Everything you need to know about Star Trek The Motion Picture (1979)

[@wk3820]

I appreciated the Director's Cut finally allowing us to see the finished film at long last. It really improved the film a lot.

[@esecallum]

EVERYONE SAYS THE FILM IS TO SLOW AND NOBODY GETS KILLED AND IS BORING.

[@Chordonblue]

The film was taken out of Wise and the editor's hands before they had finished editing it! This was done to make the Christmas holiday, but they didn't get around to editing all the special effects footage. Basically, all of it was left in there. Things like that Nimoy comment should have been left in there. As it was, it was wooden and WAY too long - especially when you compare it to ST II! HOWEVER... As a kid, I cared about NONE of that! I waited in a line around the theater with my father through 2 showings before it was our turn, and even then we ended up in the front row. 10 ft. tall Klingons and HUGE spaceships simply blew my 12 year old mind.

[@esecallum]

@@Chordonblue EVERYONE SAYS THE FILM IS TO SLOW AND NOBODY GETS KILLED AND IS BORING.

[@RogueWJL]

Totally underrated. I think it is an incredible movie. Up there with Khan and Undiscovered.

[@pts5217]

Tache It’s my favorite. I don’t get all the hate

[@BedsitBob]

I disagree. It was good, but not up there with TWOK.

[@jeenkzk5919]

I’m glad to see I’m not alone! This film is criminally underrated!! I wish they had been able to show further adventures of Ilea and Decker

[@CaptGage]

@@BedsitBob Most people just mainly didn't like the pacing.

[@setialphasix]

I don't think it's on the same level as TWoK, but it is DEFINITELY underrated. Fantastic film!

[@musthavevinylrecords1477]

The best of the Star Trek movies! I watch it every year or so and it never gets old.

[@JoePlett]

More power to you. I'm glad someone loves it. I respect your admiration for it, but can't share that affection. I found it tedious and pretentious.... yet I still own the original theatrical cut on Laserdisc, the extended cut on Laserdisc, and the "director's" Re-cut (with infinite fixes like proper sfx & tighter dialog editing along with the drastically improved vfx etc) so.... much as I claim to loathe it, Paramount made a tidy bundle off of me anyway. :) I just wonder what it could have been if many of the ideas the actors claim were rejected had been infused into the original release. But then again, maybe Roddenberry wouldn't have been "kicked upstairs" and journeymen like Harve Bennet & Nick Myers brought in to "salvage the franchise".... so, all things considered, maybe TMP was necessary to bring about the rest of the sequels.

[@edwardsmith3700]

If you cut out about 15 minutes of cloud scenes its not a bad movie. Just wish Spock and McCoy wanted to be back on the Enterprise.

[@ThunderZandor]

Is your LD extended in 2:35 widescreen? The only version available is 4:3 VHS. This movie is pure sci-fi, that's why many few love it.

[@halfwayloyal]

It was shite

[@johnbockelie3899]

Major blooper at the end. Spock has on McCoy's jacket, McCoy has on Spock's Look at the colored arm bands.

[@Majesticmanatee217]

I love this movie, because it tackles the question of “what is the meaning of life?” in a bunch of different ways grounded in philosophy. It’s cool to think about.

[@Drawkcabi]

Majel Barrett did return as Christine Chapel but by TMP she was Doctor Chapel, not Nurse Chapel.

[@supernova44]

It blew my mind first seeing it in 1980, and still does today. I sure miss the old crew. It took me a long time to give the new ST's a chance and I did grow to like them, but the old movies have a place in my heart. I love The Motion Picture no matter what...screw the critics.

[@pheonix5597]

"Booring"? .. . depends WHAT you consider EXCITING in the first place. Now personally I happen to find ohhhh guns, stunts, car chases, crashes, and explosions pretty dull myself, so I don't miss THAT shit one bit when watching THIS film.

[@msbae]

The Enterprise never looked better than it did in this film.

[@paulwalsh2344]

Except in The Wrath of Khan. Those battle scenes and that shot of the Enterprise rising up behind Reliant in the Mutara Nebula is more movie magic. The inevitable product of incredible model making, which is essentially missing with today's CGI IMO.

[@Mymumsey1]

Ya, as much as I enjoy the visual effect of today, the old practical models just had a totally different feel to them; the sense of size seems to come across the screen in a way that CGI can't always capture.

[@scott6504]

She was so new, clean and beautiful. Seeing her the first time, I felt almost overwhelmed.

[@lordofthestings]

The enterprise does look its best. It has the most magic. When you first see it in space dock the beginning and it looks huge. And although not great effects, I enjoy Kirk and Scottys fly by sequence. Having all the characters reunited for the first time since ST TOS, has a quality thats not in the other movies. I think the music is the best as well. I never saw it in theaters in 79, I'm really looking forward to it. I went to see The Wrath of Kahn when it was re released last year and I enjoyed it immensely. I would watch them all if they would release them. I know most everyone's favorite is The Wrath of Kahn but I love Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I believe I have to drive a hundred miles to see it but I'll be there, giant coke and popcorn in hand.

