It's hardly considered unusual anymore. Indiana Jones, Han Solo, Lara Croft, they're all getting re-cast with younger stars in new stories - and of course, the James Bond franchise has carried on this tradition for over half a century.
Maybe that has something to do with the power of modern myths. As the story gets passed down from generation to generation, some changes are inevitable to suit the changing times. The core of the myth, however, remains the same. Kirk: explorer, diplomat, defender. A born leader, ever conscientious of the lives entrusted to him. A man of action, the embodiment of the American self-image during the Kennedy years and his plan for space travel in specific.
People make fun of Shatner's acting on the show, but I think he's just a product of his time. He's not a Brandoesque Method man; he's more of a throwback to the old Hollywood, which was more about the force of one's screen persona. Shatner radiated that force, that magnetism, as Kirk, and if he came across as more... individualistic than most actors, well, there are worse cinematic crimes.
We know now that Shatner may have stepped on the toes of some of his co-stars. We also know Shatner himself felt threatened by Leonard Nimoy's popularity for a time. I don't think knowing these things detracts from the quality of his performances, however much we may wish everyone got along well. Shatner's got an ego, no doubt. At the same time, he's not afraid to have it punctured once in awhile.
Ultimately, if you're a Trekkie, you just have to accept Shatner for who he is, warts and all. He personified one of the greatest fictional characters of the 20th century for almost thirty years. I think he's entitled to strut a little.
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Previously:
Chris Pine's Kirk
Jonathan Archer
Kathryn Janeway
Benjamin Sisko
Jean-Luc Picard
I like what you said about the "warts and all". That's how we have to take life and everyone in it, why not our starship captains. To me, if you don't have Kirk and Shatner as Kirk, you don't really have the Trek Universe.
ReplyDeleteWell, I've grown to appreciate other interpretations of the character as well, but I suppose one could say that since those alternate takes are influenced by Shatner, his imprint will always be there.
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