I wonder why they just didn't take a photograph of the model at the time from the proper perspective? Why even bother with a matte?
Because they had to incorporate live action of the actors ascending in an elevator and walking about on the saucer.
It's an interesting point. In the TMP Facebook group the other day, Therin
posted some rumors and official responses from the production of TMP...
Thanks! I was actually going to post those here in a TMP thread. For those not able to view Facebook groups, the post reads:
Fan Rumours of 1977 about TMP, from "Star Trek Nuts & Bolts" issue #14/15:
Robert writes: "I'm wondering about just how good this movie is going to be. I have received information on the movie, and what I have does not seen to indicate a good ST movie. While not disclosing the nature of the script (of course) the information states that the Enterprise will be redesigned, the sets will all be miniaturized, Mark Lenard will be playing Spock as Nimoy's 'In Search Of...' series is still going, McCoy will have left Starfleet to become a vet, Uhura will love Chekov (not Kirk), Sulu will cast as a homosexual, and Scotty will be a drunk.
"Also, Women's Lib has forced pantsuits on the female crew, there will be no violence whatsoever, no Klingons, or Romulans, and former 'Yeoman' Rand will have her own ship, if Paramount even agrees to that ludicrous demand. Nurse Chapel will have become chief surgeon on the Enterprise, and all that begins to stack up as yech! I think that a lot of ST fans will be greatly disappointed, and the non-fans will be able to point their finger at the flick and say 'I told you so' to anyone who brings up the idea of bringing ST back to the air. That's if it hits the screen like that! It doesn't sound too encouraging, but if enough people get steamed and stand up for what they want to see from ST, I believe we could make a great movie to carry on the Trek tradition."
And the rebuttal, in issue #16:
"... I'd like to clear up some very bad rumors about the ST movie mentioned by Robert in his letter. He has mentioned several things which simply aren't true.
"1. Yes, the Enterprise interior sets will be redesigned to incorporate the many scientific advances made in the 11 years since its designing. In an interview with the British TV-SCI-FI magazine, GR said, 'If STAR TREK had continued in the years since, we would have had to have made some changes anyway. It will have the same general contours, but the instrumentation will be more sophisticated. Science has now far surpassed what we were doing back then as far as data readouts and so on are concerned.' Also, in a recent appearance in New York, Gene said, 'On close up, we hope to knock you back in your seats.' He said that the new sets would be more sophisticated and expensive. Remember too that Matt Jeffries is working on the new designs.
"2. Yes, some (probably planet surface sets) sets will be miniaturized. The MAGICAM process, a new special effects process, is able to perfectly synchronize two cameras; one films the actors against a blue background, the other films a miniature set. Gene said that MAGICAM would be able to give the effect of actors walking through miniature sets, in miniature doors, and that the process could convert an area the size of a basketball arena into a planet's surface. However, only certain parts will be done using the process. Both GR and Jerry Isenburg (the project's executive producer) have expressed faith in MAGICAM.
"3. Never has there been talk of Mark Lenard playing Spock!!! Leonard Nimoy, according to several of those involved, wants to make the movie, but wants some contract problems ironed out. He wants fair compensation for all the merchandising of ST — his face appears on products all over the world and he doesn't get any money for it. Jerry Isenburg, in 'Star Trektennial News', said, 'I think Leonard's intention is to hopefully make it work. We know ours is, and we will stretch every way possible to make the deals work.' As Shatner said, 'He'll be in it.'
"4. The bit about McCoy becoming a vet was incorporated in Gene's original rejected script ['The God-Thing']. As he says, 'The situation was that the five year mission was over and it had been over for some time. McCoy had given up treating human patients and decided to become a veterinarian, loudly proclaiming them as the only sensible patients he had ever had in his life.' This won't be used in the movie and you can expect to see McCoy back in his old job. The story, according to Isenburg, '...will take place within a year or two Earth time of when the series left off.' So, McCoy again will be doctor!
"5. No where (no where reliable) has there been a mention of this alleged love affair between Uhura and Chekov in the movie!!! Remember — Gene Roddenberry, the man who is essentially STAR TREK, is producing this movie and will not deviate from the original characterizations. He will have final say as to what goes in the script.
"6. Sulu will not be a homosexual!!!!! This rumor was definitely started by a Klingon subversive. No Way!!!
"7. Again, Gene's original script ['The God-Thing'] described Scotty as something of a lush after his retirement from Starfleet. He said, 'It gave us kind of a fun look at all the characters, their weaknesses and strengths.' Again, since this script won't be used, Scotty will be back to normal Starfleet duty in the movie.
"8. The pantsuit business came from a reference by William Theiss, ST's costume designer, in 'Star Trektennial News'. In response to the question '
Will the women still have mini-skirts? The fans think the costumes were sexist,' he said, 'Well, I agree with them, and I think Gene does to a degree also. Certainly I agree with them far more than our attitude was in the beginning, although I always felt that the short skirts were a terrible cliche. We can always go to jumpsuits or pants.' He was speaking in a non-definite way. But, since he was the series' original designer, I'm sure he'll come up with some terrific design.
((It should also be pointed out that in both 'The Cage' and 'Where No Man Has Gone Before', the women were depicted as wearing pants, in early first season episodes, various women in pants are seen running down the corridor during a red alert, etc. What's so bad about having the women wearing pants anyway?? ~ GP))
"9. No Violence? Yes, we’ve been assured of plenty of action and adventure in the movie.
As for the Klingons, Gene said, in 'Letters to Star Trek', 'I want it to be more than just an elongated STAR TREK television episode. I don't want to go out and fight the Klingons again.' This doesn't mean that the Klingons won't be appearing in other movies or a new series — Klingons aren't being kicked out of STAR TREK!
"10. No one even knows if Grace Lee Whitney will be in the movie. The reference to Rand having her own ship was intended as a joke in 'Star Trektennial News'. She said (jokingly), 'I want my own ship! I want a women's space ship, run by all women.' If she is in the movie, don't count on seeing her in her own ship.
"11. McCoy will be the Doctor! Majel Barrett said in 'Trek Times' (when asked whether Chapel would be a doctor), 'Gee, I don't know. In the first concept she was a doctor. In the second she was back to being a nurse again... God knows how they'll handle Chapel.' Chances are she'll be NURSE Chapel."
