How William Shatner Changed the World (and Ballet)

October 6, 2009 11:31 PM

Canadian actor William Shatner continues to diversify his cultural contributions in two recent documentaries making the rounds on the film festival circuit entitled: How William Shatner Changed the World (youtube trailer) and William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet (youtube clip).
posted by rumbles (32 comments total)

Youtube frenzy go go go!

Rocketman
It Was a Very Good Year
Mysteries of the gods
posted by Artw at 11:42 PM on October 6, 2009

So, this William Shatner fellow. A canadian actor, you say? What's he been in?
posted by lifeless at 12:02 AM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]

I enjoyed "How Shatner Changed the World" -- the cinematography was pretty great, and most of the segments were entertaining (except for the last one, which just devolved into that winky-winky Shatner thing that can get tiring). From what I've heard, it was originally called "How Star Trek Saved the World," but there was a copyright issue, so they brought Shatner in, shot some wraparounds, and re-titled it. I saw it way back in 2006 -- on the Discovery Channel. Not sure that counts as "recent."
posted by turducken at 12:03 AM on October 7, 2009

This is actually a tribute to Gene Roddenberry, who envisioned, so strongly, a future that we could all be a part of. When someone pays tribute to Bill, or Leonard, or DeForest, or George, however tongue in cheek, they know, with absolute certainty, they are standing on the shoulders of giants. Captain Kirk is the elephant in the room, and after a while, it's like being a guest-star on Sesame Street... they aren't dancing to Bill Shatner's song, they're dancing to Captain Kirk's song, and congratulating themselves on tricking Shatner into being a silly version of Captain Kirk, not realizing they're one of a dozen =this year= to try that trick...

As Bill the actor is kind of awesome, and deserves money tossed his way, I'm OK with this.
posted by Slap*Happy at 12:16 AM on October 7, 2009

Also recently.
posted by shoebox at 12:22 AM on October 7, 2009

Yeah, that was a Discovery channel two part special and I watched it three years ago, so I don't know how that could be considered recent.

P.S. This is the best Shatner video you will ever watch.
posted by GavinR at 12:44 AM on October 7, 2009 [3 favorites]

What's he been in?

I think someone told me he plays the bassoon?
posted by Phanx at 1:43 AM on October 7, 2009

I think someone told me he plays the bassoon?

I hear that he speaks Esperanto.
posted by GavinR at 1:48 AM on October 7, 2009

I hear he speaks Yiddish.
posted by pracowity at 3:16 AM on October 7, 2009

Isn't he that guy that beat the Kobayashi Maru? I learned about him back in the Academy!
posted by DU at 3:22 AM on October 7, 2009 [6 favorites]

he does a mean dropkick
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:53 AM on October 7, 2009

Not to be missed is Shatner's recent role as Kathleen Turner playing the part of Runkle's new boss in Californication.
posted by srboisvert at 4:31 AM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

Only William Shatner could take the words of Sarah Palin and make them sound cool.
posted by Daddy-O at 5:12 AM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]

Self-link: My reviews of almost every film Shatner did in the Sixties and Seventies, right up to the Star Trek movie.
posted by Astro Zombie at 5:25 AM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

I also loved How William Shatner Changed the World and all of its awesome geeks. It's not really recent, but I couldn't find it posted anywhere on MeFi, so it's about time.

A previous kickass Shatner post from Shatner Zombie, I mean Astro Zombie.
posted by futureisunwritten at 5:46 AM on October 7, 2009

-Henry Rollins on recording I Can't Get Behind That with William Shatner

-Henry Rollins on having dinner with William Shatner after the recording session

-William Shatner f/ Henry Rollins, I Can't Get Behind That, as interpreted by puppets.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 6:12 AM on October 7, 2009 [3 favorites]

It's because he's in love.
posted by MidAtlantic at 7:06 AM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

Is there anything he can't do?
posted by Mastercheddaar at 7:07 AM on October 7, 2009

William Shatner is Santa Claus.

(also I'd like to add that as someone who has stood within tugging distance of it = Shatner's latest hairpiece is AWESOME.)
posted by jettloe at 7:09 AM on October 7, 2009

Shatner makes me smile.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 7:28 AM on October 7, 2009

William Shatner wants to sex you up.

I read some time ago that he injured his back before filming this and was whacked out on painkillers when he showed up to the studio.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 7:36 AM on October 7, 2009

How to Kiss a woman, by Captain Kirk.
posted by jenkinsEar at 7:52 AM on October 7, 2009

So, Shatner's Gonzo Ballet is about the ballet based on William Shatner's Has Been album, and that album is actually... really good. Think of it as a Ben Folds record--he produced and co-wrote it--with William Shatner's voice replacing Ben Folds: how you feel about that will probably determine how you feel about Has Been.

You'll Have Time is one of my favorites off it... and, yes, this doesn't matter, but I once ended a high concept mix-tape opera about a zombie-overrun planet with that track.

Also, and probably most importantly:

Shatner should be hosting The Price is Right.
posted by pokermonk at 7:57 AM on October 7, 2009

Shatner is not the only actor who realized people were enjoying his bad work ironically and become cool by having good humor about it.

The genius of Shatner is that he hammed up the so-bad-it's-good shtick so hard it was again the kind of bad work you could enjoy ironically, which he recognized and had good humor about, making it cool again.

And he just repeats this cycle over and over, becoming more awesome with each turn of the wheel.
posted by straight at 7:58 AM on October 7, 2009 [5 favorites]

Sorry, but the best Shatner doc is the paintball film Spplat Attack (not a typo). The best parts are when he sends his wife out as bait to draw fire, and when he spontaneously "remembers seeing" an important safe combination.

Damn I need to get another copy of that. Mine has vanished into a fog of irresponsible hipster friends.
posted by yellowbinder at 9:28 AM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

I haven't been able to enjoy anything that Shatner's done lately, simply because he looks like he's going to have a stroke about two seconds from now. I realize that that's just how he looks and he can't help it, but it's still strongly disconcerting, in the same way that some people react to me as a genuine walking frown.

But that Rollins clip where Shatner sends him into a reverie about some great scallop monster being taken down by "undersea ninjas" is completely worth it.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:42 AM on October 7, 2009

Speaking of Shatner, my friend just stumbled upon this video masterwork, which I believe may be why the internet was invented. Couldn't find it reference anywhere else on here.
posted by bitter_tincture at 1:35 PM on October 7, 2009

Denny Crane.
posted by RavinDave at 1:36 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

Why does he climb the mountain? Because he's in love.

Honestly, that ballet looks awesome.
posted by stargell at 1:43 PM on October 7, 2009

Obligatory: Khaaaaaaan!
posted by e40 at 9:10 PM on October 7, 2009

The Palin interpretation was sheer genius. For an interactive appreciation of his talents try the William Shatner Acting Simulator. Also, if you can imagine the combination of two such towering colossi of the small screen, David Caruso actually appeared in an episode of T.J. Hooker. Yeaaah Khaaan!
posted by Tashtego at 10:18 PM on October 7, 2009

One of the funnier things I saw on television within the past few years was on some fluff entertainment show, where they had Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner on to take turns interviewing each other. And -- one of them asked the other what he thought about the Kirk/Spock slash people had written over the years. In fact, I think that Shatner asked Nimoy that, and Nimoy's response was just a cocked eyebrow and a leer, and then they both absolutely collapsed in laughter.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:40 AM on October 9, 2009