[@jnichols3]

It was a beautiful ship on its own, but I really wish they had kept it closer to the Phase II design. TMP Enterprise is just not believable as a refitted TOS Enterprise. The PII ship actually looked like a TOS ship with the added detailing required for the higher definition of big screen production. The destruction of the Enterprise at the end of ST:III was a sight, but image how emotional it would have been with a ship that was a TOS believable Enterprise. At the end of IV, Kirk should have been given command of another ship that was NOT named Enterprise. Would have been great to see him command Constitution, Yorktown, or a new Constellation. Give the crew a chance to create a new starship legend. The whole Enterprise name and number (1701) fixation became silly to me. The name Enterprise should not have come around again until the Excelsior class, and then given its own unique number that is appropriate to that class (NCC-2001, 2002, 2003, etc. ). This is of course my opinion.

[@bdr32965]

I have seen STTMP more times than any of the other Star Trek movies. In my opinion it is the best movie out of them all. It is kind of like the thinking man's Star Trek due to it's more philosophical nature than the other movies.

[@michaelnewman6692]

This movie was and still is a masterpiece. Introducing concepts far greater than the sum of the characters. AI, nanotechnology, transhumanism, transcendence and singularity. Subjects not even mentioned in the review. Ultimate knowledge is the whole point for space exploration.

[@Theodorus5]

Beautifully put my friend....

[@michaelnewman6692]

@@Theodorus5 Thank you, I don't know what's wrong with some people. This Star Trek movie, which was proof of concept that the story could successfully make the transition from tv to movie theaters, was actually about something. Something really big, powerful and thought provoking, and inspirational in the end... The whining coming from the cast makes them look like attention whores. "The movie should have been more character driven." Meaning "me" driven... I don't know of any egomaniac astronauts who think that way. At all... "This is one small step for ME, and one giant leap for mankind. Kirk out." Thankfully they didn't let these prima donna actors run the show too much... I love that Star Trek parody, Galaxy Quest.

[@bonzodog67lizardking15]

"V-ger's in for one Hell of a disappointment." This film was dull. Even those involved in making it share that view. V-ger knows everything in the universe, but what it needs now is Man's capacity for believing in bullshit. This plot is a lot like Good Will Hunting; screw knowledge, experience is better. Given what a disappointment knowing everything in the universe was, V-ger would have been better off staying on earth and sitting at the feet of the dumbest human around. What gives this film new life/interest, is the fact it's the only place to go to see the OT cast in their prime.

[@jade59230]

@@bonzodog67lizardking15 "This film was dull." ??? Audiences didn't think so. The film made 4X its budget, and more importantly it got Star Trek out of the tube box it was confined in, and on to the big screen, vhs and dvd. It was a huge accomplishment. It isn't a given for a tv show to do that. "Even those involved in making it share that view." ??? If that's true, then they were ungrateful tramps. But seriously, artists can be the last to recognize their own work as a masterpiece. It can be embarrassing, or they're always a little frustrated because they can always find something that could be improved. Perfection is aspirational, a constant moving target. Star Trek The Motion Picture is an awesome movie, and still the very best Star Trek. It just has that special quality and magic to it. Including the sound and score. Like the first Superman movie, the first Star Wars. The 1970s introduced top quality epic scale sci-fi, and STTMP was a big part of it. All that, plus real Klingony Klingons, with their own look, attitude and language. Right there at the start of the movie. Dull?.. What is your idea of exciting sci-fi? That is also real good quality, thought provoking and inspirational?

[@bonzodog67lizardking15]

@@jade59230 Star Trek: TWOK. Exciting, excellent quality, thought-provoking (aging/death), and inspirational (ending spiritual uplift.). Incidentally, I should have added that most of TMP's problems were pacing issues a blue pencil would have fixed. And yes, the cast and studio took the common view of it being a poorly planned disappointment.

[@GeneralAtomics]

Had my kids watch this for the first time. I was surprised my son liked it. It's an enjoyable film now that I'm older.

[@helloscammer]

Nimoy's improved line at 11:05 would have been a great final line for Spock, and a nod to future movies. Too bad they didn't use it.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

I have watched that Nimoy clip. WHY anyone would DISLIKE that line he spoke is beyond me....

[@psion01]

Interestingly, the way it actually played out was different than what Nimoy indicated. It was Scotty, answering Kirk's question about a proper shakedown cruise, who turned to Spock and volunteered they could have Spock back on Vulcan in two days. "Unnecessary, Mr. Scott. My task on Vulcan is complete." I do like the jibe at McCoy though, and it would have been a warm ending to a movie where Spock's character went on such a dramatic arc.

[@trhansen3244]

I did not like that line. I even wrote to Leonard Nimoy expressing my disappointment that he wanted that included.

[@helloscammer]

@@trhansen3244 Party pooper!

[@trhansen3244]

@@helloscammer I make no apologies for stating the obvious. There was no room for such humor in STTMP. It already had a 'funny' line earlier in the film from Spock. That's more than enough. He is a Vulcan. Not Jerry Seinfeld.

[@yankees4ever504]

This film has always received a bum rap. When adjusted for inflation, this is the highest grossing Star Trek film of all-time. On the audio commentary for the Blu-ray, it is said that there is a "Majesty" to this film that the other Trek films do not have. I sort of agree with this. I loved the film back in 1979, and still do.

[@arn999]

Mantle4ever second highest grossing when adjusted for ticket price inflation. Star Trek (2009) is first.

[@ThunderZandor]

Nothing is more exciting then to watch the new Enterprise 2nd warp speed, (sound turned way up for the Goldsmith music & sound fx). Sulu counting off louder & louder & then cutting to the warp engine room, warping time & space to come out on the other side. It is truly astounding & gives me a feeling that one day this will actually happen as hard as that may be to believe now in the 21st century. Happy 40th STTMP!

[@wkndsquire]

Then check your local theater listings. It's being re-released Sept. 15th. If you're not sure where to look, check through Fandango or Atom Tickets for info.

I liked Wrath of Khan and The Undiscovered Country a little more, but this film is badly underrated. The idea was totally original at the time.

[@widetubevision4423]

I remember when the movie was released in late 1979. I was very excited to see my favorite characters from the TV series.

[@ThomasTiernan]

This is the purest Star Trek film, if you look back at the original series as a whole.

[@Monkofmagnesia]

"Purest Star Trek"? It is a re-write of the episode, "The Menagerie."!

[@U2QuoZepplin]

I think TMP is definitely more 2001 A Space Odyssey than it is Star Wars. In fact I thought the long drawn out indulgent vacuum of space scenes, of ships and the V-ger effects was deliberately supposed to emulate the 2001 movie.

[@zacharyjochumsen9677]

Mongo boogie yeh and trek fans recomend people to wacth this movie hpwhil high in lsd or marijuna

[@psion01]

Not only that, but there was a tale told about the enormity of the Enterprise in the early, establishing scenes, and then the sudden, dramatic comparison to V'Ger, which dwarfed her. People who deride those Enterprise drydock scenes don't understand what Wise was doing. Sure, it took five minutes, but those five minutes not only gave fans a remarkable review of the new ship, but also set the stage for the utterly alien scale of V'Ger.

[@leovalverde1508]

Fast Forward to 2022: Paramount releases the 4k Director's Cut. There is even more stuff added, including some key dialog that really gives the characters more development. The additional scenes and dialog actually makes the movie flow even better and faster. The film was also remastered and it looks and sounds amazing.

[@MoonsingerMedia]

Still my absolute favorite film ever.

[@SovsBorg]

It's my number 1 ST film and i love all 10

[@chriswright6245]

My favourite star trek

[@georgioquestor597]

It's like sticking your mind in the 23rd century then live to tell about it. Astounding visual fx & story. True sci-fi.

[@tpl608]

Why? It is a remake of the original series Nomad episode

[@nickb9718]

@@tpl608 Yeah. A better version of that episode.

[@devox3291]

I always loved the ending of this movie. Blew my mind as a kid , after seeing movie several times on cable TV, when I finally understood what was going on! My first surprise ending left quite an impression on me and greatly raised and ruined my expectations of what a story could deliver.

[@colinsmith5879]

My all time favorite movie. Thanks for this!

[@VideoAmateurLuxembourg]

@Owebama Douche Well, no. Star Trek 3 was pretty good.

[@nickb9718]

@Owebama Douche No they didn't Abrams fan. The ones after 6 did.

[@Ingens_Scherz]

I saw it at the time, aged 9. If nothing else, it did have magic - the anticipation, the music, the updated future it created. Some years later, watching it again on video in the late 80s with my far more nerdy siblings, I remember being quite rude about it. But then I watched it again on my own in my 20s (it's the 1990s by now, you understand), and all I could remember was that magic. It's a fine movie if you let it stand alone, separate from the "lore". If you can do that and then let it wash over you and take it at its own pace, it's actually rather brilliant.

[@EdgyNumber1]

That Jerry Goldsmith score though.. 👍

[@Lumibear.]

Not that I’m disagreeing with your general assessment but in some ways I think the pastel ‘pyjamas’ and grey set gives the actors’ faces more presence, and the viewscreen and special effects have more zing just by contrast to the lack of colour in everything else. But I may just be making excuses because this film is a fave of mine, especially the Directors Cut DVD.

[@ThunderZandor]

We are probably the only 2 living beings who actually like the uniforms. They were simple & fluid. Kirk's white top later in the film is a c00L clean look.

[@Lumibear.]

ThunderZandor tbh I neither love nor hate them, they were meant to be functional disposable one piece uniforms and that’s how they look, so score 100 for the designers. I’ve certainly never found myself distracted by them, so I don’t understand the hate, they’re just... fine.

[@MrMichelPM]

This has always been my favorite Star Trek film out of all of them! This video synopsis is unfair and unkind to this film. I really liked that this version of Star Trek took itself and the mission and adventure more seriously. This is probably closer to how the idea of interstellar space travel and being “way out there on tne galactic frontier” would actually be in real life! Robert Wise is known for more thoughtful and serious Science Fiction films and his treatment of Star Trek was treated exactly in the same way as he did with “The Earth Stood Still” and “The Andromeda Strain”! Wise gave Star Trek more believability and gravitas. This was serious Star Trek and a direction I had wished that could have continued. Not just Star Trek with “shoot ‘em up” spaceship battles, phaser fights and bad guys to mame or kill/destroy. Star Trek The Motion Picture was a real trek across the stars/universe/galaxy to investigate an unknown phenomena headed for Earth that no one knew what would happen or what this phenomena was. It was up to the only nearby spaceship available to intercept this thing and figure out a way to keep this thing from reaching Earth and destroying it. I had zero problems with the basic script and film other than that initial, excruciating introductory travel time through V'ger entity. Shorten that initial segment to half that time and the film moves along much better. Star Trek iS NOT Star Wars! Never was! J. J. Abrahms ruined Star Trek because HE DID try to turn Star Trek into Star Wars because he, himself was a Star Wars fan and not really a very huge fan of Star Trek. I am soo glad he is working with Star Wars, now. Star Wars seems to be his passion and his “wheel house“ to work in. Star Wars fans can have him. He ruined Star Trek. Probably almost as bad as CBS's Star Trek Discovery.

