I admit that I have a real soft spot for TMP. Unpopular though the pyjama uniforms are, the ships and the overall constitution of the crew has never looked better. If they had gone as far as ST09 and given each of the supporting cast a couple of character moments to shine, spread throughout the movie instead of concentrated, such as they are, in the very early part, I think it would be my favourite too.
I think the uniforms are perfect for the tone of TMP--just like the pilots, each a chillier work of SF than the series in regular production: no red and orange hi-lights in "The Cage," muted gold and pale blue uniforms, no bright red shirts and no micro-mini-dresses in both pilots. The color scheme of the sets and uniforms in TMP suggest that this is a science fiction film first, a Star Trek film second. Each subsequent film was most definitely Star Trek first. There's nothing wrong with that but I like the air of unfamiliarity in TMP.
I would've preferred "The Cage" uniforms and bridge set colors for the series, and even this movie. I think the uniforms are the one nitpick I have for TMP. It isn't enough for me to hate the movie (as some others have suggested over the years on this board), but the single-piece jumper was an eyesore. I am not in love with the movie uniforms from the rest of the Trek films. They are very militant and the red is too bright. They looked very hot (sweaters underneath the red jacket?) and they are dated today, as much as the TMP unis. I would have preferred something more classic like "The Cage" uniforms.
All this talk about fashion, though...it doesn't matter to me how they dress themselves. The story, the acting, the scope, the search for fulfillment in all the major characters are interesting to me. The dynamic between the main 3 in TOS (Kirk, Spock, and Bones) was so well-oiled and had such chemistry, that it worked to complete the impossible missions of the Enterprise. This dynamic between Kirk and Decker could have, and they flirted with, imploded the mission. If Kirk is dating the Enterprise, this is a totally new girl. He doesn't know her the way he knew her in the Original Series. It highlights the greatness of the Original Series dynamic.
This is Kirk and Company out of their element when the mission has the highest stakes--all life on Earth could end. Bones is not helping Jim. He's not present on the ship because he wants to be, but because he is forced, and it shows in his actions. Spock has his own agenda and seems barely present. He is connected, emotionally, to V'Ger. And that finally helps in confirming there is an intelligence in the cloud, and they are able to use his insight to better understand V'Ger. This is a real-world problem where personalities and professionalism are as much of the equation as skill, talent, and training.
Then there's the pure science fiction of V'Ger, a creation of our genius wishing to make the next leap in consciousness, being self-aware enough to want to know its creator and how that mirrors our own struggle for purpose--a very universal human experience put in the backdrop of space--speaks to me the way that other Star Trek films fail to do.
I know I am not supposed to indulge my impulse for wrath--it's a deadly sin, to borrow a phrase from the faithful. While it makes sure that the villain will be committed to their cause, and raises the stakes to life and death, I find it tiring to have nothing to think about. I approach a piece of fiction as a writer--what was their intent? what is in the dialogue and how does it contrast with the performance from the actor? What is the writer trying to say here?
It comes from my thought process when I tried to be a writer in my early 20s and so something like uniforms--unless they serve a theme--mean very little to me. Explosions are boring. The suspension of disbelief isn't there during action scenes. I want dialogue or if there is an action scene, let it be more than eye candy. How would a character approach this problem? Would they hesistate? Would they fight with their hands? The character has to stay consistent.
I want action from the actors (like Spock crying, very powerful in TMP). That's just my preference. So in a movie like STID, for instance, I know the dynamic between Kirk and Spock. I know why Kirk acts the way he does, and Spock acts the way that he does. There's nothing new, nothing original to think about. It's the same sheet of music being played by a different band; playing their greatest hits. Does that make them bad movies? No, but it does make for a movie experience, for this fan, where I am dissatisfied.
The three movies from Star Trek I cannot do without are:
The Wrath of Khan,
The Motion Picture, and
Insurrection. The new movies have yet to produce a connection in me. The pace and updated graphics, the callbacks and hallmarks, are not enough to keep me satisfied. And if you are wondering why this is in this thread, it is because I wish they would do a movie in the vein of TMP. Bells and Whistles don't make for a good production, in my opinion.
