Improve Star Trek: The Motion Picture

[xortex]

I'm sure someone's got a better sci fi story out there involving alien machines and wars between them and such.
By the way, this was the only movie written by a bona fide sci fi writer. At least part of a story.
I'm going to share with you good fans a story That I think could be merged with this story called 'The Trilar Resistance' I wrote for Star Trek a long time ago about a team of aliens. Let's call them the Wan. Their leader tells Kirk that they are the only ones who can protect them from V'ger, which they describe as a weapon that destroyed their home world long ago. Every now and then this bright light appears aboard the Enterprise and they sit and form a circle and pray for it to leave and it does. The second alien in command finally finds reason to doubt their leader through McCoy's scans and after five hundred years of chasing this thing across the galaxy. When he finally turns on his leader during a prayer session, their leader is transformed back into their enemy's leader. He was an imposter. Then the ending is revealed. Take it for what it's worth.
Then the new Wan leader is joined with V'ger and eventually becomes Q.

Does anyone think this could have worked?

 

[Maurice]

I'm sure someone's got a better sci fi story out there involving alien machines and wars between them and such.
By the way, this was the only movie written by a bona fide sci fi writer. At least part of a story.
I'm going to share with you good fans a story That I think could be merged with this story called 'The Trilar Resistance' I wrote for Star Trek a long time ago about a team of aliens. Let's call them the Wan. Their leader tells Kirk that they are the only ones who can protect them from V'ger, which they describe as a weapon that destroyed their home world long ago. Every now and then this bright light appears aboard the Enterprise and they sit and form a circle and pray for it to leave and it does. The second alien in command finally finds reason to doubt their leader through McCoy's scans and after five hundred years of chasing this thing across the galaxy. When he finally turns on his leader during a prayer session, their leader is transformed back into their enemy's leader. He was an imposter. Then the ending is revealed. Take it for what it's worth.
Then the new Wan leader is joined with V'ger and eventually becomes Q.

Does anyone think this could have worked?

No. Absolutely not.

Frankly, because you've made it not about the regular characters, but shifted the focus to a group of Mary Sues.

I notice you borrowed "The Wan" name from Alan Dean Foster's outline for "In Thy Image".

 

[BillJ]

The only thing I need to make Star Trek: The Motion Picture better is to have the 'Special Longer Version' broadcast by ABC on Blu-Ray.

 

[RyanKCR]

The only thing I need to make Star Trek: The Motion Picture better is to have the 'Special Longer Version' broadcast by ABC on Blu-Ray.

That is what I want except for two things. I currently don't own Blu-Ray and I want two of the effects shots from the DE in the SLV.

 

[Amaris]

The only thing I need to make Star Trek: The Motion Picture better is to have the 'Special Longer Version' broadcast by ABC on Blu-Ray.

Yes, please.

 

[Gagarin]

When I look at TMP I see hints of extra scenes that could have been written and added. McCoy actually trying to get at Spock and learn what's been going on with the Vulcan these past years. Kirk opening up and sharing some of what he's experienced and felt since the Enterprise returned from her 5-year voyage. Decker feeling out other personnel to see if he might actually have a chance of relieving Kirk. There are other possibilities.

Of course I like to think all these things actually happened offscreen.

Ooooh, a little mutany!

Decker uses his knowledge of the Enterprise to undermine Kirk's command codes.

While the command crew is loyal to Kirk, to a point, the other 80 percent of the ship knows Decker more... and sees Kirk screwing up.

OH but so much more if Decker is a woman. It would have had an edge of feminism and 1976's Network comes to mind.

Wow, some conflict now! Drama! Things to break up the flying-into-stuff-cut-to-people-watching-the-stuff-cut-to-flying-into-stuff-cut-to-people-watching action!
=)

 

[xortex]

Star Trek is about new life and new civilizations idealy with a personal risk to the crew, not about crew members throwing hissy fits.

 

[Cryogenic]

It looks to me like those two disparate pics of the astrogator flopped has one explanation... that "overhead" shot of kirk couldn't have been taken from up on high while still having the ceiling intact... from what I've heard, removing or flying the ceiling away would have been a major deal... so...