[@paulwalsh2344]

@ 10:56 Wow... I never heard that story from Nimoy about that ad lib... it would have been priceless. A very wonderful call back to the McCoy/Spock dynamic.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

I have seen that clip of Leonard Nimoy. , That quote is SOOOOO STAR TREK, I cannot understand WHY anyone would DISLIKE IT....

[@psion01]

I agree it should have been in there. It helped demonstrate Mr. Spock's development throughout the film. He was cold and passionless from the moment he showed up. McCoy managed to provoke him somewhat early in the film, "Spock, you haven't changed a bit; you're just as warm and sociable as ever!" To which Spock can't help but answer, "Nor have you, Doctor. As your continued predilection for irrelevancy demonstrates." But the delivery was cold and barren and came across as far less friendly. Spock really comes out after his mind probe of the Ilya sensor probe. He sees the limits of what he was pursuing, and, finding in V'Ger the pure logic he sought with Kohlinar, realized how much meaning was lost. From that point on, Spock struggles for balance. He abandons his own quest and sides with Kirk fully.

[@RobBon12]

John, great intro music choice. I'm also a big fan of UFO and love the whole opening sequence. I used that music as the background theme on my first ever demo reel and that music was one big reason I got the job!

[@oddcosmosanthology9362]

I Loved the movie, still do. Looked great in the theater. I think that for me, the enjoyment of the movie was enhanced because I read the book first. So it was like I had more context as to what was happening on screen. ... I repeated this same approach with each film until The Voyage Home. Only got halfway through that one, just didn't have the time anymore :^(

[@paulwalsh2344]

Oh yes... this was a perfect picture for the big screen. The USS Enterprise Refit reveal on a theatre screen 20 feet tall is pure movie magic ! I urge anyone, if Star Trek TMP or TWOK are to be shown in a retrospective in a theatre to go if at all possible for just that reason.

[@diggingattycho7908]

Pick up the book, "Return to Tomorrow" by Preston Neal Jones. It will give you a whole new perspective on TMP. The gist of it all, was Roddenberry didn't have the time to work out a proper script. Nobody had the time needed since the film had a hard deadline. It was the studio's fault by making a deal with theatrical distributors(and individual theater owners), that the film be released on 12-7-1979. Or the studio will have to pay penalties for delays. This drove the whole production and made TMP cost far more than it should have. In the end Roddenberry took the fall for poor decisions made by executives. That's sadly all too familiar a story in Hollywood.

[@thomasloney612]

It's amazing how many hurdles this film had to go through to be made. Special effects were incredibly labor and time intensive, not to mention expensive.

[@4rcgv]

I loved this movie. It was cold, hard science, and very serious. The story is under appreciated. There wasn’t anything wrong with this movie albeit coming after Star Wars. They were at the wrong place at the wrong time. This movie should of made it a point to get it out quicker than a snail pace it had. Movie holds up well, and deserves an IMAX presentation. Again, how do you upstage Star Wars? It wasn’t going to happen unless they beat it to the theater. Then it would of had a fighting chance.

[@supernova44]

YESS!! I would be there in an instant to see it in all its glory on IMAX. I sure hope one day our wish will come true!

[@arnoldronning5471]

I agree. Had the film been released prior to Star Wars, critics might have recognized it for what it was: the most impressively cerebral piece of cinematic science fiction since 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[@DougZbikowski]

It suffered from poor editing and bloat. If it were edited more and the dialogue lightened up a bit, it would have been a lot more watchable.

[@dennywordkiller4253]

Goldsmith's score was used for TNG but he didn't compose any original music for TNG or DS9. He did compose the Voyager theme, however. There are a few other factual errors along the way as well.

[@TunesAndToons]

Although Goldsmith wrote the theme that was used for TNG (incorporating Alexander Courage's fanfare from TOS), I don't think he wrote any scores for the show, i.e., the music accompanying the stories. Those scores were composed primarily (and perhaps only) by Dennis McCarthy, Ron Jones, Jay Chattaway, and others. Unlike TOS, which reused a lot of its music going forward from the first episodes, each Star Trek episode from TNG on had an original score. McCarthy also deserves the credit for the DS9 theme, which I consider the most interesting of all Trek themes, nicely straddling a line between approachable melody and unusual rhythm. Trivia: the first four notes of the DS9 theme are the same as the first four notes of Goldsmith's theme for The Motion Picture and TNG.

[@nicholasmaude6906]

Goldsmith's musical score for ST:TMP was IMO the best ever musical score for any of the ST films.

[@joshuairon1443]

Visually, the film is a masterpiece. For lovers of old school optical effects, this movie is an all-you-can-eat buffet! The score is beautiful and remains so majestic. I agree the pacing is so slow and the action is almost nonexistent, but Star Trek has always been a thinking-man's version of science fiction. I strongly suggest lovers of Star Trek watch the director's edition of this movie. The editing is much improved and the added special effects greatly enhance this classic motion picture!

[@ttkjv16112011]

Anyone else realize that this film was released forty years ago?

