Cool News
Oh, My!! JJ's Mr. Sulu Is...
Merrick here...
JJ Abrams has found Enterprise shipdriver Hikaru Sulu. It's John Cho, of HAROLD AND KUMAR (he's Harold). This per HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
He's done some other work since then, and we'll be seeing him soon in the H&K sequel.
Kumar (Kal Penn) was present in Bryan Singer's SUPERMAN RETURNS, but found all of his dialogue cut from the film. Hopefully Cho won't meet the same fate.
Word is an announcement regarding McCoy may be coming really soon; should be interesting. I say it's Shia LaBeouf! He's GOTTA make his way into this project somehow, right?
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could it be?
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So close...
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This was reported at least an hour or two ago. I'm surprised that Harry didn't get wind of this.
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Cho seems too tall (and perhaps not gay enough?) to play Sulu.
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This is not my grandpa's Star Trek, that for sure...
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Am I the only one to notice Eric Bana has offically been cast as the bad guy?
Check the official web site.
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You heard it hear first.
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I'm still sort of indifferent to this project, I just don't know what to make of it. It could work or go down in flames. I will be very curious to see when the first pics leak of everyone in costume...the sets...try and get a feel for how this Trek world will be.
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Dammit!
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and anyone else who read the news here as well...
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Just checking!
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Is he GAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY LIKE THE REAL MR SULU?
I hope so...i reallly really do!!!!!!!
Hellllllo
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Oct 12, 2007 6:37:29 AM CDT
Not that anyone cares, but I have the perfect McCoy...
by cotton mcknight
Anybody watch "Psych" on USA? Detective Lasseter (the grouchy guy) would be a PERFECT Bones. He is older, just like DeForest. He has the look, too.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/ 7041249.stm
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Just got texted this!
True?
False?
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or Scotty for that matter
*oops* -
It's true. Check out www.trekmovie.com
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Try, not Japanese enough. According to IMDb, he's South Korean. Oh well, Oriental is Oriental, right?
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or just check out the post that Harry did under "TOP STORIES" last night. This, Eric Bana...does nobody read before they post???
Oh, btw I heard JJ is making a monster movie too, has anyone heard anything about that? -
JJ Abrams is doing "teen trek"...good grief.
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An actor who actually is an accurate representation of the young asian male in modern America. That's right, we're not all chubby faced and speak with an accent.
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This movie is the final nail in the coffin. Sad.
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...Either way, it ain't gonna help in the Japanese market. (Of course, no one here in Merka will know the difference, or care)
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While its good news they went with Cho, its really no surprise because he's pretty much the only established Asian actor in his age group. Seriously, name one other. The only other option would have been to go with an unknown.
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The guy who played Ando on "Heroes". That would've been better.
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Instead if Eric Bana as the baddie, they shoulda cast Biff from Back to the Future and have him give them all wedgies.
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I'm not like a huge fan of the kid or anything but H&K was some funny shit. I think they're on a role with the casting.
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... is getting to be the 21st Century Michael Caine... except minus the talent, of course.
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I guess the same argument can be made about Hugh Laurie as he's English but plays an American character in House? I'm just happy we've got an asian actor and not some half asian / half caucasian guy playing the character. Or go the "Heroes" route with Takezo Kensei and cast a white guy to play Sulu (explanation - his great, great, great, aunt was quarter Japanese and he decided to keep the last name.
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What is up with THAT? I know it ain't the most important thing - but have you noticed that in the last, I dunno, 7 years or so, the only time someone in film or tv who was meant to be Japanese was played by someone Japanese is.....Hiro?!? The ONLY one??? First Memoirs of a Geisha...now Sulu. How fricking insulting is that? Sulu!
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We already had Galaxy Quest.
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as Scotty? really is this actual fact?
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'Coz all asians look the same, right? This is different from an English guy playing an American or the Heroes trick simply because it illustrates a stupid American belief. And it proves once again that American are idiots.
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...that the entire friggin' crew of the Enterprise all knew each other back in their Starfleet Academy days? How preposterous is that? It's like when Laverne and Shirley moved to California.... and every single person they knew in Milwaukee went with them. Christ this is going to suck... suck is such a weak word for what it's going to be like... this friggin' thing is going to SIPHON!... naw, that still doesn't describe the horror that will ensue when this shite is released. It'll be like the suck death of the universe, a cosmic event of suckitude, a supermassive suckhole... on the plus side, it will kill this miserable franchise once and for all!
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Seriously, Sinise HAS to be cast as McCoy. In TOS, DeForest Kelley carried an air of wisdom and experience, and with a cast full of young pups, Sinise will bring said air. Sinise! Sinise! Sinise!
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This is the first casting news that actually has me a little bummed out...
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Spot on. Recasting the classic cast is insane. This is going to be a real howler of Superman Returns proportions.
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i always dug that line from 'Falling Down'
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It's not the characters in classic Trek that were particularly great, it was the charisma and interplay of Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley. Strip out those three actors and you're left with mere ciphers. This is a BAD idea Abrams.
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Would have made a better Sulu. What, was he too Asian-looking? Cho's whiter than me (and I'm white, aside from 1/4 Aleut).
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Oct 12, 2007 7:58:46 AM CDT
I am by no means Mr. Politically Correct, however having said th
by phantom_turnip
... are you kidding me? So, I'm to understand that in ALL of Los Angeles, JJ Abrams was unable to find a Japanese or Japanese American actor who fit the part of Hikaru Sulu? In all of Los Angeles, a city which has a WONDERFULLY rich and talented selection of Japanese theater actors, Abrams came up with... someone who doesn't even LOOK Japanese? I had a lot of faith in Abrams and this production - until I heard this. I'm still willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, and I'm still willing to be open minded, but I can't help but feel that this is simply thoughtless casting. Hikaru Sulu is a Japanese ICON, for God's sake. At the time, the point of Sulu, Uhura, Chekov and Spock was to (respectfully) show different races working together in the future for a common goal. Roddenberry slipped up a bit in naming Sulu (it ain't a real Japanese name, and as a matter of fact, there is not 'lu' sound in Japanese) but his heart was in the right place. I have nothing against Cho, he may be a marvelously talented actor (never saw Harold and Kumar), but PLEASE... are you kidding me?
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Did they have to recast the entire TOS crew right off the bat? This is supposed to be the first voyage of the Enterprise under Kirk's command isn't it? Chekov and Sulu could probably have sat this one out. Maybe intoduce them at the end after the characters at their stations are killed in battle. Really, are there going to be NO deaths in this? None?
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Really this ain't much different from getting, say, a German to play a Frenchman. And even then since Takei is an American of Japanese descent, and Harold is an American of Korean decent, it's actually an American playing an American, right?But anyway, I don't actually care. When's Harold and Kumar 2 coming out?
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Oct 12, 2007 8:06:22 AM CDT
And for those complaigning about Bana's small chin...
by american mythos
maybe they could cover it up and make him a Ballchinian? I'm sorry to keep posting, but I'm a Trek geek at heart, and it's been years since I've gotten to discuss Star Trek. I didn't know of AICN when that bastard Star Trek: Nemesis came out.
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Oct 12, 2007 8:08:21 AM CDT
Speaking of Kal Penn, has anyone seen him on House?
by grammaton cleric binks
He's just a bit player in the House tryouts, and has only had one or two standout scenes. Not because of his acting, but because of the way his character was written in. I loved it when he "number six" was eliminated. He comes back after lunch. Didn't I fire you? No, you fired number six, I'm number nine he says after showing up with his number upside down. I found it amusing, but I guess you had to be there.
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Its called acting for a reason. The guy who played Worf wasn't actually a clingon, sorry to break any hearts. And Leonard Nimoy wasn't actually a Vulcan. Is Simon Pegg Scottish? The bigger problem is the fact that there aren't a wealth of roles for Asian actors so that there could be a plethora of established actors to choose from. Given the choices, this is a good one.
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Simon Pegg is great casting though.
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I've been tuning in just to see him. I think House is gonna fire him soon...though I think he already was fired a few times.
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You're right about what you say - the guy playing Worf isn't a Klingon, and neither was Nimoy a Vulcan. However, the difference is that Klingons and Vulcans don't exist. On the other hand, there are plenty of fine Japanese actors in LA who have the door slammed in their faces on a daily basis simply because they're not white (just ask them). The one time someone actually IS looking for a Japanese actor, guess what - they cast a Korean! I suppose I have a rather unique perspective, though, as I worked at a major studio in Los Angeles for five years and have been working at a Japanese studio here in Tokyo for the past five. That's my two cents.
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Im Scottish and it doesnt piss me off, the original Scotty had a piss-take brogue that was laughable but didn't piss any one off. next you'll whining coz they never bothered to find a propper Vulcan to play Spock!.
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Daniel Dae Kim would have been a much better choice...Gary Sinise is perfect but sounds like he's too old. Giovanni Rbisi anyone?
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There may be several Japanese actors in LA, but the problem is none of us could name a single one of them. They have to earn their stripes just like Cho did, and work their way up the ladder doing bit parts in small films until they finally get their lead role. This is a hugely expensive film so you can't fault them for wanting to choose actors who have some name recognition. Yes, it sucks that more Asian actors don't have that, but you can't expect the producers of a big budget movie to hand such a role to an unknown.
I wish they would choose a different Kirk because the current one sounds like some WB pretty boy. -
She looked like a young Nichelle Nichols and would be a great Uhura. Except that Nichols is from Illinois and this girl was from the ATL. So it wouldn't work out and would be another Cho Korean/Japanese fiasco. They should only hire people of the exact same background as the character they are playing. p.s. except Joel Grey. He can play an Asian.
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JENSEN ACKLES FOR KIRK!!! JENSEN ACKLES FOR KIRK!!! JENSEN ACKLES FOR KIRK!!! JENSEN ACKLES FOR KIRK!!! JENSEN ACKLES FOR KIRK!!! JENSEN ACKLES FOR KIRK!!! JENSEN ACKLES FOR KIRK!!! JENSEN ACKLES FOR KIRK!!! JENSEN ACKLES FOR KIRK!!!
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Joel Grey rocks.
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Oct 12, 2007 8:43:55 AM CDT
And for all those crying about the unknown Japanese actors...
by executor
...if they couldn't even land a job in Flags of our Fathers they should quit show business.
p.s. here's the racial casting breakdown for those who didn't get the Hollywood memo: white, brown, black, asian. -
I heard this too, on the radio. The deal is nearly done and dusted.
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After all, that character needs some toughness and considerable experience.
