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Ronnie wrote:Kaijuko wrote:I don't know why 'Star Trek The Motion Picture' gets so much stick - it's really rather marvellous! (and that's not just because I fancy the arse off Lieutenant Ilia). Yes, it's slow and ponderous in places but no more so than films like '2001: A Space Odyssey' or 'Solaris'
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Do you want a quick-buck, empty, pop-corn, commercially friendly movie or something (that at least tries to be) more thoughtful and profound?
Smashing Jerry Goldsmith score, too.
Well I think it doesn't necessarily have to be an either/or scenario, as later Trek films have shown.
I think my reaction to it at the time (I also saw it in 1979 at my local cinema) was probably based on having grown up on the TV series, and this film seemed to lack all the character and presence of said series, and the characterisation that underpinned the success of it.
Also I'd already seen 2001 and wasn't really looking to see Star Trek try to emulate it, albeit within its own universe. By the same token, Star Wars had already done the 'popcorn/commercial' thing, and I get that the Trek producers wanted their movie to be above that level.
Ironically, whilst 2001 is one of my favourite films, I think Star Wars is more entertaining to watch than ST:TMP. Ultimately, I think the producers were too self-concious about what type of film that they wanted to make, that they forgot about the characters that made Star Trek what it is.
Yes, Star Wars is, if nothing else, massively entertaining but I wasn't trying to demonstrate how ST: TMP was superior to the Lucas space opera. I like both films for different reasons (although back in 1979, 15 years old me would have definitely prefered Star Wars - I wasn't really an ST fan at that stage). Maybe they had to get that whole 'Philosophical/Mysticism' business out of their systems before they moved onto more character/action based instalments, indeed, more like the old series (See 'Wrath Of Khan'). I get why people may have a problem with TMP but I personally have a soft spot for slow, thoughtful sci-fi flicks. Maybe Star Trek was never meant to be slow and thoughtful (dry, even) but it was at least a brave attempt to try something a little unexpected, and I love it.
