A question....

martok2112 · October 6th, 2004, 03:57 AM

I realize that many will say that Galactica should never have been remade.

However, let's set that notion aside for a moment and consider this:

Obviously the fans lay the blame on the perceived bad quality of TNS to lie with Bonnie Hammer, David Eick, Ronald D. Moore, and Michael Rymer.

Here's a hypothetical:

Do you think that writer/director James Cameron could've done a faithful remake, while keeping within some of his sci-fi trappings?

What I mean is, look at ALIENS and the first two TERMINATOR films. James Cameron has an incredible eye for detail, and likes to convey a sense of realism in his sci-fi. Yet he manages to write stories that immediately grab the viewer, and make you care about the characters he writes about.

Now, I am not saying that James Cameron would turn Galactica into an R rated gloomfest like ALIENS and TERMINATOR.

I guess...if James Cameron were a fan of the original Galactica, do you think he would've done the original series justice as a remake or even a continuation?

Inquisitively,
Martok2112

ernie90125 · October 6th, 2004, 04:16 AM

A lot of the things that upset me about the remake, and still do, were the changes made to character's gender, and the things that were hurtful to see happen to a show I was so fond of.

If James Cameron had done the re-make, I would still have been disappointed that it had not been a continuation, but he would have done it differently, and any changes might not have been as hurtful...

If it had been a Continuation, then once again we will never know, but at least in a Continution it is unlikely that he would have managed to have gotten away with the sex changes !

But based upon James Cameron's previous successes, I would have trusted him more with my beloved BSG, than MooreRon....

CommanderTaggart · October 6th, 2004, 06:34 AM

Martok, I couldn't say unless I saw the script, and whether it was a continuation (which it should have been), or at least a faithful remake. It depends less, I think, on the Director and more on the Director's vision. Let me state, again, that given what RDM did with DS9, I have no doubt that he could have done BSG justice if he had gone the continuation route... and had tried to remain "true to the lore." If Cameron had been in charge, and made RDM-like changes, I'd be every bit as upset as I am with RDM. DeSanto was the right man, in the right place, at the right time. Period.

In the end, given Skiffy's money woes, I'm starting to be glad that RDM didn't do a continuation, b/c it truly could have been the final nail in BSG's coffin. At least all the hoopla proves to the suits that there is still interest in BSG, and when they see how Bonnie and Co. have bungled it, I think they'll be more likely to go the continuation route in its next (hopefully big-screen) incarnation.

peter noble · October 6th, 2004, 06:55 AM

What Bill said!

Excelsior!

Peter

martok2112 · October 6th, 2004, 06:56 AM

Given the rather vague scope of my question....I would have to wholeheartedly agree with much of the sentiment in respect for classic fans' feelings regarding the RDM matter.

Respectfully,
Martok2112

julix · October 6th, 2004, 06:59 AM

A question Tag that I have brought up before but I don't know if you answered.....I read an outline for Desanto's version of BG and it had Boxey as Commander and Apollo as a cylon.....What did you think of the version? I was surprized when i saw the outline(it was on BG.com)because that didn't fit at all with my vision of a continuation. Just curious as to your thoughts.

Martok...
I like James Cameron's work, it is hard to say what could have happened. I do think it was handeled very badly PR wise by RDM perhaps Cameron could have done better. I think Continuation was always the way to go. Hatch himself even said they could have done a catch up movie before they went on...anything for the fans who have waited 25 years....Now, maybe I hope and pray we will get a continuation movie at last............

CommanderTaggart · October 6th, 2004, 07:35 AM

Julix, I'd be lying if I said that I was 100% jazzed about the Boxey-as-Commander and Apollo-as-Cylon storyline. That being said, I was of much more of a mind to "give it a chance" than I was RDM's tripe. Again, it would all have come down to the execution of the concepts in an actual story arc, and I have all confidence that Tom DeSanto could have made that work.

I have theorized before that the Apollo-as-Cylon concept was probably more political than anything else. The studio wasn't a big fan of Richard Hatch because of his efforts to ressurect BSG. I suspect that having him appear as an assimilated Cylon at the end of the pilot was DeSanto's way of bringing Apollo in through the "back door." Having a story arc in which Apollo is rescued and returned to normal would have given DeSanto time to prove to the suits how popular... and necessary... Apollo is to the franchise, not to mention the dramatic potential of the anguish both Boxey and Starbuck would have experienced in discovering that Apollo was still alive, but stripped of his humanity. Would have made for some meaty stories.

Since the Galactica, at that point, was largely ceremonial (and about to be decommissioned), it is not at all illogical that the Commander of the Galactica would be a largely ceremonial position. So, why not give that ceremonial title to the son of the Fleet's greatest fallen hero? I could see where the Council of the Twelve would think that made for some wonderfully superficial warm fuzzies.

I suspect that once the Fleet was underway again, despite Boxey's ingenuity in having secretly developed the advanced Vipers (and his quick thinking with the ice wall), there would have been ongoing debate as to whether he was actually qualified to command the Galactica now that it was once again humanity's last defense. This, too, could have made for some epic and dramatic storytelling.

So, yes; I can see where some folks might, at first blush, dismiss these ideas, but I think that once you look past the surface and prod the story potential of DeSanto's scenario... you'll find that we would have been in for some meaty conflict and drama... the likes of which RDM can only dream about with his Dysfunctional Family Robinson show. Hmmm. Maybe I'll add that to the Rename the Remake thread.

bsg1fan1975 · October 6th, 2004, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommanderTaggart

DeSanto was the right man, in the right place, at the right time. Period.

In the end, given Skiffy's money woes, I'm starting to be glad that RDM didn't do a continuation, b/c it truly could have been the final nail in BSG's coffin. At least all the hoopla proves to the suits that there is still interest in BSG, and when they see how Bonnie and Co. have bungled it, I think they'll be more likely to go the continuation route in its next (hopefully big-screen) incarnation.

Amen to that! A nice big wrap up of the story of our favorite people!

ernie90125 · October 6th, 2004, 09:16 AM

Quote:

about the Boxey-as-Commander and Apollo-as-Cylon storyline.

I'll be 100% honest, and say that I didn't like this one bit... It has been done before, with Luke redeeming his father Darth Vader, and also when in Star Trek Picard became a Borg.

I also feel that Starbuck serving under Boxey was highly unlikely.....

I loved the idea of Continuing BSG, and Richard's efforts and storyline, are pretty well what I had dreamed for, but to be honest the Apollo as a Cylon story arc Tom DeSanto came up with was poor in my view...

Then again, I would still rather see it happen than a remake or nothing !

Ioraptor · October 6th, 2004, 09:36 AM

Hmmm, how about Ridley Scott as the director of a continuation or remake. His handling of Legend and Bladerunner was great fun. I think he could capture the space fantasy spirit of TOS if he put his mind to it.