
Who knew that a tinpot sci-fi soap with bad actors, lame stories and really bad costumes in the 60s could be such a global phenomenon creating a multi-billion dollar empire of spin-off series, movies, books, countless merchandising opportunities and of course several pop-culture references. Next week sees yet another one hitting cinemas worldwide. This would be the 11th Star Trek film to grace our movie theatres and has a whole media conglomerate pinning its hope on its success. It takes viewers to the origins of the original series and how USS Enterprise came into being (Well that’s what the trailers show).
Its appeal is in its unique political relevance – peacenik “phasers” set to “stun” or “vapourise”, to explore rather than colonise “strange new worlds”, A utopian universe of multispecies crew living peacefully yet for some reason conversing in English & featuring the first ever interracial kiss seen on TV ever - among others. Apparently Nichelle Nichols (who played Uhura in the original 60s series) was urged by Martin Luther King Jr not to leave the show afterwards as she was too big a role model and played one of the most important parts in desegregating America way back then.
Is it just simple escapism washed in the optimism of space travel in the America of the 60s or something even deeper that refuses to reach that final frontier. Its creator Gene Roddenberry couldn’t have timed it better – Foremost among his vision was humanism – a compassion for the ultimate wisdom of humans and its capacity for self reliance. A tolerance for everyone on the planet, opposition to prejudice and a rejection of dogma or divine authority. Star Trek promised a better future, one where humanity could pursue its best intentions – without the lust, pains and struggles of the ‘Rat Race’.
Director JJ Abrams carries the tradition into the 21st century redefining ‘prequels’ and intends to make them even more exciting than the originals ever were.
I personally don’t mind admitting being a trekkie and share this galaxy with fellow trekkies such as Isaac Asimov, Al Gore , Barrack Obama, Stephen Hawking, Whoppi Goldberg , Matt Groening, Seth MacFarlane & Tom Hanks. I love the fact that it is so ingrained in our collective sub consciousness and its speculative science has always fed to reality – from advances in physics, shape of mobile phones and even hairstyles. In a few hundred years from now historians will be writing as to why the first US space shuttle was called Enterprise keeping the memory of star trek alive forever.



































































































































