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Post #1078988

Author
captainsolo
Parent topic
Last movie seen
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1078988/action/topic#1078988
Date created
26-May-2017, 12:05 AM

Star Trek TMP

As you guys know I’m going through Trek chronologically for the first time ever.

I knew the motionless reputation, I knew Wise’s work, I knew the studio’s cash in mentality…but I didn’t quite expect this mixed bag.

This is the absolute definition of a cinematic mixed bag. It so obviously a tv pilot stretched out agonizingly to feature length and on top of that extraordinarily similar to a TOS episode I loved. Then the characterizations of the returning cast are either widow dressing or not all together there leaving the only constants for returning viewers somewhat skewed.

The redesigned ship and costumes were to me not only bland but quite awful. This combined with the slow pace really date the film more so than anything else. And that said it’s not a bad watch or ever too slow to feel annoyed or frustrated. There’s still enough good material interspersed to keep an audience going…but it’s far too little and the studio really and truly screwed TMP over royally.

The production history is insane for TMP and the fact that both Trumbull and Dykstra were brought on last minute and managed some incredible work is really amazing.
The effects make the film to a large degree, but it is Jerry Goldsmith who saves it with his incredible and huge score. He literally scores his ass off and it helps immeasurably.

All in all I liked parts of this but it misses the energy of TOS; its heart, its exuberance and most of all its inherent silliness.

But the the few seconds of Bones here and there are priceless.

The letterboxed laserdisc is fantastic btw. I was quite impressed with the matrixed surround track.