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Star Trek Premiere Gets Standing Ovation, Surprise Showing In Austin

Posted by Soulskill on from the set-phasers-to-awesome dept.

MrKaos writes "Proving that science fiction can still be great entertainment, J.J. Abrams appears to have impressed Star Trek fans at the official world premiere of Star Trek, who gave the film a five-minute standing ovation at the Sydney Opera House in Australia today. Meanwhile, mere hours beforehand, flummoxed fans at the Alamo Drafthouse theater in Austin, TX, deceived into thinking they were seeing a special, extended version of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, were pleasantly surprised when a disguised Leonard Nimoy greeted them and announced they would be seeing the new film in its entirety. ILM's influence on the film is reported as visually stunning, and lucky Australian fans are scheduled to see the movie first, as it opens a day before the American release."

15 of 437 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Wait...what? by dietdew7 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Megan Fox

  2. Re:Idea shortage in LA by tjonnyc999 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Or Herbert's "Dune" saga. And no, a corny 80's cinematic abortion + a severely dumbed-down miniseries does not do the books any kind of justice.

  3. Already covered by Solr_Flare · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's actually, apparently, all well explained. Including other stuff like the Enterprise being built on the ground instead of in space.

    --
    You are who you are, let no one tell you different. But, never close your mind to a new point of view.
  4. Better than a refund, and maybe not planned by Chris+Burke · · Score: 5, Informative

    Those guys in Austin should demand a refund! They paid for a ticket for The Wrath of Khan, but that's not what they got. If it were me I'd be raising hell.

    The story I heard via word of mouth was that they were actually going to play Wrath of Khan, with ten minutes of sneak-preview footage from the movie that hadn't been seen before as a bonus. However shortly after Wrath started playing, the old and damaged film caught fire and was destroyed. Then Nimoy revealed himself, and instead of showing the 10 minute teaser, they showed the whole film.

    linky I found on a Drafthouse blog, btw.

    I can't imagine (though I guess it's possible) even Spock himself would dare show the full movie without authorization. So that may have been planned. The destruction of a print of Wrath... probably wasn't.

    The last time I had a film burn up (actually it was the projector bulb that exploded, side effect was the print was destroyed) all I got was a lousy refund. Getting to watch a world premiere of a movie I'd probably be interested in, rather than having my night out ruined, is way way better than a refund.

    I seriously fucking wish I had been there and I may have been but I didn't even know they were running Wrath. Why do I not check the Drafthouse web page more often?!

    --

    The enemies of Democracy are
    1. Re:Better than a refund, and maybe not planned by iluvcapra · · Score: 5, Informative

      A lamp burning the film would only destroy about five feet of it. The damaged print can be prepared and the show completed (trust me, I've done it). You can't "destroy a print" in a projector, unless it's silver nitrate, and you need a special projection booth with fire suppression in order to run those legally (and the Austin Drafthouse doesn't have that kind of booth. Trust me, I've run films there).

      --
      Don't blame me, I voted for Baltar.
    2. Re:Better than a refund, and maybe not planned by iluvcapra · · Score: 4, Informative

      Yeah, why would they have a copy of the new Star Trek film on hand the day before the official release of the new Star Trek film?

      On what planet is April 7th a day before May 8th?

      --
      Don't blame me, I voted for Baltar.
    3. Re:Better than a refund, and maybe not planned by SydShamino · · Score: 3, Informative

      Paramount created about six minutes of brand-new Khan film that included a simulated melt/burn. This was what they played. It was all part of the show.

      There had to be a reason to stop Khan and then have "dead time" to fill while the projectionist loaded the movie they intended to premiere.

      --
      It doesn't hurt to be nice.
    4. Re:Better than a refund, and maybe not planned by Richard_at_work · · Score: 3, Informative

      Because the movie was about to be released for-reals, so they'd need to be given a print?

      But you're right, I'm thinking it was planned, except that doesn't explain the film melting which the blog says the owner was surprised and upset over, or having the writers for Khan there who started an impromptu Q&A session between when the film melted and Nimoy showed up. So either this was all theatrics (certainly possible at the Alamo) with some rough execution (also possible ;), or the only intended surprise was Nimoy's visit but the owner managed to work something out.

      Either way, it sounds pretty cool to me. :)

      The problem is, the movie isnt due for release for another month - there is no reason at all for a cinema which is not doing one of the premier screenings around the world to have a full copy of the show on site a full month ahead of its release, that would be a security risk.

      I don't think there can be any doubt that this was planned well ahead of schedule.

  5. Re:Christopher Pike? by rpillala · · Score: 2, Informative

    If the small snips of reviews I've read are any indication, only spoilers can explain this. So we'll have to wait and see, or not see. I'm on the fence like I was with Watchmen.

    --
    When the axe came to the forest, the trees said, "Look out - the handle was once one of us."
  6. Re:Christopher Pike? by dtolman · · Score: 2, Informative

    Well - there's someone cast as Christopher Pike...

  7. Re:Wait...what? by DeepHurtn! · · Score: 2, Informative

    I wish it was pure action excitement -- there was far too little giant-robots-smashing-each other and waaaay too much Shia Leboeuf-being-fucking-Shia Laboeuf. God, I hate that guy.

  8. Duh. by monkeySauce · · Score: 2, Informative

    lucky Australian fans are scheduled to see the movie first, as it opens a day before the American release.

    And if it wasn't opening a day before in Australia... they wouldn't get to see it first?? (before the U.S.)

    In any case, Australians are NOT scheduled to see it first, as it opens TWO days before the U.S. in Belgium, France and Switzerland.
    http://www.startrekmovie.com/releasedates/

  9. Re:I hope it's better than Nemesis..... by d'fim · · Score: 2, Informative

    I prefer to call it "Star Trek: Nematode"

    Somehow, it just feels right.

    --
    Adherence to the truth is a form of disloyalty.
  10. Re:I hope it's better than Nemesis..... by Shakrai · · Score: 2, Informative

    But what's wrong with the % measurement?

    It's become a cheesy plot device that (along with exploding consoles) is used to convey suspense in the absence of good writing?

    --
    I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
    We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
  11. Re:Wait...what? by JBaustian · · Score: 2, Informative

    The original Star Wars, A New Hope, was largely based on Kurosawa's HIdden Fortress (Toshiro Mifune delivers a princess through enemy territory, accompanied by two lovable but trouble-prone droids, er, peasants.)

    Kurosawa was hugely influenced by American westerns and American detective stories.

    However, just because Star Wars COULD be remade as a Western, does not mean it should be. Ask Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson.