Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Retrospective Review - Star Trek Retrospective, Part 5

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Retrospective/Review - Star Trek Retrospective, Part 5: Following the continued success of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Leonard Nimoy and Harve Bennett decided their next Star Trek movie would be more lighthearted and fun.
Patreon: / rowanjcoleman
Twitter: / rowanjcoleman
Discord: / discord
Facebook: / rjcfilms
Special thanks to Patrons and Members :)
00:00 Intro
00:36 Development
06:44 Production
14:36 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
18:31 Release and Reception
20:14 Outro
#StarTrek #StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome #StarTrekRetrospective #RowanJColeman

[@adamsagehorn3520]

"So long and thanks for all the fish"

[@alanpennie8013]

They should have worked that joke in somewhere.

[@crosseightyeight]

Who'd have thought a Star Trek film with no Enterprise and no antagonist would be so good?

[@k1productions87]

It did make the payoff at the end with the Enterprise-A all the more satisfying. But it wasn't until a recent re-watch that I realized,... they may have been purposefully teasing a camera pan down to the hull of the Excelsior to see the name changed to Enterprise, building the audience up to expect that only to fake them with the familiar Connie returning. Either one would have been great

[@AnArchyRulzz]

The brilliance of good writing to be honest. It is just such a feel good movie you can enjoy with the family

[@BogeyTheBear]

No _villain._ But the probe was indeed an antagonist-- it is just an unwitting, innocent one.

[@k1productions87]

@@BogeyTheBear its about as much a villain as a volcano or tornado might be. Is it destructive? Absolutely. Is it malevolent? No

[@leejohnstone2285]

The villain in Star Trek IV is us the human race

[@zerocooler7]

A fun film which features a vehicle taken from Christopher Lloyd and used to travel through time.

[@hestushenchman]

Huh, I never thought of it that way.

[@rafetizer]

lol

[@vidhead85]

They took Christopher Lloyd's Taxi 🤣😂

[@aaronanglea]

Bwahahaha

[@andrewlankford9634]

@@hestushenchman Yeah, there was a deleted scene where Scotty is ordered to fix the engine room with a flux capacitor. Scotty protests, saying "yew cannaught mix flux capacitors and dilithium crystals cold, sir!"

[@Genjitsu17]

For me, this is the Star Trek film with the most heart. I love it.

[@k1productions87]

This is the one I wish was put on the high pedestal that Wrath of Khan occupies. Perhaps if it was, Hollywood wouldn't think what we want to see is bad guys, starship battles, and revenge plots.

[@marocat4749]

Kirk and spock rekindling their whatever you call it relationship is just nice there, and spock his humanity with the best probable way, humorous shinanigans.

[@yahccs1]

Gillian is a big part of that...! The same actress being in 7th Heaven got me into that series too...! (And with the actor who played Capatin/Commander Decker in the Motion Picture!) The Voyage Home was light relief after the two intense films with maniacs destroying everyone in their way...! (And getting destroyed themselves!) Especially funny how Spock doesn't get how to 'fit in' in 20th century culture. I know what that's like sometimes!

[@sandal_thong8631]

They called the previous two movie villains, "heavies."

[@CP-mb7ly]

This is the movie I can have in the background while I'm busy and still enjoy at any point when I can go back to paying attention to it. It's my favorite!

[@andrewthorne3570]

20:13 Nimoy: When I directed Star Trek IV I got a magnificent performance out of Bill because I respected him so much. Shatner: And when I directed Star Trek V I got a magnificent performance out of me, because I respected me so much!

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

LOLOLOLOL!!! Sarcasm warning: William Shatner doesn’t have an ego or anything!

[@finnbowles4577]

the best episode of futurama imo

[@alfredvalrie5541]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@kellyweingart3692]

😂😂😂😂

[@alexgreenwood404]

I'm amazed Bill Shatner delivered that line, considering his ego.

[@radkovicbe]

In the 80s, the theme of “save the whales” really did help save the whales. In my lifetime whale sightings have always been common but my Dad says he had never seen one as a kid. Surely the theme of Star Trek being an optimistic view of the future is lived out in our lifetimes. The future is better today with whales in it. For this reason I think this is the most important Star Trek film

[@karllung2649]

At the time when I watched ST4, seeing a humpback is like hitting the jackpot. Most recently, I have sent humpback several times already. I am sure ST4 contributed to this.

[@YorkieKDS]

there's a Star Trek meme about the increase in Humpback Whale population increase.

