For Those Who Saw TWOK in 1982

[skeeter291]

I went to the first showing of the day and there weren’t that many people in the theater (about 20 or so) and I remember it being quite though out the whole movie. The woman in front of me even cried during the credits.

 

[EnsignRicky]

The only audience reactions that I can vividly recall were a few muffled sniffles when Spock bought it. Even my grandmother got misty eyed at that point and I don't think she even knew too much about the show; It was just that powerful. I on the other hand didn't, I was only twelve at the time and was more disturbed by the Ceti eels. I also remember telling her on the drive home not to be sad and that Spock would be back since he did something to Bones before he died. I did however make up for my callousness that same year when I cried like a little wussy man when E.T. died, as was the custom back in the day. As to "Khaaaaan", it's probably just such a great and iconic line that it's simply taken on a life of it's own over the years.

 

[Mistral]

I remember people cheering when Kirk nailed the override code(and the Reliant), absolute quiet during "Khaaaaaaaaan!" and people crying during the funeral scene. It was what it was-years ago, a great set of moments and today-iconic moments.

 

[Steve67]

Interesting replies! However, I'm pleased to learn that the majority of you witnessed silence and that your respective audiences were largely engaged in the movie. I was eleven when the movie came out, and was oblivious to anything but the TV spots beforehand. I wasn't a regular reader of Starlog or anything and so everything I saw was without any prior knowledge of what would happen.

As for those who laughed, joked, etc. I just chalk that up to teenagers always finding ways to "impress" their friends and always appear cool and unaffected by anything emotional. I've always hated teenagers.

I'm glad that the early eighties wasn't like the last fifteen years or so, with all of this era's self conscious, ironic, post-modern cynicism. It seems like everyone's looking to "deconstruct", put down, or otherwise dump on something. If you're not spouting off like one of those middle-aged teenagers on VH-1's I Love the Eighties, then you're not "hip." It's so tiresome. I like Kirk's screaming of Khan's name because it's over-the-top and powerful, not because it's supposed to be kitschy or campy.


And I'm off to watch that TWOK trailer...

 

[RikerLover]

I don't recall anyone laughing at Kirk's "Kahn!"

 

[SiddFinch1]

It was a very intense moment in the theatre. You could hear a pin drop when Spock dies, also.. some were weeking, even though Spock's death was one of TWOK's worst kept secrets.

Same when i saw it when it first came out. The crowd was ivery much into it. I had heard the spock died rumors and got suckered in my the initial "death" under "captain Saavik"

 

[trevanian]

Century Theaters?

Century 23 on Winchester, a two-cinema theater in a big dome, right next to the Winchester Mystery House. I saw a later show opening night, and had the worst seats I've ever had for a first run movie, in the front left corner.

 

[trevanian]

I don't remember anyone laughing in TWOK...except where it was intended.

I guess I didn't see it in a theater with a psychotic audience...

How about the chestburster in ALIEN? Geezus the theater I saw that at (century 22, the 3-screen cinema a couple hundred yards away from Century 23) friggin' near exploded with laughter when the thing came out of Hurt's chest. I didn't have that reaction myself, but I've thought of it often as an example of an audience not knowing how to react and just going nuts for a second in the wrong direction.

 

[Kail]

Nothing funny about it then or now. It's just that it's been parodied so many times since.

 

[Brutal Strudel]

I reacted just the way I was supposed to, with a sinking feeling of dread. I still don't think it's funny, either, and I think most people who say Shatner's a bad actor* simply say it because everybody else does.

*He's had some bad moments but no where near as many as people like to pretend.

 

[CaptainStoner]

I seem to remember no snickering.

Not like years later, seeing Pulp Fiction. I was the guy laughing at all the inappropriate times, the kid getting shot in the face, etc.

 

[Kirby]

I saw it at the Southglenn theaters in 82, I was 13 years old and the theater was packed. I don't recall anybody laughing at the time. I think it was when I finally saw it on video that I found it funny. More Shatner's delivery that the line itself.

