Column #8 - The Trouble With Trilogies

The most implacable foe that Captain Kirk, Mister Spock, and the crew of Starship Enterprise ever faced wasn't the Klingon Empire; it wasn't a Romulan bird-of-prey, or Ricardo Monteban's genetically-superior-though-still-motivated-by-less-than-altruistic-means-that-ultimately-lead-to-his-downfall, "Khan!" No, the greatest foe they ever faced was T...R...I...L...O...G...I...E...S. Capital 'T' through capital 'S'.

Trilogies are those cute and fuzzy little guys that sneak right up on with the subtlety of a bad cup of coffee. Oh, sure they seem innocuous, hey we've already spent time with them twice before, but that's their 'oh so nefarious' plan. Make you fall in love with them and then they 'screw you at the drive-through!' Wait, that's from a sequel...that became a trilogy...that became a quadrology - er, something along those lines. There's even stirrings of another Lethal Weapon, one in which they examine that deep psychological underpinnings of pain that motivate Mel Gibson's Martin Riggs. Honest Abe. And if you believe this then you believe that the Matrix series is only about existentialism.

There's a dangerous new trend in movie making, well, actually it's not so new, but it's just as dangerous all the same. It's the pursuit of the almighty dollar, and if there was any doubt about its 'mightiness', this year should put it to rest. For in this, the third year of the millennium, this year will hence-be-forth known as "The Year of Third Sequel"...at least for the duration of this column. If sequels are whore's movies then trilogies must be whore_. There have already been second sequels this year for American Pie, the Matrix, and Terminator. In fact, the best second sequel this summer may've been Once Upon A Time In Mexico, follow-up of both El Mariachi and Desperado. Of all the sequel-extravaganzas, this is the only third sequel that I continue to think fondly of, now that the Matrix Revolutions has driven the stake through the heart of that franchise. Johnny Depp reached new highs playing so low. The Lord of the Rings wraps up this winter with what I hope is a worthy ending to a very well executed and surprisingly touching action-trilogy.

The trilogy has conveyed power for innumerable years; think back to the Holy Trinity, that's right I'm talking about Star Wars. The one and only original three, not the laughable and sub-par follow-ups that George Lucas claims to have had a long and undying desire to share with the world. I'm sure that the $1.5 billion, yes that's billion with a 'b', in associated merchandising and ancillary revenue, earned before a pixel of film for The Phantom Menace was ever struck, was just that, an ancillary benefit. Yeah, and I've got some prime ocean-view real estate to sell you in the Rockies. No, it was what it's always about...Say it together now - M-O-N-E-Y.

Now, just because money is your goal, doesn't mean that you can't make a good series or tell good stories. Back to the Future was entertaining. Indiana Jones is some of the best in Spielberg's oeuvre, though in re-release the effects look tired and dated, the stories retain such power and characters so involving that these movies remain classics. Each of the three movies in the Star Wars trilogy has its own heart and story to tell, while also advancing the super-plot and mythology of the entire series. Star Wars was the papa, the progenitor that proved sci-fi westerns could work. The Empire Strikes Back was the reality, the example that even in fantasy there are pounds of flesh to be paid, or flash-frozen. Return of the Jedi was the wrapper, literally wrapping up many competing storylines. Who does Leia choose, Luke or Han? Is Vader really a father figure? The story never flags for want of excitement, never lacks for logic, always rewards the viewer and satisfies the diehardest of fans. Most movies can't lay claim to this in their original forms.

Somehow though, the granddaddy of all sequels, James Bond, continues to ply its trade, with movies numbering in the twenties. The reason for its continuing success is probably that the character is so flat he's one-dimensional, no need for expensive dubbing in the foreign marketplaces, and the stories so simple they border on the autistic. Nonetheless, James Bond is what James Bond is...An ass-kicking secret agent superhero fantasy. While no one will ever mistake a James Bond movie for art, there serve their purpose and satisfy their fans. But more importantly, I like them.

In case any one is wondering, Star Trek, a series that has been unsatisfying for its fans for quite some time due to over-saturation, just finished their tenth movie, the first film in their fourth trilogy, or rather their sequel's-sequel-sequel's-sequel's-sequel. Is it any wonder that this franchise seems to be falling faster than Pamela Anderson's morals at a Motley Crue reunion?
Jess Nakaska is an aspiring screenwriter always on the lookout for the next great script idea. He'll let you know if he finds it. Feel free to contact him at jessnakaska@hotmail.com.