James Cawley on the Set of Star Trek

By Gillian Weisgram

James Cawley has been an opponent of Star Trek XI for a very long time now, so when he recently began to speak out in favor, it raised a lot of eyebrows in the Trek community. In a recent interview with Trekmovie.com, Cawley reported on his feelings now that he has had a chance to see Abrams in action - and it completely changed his mind.

Cawley has come to Trekkie fame as the Exectuive Producer of Star Trek: The New Voyages. A self-proclaimed purist, Cawley's objections have revolved around the fact that it won't be the same. The sets and costumes and actors won't be the same. This is an oft-repeated theme among doomsayers like Cawley, who feel that the spirit of Star Trek will not be respected.

Cawley was walking through the Paramount lot with a friend when a chance encounter with J.J. Abrams led to him being invited into the ultra high security set of Star Trek. Sitting next to J.J. at the monitor, he found himself asked his opinion of the sets, the costumes, and the filming, as well as being given a small role on the movie.

The main concerns Cawley had had to do with his being a "purist", or "someone who's...extremely devoted to the original show". As such, he was concerned about the idea of the designs of the Enterprise changing at all, as evidenced by the amazing accuracy of New Voyages, right down to the braid on Kirk's sleeve. So redesigning the Enterprise, even a little, was just too much for him to contemplate.

All that changed when Cawley was walking across the Paramount lot with a friend and decided to stroll by Studios 8 and 9 where the movie is being filmed. J.J. Abrams was driving somewhere in a golf cart when he recognized Cawley (Cool Thing #1: JJ knows James Cawley on sight!) and invited him to return to the stage to watch the filming later in the day. (Cool Thing #2: JJ scores big PR points yesss!)

Returning to the set, Cawley found himself seated next to JJ himself at the monitor, watching as the movie was being filmed and asked for his opinion about the shooting. (Cool Thing #3: Ask the expert!)

Cawley describes JJ as down-to-Earth, normal, and "genuinely nice", a quality that seems to have eluded several previous Star Trek directors (If I named them, that would be slander). "To experience his generosity and his humor," said Cawley, "was the best of all." Cawley left the set with an invitation to return any time and a role as a Starfleet officer in the movie - details as yet unknown.

One of the first things Cawley noticed was how much attention had been paid to the sets and costumes. While the sets were not exactly what he would have done, he said, they were nonetheless impressive and the costumes were "perfect". Also, Cawley believes JJ "gets" Star Trek, :"Dude, let me tell you, I had a long conversation with JJ - we were on the set again today for another four and a half hours and one of the conversations I had with JJ was his feelings about Star Trek. And that's what absolutely sold me on J.J. Abrams and Star Trek was that he said how much he believes in the philosophy of Gene Roddenberry, the humanity, and the message that the original series delivered. That's his focus."

This statement changed Cawley's perception of that ever-elusive continuity. "It doesn't matter if the set is perfect if the heart is there. And he's got it."


Online Videos by Veoh.com

You can also watch the entire interview at trekmovie.com.

Comments

How the Internet is Ruining Star Trek XI: A Commitment to our Readers

by Jared B.
Editor-in-Chief

I ask our readers to imagine for a moment... Star Trek XI remains a mystery, except that the producer and director, J.J. Abrams, released a vague teaser poster months ago. Otherwise, you have no clue about the movie. Perhaps it continues the Next Gen legacy, or perhaps it could be something completely different.

You know nothing.

While hoping for the best, you attend Comic Con 2007, anticipating an announcement that will shed some light. Suddenly, it is revealed: There will be a new Spock... a younger Spock, meaning that a "re-imagining" or "reboot" (whatever you want to call it) has been announced. TOS lives! You'll be revisiting the crew that started this phenomenon. You'll re-experience the characters that made this campy TV show a cultural obsession. It all begins again, and a new generation will discover what you grew to love and adore!

But not only that... suddenly, Leonard Nimoy appears onstage, sporting his famous Vulcan salute! TOS will live again, and Nimoy himself will give the rebirth a send off by appearing in the film!

