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2008 - Star Trek vs. Star Wars


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Star Trek vs. Star Wars  

57 members have voted

  1. 1. Star Trek vs. Star Wars

    • Star Trek
      17
    • Star Wars
      32
    • I'm An Indecisive Loser
      6
    • I Decisively Hate Both Equally
      2


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No, Star Trek did not change the movie business. It didn't pioneer much cinematically (though I think the Genesis tape was a breakthrough digital effects shot). I would say though that as whole, Star Trek has been consistently far more entertaining than Star Wars. There's no question that the original Star Wars is one of the most influential movies ever made. Is that what we are judging, the impact on cinema? I didn't think that was the intent of this poll. If so you could say Star Wars has made a strong impact on film while Star Trek made a much bigger impact on television. There have been 6 Star Trek series on TV over the last 40+ years. Star Wars has had three minute shorts between commercials, Droids and Ewoks cartoons, some Ewok movies and of course, the Holiday Special. None of them really set the world on fire. Most Star Wars fans I bet haven't seen these and if they had may have wished they haven't.

So what are we judging here. which provides more entertainment? It's got to be Star Trek, just because there is more to choose from and enjoy. Star Wars has a couple of movies (which a lot, note I'm not saying majority, of people don't especially enjoy) and that's about it. The sheer quantity of Star Trek material easily trumps Star Wars.

And here's one final thought about the movies....

While the best Star Trek movie may not be as good as Star Wars, the worst Star Trek movie is not as bad as the worst Star Wars movie.

Neil

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Actually the thread is about which franchise is your favorite which makes it completely subjective and personal. As I said above, my personal favorite franchise is Star Trek. But I like/love Star Wars too. I could just prefer to spend more time in the Star Trek universe than the Wars universe.

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Alex...you are sooo wrong in terms of visual effects it is a testament to your ignorant claims.

Star Trek has since Wrath of Khan been an innovator in among the most groundbreaking CG effects in cinema... From the opening of that movie, to its Genesis sequence, to Star Trek IV and to the trial sequence in Star Trek VI and the digital morphing of the shapeshifter. Half of those were so meticulously done that 99% of people don't realize that they're watching something digital...

And don't get me started on the television influences. Every Star Trek series since TNG, even the crappy Enterprise was at the forefront of visual effects for television.

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When you talk about how influential a piece of cinema is I think you have go go way beyond the obvious things like visual effects and other production values. Clearly, Star Wars and its sequels were revolutionary in many film making techniques but in terms of substance you will find that Lucas grabbed from all manner of myth, legend and sci-fi convention (including Star Trek, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers etc.), the works of Akira Kurasawa and many, many others. Not that I'm accusing him of ripping these sources off, but that he hardly dreamed all this stuff up himself.

Interestingly, while both franchises are culturally relevant Star Trek seems to have fit more into our world than Star Wars and even much of our current technology seems inspired by it. They even named a space shuttle after the starship Enterprise. Modern cell phones bear an uncanny resemblance to the flip-lid communicators the original Star Trek crew used. Warp drive has been legitimately explored by physicists and talking computers are now old-hat.

Visual effects are a fluid art form whose state is always advancing and changing. But great story-telling and imagination never goes out of style.

Here's a good dispassionate view of the Star Wars mythology. Lengthy but worth the read. http://www.decentfilms.com/sections/articles/starwars.html

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I voted Star Wars, but these franchises are hard to compare because they're so drastically different in both purpose and genre. Besides being "science fiction," they are not similar universes in the least.

Star Wars is the sweeping epic set in the romantic past - which just happens to be in space.

Star Trek is an intelligent hypothesis of what could be in the not-too-distant future.

The focus in Star Trek is often on science and technology, as well as philosophy. I'm not a science geek, which is a big reason I prefer Star Wars.

And while I think the philosophical/spiritual storytelling possibilities within the Star Trek universe might be far more interesting than the Star Wars story, I find that the execution is what really makes it inferior. Yes, you have some great ideas/concepts/quandaries being tested out in Star Trek episodes and films, but poor acting and other cheesy elements generally drag it down way below it's potential.

Excluding the bulk of the prequels, Star Wars executed its fascinating premise in a much more impressive, endearing way to me.

And to everyone who hates Star Trek: TMP, I have to say that I consider it the best Trek film. To me, it's the only one that feels like a genuine science fiction film - the rest of them feel like caricatures of themselves. TMP is the only one I can take completely seriously.

Of course, Goldsmith's score doesn't hurt it either...

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And to everyone who hates Star Trek: TMP, I have to say that I consider it the best Trek film. To me, it's the only one that feels like a genuine science fiction film - the rest of them feel like caricatures of themselves. TMP is the only one I can take completely seriously.

Of course, Goldsmith's score doesn't hurt it either...

I agree.

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I voted Star Wars, but these franchises are hard to compare because they're so drastically different in both purpose and genre. Besides being "science fiction," they are not similar universes in the least.

Star Wars is the sweeping epic set in the romantic past - which just happens to be in space.

Star Trek is an intelligent hypothesis of what could be in the not-too-distant future.

The focus in Star Trek is often on science and technology, as well as philosophy. I'm not a science geek, which is a big reason I prefer Star Wars.

And while I think the philosophical/spiritual storytelling possibilities within the Star Trek universe might be far more interesting than the Star Wars story, I find that the execution is what really makes it inferior. Yes, you have some great ideas/concepts/quandaries being tested out in Star Trek episodes and films, but poor acting and other cheesy elements generally drag it down way below it's potential.