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And now that it's in your heads...everyone knows I'm right
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Suuuuuuuluuuuu....Suuuuluuuuuuuuu....
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after Pegg and Cho its not that farfetched...
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Hey, I'm just sayin'...
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Oct 12, 2007 10:19:34 AM CDT
The picture of Cho looks like its from his high school yearbook.
by kabong
They are so desperate to attract pedophilic Paramount producers.
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My interest just bottomed out. Unless there's some spectacular writing involved - and I can't imagine that there will be, since JJ. Abrahms never learned how to write an ending - this re-Trek is D.O.A. You KNOW what this re-vamp with younglings means, don't you? Super-zippy action sequences with cutesy, never-before-seen-in-Trek marketable aliens. They're showing absolutely no restraint in trying to lure the teen market. I expect a shitty pop soundtrack - somehow with Timbaland or some "rapper-of-the-week" involved - and Federation emblems on Frito-Lay products everywhere you turn. I agree with the above poster who said "suck" wasn't a dire enough word to describe the level of ineptitude that's obviously going in to the project. This. Will. SIPHON.
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Can't say I'm inspired by his casting, but i don't expect him to have a big role.
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Just because Kirk was the youngest captain in Starfleet doesn't mean the rest of his crew was quite as young. McCoy and Scotty were older than Kirk and I believe Spock was as well, this just keeps getting worse. Maybe we can reboot again in a couple of years after this....
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Kirk: Sulu, that's your fifth trip to sick bay today!----and as much as I'd like a DS9 movie, the end of the series killed it with Sisko in limbo or wherever.
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Fuck Johnny Knoxville. FUCK him.
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JJ has lost the plot. This will be WUBBISH!!!
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I'm really tired of fans who aren't imaginative enough to consider other actors/backgrounds in the roles.
Daniel Craig is blonde. Sean Connery wasn't even goddam english.
Michael Keaton or Christian Bale?
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So they just hire the current token shit out of Hollywood? Way to go J.J. crapfest maker!!!
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Oct 12, 2007 11:24:29 AM CDT
Seriously, what in the name of JT Kirk are you complaining about
by honestune
"You see, Sulu is an integral and complex character. The actor who portrays him must have a deft and subtle touch."
What the hell is the problem people? This is STAR TREK!! Famous for its over-the-top bad acting!!
The only complaint should be that this cat is maybe TOO GOOD an actor for this part. -
Oct 12, 2007 11:33:30 AM CDT
Bobo, forgot about Remo Williams. I loved that movie.
by grammaton cleric binks
Okay, I was about ten, and it has not aged as well, but the first scene with Joel Grey was great. Of course he wouldn't get the role now, the PC police would be screaming. Years later he was on Voyager working with Mulgrew again. Your new name is Williams, Remo Williams. We gave it a lot of thought. Loved it. Those who haven't seen it, go rent it to get the joke. In the pre-wire fu days it was pretty cool.
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UH-HUH UH-HUH
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Harold is Sulu? No way! You can't have a stoner driving the Enterprise. Oh, watch JJ cast Chekov for this movie even though he doesn't join the Enterprise crew till the second season. I love ST but the more I see, the more it looks like a cluster-f*ck, we can only hope the characters have the charisma to recreate a little of the Kirk/Spock/Bones magic.
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See Better Luck Tomorrow.
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Oct 12, 2007 12:16:09 PM CDT
Actually we don't need Chekov as, if memory serves,
by grammaton cleric binks
Chekov was only added later when Takei needed to take some time off to finish The Green Berets with John Wayne. They then decided to keep both the Chekov and Sulu characters when Takei returned. Koenig's best role, no pun intended, was not Chekov, but of course Bester (sp?) from Babylon 5.
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Well I would have given Sulu to James Kyson Lee, Ando from Heroes. Since they have old school ST cast on Heroes and they have Zachary Quinto as younger Spock.
Simon Pegg is a good actor, but no way should be playing Scotty. Doesn't look like Scotty at all. The guy from Nardia James McAvoy should be doing Scotty. It would be a big mistake on Pegg as the roll. -
I miss watching that guy on the show "Oz", probably mostly because I miss "Oz!"
but still, B.D. Wong would have made a better more mature-looking Sulu
even though I like Johnny Cho
Wow, is it racist to want one Asian Man over the Other?
The only reason I say No is because Sulu has to be Asian, and a very good Dramatic Actor. Mr. Wong fills in that space. That's Effin All. -
Worth a thought...
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Gay and feminine. But he can butch up nicely, as in "Executive Decision".
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(nips to imdb...)
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Just give him another ugly puppet to work with,and he could own.
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The character of Storm in the X-men comic books is supposed to be from Africa, and her creation was itself an important political statement. When Halle Berry's character was totally devoid of those things, I thought it was a big sell out to the white conservative market.
The same seems to be going on here. When Sulu was created in the original show, there was still quite a bit of animosity towards Japanese people due to WW2. Sulu was a political statement against that kind of sentiment, like so many things in Star Trek. So now the character's being played by someone with no connections to Japanese society whatsoever, and that political statement is just being thrown out the window. That sucks.
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Who knows... I'm having a hard time imagining anyone else playing these parts. Shatner is Kirk and so on... That said, I'm pulling for this movie to work, and I hope Star Trek XI kicks my ass hard!
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What a bunch of pussies. It's a fucking Star Trek movie.
