This was actually a pretty good review. Not a lot new here, but I think their analysis of the character stuff in the film is dead-on. http://redlettermedia.com/star-trek-the-motion-picture-review/
They're as usual trying too hard to be funny and they get some things wrong, but, yeah, it's a pretty fair review.
I'm not really a fan of TMP but after listening to what they talked about, I'm rather eager to rewatch it in a new light.
I watched this episode of re:View the other day. I enjoyed it (I enjoy mostly everything from RLM). While I agree with most of what was said, I think they could have been a bit more critical. I like TMP, and love the concept, but surely there's a more interesting and compelling way to tell the story. I think Mike said TMP and TVH are the best ST films. I think these films have the best concepts of any Trek films, but I prefer TWOK and TUC.
That's a good review that makes some really valid observations. I kind of hope they do this two-people-talking-about-the-film format for the rest of the Trek movies one day, as I felt like the "Mister Plinkett" reviews got tired eventually and I got bored of watching them. This one was really good
I made it 12 seconds. No way I want to watch or listen to those guys for 43(!) minutes. But I've never really liked Red Letter Media's stuff, so I guess they're just not for me.
I was not familiar with them at all, but I can't stand when it seems like reviewers think they are "Starring In" their reviews. But after a little of maybe trying too hard to be funny, it settled down into a pretty decent piece.
Yeah. That's a big pet peeve of mine as well, because 9 times out of 10 they aren't nearly as funny or interesting as they think they are.
I just rewatched TMP having seen that video a few days ago. It finally clicked with me and now I really enjoy it.
Very good analysis. I think many overlook how nuanced TMP is. The only thing I would have liked to see is more interaction between the wider cast.
I'm sure the acolytes who loved Star Trek II thru VII will still think those Nick Meyer outfits were appropriate, not that it was ever practical, but because TWOK was a huge success. I'm glad the Red Media guys acknowledged how awful those outfits were.
I've always been a fan of TMP, as my favorite ST film, since I felt that such a film was the most "sci-fi" film of the franchise. The RLM "re-view" of TMP further cements my appreciation for it. Kudos!
The RLM guys seem to sort of vacillate between offering honest opinions and resorting to linkbait tactics of being contrarian for the sake of being contrarian. They went into this piece intending to do just that by defending a film most don't like, but I think they went too far in defending the outfits. Coming after TMP, the monster maroons were a huge improvement. Their attempt to suggest the TMP outfits were actually good all along, well, it didn't fly with me. One can appreciate their value as the last gasp of a 70s Trek aesthetic, but that's about it. Defend TMP all you like, but don't take potshots at Meyer-Trek in order to prop it up. During the movie era, fandom pretty much embraced the Horatio Hornblower aspects of Trek. Only when TNG debuted with the reintroduction of a jumpsuit style and then went on year after year did it start to undo the Hornblower vibe to the point where those outfits now look more out of place than the TNG jumpsuits. Still, the TNG jumpsuits are still a lot better than TNG's pastel moose-knuckles.
It's just an opinion, but I think it's a defensible one, there's no reason to think it's disingenuous. It's also an opinion I agree with, the costumes were good all along. I think Fletcher's work on TMP was the high water mark for Trek wardrobes: Short or long sleeves, expanded rank and division insignia, different degrees of casual or formal, the return of protective suits and outerwear and trousers for women. Though there are a few points I personally fault in the costume design, overall it was quite strong in concept and execution. And though we all have preferences, it's not like the WOK costumes are above critique. They look overly heavy and formal, they are cluttered, the jackets are awkwardly cut, they have little visual connection to TOS and they are drastically different for officer and enlisted. As for aesthetic last gasps, though it was used longer I don't find that Dynasty-Trek has aged any better than disco-Trek. But in TMP the jumpsuit was more of a background thing than in TNG, only appearing twice on the main cast IIRC (though once quite notoriously). Yet the tight jumpsuits -- which were used in different colors for TWOK -- are frequently used for blanket criticism of the whole MP wardrobe.
What I've noticed is that the costumes in TMP have been a source of literally constant fan critique or decades and only in the last few years am I seeing some people come forward and defend them. I just think there's a bandwagon effect going on which has more to do with stirring up some controversy (attention being the currency of society in the social networking era, any attention, positive or negative) than any genuine appreciation for those outfits. But hey, some people actually think those Discovery half-collars look good, so maybe taste is changing.
The TMP uniforms were designed to be "less militaristic" than your standard "space navy" uniform within the sci-fi genre. That is what GR was going for, which is why he re-visited the concept in TNG. And the RLM's Mike Stoklasa is on record to prefer the more cerebral aspect of STAR TREK, hence his opinion on the TWOK uniforms.
The uniforms are not without criticism and they are very seventies but I've always liked them. I don't dislike the TWok uniforms but TMP felt more sci fi. It felt like they were explorers, not soldiers. My criticisms would be that the connected boots were unnecessary, every uniform should have rank epaulettes, and (much like season 3 TNG and the admiral's uniform) collars would have looked better. Oh and security uniforms need to be red! It's tradition.
Aside from the onsies and the robe like wrap around looking tunics, I'm fine with the standard TMP uniform aside from the bland color scheme. Though the all white TMP uniforms look good. Had they have kept the TOS color scheme they would have looked even better.
Pretty much everything about TMP was a subject of constant fan critique for decades. But there were always a few who disagreed with the conventional wisdom. I remember reading Usenet posts praising TMP costumes in the mid-to-late '90s. There's a lot to appreciate in Fletcher's STTMP work, and without other evidence I see no reason to assume that someone who expresses that point of view is insincere and just out to get a reaction. The built-in shoes were unnecessary for sure, that was just a wacky idea that greatly complicated the costume work but was barely noticeable onscreen. I had no idea that's what they were till I read it in a book. It just looked like matching-colored shoes with an odd folded bottom of the pant legs. I like the idea that the sleeve stripes were the "baseline" rank insignia and the shoulder tabs were a secondary means used when the full stripes were not practical, like naval officer shoulder boards of today. Kirk's dress uniform did have sleeve and shoulder rank both, though. Combining rank and division color in one place was a nifty idea IMO. I agree about the lack of collars on the "Class A." Kirk's admiral rig and Spock's standard uniform looked better with that bit of collar standing up. And the field jacket definitely needed a collar, you can't keep warm with your neck exposed like that. I also don't care for the untucked shirttail line on the bottom of the standard uniforms. Not crazy about the belt buckle, either. But overall, I still say it's the strongest Trek wardrobe ever.
I like the concept of the Perscan, which skipped the later movies but resurfaced in TNG. I would have preferred something sleeker and less clunky but an encrypted signal for an emergency transporter lock that sends vital signs to the ship - basically a space age fitbit - was a great idea. I'm hoping to get some custom TMP uniforms done for my QMX figures. I will probably cut corners and keep the TOS black boots and black undershirts to give them a bit of a collar. Buckles will have to be 3d printed so I don't know if there are prospects to make them any thinner.