Who saw Star Trek: The Motion Picture in theaters?

Well, David Marcus isn't real either. ;)

I had that poster, too. Bought it at the theater for $2!

That McDonald's commercial: it's mentioned in Return to Tomorrow (great book) that the screenused Klingon costumes were out on tour when the commercial came about, so they made new ones. There was enough of a costume dept still on staff to make it happen.

I've read elsewhere that the tour suits never made it back. So I guess the ones that were still around for reuse in the other films were actually the McDonald's costumes!
 
Saw it January 1st 1980. I was 10 years old. I was immediately -- and still am -- obsessed by Jerry Goldsmith's music and the design of the Refit Enterprise. I've had every edition of the soundtrack album and have numerous models of the Refit Enterprise -- also had the Happy Meal! As far as I was concerned the whole movie could have been just a two-hour flyover of the model with Goldsmith's music in the background, lol.
 
Treadwell said:
That McDonald's commercial: it's mentioned in Return to Tomorrow (great book) that the screenused Klingon costumes were out on tour when the commercial came about, so they made new ones. There was enough of a costume dept still on staff to make it happen.

I've read elsewhere that the tour suits never made it back. So I guess the ones that were still around for reuse in the other films were actually the McDonald's costumes!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip on Return to Tomorrow! I look forward to checking it out.
 
Cephus said:
Well, you have to remember that these are fantasy characters that don't live in the real world...
Click to expand...

What about all the real characters that choose to live in a fantasy world?

It isn't sad that we were able to see it in the theaters.
I think all movies are more enjoyable on the big screen, even if some other patrons detract from the experience.

It is sad that TMP has aged better than some newer franchises and productions.
 
I saw it in the theater on opening night, I was eleven and loved the experience, flaws and all. I still wonder what Star Trek would be like today if the movie had been more audience friendly, came in under budget, and made more money.
 
Mola Rob said:
I saw it in the theater on opening night, I was eleven and loved the experience, flaws and all. I still wonder what Star Trek would be like today if the movie had been more audience friendly, came in under budget, and made more money.
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I don't think it hurt the franchise, considering how well TWOK was received 3 years later. And it was up against impossible comparables sandwiched between ANH me ESB.
 
Bryancd said:
I don't think it hurt the franchise, considering how well TWOK was received 3 years later. And it was up against impossible comparables sandwiched between ANH me ESB.
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But if it had been a bigger financial and critical success the franchise probably would have never gone the WOK route. It would be interesting to visit an alternate universe that had a more balanced TMP.
 
It was a HUGE financial success.
It's just that Michael Eisner became Paramount CEO between TMP and TWOK, saw how much it cost*, and was determined not to spend nearly that much on the next.

*the cost of several abandoned attempts at both making movies and TV versions were rolled into that number, which he might not have considered.
 
Mola Rob said:
But if it had been a bigger financial and critical success the franchise probably would have never gone the WOK route. It would be interesting to visit an alternate universe that had a more balanced TMP.
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I see what you are staying but it was a huge hit. For TWOK they realized areas where it suffered and changed that. I guess I just don't think we would have had a different experience post TMP had it been different.
 
Gene Roddenberry's role was diminished after TMP in part due to cost overruns and critical reception. If TMP were a greater financial success and he had a greater role in the sequels do you really think he would have gone with the more militaristic route that WOK took?
 
dcarty said:
Saw it January 1st 1980. I was 10 years old. I was immediately -- and still am -- obsessed by Jerry Goldsmith's music and the design of the Refit Enterprise. I've had every edition of the soundtrack album and have numerous models of the Refit Enterprise -- also had the Happy Meal! As far as I was concerned the whole movie could have been just a two-hour flyover of the model with Goldsmith's music in the background, lol.
Click to expand...

Glad someone mentioned Goldsmith's score. Easily one of my favorite movie soundtracks of all time.
 
If I could make one change to STTMP, It would be keep the Klingons in the film longer, Make them an obstacle to understanding
V'Ger and thus saving the day. This could have added a dramatic battle or two with the Enterprise.
And yes I am the first to say Trek is not about fighting,

So I know that may sound funny coming from me. But many times the baddies are the obstacles to overcome on the path to discovery and understanding in Star Trek,
and often times the bad guys are won over. Though from Klingons that might be tough.
Dump the wormhole stuff, dump the Epsilon IX stuff, Cut back on flyover.
The Klingon ships in action and bridge set, the new language and appearance, and good God the Goldsmith Klingon theme!
AMAZING. This was all superior cinematic stuff and
they off them in two minutes. Hindsight is blah blah blah, and yes that is why Khan got brought back to have a villain.
But just Imagine how TMP would have been received if it woke the audience up a few times. LOL
 
CessnaDriver said:
If I could make one change to STTMP, It would be keep the Klingons in the film longer, Make them an obstacle to understanding
V'Ger and thus saving the day. This could have added a dramatic battle or two with the Enterprise.
And yes I am the first to say Trek is not about fighting,

So I know that may sound funny coming from me. But many times the baddies are the obstacles to overcome on the path to discovery and understanding in Star Trek,
and often times the bad guys are won over. Though from Klingons that might be tough.
Dump the wormhole stuff, dump the Epsilon IX stuff, Cut back on flyover.
The Klingon ships in action and bridge set, the new language and appearance, and good God the Goldsmith Klingon theme!
AMAZING. This was all superior cinematic stuff and
they off them in two minutes. Hindsight is blah blah blah, and yes that is why Khan got brought back to have a villain.
But just Imagine how TMP would have been received if it woke the audience up a few times. LOL
Click to expand...

The wormhole stuff was really cool visually and presented a challenge to warp drive we never knew about. I think that was a good add. The rest I agree with but they intentionally weren't making an action film, it was an Asimov cerbreal story they bought.
 
The book I mentioned goes into detail on how labor intensive the wormhole sequence was. At first glance one would think there was just some filter that streaked the image. But after reading and looking again, you realize only CERTAIN THINGS streak, like computer console lights, and the streaks GO BEHIND objects and characters. People had to hand-animate mattes frame by frame to achieve all that! Jiminy.
 
This is a really great thread.

I can't imagine what it would have been like for an adult fan of star trek. Making that movie was probably the first instance of serving a cult fan base.

And I'm also amazed that in the wake of star wars hysteria, they made the choice to pull off a cerebral 2001 inspired science fiction film.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
 
Even as kid I recognized the resemblance to The Changeling TOS episode, but the revelation that it was one of the VOYAGERS that had come home was very cool, tieing it into present NASA endeavors at the time.
In fact I started a thread asking if anyone had done a damaged plaque replica but no responses.
 
Last edited:
CessnaDriver said:
Even as kid I recognized the resemblance to The Changeling TOS episode, but the revelation that it was one of the VOYAGERS that had come home was very cool, tieing it into present NASA endeavors at the time.
In fact I started a thread asking if anyone had done a damaged plaque replica but no responses.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that was the trek-verse' own rosebud moment and it was fantastic

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
 
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