About twenty years ago

[Therin of Andor]

I was 3 when TVH came out, but I seem to remember there being chatter of it being the last movie. Was that actually considered?

ST:TMP was assumed to be "the only movie", because it had morphed from an intended sequel TV series and then, after lacklustre reviews, it was doubted there would be sequels, at least not at the cinemas.

ST II was then assumed to be "the last" movie. Until Nimoy expressed interest in directing a ST film.

ST III was assumed to be "one last movie" by most of the cast, even though their contracts had an option for more. The model makers, though, planned that, if the movie series continued, the heavy and hard-to-film ship model would be superceded by the smaller, lighter Excelsior model. So there was some planning ahead to possible future projects.

And yes, ST IV was also assumed that the cast had "one last movie" in them - until a few months before the premiere where it was realised the franchise was now stroong enough to support the planning of a new TV series.

And ST V, ST VI and "Generations" were all, at one time or other, "one last movie to go out with a bang".

 

[Amasov]

I was 3 when TVH came out, but I seem to remember there being chatter of it being the last movie. Was that actually considered?

ST:TMP was assumed to be "the only movie", because it had morphed from an intended sequel TV series and then, after lacklustre reviews, it was doubted there would be sequels, at least not at the cinemas.

ST II was then assumed to be "the last" movie. Until Nimoy expressed interest in directing a ST film.

ST III was assumed to be "one last movie" by most of the cast, even though their contracts had an option for more. The model makers, though, planned that, if the movie series continued, the heavy and hard-to-film ship model would be superceded by the smaller, lighter Excelsior model. So there was some planning ahead to possible future projects.

And yes, ST IV was also assumed that the cast had "one last movie" in them - until a few months before the premiere where it was realized the franchise was now strong enough to support the planning of a new TV series.

And ST V, ST VI and "Generations" were all, at one time or other, "one last movie to go out with a bang".

A friend and I were talking about the original series films a few days ago. If you look back on them, the series could have ended with any of those films -- even Star Trek III. There was something of a finale to it. Dealing with the circumstances of stealing and then destroying the Enterprise didn't seem like they were story threads that needed resolving.

Star Trek IV really felt like that could have been it. The outcome of events from the previous films were wrapped up, the crew on board a new Enterprise, and warping away. to me, it seemed as if that could have served as the end. In fact, it's probably the kind of ending that I would have preferred. I loved Star Trek VI and it's poignant ending, but part of me would rather see the Enterprise warping away on their "next adventure."

 

[Amaris]

I thoroughly enjoyed Star Trek VI when I got to see it about 2 years after it premiered in theaters. When I bought my first DVD player, I purchased "The Matrix" and "Star Trek VI". Love Cliff Eidelman's score, particularly the opening theme up to and including the Praxis explosion, love the look and feel of the movie (particularly the opening Captain Sulu/Excelsior scenes). Not a big fan of some of the script/storyline, but I can't really complain, as I think it all worked out very well. I now have Star Trek VI on Blu-ray, and it still looks as good as ever.

 

[sonak]

I was 3 when TVH came out, but I seem to remember there being chatter of it being the last movie. Was that actually considered?

ST:TMP was assumed to be "the only movie", because it had morphed from an intended sequel TV series and then, after lacklustre reviews, it was doubted there would be sequels, at least not at the cinemas.

ST II was then assumed to be "the last" movie. Until Nimoy expressed interest in directing a ST film.

ST III was assumed to be "one last movie" by most of the cast, even though their contracts had an option for more. The model makers, though, planned that, if the movie series continued, the heavy and hard-to-film ship model would be superceded by the smaller, lighter Excelsior model. So there was some planning ahead to possible future projects.

And yes, ST IV was also assumed that the cast had "one last movie" in them - until a few months before the premiere where it was realised the franchise was now stroong enough to support the planning of a new TV series.

And ST V, ST VI and "Generations" were all, at one time or other, "one last movie to go out with a bang".

I find it difficult to believe that TSFS was at any point considered to be a potential "last Star Trek movie," as it is the only one to end on a direct "to be continued" line with Spock just having been brought back and the crew outlaws on Vulcan. It even says "and the adventure continues..." at the end.

The other five could have ended with various degrees of closure, but TSFS feels very much like a movie in the middle of a series that hasn't come to an end.

 

[Amaris]

Maybe, but the idea was to actually kill Spock off in the first place. Bringing him back may have seemed more of a sendoff than leaving him dead.

 

[sonak]

Maybe, but the idea was to actually kill Spock off in the first place. Bringing him back may have seemed more of a sendoff than leaving him dead.

yeah, and what about the rest of the crew? Hey fans, our beloved characters finish the run as exiles on Vulcan facing criminal charges if they ever return to Earth and Starfleet Command!


Happy upcoming twentieth anniversary!

 

[Phantassm]

Yep, here's to one of the BEST Star trek films ever made.

 

[CaptainMatt]

STVI was a great end to the original series run, and offered a positive outlook for the future.

 

[Broccoli]

Star Trek VI is a lot like 2009's Star Trek. The story doesn't quite work, the characters act very strange for the sake of a scene, and the viewer has to suspend a lot of disbelief. However, both were also wildly entertaining, a lot of fun, and, ultimately, did what they set out to do successfully.

 

[CaptainMatt]

So after saying it doesn't quite work, you then go on to say it did what it set out to do successfully.

 

[sonak]

Star Trek VI is a lot like 2009's Star Trek. The story doesn't quite work, the characters act very strange for the sake of a scene, and the viewer has to suspend a lot of disbelief. However, both were also wildly entertaining, a lot of fun, and, ultimately, did what they set out to do successfully.

interesting. I think the two films are nothing alike. TUC is a literate political drama with a message to it, and a sendoff to the cast.