[@rogerlynch5279]

Yes, that is right. Because of this element in our ZEITGEIST I can´t understand the makers of ASSASSINS CREED BLACK FLAG why, in Heaven´s Name they had to give the slaughtering of whales so much space in their Computer Game.

[@lucasoheyze4597]

I haven't stopped slaughtering whales since I played that game.

[@dmc5555]

@@karllung2649 I hope you sent them to safe place.

[@davidshenett2465]

My favorite of the series. As a conclusion to the unofficial "Wrath of Khan Trilogy" it brings a sense of closure that started with the brutal events of TWOK leading to the death of Spock and the events of TSFS where the Enterprise is destroyed and Kirk's son is killed. To end with the crew returning to StarFleet as heroes, boarding a new Enterprise, and Spock finally coming to to terms with his humanity is the best ending one could ask. Spock asking his father to tell his mother "I feel fine" is one of the most moving moments in all of Star Trek. New Star Trek doesn't understand you don't need a crazed villain with a doomsday device, unlikeable characters that the audience can't relate to and massive explosions filling the screen every 45 seconds to tell a compelling and interesting story. I completely understand this film deviates from the traditional Star Trek experience and the soundtrack is so radically different from the previous films but it's what Trek needed at the time.

[@geraldmcdevitt3996]

My favorite scene was the elevator scene with Dr. McCoy being miffed at the other doctors.. classic! "Sounds like a g*dd*mn Spanish inquisition!"

[@musicalnotextr]

THE VOYAGE HOME, for me, is Star Trek stripped to its bare souls essentials. Explorers of the future dealing with a problem involving the human condition and making the “world” a better place as a results. The cool spaceship, the gadgets, the uniforms, and all that fun flashy stuff we love about Trek aren’t there... and they never truly needed to be. Makes me sad that Hollywood will never make a franchise movie like THE VOYAGE HOME ever again.

[@KEVMAN7987]

I always wished we got to know more about the "whaliens" that sent the probe

[@rogerlynch5279]

To that PROBE there exists a novel. I thought it was a boring one but chek it out for yourself if you want. It should be mentioned in most STAR TREK novel lists

[@indy_go_blue6048]

​@@rogerlynch5279 Is it an STO or TNG novel?

[@explorinjenkins349]

Watching Scotty randomly hitting keys on that old computer and getting transparent aluminum had me rolling.

[@trevorschaffer9173]

The Voyage Home is my favorite Trek film. And the dedication to the crew of the Challenger is a nice touch.

[@sandal_thong8631]

Sadly there's not a lot of space exploration in the Star Trek movies. They should have had one where they seek out new life and new civilizations.

[@opiejaye]

Huh, I never considered that the whales might have been animatronics, I just assumed they used real ones!

[@Sol3UK]

Same here 😁

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

That speaks well of the special effects. Special effects producers consider the highest praise that they can get is to hear, “what special effects? I didn’t know that there were special effects in that movie!”

[@franl155]

I assumed they were real whales, too. I suppose you could say the best special effects are the ones you don't even notice because they're so realistic: if you notice them, then they're not that good.

[@karllung2649]

At first they are thinking of moving those "whales" by hand (or some other means). After the models was completed, they found that the "whales" could actually "swim" with the build in mechanical movement, which is a big positive surprise to everyone one.

[@baddman69]

Yeah, that totally blew my mind.

[@adampoll4977]

Great as always. The facts about the "whales" was pretty amazing and those effects REALLY hold up today!

[@captainz72100]

Agree completely, They are amazing effects!!!

[@tctheunbeliever]

I always thought the twentieth-century whales were surprisingly generous to their human nemeses. "Thanks for saving a few of us from extinction. We'll save your genocidal species."

[@marklechman2225]

It’s a great palate cleanser. After the heavy action/sci-fi of the first three, it brings a refreshing pause and a change of pace to the six-film series before heading back into more serious themes. And as you mentioned, it neatly ties up the story arc that began with WOK.

[@Q3ark]

I think at the time, light hearted and fun is what star trek needed. We had a good revenge film in TWoK, Spock sacrificing himself. In the third film we lost Kirk's son and the Enterprise, Star Trek 4 definitely needed a lighter tone.

[@sarahscott5305]

My second favourite TOS movie. It was just so Feel Good!

[@spitfiremark1a768]

This film is pure Trek. Doing the right thing. Loyalty, friendship and duty. Nobody dies, and there are no space battles. Some lovely touching Trek moments. A good message and fun to watch. "Do you have a message for your Mother"? "Yes, tell her, I feel fine"! Brilliant..