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He was probably too old before the Scotty casting announcement, but now it makes sense. Also relaze that Quinto is 30 already and the rest of the cast is also in their late 20's early 30's except Chekov, but he should be the baby of he bunch.
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So maybe they're off the whole late 20's thing?
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It's being reported right now. Not know if he's accepted it though.
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Oct 12, 2007 2:16:11 PM CDT
Jack Black as Khan, Will Ferrell as the Federation President, Be
by j-dizzle
Hell yeah!
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Oct 12, 2007 2:17:13 PM CDT
Ben Stiller as Leiutenant Guy, and Molly Shannon as a sexy green
by j-dizzle
TIFF!
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That would have been hilarious casting.
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Oct 12, 2007 2:27:20 PM CDT
John Cho is 35! George Takei was 29 when he started playing Sulu
by submarinevoyage
Seriously, you guys are using Cho's casting as a way to make 90210 and Teen Trek jokes? He's several years older than Takei was when the series began! Shouldn't you be bitching that he's too OLD?
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Grammation Cleric, "Remo Williams - The Adventure Begins" was actually supposed to be the first in a series of movies, just like the Bond Films, based on the Remo Williams novels. Remo and Chun would take on various corrupt syndicates, be they government, corporate, crime figures. But poor box office prevented that from happening, but I would have loved to have seen more. The director of Remo actually directed some of the classic Bond films which is why he was hand-picked for the project.
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Why oh why....
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Now THAT is the film they should redo. And for all these idiots screaming Japanese racism, you should read the books that Remo comes from to see the REAL Chun, they really toned down his "Korean is superior" racism for the movie.
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I'll tell you why a Korean shouldn't play a Japanese person (or rather why THIS Korean shouldn't): He doesn't LOOK Japanese.When I put up my original post about Cho being Korean, it's because I looked at his picture and said to myself, "Wait a minute, he doesn't look Japanese." A quick visit to the IMDb confirmed his country of origin, but I didn't need it to tell me that Cho doesn't actually sound like a Japanese name.You're telling me that with all the other nobodies they are casting (apart from Quinto) they couldn't get a real Japanese person, or even a person who looks like a real Japanese person?
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You know it makes sense
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Cause we gotta have a lot of red shirts die or this it not Trek at all.
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Starfleet High School will have no stars that look 30+.
The grumpy janitor can be an old guy.
Maybe some Mommy Admiral. -
this is just completely retarded. I didn't know this guys name but I do know of Harold and Kumar, simply because europeans wouldn't, as a whole, watch that crap. That's just completely ignorant humour that has no place in this world. Maybe Singer came to his senses and cut him from Superman Returns. Mind you that still didn't help that movie..!
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Movie's are all about illusion. Special effects. Recreating worlds. And the majority of the movie-going public can buy a Korean as a Japanese guy, just like a Guatemalan can play a Mexican, or a Mexican can play an Arab, or Toronto can play Los Angeles or New York. Sure, there's always SOMEONE who it irks (like my Dad, who won't enjoy a movie because in one shot the guy will have his top button done, and for one shot it will be unbuttoned) but the average Joe really doesn't care.It's a MOVIE, not a DOCUMENTARY. Just go with it and enjoy. Or bitch about it ont he talkbacks forever.
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Trek is going to be High School Musical in Space -- only with out the musical numbers.I wonder what the reference point is, though. There's never been a successful Sci-Fi film that has been cast like this.
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I mean, it's not like the character does anything other than say, "Captain, Klingon Empire on Line 2..."
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This cast is beginning to look like High School Musical as someone else mentioned. Well, Japanese were not amused when the movie Geisha starred the Chinese actress in the major character Japanese part, and they won't be amused by this bit of casting either. The way the movies have been all PC and everything I would think they might pay attention to things like that but who cares. It's already starting to stink.
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JJ is a moron and should stick to TV, fucking hack!
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i will be boycotting this movie -- korean guys shouldn't play japanese parts.
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...because 'painfully obvious comedy schtick' or 'purty enough to appeal to the teens, but can't act for shit' is all most of the cast added lately seem to bring to the table. Almost makes me wonder how they got Bana to be in this (lots of money no doubt) or got Leonard Nimoy to return (again, I'm thinking lots of money. I swear, this is either going to be a massive out of left field surprise or one of the biggest clusterfuck disasters ever. I wonder if it's too late to cast David Bowie as "Space Shark"...
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Principal Vernon from "Breakfast Club" died. I could see him as an Admiral in this.
"Hey Klingons! You mess with the bull, you get the horns!"
"If I've gotta come back to this Neutral Zone, I'm cracking skulls!" -
Oct 12, 2007 10:02:47 PM CDT
"Hey, kids, let's put on a space mission. Hikaru, jack us a shi
by kabong
"Okay, Jimbo."
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Why can't Asians just get along? But seriously, I'm surprised at how spiteful Asians are towards Cho just because he's a Korean playing a Japanese character. Cho is one of the few Asians paving the way for other Asian actors in Hollywood by playing unique and original roles. He starred in "Better Luck Tomorrow", a crime thriller with an entirely Asian cast about young urban Asians in America - something we've never seen before. He was also in West 32nd which played at the Tribeca film festival this spring. I didn't see it, but I heard it was decent...about Korean gangsters in New York. And he's best known for his comedic roles, so he's broadened the spectrum for Asian actors, yet, the only thing some Asians on this talkback can do is bitch about the fact that he's Korean and playing a Japanese character. Its acting...A-C-T-I-N-G. Its not real people, movies are all make believe. This is the same mentality of those close-minded Germans who banned the filming of Valkryie in Germany because Tom Cruise was playing a Christian character, but he's not Christian. The horror.
