I had more grand ideas for this blog, but we'll build to that eventually?
A person's taste in story type and fandom isn't stamped into them at birth (how many baseball uniform one-sies are sold a year?) but like the creation of any mess or masterpiece, the first few swipes influence the next and inform the next until you either have a grant from the Getty or a nice letter taped to your door telling you the house has been officially deemed univable. But enough about my stabs on the edge of experimental full sensory art and the lengthy court dates it engenders.
As a precocious, smart ass little Animikean my first space adventure with epic good/evil battles came in the form of the late 80's television taped version of Spaceballs. I'm open and honest and get short bus looks of pitty from friends with tribbles tattooed on their ankles. But this WILL become pertinent, kay.
TO-night I stopped by the theater with the idea of seeing how bad Wolverine could actually be, but a helpful box office slave talked me down from that and I found myself alone in a full theater watching Star Trek.
I had many thoughts that others have already mentioned (aah! the flashes! My eyes!) here's three that struck me and it will flow seamlessly into an entirely new theory (smell the newness)
1. Watchmen held no hide nor hair of alien squid, octopus, or calamari. Not too far into Star Trek a Giant Metal Space Squid Death Ship of Doom appears on the screen! I understand making up a shortcoming for the fans, but that's pretty far to go. Seriously, now thinking about it if Watchmen hadn't just come out I would have been sure the Irkens were making their big screen debut.
2. Took everything not to laugh out loud when Kirk, Scott and old Spock were solving the equation for throwing a person onto a speeding ship. I paraphrase: I didn't take into account that space moves. Nothing could stop me hearing Cubert explain: I understand how the engines work now. It came to me in a dream. The engines don't move the ship at all. The ship stays where it is, and the engines move the universe around it.
But I could let that be until #3, Scott's traveling adventure through the tubes. It was only fear of the whole theater turning on me that stopped me from humming the theme, but my head did bop to the beat. Sorry Simon Pegg but to the bouncy Futurama music the threat of you're drowning can't be taken seriously, love you still though ;)
But why was I laughing (internally, remember rabid fanboys are rabid). If Star Trek were my thing I wouldn't have seen these or looked past them. But neither Stars are really my bag, I've had friends big on one or the other so I'm semi literate in them. I can name the major ship in each but I don't know if Spock is his first or last name. Yes, I'm sure I could find out in a couple seconds with google but I'm just bringing it up to illlustrate.
They're like two ends of a chart
Star Trek-----------------|----------------Star Wars
Science Ships------------|----------------War Ships
Navy Soldiers------------|--------Samurai/Knights
Utopian Society---------|---------Medieval Society
Neither was a good fit for me, but if you squint and turn your head there's something quietly between the two, much smaller stories where you find the Farscape, Futurama, Spaceballs and some exits of the Twilight Zone. Cynical and hopeful, their days have fantastical elements to them but the characters are so bad breath in their mouth in the morning normal that there is no hero worship but a mutual recognition that ties you emotionally to the character. (I know Firefly fits somewhere here, but it's a new theory and if you've read all the way down to here know that I'm easily swayed)
My gateway to this strain of storytelling had grabbed me so well that I watched it over and over because each time I'd get further references further jokes. it was the magical movie that just kept giving. Now it's bliss when I can find a story that's tight, deep and tactile. Those in the list are also written well enough to handle some 4th wall references, not necessary but an additional joy when weaved in by a master of the wording arts.
Maybe I'm just not one for epic. Wait, no I take that back. West Wing pulled off the epic while parsing into the layers, angles, individual arcs of more characters then I have phalanges.
Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the ride of the movie but will I wait with bated breath for it's release on DVD? Not as much as I look forward to them finally releasing Brimstone on DVD (please! Giving Fox big sad puppy eyes!) cuz' that's just the way an odd duck even in the midst of odd ducks rolls.
Next time! Editing an entry, maybe I'll try it ;)
-Animikean
