Saavik falls asleep

[Maurice]

He said it in an article/interview in Starlog magazine. And he probably did that TNG episode because it was a different character and not David Marcus.

Thanks.

Starlog 95, p.28.

When actor Merritt Butrick first learned that his character, David Marcus, would die at the hands of a vicious Klingon in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, he was relieved. Although scores of Star Trek fans mourned the death of Admiral Kirk's scientist son, Butrick wasn't one of them.
"It did not disturb me that the character died," says Butrick of his short stint as David Marcus in the last two Star Trek adventures. "I did not want to grow up as the son of Shatner. My name is Merritt Butrick and I have my own career. I didn't particularly want to do Star Trek for the rest of my life."

And p.72.

His character's untimely death doesn't mean Butrick will abandon Trek fandom. His relief with David's passing has more to do with the actor's fear of potential typecasting. "To outlive David Marcus has been a test," he confesses. "It's very easy to be typecast because an actor doesn't get fame and recognition doing science-fiction movies, regardless of their following and monetary potential.

In the same interview, he claims they were writing III while shooting II, which is rubbish.

 

[Uxi]

Nimoy was a great actor and his direction was pretty good, though was too close to be an impartial creative type. He was at his best with Nick Meyer running the show.

 

[Uxi]

Thanks.

Starlog 95, p.28.

And p.72.


In the same interview, he claims they were writing III while shooting II, which is rubbish.

Oof. Some actors should be happy to get regular work.

 

[BillJ]

Nimoy was a great actor and his direction was pretty good, though was too close to be an impartial creative type. He was at his best with Nick Meyer running the show.

Nick Meyer never ran the show. That was Harve Bennett.

 

[cooleddie74]

For four of the first six movies, too.

 

[CoveTom]

Nimoy was a great actor and his direction was pretty good, though was too close to be an impartial creative type. He was at his best with Nick Meyer running the show.

I would say that both he and Nick Meyer were at their best when Harve Bennett was running the show. I think he was the stabilizing force that they both needed.

But, then again, I'm in the camp who thinks that Nick Meyer is overrated. Yes, he wrote and directed what is the classic of all classics among Star Trek, and I respect him for that, but I really think Harve Bennett and even Robert Sallin do not get enough credit for the masterpiece that is TWOK. I think without Bennett's influence, TUC goes off the rails in many ways.

As for Nimoy, I agree with your basic take -- I think he was an excellent actor and an okay director. (As a director, I don't think he did anything wrong per se, but I think he shot too much like a TV show, and that's noticeable after Robert Wise and Nick Meyer shot the first two movies like, well, movies. And love or hate TFF, Shatner also shot it like a movie, aided by the great Andy Laszlo as cinematographer.)

But I would add an additional one to that. I think Nimoy was a lousy writer. I think his creative instincts for Trek were all wrong in many cases and he did better when someone else was handling the story.

 

[Ssosmcin]

I would say that both he and Nick Meyer were at their best when Harve Bennett was running the show. I think he was the stabilizing force that they both needed.

I agree, I am a staunch supporter of Harve Bennett, much like I'm usually one of the few people to give Fred Freiberger some credit.

But, then again, I'm in the camp who thinks that Nick Meyer is overrated. Yes, he wrote and directed what is the classic of all classics among Star Trek, and I respect him for that, but I really think Harve Bennett and even Robert Sallin do not get enough credit for the masterpiece that is TWOK.

Meyer was invaluable for getting TWOK focused and back on track. He was still the last piece of the magic elixir that made that film work. Bennett, Sallin and Meyer made that movie.

I think without Bennett's influence, TUC goes off the rails in many ways.

To be fair, and I love TFF, Star Trek V went off the rails also. It wasn't totally Bennett's fault, obviously, there was no magic elixir. Shatner was in over his head, David Loughery wasn't a good enough writer and Bennett was tired. He had to be coerced into doing it. Ralph Winter himself said "after IV we were smoking our own press releases." Bennett knew it wasn't a good story but he didn't push hard enough and Shatner by this time had clout. Star Trek V - again, I love it for what it is - needed Bennett and two different creative voices than those he had.

To support your belief, yes, TUC had far too many indulgences. Nimoy's story sense was what it was and it often clashed with Meyer's. Meyer's nautical aspirations were unchained. The studio mandated jokes were overloaded. Both Nimoy and Meyer were, as Winter said. smoking their own press releases. This wasn't the same Nick Meyer who directed TWOK.

As for Nimoy, I agree with your basic take -- I think he was an excellent actor and an okay director. (As a director, I don't think he did anything wrong per se, but I think he shot too much like a TV show,

Star Trek III is my favorite of the films - and yep, it is staged like a TV show and written like one. Because those are the guys in charge. Nimoy had no feature experience and Bennett was writing from his own TV bag of tricks - on his own. It's the only movie that, as far as I've been able to determine, had a single writer on it. Even Charles Correll's work was primarily in television.

But damn it, it still works for me.

Also agreed, Shatner's movie looks like a film in many places. It looks like a cheap TV movie in others. Someone needed to paint out the wires in the Kirk/Sybok fight scene....and of course, Associates and Farren shit the bed for 90% of it.

But I would add an additional one to that. I think Nimoy was a lousy writer. I think his creative instincts for Trek were all wrong in many cases and he did better when someone else was handling the story.

Neither Shatner nor Nimoy should have been given story responsibilities. "Here's the script - direct it." But when TVH makes a Brinks truck full of box office and Three Men and a Baby is huge, you let the guy run with Star Trek. Shatner was lucky to follow TVH. Without that success, the rains may have been tighter.

 

[Set Harth]

Ralph Winter himself said "after IV we were smoking our own press releases."

the 80s were wild