DominicCobb said:
I disagree about the dramatic tension being lost on Kirk's death. Even though I forgot about the tribble by the time Kirk was dying, I knew he wouldn't stay dead for long. But that didn't matter. To Kirk, and to Spock, he was dying. And he died. They were feeling some pretty strong emotions, and, because I love these characters so much, and, because the scene was so well executed, I felt those emotions with them.
I had those emotions too. In 1982! ;)