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Leonard Nimoy on Alternate Timeline, Canon, Future of Spock and Star Trek XII

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By GustavoLeao / 21:07, 9 July 2009 / Star Trek: Nemesis

Star Trek Communicator and Official Fan Club founder Dan Madsen interviewed Star Trek star Leonard Nimoy for the Starland.com website and here are few excerpts of the article.

DM: Did you initially have any reservations about this alternate timeline idea and the destruction of the planet Vulcan?


No, I thought it was a very exciting and a very inventive way of dealing with some very serious problems that had to do with protecting the canon. It was a way of saying, "Look, we must free ourselves of those shackles, otherwise we are stymied at every turn of events with every character element, etc." Everything we do or say, people will say, "Well, that doesn't fit with the canon!" So they had to find a way to give themselves a fresh start and I think they did it brilliantly!

DM: I absolutely loved this film, but I have to admit that there was something bittersweet about it for me, as a fan of the original series, in that I realized my cast (the cast I grew up with and loved) was truly going away now and this new, younger cast was having the torch passed onto them. Do you have any sense of that?


LN: Yes, of course I do. But if we cannot accept the future we are in trouble. Ben Cross is playing Spock's father. Mark Lenard has passed away. Winona Ryder is playing Spock's mother and Jane Wyatt has passed away. Simon Pegg is playing Scotty and James Doohan is gone. DeForest Kelley is gone. Majel Barrett is gone. We have to be real about this. I am a nostalgic guy - I love thinking about the past. I think about it often. I think about the great times I have had and the difficulties and the exciting moments. But I think it is healthy to live in the "here-and-now" and deal with the reality of the present. I see it, not as a negative thing but as a positive thing. These beloved characters are being given a whole new life. I am very proud of the fact that these characters are worth dealing with again. We have established such wonderful characters that it is worth making a new investment in them and to go and watch them now and see them in a new light. I think that is very exciting!


DM: Don't you feel that this movie was almost a necessity to keep the Star Trek franchise flame burning bright as it seemed Star Trek had lost some of its luster over the last several years?


LN: I think it was absolutely necessary to keep Star Trek vibrant and moving forward. It was the same way as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan put Star Trek back on the map in 1982, this movie is doing the same thing many years later.


DM: Was the last line you said in the film, "Thrusters on full," a symbolic passing of the torch?


L: Dan, I am so delighted you are asking me this question. No one has asked me it before. That line was not in the script. We had shot the scene and were done with it and I said to JJ, "If you give me one more take, I have a thought I would like to inject here and see if you like it." We shot it again and I said, "Thrusters on full." It was kind of a blessing and a passing of the torch. It was an absolutely on-the-spot idea I came up with and it was not in the script. Then JJ called me sometime later and said that he was amazed at how it fit into the next scene on the bridge because then they start talking about the thrusters! So there was a connection almost as if it had been designed that way. I wasn't thinking about the bridge scene, I was simply thinking about saying to these young guys, "go ahead. Take the torch and go!"

DM: What do you believe is Spock Prime's future after this film?


LN: My sense is that he has some work to do. He talked about establishing a new Vulcan colony and I think he will be very involved in that. If we never see him again that is what I would imagine he is doing. He is busy rebuilding the Vulcan story.

DM: As it stands right now, what do you foresee for the future of Star Trek?


LN: It is very clear that Paramount is interested in making another Star Trek movie. I think, at least a month ago, they had already authorized a script to be written and that means a financial investment and an expectation that there will be at least a script to look at. My understanding is that it will be written by the same guys, Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman. They are probably at work on developing a story right now. I think that there is very strong interest in the next Star Trek movie coming from audience and studio alike. Beyond another movie, who knows? The future is wide open.


DM: I assume as well that you are very open minded to appearing as Spock again should they ask you?

LN: I have no illusions on whether or not they need me. They decided that they wanted to make this film using Spock as kind of an anchor for the story, which I think worked very, very well. They don't have to do that again. If they decide they have a role for me to play I would be very interested in talking to them about it. But I have every reason to believe that they have established a whole new set of characters and they can sail very well without me and that's fine. Either way is good with me. I am very gratified that this has happened.

The full, extensive interview is here.



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Shields up! | Report this post to moderator
By: Toroth's 1st Officer (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 13:03:45 on Jul 10, 2009

Okay, time to paint the target on my back.