[@Anth230]

No shit Sherlock...

[@devox3291]

Shutup!

[@paulharvey1756]

Yes for its time and still relevant

[@Richoneification]

@@devox3291 you sound like my 6 year old nephew...

[@aliensoup2420]

Um, yeah, because I was 22 at the time.

[@johngibson4882]

I have a soft spot for this movie. It's my go to trek movie.

[@robertholtz]

0:47 - “Phenonemon” ??

[@Willowphase2]

I actually love STMP, the look, the music although the Directors Cut really does help the pacing of the film. I never understood why Decker/Vger never came back into the Star Trek universe. As always a great video, many thanks.

[@bossbossboss3810]

Pumped for this to be released in theaters in the US (fall I believe). This is my favorite Trek film, even with the flaws, and can’t wait to see and hear it on the big screen. The infamous dry dock scene ☺️

[@lordofthestings]

Coming out September 15th.

[@simoncollins6248]

I love this movie, even on seeing it as a child in the cinema I never found it slow or the performances wooden!

[@SovsBorg]

I stayed to see it twice. I left the theater on cloud 9

[@davidolden971]

@@SovsBorg "...I left the theater on Cloud 9" And let me guess... that cloud was "My God ...over 82 AUs!" . (did you know that line from Commander Branch at Epsilon 9, was delivered by actor David Gautreaux, who was cast as Xon for the aborted Star Trek Phase II).

[@johntracy72]

The Klingon versus V'ger battle is one of the most epic sci fi battles of all time.

[@JB-dm5cp]

The acting cardboard? Hardly. Within the limits the actors were set, the acting is rather good and complex. This is a high concept film with many layers, exploring many ideas and emotions on a majestically big canvas (very appropriately conveying the nature of the universe: largely empty space with humongous distances between all the different places), with mostly incredibly beautiful special effects and a very interesting enemy that can only be “defeated” by learning as much about it as possible, so as to be able to avert it destroying Earth. Pretty much very “Star Trek”. Possibly the best Star Trek movie, in my opinion. Sure, there is very little charm and humor, and it is generally very slow (compared to most other movies and to the taste of the general public) and that may be kind of regrettable in a way, but for me that is okay, in view of all of the above. With a story and adversary like this, it is appropriate. Certainly, Jerry Goldsmith’s music is simply awesome and on point, conveying so many different atmospheres, ideas and emotions. I also like to read H.P. Lovecraft. I kind of find some connections between H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic horror and the somewhat cold, “cosmic” atmosphere of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Yes, this movie is probably my favorite.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

I understand what Leonard has said here, but that doesn’t really stop me from enjoying this installment as much as any other. What he says regarding the home edition restoring various elements that were removed from the theatrical cut makes perfect sense to me, now that I’ve seen both of them.

[@samdog8087]

Same complaints about Discovery....Fascinating

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

There may come a time when I decide that I should give Star Trek: Discovery my attention. Not there yet, but it may happen.

[@richbrown932]

You can see how Star Trek Phase 2 evolved not just to the movie, but to The Next Generation. There are echos of Phase 2 (and therefore echoes of STTMP) all over The Next Generation. For instance, the name of the first officer Will Riker sounds suspiciously like Will Decker. There is a female alien who was the romantic interest of the first officer "Will." And Xon, the alien who was meant to replace Spock, rather than wanting to get away from emotions, instead was fascinated by human emotions and tried to fit in with the humans by exploring these emotions....and wishing he could experience them....very much like Data.

[@LaughingPsycho]

Some of the Phase 2 scripts were rewritten for Next Gen. The Boy being one of them.

[@TVsGreatestHits]

@@LaughingPsycho, I think you mean "The Child." The fan production, Star Trek New Voyages (later renamed Star Trek Phase II) actually produced the episode as it was originally written. It should be available here on KZbin.

[@jumpingman8160]

By far my favorite ST movie.

[@thomaschacko6320]

Excellent film, intelligent story for people who know how to think. No babbling robots or furry puppets. The characters were fine, despite Mr Nimoy's bellyaching. (He got what he wanted, by the way.) And Thank Heaven Mr Shatner wasn't directing - can you say "Star Trek V" ? The films were good up to IV, after that, forget it. But I could do without Kirk's long-lost love and the son he never knew soap opera. TMP has an epic feel lacking in the others.

[@billc.4584]

'Star Trek the Motion Picture' is one of my guilty pleasures. It might have been better but it is what it is. It is a decent film. It's the result of a lot of people poking and hoping. Essentially a film created by committee and it shows. Like it or don't. Ragging on it doesn't change a thing. :)

[@paulwalsh2344]

... guilty pleasure... !? The Motion Picture was an excellent movie, just with an extra 20 minutes of incredible, but bewildering special effects, specifically inside V'Ger, that did nothing to add to the story and therefore detracted somewhat. But IT HAD MOVIE MAGIC as well, especially the gorgeous, sublime, magnificent USS Enterprise refit reveal... cinematic perfection !

[@JoePlett]

It is a marvelous learning tool for film students. Comparing the original to the DVD "directors cut" is a nearly graduate level course on the power of post production to take more or less the same set of ingredients and switch up the recipe to make a far more savory dish. (All the added CGI was just extra garnish to sweeten the experience) Still, I wish they had used the Klingon encounter & the eavesdropping space station sequence as a cold open after the Paramount logo but before the title/theme sequence. It would have paced it more like the classic series and (imho) punched up the drama just a bit more. Still, as you say, it is what it is. Since it opened the door to what followed, I can't slag it.

