Ah, the classic STAR WARS vs STAR TREK debate. Younger readers might not remember, but there was a time when fanboys of both franchises would constantly argue about which one is the superior sci-fi adventure. These debates still continue today, however the intensity of those arguments has definitely subsided the past few years. You'll still find one or two super hardcore fans every now and then but it's not like it was in the past when sometimes it felt like Syria vs Israel between the two fanbases.
TREK NATION is an upcoming documentary about how STAR TREK impacted the lives of many people and it's narrated by Rod Roddenberry, creator Gene Roddenberry's son. The film came out on DVD yesterday and one of the bonus features is an interview with George Lucas about how STAR TREK helped open the door for STAR WARS.
STAR TREK softened up the entertainment arena so that STAR WARS could come along and stand on its shoulders. There was an effective group of people in the beginning who accepted it..that it wasn't that far out. For the studios it was way far out, [they said] 'what is this?', but there was a fanbase out there — primarily the STAR TREK fanbase — who understood sci-fi, understood visual sci-fi, and was ready for something like this (STAR WARS) to be in the feature arena.
It's nice to see Lucas giving credit where credit's due, even if what he is saying isn't something new or groundbreaking. Ironically it was STAR WARS success that helped bring STAR TREK to the big screen, so I think it's safe to say both franchises have benefited from having the other around. Now play nice guys and don't ever, EVER call Han Solo a bitch.
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