Nimoy: TMP Wasn?t Really A Trek Movie

[Harvey]

^ Depends on how you define failure. From a financial perspective, which is all the studio cares about, TFF and Nemesis were most definitely failures.

Nemesis yes, but I thought TFF still made a profit?

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier had a production budget of $32 million. Factoring in prints and advertising (which is usually estimated at 50% of the production budget, in this case, $16 million) and the total cost of the film was about $48 million.

The domestic take of the film was $52.2 million. The studio usually takes about 50% of domestic box office (exhibitors get the rest), meaning Paramount earned about $26.1 million in the United States.

The foreign take of the film, like most Trek features, was rather dismal, at just under $18 million. The studio usually takes less from foreign grosses, about 40% (and often less once taxes and other factors are included). Assuming Paramount got the full 40% figure, the movie earned them an extra $7.2 million at the box office.

That's a total of $33.3 million for Paramount; enough to break even on the production budget, but not enough to cover prints and advertising.

(I feel like I've posted this analysis before, but it's worth repeating).

 

[Classic Fan]

Great interview.

As for TMP. I'll defend it. It was a good movie. Fair enough it wasn't a fast paced action/drama/comedy-ish that we now know the formula to be, but as a movie I like it. Story is clever, fair enough done to death in literature and other sci fi mediums, but it was a good story.

Visually it's a stunning piece of art. Every effects scene plays like a moving SciFi concept painting.

Odd that Nimoy would mention that the characters were not explored or themselves. It was basically Spock deciding to go against his beliefs to go hopping the galaxy again with his mates. It was his characters arc.

 

[plynch]

He's 80, thinking on a movie made 33 years ago, and he's been in and directed many others since.

 

[CoveTom]

^ That is true, but Nimoy's opinion of TMP has remained pretty consistent for quite some time.

 

[plynch]

^ That is true, but Nimoy's opinion of TMP has remained pretty consistent for quite some time.

Well, I meant his remarking that characters were not explored enough. He probably hasn't watched it in a while. He is right that it feels different from most Trek.

 

[newtontomato539]

The Motion Picture doesn't come close to Corbomite Maneuver.

Splashy special effects Alone doesn't make a good movie.

The only character moments I remember are Kirk convincing McCoy to stay and Spock accepting his human half. Not enough for a whole movie.

TMP fails on plot, character and setting. TWOK, TSFP and TVH succeed.

 

[plynch]

Spock accepting his human half isn't enough character development? His internal division was a HUGE theme throughout the whole series.

Plus Kirk, representative man, getting back where is right, at the center of the great enterprise, the human adventure? That's plenty!

 

[Warped9]

Nimoy could be suffering from selective memory. It was thirty-three years ago.

 

[Tallguy]

Nimoy has never liked TMP. (I wonder what he would have felt about it if it had been more well received by the audience?) That was a big part of him only agreeing to TWOK if he got to die. Then he had a great time making TWOK and wanted to come back.

 

[Maurice]

Nimoy has never liked TMP. (I wonder what he would have felt about it if it had been more well received by the audience?) That was a big part of him only agreeing to TWOK if he got to die. Then he had a great time making TWOK and wanted to come back.

This again? Nimoy says he was attracted by the idea of playing his death scene, but it wasn't a condition of his reappearing.

 

[Tallguy]

Nimoy has never liked TMP. (I wonder what he would have felt about it if it had been more well received by the audience?) That was a big part of him only agreeing to TWOK if he got to die. Then he had a great time making TWOK and wanted to come back.

This again? Nimoy says he was attracted by the idea of playing his death scene, but it wasn't a condition of his reappearing.

Whatever the reason he signed I remember reading when III came out Nimoy saying that he did not have a good time on TMP, came back for II to finish it off, and was surprised at what a great time he had making II.

I didn't remember it that Nimoy said "I'll only come back if I die" but that Bennett and co. said "Would you come back if we gave you this?"

 

[newtontomato539]

Trying to kill off Bad Robot Trek has reached a new low.

"Eye candy is great!"

"I don't want character development!"

Calling Nimoy senile.

uke:

 

[CoveTom]

I didn't remember it that Nimoy said "I'll only come back if I die" but that Bennett and co. said "Would you come back if we gave you this?"

Basically, that was it. Nimoy never asked to have his character killed off, or made it a condition of his appearing. However, he was lukewarm on the idea of playing Spock again after his disappointment with TMP, not to mention his years of battles with both Gene Roddenberry and Paramount. Harve Bennett felt he was needed in TWOK and wanted him to appear, and used the potential for playing a death scene as a way to entice him, knowing that as an actor Nimoy would be intrigued.

But it was never a condition without which Nimoy would refuse to appear.

 

[Mr_Homn]

None of the trek movies were really a trek movie.

 

[Warped9]

None of the trek movies were really a trek movie.

 

[Tallguy]

None of the trek movies were really a trek movie.

Master and Commander was.

 

[CoveTom]

None of the trek movies were really a trek movie.

This +1000.

 

[Greg Cox]

None of the trek movies were really a trek movie.

What about Galaxy Quest?

 

[Warped9]

None of the trek movies were really a trek movie.

Master and Commander was.

 

[EEE]

None of the trek movies were really a trek movie.

What about Galaxy Quest?

Galaxy Quest was THE best Trek movie. Bar none!