To Boldly Go Where We Have Been Before
I liked Star Trek: The Original Series well enough when I was in my teens and I liked the Star Trek movies very much when I was in my twenties. But I never loved the series the way others seemed to love the series and I never got the appeal of watching certain episodes over and over again even though I had a number of favorite episodes I did not mind seeing more than once.
When the new Star Trek movie by Alias creator J.J. Abrams came out last summer, I found myself somewhat surprised by my indifference toward the new movie. Even my mother -- who was never much of a science fiction fan, much less a Star Trek aficionada -- was more interested in the new movie and while I will not pretend that watching the new movie was the equivalent of pulling out my fingernails, I cannot really pretend that it revived my interest in the series. At best it was a watchable -- but not particularly memorable -- movie which was good for an occasional Saturday night rental -- but not much else.
Why should this matter?
Because last year's Star Trek movie made enough money to already provoke rumors of a sequel. And while I must admit that I would rather see yet another Star Trek movie than another Hot Tub Time Machine or 40 Year Virgin, I cannot help but wonder about the projects that we will never see because of Hollywood's insistence that successful sci-fi = Star Trek. Or Star Wars. Or X-Files. Or any idea that has already been done before.
For example, what would be wrong with a new sci-fi movie that is not part of the Star Trek universe? (Or for that matter, the Star Wars universe, the X-Files universe, etc.)
Why not adapt a novel from author Philip Jose Farmer's classic Riverworld series? Or Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land? Or Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light? Or better yet, some original sci-fi idea.
As much as I liked Star Trek, there is something about the endless chain of sequels, spin-offs and remakes of that series that turns me off. After all, the main appeal of science fiction has always been that of an universe where anything can happen. So why do so many fans of that genre seem to prefer going to the same old places over and over again? I will admit that Star Trek was one of the better sci-fi series to air on TV and I will even admit that Star Trek the movie was one of the better movies to come out last year.
But it was not that good.
And even if it were, is not it time to try something new? Or should we choose to boldly go where everyone and his cousin has already gone before?
I liked Star Trek: The Original Series well enough when I was in my teens and I liked the Star Trek movies very much when I was in my twenties. But I never loved the series the way others seemed to love the series and I never got the appeal of watching certain episodes over and over again even though I had a number of favorite episodes I did not mind seeing more than once.
When the new Star Trek movie by Alias creator J.J. Abrams came out last summer, I found myself somewhat surprised by my indifference toward the new movie. Even my mother -- who was never much of a science fiction fan, much less a Star Trek aficionada -- was more interested in the new movie and while I will not pretend that watching the new movie was the equivalent of pulling out my fingernails, I cannot really pretend that it revived my interest in the series. At best it was a watchable -- but not particularly memorable -- movie which was good for an occasional Saturday night rental -- but not much else.
Why should this matter?
Because last year's Star Trek movie made enough money to already provoke rumors of a sequel. And while I must admit that I would rather see yet another Star Trek movie than another Hot Tub Time Machine or 40 Year Virgin, I cannot help but wonder about the projects that we will never see because of Hollywood's insistence that successful sci-fi = Star Trek. Or Star Wars. Or X-Files. Or any idea that has already been done before.
For example, what would be wrong with a new sci-fi movie that is not part of the Star Trek universe? (Or for that matter, the Star Wars universe, the X-Files universe, etc.)
Why not adapt a novel from author Philip Jose Farmer's classic Riverworld series? Or Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land? Or Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light? Or better yet, some original sci-fi idea.
As much as I liked Star Trek, there is something about the endless chain of sequels, spin-offs and remakes of that series that turns me off. After all, the main appeal of science fiction has always been that of an universe where anything can happen. So why do so many fans of that genre seem to prefer going to the same old places over and over again? I will admit that Star Trek was one of the better sci-fi series to air on TV and I will even admit that Star Trek the movie was one of the better movies to come out last year.
But it was not that good.
And even if it were, is not it time to try something new? Or should we choose to boldly go where everyone and his cousin has already gone before?
Labels: Películas de Ciencia Ficción I, Películas Nuevas III, Viaje a las Estrellas
posted by Tonio Kruger at 4:06 PM
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