The best Saavik: Kirstie Alley vs. Robin Curtis

Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by HAL.9000, May 20, 2011.

  1. HAL.9000

    HAL.9000 Lieutenant Commander

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    http://www.startrek.com/legacy_media/images/200508/mov-002-lt-savvik02/320x240.jpg vs http://www.startrek.com/legacy_media/images/200508/mov-003-savvik03/320x240.jpg

    In my book, Curtis played the best Saavik.

    Alley may have had more sex appeal (she's nice on the eyes), but having her show emotion due to her mixed Vulcan/Romulan blood (although never mentioned in the movie) ruined it.

    Furthermore, Alley has a distinctive speaking accent that reminded me of New York for some reason. I couldnt get past that when watching "Wrath of Khan."

    Curtis played a Vulcan perfectly IMO.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 21, 2011
  2. marksound

    marksound Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    The best Saavik, IMO, was Valeris.
     
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  3. HAL.9000

    HAL.9000 Lieutenant Commander

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    Last edited by a moderator: May 21, 2011
  4. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Kirstie Alley, by miles.
     
  5. RandyS

    RandyS Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Finally. I was starting to think I was the only Star Trek fan alive (or dead, or not yet born) who preferred Curtis to Alley.

    I do, however, disagree with you about their sex appeal. Alley WAS sexy, yes, but Curtis just had that little something that made her sexier.
     
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  6. sbk1234

    sbk1234 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I'd have to say Alley, although I never had a problem with Curtis' performance. I think Alley was given a better bunch of stuff to do. Also, Alley had a certain "alien-esque" quality that I liked.

    I do, however have a certain soft spot for Robin Curtis, since she was one of the very first Trek actors I ever met.
     
  7. Robert D. Robot

    Robert D. Robot Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Wasn't the original concept that the traitor in Star Trek VI was to be Saavik, but Gene R. protested that idea because Saavik had become a favorite to so many fans, which lead to the character being rewritten as Valeris? I think sensors may be detecting a sense of humor here....
     
  8. Winterwind

    Winterwind Commodore Commodore

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    Saavik was the intended, yes. GR's protests were essentially worthless. No-one at the studio listened to him in any way beyond being polite and giving him a glorified thank you credit in the films. Meyer had some "interesting" things to say to Roddenberry at the time. And yes, I detect a sense of humour there too.
     
  9. T'Girl

    T'Girl Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Beyond just sex appeal, I thought that Alley made for a more interesting Vulcan than Curtis. Curtis portrayed a text book adult full Vulcan, Alley performance gave us something else, a younger (maybe barely out of adolescence) Vulcan, cocky and arrogant in the KM simulator, but nervous and near tongue-tied commanding the bridge watch when Kirk orders the training ship onto an actual mission. She openly flirts with Kirk in the turbolift scene and she openly crys during Spock's funeral.

    Curtis on the other hand ... well, she was just a Vulcan.

    Alley was comfortable in the role, she was loose, confident and passionate. Curtis was stiff.
    Alley had a woman's body, Curtis had the body of a boy.
    Alley informing Kirk of his sons's death would if come with sympathy. Curtis simply report the incident.
    Returning to sex appeal. The pon farr scene in TSFS with Alley would of been "hot sweaty dirty sexy," with Curtis it was just awkward.

    If Saavik had developed into a ongoing character Alley, not Curtis, would have been the ideal choice. Alley could have easily became a part of Kirk's regular command crew. She would have been a asset during both Voyage Home and Undiscovered Country. Watching Alley as Saavik play opposite Kim Cattrall as Valeris would have been a definite bonus. Alley demonstrated superior acting range over the course of her professional career. Not just comedy but also drama and action/adventure, lots of work. Curtis on the other hand has had a pretty thin career.

    [​IMG]

    Kirk: "Spock, I'm about to have turbo lift - turbo sex. Inform the crew."

    :)
     
  10. HAL.9000

    HAL.9000 Lieutenant Commander

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    Some interesting info from wiki:

    -wiki

    This is an eye opener:
    -wiki

    At first I thought it was BS then I found this:

    =link removed=
    Which makes the wiki story sound plausible.

    Apparently she's an exhibitionist.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 21, 2011
  11. DonIago

    DonIago Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Alley by several orders of magnitude.

    It's hard to say how much of the blame to lay at Curtis' feet though, since her performance was informed by Nimoy's direction and I believe she was instructed to play the character as a full Vulcan, which seems like an obvious contradiction in light of Alley's portrayal.
     
  12. antiquityscion

    antiquityscion Commander

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    I think Curtis's Savaak was more vulcan like. Kirstie Alley's Savaak was just Kirstie Alley with pointed ears. She was far too emotional to be believable as a vulcan. And Yeah, i know about the early scripts planning her to be half Romulan, but still.

    Oddly, though, I liked Curtis as T'Paal better than her Savaak....
    http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/T%27Paal_%28isolationist%29
     
  13. GNDN

    GNDN Commodore Commodore

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    Greatly disappointed that Alley didn't continue with the character. Curtis performed adequately, and there was a distinct change in the character's portrayal as full-Vulcan in TSFS. Can't blame the actress for reading "David is dead" unemotionally when that is what she was clearly directed to do.

    As for Saavik in TUC, her betrayal would have been much more of a surprise and have much more of an emotional impact. It would have also avoided some of the repetition of Valeris' introduction.
     
  14. Captrek

    Captrek Vice Admiral Admiral

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    So are the two Saaviks. :p
     
  15. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

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    :guffaw::guffaw::guffaw:
    That is a great description of Kirstie Alley's portrayal. It is inevitable that a new actress would play the character differently, but Curtis was just wooden and uninteresting for me. Alley was a lot more compelling and spontaneous in her performance. I found her far more enjoyable in the role.
     
  16. Admiral Shran

    Admiral Shran Admiral Admiral

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    That makes three of us. I've always preferred Curtis to Alley. She was sexier, more "Vulcan" and just a better interpretation of the character.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 21, 2011
  17. Morpheus 02

    Morpheus 02 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    i recall as a youth reading in either Starlog or the official nmovie magazine that Alley was a Trek fan a youth & imagined herself as Spock's daughter. Her performance, which i loved, struck me as that.

    i really wish Alley had continued as Saavik. Would she have considered returning for a TNG show guest appearance?


    It's weird to think that she's nearly 60...
     
  18. HAL.9000

    HAL.9000 Lieutenant Commander

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    Saavik was the character played by two different actresses. Unless I am completely missing something and it turns out that there really were two different Saaviks. In which case they should have changed the name of one of them.

    Maybe "Saavik" is the Vulcan equivalent of "Smith" in the western world. They are all over the place.

    I agree. She should have stayed with the character, but it was some kind of salary issue that prevented her from doing so. Or rather she refused to play the part unless paid a certain amount. A bad career move if you ask me. She really isn't known for much except maybe Cheers, (and fluctuating weight loss/gain) and even then I cant stand the whiny, superficial, emotionally immature character she plays. Shelley Long was better and had better chemistry with Ted Danson...but that's another debate.

    As for being a Vulcan...well, she already had the eyebrow thing going.
     
  19. Shazam!

    Shazam! Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    No.
     
  20. HAL.9000

    HAL.9000 Lieutenant Commander

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    Keep in mind fellas (and certain ladies) the question is -which one was the better Saavik? Not, which one wold you like to bone. :drool:
    Based on some of the replies I thought I should make that clear.:)