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Oct 12, 2007 10:39:43 PM CDT
Just don't let Chekov cut his pubes with Sulu's phaser.
by julius dithers
John Cho's pretty cool. He should follow the training program Jason Scott Lee used to prep for his role as Bruce Lee. Get ripped and cut, Harold. Try this one: Seth MacFarlane for Bones McCoy! See, Simon Pegg doesn't sound so bad now.
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While they at least cast an Asian to play an Asian, it is rediculously insulting in my opinion not to cast a Japanese actor to play one of the most high profile Japanese characters in popular culture. This would have been a perfect opportunity to give a young unknown a chance. No disrespect to Mr. Cho, who was quite funny in H&K. Just stupid and insensitive in my opinion. Not to mention, they got a Russian to play a Russian, so why was it impossible to find a Japanese actor?
Another thing is if they are setting this back in the Academy days, the ages seem to be off. Let's say Cadet Kirk is supposed to be 19-22 (Kirk in TOS was in his mid 30s, so give him 15 years to go up in rank). Using even 22 yr-old Kirk as the baseline, figure Chekov, the Davy Jones of the bunch, should be about 10 years younger (around 12), Sulu is maybe 6 years younger (16), Uhura perhaps 4 years younger (18), Scotty, hmmmm say 8 years older (30), Bones 6 years older (28), and Spock, well he could be 101 for all we know. Vulcans always had whatever evolutionary advantage the writers deemed necessary for that episode only--long lifespan, super hearing, super strength, green blood (except in the blood vessels in the eyes), a second eyelid, you name it. One poster also pointed out that this would assume the crew has been together since Starfleet Academy.
However, it seems that they might be going for 1st mission together rather than Academy. That would at least make a little more sense.
Anyway, we'll see where it all goes. They have the $ and basically carte blanche. Abrams is decent enough I suppose (although never saw an episode of the Jennifer Garner series, Lost jumped the shark 2 years ago, and MI-3 evaporated minutes after watching. If they are going to continue milking the franchise dry, hopefully the movie will be good. -
Oct 12, 2007 11:35:57 PM CDT
CROW: [Sulu] Captain, there's a shuttlecraft approaching!
by osmosis jones
CROW: [Sulu] Do you want me to talk like George Takei some more, Mike? ~ MIKE: NO, no...! ~ CROW: [Sulu] As you wish, captain, as you wish...
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Oct 12, 2007 11:37:05 PM CDT
Ironic there was this discussion about Memoirs of a Geisha but..
by hellking
Everyone was complaining how they hated non-Japanese playing Japanese. Face it. A lot of fanboys that are sociopaths and just take the opposite position all the time even they don't give a sh*t!
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Sulu should be played by a Bollywood actor. Still Asian, after all. And Scotty should be an African-American. Compleat with accent, of course.
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for playing a japanese character and label him a race traitor.
How about Tsumabuki or Odagiri Jo as Sulu? Ninomiya or Nakamura Shido from Letters from iwojima would be alright too. -
That dude is hilarious
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isn't he somewhat older than some of these cast members, like Scotty would've been? I don't know if he's right for Scotty, but I really like guy, so I'll go with it.
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...this one looks like it gets my moneys.
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Seriously - we don't want you in the audience. We will be too happy enjoying our new Trek... Oh, and Jensen Ackles for Kirk. Thank you.
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WTF?!? What you really mean is, at least he's Oriental looking! All Orientals are the same after all. I am not outraged by this casting choice, I am not Asian, Japanese, or Korean. I am annoyed at this casting choice because it's lame. I saw Harold and Kumar and he was adequate, not bad, not great, but adequate. I refuse to believe that he was the not only the best choice for the role, but the only Oriental looking guy they could find who would be good in the role.I can imagine the casting room after he left, "Hey, he was the best one yet. Thank GOD we found one Oriental guy who could act! We were gonna have to start talking to our make-up people to find a way to Asian up some white guy! He may be Korean, but shit, at least he's Asian!"
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You know it has to happen now.
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Yes, they are actors playing roles, and to that extent, they don't need to match the character exactly. Fine. Granted. But the casting choice they have made here sounds like high school play casting conditions. The only Japanese kid in this school is on the Football team and doesn't want to be in the play, so we had to cast the Korean kid because he's the only Asian kid left, and he auditioned for the role. That kind of logic works in a tiny casting pool, but in the casting pool of literally the ENTIRE WORLD, why? I'm not pissed, just confused.
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There is a current backlash in Japan because of Hallyu, or Korean wave.
If they must go Korean-American, they should choose Daniel Henney. It would put more female butts in the theater seats.
http://tinyurl.com/yufxy2 -
I dunno how old the guy actually is, but he sure as shit looks young in that headshot.
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Who seem to know what was being thought when the casting choice was made, one would think they would use these powers for good (or personal gain)rather to bitch piss and moan incessantly.
QUIT WHINNING AND WAIT FOR THE FUCKING FILM TO COME OUT.