Is there a Trek fan out there that doesn't salivate at this reveal? Is there anything more exciting to hear after a decade of witnessing Trek's decline?

But, no. Sorry. Too bad. You were hoping for more.

Instead, all of this is old news. Certain Internet sites that latch onto every barely credible rumor spoiled this announcement for you weeks before attending Comic Con. They led you down a long and winding road, from Tom Hanks to Matt Damon to Ben Affleck to Gary Sinese, spouting any gossip or intrigue as "legitimate" info on Trek XI.

After debating and discussing every falsity, you finally arrived at the truth.

It ruined everything for you.

Yes, it was exciting to be "in the know." Yes, you hungered for these sites to give you more... anything that gives you more Trek... anything that stimulates the imagination... anything that gives you hope that Trek will live!

In the end though, nothing would have matched your excitement at seeing Leonard Nimoy make that Vulcan salute. Nothing would have matched your thrill at learning, suddenly, that TOS will be reborn. Nothing would have equaled your experience at Comic Con, if you hadn't given credence to Internet rumors, trusted "inside sources," and some guy with a camera phone.

This is why Trekdom does not follow in the footsteps of more popular sites. We will bring you interesting analysis, provocative interviews, and introspective op-eds. But, we will not tease you with tabloid rumors, unsubstantiated gossip, and leaked details.

We will not ruin Star Trek XI for you.

We will celebrate it with you.

That is our commitment to our readers, and we hope to join you in 2008, as we sit together in awe of what is onscreen before us.

Comments

Walter Koenig on Chekov and Star Trek XI.

Walter Koenig was kind enough to answer our questions regarding the character of Chekov and Star Trek XI.

Trekdom: In 1967, Gene Roddenberry told the L.A. Times that he added the character of Chekov because a Pravda writer criticized the show for ignoring the Soviet Union’s role in the space race. Yet, as many fans know, Roddenberry and others had ulterior motives, such as wanting a “Davy Jones” that appealed to young viewers. Do you believe that the writers treated the character as a serious representation of future Soviet/U.S. cooperation in space? Or, would you say that they focused more on the “Davy Jones” aspect?

Walter Koenig: "It was a sensitive time in the socio-political landscape when Star Trek introduced a Russian character. From the first, the intention was to acknowledge the Soviet exploration of space and to send a non provocative message that if the world of Star Trek was going to embrace all of mankind then certainly a Russian in its midst was appropriate to that message. However, it is also true to an even greater extent that the show wished to expand its demographic. The eight to twelve year old group might not be impressed with an Earth United but they might be drawn to a character that superficially resembled one of its pop "faves". If you needed more proof, Gene Roddenberry was quoted as saying after the casting session that "Koenig's accent sucks but I think the little girls will like him."

Trekdom: Many scholars have criticized the character of Chekov as a “Russian buffoon,” arguing that, instead of depicting a future of international cooperation, Star Trek portrayed a U.S. victory in the Cold War by mocking Russian achievements (Chekov always claiming that X or Y was a “Russian Inwention”). Often, these writers go on to criticize Star Trek as an imperialistic and militaristic vision of the future. How would you respond to those arguments?

Walter Koenig: "It sounds like the ravings of Don Quixote wanna-bes. I think its preposterous to give so much significance to a television show whose principal objective was to entertain and build a following that would keep it on the air. To look for Machiavellian constructions is to joust at windmills."

Trekdom: Star Trek XI will be a “re-imagining” of the Star Trek franchise, and executive producer/director J.J. Abrams has stated that character of Captain Kirk will appear in the film (played by a younger actor). If the writers recast and re-imagine the character of Chekov, what would you like to see, and what advice would you have for the actor?

Walter Koenig: "I'd tell him to stay out of shadows and insist on dialogue that does more than simply advance the plot."

Trekdom: Are you optimistic about the future of Star Trek?

