Counterfeit characters

With the roles of Kirk & Spock (etc) being recast in the new Star Trek movie, I wonder if anyone thinks these are counterfeit, i.e. not the 'real' Kirk & Spock that we have come to appreciate over the years? Essentially, for me, these roles are too bound to the actors playing them to accept anyone else in the part.

I felt the same with Starsky & Hutch - Ben Stiller etc. are not Starsky & Hutch, that's Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul.

Similarly, Kojak is not black (I forget who they cast in the remake), he's Telly Savalas!

It's not like people putting on a play, casting Hamlet or whatever, because we know what the characters look like, their mannerisms, personality etc, all which play a part in the success they had in their roles. To re-cast them seems wrong somehow.

I don't have a problem with them recasting Star Trek, although I don't think they should have Leonard Nimoy in it. It should be a completely fresh take. And James Bond has been successfully recast a number of times. I think it probably depends on the quality of the recast show or film. If it's great, it doesn't matter. If it's a disaster, the recasting suddenly seems a major stumbling block.

That's an excellent example, long-running franchise, re-cast several times, successfully.

Perhaps it's because Shatner & co. are so closely identified with their roles, it's hard to think of someone else doing it.

There only one Bilko and only one Clouseau, and neither of them are Steve Martin.

Quote: Bad dog @ April 21 2009, 5:35 PM BST

That's an excellent example, long-running franchise, re-cast several times, successfully.

Perhaps it's because Shatner & co. are so closely identified with their roles, it's hard to think of someone else doing it.

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But it would look strange to see William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and the black bird to be playing twenty year old versions of themselves! I'm not sure there's a corset tight enough for Shatner's belly.

Quote: Bad dog @ April 21 2009, 5:24 PM BST

With the roles of Kirk & Spock (etc) being recast in the new Star Trek movie, I wonder if anyone thinks these are counterfeit, i.e. not the 'real' Kirk & Spock that we have come to appreciate over the years?

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They're a different kind of Kirk & Spock. Nimoy and Shatner are getting on a bit (they are), so it'd be nigh on impossible for a new audience to belive in them as space heroes. And you never know; Pine, Quinto and co. might breathe new life in to these characters, bring something new to the Trek universe.

Quote: chipolata @ April 21 2009, 5:36 PM BST

But it would look strange to see William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and the black bird to be playing twenty year old versions of themselves! I'm not sure there's a corset tight enough for Shatner's belly.

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I know, they couldn't do it, so should the makers realise that?

I'm not sure what your favourite TV show is chip, but what if the star had a fight with the producer and walked out, and they replaced him/her with a lookalike playing the same part? Would that be OK? Even if they were talented and did a good job.

Heard a terrible rumour that while they were going out, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were planning to remake Casablaca. That would have sucked. I like Affleck (form time to time) but he is no Bogart. And JLo vs Ingrid Bergman - no contest. One of the most beautiful women who ever lived, or a pop singer with a big bum. Not a chance.

That sounds like Gigli 2!

One for the Dr Who fans. What did you think of the recasting of the first Doctor in 'The Five Doctors?' Was that ok?

Bad Dog. I have to say this - I feel you're being a bit precious over this whole re-casting thing. Isn't it a good thing that people still care enough about Star Trek to bring it back? This is (hopefully) a new beginning for the series, for a new audience. You seem to think of it as untouchable, and are slightly possessive over what are simply characters, however iconic they may be.

You're probably quite right, Balf, but I just wondered what other people thought about the idea of recasting in general (not only for the Star Trek movie). Perhaps more people like the idea than don't and I will have to get used to it.

They've remade The Taking of Pelham 123 with John Travolta and Denzil Washington so I think Star Trek is getting off lightly with the re-casting. (And don't even get me started on the Pink Panther).

Personally, I think there should be a 'National Heritage' style order on certain films, forbidding any kind of 're-imagining'. I don't care that Psycho is in black and white or that Jaws featured a rubber shark or that Cool Hand Luke didn't have any rappers in the cast, they shouldn't be tampered with.

Long running franchises like Bond, Star Trek and even Batman need to be freshened up from time to time to keep audiences interested over the decades.

Having said that, if they made a film starring Roger Moore and William Shatner galivanting across the South of France as retired jewel thieves desperate for one more job, I'd probably watch it.

I still think Lee Mack should play Rigsby.

I am being slightly hypocritical here, but there was a show called Alias Smith and Jones about two outlaws in the old West. One of the stars, Pete Duel, sadly killed himself and was replaced by Roger Davis, who not only was a terrible actor, but had played a villain in the series before hand. I saw one of the episodes, and it just wasn't the same. There was absolutley no chemistry between him and Ben Murphy, which was what the show was about.

Itchy and Scratchy = (Tom and Jerry) x 10

---- seemed sort of related to topic, maybe ?