Cripes. -
I never read any of the Destroyer books, although I have all four of the comics. Marvel tried it, didn't work, but I got mine anyway... In Kill Bill Vol 2 the Gordon Liu character say something to the effect I hate those effing chinks, or japs. Whatever one he was, he insulted the opposite. killer line just because of the way he delivered it. And Bobo, thanks for the info. Now I know where they got the title from. In this day and age I don't think they'll remake Remo. Too many chop socky wire fu CGI flicks are in the can now. Want to see Fred Ward go to town, rent Uncommon Valor. The very first R-rated movie I ever saw. My older cousin took me and my brother when I was like ten. It was the best ever.
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He looks kinda white and would play better to the cracker audience.
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At least he's Japanese
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http://enewsi.com/news.php?catid=190&itemid=11991
Source: WENN
Rising U.S. actor CHRIS PINE has been beamed up to play CAPTAIN KIRK in the new STAR TREK movie.
The 27-year-old who starred alongside Lindsay Lohan in 2006 teen movie Just My Luck will play the role made famous by William Shatner for sci-fi prequel.
Pine joins Heroes star Zachary Quinto, who has signed on to play Spock, and Anton Yelchin, who will play Chekov.
The original Mr. Spock, Leonard Nimoy, will also play a cameo in the much-anticipated prequel.
Star Trek will open in theaters on Christmas Day 2008.
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He would've been perfect as Sulu. Fuck this casting.
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I know, and he's a Shia LaBeouf costar!! Somehow though I knew it would be Harold. Actually they should get Seann William Scott to play Kirk now. The irony of the guy playing Sulu pissing on the face of the guy playing Kirk in another movie would be great. Maybe I'm thinking of this too much.
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its really stupid, people. Stop grasping for anything at all to be angry about. its just stupid. Brent Spiner wasn't actually an android - OH NOES HOW CAN HE BE TEH DATAS?!
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"So, are you Chinese or Japanese" talking about Khan, his Laotian neighbor, and still being too dumb to realize he's from Laos even after it's been explained to him. I never got beyond the first season of Hill, but that quote always sticks out.
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I'm not one to call out people on the internet, but you sir are a big fucking douche bag. Ignorant humor that has no place in this world? Because Europeans are the biggest fucking exporter of... what? Black Adder? Who fucking cares. To say that John Cho shouldn't be in this movie because you didn't like Harold and Kumar is like saying Ben Kingsly shouldn't be in anything classy because he was in that Uwe Boll movie. And it was Kal Penn that was edited out of Superman, not John Cho. Kal Penn has a forced delivery that always sort of bugged me (see last season of 24) but John Cho has done some good work since popularizing the phrase MILF, especially in Better Luck Tomorrow. I think that you Star Trek guy's need to be a little more open minded.
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Does anyone else think they're doing this just do get geeks in the seats? I really don't see any decisions being made based on acting ability or a glimmer of the characters younger selves being seen here, just "Well, Enterprise tanked, the last two Star Treks tanked, lets put some recognizable faces from this marketable subculture in there and hope that it doesn't come of like a Living Color parody"
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They didn't get an Android to play Data because there are no such thing as Androids. Yes, they had to get a Human to play a Klingon too. So shitcan that argument already! I am not angry about anything. Just perplexed. I mean, there are actually Japanese people that could probably play this part, there are no Vulcans, so I understand the casting of a Human in that role. I can't speak for anyone else on this, but I just think it's dumb. It's not an outrage it's just stupid. I'd even give it a pass if Cho was a stellar actor, but say what you will about him, stellar he ain't.For the record, I already hate this movie and can think nothing but bad thoughts about it. Zachary Quinto is inspired casting, other than that, everything about this movie stinks like fresh catshit. The least of which being the part about it getting greenlit in the first place.
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Not in general, in general, I like Simon Pegg. I think he's a rubbish choice for Scotty, given that there are actual Scottish people in the world too.I hate the fact that House is played by an English person. Why not just make the character English? How about Journeyman? Kevin McKidd is an excellent actor, and totally Scottish, yet they shoehorn him in as an American? Why? Hell, HE should play Scotty. That shitty vampire show Midnight has TWO non-Americans in lead roles. That's lame too. Batman Begins has almost ZERO Americans playing Americans. It goes back even further to Highlander, a French guy played a Scot? WTF with that? And a Scot played an Egyptian? Again, not outraged or mad, or all "P-fucking-C" about anything. How about even further with Jack Palance playing an Indian, or even further with Al Jolson in black face. It's all lame, especially given that in every single instance, there had to have been genuine examples of all ethnicities and nationalities who could have played the roles well.With all the money and all the resources in the world, why fake it? Why make fake trees when there are trees all around? If you can get the real thing, why not? I don't give a shit about the politically correct angle. Not one iota. All I care about is good movies.
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Not much of a stretch that the Scots and the French would've intermingled.
Now, as for the Koreans and the Japanese, they loathe one another. -
or maybe just maybe JJ will try to get away with Terry O'Quinn - but now that it's in my head, damn if Doogie Houser wouldn't be a bad choice for Bones!
Actually, speaking of Doogie, when's he gonna make an appearance on House? -
Trust.
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And can think nothing but bad thoughts about it, QUIT POSTING in talkback. Your complaints have little to no merrit and don't stand up to any scrutiny whatsoever. Go back to sucking all the air out of every room you enter.
