Yes. Opening night and/or gala preview here, and I'd read that it happened in some US cinemas, too.
30 Years of The Motion Picture
- Thread starter librarytrekker78
- Start date
Yes. Opening night and/or gala preview here, and I'd read that it happened in some US cinemas, too.
I saw it in Toronto on a Christmas 1979 visit to relations. I remember the excitement of anticipation in the crowded cinema beforehand, and a vague sense of letdown afterwards. (I also remember thinking "Holy Cow!!" when my brother passed me the largest popcorn bucket I had yet seen in my then young life!). The movie has long since grown on me since my initial lack of enthusiasm.
Regards.
Regards.
trevanian
Rear Admiral
Right before the first screening started, a guy stood up and yelled 'we've waited 10 years for this, let's go!" and the lights went out and it began.
That remains the 'high' of the day for me, a real emotional crescendo, kind of an actual life equivalent to the 'let's light this candle' moment from Shepherd's first Mercury flight.
I also remember staying in the theater afterward, not wanting to go outside where the TV cameras were probing viewers for reactions, because I was afraid I'd start yelling about what piece of crap this was.
And I remember how my kidneys felt, because I needed to pee starting in the E reveal, but kept holding it, figuring the movie was going to get going.
As for the film itself ... Goldsmith, Trumbull's work, the Klingon bridge, the light-explosion at the end ... those were and remain highlights. But otherwise a colossal disappointment.
Since then, I've come to appreciate the cloud flyover a lot more, and parts of the film for what they try to be. Definitely the most conflicted feelings on this one out of the bunch, as for all the others, I either like them (TWOK and TFF), can live with them (TUC, INS) or dislike/am angered by them (the rest.)
That remains the 'high' of the day for me, a real emotional crescendo, kind of an actual life equivalent to the 'let's light this candle' moment from Shepherd's first Mercury flight.
I also remember staying in the theater afterward, not wanting to go outside where the TV cameras were probing viewers for reactions, because I was afraid I'd start yelling about what piece of crap this was.
And I remember how my kidneys felt, because I needed to pee starting in the E reveal, but kept holding it, figuring the movie was going to get going.
As for the film itself ... Goldsmith, Trumbull's work, the Klingon bridge, the light-explosion at the end ... those were and remain highlights. But otherwise a colossal disappointment.
Since then, I've come to appreciate the cloud flyover a lot more, and parts of the film for what they try to be. Definitely the most conflicted feelings on this one out of the bunch, as for all the others, I either like them (TWOK and TFF), can live with them (TUC, INS) or dislike/am angered by them (the rest.)
I remember being both pleased and disappointed. I was happy that the gang was back together but I found the story lumbering (read more SFX than character driven story - not that I dislike SFX). I know I was unhappy that Kirk, Spock, and McCoy were not thier usual selves (compared to how they acted with each other when they left us in '69). I found their characters "stiff" in the movie, perhaps because the actors had been away from their characters for so long - or because of the direction they were given - hell, even perhaps because I was only 19 at the time I saw it. I still even see that today when I watch it but I chalk it up to different reasons altogether. I would have like to have had a much more character driven story - I still do today. I am greatful that this was identified - and rectified - in the movies that followed. In the end, though, I was still glad that everyone was back up there on the screen again.
Cinemaspy did an article on TMP turning 30.
http://www.cinemaspy.com/article.php?id=3676
http://www.cinemaspy.com/article.php?id=3676
Actually, seeing that photo on Cinemaspy makes me want to see ST:TMP on Blu-ray. If anyone has it - is the transfer good?
I've enjoyed all of Trek, on big and small screen, and probably would probably say TWoK and FC are my favorites of the movies.
The new movie was OK, even if I had issues with the engineering set, the idea of a glass "window" on the bridge, and the design of the ship.
That said, I'm surprised how much negativity there is toward TMP. It's not so surprising to hear it from those born a decade after it came out. They're used to nonstop action, lots of noise and "kewl" explosions, villains that must be killed/defeated, etc. in movies. It is surprising to hear it from those who were there back in the day, and at least old enough to comprehend it at that time.