[@billc.4584]

@@paulwalsh2344People seem to be missing a minor point. Star Trek the Motion Picture was a very welcome and long overdue reprieve from a slew of half-assed sci-fi at the time. Calling it a guilty pleasure is just being honest. It is not a great film. I'm also known to enjoy "Caddyshack" not because it's a great comedy but simply because it makes me smile. Sad fact is that it did not reach the level of say "Forbidden Planet". Doesn't mean I didn't like it. You're appreciation of the film is noted. :)

[@CaptainSpalding72]

why> it's not a bad film....at, all.

[@CaptainSpalding72]

@daro2096 that's how it started it out. A brand new television series called, STAR TREK: PHASE II, was going to happen. But after star wars was a huge success, Paramount canceled the tv series 3 weeks before production began and went into movie mode. That's why this film was so expensive as it absorbed all those pre production costs. Nimoy was not going to be in the series hence his late entrance, but changed his mind with the film. In Spocks TV place was Xon, a full Vulcan....

[@SamGuthrie1977]

Great video. I've always really enjoyed this movie. Granted, it's slow paced and a bit stoic. But it looks great, the music is fantastic, it's intellectually stimulating, and it's in-keeping with Roddenberry's vision of the franchise. I'd much rather watch this film than any of the new Trek stuff.

[@gastronomist]

How can it be good if it didn't have Michael Burnham crying every 10 minutes?

[@shanehill2411]

I loved the slower pace of this movie and it's thought provoking story.The only thing I didn't like was the wallowing whenever one of the old favourites came or beamed on board and the overlong shots of V.gers cloud and the Enterprise in space dock.But Damo that ship looked fine!

[@gsr4535]

Even with the slow pacing, I still quite like TMP. Great to sit down, turn off the lights and get lost in it.

[@andyfromtheuk]

Brilliant video! Really informative :)

[@rixx46]

Great video - it also brought back a personal memory. I was on the Paramount lot visiting an editor friend, Billy Webber when I heard they were shooting the first ST movie. As an original Trekker, (I was 12 when the first series started) I NEEDED to get on that set! I went to the production office and begged a secretary, and for some reason she let me sneak in with a group of Australian journalists who were about to go for a visit. Yeah, the movie was shitty, but you can only imagine what it was like to step onto the Bridge of the Enterprise and see the entire original crew at their stations. I recall director Robert Wise doing his best to tell them what they were reacting to on the blank view screen, and in retrospect, I guess there was a certain amount of tension. While they were between setups, I wandered the soundstage and found a corridor set that lead to the TRANSPORTER ROOM! Again, though it was 40 years ago now - I still recall the amazing thrill of stepping onto that transporter pad... As I was leaving, I saw a guy sitting outside a makeup trailer cleaning used Spock Ears! He told me they were saving all of Nimoy's used ears for the extras for the Vulcan planet scene they had yet to shoot; prosthetics on BG extras did not need to be so precise. Very generously, he gave me a pair. When I got home to Canada, I gave one to a good friend and kept the other for years, but given it was just foam rubber it ultimately just dried up and crumbled. I should have preserved it in resin or something... Star Trek continues to live long and prosper.

[@CaptainSpalding72]

The movie is not shitty. Misunderstood, yes

[@SuperHeliboy]

Just watched it the other day after not seeing it for decades and enjoyed it more than the first time.

[@rlima777]

The story has a tremendous influence of Isaac Asimov, who was, in fact, a friend of Rodenberry.

[@hankmessaros1835]

My first convention was in 1989 or 90 I think in valley forge pa , I worn a yellow nxt gen shirt, yes there were people there dressed up not like today. People told me how much I looked like Frakes with the beard , I was crowed but not like you couldn't move around , my last one was 2009 in Philadelphia conv center, let me tell you thank god I was one of the 1st in because it was packed so many people it really turned in this huge place to go and have fun being a nerd, all this because of star trek.

[@SovsBorg]

Me too.... Those were the good old days

[@thebipolarbear1]

I live in the Lehigh valley and never knew conventions like that were around. I'm still hoping to get to one in my life

[@hankmessaros1835]

@@thebipolarbear1 every may now in at the convention center in Philly. It's so much fun. Prices were great. In 90 at valley forge I could have bought the machine gun looking thing with grenade launcher from aliens I think it was HICKS gun that shot blanks for 500.00 dollars. I should have gotten it. N ow worth about 50k. Props were not much back then not like today. But you still have a lot of fun

[@fanboy2015]

Always loved this movie. Warts and all.

[@lowereducation6631]

One thing, I Loved these uniforms and despised to the later Canadian mountie looking ones.

[@aliensoup2420]

Interesting video and well researched. When the movie was announced in production I was thrilled they had chosen such a seasoned and successful director as Robert Wise, but seriously, how could he make the excuse that he wasn't familiar with the series. Just watch the damn tv show and get familiar. Still, he made a great contribution to the look and grandeur of the movie. It had an impressive big budget feel for the time. The original choice of Robert Abel to do the visual effects surprised me at the time. He was famous for his commercial work and streak photography titles, but he primarily did graphic art. I wasn't surprised to later learn he was fired from the visual effects. You should have mentioned that John Dykstra of Star Wars fame contributed significantly to the visual effects with the miniature photography. I was just out of film school at the time in the fall of 1979, looking for work, and I wandered into his shop on Van Nuys Blvd. in LA. I remember seeing lots of storyboards of the Enterprise on the walls, and think, "OMG, they're doing Star Trek here!" I didn't have any experience to be of much use then, but fatefully, years later I ended up working with Dykstra on Stuart Little, and Spiderman 1&2.

