You and I are about the same age?!cardinal biggles said:
I was 2-1/2 and probably more interested in whether 2 would be the number of the day on Sesame Street.
25 years ago today
- Thread starter The Squire of Gothos
- Start date
Gosh, has it been that long. I had just turned five and returned stateside from Hawai'i. I remember begging my parents to go see it as soon as we landed in San Diego.
The Squire of Gothos said:
The Wrath of Khan first appeared on the big screen.
What a hoot that must have been, especially after the relative disappointment of the Motion Picture. Another film I wished I'd seen in the cinema on its first release, but then I wasn't even two when it premiered
Yep, saw it twice at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood that day - went to the noon showing and spent the rest of the day with friends. We broke up at around 9:00 PM and I decided to go back and catch the 10:30 PM show since I really liked it, and (at that time) it WASN'T a Star Trek episode I'd seen 50+ times (was 19 years old).
L
Lord Garth
Guest
^ 1979. I'm from disco times, the rest of you just missed it. 
My parents went to go see TWOK in the theater.
I eventually got to see it on a "big screen" myself, in 1999, when I watched TWOK on a video projector. It was a real thrill watching the Enterprise battling the Reliant right up against an entire wall.
My parents went to go see TWOK in the theater.
I eventually got to see it on a "big screen" myself, in 1999, when I watched TWOK on a video projector. It was a real thrill watching the Enterprise battling the Reliant right up against an entire wall.
1979? I passed up on the opportunity to see TMP at the cinema (I know, what was I thinking?). I was more keen on seeing "Moonraker" - which I wasn't allowed to see in the end... As a consolation Mum took us to see The Village People in "Can't Stop The Music" (make of that what you will...).
I did get a 'Mr Spock' TMP figure for Christmas though - who promptly lost his left arm - followed by Jon Baker (CHiPs) who lost his right arm some time after...
Anyway... I knew TWOK was screening in '82 but, again passed up on seeing it (can't remember what I saw instead).
I later saw them both on TV. Hmmm... loved TMP but a bit blase about TWOK.
I did get a 'Mr Spock' TMP figure for Christmas though - who promptly lost his left arm - followed by Jon Baker (CHiPs) who lost his right arm some time after...
Anyway... I knew TWOK was screening in '82 but, again passed up on seeing it (can't remember what I saw instead).
I later saw them both on TV. Hmmm... loved TMP but a bit blase about TWOK.
Lord Garth said:
^ 1979. I'm from disco times, the rest of you just missed it.
I could get away with spiking my hair and tight rolling my jeans. You'd just look like a poser!
Anyway, on a serious note: what was the buildup to this movie like for people old enough to see it at the time?
Spoilers, marketing, trailers, toys, interviews, etc...
I always have wondered if I heard TMP in utero...SmoothieX said:
Peach Wookiee said:
You and I are about the same age?!cardinal biggles said:
I was 2-1/2 and probably more interested in whether 2 would be the number of the day on Sesame Street.
Me too. I'm a 1980 baby.
I'm pretty sure I didn't. Mom's not a Trekkie (though she will watch "that one with the whales" ).
).
Well, the big gossip was when Susan Sackett, Gene Roddenberry's assistant, attended a UK ST convention and announced that she'd read the draft script, and she and Gene R. were appalled because Spock was going to die in the first third of the movie. That resulted in an article in the "Wall Street Journal" and angry Spock fans placing a full page ad in "Variety", calculating lost revenue caused by a mass fan boycott of the movie. Harve Bennett and Nick Meyer then added the Kobayashi Maru scenario where everyone, including Spock, appears to die. So viewers relaxed... and then Spock dies again and it's still a big surprise. Bennett thanked Sackett in "Starlog" a decade later - for improving the pace of his movie!
The film basically marketed itself, and there was no mass boycott after all. An extended presentation trailer was shown to fans at a convention, ShoWest, and this included the "lost" footage of Saavik being revealed as a Vulcan/Romulan hybrid.
There were very few ST II toys and tie-ins, and no comic adaptation, as distributors got badly burnt on ST:TMP. The Photonovel was b/w. "Starlog" did a movie magazine, which noone had done for TMP. One small company sold ST II metal uniform insignias, belt buckles and Khan's pendants, and there were plastic mugs (with photo inserts) and Kirk and Khan ceramic figural beer steins.
The popularity of ST II did kick off a comic by DC Comics, though, and it ran for many years, cleverly incorporating ST III (no mean feat) and ST IV as they came along. Vonda McIntyre wrote a wonderful novelization, with many added scenes of her own design, and it did wonders for the whole Pocket Books ST novel line. Allan Asherman did a "Making of" book.
More thoughts (and a premiere night pic) at my blog
ST II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
My age then: 23
Where seen: the ornate State Theatre, Sydney (preview and gala premiere)
A very solid TOS movie-era outing. I was thrilled this one got critical acclaim, though I really missed the costumes and cinematography of TMP. Saavik (Kirstie Alley) was very cool - and yay, Mr Kyle (John Winston)! - but where were Rand and Chapel? Khan was a very impressive guest villain. Loved the Ceti Eels, but missed McGivers, whom I'd enjoyed so much in "Space Seed". On opening night, they deliberately had no "II" in the title, avoiding the memory/stigma of negativity about TMP as much as possible. (Later prints added the "II"). Sad to read about Nimoy's directives to Robin Curtis (in ST III) which seemed so intent on blotting out Kirstie Alley's interpretation and popularity with the fan base.
My fan club friends all made new costumes for the premiere of ST II and we booked out the entire cinema. Although I'd found active ST fandom in 1980, ST II was the beginning (for me) of ST fandom at its most interactive and creative, with plenty of time to build excitement for the next sequel.
So... you were two?
25 years ago, today, I was... sheesh 3.
Twelve years away from becoming a "Trekkie."
The first time I saw Wrath of Khan was at a midnight screening a week before the premire of "First Contact."
Most fun I think I ever had. Before the movie they also played a trailer for FC as well as the original trailer for TMP.
^The trailer with the Orson Welles voiceover? Awesome!
Paramount should have listened to Orson... "We will release no film before its time."
Paramount should have listened to Orson... "We will release no film before its time."
Was 18, undergoing the joys of Marine Corps Boot Camp at lovely Parris Island. Didn't see the film until sometime after I graduated in August.
Sir Rhosis
Sir Rhosis
Those must have been good days, back when a movie would open in June and still be playing in August. Now you're lucky if the DVD hasn't come out by then.
cardinal biggles said:
^The trailer with the Orson Welles voiceover? Awesome!
Paramount should have listened to Orson... "We will release no film before its time."
Yep. That trailer. The theater said they couldn't find/otherwise didn't have the TWK trailer (which would've been more apropriate) but they had the TMP one.
It was a fun night being in a FULL theater with Trek fans watching one of the (if not THE) best Trek movie at midnight. Lots of fun chatter that night before the movie started.
Sigh. Good times I'll never see again.