Me, I was only 8. I can't remember seeing it in the theater. I think TWoK was the first I saw in theaters, and I saw TMP on TV. I remember being confused by the differences, such as the uniforms, even though the ship was the same. I remember liking Khan for the space battles - I was a kid, and I also liked Star Wars, too.
But I did like TMP then. And I probably like it more now, because it's not about killing the bad guy, or firing torpedoes and explosions. It's a movie more about thought than action.
It's just sad to see it getting such a bad rap.
The new movie was OK, even if I had issues with the engineering set, the idea of a glass "window" on the bridge, and the design of the ship.
That said, I'm surprised how much negativity there is toward TMP. It's not so surprising to hear it from those born a decade after it came out. They're used to nonstop action, lots of noise and "kewl" explosions, villains that must be killed/defeated, etc. in movies. It is surprising to hear it from those who were there back in the day, and at least old enough to comprehend it at that time.
Me, I was only 8. I can't remember seeing it in the theater. I think TWoK was the first I saw in theaters, and I saw TMP on TV. I remember being confused by the differences, such as the uniforms, even though the ship was the same. I remember liking Khan for the space battles - I was a kid, and I also liked Star Wars, too.
But I did like TMP then. And I probably like it more now, because it's not about killing the bad guy, or firing torpedoes and explosions. It's a movie more about thought than action.
It's just sad to see it getting such a bad rap.
The shot in Cinemaspy wasn't from the movie- it was CGI art. But the transfer is amazing- but it's the theatrical cut (not good for me, I like the Director's cut infinitely better).
I remember very well going to see this movie with some school friends on a snowy day during Christmas break, 1979. It was at the "Varsity," the movie theater in the student center at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT. It showed only G-rated movies. I believe we went as part of a birthday party, but I can't remember whose. It was around my tenth birthday, also (yes, you can do the math, I'm about to turn 40). A kid at school who had already seen it told me that the Enterprise actually landed in the movie. I was waiting for that but it never happened, I guess he was talking about the wing walk segment.
Maybe it wasn't a great movie, but I still think it was pretty good. And I certainly didn't care at the time, I thought it was great. The flyby may have been long, but every time I see it I remember how thrilling it was to me and my buddies that day. Seeing the familiar Enterprise of TV transformed into something of great scale, depth and even grace combined with the score really coming into its own at that point was a really impressive experience, it still makes me feel good to remember it thirty years later.
Sometime in the next year I acquired a poster of the Enterprise cutaway by David Kimble, and it decorated my room for many years after. I really studied that poster, even now I can remember many details.
I never remember hearing anything bad about TMP till TWOK came out. Then I remember some people saying TMP was boring by comparison.
--Justin
Maybe it wasn't a great movie, but I still think it was pretty good. And I certainly didn't care at the time, I thought it was great. The flyby may have been long, but every time I see it I remember how thrilling it was to me and my buddies that day. Seeing the familiar Enterprise of TV transformed into something of great scale, depth and even grace combined with the score really coming into its own at that point was a really impressive experience, it still makes me feel good to remember it thirty years later.
Sometime in the next year I acquired a poster of the Enterprise cutaway by David Kimble, and it decorated my room for many years after. I really studied that poster, even now I can remember many details.
I never remember hearing anything bad about TMP till TWOK came out. Then I remember some people saying TMP was boring by comparison.
--Justin
That's pretty lame.
I take it you weren't in the audience for the original showings of both THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI? I was, and that happened on both occasions.
Yes, I wasn't in those showings of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI.
Thank God.
Thanks for that. I wouldn't be surprised if we see the Director's cut somewhere down the line.
Playing with you is no fun! No fun!
Wow. You've pretty much captured my experience watching Trek XI. Except my "what a piece of crap" reaction took a few days to kick in.
You got it, LOL!!!
Really? That surprises me. IMO, they should have used the Director's Cut but I haven't seen the Blu-Ray version of the theatrical cut so I will reserve judgement.
The Director's Edition doesn't actually exist in high resolution format, so they couldn't do it. Well, they could, but not cheaply enough to bother with just yet.
Why do you say that?
And why does the applause bother you at all? Is it because their loud behavior makes it hard for you to hear the movie? If that's the case, I agree with you. Or is it that you just find that sort of thing embarrasing?
