Weekday Post #28: Star Trek is to Art Films as Spago is to Restaurants

I get email all the time from people who have never seen a Star Wars or a Star Trek film because they mistakenly believe that both franchises are stupid and only appeal to “geeks.” One recent emailer described himself as “an art film snob who would never waste time on either series.” He went on to suggest that I do the same.

The belief that Star Wars and Star Trek are both stupid is actually a common misconception among people who prefer independent film. Unfortunately, many cinemaphiles assume that because both film series take place in space and have the word “star” in their title that they are similar in other ways as well. Many emailers have accentuated that both films feature common sci-fi gadgetry such as robots, laser guns, and holograms, which they claim means that the two movie series are fundamentally the same. However, such a comparison is not accurate because the use of those elements differs considerably.

Let me explain with an allegory. A McDonalds hamburger is made of a meat patty, lettuce, onion, pickle, and bun. The same ingredients are used by Wolfgang Puck for the hamburgers at Spago. Just as Mr. Puck produced a better burger though artistry and skill, Gene Roddenberry created a superior sci-fi story that vastly exceeded the sum of its familiar parts.

Those who erroneously believe that that all sci-fi is stupid (thanks to Star Wars’ unforgivable demeaning of the genre) are denying themselves the pleasure and life-changing experience of watching Star Trek, the greatest cinematic masterpiece of both the 20th and 21st centuries. To the “art film snob” emailer and everyone who feels like him, I declare that I am your brother; I also am an art film snob because I love Star Trek, which is inarguably the most artistic film ever made. Don’t let the wooden acting, asinine dialogue, and banal special effects of Star Wars taint your perception of Star Trek. I guarantee that if you watch it, you will wonder how you ever considered yourself snobbish about cinema without it.