Star Trek XI is a fun but dumb action movie with little substance to it.

 

[BillJ]

So after saying it doesn't quite work, you then go on to say it did what it set out to do successfully.

Well I think there's a difference between critically acclaimed and simply fun and entertaining.

 

[Therin of Andor]

I find it difficult to believe that TSFS was at any point considered to be a potential "last Star Trek movie," as it is the only one to end on a direct "to be continued" line with Spock just having been brought back and the crew outlaws on Vulcan. It even says "and the adventure continues..." at the end.

I was reporting progress on ST movies from days after seeing TMP. When the actors were being approached for ST III, it was seen very much as a "just one more..." opportunity. The focus was on searching for Spock, not making the middle film in a trilogy. Interviews in "Starlog" at the time, the actors' convention presentations, etc all gave us that impression.

 

[Broccoli]

So after saying it doesn't quite work, you then go on to say it did what it set out to do successfully.

You misunderstand. I said the stories don't quite fully work. However, each film had a task that it accomplished in spades. Star Trek VI was a good send off for the TOS characters, with each character having their moment to shine and giving the sense of closure to that era. Star Trek dramatically rejuvenated the franchise, brought in new viewers, and brought Trek back to the mainstream forefront.

interesting. I think the two films are nothing alike. TUC is a literate political drama with a message to it, and a sendoff to the cast.

Star Trek XI is a fun but dumb action movie with little substance to it.

No, not really on all accounts. The political drama was sadly lacking in Star Trek VI with great leaps in story logic go get the characters where they needed to be in addition to a conspiracy that doesn't make any sense. The political drama of the film was terribly executed. Star Trek, while it wasn't an allegorical story, centered much more on the characters of Kirk and Spock and their growth. I'd argue that the film had more character development than most of the other Trek movies.

In any event, that wasn't what I was referring to as elaborated on by my response to CaptainMatt.

 

[sonak]

So after saying it doesn't quite work, you then go on to say it did what it set out to do successfully.

You misunderstand. I said the stories don't quite fully work. However, each film had a task that it accomplished in spades. Star Trek VI was a good send off for the TOS characters, with each character having their moment to shine and giving the sense of closure to that era. Star Trek dramatically rejuvenated the franchise, brought in new viewers, and brought Trek back to the mainstream forefront.

interesting. I think the two films are nothing alike. TUC is a literate political drama with a message to it, and a sendoff to the cast.

Star Trek XI is a fun but dumb action movie with little substance to it.

No, not really on all accounts. The political drama was sadly lacking in Star Trek VI with great leaps in story logic go get the characters where they needed to be in addition to a conspiracy that doesn't make any sense. The political drama of the film was terribly executed. Star Trek, while it wasn't an allegorical story, centered much more on the characters of Kirk and Spock and their growth. I'd argue that the film had more character development than most of the other Trek movies.

In any event, that wasn't what I was referring to as elaborated on by my response to CaptainMatt.

oh, yeah, because Star Trek XI had no great leaps in story logic and was of course the most tightly plotted of all Trek films. It in no way relied on laughable science, wild and improbable coincidences, a series of deus ex machinas, etc.

And the conspiracy in TUC makes total sense. It's a group of folks who as Valeris puts it "stand to lose from peace" working together to ensure that doesn't happen.


I do have an issue with the sudden and out of nowhere racism of the crew though.

 

[Therin of Andor]

yeah, and what about the rest of the crew? Hey fans, our beloved characters finish the run as exiles on Vulcan facing criminal charges if they ever return to Earth and Starfleet Command!

That's exactly what was mooted. Renegades from Starfleet having adventures on a small vessel.

 

[sonak]

yeah, and what about the rest of the crew? Hey fans, our beloved characters finish the run as exiles on Vulcan facing criminal charges if they ever return to Earth and Starfleet Command!

That's exactly what was mooted. Renegades from Starfleet having adventures on a small vessel.

if you say so

 

[CaptainMatt]

I would add that the 2009 film was more of a risk than anything tried with STVI.

 

[thumbtack]

Well I think there's a difference between critically acclaimed and simply fun and entertaining.

The critics were not particularly harsh to Star Trek VI. It has an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. True, that's nowhere near what the critics thought of Trek09, but nothing to sneeze at.

 

[Therin of Andor]

if you say so

I guess you had to be there. No one had made any plans for the franchise after ST III, except for ILM taking their chance to build an easier to move, mount, shoot, store and repair hero filming model (ie. Excelsior).

Harve Bennett knew they could have gone anywhere with the post-ST III story, and were considering lots of options. Keeping Kirk a renegade, or as captain of a freighter, was one choice. DC Comics went a slightly different way, putting Kirk and his crew onto the Excelsior, but even that storyline had them as renegades at the end (to restore a status quo that matched the end of ST III again), with Styles pulling strings to get his vessel back. The loss of David in ST III stymied old plans to have Saavik and David lead a series of telemovies.

Some of the speculations (eg. a freighter; Excelsior) are seemingly addressed in that scene approaching Enterprise-A at the end of ST IV:

McCoy: The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe. We'll get a freighter.
Sulu: With all respect, Doctor, I'm counting on Excelsior.
Scott: Excelsior? Why in God's name would you want that bucket of bolts?
Kirk: A ship is a ship.
Scott: Whatever you say, sir. Thy will be done.
[The new USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A emerges.]
Kirk: My friends... we've come home.