Walter Koenig: "I no longer speculate on the future of Star Trek. I obviously have no sense of how many lives it has. I have sent funeral wreaths on at least four separate occasions believing that a wooden stake had been driven through its heart and its internment was eternal. And still it rises, a bit paler perhaps over four decades but with no less a thirst. (I'm really straining for a metaphor here as if you didn't know) For what it's worth, if I knew of a way of collecting I'd wager substantial rubles that, in one form or another, it will definitely outlive me."

Discuss

The Origins of the Starfleet Academy Rumor

by Jared B.



Although Trekmovie.com and other sites have repeatedly dismissed the rumor that Star Trek XI will focus on Kirk and Spock's early days at Starfleet Academy, this piece of gossip continues to circulate the web, sometimes even making its appearance in the mainstream press. In an effort to finally put this rumor to rest, Trekdom examines the origins of Harve Bennett's Star Trek: The Academy Years.


In 1984-85, the Star Trek franchise was preparing to celebrate its 20th anniversary, and the future looked bright. Following the box office successes of the first two films, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock had opened to eager audiences, displacing Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom from its top spot while raking in Paramount's largest weekend box-office gross of $34.9 million. Star Trek had truly entered the mainstream, and talk of a fourth feature film began immediately.


Yet, beneath the surface, trouble brewed. Although Leonard Nimoy enjoyed resurrecting the character of Spock during his feature film directorial debut in The Search for Spock, he continued to emphasize the finality of Spock's death as a regular member of the Enterprise crew.


"He's in the box," Nimoy told the New York Times in late 1984, adding, "I'm calling it death, dead, finished." Apparently, Nimoy believed that Spock's rehabilitation on the planet Vulcan would become a permanent exile from the adventures of the Enterprise. After all, Nimoy had only agreed to return as Spock if Paramount let him direct the movie and contract him to direct other non-Trek films, such as Three Men and a Baby.


Paramount was forced into an familier predicament: How to continue the franchise without the character of Mr. Spock. To make matters worse, William Shatner threatened not to resume his role as Captain Kirk unless the studio granted his demands for a markedly higher salary. After eight months of negotiation, Shatner and Paramount had reached a standstill, leaving Paramount to now ask, "How can we do this without Shatner or Nimoy?"


Executive Producer Harve Bennett proposed an ingenious solution: Why not examine the lives and trials of Kirk, Spock, and Bones during their early days at the academy? With younger (and cheaper) actors, the franchise could continue, keeping the icons of Kirk and Spock alive while dismissing the expensive actors entirely.


When Harve Bennett began writing a script titled Star Trek: The Academy Years, the fans, the cast, and Gene Roddenberry voiced their outrage at the idea of a new Spock and Kirk. Yet, Bennett remained committed to the idea, and, for a brief period of time, Paramount seriously considered its merits. In her autobiography Beyond Uhura, Nichelle Nichols recalls:

From the studio's point of view, the beauty of Starfleet Academy [sic]
was not how it would add to Trek lore, but how it would eliminate the original cast, and, most important, the large paychecks Bill and Leonard commanded.

Also, the pitched outline satisfied Paramount's demand that the fourth film be less serious and more comedic.


It is possible that the studio entertained Bennett's proposal as a way to bring Shatner and Nimoy back into the fold. It is of course an old Hollywood trick: Stifle an actor's egregious demands by threatening to recast the role. In this instance, it worked, and both Shatner and Nimoy came to terms. The studio had Bennett shelve his script for the time being, although they secretly promised him that it would become a movie at some point, possibly the next film.


However, following the extraordinary box office success of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Paramount suddenly cooled to the idea of a recast. Bennett still hoped that his script would be filmed after the lukewarm performance of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Thankfully, the studio decided instead to celebrate the 25th anniversary with one last hurrah for the original cast (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country). They also began preliminary discussions with Rick Berman regarding a Next Generation film. When TUC began preproduction, there was no longer any interest in Bennett's script. It was precisely at this point that Harve Bennett left the franchise.


During the original cast's last years in feature films, the rumor of a recast continued to haunt the sets. Undoubtedly, Paramount insiders stoked the rumor from time to time, because it gave the studio tremendous leverage when dealing with contract negotiations and actor egos. By the sixth feature film, Spock was not alone in wondering insecurely, "Is it possible that we have grown so old, that we have outlived our usefulness?"


