Friday, November 16, 2012

The ORIGINAL Star Trek Movie

On my way home this afternoon I heard something amazing on the radio straight from the cat who was going to make it happen, Philip Kaufman.  It kills me this did not happen, but hey Mr. Abrams, this SHOULD be your 3rd movie.

Back about 1974-1976, writer/director Philip Kaufman was given the reigns to write and direct a Star Trek movie.  The plot involved a black hole and a battle of animal instinct vs cold logic as played out between Toshiro Mifune as a Klingon Commander and Spock.  This was all to be filmed and released before Star Wars, and they had even picked Pinewood studios in England for filming.  Just as it was all spinning up, some suit at Paramount killed it.  He said Sci-Fi films don't work anymore, and maybe they wanted to do a reboot TV series instead. Then Star Wars happens...and the rest is history

Mr. Abrams, as you have reset the Trek time line...here is a chance to make an original/retro move...the original Trek film that never was! 

Who to play the Klingon Commander now?
Chow Yun Fat, Ken Watanabe are easy choices

What about Michelle Yeoh or Ziyi Zhang?  Add a little sexual tension between Kirk/Klingon Commander on top of of the instinct vs logic tension.

Anyway It is definitely inspiration for a Far Trek adventure.