Excluding the bulk of the prequels, Star Wars executed its fascinating premise in a much more impressive, endearing way to me.

And to everyone who hates Star Trek: TMP, I have to say that I consider it the best Trek film. To me, it's the only one that feels like a genuine science fiction film - the rest of them feel like caricatures of themselves. TMP is the only one I can take completely seriously.

Of course, Goldsmith's score doesn't hurt it either...

trying to figure out the bad acting, sure there was campy, but you can't call what the 3 principals of Star Trek bad, certainly not Patrick Stewart, Andrew Robinson, and a host of other fine character actors. Yes in hundreds and hundreds of hours of Star Trek there were bad episodes but of the principals and supporting cast, most were competent, indeed a few worthy of acting awards.

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Indeed, in addition to the strong talents of the many fine actors to work on Trek, SW films, if at least where the Prequels are concerned, can't beat the chemistry between Kirk, Spock and McCoy. That said, I'd say the OT cast had exellent chemistry

On a different note, how would one compare the console/PC games? Just curious...I'm familiar with a number of the SW titles, but haven't played a Trek game.

ASW, who loves both SW (OT and the scores anyway) and ST

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thematically they are both space westerns.

Star Wars is a space opera, which honestly is mostly a sub genre of sci-fi. Star Trek is much closer to the broader field of science fiction.

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And any makeup effects fan will tell you that the Howling has far better makeup than An American Werewolf in London, or is that Bearwolf in London.

That's ridiculous. Baker's effects are still held up now by a lot of people as the finest example of lycanthropy on film, especially the transformation. Bottin's work is still worth mentioning, but his transformation looks absolutely terrible today, which I find strange as his amazing work in THE THING the following year still holds up perfecly.

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For me it is clearly Star Wars..

I always enjoyed the films, books, toys, Videogames

Star Trek just fo me is the most boring thing on earth

:lol: You are my twin soul!

Star wars rulz.

So what are we judging here. which provides more entertainment? It's got to be Star Trek, just because there is more to choose from and enjoy. Star Wars has a couple of movies (which a lot, note I'm not saying majority, of people don't especially enjoy) and that's about it. The sheer quantity of Star Trek material easily trumps Star Wars.

So, the making of the clone wars and tv series is a good thing! :D

And here's one final thought about the movies....

While the best Star Trek movie may not be as good as Star Wars, the worst Star Trek movie is not as bad as the worst Star Wars movie.

Yeah but that has a Williams score :P

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And any makeup effects fan will tell you that the Howling has far better makeup than An American Werewolf in London, or is that Bearwolf in London.

That's ridiculous. Baker's effects are still held up now by a lot of people as the finest example of lycanthropy on film, especially the transformation. Bottin's work is still worth mentioning, but his transformation looks absolutely terrible today, which I find strange as his amazing work in THE THING the following year still holds up perfecly.

no the were wolf in AWIL is just awful, it looks like a bear, both transformation sequences are very similar, but the werewolf in the howling is far more terrifying and scary than the laugable bearwolf.

Bakers efforts for the upcoming Wolf Man look amazing.

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Look at my name!!

I love Star Wars, the original trilogy were my favorite films when I was a child. The films made me falling in love with movies and I think they are the main reason for my dream of work in the film industry. And of course, I started to like Williams because of them. And yes, I also love the prequels.

I have never seen any of the Star Trek series, and only a couple of films but I don´t remember anything (only that Whoopi Goldberg was on one of them).

With J.J. Abrahams (and Giacchino) in the new film (and being a prequel) I will give it an oportunity.

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King Kong should be #1 as its influence has spanned so many generations of filmmakers, far greater than Star Wars.

Yes it should.

When I hear a majority of special effects artists talk about their influences the names of Ray Harryhausen and Willis O'Brien are mentioned quite a bit.

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When we are talking about which film influenced the present generation of FX people, then I think Star Wars beats King Kong without any effort. Before Star Wars arrived, you could count the people doing visual effects on one hand. Today that number has increased beyond belief. There are so much more options now. It has become an industry on its own. If you should wonder why Tron is ranked so high, then think of all the people working with CGI today because of it.

Alex - Who thinks that King Kong with its #7 spot is no reason to whine.

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Star Trek was very pioneering and influential as a piece of science fiction. It pretty much influenced every modern sci fi television show. And it also had an impact on film.

And I voted for Star Trek, there's just so much of it and it has better stories and is often very insightful.

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I love them both equally. I guess I'm an indecisive loser.

I guess I am as well. I also agree with Maestro in that these franchises are quite different from each other. Star Trek is an optimistic glimpse of the future while Star Wars is a magnificent space opera. And they're both awesome. Favorite movie of all time: Star Wars. Favorite tv show of all time: Star Trek: The Next Generation. I love my medical PADD aka PDA.

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Can't believe Star Wars is winning this poll...

BTW nice pic there Hitch. Star Trek IV was easily my second favorite film from the TOS crew (Star Trek II is my favorite one).

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Can't believe Star Wars is winning this poll...

BTW nice pic there Hitch. Star Trek IV was easily my second favorite film from the TOS crew (Star Trek II is my favorite one).

I suppose you are being sarcastic...

BTW asking this on a Goldsmith forum, and you have the oppposite votes.

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The Force is strong with this one.

Hey Josh, how about a poll comparing the scores for Star Wars and Star Trek: The Motion Picture? :(

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I suppose you are being sarcastic...

Not this time... I vastly prefer Star Trek over Star Wars.

Yeah but you are always saying that its stupid to make these polls comparing Williams related things with other composers, as we clearly are Williams fans...

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