Given the history of Bennett's project, it was not surprising that the Academy rumor resurfaced when word of a prequel series circulated during the last season of Star Trek: Voyager. And, indeed, it is not surprising that the rumor has resurfaced now, when most reliable evidence indicates that Star Trek XI will not be Kirk and Spock: The Wonder Years. If Paramount had any intention of reviving Harve Bennett's concept, then they would not be letting Shatner co-write a novel about Kirk and Spock's academy days (with no studio supervision!).


Yet, the rumor continues to circulate, and the "show that will never die" will long be accompanied by a rumor with a vampire's lifespan.



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Comments and Reviews
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Boldly Gone - One fan's thoughts on Star Trek XI

Boldly Gone?

by DDD

The biggest Star Trek news of 2007, so far, is that “Star Trek XI” will be a remake.

Not just any remake, mind you, but rather a “re-imagining.” The writers who label it such fail to explain whether this requires more or less creative effort than a “reboot,” like Casino Royale or Batman Begins. All I know for sure is that I’ve yet to decide whether I’ll be driving my “pre-owned” car to the theater to yet another franchise “re-imagining” on the silver screen.

But there’s bigger news implied by the announcement that the new Star Trek is throwing out the bathwater. If this movie is a re-telling of the original series instead of just the telling of an untold story from those days, then the original adventure is probably done for good. And, in a way, the end of Star Trek is a relatively new idea.

Sure, back in the sixties it was almost over after two years of the original series, and seemed over for good when the show was canceled after year three. But then it happened. The story that Trek fans have all heard dozens of times. The tale of how Star Trek’s popularity exploded after its cancellation, and how it was kept alive by fans, syndicated airings, the animated series, books, comics, conventions and more. The story of how the late 70’s ushered in a quarter century of Star Trek being in virtuously continuous production.

During those years, it seemed like Star Trek could be as perpetual as television itself. If the original movies ended, The Next Generation would take over. If one series ended another was waiting in the wings, or was likely already on the air.

But, alas, all good things do come to an end, especially when they are no longer good. TNG transitioned from the most popular TV series in the history of syndication to an utterly mediocre film series. Voyager and Enterprise were both ill-conceived in the minds of many fans. Deep Space Nine was good, but not good enough to stem the fatal hemmorage of the franchise audience. Eventually the day came when there was no new Star Trek on air or in the works.

But even when Enterprise ended in 2005, just as when Star Trek ended in 1969, and at each of the smaller endings and turning points along the way, fans believed it would continue. A new Trek, a new Enterprise, new actors and characters, sure, but always with the backdrop of what had gone before, always building on that unusually rich tapestry provided by decades of storytelling.

No more. Whether or not Star Trek XI is good or bad, success or failure, future Trek offerings will likely be set either in the universe of the remake, or will remake the universe yet again. All Trek’s yesterdays become relevant only in how they provide recyclable ideas for tomorrow’s Enterprise.

And it’s kind of a shame. A shame that, with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy still healthy and willing to contribute, Trek fans can’t have one more trip to their well before that well is plugged in favor of a new one. A shame that Hollywood lacks the creativity to both re-create Star Trek for a new millennium and embrace the ongoing story about which generations have become so passionate.

I write this not to take a movie announcement too seriously, or to be melodramatic. Yes, Star Trek is just an entertainment. Sometimes its magic exceeded its quality, and a few of its fans obviously drank too much of the kool-aid.

But allow those of us who will to pause to recognize the story that may finally end, even if only to be retold. To remember the story that made passionate fans engage in storied letter writing campaigns that renewed Star Trek for a third season, and even named the first American space shuttle.

It was the story that has entertained generations. It inspired many to scientific, medical and creative careers. It was told by writers like Gene Roddenberry. Fans like Bjo and John Trimble helped keep it alive. It is part of American culture and history, and has been called one of our modern mythologies. It was something special, which makes its passing, if it is finally here, a moment of note.

- DDD