I've really grown to genuinely love "The Search for Spock."

[Damian]

The "odd-numbered" theory first appeared in reviews of ST V, and retro-actively applied to TMP (which many TOS fans had strong reservations about) and ST III which, to my recollection, had been quite well accepted by fans and reviewers.

Yeah, and it was mentioned a few times after that. I remember seeing about it re: Star Trek (2009) if the movie makers were afraid of being number 11 because of the odd number curse.

I never bought it myself. TMP is my personal favorite and that was number 1. I liked TSFS, Generations was fine for the most part and Star Trek Beyond is my favorite of the Abrams films which is 13 (I know, I go against the grain a bit). So it wouldn't work for me. 5 (TFF) and 9 (Insurrection) are two of the weaker films IMO but that's about as close as I get.

 

[Paul755]

I never noticed that!

it’s tough to make out and you can read it for just a split second when Kirk and company beam down to Genesis.

In the chamber there is a sign with “Caution” in large letters. And the first item under that is ‘No Smoking”

can’t find a picture though.

 

[Paul Weaver]

On a similar page the implication in STV is that enterprise flushes waste out into space (directly)

It’s anachronistic nonsense

 

[Tallguy]

Someone just pointed out to me that TSFS is also one of the most quotable movies in Star Trek. I hadn't thought about that, but it's true.

Odd numbered rule: Stuff and nonsense. TMP is one of the greatest Star Trek's ever and TSFS is better than TUC. It's not the odd numbered curse, it's the The Final Frontier curse. All of the movies numbered 5 are terrible. (My kids were able to sit through Into Darkness but they couldn't make it through The Final Frontier.)

 

[WarpFactorZ]

I've mentioned this before, but I think Star Trek III gets severely overlooked regarding the amount of world-building it established. Up to that point, we had seen VERY little of the universe Kirk and company inhabited. We take it for granted now, because we've seen 100's and 100's of hours of Trek since TSFS premiered, but at the time, this was the most expansive look at the Trek universe we had ever had.

Think about all the things that TSFS showed established, or expanded upon:
1. The Excelsior-class, which went on as a mainstay all the way through the rest of the films and the 24th-century television shows.
2. Earth Spacedock, which is now iconic.
3. The Klingon Bird-of-Prey, which became synonymous with the primary Trek villain for almost 2 decades.
4. The Oberth-class starship, which was a very unique Federation design.
5. Transwarp drive
6. Certain elements of Vulcan culture and society (Fal Tor Pan, Mt Seleya, the concept of a Katra, etc.)
7. Established the Klingons, in terms of refining / defining their behavior and appearance, as they would be known for virtually the rest of the life of the franchise
8. First depiction of a Federation Starship self-destruct
9. Considerable expansion of Sarek's character, who would become much more important to the franchise after this film
10. This would set up Kirk's continued hatred / distrust of Klingons, which became a key character trait in the next films.

Again, up to this point, we had nothing that even came close to this. The other two films did a fair amount of world-building, but not nearly as much as we saw in TSFS. The designs and other elements introduced in this movie had a significant impact on the look and feel of the franchise for the next 20 years.

Great points. TSFS certainly did introduce us to so many new aspects of Trek. I'll add a few to your list:

• This is the first time we ever see our heroes off duty and out of uniform, and actually as regular people (e.g. the gathering at Kirk's apartment , McCoy in the bar, etc...).
• We get to see much more of 23rd century San Francisco, beyond Starfleet Command.

 

[DonIago]

^We see Kirk and McCoy in Kirk's apartment in TWOK, but I assume you mean seeing them more broadly.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

^We see Kirk and McCoy in Kirk's apartment in TWOK, but I assume you mean seeing them more broadly.

Oops, that completely slipped my mind. But yes to what you said.

 

[Paul755]

I always find it funny to picture Kirk and Sarek going through the mind meld and reviewing the security tape, etc... all in a separate room while Uhura, Sulu, Checkov and the late arriving Scotty sit awkwardly in Kirks living room wondering what is going on and talking about just leaving.

 

[Tallguy]

I always find it funny to picture Kirk and Sarek going through the mind meld and reviewing the security tape, etc... all in a separate room while Uhura, Sulu, Checkov and the late arriving Scotty sit awkwardly in Kirks living room wondering what is going on and talking about just leaving.

I'm sure it was just Sulu talking about how terrible he thinks Kirk is.

But seriously, I think when I was 15 I thought that was pretty much what happened (that they all stayed, not Sulu badmouthing Kirk). I thought that there was no jump in time and the rest of the crew were literally still hanging about.

I love Kirk's clothes in that scene. I think they kept Scotty out of it just so they didn't have to give him another costume.

I swear, the mind meld scene and Shatner's delivery of the line "We were separated." is 75% of why I love this movie.

You don't think the flight log scene is in Kirk's apartment, do you?

 

[DonIago]

According to the novelization it isn't. The room with the flight recorder doesn't really look like something Kirk would have in his apartment either, IIRC.

 

[Vger23]

I swear, the mind meld scene and Shatner's delivery of the line "We were separated." is 75% of why I love this movie.

You don't think the flight log scene is in Kirk's apartment, do you?

