J.J. Abrams on Star Trek The Motion Picture, Star Wars and William Shatner

J.J. Abrams on Star Trek The Motion Picture, Star Wars and William Shatner
The April 2009 issue of the Italian Ciak magazine features a recent interview with Star Trek director J.J. Abrams and here are few excerpts.

"I saw the first movie from the tv show, Star Trek - The Motion Picture from the director Robert Wise, in 1979, I was only 13 years old when my father, who worked at Paramount in the same studio where I'm finishing to edit the movie." Abrams told the magazine "My best friend loved it, I ... can just say that I respected it, but nothing more. My problem is that I can't identify myself with Kirk, and definetly neither with Spock. This is the key of the new Star Trek: I want to do a Movie where the audience doesn't look at the actor from the outside as I did, but a movie where people can identify with the characters."

""Even though someone described it as "obscene", the idea of mixing up Star Trek and Star Wars (Beatles and Rolling Stone could ever sing together?) I tried to do that. Star Trek philosphy mixed with Star Wars action. There are lots of dialogues but also duels, fistfights and action."

Zoe Saldana, who stars also in the James Cameron movie Avatar, tried to ask Abrams to let her fight with the boys but is was useles. "This time it wasn't possible but I hope in a sequel". The only one who doesn't say much was William Shatner, that pretended his role and he doesn't want a cameo. "The problem", explain Abrams, "is that his character died in the seventh movie, Star Trek Generations, and it was really difficult to resume it in a credible way".

"We're lucky that Star Trek is reborn in the era of the new president", Abrams said."The new Star Trek has the same enthusiasm of the new America of Obama, after the frustation, the depression and the shame of the old one, the George W. Bush one" .