50th Anniversary Rewatch Thread
- Thread starter dahj
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Watching our trio interact with Reyna is so cringe-y. The way they gawk at her really detracts from the episode and there's no good motivation for Kirk to fall in love. He just kind of ...does.
The Flint character is interesting and the idea of contemplating mortality at the end of a long and tired life is provocative.
The biggest positive of the episode, for me, is the direction by Murray Golden. He chooses some interesting shots that we don't normally see on Star Trek.
The Flint character is interesting and the idea of contemplating mortality at the end of a long and tired life is provocative.
The biggest positive of the episode, for me, is the direction by Murray Golden. He chooses some interesting shots that we don't normally see on Star Trek.
The eye is the sky shots give the viewers the feeling that they are being watched from above, which they were by Rayna via close circuit TV as they entered their castle. Same with many of the very close-in shots, especially when Flint was intently monitoring the Kirk/Rayna romance. Other close-in shots where just because the actors looked so good, especially James Daly, what a casting coup. We somewhat see the Nomad cam once again, but shot from a little more behind M4; very threatening.
My parents, who were no doubt by this point sick of Star Trek, teased me about those camera shots with sarcastic remarks about Flint's amazing spy camera that could swoop around and get in close like that, apparently of its own accord!
Almost like magic, or extremely advanced technology controlled by brain waves/thoughts.My parents, who were no doubt by this point sick of Star Trek, teased me about those camera shots with sarcastic remarks about Flint's amazing spy camera that could swoop around and get in close like that, apparently of its own accord!
Huh I hadn't thought about that but it makes total sense. And, yeah, Daly really elevates what could have been a boring retread of the "old guy is every famous person ever" sci fi trope. I'd argue that the excellent execution of this episode saves what is a pretty awful script. Not a lot of examples of that in this series!
Or a pointing stick or small thumbstick that he could discretely thumb.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointing_stick
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_stick
Yes I can't get the massive fascination with Rayna. And how Kirk can fall in love in 4 hours when his crew were about to die?
But I couldn't see why the Enterprise crew were falling over themselves for the Mudd ladies either.
Love at first sight is real, even in the 23rd century.
Shatner was quite enamoured with Louise Sorel during the filming of their dance and probably needed a cold shower afterwards according to onlookers!
JB
JB
That's true of most TV. People watch recordings or surveillance video that are full of cuts and dramatic camera moves.My parents, who were no doubt by this point sick of Star Trek, teased me about those camera shots with sarcastic remarks about Flint's amazing spy camera that could swoop around and get in close like that, apparently of its own accord!
Ten-year-old me didn't have that comeback ready.
When I was younger this episode was boring to me. Nowadays, I enjoy it much more. James Daley and Louise Sorel are good actors that I enjoy to watch. It is unrealistic, though for Captain Kirk to fall in love with Rayna. This episode reminds me of the Twilight Zone where Kevin McCarthy plays a man who has lived for thousands of years and has been many famous historical figures. Also, it kind of annoys me when McCoy gets his dig in on Spock at the end of the episode, talking about how Spock will never feel the positive and negative effects of love. It seemed unnecessary for him to talk to Spock like that. They were getting along so well in this episode.
McCoy can really be a douche to Spock sometimes.
I like Rayna. I find her attractive physically and personality-wise, moreso than any of Mudd's women.
Sentient fembots have a fascination all their own. The first one for me was The Twilight Zone "The Lonely", with Jack Warden and Jean Marsh. Indelible. Andrea of "What are Little Girls Made Of." Then Rayna of course. Yancy Butler on Mann & Machine. Other examples. I've always liked them.
Don't get me wrong, I love McCoy, but sometimes the writers have him say some really harsh things, especially to Spock.
Agree. I didn't notice it as a kid, but as an adult it really stands out to me.
So after being khm, "inspired" by Forbidden Planet, it only took Star Trek 3 years to do their own take of The Tempest. 
The way they gawk, the way they talk... from McCoy's condescending "you're too pretty to be smart" to the outright creepy behaviour towards her from both Flint and Kirk and capped with the conclusion that she's the "Perfect Woman" who upon discovering conflicting emotions of love then conveniently dies from the fear of disappointing one of the men, there are just so many problematically sexist moments in this episode...
While I find the general sexism on display very cringey here I'd be more inclined to write them of as another case of "hey, 'twas the '60s" if it weren't for the love story which just drags the whole episode down by being so utterly unconvincing.
That overhead shot of the billiards table basically invented shaky-cam.
The way they gawk, the way they talk... from McCoy's condescending "you're too pretty to be smart" to the outright creepy behaviour towards her from both Flint and Kirk and capped with the conclusion that she's the "Perfect Woman" who upon discovering conflicting emotions of love then conveniently dies from the fear of disappointing one of the men, there are just so many problematically sexist moments in this episode...
While I find the general sexism on display very cringey here I'd be more inclined to write them of as another case of "hey, 'twas the '60s" if it weren't for the love story which just drags the whole episode down by being so utterly unconvincing.
That overhead shot of the billiards table basically invented shaky-cam.
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