I swear, Shatner doesn't make one single acting choice in this movie that isn't spot-on.

 

[Maurice]

...]I love Kirk's clothes in that scene. I think they kept Scotty out of it just so they didn't have to give him another costume.[...]

He's on the Excelsior already by that point. The group in Kirk's apt. are the ones who don't have a ship to go to.

 

[Vger23]

For all the flack this movie undeservedly takes, it really did a ton of heavy lifting with the characters and formula. I mean, the crew face into sacrificing their careers (and potentially lives), a major character is resurrected, the Federation is on the brink of a renewed conflict with the Klingons, Kirk's son is executed, and the Enterprise is sacrificed.

It's a bold departure from "comfortable Trek" which, at that time, was all we knew.

I love TSFS for this.

 

[Tallguy]

He's on the Excelsior already by that point. The group in Kirk's apt. are the ones who don't have a ship to go to.

Yes, but he's expected. Kirk thinks it's him when Sarek arrives.

One of the flaws of the film of course is that in Wrath of Khan they don't have a ship, they all work at the academy (or at least are stationed there for the training cruise). Except Chekov who takes it very well that he goes from being first officer to being navigator again. Yet they're all wondering about "getting another ship" after the Enterprise is being decommissioned.

 

[Maurice]

Yes, but he's expected. Kirk thinks it's him when Sarek arrives.

One of the flaws of the film of course is that in Wrath of Khan they don't have a ship, they all work at the academy (or at least are stationed there for the training cruise). Except Chekov who takes it very well that he goes from being first officer to being navigator again. Yet they're all wondering about "getting another ship" after the Enterprise is being decommissioned.

Oh sure. I meant Scotty was obviously just late to the party because he had been reassigned.

As to there they were stationed, TWOK as released doesn't make clear exactly what Uhura and McCoy and Sulu's normal assignments were, and the deleted bit about the Excelsior only suggested where Sulu would end up next.

 

[Tallguy]

As to there they were stationed, TWOK as released doesn't make clear exactly what Uhura and McCoy and Sulu's normal assignments were, and the deleted bit about the Excelsior only suggested where Sulu would end up next.

I may have commented on something similar upthread, but maybe I can make a better run at it here. TMP and TWOK had as part of their makeup the notion that time has passed, things are different, and people have moved on (adding to Kirk's difficulty that he hasn't or didn't want to). TSFS was the first movie that really just threw that away and now they were The Crew. They weren't members of Starfleet with careers and subject to orders now they were more like the Justice League. It was Kirk and his crew and the Enterprise. TSFS acted like they were breaking up the band when in TWOK the band hadn't really been together for years.

 

[Paul755]

I swear, Shatner doesn't make one single acting choice in this movie that isn't spot-on.

the little “no...” he lets out when Spock dies during the mind meld always gets me. Shatner was good across all the movies but 2-3 he was on fire.

 

[Ssosmcin]

God I love this thread. TSFS is my all time favorite Trek movie. Always has been. Well, since 1984 anyway...

I swear, Shatner doesn't make one single acting choice in this movie that isn't spot-on.

This was his movie and he knew it.

 

[Tallguy]

So we watched this last week with the whole family.

There is so much to love in this movie. But there are a lot of weak spots too. Some observations from a fresh watch:

• The sets and the lighting look like they cost $1.25. Even the Enterprise bridge looks terrible. Vulcan looks good. Actually, the Genesis sets are pretty darn impressive.
  
• Kirk's leather jacket and Sulu's cape are amazing. But what on Earth did they do to poor Chekov? The outfit Kirk gets stuck in for the rest of The Voyage Home is my least favorite. (They don't have clothes stores on Vulcan?)
  
• ILM's model work is gorgeous. It's not their top of the line work, but there is a definite charm to that era of ILM. To me, anyway. I hate the idea of the Space Mushroom but wow does it look pretty. And I will always love the Grissom.
  
• The Enterprise destruction is still breathtaking both narratively and visually.
• When McCoy and Big Ears are haggling over money my boy exclaimed "They don't have money!" I'm clearly not showing him enough TOS.
  
• This movie continues the time honored tradition that the only good people in Starfleet are the main cast of a Star Trek show. I hear the tradition is alive and well.
  
• I think the movie is underwritten and under budgeted and most of the supporting cast is not good. But it gets by on the sheer wattage of The Crew's performances (I'll include Mark Lenard) and the music. James Horner said "I'm glad you liked The Wrath of Khan. Did you know I can make people cry, too?"

 

[EnriqueH]

I’ve always loved The Search For Spock.

The whole stealing of the Enterprise sequence is easily my favorite sequence in all the films.

Loved the acting by EVERYONE. With the exception of Chekov, everyone got to shine and had some great moments.

I also think Robin Curtis is incredibly underrated as Saavik. She was different than Kirstie Alley but I’ve always liked her in the role and I don’t think she gets enough props for her performance.

I’ve always liked Kruge as well. He unfortunately had to follow Khan as lead villain, which is kinda like having to follow Darth Vader. But still, he was effective. More than anyone in the TOS era, I found Lloyd’s performance influential on the way future Klingons would be portrayed.