I loved the flick. Saw it in IMAX, saw it again at the theatre.. then again. And I really appreciate that if Abrams was gonna reboot, he did it within the rules. there is some explanation for the differences (unlike, say, Batman begins or Casino Roayle - great films that just negate the prior stuff.. ) - also please note my prior threads, I am usually pretty even keel, if not a little smarmy.

So, that said, I LOVE the continuity thing. I loved that aspect of the franchise. Like reading a long running comic book, I love it that there is some connection between the 60's show and DS9's Mirror universe.. I love the idea that there's this fictional history.

Also, remember, it became on purpose. I bought the "History of the Future" and "Star Trek Encyclopedia" books. It was deliberate... "look at this huge universe!!" I was told to invest in the universe, to drink that particular Kool-Aid and I did.

And I hate to say it, but the idea that it is parallel, doesn't jibe (sorry Uhura, saying it doesn't make it so) - the entire point of flicks like "First Contact" , or the eps "City on the Edge of Forever" or "Yesterday's enterprise" - you mess up the past, you mess up the future.

So yeas, I was upset.. Nero decimated the "prime" universe, IMHO, and there seems to be no real evidence to the contrary within the FILM (don't take the writers' words as canon any more than I take Roddenberry's word that ST6 wasn't).

But here's the thing.. that was the POINT! It was supposed to bother me and piss me off and make me upset that they destroyed Vulcan. It SHOULD be upsetting.. a planet is gone and there are reprecussions.. and that's good storytelling.

Now, hear me out.. there is a solution. I consider Countdown Canon. If a non-filmed piece is called canon by the writers, then it is Canon (see Buffy S8 for what I mean) - and it does have a snippet of "maybe it didn't ruin it" - but we have to see more of that.

SO - yes, we will never have a movie that sorts this out.. but a comic, (Cover: Kirk's Face split down the middle, half pine, half shatner) - a graphic novel or miniseries that is called Canon and gives some explanation of the parallel universe (one line - Kirk: "But I though that changing the past changes the future", Scotty: "That wormhole fractured Space-Time because of bla bla bla...") - and then have that Graphic novel or comic show the two universes coexisting or maybe even crossing over (2 kirks, 2 enterprises, one goal) - and have paramount and Abrams call it canon. Give it a one line reference in the next film to legitimize it. - and BAM.. we can all be happy. (Plus, dollars to be made there!)

I've said this before, and I don't want to become like the Shatnerites or that dude who really like Ira Behr ( who is cool, but that guy REALLY likes him) - but I have this hope that someone important reads this and says "Y'know, that might make some green, lets do that"

Okay, this is too long. Zamph.

--------

Jo L'an Tru, dude

__________________________________

Check out my film:

NINJAS VS ZOMBIES

www.nvzmovie.com


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RE: Shields up! by Cylykon @ 17:28:17 on Jul 11
    RE: Shields up! by Bucky @ 17:51:45 on Jul 11
       RE: Shields up! by Cylykon @ 21:09:23 on Jul 11
          RE: Shields up! by Bucky @ 13:57:53 on Jul 12
             RE: Shields up! by Cylykon @ 22:12:59 on Jul 13
RE: Shields up! by cdydatzigs @ 13:29:00 on Jul 10
    RE: Shields up! by Toroth's 1st Officer @ 14:07:45 on Jul 10

The Vulcan's on drugs! | Report this post to moderator
By: OriginalDefiant (Odo's file, contact) @ 04:22:29 on Jul 10, 2009

I enjoyed the film very much, but am still disappointed that they chose to destroy Vulcan - I think the point of "this is a different timeline" was sufficiently portrayed with other facets of the story, such as the death of Amanda and the Spock/Uhura romance.

Even though I didn't much like the destruction of Vulcan story point, I thought (and still think) it was well executed (for example, I enjoyed Spock's "extinction" log entry). I admit it probably helped to exemplify the danger that Nero & team posed, but I've a feeling that Orci & Kurtzman could have interestingly used the planet in their forthcoming sequel(s).

By the way, is it just me or does anyone else think those leaves behind Mr. Nimoy (in this article's photo) look like marijuana leaves?! :)


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RE: The Vulcan's on drugs! by DIGINON @ 09:33:36 on Jul 10

Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible | Report this post to moderator
By: Bucky (Odo's file, contact) @ 00:16:33 on Jul 10, 2009

Simply put: we know what happens to everyone. Not that they need to be in constant mortal danger, but it simply doesn't work dramatically to do a TOS era story with Enterprise characters and keep it in the same canon as what came before. I think it's a fan service and a blessing the fact that the thrust of the plot IS that "the series is being rebooted", and it fits with the established story of Star Trek, instead of just a Batman Begins style "This is all new, you wasted your life." It's much more respectful of the franchise than any other reboot that came before. Think of the grand narrative of Star Trek like a pretzel. With time-traveling Romulans.