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

For me, this film is what ST is all about. I miss the positive topicality. The franchise heads who reigned later on learned all the wrong lessons. Insurrection, Final Frontier, etc were about humor, not topicality.

[@AnArchyRulzz]

Insurrection? That is the example you use? Probably one of the worst star trek movies imo.

[@paulheap1982]

@@AnArchyRulzz I think you misunderstood there.

[@thebigitchy]

@@AnArchyRulzz I think Insurrection is the most TNG-like of all the TNG movies. The bad guy isn’t evil to be evil, he’s driven by revenge and also the belief that his actions will benefit his people. Through the actions of Picard and the crew of the Enterprise, they not only stop the threat, but manage a diplomatic solution in which both parties survive. That being said, Troi and Crusher really don’t get any good scenes...

[@youwayo]

The Motion Picture?

[@SpencerLemay]

@@thebigitchy Insurrection was a feature length 7/10 TNG episode.

[@Phex1]

Nice dive into the Special Effects. Never Thought the Whales were fake. Amazing Job.

[@xx3868]

Nimoy's idea of a non violent no bad guy type star trek film could have been a mistake but most agree and me too , that this is one of the best as unlike all the others and especially the later "dark" films, this film deals with conservation and is intelligent and gentle easy viewing which could be dull and slow, but actually pacy and very enjoyable for everyone. Also everyone has their important roles and no one is just "scenery" and Shatner is there to push it along and take charge where necessary while showing his short comings in this past unfamiliar Earth.

[@Josh_Fredman]

Nimoy didn't invent the idea of a nonviolent Trek film with no villain where the crew's problems aren't solved through violence! Gene Roddenberry did, with the original Star Trek: The Motion Picture. In fact, these two films are sort of twins in that regard: There's an enormous destructive thing heading towards the Earth and it's going to ruin everyone's day, but the Enterprise crew use their wits to find a peaceful solution, and it turns out that the enormous destructive things are not evil at all; they just want to communicate. I love that these two movies chose to go this route, because every other Trek film since then has used violence to win the day, and I don't like that message. I hope, someday, we get more Star Trek feature films that don't feel the need to have a villain.

[@brandonlyon730]

@@Josh_Fredman This film did it a lot better, the first movie was just painfully slow and badly paced with the effects being at the forefront and took up way to much time, it also felt more like an extended episode of the original series but with a bigger budget and mediocre one at that.

[@Josh_Fredman]

@@brandonlyon730 That's not an accurate reading at all. Anyone who watches TMP closely knows that the effects, while cinematic and grandiose, are not the center of the story. There are only two long effects sequences in the whole film: the introduction of the Enterprise, and the introduction of Vejur, both of which are important story developments that set the mood. It also didn't feel like an episode of TOS at all. That was the whole point! This film was produced to be Star Trek for the big screen. That's why they named it "The Motion Picture." No idea where you got that strange read from, other perhaps than TMP's low-level story influence from the episode "The Changeling." You're entitled to interpret the pacing as bad, but that's open to debate. I for one think the pacing was pretty strong, especially in the first half of the film. There's a real sense of dread and forward motion.

[@rafetizer]

@@Josh_Fredman And boy, are they long. TMP is slower than a snail trying to cross a glue-trap.

[@Marveryn]

I think 4 was the closes one that was more of a gene movie. a utopia future where we are better than we are in the past

[@daviddyster4145]

I always loved The Voyage Home, it's my personal film in the whole series.

[@ryougahibiki941]

Agreed. It's the Star Trek film I've watched the most. The fact it avoids all the tropes of person to person phaser battles or genetic space battles, and just focuses on the plot.

[@daviddyster4145]

@@ryougahibiki941 Thank you, I fear that Alex Kirtzmen is taking the franchise down the wrong path.

[@k1productions87]

It is my first ever Trek film. It is what made me an instant fan at 6 years old. I firmly believe if I started with Wrath of Khan, I wouldn't have been a fan, at least not as early as I was. THIS film captured my soul, and never let go.

[@JannaWillard]

Same here. My husband and I were just talking about it yesterday, in fact!

[@marocat4749]

After six whoi has the most developement for kirk paying off and the politics there, and real finale to the kirk movies, yes its great.

[@GP_uniquehandlefail]

"Spoiler Alert: It did not go well" The resulting chortle to this final line, while drinking from my mug of tea nearly drowned me.

[@tctheunbeliever]

I couldn't remember anything about that one until "What does God need with a starship?" popped into my head.

