Wrath of Khan - Where Is This Image From?

[Haytil]

Looking at promotional images from "The Wrath of Khan," I've always wondered - where did this image come from?

I don't remember this specific scene in the movie. It looks a bit like Kirk up against the glass when Spock is dying, based on Kirk's pose - but based on Spock's position in the image, clearly it's not from that point.

This image is featured in a lot of promotional images, including box art, but it's usually small. However, it's the prominent (and sole) image on the back of one of the VHS releases.

Just curious - what part of the movie is this taken from? Is it a deleted scene, or an alternate take, or what? Any details would be appreciated.



(On a more personal note - I remember, as a kid, always going to the Sci-Fi section of the local video rental store. I loved "Star Trek" and wanted to watch the film series, since I was a big TNG fan. But I wanted to watch them in order. Watching "TMP" was no problem, but it seemed "Wrath of Khan" was always checked out at the rental store. All they ever had was the box.

So naturally, I was never able to watch the other Star Trek movies, since I didn't want to watch any of the later ones until I got to see "Wrath of Khan." I was always disappointed that the 2nd one was always rented, as it was holding me up in my exploration of the rest of the series. It actually seemed a bit fishy - looking back, now I realize someone had probably just rented/stolen the movie, without ever intending to return it, for obvious reasons (VHS tapes were expensive and "Wrath of Khan" was and is traditionally held to be the best of the series!).

So I always went back to that section of the store to see if "Wrath of Khan" was there, but it wasn't - just the box I mentioned above. I always looked at the back of the box, to see that image. At the time, I thought it looked like Kirk and Spock were behind bars - so I always wondered "What did Kirk and Spock do to deserve being in jail?" I desperately wanted to be able to rent that movie, so I could find out!)

 

[Caligula]

I've always wondered about this, myself. That pic always seemed so out of place.

 

[T'Girl]

If you remember the fixed ladder in engineering that Kirk climbed, them slid, down on his way to the radiation chamber, that's what Shatner is holding on to in the picture.

It's not a scene from the movie, it's a publicity picture.

 

[Mr Silver]

T'Girl has it,

At first I thought it looked similar to the bit where Spock is muttering about the "Prefix Code" while Kirk is bluffing Khan

 

[Kirby]

^^ Interesting. I thought it was from the deleted scene when they came back from Regulus and they had to use the ladders because the turbo lifts were 'inoperable below C deck.'

 

[Haytil]

If you remember the fixed ladder in engineering that Kirk climbed, them slid, down on his way to the radiation chamber, that's what Shatner is holding on to in the picture.

It's not a scene from the movie, it's a publicity picture.

I suspected it was that ladder, but in that scene, Spock is behind the glass the entire time Kirk is in the scene.

So are you saying they just told Shatner and Nimoy "Hey, go stand at that ladder and look very serious while we take pictures of you?", for promotional reasons?

^^ Interesting. I thought it was from the deleted scene when they came back from Regulus and they had to use the ladders because the turbo lifts were 'inoperable below C deck.'

I had considered that, but that ladder is against the wall in that scene, so there's no position for a camera to be to get that angle (i.e., nowhere behind the ladder for the camera and cameraman to fit, to get Kirk on the other side of the ladder). Also, the compartment (Jeffries Tube?) is so cramped, I didn't think Spock would be able to fit behind him like that.

 

[LeadHead]

The thing that's always bugged my brain about that picture, is that for some reason, it looks like Spock has Commander Rank insignia instead of Captain on his shoulder, I know he's gotta have a Captains on there, but it always looked to me like it's the wrong insignia.

 

[FormerLurker]

The ladder being against the wall is irrelevant. The set is designed so they can shoot from any angle they want. The ladder stays in place, and the wall itself is moved out of the way.

 

[Cyke101]

If you remember the fixed ladder in engineering that Kirk climbed, them slid, down on his way to the radiation chamber, that's what Shatner is holding on to in the picture.

It's not a scene from the movie, it's a publicity picture.

For some reason, I thought it was the warp core/radiation chamber. I guess it's because that particular photo of Kirk is shot at roughly the same angle which we see Kirk in the movie trying to stop Spock through the protective glass.

But then I realized...
-A metal cage (at first glance) is a very poor shield from ambient and intense radiation
-Kirk is in there with Spock!!

My next thought was: "Kirk! You're doing it wrong!!"

 

[Indysolo]

...VHS tapes were expensive and "Wrath of Khan" was and is traditionally held to be the best of the series!

Star Trek II was the first VHS to be released at a "sell through" price, so it was never that expensive.

