William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill

I love the original series of Star Trek. It is without question my favorite TV show. I have been to Star Trek conventions and watched the episodes countless times. And yes, not all the episodes are great or even good, but many are truly amazing in both their time and ours. Many very talented people worked on the show, but I think two contributors really set the tone: Gene Roddenberry for his vision, and William Shatner for his commanding presence -- he WAS the Captain of the Enterprise.

All this being said, this movie has little to do with Star Trek, and everything to do with an amazing actor who is just entering his 93rd year. Happy birthday Bill! Yes, there are clips from Star Trek and many of his other roles, and yes it's true that this documentary is not presented in a conventional, linear fashion. But what really springs to life is the thinking and the spirituality of a man who cares deeply for his planet and all the life on it. And what could be truer to Star Trek than that?

Yes, profound. It's high time someone influential in Hollywood championed Earth. But besides adopting the planet, "Bill" talks about his career and going into orbit on Blue Origin's New Shepard when he became the oldest human to go into space.

The documentary was not a constant barrage of William Shatner shots and film clips, but also some stunning shots of our planet, both from space and redwood forests. Some of the photos and videos are breathtakingly beautiful. Simultaneously exhilarating and calming. The director, Alexandre O. Philippe, obviously knows what he's doing.

The one thing that shocked me though, as I thought I knew a lot about Bill, was what happened after Star Trek (the original series) was cancelled. No spoilers here, but, wow. I was shocked.

William Shatner - he likes to be called Bill - has had an accomplished career. One where he has reinvented himself several times over transforming from Kirk to Hooker to Crane. From author to spokesman to astronaut to ...singer (and no, you do not need to imbibe on Romulan ale to enjoy his rocking "Common People" single from 2004). If anyone deserves a curtain call, Bill Shatner gets my vote. The documentary You Can Call Me Bill is a partial answer to such a victory lap. For over 90 minutes, Bill reminisces, waxes poetic, and frets on the future. Sometimes simultaneously. Often in a stream of consciousness. However, if You Can Call Me Bill is designed as a celebration, why does it come across as aimless as your grandfather commiserating about current events over Thanksgiving dinner?

Albeit a grandfather who happens to be Captain Kirk.

You Can Call Me Bill becomes a preemptive eulogy of sorts. For Shatner fans of all sizes, the movie is accessible and entertaining. Yet all of that humor, all of that love of life are only shown in the clips that the world has already enjoyed and celebrated. You Can Call Me Bill instead focuses on the solitary life of a solo man. Sitting in the dark. Waiting for the final curtain to close.

I have always loved and appreciated William Shatner, and looked forward to this documentary. But both my daughter and I were pleasantly surprised at the format - not quite the regular old documentary one would expect, but better!

Rather, it's an intimate interview with the legend, who is more concerned with the health of our planet, and the legacy we are leaving to our descendants than to a fleeting fame for his roles - none of which beyond Star Trek my daughter knew anything about.

While he is immensely grateful for his career, his outlook on life is quite humbling and deeply introspective, which I feel most celebrities could benefit from. While human and obviously appreciative of his fan-base, he has managed to keep his ego in check and his humor is spot-on!

I thought I knew everything about the man, and yet I learned two things that were a total surprise.

I won't give them away, you'll have to see the film for yourself. But I will say this - at 93, he has it figured out - and I won't give that away either! I am thrilled to have shared this planet with him!

Thanks Bill - and for reference, my 35 year old daughter is a minimal Star Trek Fan, (TOS only), and even less of a Star Wars fan; sci-fi is not her thing. So while she knew very little about you, and only came along to give me company, this film left a lasting impression on her which we are still discussing today! It truly uplifted her!

In closing, if William Shatner humbly suggests that he has not changed the world, I would strongly disagree - as he calls himself simply an entertainer - I can argue that great entertainers are as crucial to our world as are the great scientists and all the rest.

To be fair, I'm pretty sure it was the editing and directing that made William Shatner comes across as a rambling old man, in the fact that the narrative jumps all over the place. The film is has chapters, but each and every one seems to fall short of telling a coherent story. We get some glimpses into his past, there are some stories that would have been great to learn more about, but instead of details we're left with just his reflections. The film also relies on a bunch of b-roll, some of which is great, but other times is pretty confusing or awkward. Sadly, I walked learning very little about the specifics of Shatner's life and career.