I’ve been mocking the subset of Trekkers (note the differentiation between them and Trekkies) who’ve gone all apoplectic over the Star Trek relaunch. I mean like the new flick or not, I find it hard to stomach the notion that its existence somehow ruins the existing history, when said history is right there for the watching on any number of mediums.
Today, though, I have to eat my mockery (just a little bit, though) because my gut reaction to the following news is probably very similar to what these people felt when they heard Abrams was tapped to re-launch Trek: Vertigo Entertainment, along with the rights holders to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Fran and Kaz Kuzui), intend to relaunch it in the hopes of establishing a new film franchise. Fran Kuzui was the director of the original crappy movie (which Kaz “developed” from whatever Whedon originally produced) and he’s tapped as the one to make make this one. Classic Buffy TV characters like Willow, Xander, and Giles are, evidently, not on the table and Whedon, up to this point, is not involved. (Linkage here.)
To say I hate the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie just as much as I adore most of the TV series would be an understatement. And yes, I know Whedon did author the original movie script, but whether the results of it are his brainchild or not, it was, quite simply, bad. (And for what it’s worth, the Wiki to which I linked above claims Whedon’s original vision for the movie was much compromised.)
In any case, as much as I think it’s unnecessary to relaunch Buffy at this time (the series hasn’t been gone that long and the Season 8 comic is going strong) I wouldn’t mind someday seeing a complete Buffy relaunch… that is if I had any faith that it would actually be good. But you combine the lack (so far) of Whedon and the presence of the two people most directly responsible for making the movie and there’s little reason to think whatever they produce is going to be worth the time or money it’ll take to go see it. This feels like a cash grab. Though, if the flick happens, see it I most likely will. I never said I had any integrity with regards to such matters.
Nonetheless, to quote Han Solo, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
Oh and one last thing as long as it’s on topic. I got back around to re-watching Season 5 of Angel on DVD –which, so far and with a few episodes excepted, isn’t nearly as good as I remembered it- and I just got through watching the final episode to feature the character of Cordelia Chase. I’m continually amazed how much I grew to adore that character. She really turned out to be one of the great female heroines and her final episode got me all misty at multiple points despite the fact that the director/producer shamelessly had her leave the top three buttons of her shirt undone so her cleavage could make its own appearance… in every. single. shot. Hey, I like tits as much as the next guy, but gimme a break.
