Star Trek on dvd was everything I wanted. I still need to watch the blue-ray version of the special features, for the additional 1 1/2 hours of extras not on the special edition dvd, but my thirst has been momentarily quenched by the fantastic special features I watched today. For a look at what's on the DVD and Blue-Ray release of Star Trek, check out the Sci Fi Wire article -- or man up and go get the movie!
I've NEVER worked my way through every special menu on a dvd in one sitting, but I could not work my way through fast enough this time. Between the documentaries on casting, make-up, masks, and prosthectics, the hero production team, the score, and the development of the story I was seriously like a kid on Christmas morning. Oh man. I loved watching footage of Abrams and his AD shaking the cameras (did you know that the film was shot on anamorphic film and not digitally?) and then while watching the movie seeing the scenes where Abrams was shaking the camera while filming. Its a technique he really developed on Mission Impossible 3 and I love it. (More after the jump)
I've have a serious love for the amazingness that is J.J. Abrams' story telling capability. During one of the interviews on the dvd several people discuss Abrams' ability to show personal interactions and his ability to see and shoot action sequences and how seamlessly he can go back and forth between the two types of direction. This is precisely the reason I love his work. As much as I love other directors and their ability to blow things up or create super crazy space sequences, very few directors can do that large scale epic sort of film mixed in with intimate moments. In most movies those story moments wind up being campy and unbelievable. Abrams' talent is in using that epic feeling to set a stage for very intense personal interactions that suck the audience in and make the story more believable. He did this beautifully in Alias, and has done so on several other projects and in Star Trek these personal moments are what pulls you through the film, not some crazy battle royale or chase scene, as is the case with most sci-fi movies.
Star Trek originally came out in the mid 60s - a time when people really needed some hope. After the assasination of an American President and during a time of great social upheaval with the civil rights movement this little show set in outer space really resonated with people. It was a show about the future, about people of all kinds coming together and fighting toward a common goal. Whether it was saving the galaxy from Klingons or Kahn or trying to get back home to Earth, the crew of the USS Enterprise showed our country what it is to hope.
I can think of no better time to restart the franchise, we as a society are clearly in need of some hope, some sort of push to get us thinking positively, to have us attack our present and go boldly into our future. I hope that stories like those of the Enterprise can continue to excite people and to give them hope.
Hope everyone has a great week -- live long and prosper ;)
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