For Those Who Saw TWOK in 1982

[CaptainStoner]

I seem to remember no snickering.

Not like years later, seeing Pulp Fiction. I was the guy laughing at all the inappropriate times, the kid getting shot in the face, etc.

[Kirby]

I saw it at the Southglenn theaters in 82, I was 13 years old and the theater was packed. I don't recall anybody laughing at the time. I think it was when I finally saw it on video that I found it funny. More Shatner's delivery that the line itself.

[Aquehonga]

I saw TWOK on a Saturday night in June of 82. Could very well have been STII's 2nd night in theatrical release(?)

The things that stood out to me seeing TWOK in the theater were {in no particular order}:

*The 1701's warp effects.

*Reliant's shape vs Enterprise's design.

*The Genesis Cave.

*The Ceti Eel Implantation Scene in Khan's “trailer park home”.

For those who saw ALIEN this scene was probably nothing.

*Khan's Hand: At the end Khan's gruesomely mangled hand up on the movie screen really stuck to me.

*Spock's casket on the surface of Genesis, all the trees & sunshine.

*Spock dying in the warp chamber & there was something about the glass or transparent wall insulating the warp chamber that caught my attention/interest.

*Spock saying TATV at the end & the shot{s} of the universe while he was saying TATV.

*I can't recall any laughter by the audience at anything.

I was very young then, in elementary school.

[trevanian]

Brutal Strudel wrote:

---

I reacted just the way I was supposed to, with a sinking feeling of dread. I still don't think it's funny, either, and I think most people who say Shatner's a bad actor* simply say it because everybody else does.

*He's had some bad moments but no where near as many as people like to pretend.

My friends and I watched MERV GRIFFIN's show on TWOK prerelease and one of them about died just when Kirk picked up the radio and said, 'khan you bloodsucker!' (probably cuz it sounded like 'cocksucker' -- predating Ian McShane by decades.)

He's bad because he takes risks, and he's memorable for the same reason. Some take the good with the bad. I do. Plus I've seen THE INTRUDER, the only role where everything he does was actually needed to make the character live (which it did.)

[Cyrus]

Nobody laughed in the sold out theater (1000+ people) that I saw it opening weekend. I watched the HD version of the movie a few weeks ago on Cinemax and I still don't find it funny. I am not a big fan of TWOK, but this scene is very dramatic and I like it.

I did laugh at the line when George said it on Seinfeld.

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Steve67 wrote:

---

As for those who laughed, joked, etc. I just chalk that up to teenagers always finding ways to "impress" their friends and always appear cool and unaffected by anything emotional.

Sorry, try again. More like "way too old to be moved by mawkish attempts at emotional manipulation." I've always figured that only adolescent Trekkies or shippers could be that broken up by anything in Trek.

[Steve67]

Starship Polaris wrote:

---

Sorry, try again. More like "way too old to be moved by mawkish attempts at emotional manipulation." I've always figured that only adolescent Trekkies or shippers could be that broken up by anything in Trek.

What's "mawkish" about a guy screaming his enemy's name in a white-hot rage?

[Elder Knight]

We saw it a few days after it opened. I think there was still some boubt as to how the ending had been filmed. The audience only laughed at the intentionally humerous parts. Yeah, some women did cry when Spock died (my sister-in-law for one).

[Nerys Myk]

trevanian wrote:

---

Century 23 on Winchester, a two-cinema theater in a big dome, right next to the Winchester Mystery House. I saw a later show opening night, and had the worst seats I've ever had for a first run movie, in the front left corner.

I remember it well. My friends and I practically lived there in the late 70s and early 80s. With occasional trips to the Cinema 150 or the Town Country.We'd "slum" at one of the AMCs if needed.

Getting line early usually netted us the "good" seats. Once I think we filled nearly the entire row where the "good" seats were. For us those were the seats that put your line of sight in the middle of the screen.

[Tulin]

Nerys Myk wrote:

---

I did chuckle when Spock was dying. For some reason him straightening his jacket and walking into the wall is funny to me.

See I have heard that before and I must admit, I find it a REALLY odd reaction.

I saw great dignity in Spock's desire to present himself to his admiral in a respectful manner, one last time.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why this is funny, unless you're one of those annoying people whose default reactions when faced with some kind kind of trauma is to laugh uncontrollably. I knew a girl once that did that and whenever it happened I had an uncontrollable urge to slap her silly at the innappropriateness of her reaction.

[Nerys Myk]

I cant explain it. Something about Nimoy's acting choices I guess. On the other hand I cried like a baby when the Enterprise when down in flames in ST-III.

[QuasarVM]

Tulin wrote:

---

See I have heard that before and I must admit, I find it a REALLY odd reaction.

I saw great dignity in Spock's desire to present himself to his admiral in a respectful manner, one last time.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why this is funny, unless you're one of those annoying people whose default reactions when faced with some kind kind of trauma is to laugh uncontrollably. I knew a girl once that did that and whenever it happened I had an uncontrollable urge to slap her silly at the innappropriateness of her reaction.

Yeah, I didn't find that funny either...but...what-evah!

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Steve67 wrote:

---

What's "mawkish" about a guy screaming his enemy's name in a white-hot rage?

Oh, if you see it as something other than hammy overacting it's probably quite, um, moving. Problem is, it was Shatner and he was going over the top as he so frequently does.

[trevanian]

Nerys Myk wrote:

---

I remember it well. My friends and I practically lived there in the late 70s and early 80s. With occasional trips to the Cinema 150 or the Town Country.We'd "slum" at one of the AMCs if needed.

Getting line early usually netted us the "good" seats. Once I think we filled nearly the entire row where the "good" seats were. For us those were the seats that put your line of sight in the middle of the screen.

We got to cen22 at 7am for the first TMP showing (scheduled at 11 something), but my best SJ memory for movies is Cinema 150, first day CLOSE ENCOUNTERS. Must be my best experience of a movie ever. The UFOs practically shredded one of the speakers in the theater, and we came out looking up at the rain like something special was gonna come down.

[Shatmandu]

trevanian wrote:

---

HEARING the line isn't funny; seeing it is.

This man speaks the truth.

Shatner looks like he's passing a brick.

Joe, regular