[@sandal_thong8631]

@@tctheunbeliever Row, row, row, row, row your boat.

[@ThePopcast]

Really wonderful deep dive here! One small correction. As a prior Navy Public Affairs officer who supervised the filming of tvs shows and movies on nuclear vessels, it's more likely no nuclear powered aircraft carriers were available at the time of filming otherwise it would have been fine. We would simply block out anything you weren't allowed to film. Good work on these!

[@tonyclemens4213]

Also the most Oscars nominations a Star Trek movie got with 4.

[@ChryosSkathe]

Oh man, that spoiler alert cracked me the heck up for some reason.

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

Spoiler alert: Star Trek V exists! I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[@dwc1964]

Me, immediately after, in total agreement: No. No, it did not.

[@JK-xz1lt]

This is still my favorite 80's movie. It's one of those quotable movies, with memorable scenes and characters. This is back when so much was still made by hand, and things feel so real.

[@JackWard66]

"This one feels much more 'down to Earth'"- Well done, sir. Well done! :)

[@RowanJColeman]

I am very clever yes haha

[@illyth63]

I wonder whether Nimoy may also have been inspired by some segments in Carl Sagan's Cosmos for this movie. Star Trek IV is the first movie I clearly remember seeing in a movie theater and it's still my favorite of the Trek films.

[@illyth63]

@NonCoinCollector I loved In Search Of when I was a kid. I haven't found any place to watch the old episodes lately though.

[@franl155]

@@illyth63 - I've found some - I think on YT but I honestly can't remember- I;'d never heard of it until then.

[@KC_Smooth]

I envy you for seeing it in theatre. It’s my favorite Star Trek TOS movie!

[@Educatingben]

This is my feeling about The Voyage Home. It's a Great movie in its own right and you didn't necessarily have to be a Star Trek fan or even know that much about Star Trek to love it. When it premiered in 1986 I went to the movies with a friend who was in no way a sci-fi fan and had not really seen any Star Trek shows or movies, and he loved it. He thought it was a funny comedy with a good backstory about the whales.

[@jameyhej3]

I can appreciate how you might consider Star Trek IV not quite your "go to" Star Trek film, and I also find it an odd duck of the bunch, but I have watched it exactly the same number of times as I have watched Star Trek II, and III for that matter, because whenever I feel the urge to watch any of them, I watch all three together as a trilogy. I barely consider them separate. It is, for me, one story of Kirk and crew feeling old and tired, reclaiming that feeling of youthful excitement about the unknown but losing a dear friend, then risking their own lives and careers to save that friend, then saving the world and being rewarded with a new ship to live and love life and explore space again.

[@mikeharutunian3463]

This has always been my favorite Star Trek outing.

[@isaacjohnson9276]

This is my favorite Trek film by a country mile, with Star Trek being my 2nd favorite. Both have ties back to my recently passed grandfather. JJ's film solidified my love for this universe and series when he took me to see it back in May of 2009. The same week we pulled out his VHS tapes and watched the episode, Trouble with Tribbles, and The Motion Picture and The Voyage Home. We eventually watched Space Seed and the "trilogy" together to fully understand what was going on, though he had seen them as they came out, of course. We probably watched Voyage Home 15 times together over the next ten years, with 2019 being the last time we watched it, he was well into the later stages of Parkinson's by then. I miss him everyday, but as long as I live this film will be one of the things that connects me back to my favorite person and I can't wait to show my kids "the one with the whales" in the future.

[@DawnieAngel11]

@isaacjohnson9276 My father has dementia, and although he still recognizes me, I miss my "Daddy" very much. Some of my fondest memories were watching TOS in reruns at 6pm every night. Often we would also watch "I Love Lucy" just before. Thank you for sharing your story!😇

[@ScrapKing73]

Agreed that it’s welcome that the secondary cast members are given better lines and more things to do in this one. In particular, as someone who became a big Walter Koenig fan thanks to his role as “Bester” on Babylon 5, and felt that he was so underutilized on Star Trek, it was great to see.

[@michaelwebster8666]

Excellent! You made my day with this. 'Its better for you, its better for me, its better for them!' 'Just use the keyboard!' The most feel good of all Trek movies 🖖

[@levi1929]

“Use the KEYboard”!?.....how quaint....

[@xedra]

and don't forget the new kidney lady LOL "I grew a new kidney!"

[@joshuabonesteel2303]

What did you say she had? Cramps

[@Fe22234]

The whale special effects were fantastic and still look just as good today.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Not QUITE sure about the CGI-claymation crew heads for the allegory of time travel.

