Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

[Steel Sterling]

We've never sat down to discuss the films. I'm interested in making a thread for each film, discussing the good and the bad- because even the worst films had good, and even the best films had bad.


So, we begin with the very first film. Star Trek:the Motion Picture (1979.)
Some people saw it in the theater. Of course, at the age I saw it in the
theater, all I needed were enough special effects and cool lighting and it would
have been a success for me.


Now, the previous experience everyone had of Star Trek was only the
original series (and the animated one for those who saw it.) So we all
knew Trek with simple special effects and a shoestring budget. This movie
was completely different in both the amount of money put out on Trek
as well as using special effects that weren't even around when the series
was filmed. So, it promised to be a LOT better-looking than the show.
And, compared to even the later shows, the visuals hold up rather nicely.

There had been some talk about how there had been plans for a new
Star Trek series with a new crew- Phase II, it was nicknamed. Plans for
that fell through, and this movie took off from the pilot plot for the series.
So, we saw the old crew, and what they were doing, and what had
changed for them AND the Enterprise.


I'd like others to chime in before I really get to posting on this.
What did you really like about this movie, what was really good,
and what did you really dislike, what was really bad?  

[zuzehhx]

The Motion Picture was very hard for me to watch because of those extremely long scenes where they were "LOOOOK AT OUR COOL NEW VFX" I'm pretty sure there were parts where you were staring at the enterprise for five minutes straight from several different angles. And those uniforms...

Otherwise the film was okay, I wouldn't go out of my way to call it my favourite. I mean the special effects were greatly improved from the original series which was a huge plus, and the story wasn't bad.  

[Steel Sterling]

When the movie first arrived, all the fans went bananas. It was a redo of a
low-budget SF show with fiercely loyal fans. Then the big-screen movie came,
and there was a movie budget. That's why there were so many beautiful,
panoramic views panning around the screen. " Ooo, new ship! Shiny!"
They admitted the newer reboot did the same thing as an homage to this
movie when they ferried the crew to the ship and showed the ship.

I felt the plot worked- which makes sense because it was a variation of
existing plots for the series (like "the Ultimate Computer") and had been a
pilot plot for a new ST series- but they made the movie anyway,. Cool visuals
aside, that's why it feels like a long episode and not a movie, I think.

It's one of the few times the "dangerous" transporters are addressed. We got
to see the ship exteriors because they were working on repairing them, so
someone put the repairs into the story- and even why there was repair work
when we saw someone die trying to use them before repairs were complete.

We also began the tradition of "something's approaching Earth and the
Enterprise is the only ship within range and capable of responding."

I think the thing I liked best wasn't even the visuals- it was the plotting and
scripting about what happened with everyone since the series ended and
until the movie began. Lives went on, and some changed a little while some
changed a lot.

I think the thing I liked least was the new pajamas/uniforms seen in this
movie and then apparently set on fire before shooting of the next movie
began. ("Starfleet must have been going through some sort of pastels
phase at the time.")

In short, at the time, I liked the movie. I know it's gotten a bad reputation
since then, but I don't think it's actually a BAD movie.  

[Maddy]

It is a good series episode... 45 minutes long story.
As a movie drags and drags and drags and it's difficult to keep my eyes opened.

Mind you, I came to it with a completely frame of mind than you did. The first series I saw was TNG and only got to be a fan after the first season of DS9. Only after that I actively went looking for the movies (I may have seen ST2 before knowing what it was about or the series, definitely before watching the TOS episode that it refers to... now that I think of it, it may be one of the reasons I don't like it, but I'll save that for when we discuss that one).
The Motion Picture wasn't even the first of the movies I saw. So for me the "Shiny!" effect was there.

I like the plot in general and the conversations with V'Ger in particular.

As for the uniforms, maybe Starfleet decided to try a casual Friday everyday and people started showing up for work in their jammies. biggrin  

[Steel Sterling]

A few people noticed that Decker was the prototype for Commander Riker later.
Willard Decker had an ex who wasn't a regular human, but was a Starfleet
officer. William Riker had an ex who wasn't a regular human, but was a
Starfleet officer. Both were Executive Officers who were Commanders.
Like that.  

[Scurci Wolf]

So, I'm 18 and have been a Trekkie my whole life but just started actually watching it and just watched the movie a few weeks ago. I thought it was very cheesy and the story was a bit goofy but my father, who's old enough to order of the senior menu now kind of helped me get another perspective on it. Nothing big had come form Star Trek in 20 years so he feels they just wanted to kind of test and see if there was still a lot of interest.
And the panning shot of the ship, I wish I could see that one a big screen. That's what those shots were made for. I think it was a good way to give a better idea of just how bug the Enterprise really is.
The uniforms were strange. I wasn't a big fan.
The teleporter scene was upsetting but I like it because it kind of reinforces McCoy's fear of the things.
The movie was cheesy but I think it was a good way to keep everyone interested in space since Voyager hadn't been launched too much earlier.
I also like how it updated you on where everyone's lives had taken them.

Sorry for jumping around a bit. Just trying to catch up in the conversation.

The second movie was definitely better. I think my dad's theory that this was a way to check that there was still interest seems pretty reasonable and once they saw there was still a lot of interest they put a bit more care into the next movie.

EDIT: Just noticed this was from January. Whoops.  

[Steel Sterling]

Don't worry about necroing discussions here.
This guild is due for a revival, and necroíng threads can help if they're interesting
threads.


To be sure,
ST:TMP was a commercial success,
AND it revived the fanbase and garnered new fans.

The only question was if the studios could bring the fans something worth
keeping the fanbase together for,
or if this was just going to eventually be a tremendous wasted opportunity...