Neil

 

[cooleddie74]

Looks like something from a deleted take in the engine room next to one of the crew/service ladders. A scene that was later excised from the film or even the script itself.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Lots of ST II action sequences were reposed for the stills photographer and are not "live" takes from actual scenes. People often complain of publicity shots of David's knife attack on Kirk, which was quite different as shown onscreen. The licensed playing cards have several Saavik/David "embrace" shots that give the illusion they were lovers. Several Genesis Cave shots of Saavik (in the presentation ShoWest trailer) have her with her her down, not in a bun.

 

[DonIago]

I seem to recall thinking the first time I saw that shot that Kirk and Spock had somehow imprisoned Khan (on further thought, perhaps one of his followers) and this shot was from an interrogation or something.

Of course we now know that Kirk and Khan are never actually face-to-face, but maybe there's fodder for an alternate take on the events there...or maybe not.

 

[milo bloom]

If you remember the fixed ladder in engineering that Kirk climbed, them slid, down on his way to the radiation chamber, that's what Shatner is holding on to in the picture.

It's not a scene from the movie, it's a publicity picture.

I suspected it was that ladder, but in that scene, Spock is behind the glass the entire time Kirk is in the scene.

So are you saying they just told Shatner and Nimoy "Hey, go stand at that ladder and look very serious while we take pictures of you?", for promotional reasons?

Yes actually, it's called publicity stills. I have a The Empire Strikes Back vintage era lunchbox with a picture of the four mains (Han, Chewie, Leia, Luke) on the Hoth set, in their Hoth gear, all pointing blasters at the camera. For years I wondered where in the movie that scene happened, until I learned about the concept of publicity stills.

They do indeed go on set, and have the actors stand in positions that will look good for still pictures such as these, but not necessarily have anything to do with the story being told in the movie.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

Lots of ST II action sequences were reposed for the stills photographer and are not "live" takes from actual scenes. People often complain of publicity shots of David's knife attack on Kirk, which was quite different as shown onscreen. The licensed playing cards have several Saavik/David "embrace" shots that give the illusion they were lovers. Several Genesis Cave shots of Saavik (in the presentation ShoWest trailer) have her with her her down, not in a bun.

I remember the David/Kirk knife scene (or at least one of them, if there were more than one).

David is kneeling over Kirk, with a scowl, looking up at the camera....IIRC...

 

[DonIago]

That's the one.

 

[Haytil]

Looks like something from a deleted take in the engine room next to one of the crew/service ladders. A scene that was later excised from the film or even the script itself.

Well, if it was deleted from the script itself, then it wouldn't have been filmed in the first place, and we wouldn't have a pic from which to discuss it!

Lots of ST II action sequences were reposed for the stills photographer and are not "live" takes from actual scenes. People often complain of publicity shots of David's knife attack on Kirk, which was quite different as shown onscreen.

Ah, but I think that scene is a bit different - I think that was a legitimately shot and altered/deleted scene, and not just a publicity still.

I came across this image from an old magazine released around the time period:

The caption text (and the fact that the director is standing next to them like that) indicates to me that they were shooting that for the film itself, and not just for marketing material.

Yes actually, it's called publicity stills. I have a The Empire Strikes Back vintage era lunchbox with a picture of the four mains (Han, Chewie, Leia, Luke) on the Hoth set, in their Hoth gear, all pointing blasters at the camera. For years I wondered where in the movie that scene happened, until I learned about the concept of publicity stills.

It's interesting, because shots like the one you're talking about from Star Wars, or other publicity shots (like actors in uniforms and costumes, striking different poses in a stark, featureless background), always were obviously posed for marketing purposes and not from the movie. But some of these are much more subtle, making them look like legitimate stills from the movie (either from the release or deleted footage).

 

[Maurice]

Don't take photo captions as anything significant. There's often a photographer on set on big movies, and sometimes they take photos between setups while the set is dressed and lit and the actors in costume.

 

[Mr Silver]

Theres a whole collection of these "Publicity Stills" at Trekcore, however they do not appear to have the OP's "Ladder Photo", was it just on certain VHS releases that this caption was included? Was it used in any other media form, Magazines, Posters, Newspapers, etc?

 

[Haytil]

Theres a whole collection of these "Publicity Stills" at Trekcore, however they do not appear to have the OP's "Ladder Photo", was it just on certain VHS releases that this caption was included? Was it used in any other media form, Magazines, Posters, Newspapers, etc?

I've only ever seen it on the packaging for some of the film releases themselves. The back of the VHS I mentioned (where it is alone and prominent), and also sometimes a smaller version as a part of the "montage" of images on the front of the packaging on some releases. For instance, the image is featured on the front packaging of the Laserdisc release (along with a slew of other publicity images, including the Ceti Alpha costume and mask, Spock looking at the camera with a red light cast on him, the aforementioned picture with David holding a knife to Kirk's throat, and Khan with two of his groupies in front of a blue background).