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Amen, brother. A-fuckin-men. There IS a difference from the "make believe" world of film and the "real" world when you walk out your door. Damn, I hope I don't run into a real Vulcan. I'm sure to have my ass kicked.
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Yeti's post made me laugh. Do these people obsessed with ethnicity care about other inaccuracies, like the fact that George Takei was a homosexual playing a heterosexual? Or the fact that various actors ages were not exactly the same as the age of their characters? If so, they should just slit their wrists because apparently movies are causing them a great deal of emotional distress, heheh. And for the record, there is a huge difference between stereotypical performances of one race playing another, versus acting. An example would be Mickey Rooney playing an Asian in "Breakfast at Tiffany's", with fake buck teeth and his eyes slanted back and an offensive faux Chinese accent. If people can't distinguish the difference between that performance, and simply having a Korean play a Japanese character, then they're just too dumb to debate with.
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..as 2 Uhuras (one is a clone)..you make that happen you got my $10 plus popcorn and sodas on me..
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HE was excellent in harold and kumar, and also kitchen confidential, and his guest spot in house. I have no problems with him being in the role of sulu. Its a pity kal penn couldnt of made it onto the enterprise. if this is supposed to be an mirror universe kind of storyline, it'd be cool to have an east asian somewhere out there in space. 4 star trek series adn all we had was dr bashir. i'm not counting chief engineer singh, i knew after saying his name 3 times in 10 minutes at the begining of that ep, he was a gonna.
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Why do you even watch movies when you don't grasp the concept of acting?
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Of course people play parts of characters not like them, it happens all the time. That's what acting is all about. But if you can be accurate, why not? That's all I am saying. Especially because not only is Cho not Japanese, he's a passable actor at best! If being Asian is the only requirement to play Sulu, then for fuck's sake, why not get a GOOD Asian to play the part? And if any caliber of actor will suffice, why not get a Japanese person?As for my prejudging the movie and Yeti's suggestion that I stay off the Talkbacks, all I can say is, what is a AICN talkback if not a bunch of people talking about their opinions of a movie that for the most part they haven't seen? Once again, rather than suggesting another topic or continuing an ongoing one, people are just bitching about the topics people are talking about and suggesting they stop. Way to go with the flow of information and ideas.
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Casting is 90 percent typecasting. That's a truism, but it's how it is.
The main thing is not about who's a "better" actor, whatever that REALLY means, it's about who's better suited for the material and the people making the film. If Cho fits the bill for the Sulu JJ wants in his movie, if his portrayal works well with the other performer's portrayals, and if he gets along with everyone making the film then he's the guy for the job and his heritage has nothing to do with it.
Think of Bale playing Batman or Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Or think of Hugo Weaving playing Smith. Or Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon. They're the right guy for the job when playing those parts. If the character is right, who the fuck cares about where the actor comes from? The actor isn't even in the movie, only the character.
What you're saying is that Tom Hanks shouldn't play Forrest Gump because he isn't from Alabama.
Why are you so hung up on where people come from? -
...then some of the best performances in film would never have happened. Talented actors like DeNiro, Meryl Streep, and Christian Bale who have played numerous characters with many different accents would never have made those films if your logic was carried out. Pacino's performance in Scarface would not have happened, Bale in Batman, American Psycho and numerous others, Ray Fiennes in Schindlers List, Brando in the Godfather, Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, Guy Pearce in Memento and LA Confidential, Tim Roth in Reservoir Dogs, Mel Gibson in Braveheart, Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men, and numerous Ben Kingsley, Hugh Jackman, and Russel Crowe films...and it goes on and on. So basically, as you defend your argument and apply it to all films and not just Cho, it demonstrates that many of the best films ever made would not be around if more people had your way of thinking, and it stems from a lack of imagination to see an actor play something other than their own background. It goes against what acting is all about.
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I admit that Dr.Gonzo is correct, this is nothing to riot about. I am a Star Trek fan and have always been, and that's just how we roll sometimes when they're fucking with the program, so maybe I can come off as getting a little too worked up about it.However, it's casting decisions like this (Cho and Pegg) that make me wonder just who in the hell they're making this movie for. Star Trek fans are already prone to not liking the idea of a reboot, so they should be considered first. And lets face it, butter it up all you want, stunt cast whomever you choose, for the most part Star Trek fans are the only people who are going to get jazzed about a new Star Trek movie. What's the biggest percent of the total audience for J.J. Abrams Star Trek that will be new, non-Trek fans? Ten percent? Fifteen maybe?
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In the best of all worlds, yes, you would get a real Alabaman with a learning disorder to play Forrest Gump. But audiences aren't going to go see that movie in the numbers they would go to see Tom Hanks play Forrest Gump. Also, a real Alabaman with a learning disorder would have a tough time with the lines, so maybe you'd just get a real Alabaman...But the studio is going to pay just any dude from Alabama to be in the big budget movie because they want to make a profit, so they say, who's hot, who's good, who will get the most assess in the seats. By YOUR twisted logic, John Cho is the go-to Asian for this demographic. The best choice when all things are considered. It's as if the casting sheet was "Japanese Male 25-30" and they were like, "I know Cho's not Japanese, but he's a household name and a great actor, so let's cast him anyway." But Cho's neither, so what the hell? I can see the logic of he's a so-so actor but at least he's Japanese over he's a so-so actor but at least he's Asian.