[@timrob12]

10:01 - I experienced something like that once when I was being an extra on the filming of a small sketch for a local sketch show. We were all in room which was supposed to be the room where personel of a company had gathered to hear from big bosses who was going to get fired. When shooting the sketch, however, they didn't have enough extras, so throughout the day we were moved around for the various takes to give the impression that the room is full. Now, I have to rewatch the sketch again to see how much of me is visible in the actual footage, but on the filming day, I was basicly on three different places in the room. Second row in the middle for most of the scenes, then standing at the far back for some takes and also sitting on the edge of row next to the wall for a shot where the bosses enter the room. Yeah, it's not Star Trek related, but it is a good example of what they did for the scene mentioned at this particular timecode.

[@ForceMaximus84]

One thing: Time After Time’s score was done by Miklos Rozsa. Otherwise, good stuff!

[@cecilj4129]

This is the movie I watch whenever I want to watch a Trek movie with a casual viewer. It's so fun, everybody can enjoy it

[@stevenjlovelace]

This is absolutely my favorite Star Trek movie. I can concede "Wrath of Khan" being "objectively" better, from a film geek perspective, but this was totally my introduction to Star Trek and I think it holds up. In fact, I think it is a pretty good 80s sci-fi comedy film in general. Even without all of the Star Trek lore, it's on par with "Back to the Future."

[@scottbutler5]

I remember I got suuuper sick of this one in the mid-90s - it felt like cable channels would run TVH two or three times as often as any of the other movies, and I got so tired of it that I didn't watch it for about 15 years. I think it was when the blu-ray set came out that I finally saw it again, and after the break it turns out I love it again. The humor works, the character moments are great, Nimoy's direction is good, they even manage to tell a really good story about Spock rediscovering himself even amidst all the jokes and the Save The Whales messaging. Really good stuff.

[@conrad4852]

I’ve watched six of your Trek videos here. I am very impressed I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them and even though I’m a huge Trekkie there’s always been at least a little bit of information that’s new to me. Well done!

[@dwc1964]

One of my top 3 favorite _Star Trek_ films - along with _Wrath of Khan_ and _Galaxy Quest_ - and one of my favorite films featuring my beloved San Francisco _Time After Time_ is another one. Interesting that they both feature some of the same exact locations, including the corner of Columbus and Kearney

[@mdxque8393]

12:55 That seal wanting to play with mini whale. XD so cute!

[@jacobktan]

When I was a kid I had to watch Star Trek IV before I fell asleep. I would put the tape in my 14-inch tv-vcr every night before bed. Normally I would fall asleep before the pizza.

[@GeneralBulldog54]

TIL the whales were mostly animatronic. I had no idea. I, for the longest, thought they used archived filmed footage of the real whales along with shots filmed at some nature reserve for the exteriors.

[@crowskyler]

This is the first Star Trek film my dad showed me and it has a big place in my heart as a result. c: Another lovely episode!

[@erichtomanek4739]

After The Wrath of Khan, The Voyage Home is number TWO! I loved how ALL the crew got lots of meaningful screentime and stories.

[@garrett2439]

Good video, very informative. I work in the film industry in Wellington, New Zealand. I have some thoughts to share regarding some of the stuff you talked about here. Firstly, James Cameron built a water tank here for the production of Avatar 2, which is set on an oceanic moon. They are hella expensive to build, and it seems like Nimoy got insanely lucky when that old tank was found. Even Cameron struggled for a while to come up with the money to build the tank for Avatar 2, so I am guessing if they hadn't found that tank on Voyage Home the production would have been in serious trouble. Secondly, the "classical and economical" directing style you refer to is called Uninflected, or Eisensteinian, direction.

[@sandal_thong8631]

I'd heard it was used by Moses to part the Red Sea.

[@georgemorley1029]

Any film that gives me the lines “Hello, Computer!”, “Double dumb-ass on you” and “Noo-clear Wessels” is alright in my book. Also, any film that trolls PETA by being more concerned with the welfare of real animals than the people acting “outraged” by perceived mistreatment of animals has to be appreciated. The lengths they went to in order to make the whale effects convincing are superb. Double dumb ass on PETA!

[@johnchedsey1306]

I'm all for animal rights and better treatment, but PETA can bite me. They do more to convince people to eat a steak than prevent factory farming.

[@Corbomite-ei1ty]

I went to the UK Premiere in Leicester Square. So memorable, everyone was having a whale of a time (!) Lots of applause and laughs, quite rightly.