--------

An elephant never forgets . . .TO KILL!


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RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by StillKirok @ 06:18:42 on Jul 10
    RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by Bucky @ 15:56:16 on Jul 10
    RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by prometheus 59650 @ 07:24:37 on Jul 10
       RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by StillKirok @ 07:50:28 on Jul 10
          RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by Ichthus @ 08:42:47 on Jul 10
             RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by StillKirok @ 09:46:14 on Jul 10
                RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by Ichthus @ 10:34:55 on Jul 10
                   RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by Bucky @ 16:47:27 on Jul 10
             RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by Kamen Rider Blade @ 08:49:06 on Jul 10
                RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by Ichthus @ 10:40:12 on Jul 10
                   RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by Kamen Rider Blade @ 10:46:50 on Jul 10
          RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by prometheus 59650 @ 08:40:45 on Jul 10
             RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by StillKirok @ 09:55:34 on Jul 10
             RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by katefan @ 09:03:27 on Jul 10
                RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by StillKirok @ 10:06:56 on Jul 10
                   RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by katefan @ 13:16:45 on Jul 10
                   RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by prometheus 59650 @ 10:53:30 on Jul 10
                      RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by Kamen Rider Blade @ 10:58:57 on Jul 10
                         RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by prometheus 59650 @ 11:36:43 on Jul 10
                            RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by cdydatzigs @ 13:22:01 on Jul 10
                               RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by prometheus 59650 @ 13:56:20 on Jul 10
                                  RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by katefan @ 15:21:57 on Jul 10
                                     RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by prometheus 59650 @ 15:41:50 on Jul 10
                                        RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by katefan @ 20:29:41 on Jul 10
                         RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by cdydatzigs @ 11:13:26 on Jul 10
                   RE: Doing a Prime-verse TOS story woulda been impossible by Kamen Rider Blade @ 10:20:15 on Jul 10

Well said, Mr Nimoy | Report this post to moderator
By: GustavoLeao (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 22:29:09 on Jul 09, 2009

"If we cannot accept the future we are in trouble." - Leonard Nimoy

I think this is a lesson to every Star Trek fan out there.

Gustavo

--------

TrekWeb.com Supervising Editor



gl2000@uol.com.br


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RE: Well said, Mr Nimoy by Cylykon @ 17:53:50 on Jul 11
    RE: Well said, Mr Nimoy by SM @ 19:33:38 on Jul 14
    RE: Well said, Mr Nimoy by Kamen Rider Blade @ 18:23:04 on Jul 11
       RE: Well said, Mr Nimoy by Cylykon @ 09:23:04 on Jul 12
          RE: Well said, Mr Nimoy by Kamen Rider Blade @ 12:10:17 on Jul 12
RE: Well said, Mr Nimoy by cdydatzigs @ 23:05:10 on Jul 09
    RE: Well said, Mr Nimoy by GustavoLeao @ 15:22:40 on Jul 10
RE: Well said, Mr Nimoy by Kamen Rider Blade @ 22:52:29 on Jul 09

And in one pasragraph | Report this post to moderator
By: prometheus 59650 (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 22:24:52 on Jul 09, 2009

...Nimoy sums up the necessity of Abrams rebooting Trek as he did.

The man's been with Trek since day one, and an integral part in the creation of fully half the TOS movie franchise and it's clear to him what had to happen.

The fact that it's still lost on some of the fanatic voices here is mystifying.

--------

"We've been attacked by the intelligent, educated segment of our culture." ---Pastor Ray Mummert speaking of those who favor Darwinian Evolution over Intelligent Design.



"If this is your God, he's not very impressive. He has so many psychological problems; he's so insecure. He demands worship every seven days. He goes out and creates faulty Humans and then blames them for his own mistakes. He's a pretty poor excuse for a Supreme Being." ---Gene Roddenberry


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Thrusters | Report this post to moderator
By: VoR (Odo's file, contact) @ 22:07:05 on Jul 09, 2009

I was wondering about the "Thrusters on full" line and it's nice to read the explanation.




--------

Flavius: What do you call those?

Spock: I call them ears.

Flavius: Are you trying to be funny?

Spock: Never.


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