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Oct 14, 2007 5:45:59 PM CDT
"In the best of all worlds, you would get a real Alabaman with a
by bobo_vision
Bladehelm, its settled - you're a moron. You can't debate a moron.
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Scheduling conflicts, chemistry with the other actors, ability to take direction from the director, as well as the director's "gut" instinct all play a part. I wouldn't be so quick to bleed judgements Bladehelm, you could drown in them someday.
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IMHO Matthew Fox would be a good choice for the remaining older guy roles, including McCoy or even Pike (if he's in the movie).
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Very interesting casting that JJ is doing. Lots of cult favorites.
It will either be great or complete farce. No real in between here. -
I think that nuanced discussions are possible here, but clearly I am wrong. I am a moron for that.What I was saying was lost but I still hold the point. I can imagine a small independent film with mentally challenged actor playing the lead role in a story about a mentally challenged man who has amazing adventures throughout significant events in U.S. history. Think how wonderful and sweet it would be? Like the show Life Goes On. They got a real kid with Down Syndrome to play Corky and he was great. But a major studio isn't going to let a multi-million dollar movie rest on the shoulders of an untested mentally challenged person, it's not financially viable. It all goes back to the fact that movies are best when they're as real as possible. Go the the Grand Canyon for real if you can, if you can't, then fake it. Sometimes financial reasons get in the way of doing the real thing, sometimes reality itself gets in the way of doing the real thing. But when you watch a movie with hundreds of real people versus ten real people and hundreds of CGI people, it's better. And that rule applies, in my most humble and apparently moronic opinion, to every aspect of film making.
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I thought that bitching about minutiae is what AICN Talkbacks are all about! Sheesh! All you "Stop Bitching" and "Quit Whining" assholes out there seem to have missed the point of these forums. I didn't start the bitching, but when I got to AICN, that's what I saw...So I followed suit!
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Bladehelm, maybe they should have cast Corky as Forrest Gump...that would have been a much funnier movie. But the type of funny where you feel guilty afterwards for laughing. I can picture Corky now, sitting on a park bench with a box of chocolates and using it to make metaphors about life. Bwahahahaha!
Run, Corky! Run! -
No, seriously. Where is this stated that Sulu is Japanese? Because it sure doesn't sound Japanese. Standard romanizatin of Japanese uses 'r' for the Japanese dental flap sound. Sulum therefore, isn't a Japanese name, unless in the 24th century Japanese transliteration was arbitrarily changed. Indeed, Wikipedia, if it's to be trusted, says Roddenberry created Sulu to 'represent Asia'. Last I checked, Korea was part of Asia, so even buying 'TheBladehelm's flawed premise that actors should only play characters of the same ethnicity, this objection is small-minded.
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He was born and raised in San Francisco. Startrek.com lists him as Asian, and so therefore I must concede the ultimate point that there there is no specific Star Trek cannon that says he's Japanese. However, Hikaru is a Japanese name and George Takei is also Japanese, and it has long been the custom of Star Trek fans to fill in the blanks (such as age) in a character's history with the actor's history. He also imagines a Samurai in the episode "Shore Leave" but I suppose all Asian folks would imagine Samurai when they're on a planet that make hallucinations become real, heck, even I might picture a Samurai.
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Oct 14, 2007 9:03:21 PM CDT
According to imdb, James T Kirk was born in Riverside, Iowa.
by thenorthlander
William Shatner is Canadian.
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Oct 14, 2007 9:05:39 PM CDT
According to Wiki, Jean-Luc Picard was born in La Barre, France.
by thenorthlander
Patrick Stewart is from England.
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Has Hollyweird gone mad?
The Prime Directive states that only TEENS can appear in STINO.
Let's boycott the UFP. Tholians will helps us. Who's with me? Anybody? Where'd everybody go? WTF! -
Oct 14, 2007 9:20:37 PM CDT
...and here's the kicker: According to Wiki, Montgomery Scott wa
by thenorthlander
James Doohan is from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Montgomery Scott was born in Linlithgow, Scotland.
James Doohan is from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. -
Sulu's last name was taken from the Sulu Sea, as Roddenberry envisioned Sulu to be representative of all of Asia.[16]
This from wikipedia, in the section about Hikaru Sulu:
Novelist Vonda McIntyre first presents 'Hikaru' as the character's first name in the novel The Entropy Effect.[17] However, the name did not become canon until its mention in Star Trek VI, and it was included only after Peter David, who authored the film's comic book adaptation, visited the set and convinced director Nicholas Meyer to insert it.[18]
The name "Sulu" isn't even Japanese. The character is supposed to be from San Fransisco like you say, but George Takei is actually born in LA.
The bottom line is, if Sulu was depicted like some cardboard cutout asian and played for laughs like the Mr. Yunioshi character in Breakfast at Tiffany's played by Mickey Rooney, I'd see your point.
That, I agree, would be bad.
But he's not, so I don't. -
Oct 14, 2007 9:52:47 PM CDT
I'm sure this isnt the first time Sulu has had some Korean in hi
by bobo_vision
Hayoooooooooo!
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What's Jonathan Ke Quan up to these days? Since that Goonies sequel died, I'm sure he'd be available and would probably work for a couple of sandwiches. Plus it would be a big "F You" to the Indiana Jones group for overlooking him. And maybe he could even utter the line, "No time for love, Dr. Bones."
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