[@theshadowdirector]

Cast salary disputes seem to be a recurring theme in Trek films.

[@PeterEvansPeteTakesPictures]

Star Trek: The Wrath of Agents

[@Moochtv]

Another fabulous retrospective. Yeah I'm a bit weird with the score. It's nice but no my go too out of all the soundtracks. I'm keen to hear what you think of the next movie! (I think id stick a 'Guilty pleasure ' post it note on it. If it's on TV, I'll watch it! A mess of a movie but the nearest that feels like an oldTV episode with the main three stars bickering at each other!

[@simonclarke8098]

Can we just take a moment to appreciate Mr Nimoy invited those who took anger at the false assumption they used whales, to show them rather then labelling them as a 'toxic fandom' or 'toxic fans'? He always treated Trekkies with respect rather than contempt...unlike the cast of Discovery on Twitter.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

If memory serves me right, that huge parkinglot watertank was also originally used to shoot the dividing of the red sea for the 1956 classic "The Ten Commandments".

[@alanpennie8013]

They should have got Charlton Heston to do a guest appearance.

[@troylowe814]

My dad would take me to every Trek movie and "the one with the whales" was our favorite. I miss going to the theater with my dad to see the newest Trek movie. Last one we went to was the reboot from 2009.

[@redmist1175]

Ok I'm gonna say it voyage home is my favourite tos film

[@JackWard66]

I think the main function of the Star Trek IV is so accessible by a lot of folks. It could almost be a date night movie even.

[@Malryth]

I loved The Voyage Home that I actually saw this 3 times in the theatre back in the day. Given the light hearted nature of this film after the last 2, it felt well deserved. Just my opinion.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

Having watched the trek movies since my early childhood, Star Trek IV always felt kinda special. Because it made the whole crew feel a lot more realistic and you could really imagine running into them outside. THAT was what really made it so amazing to me. The whole "Grounded" appeal of them being on earth during "present time" really added to it. It felt in tone a lot like a Star Trek TOS episode (same with Star Trek V) and yes, i too thought the wales were real. Took me till somewhere around 1993 or so when the 25th Anniversary special of Star Trek ran on TV here in Germany and revealed that these Whales were actually animatronic. Totally blew my mind. That being said, i would still not put "The Voyage Home" into my top favorite trek films. In fact i'd put even Star Trek V above IV. Because of the Story. Despite the production flaws.

[@inranglhood60]

Spock Vulcan pinching a punk, "they are not the hell your whales" and other "colorful metaphors", "nuclear wessels", "hello computer" and so much more. This is an awesome movie!

[@rjh1820]

I really do love these. I'm not even a huge Star trek fan, just a guy who saw most of them in the cinema on release.

[@IansUToob57]

being a fan since september of 1966, owning every episode of every iteration and every movie, I have to say IV is the only movie I've watched more times than I could count; perhaps 40-50 times, and is my favorite of the bunch. Of course living in SF (partly moved here because of Star Fleet's location) the location shots are so much fun. The score is great, the humor is fantastic, and it gets across the "big Idea" along with the fun.

[@paulcook1494]

This was by far my favorite of the Star Trek movies,

[@astra_official4179]

Back in the early 1990s, I got to see Leonard Nimoy at a convention talking about the whale animatronics. The whale breaching scene near the end of the film used stock footage, because the animatronic version was incredibly comical. Nimoy had brought the test footage for us to view.

[@user-cf7pe3qg1c]

Excellent video!!! This was the movie that got me hooked!!! What a thrill to see it in the theater when I was 23.

[@BlackDoveNYC]

Your pronunciation of the California locations like Monterrey and San Mateo is... interesting. Having lived in the area I don’t think I ever heard anyone say the names quite like you did.

[@RA10H56]

I loved this movie, I saw it with my parents and college age siblings. I would have been 10, I remember be so confused about why they were laughing at some of the bits..the truck seen, the pizza parlor, when they are asking for directions and so on. Now I watch the film as a seasoned adult and my own kids and my wife ask me why I laugh so hysterically at the humor in the movie. And might I add your work is top notch!

[@EpicConspiracy]

I watched all TOS movies in the last few months and this one was actually my fav of them all.

[@billkendrick1]

Well, I guess that's *one* way to pronounce Monterey ;)

[@lovejoy1311]

Agreed. 1000% better than me trying anything from his neck of the woods, but still took me a second to process!