[@gallery7596]

John Dykstra of "Star Wars" fame worked on the special effects, too.

[@Akabackalooka]

Great sound quality!

[@mikligardur9104]

It still greatest Trek film along with TWOK. Sure uniform needed more TOS colours and story and script should have been completed before start of production. Also noteworthy the $44 million cost for TMP included cost of cancelled Phase II Tv series and TV movie. Robert Wise in commentary said he spent $26 million in making of TMP plus using elements from cancelled TV and TV movie.

[@deadend1041]

There's an interesting nugget at about 17 minutes and 30 seconds being only 48 years old I may never have seen the theatrical release of this film, and that might be why I've always loved it.

[@TheRadioAteMyTV]

Oh how I loved that ship's design. It is by far the most beautiful of all the Enterprises. Kirk's grey and white suit I also really like along with his white dress shirt, but the grey jump suits were too Black Hole and others. If you zoom through the near 20 minute opening scene where they are only showing the ship, then the pacing is much better. The Twilight Zone ending with V'ger was super clever and rarely gets mentioned. I like this movie and loved finally seeing my heroes on the big screen in 79, but the action and intensity and witted humour in 2 were equally welcome. I remember seeing both with my older brother. We both enjoyed TMP, and we truly loved 2.

[@jnichols3]

Robert Wise was not familiar with ST. He could have binge watched ever episode including the animated series in a week. I am sure that Paramount would have had them delivered them to his home or provided him with a screening room at the studio so he could become familiar with the franchise. Without commercials, we were talking less than 50 hrs of material in the late 1970s.

[@CaptainSpalding72]

Shut the hell up. He was aware tangentially. But that was a good thing as he got rid of the campy, cultish vibe.

[@matthewblack7206]

In this video, it is claimed that Jerry Goldsmith did the theme music for Deep Space 9. He didn't; that was Dennis McCarthy.

[@ruhafla8326]

Great video! One correction... Deep Space Nine's theme was written by Dennis McCarthy who scored TNG episodes.

[@captainthomasmiller1980]

Fact check: Goldsmith didn't do any work on DS9 what so ever

[@MoonsingerMedia]

He did actually want to do the theme .. but at the time he was working on a movie and didn't have the time.

[@U2QuoZepplin]

Yeah I did wonder abou that . If it had been a Goldsmith composition I would have expected it to be a much more fist pumping - exciting affair. Instead the DS9 theme was a lot sleepier. They re-recorded too and it was a little more interesting than before, I think for the Dominion war episodes towards the end of its run

[@subraxas]

If I'm not mistaken, the DS9 theme was composed by Dennis McCarthy.

[@ForceMaximus84]

@@subraxas You are correct.

[@victimology7761]

Fact check: whatsoever is one word. See how douchey it is to correct people on the internet?

[@totallyskint5899]

I loved it the was a great blend of sound and vision The story was fine

[@Drforbin941]

This is the best star trek ever made! a classic.

[@gordondavis6168]

The one Star Trek film that feels like a movie, rather than a tv episode.

[@hardwire5000]

Wrath of khan feels like a tv episode???

[@CaptainSpalding72]

None felt like an episode until GENERATIONS.

[@harvey1965]

Man! Goldsmith did not compose the music for the Deep Space Nine - that was Dennis McCarthy.

[@sfdudeca]

I find many of the comments here praising “ST:TMP” as a “classic” and “underrated” interesting compared to Leonard Nimoy’s critical disapproval of the film because of its script and pacing. I wonder how fans who embrace this film feel about Mr. Nimoy’s comments.

[@papalaz4444244]

I love this film

[@Willpower-74205]

I heard in a documentary that Robert Wise had pretty much disowned the film because it had been rushed into its release date with uncompleted FX, then got mixed reviews. The Enterprise, also, was rushed out of Spacedock early, which was kind of symbolic for me. Wise was fortunate that he had the time to help make the Director's Cut (2004), for he passed away the following year. Jerry Goldsmith's love theme for the Enterprise (yes, that's what it is) is still the best in the franchise. If you need a little inspiration to watch the movie again, check out Alex Bales's modern trailer for TMP. Very moving. 😃😃😃😃

[@JurassicPlank]

Great film.

[@patrickroos739]

Great stuff! Thanks

[@mundevel1]

Hands down the best film in the series, IMO.

[@CaptainSpalding72]

The acting is fine. I love the films slowness. It's nice compared to shit editing of today.

[@MrWorf35]

Bravo and thanks Jonny, for this objective though sensible review of a movie, which is not heartless despite of its defects and obvious clean (clinic?) atmosphere and slow pace. Heartless is Disney's Star Wars, for instance. Or incidentally J.J 's Star Trek. Live Long and do Tai Chi. 🙏

[@tmf866]

The problem with the story is Star Trek had done it before, in the old series episode "The Changeling". Roddenberry gave the script writers a notebook of ideas, not realizing that one was in there, and they chose that and ran with it... and by the time he realized what was happening it was too late. I remember as a kid watching the movie in the theater and saying "this is nice, but I've seen it before."

