
“I’m a doctor not a mechanic!” “Ahead warp factor ten!” Ah yes, “Star Trek,” a cultural corner stone. Who knew that a cult show kept alive by a letter-writing campaign and featuring creatures called ‘tribbles’ would be one of the most influential programs in television history? I’ll admit it; I’m a closet trekkie – yes, some of us are women, contrary to stereotypes.
Alas, recently one of my favorite shows of yesteryear has turned into a laughingstock in the movie industry. Just recently it was announced that a prequel to the popular franchise has been bumped from a Christmas 2008 release date to summer 2009. The studio claimed it was to make more money. Really? The last time I checked Christmas was a pretty lucrative time for movies. This screams of another Star Trek movie that is going to once again break the heart of its loyal fans. Rather than going into a lengthy reminiscence about the good movies, I thought it would be more prudent to outline a plan to save the franchise. It is time for a franchise intervention. Here is my proposal:
First, if you plan to do a prequel, use the cast from “Enterprise” and go from there. This would be sweet vindication for the show, which was given virtually no chance of succeeding in part due to the moronic decision to air it on UPN. Even people working at UPN didn’t watch UPN. There is a wonderful invention called the Sci-Fi channel, but I digress. What “Star Trek” needs to do is basically start over. All the material from the original series and “Star Trek the Next Generation” has run its course. The time has come to give Scott Bakula and his crew a second chance.
Next, and most importantly, the script should be written by fan fiction writers. The screenplays for the last few have been completely without the spirit or imagination the original vision. Since the fourth movie, all others have tried too hard to be funny. What makes the fan fiction phenomenon so cool is that fans often know more about the show and the characters than most of the movie screenwriters and directors do. My suggestion is to have a contest where fans submit scripts and a winner is picked by the movie’s director. No voting by the fans will be done because that would be too “American Idol,” and we definitely don’t want more of that. Now, here’s where it gets even cooler.
Finally, the director would be Christopher Nolan. Now what in the world would possibly lead me to that choice? Well, one word – Batman. Nolan resurrected the Batman franchise with a gritty prequel that went back to the spirit of the original comic books. Nolan has proven himself with “Memento,” “Insomnia” and the wildly inventive film “The Prestige.” “Star Trek” would be an exciting challenge for the versatile young director. The other advantage of Nolan at the helm is that he could bring credibility back to the “Star Trek” movie franchise and get real actors to play villains or other needed parts. With “Star Trek” the possibilities are as vast as the universe.
It is truly a crime when something that has been championed and kept alive by fan fervor is ruined by corporate suits who have no clue what a great opportunity they have when given the chance to make a “Star Trek” movie. The built-in fan base has been taken for granted for far too long and it’s time for fans to take it back. The three phased attack outlined here would not only bring fans in, but could attract newcomers as well. Heck, with Scott Bakula you could bring in not just “Star Trek” fans but old-school “Quantum Leap” fans as well. It is possible to make the “Star Trek” movie accessible to a broader base. A case in point is “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” that even my friends who know nothing about the show watch and love. Now, fans make it so.
Sitzman is senior print journalism major and guest columnist for The Spectator.