[@hestushenchman]

Or "Cetacean" which he pronounced "Ketacean".

[@knoriel]

Mon-Terry Bay :)

[@carterperezadamson2777]

I am loving this series. So well researched! Cannot wait to hear all about whatever the frell they were thinking behind the scenes while making The Final Frontier...

[@Imbatmn57]

This is the only star trek movie i own,probably because it wasnt a war movie.

[@Josh_Fredman]

The original one, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, is also "not a war movie." It's darker than this film, but there's no real villain, and the crew's problems aren't solved through violence. These two films are unique in the Star Trek movie canon in this respect!

[@brandonlyon730]

@@Josh_Fredman Star Trek 6 or 7 weren’t really “war” movies either. In 6 it was a conspiracy movie with the members doing there best to end cooperation and eventually start a war. And 7 was mostly about one crazy guy blowing up stars to get into a space ribbon.

[@Josh_Fredman]

@@brandonlyon730 Not sure how you can interpret Star Trek VI as "not a war movie." The whole metaphor is that it's about the end of the Cold War. And it's also a "war movie" in the sense the OP likely intended, referring to the focus on violence and the use of violence to resolve the plot. VII is a little less clear-cut, but follows the same general model. It's a film about time and mortality, but, once again, the movie heavily features violence, and uses violence to resolve the plot. It's definitely got a lot of punching and shooting.

[@georgemorley1029]

Star Trek movies are not war movies. They are science fiction.

[@drhibas]

These videos are great put together! I am learning a lot of new Star Trek history. Thanks!

[@Seekthetruth3000]

Hands down, the best Star Trek movie ever.

[@motomike71]

Not mentioned: At the time of Star Trek IV's production, Eddie Murphy was under contract with Paramount, the last studio contracted player.

[@JPMD55]

The Voyage Home is my favorite. "Just one damn minute, Captain."

[@valentinofeltrin6617]

Thank you, this is my favorite Star Trek movie with the original cast! Now I'm curious about the Final Frontier retrospective, this will be... interesting

[@rougeneon1997]

Also the one younger women Chekov and Uhura ask on the sidewalk about finding the nuclear vessels / Navy base WASNT a cast member like they assumed. Just a passer-by. Supposedly a crew member had to run after her after they cut to get her permission for filming.

[@johnchedsey1306]

I recently rewatched the first half of this. What startled me was the blatant display of whaling practices and how they were being slaughtered. I saw this movie in the theater as a kid and didn't really remember how graphic those scenes were! Overall, because it's a fun romp, I have nothing but good feelings about this movie. It's not meant to be ponderous or super profound but instead fully worth the price of admission.

[@wolverine6104305]

I'm going to say this now, i loved star trek v, not my favourite by any means but i didn't hate it

[@Josh_Fredman]

TFF is definitely the most underrated of the Star Trek films. It's the one that feels the most like The Original Series, and it does the best job of blending humor and seriousness. It has an interesting plot, deep philosophical subject matter, and decent action. Its biggest problem is that it's sloppy and loose around the edges, with a lot of unfulfilled potential. With a bigger budget, a better producer, and a stronger director, this film would have been received a lot more positively.

[@k1productions87]

Well, I love all the films. I find something to like in every single one of them, and will defend them with my dying breath :3

[@Axonteer]

"this one feels much more down to earth" (comments on the "on location shooting") haha... got ya there... sneaky pun :D

[@brendopls]

how could you talk about this movie and not namedrop the nuclear wessels scene smh (in all seriousness great vid as always lmao)

[@EnsignRedSquad]

Right?

[@dwc1964]

he doesn't out and _say_ it but while he's talking about the light-hearted humor and meme-worthy dialog that's one of the scenes he flashes to

[@alanpennie8013]

@@dwc1964 Probably Chekov's most famous line. There's a story that his interlocutor got her actor's union card by appearing in the scene.

[@BogeyTheBear]

@@alanpennie8013 Wasn't it something about rushing her aside to sign a one-line agreement and they paid her union due out of their own pocket?

[@seppingtondestamina9398]

@@BogeyTheBear IIRC she accidentally replied to him and that meant they then had to make her "union" or have to redo or cut the scene. They didn't have time to redo it (or the light was fading or something) .

[@oldman5247]

Other than Wrath of Khan, The Undiscovered Country, and First Contact. This is easily one of my favorite films of the franchise.