[@mysterious144]

One of my favorites! True to Roddenberry’s vision. I’ve got the directors cut and the original video release with the restored content on Laserdisc. Both versions are fantastic. Thanks for your hard work.

[@colinmclean6584]

I saw it when it first came out in the cinema, when the overture was playing, it was remarked that it was going to be like 2001 a space odyssey, a tome film, not another Star Wars rip off. For me I always felt it was more closer to Solaris than 2001 in tone. Which is fine by me.

[@mediasawdust2458]

THE BEST depiction of Klingons in battle.

[@xavier74701]

My lingering question is at the end of this movie, did we unknowingly give rise to the Borg?

[@FP194]

Just do a search for Borg/STTMP and you will find tons of material for the yes and no camps

[@charlessomerset9754]

I thought the script and story were brilliant. The whole Vger idea was amazing. There didn't need to be massive character development as any Trek fan knew the characters intimately, just the right tone. The effects were epic. The whole Oort cloud fly thru was the closest thing to the 2001: A space odyssey magic I had ever seen. It pissed me off when Trek purists started calling it The Motion Sickness. The whole film gets a bad rap.

[@TVsGreatestHits]

Just a couple of quick asides: Jerry Goldsmith did not compose the theme from Star Trek Deep Space Nine. That was Dennis McCarthy. Also, Goldsmith did not specifically compose the theme for Star Trek The Next Generation. That was an arrangement done by Dennis McCarthy based on the compositions of Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage.

[@dalethelander3781]

Star Trek Phase II was the result of dissatisfaction with Philip Kaufman's "Star Trek Planet of Titans" project, which came after the studio rejected "Star Trek The God Thing."

[@leethomas2155]

Yes this film is slow and not the best ST film but it is also very underrated.

[@bernhardwall6876]

I didn't see the movie when it originally came out, but I read the novel adaptation. So it confused me that a scene in the novel, where Kirk speaks on Earth with the woman who later dies in the transporter malfunction, was missing from the movie.

[@gordondavis6168]

One of the few Star Trek projects for adults - at the start of the film, Kirk and Spock have demons. Spock is consumed by his failure to overcome his emotions and is overcompensating going double-Vulcan, , and Kirk is consumed by having lost the Enterprise. Both characters deal with these issues over the course of the film, and we get the characters we love at the end of the film. Had the characters been all chummy at the start of the film, there would have been no story arc. Also, it had a good story about exploring the unknown and trying to understand an alien. Much better than the “ fight madman who is trying to get revenge” storyline of most of the other Trek films.

[@squatch570]

Exactly right! That story arc and point are missed on people who want to see "action" all the time in movies, especially sci-fi, rather than more story and dialogue driven. In the original series, the action was there to serve the story and provide some entertainment to keep viewers interested because that's TV... BUT... it's the story and dialogue that make the series good.

[@RandomDudeFromSomewhere]

Decker's first name is actually Willard, not William. And I feel sad for knowing that. :/

[@U2QuoZepplin]

Nothing sad about it.... Accuracy is important ; and you can’t have two Williams in Star Trek. That’s how you got William Riker so Willard Decker is good.

[@MrTom1379]

Didn’t like it at the time but watching it now without the hype it’s pretty good

[@blasterman789]

While my favorite Trek movie the fact is that the concept and special effects were well beyond the capabilities of 1970's movie technology. There was simply no way to properly conceptualize V'Ger.

[@CaptainSpalding72]

Except they did and its beautiful

[@hydrolito]

They already conceptualize V'Ger with Nomad.

[@augusthawks6576]

And of course every Star Trek nerd knows that Commander Dekker was the son of Commodore Matt Decker from the episode "The Doomsday Machine".

[@Bacopa68]

Gotta say the Star Trek syndication phenom was insanely huge in Houston in the seventies. At first the hippie UHF TV indie station, KDOG 26, showed Trek reruns. Soon the more respectable UHF station, KHTV 39 was able to buy out the contract once the prices went up. Trek on UHF 39 was the only station I watched other than Nova and shit on KUHT, the oldest station on the PBS network.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

I am really surprised that Robert Wise did NOT take the time to watch ST:TOS before directing this movie. I know that for second STAR TREK film, {somebody} reviewed the original series first, and from that chose to return to Ricardo Montalban's Khan.

[@peterembranch5797]

I loved it.

[@silvereagle2061]

You're blowing my speakers

[@channelwoodgrange]

I have a great fondness for TMP in the same vein as OMNI magazine. Brimming with wonder and potential, but presented with a clinical coldness that foreshadowed just how bleak and vast space really is.

[@Humbertusmarius]

ST The Motion Picture was like a reunion of long lost friends, but ST Wrath of Khan is my favorite.

[@nikvolt8298]

Is Decker the son of the Capt. that rammed the planet killer? Is that cannon?

[@CaptainSpalding72]

Yes it is

[@331paul]

WELL DONE i'm subscribing.

[@chrisgorton4577]

You do not mention, in your inclusion of Ralph McQuarrie's artistic rendition of the USS Enterprise, the proposed Star Trek: Planet Of The Titans - for which it was meant. Surely it would only be fair to reference what you are displaying?