trevanian
Rear Admiral
Your views on 2001 tell us all way too much about the way you appreciate SF movies ...
Haven't seen TMP
- Thread starter Jimmy Bob
- Start date
Your views on 2001 tell us all way too much about the way you appreciate SF movies ...
trevanian
Rear Admiral
Speak english, why doncha?
ST-One
Vice Admiral
Yeah, I like the films I watch to be more than just visually interesting... 2001 is (as a film) rubbish.
I can't believe all the Motion Picture hate. I love that movie, it is my very favourite of them all.
I have very happy memories of watching the tape as a kid. ahh..
I have very happy memories of watching the tape as a kid. ahh..
trevanian
Rear Admiral
Depends on how you present your view; if it is just in the vein of 'omg how this sux' or other weblish rubbish, then that DOES come off as simple hatred. But if you compare that approach to the way that, say, CRYOGENIC addresses flaws in a movie -- with a point of view and substance to back it up -- well, you can't, because he has something going on in his posts.
I went from hating TMP (as in, 'it broke my heart' blind anger) to very critical, point-by-point rage, to more tempered discontent, over the span of theatrical release to laserdisc release. But the fact I kept re-viewing it and finding good stuff (which does not happen to the same degree with Nimoy-directed movies) makes me evaluate it a bit differently all the time. Except for TWOK and TFF, I've seen it more than any of the others, and it may be that the "bits o' brilliance mixed with train wreck of a missed opportunity" is the formula to keep both sides of my brain engaged for feature trek.
Every time I think about watching TMP again, my primary concern is that I'd then either have to watch the parts that I don't care for, or fast forward...and I have enough respect for films that I don't usually care to do that.
Unlike, say, TFF, which is the one Trek film I don't have on DVD at this point, TMP has a lot of decent stuff...unfortunately it also has a lot of stuff that just doesn't work for me.
I suppose you could say TMP annoys me because I want it to be a better film than it is...unlike TFF, where I really don't think things were salvageable.
Unlike, say, TFF, which is the one Trek film I don't have on DVD at this point, TMP has a lot of decent stuff...unfortunately it also has a lot of stuff that just doesn't work for me.
I suppose you could say TMP annoys me because I want it to be a better film than it is...unlike TFF, where I really don't think things were salvageable.
Not commenting on the movie itself, there are two versions you should watch. For my entire life, we've had the SLV VHS (original from 198...3 I believe) and I watched that and always noted the little things in the movie were a lot more prevalent than in later sequels.
But, as I got older (and the DVDs were originally released sans TMP), and looking stuff up on the internet, I was wondering what was wrong with this version and looked forward to the DVD. I overpaid for it, but it was still a great experience looking at all of the differences and "upgrades".
TMP is a boring, slow, plodding movie, you can't get away from that. BUT, everything surrounding the movie is at least 10x more interesting than most of the movies put together.
So, I would recommend watching the movie on the SE DVD unless you want to see it as they did in '79.
Maybe you could learn some trivia about the movie that a lot of non-hardcore trekkies wouldn't know, like how the overture is only the third film to have an overture besides The Black Hole and Dancer in the Dark and that the guy in the Epsilon IX station was supposed to be Xon.
But, as I got older (and the DVDs were originally released sans TMP), and looking stuff up on the internet, I was wondering what was wrong with this version and looked forward to the DVD. I overpaid for it, but it was still a great experience looking at all of the differences and "upgrades".
TMP is a boring, slow, plodding movie, you can't get away from that. BUT, everything surrounding the movie is at least 10x more interesting than most of the movies put together.
So, I would recommend watching the movie on the SE DVD unless you want to see it as they did in '79.
Maybe you could learn some trivia about the movie that a lot of non-hardcore trekkies wouldn't know, like how the overture is only the third film to have an overture besides The Black Hole and Dancer in the Dark and that the guy in the Epsilon IX station was supposed to be Xon.
Only the third film to have an overture? What?
To me, the Director's Edition is actually watchable, while the theatrical version is a cure for insomnia.
trevanian
Rear Admiral
Geez, the DE's titles need to come with a cure for blindness if I actually try to watch them. I don't think there is much in the DE that significantly improves on the theatrical other than the stuff from the SLV ... but the DE has all the bad stuff -- sound fx, inconsistent visuals -- that make me keep my laserdisc around.
It's all in the pacing of the film, or maybe I need to watch them back to back, I hadn't seen TMP in years and recently rented the Director's Edition and didn't fall asleep watching it or sigh and look at the clock at any point and actually somewhat enjoyed it.
I love TMP. I had that "Special Longer Version" too. I think everyone did. TMP's something I need to be in the mood for to watch, but when I do watch it I've always found it very relaxing. Kind of like 2001.I grew up with the "Special Longer Version" on VHS.
As a kid.
No, really.
I remember sitting entranced through the entire "v'ger cloud" sequence before I was old enough to walk. And now that same (basically ancient) VHS tape has the exact same effect on my one year old son.
There could be something to this. Maybe certain people are genetically predisposed to liking TMP?
It's slow and a different experience from the other movies. In some ways it's an art-house flick. I've seen the theatrical, longer and director's editions over the years and would not have - no way - if there weren't huge chunks of time in between, and other factors like youth, curiosity, lack of options, and boredom.
I like some of the minuscule bits missing from the DE, but chances are that if you don't watch the DE first, you'll never get to seeing the other two.
In closing, I redirect you to my first sentence.
I like some of the minuscule bits missing from the DE, but chances are that if you don't watch the DE first, you'll never get to seeing the other two.
In closing, I redirect you to my first sentence.
I first saw TMP in the theater as a college freshman. My friend was the projectionist at the local cinema and took me to work with him.
I watched in rapt fascination at Star Trek on the big screen... the first viewing. The second, and subsequent times I fell asleep during the V'Ger fly-through... and have ever since. It is indeed a cure for insomnia. The only other film having this effect on me is Dances with Wolves (I have never seen the entire film as I fall asleep every time).
I watched in rapt fascination at Star Trek on the big screen... the first viewing. The second, and subsequent times I fell asleep during the V'Ger fly-through... and have ever since. It is indeed a cure for insomnia. The only other film having this effect on me is Dances with Wolves (I have never seen the entire film as I fall asleep every time).
Ultimately it doesn't matter which version you watch - they are substantially the same movie, and you'll have pretty much the same experience. It's probably more important that you watch whichever version under the best viewing conditions that you can - the film's saving graces are the imagery.
The V'ger imagery may have a hypnotic effect, especially combined with Goldsmith's beautiful, soothing V'ger flyover music.
Other sequences in movies that can have that effect (on me esp.) include the jellyfish tentacles in "Finding Nemo", the frolicking humpbacks in "Fantasia 2000" and the arrow shooting in "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King".
Similar threads