[@Solsbeary]

I am astounded by how much you articulate my own feelings with your opinions on each of these retrospective videos. Kudos to you :)

[@windmills_waterfalls9374]

19:35 - "and all the lingering plot threads wrapped up in this installment" I always thought it odd that at the trial in The Voyage Home, the two survivors from the Grissom/Genesis incident (Saavik and John Larroquette's Maltz) weren't shown there, to say nothing of Carol Marcus not being shown in attendance. Yes, it would kill the vibe to have Kirk hug Dr. Taylor while Dr. Marcus is in the background mourning the death of David, but while the Klingons are after justice, her son was also killed by them in front of witnesses, and it still feels like an oversight. From her point of view, "I kept my son safe from Kirk's life for twenty years, he finally meets his father, and within a few months he's dead." Yes, David got a mention on Vulcan with Saavik, yes the Voyage Home was deliberately lighter, but it was the finale of heavier movies, and Carol deserved something, ANYthing (even if it was in The Undiscovered Country, or even Generations. Could you imagine if in the Nexus, instead of Antonia in the next room, Kirk said Carol and David were waiting for him? *shivers*). That being said, I've always loved The Voyage Home. My uncle, who is a bigger TOS fan than me, always thought there should have been a line as they landed in the 20th century, should they contact Flint, from "Requiem for Methuselah," just as a nod. She hadn't been conceived as a character yet, but my headcanon sees Flint and Guinan in San Francisco at the same time Kirk and crew are there for the whales, maybe having pizza at the table next to Kirk and Gillian LOL.

[@jeanfitzsimmons7442]

It was so ironic, speaking of “David”, that the actor who played him killed himself. That was the most sad thing.

[@Injusticeman]

I'm pretty sure this was the first Star Trek movie I ever watched, so It kinda holds a special place in my heart.

[@trebizond790]

I distinctly remember tearing up as an 8 year old when they come out of cloak in front of the whalers. Nothing like watching scumbag bullies get their comeuppance :D

[@chrissawyer1484]

This was the first Star Trek movie I actually got to see in the theaters. My parents took my brother and I to see it. Great times.

[@gnarkillx360x]

This is the one I got my friend to watch he wasn't a big star trek fan, he loved it.

[@CVBASEBALLCARDCOLLECTOR]

1:30 Cal State Northridge Campus Library! Go Matadores!!!

[@SkinnerTBD]

whoa whoa whoa... we're not gonna talk about that footage of the "whales" swimming with seals?

[@mdxque8393]

So cute! XD

[@jcarm185]

I SO enjoy these! Great addition to Star Trek film history these videos of yours for sure!

[@fgdj2000]

You‘re approaching Oliver Harper levels of quality. Excellent video!

[@RowanJColeman]

That is a wonderful compliment :) I love Harper's videos. His channel was a big inspiration for these videos.

[@andrewshaver5800]

@@RowanJColeman I'm a huge fan of Harper, as well. In my opinion, your Star Trek series is just as good as anything he's put out. Keep it up! Can't wait to watch the rest of your stuff!

[@RominaJones]

I loved this film. I was a teen when this came out, and though enjoyed Star Trek reruns up till then it was this film that turned me into a true fan. I was out buying the novels after it.

[@tomhollis2685]

The Voyage Home is my favorite Trek movie. I am a diehard Trekker and a fan of hard science fiction. So why do I like movie 4? Simply because it's FUN. It captures the humor of many of the episodes of TOS and has that hopeful and optimistic tone that the recent new series seems to have forgotten. By the way, I just discovered your Retrospective series yesterday. I'm hooked!

[@peterwimmer1259]

This is my favourite of the series, too. Its charm is wonderful, and Spock's "naïve" coolness is breath-taking.

[@michaellewis1545]

I did not know that the whales were fake. I always thought that they just composit the whales into the shots. Has any else noticed that the tighter the budget the better the movie at least to some degree.

[@jenniferwilliams9612]

I have been looking forward to this video especially, and each entry in this series, and that is intended as high praise.

[@musicalnotextr]

Star Trek’s II-IV need a name for its “trilogy”. My pitch: ‘The Needs Trilogy’ II: “Needs of the many > needs of the few” III: “Needs of the many < needs of the few” IV: “Needs of the many = needs of the few” All three of these movies explore different relationships between these two concepts.

[@zerocooler7]

I've heard the three films sometimes referred to as "The Genesis Trilogy".

[@musicalnotextr]

@@zerocooler7 Certainly a much cooler-sounding name.

[@tctheunbeliever]

Star Trek V--What does God need with a starship?

[@DuncanWEDD2019]

@@zerocooler7... And Then There Were Three...