"Most incredibly, [Cinematographer Richard] Kline requested that the bridge sets be made permanent, that everything be nailed together so that the walls would be immobile. Explained Kline, 'I don't like to move walls; I would rather work in a closed set. There's something unnatural about moving walls, and I feel that when you start taking walls out, you lose some of the credibility. Even the actors feel like they are in a real location when all the walls are in place. A full set gives the entire picture realism.' Of course, such a decision limited the camera angles by which the bridge-set could be photographed. To combat this problem, Kline installed a monorail from the ceiling of the set from which a camera could be suspended and operated. The set was lit using over 50 HMI's." - Enterprise Incidents (May, 1984).

They shot it in a mirror placed above kirk's head... they did think enough to change the side that his starfleet patch was on, but if you take very close observation, the starfleet insignia is reversed as well...

Heh. One truly does learn something new every day.

SLR

Doth mine eyes deceive me?

Thanks for that lovely follow-up, er, SLR.

Nice shiny new TLA, BTW.

 

[Warped9]

Star Trek is about new life and new civilizations idealy with a personal risk to the crew, not about crew members throwing hissy fits.

Kirk, Spock and McCoy were disagreeing all the time in TOS. And Kirk clashed with other Starfleet personal. How is more friction and drama between characters injected into TMP incompatible with that?

 

[Captain Robert April]

"Obsession" and "A Private Little War" showed Kirk and McCoy very nearly coming to blows. And Kirk's "ANY TIME YOU CAN BLUFF ME, DOCTOR--!" in "The Corbomite Maneuver" wasn't exactly said with warmth and affection.

 

[Warped9]

"Obsession" and "A Private Little War" showed Kirk and McCoy very nearly coming to blows. And Kirk's "ANY TIME YOU CAN BLUFF ME, DOCTOR--!" in "The Corbomite Maneuver" wasn't exactly said with warmth and affection.

Bingo.

Kirk: "Blast regulations! Mr. Spock, I'm ordering you to relieve Commodore Decker on my personal authority as Captain of the Enterprise."

That three way heated exchange between Kirk, Decker and Spock was priceless.

Anyone also remember that chillingly frank discussion between Scotty and McCoy in the corridor outside the briefing room in "Turnabout Intruder"? Brrr.

 

[xortex]

Star Trek is about new life and new civilizations idealy with a personal risk to the crew, not about crew members throwing hissy fits.

Kirk, Spock and McCoy were disagreeing all the time in TOS. And Kirk clashed with other Starfleet personal. How is more friction and drama between characters injected into TMP incompatible with that?

The friction and drama between the characters is not the story. The OP asked how you can improve the story.

 

[RobertScorpio]

I have never seen the best of TREK as really being about exploring new worlds and alien civilizations. I mean, thats what its about on the surface...but really its about exploring humanity and its issues, using the aliens as, get this, Avatars, to get the message across...

Rob

 

[xortex]

I have never seen the best of TREK as really being about exploring new worlds and alien civilizations. I mean, thats what its about on the surface...but really its about exploring humanity and its issues, using the aliens as, get this, Avatars, to get the message across...

Rob

Through the story, not through bickering.

 

[RobertScorpio]

Well, I am not sure what Star Trek you are speaking of. But for me, on TOS, I loved the debates between Spock/McCoy, even though I thought it was always a set up for Spock to win them. That scene in TREK 2, inside of Kirk's quarters, when Spock/McCoy debate the Genesis project is entertaining.

So, I'm okay with a little bickering. But not too much. Thank the God(s) that Simon Cowell didn't play Spock...

Rob

 

[xortex]

McCoy and Spock bickered over V'ger. It didn't help. Let's face it, the story was antiseptic and lame.

 

[Maurice]

They didn't bicker. McCoy got in a couple of one liners.

 

[startrekrcks]

Just the whole tone and character development blame that on Robert Wise who must not have had a clue about making a good Star Trek film.

 

[Warped9]

Just the whole tone and character development blame that on Robert Wise who must not have had a clue about making a good Star Trek film.

The real flaw is in the script. They just didn't inject enough character interplay and drama into it. Robert Wise is a very talented director and directed one of the most classic of SF films, The Day The Earth Stood Still from 1951. He worked with what he had as far as TMP is concerned.

 

[startrekrcks]

well why didn't they inject that into TMP. He also directed one of my all time favourite movies The Sound of Music just love that movie. Sorry to tell you