrington — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:13:54 +0000

Goon, there is a sequel already being talked about, so unless this movie unexpectedly bombs, I can go on talking Trek. Sean has left it up to me whether or not to continue. I was thinking that my audience was small, so I was feeling discouraged. Recently, I was contacted by a representative of the firm handling Burger King’s Star Trek promotion. That perked me up!

Rus, I agree that slo-mo shot of Kirk jumping looks great.

By: rus in chicago

rus in chicago — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:56:10 +0000

I don’t know what you guys are talking about with the criticism of the framing and cinematography! Have you seen the latest TV spot were Kirk is jumping in slow mo off some Romulan structure, and layers of other Romulan structures are in the background – that’s tight!

and to the “far too many close ups” I quote Haskell Wexler, “film editing is a dance of eyes”

By: Ryan M.

Ryan M. — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:46:31 +0000

“my initial thoughts from the trailers that the frame compositions and the cinematography arenâ€™t beautiful”

Agreed. It looks flat and claustrophobic with far too many close ups and incomprehensible space scenes. We shall see.

By: Wintle

Wintle — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:39:10 +0000

I’m only interested if it’s Wagon Train to the stars.

By: 1138

1138 — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:31:50 +0000

I will admit to being somewhat excited for this movie, though I expect it to fall short due to the clips of the movie I have seen so far. These glimpses leaves me expecting to see a Star Trek Lite…a dumbed down version of what has come before. Now people will say that Star Trek was dumb already…but then they might say that about most Sci Fi or Fantasy films. For me Trek was more than Sci Fi but reflections of society or the human condition, embodied in a genre that happened to be Science Fiction. And isn’t great art always that…reflections of humanity or of the human condition?

If attracting a larger audience means a more simplified version of what has come before…well that would leave me disappointed. If I want simplicity I will go see Transformers or Wolverine. Pure summer popcorn fun. Trek should be something more and unfortunately I don’t think this time it will be. Fault the previous film for whatever reason, but you must admit they aspired for something more. Themes of friendship, mortality, devotion, loyalty, racism, sacrifice, prejudice and discovery. All things that we can relate to yet fail to in the real world.

The budget is bigger, the FX bigger…overall a production that is huge in every way. I do resent the fact that JJ received this level of commitment when someone like Nicholas Meyer did not. Though Meyer was the most successful in not only capturing the spirit of Trek, but in telling the most exciting stories in the movie franchise. Perhaps if Meyer were given the support that JJ received we wouldn’t be discussing whether the future of Trek was in question and whether this movie was indeed it’s final chance for redemption. I know Trek needed new blood and I have nothing against reboots (I love the new incarnations of BSG, Batman and James Bond. Characters for a new Generation done smartly and boldly. The newer the better as far as I am concerned.) but if you do intend to make a reboot do it well and do it fresh and do it smart. Which I hope this new movie will end up being.

I do agree with you Farrington that the positive reviews both pro and audience are hovering in the 99.9% range. I’ve only read one negative review but I find it hard to believe that this movie could be so good. Maybe I’m being to much of a pessimist or the movie is just this good.

Whatever this movie ends up being, I know that Trek will not only be great Sci Fi, but at it’s core just great stories in general that will continue on for generations to come.

By: Goon

Goon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:21:18 +0000

how is Reed going to extend this column after the movie comes out?