zombie84 said:
Too bad you had to see it on a plane ride! It's much better on pretty much any format, as you may imagine. But it depends more on script and characters than action and effects, so I guess that's why it wasn't totally deflated. Testament to the film, I guess.
I was tossing up watching The Thing or Dawn of the Dead, but somehow ended up watching Star Trek VI. Whenever I watch that film it's under random circumstances. Anyway, I saw it about 9 months ago and it holds up as it always does. I usually say STII is my favourite, but I suspect this is better made and better acted but I just can't get over the status of STII. I remember seeing this in the theater in 1991 and having my mind absolutely, totally blown. Remember, I was like 7, so the only movies I had seen up until then was Land Before Time and Honey I Shrunk the Kids and whatnot. I still have memories of that screening, despite how young I was. Top notch special effects--that hold up just as well today, mind you--tons of action, humour, great performances, suspence, spaceships shooting each other, even some gore, plus a breathless pace, with a political alegory that went right over my 7 year old head. Hard to ask for more for a little boy in 1991. I mean, Star Wars was long dead, and it would be another 5 or 6 years before they started making sci-fi action films again. This was as good as it got, and it still holds up as well as it did then--maybe better.
Bill Mumy, (yes, that Bill Mumy) wrote a funny and touching song about seeing the movie, that got a lot of airplay on Dr. Demento at the time. I can't find the song on youtube, so here are the lyrics...
Goodbye, Old Friends
by Bill Mumy
The credits rolled on the movie screen,
I sat there and I cried
Star Trek VI was over
And I felt so sad inside
To never boldly go again
Into another story
Oh, Spock and Kirk and Bones and all,
You sure went out in glory.
The lights came on, the crowd dispersed,
We all were energized
Everyone liked Star Trek VI
Much more than Star Trek V
The cast was great, they'd lost some weight,
And Shatner's wig was grey,
But there was some talk about old Spock
Not speaking the same way
Bones is looking very frail
Scotty's looking thick
Uhura's face is awfully tight
Sulu's hair's too slick
Chekov's lucky to have a job
The acting is sometimes scary
But how I love to see them so!
God bless Gene Roddenberry
If I only had one single dream,
I'd step in a transporter beam
And find myself forever-wise
Aboard the starship Enterprise
With a phaser at my side
And James T. Kirk for a guide
Warp Factor Nine! We'd swiftly ride!
The Klingons would attack then hide
The Final Frontier's open wide,
It fills me up with swelling pride!
Oh, wouldn't it be great...
But sadly, that is not to be,
Not for them again nor me.
Videotape and syndication,
Star Trek: The Next Generation
That's all we'll get to see from now,
Though I know it could be worse somehow
As I walked out of the movie,
Though it hurt with all my might,
I said goodbye to my dear old friends
For as of now your story ends.
Still, on this you can depend:
I'll watch you every night!
At least six features found their place
It sure beats watching Lost in Space...
Live long and prosper.... and floss daily...