"Frakes Says Give 'Enterprise' A Chance"

[master_q 0]

"Frakes Says Give 'Enterprise' A Chance"

 

Author: Michael Hinman

Date: 09-17-2003

Source: SyFy Portal

 

(Picture From SyFy Portal)

 

His voice and look is almost as iconic as William Shatner's Capt. James T. Kirk from the original "Star Trek" series.

 

His breakthrough series, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" has been off the air for nearly a decade now, but Jonathan Frakes continues to enjoy major popularity both inside and outside of Star Trek. Moving beyond his role of Cmdr. William T. Riker, Frakes has taken on directing, making his film debut with "Star Trek: First Contact" in 1996 and continuing with 1998's "Star Trek: Insurrection" and later with 2002's "Clockstoppers" and now the upcoming British television series remake movie, "The Thunderbirds."

 

Frakes has remained busy, and has spent the last year in England with his family while working on "Thunderbirds." But that didn't stop the Pennsylvania native from taking a few minutes to talk to SyFy Portal about his latest movie project, as well as the state of the Star Trek franchise -- a discussion that has been ongoing since 1998.

 

Is Star Trek dying? Not as far as Frakes is concerned.

 

"I think when you have things like the (James) Bond franchise, Star Wars, and the such, there will always be an audience for something Star Trek, I hope," Frakes recently told SyFy Portal's Michael Hinman.

 

Although the 2002 film "Star Trek: Nemesis," in which he co-starred with Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner, didn't receive the audience numbers the studio expected, Frakes said that there still was a lot for Star Trek fans to take away from the movie. And there is no bad blood between him and Paramount Pictures for passing him over on directing a third film, and going with Stuart Baird instead.

 

"I was happy to have only the acting to worry about, and to be able to read the paper between takes," Frakes said of the "Nemesis" shooting. "I was disappointed (on not being named the director) as well. But it was a tough schedule (for me), because I was finishing 'Clockstoppers' and I was about to do the pilot for 'The Twilight Zone.' But there was good stuff in ('Nemesis'), and there is a lot of Star Trek available to people."

 

Frakes new movie, "The Thunderbirds," is progressing "swimmingly" in post-production. Frakes said that he and his crew are in the process of editing and adding sound effects and music, and are waiting for "fabulous opticals to come in."

 

"We're in a mad rush to get finished, and to test it before Christmas, and then to get the composer working on it," Frakes said. "It will be in the theaters next summer, and we're hoping to have a trailer with 'Cat in the Hat' in March. It's just been the greatest experience."

 

The movie is a prequel to the 1960s British television series, and includes a cast with Brady Corbet (Alan Tracy), Bill Paxton (Jeff Tracy), Soren Fulton (Fermat), Ben Kingsley (The Hood) and Anthony Edwards (Brains). Although British audiences will pick up on many of the film's themes, Frakes said this movie is something people will enjoy around the world.

 

"It's based on a '60s television show from England that most of us in America didn't know anything about," Frakes said. "In America, it will be a big action-adventure fantasy film. In England and Japan, where 'Thunderbirds' was, it will be a live-action adventure that they will remember."

 

The movie, Frakes said, will appeal to a "Spy Kids" audience, where younger people will rave, and parents will be pleasantly surprised that they enjoyed the movie as well.

 

"The American audience will accept it as the big action-adventure film that it is," Frakes said. "I think it's like making the right Star Trek movie. You don't need to know anything about Picard or Riker to understand that they are on the Enterprise and are boldly going where no man has gone before."

 

While the movie is set 10 years before the series, Frakes said he's not worried about some "Thunderbird" purists who might criticize the changes made for the film.

 

"I think that's a given," Frakes said about that type of criticism. "We've had this when we first came out with 'Next Generation.' Hardcore fans were not prepared to face a new crew. But that's all part of the excitement."

 

With Frakes busy with motion pictures, will there be a return to television, and possibly even a return to Star Trek? The actor/director was quick not to rule out the possibility.

 

"I love television, and I'm looking to keep as busy as possible," Frakes said. "I'm trying to find projects to sell here in England, so it's been an ongoing, unpredictable business. (Television is) nothing like the states here. The don't have a pilot season like the states, and don't have the demand for product like the American system does."

 

But if he ever found himself back in Hollywood, Frakes said he would love to work with Scott Bakula and crew on "Star Trek: Enterprise."

 

"Absolutely, I would do it," Frakes said. "I think that Bakula is a wonderful captain, and that show has explored interesting new terrain. The schedule hasn't permitted (me to direct), but hopefully it will in the future."

--SyFyPortal http://www.syfyportal.com/article.php?id=1137

 

 

Master Q

StarTrek_Master_Q@yahoo.com

[Captain Bolivar 0]

Nice to hear that he likes the show! Might help give the show a better name.