 

[Aquehonga]

I saw TWOK on a Saturday night in June of 82. Could very well have been STII's 2nd night in theatrical release(?)

The things that stood out to me seeing TWOK in the theater were {in no particular order}:

*The 1701's warp effects.

*Reliant's shape vs Enterprise's design.

*The Genesis Cave.

*The Ceti Eel Implantation Scene in Khan's “trailer park home”.

For those who saw ALIEN this scene was probably nothing.

*Khan's Hand: At the end Khan's gruesomely mangled hand up on the movie screen really stuck to me.

*Spock's casket on the surface of Genesis, all the trees & sunshine.

*Spock dying in the warp chamber & there was something about the glass or transparent wall insulating the warp chamber that caught my attention/interest.

*Spock saying TATV at the end & the shot{s} of the universe while he was saying TATV.

*I can't recall any laughter by the audience at anything.

I was very young then, in elementary school.

 

[trevanian]

I reacted just the way I was supposed to, with a sinking feeling of dread. I still don't think it's funny, either, and I think most people who say Shatner's a bad actor* simply say it because everybody else does.

*He's had some bad moments but no where near as many as people like to pretend.

My friends and I watched MERV GRIFFIN's show on TWOK prerelease and one of them about died just when Kirk picked up the radio and said, 'khan you bloodsucker!' (probably cuz it sounded like 'cocksucker' -- predating Ian McShane by decades.)

He's bad because he takes risks, and he's memorable for the same reason. Some take the good with the bad. I do. Plus I've seen THE INTRUDER, the only role where everything he does was actually needed to make the character live (which it did.)

 

[Cyrus]

Nobody laughed in the sold out theater (1000+ people) that I saw it opening weekend. I watched the HD version of the movie a few weeks ago on Cinemax and I still don't find it funny. I am not a big fan of TWOK, but this scene is very dramatic and I like it.

I did laugh at the line when George said it on Seinfeld.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

As for those who laughed, joked, etc. I just chalk that up to teenagers always finding ways to "impress" their friends and always appear cool and unaffected by anything emotional.

Sorry, try again. More like "way too old to be moved by mawkish attempts at emotional manipulation." I've always figured that only adolescent Trekkies or shippers could be that broken up by anything in Trek.

 

[Steve67]

As for those who laughed, joked, etc. I just chalk that up to teenagers always finding ways to "impress" their friends and always appear cool and unaffected by anything emotional.

Sorry, try again. More like "way too old to be moved by mawkish attempts at emotional manipulation." I've always figured that only adolescent Trekkies or shippers could be that broken up by anything in Trek.

What's "mawkish" about a guy screaming his enemy's name in a white-hot rage?

 

[Elder Knight]

We saw it a few days after it opened. I think there was still some boubt as to how the ending had been filmed. The audience only laughed at the intentionally humerous parts. Yeah, some women did cry when Spock died (my sister-in-law for one).

 

[Nerys Myk]

Century Theaters?

Century 23 on Winchester, a two-cinema theater in a big dome, right next to the Winchester Mystery House. I saw a later show opening night, and had the worst seats I've ever had for a first run movie, in the front left corner.

I remember it well. My friends and I practically lived there in the late 70s and early 80s. With occasional trips to the Cinema 150 or the Town Country.We'd "slum" at one of the AMCs if needed.

Getting line early usually netted us the "good" seats. Once I think we filled nearly the entire row where the "good" seats were. For us those were the seats that put your line of sight in the middle of the screen.

 

[Tulin]

I did chuckle when Spock was dying. For some reason him straightening his jacket and walking into the wall is funny to me.

See I have heard that before and I must admit, I find it a REALLY odd reaction.

I saw great dignity in Spock's desire to present himself to his admiral in a respectful manner, one last time.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why this is funny, unless you're one of those annoying people whose default reactions when faced with some kind kind of trauma is to laugh uncontrollably. I knew a girl once that did that and whenever it happened I had an uncontrollable urge to slap her silly at the innappropriateness of her reaction.