Star Trek III
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I remember seeing this in the theater vividly, and it's my favorite Star Trek film in the entire run. I saw it 7 times before it finally went out of theaters. Back then, I could stay for two showings. The bathroom was on the "paid" side of the ticket collector, so I could hang out there until they started admitting again. I clocked double showings that way at least twice (I was 16 with no job).
I love everything about this movie and - at the time - some reviewers claimed it was BETTER than TWOK. I still have the reviews clipped from Newsday (on Long Island, NY) which gave the film 3 stars over TWOK's 2 (which they said "pads rather than fills the wide screen"). I loved the sad air of the entire story; it began sadly and never let up. Spock's return came at a VERY high price and at the time you had no idea how of if Kirk and crew were going to get out of trouble. It actually didn't matter: they sacrificed everything for Spock.
The cast was never better and everyone took it seriously. There was none of that self-reflexive humor that dominated later films and it all seemed very mature. Shatner did his best work on this film when David died. Each statement of "you Klingon bastard" had a different emotional thrust (shock, grief, rage) and his falling to the floor was perfectly done and shocking at the time. Nimoy's direction of action wasn't perfect (the fist fight could have been staged better) but he really did right by the actors. The story was so emotional and had heart and there were lots of great lines in there as well. Really awesome film, with a fantastic musical score, a fine compantion to Horner's TWOK work (and the recently released complete score album is wonderful).
I love everything about this movie and - at the time - some reviewers claimed it was BETTER than TWOK. I still have the reviews clipped from Newsday (on Long Island, NY) which gave the film 3 stars over TWOK's 2 (which they said "pads rather than fills the wide screen"). I loved the sad air of the entire story; it began sadly and never let up. Spock's return came at a VERY high price and at the time you had no idea how of if Kirk and crew were going to get out of trouble. It actually didn't matter: they sacrificed everything for Spock.
The cast was never better and everyone took it seriously. There was none of that self-reflexive humor that dominated later films and it all seemed very mature. Shatner did his best work on this film when David died. Each statement of "you Klingon bastard" had a different emotional thrust (shock, grief, rage) and his falling to the floor was perfectly done and shocking at the time. Nimoy's direction of action wasn't perfect (the fist fight could have been staged better) but he really did right by the actors. The story was so emotional and had heart and there were lots of great lines in there as well. Really awesome film, with a fantastic musical score, a fine compantion to Horner's TWOK work (and the recently released complete score album is wonderful).
I don't remember how unexpected it was.
The film is about bringing Spock back. How can that be expected to be anything but an uplifting story?
But it goes about as far as possible in the opposite direction. Spock returns, but Kirk loses everything else. The Enterprise is destroyed, David is killed—permanently, unlike Spock—and his Starfleet career and those of all his friends are ruined. What a bold creative decision, and the result is a powerful story about sacrifice that a more fairy-tale toned film couldn't have told.
Random seasonal thought:
TWOK kind of deifies Kirk. His appearance in the film is a literal deus ex machina, a god appearing out of a box when the situation seems hopeless. In his first two lines, he creates light with a word and commands his novice follower to pray. He can do even that which cannot be done: the only one who ever beat the no-win scenario. With the Kirk's VO epilogue "life from death" and "return[ing] to this place," and the shots of Spock's tube on Genesis and Nimoy's closing monologue, the film almost announces, "...and for Kirk's next trick: overcoming death."
In TSFS, Kirk's son raises the dead before sacrificing his life to save everyone.
Merry Christmas!
ETA: If Kirk's son has a house, it's the house of David.
The film is about bringing Spock back. How can that be expected to be anything but an uplifting story?
But it goes about as far as possible in the opposite direction. Spock returns, but Kirk loses everything else. The Enterprise is destroyed, David is killed—permanently, unlike Spock—and his Starfleet career and those of all his friends are ruined. What a bold creative decision, and the result is a powerful story about sacrifice that a more fairy-tale toned film couldn't have told.
Random seasonal thought:
TWOK kind of deifies Kirk. His appearance in the film is a literal deus ex machina, a god appearing out of a box when the situation seems hopeless. In his first two lines, he creates light with a word and commands his novice follower to pray. He can do even that which cannot be done: the only one who ever beat the no-win scenario. With the Kirk's VO epilogue "life from death" and "return[ing] to this place," and the shots of Spock's tube on Genesis and Nimoy's closing monologue, the film almost announces, "...and for Kirk's next trick: overcoming death."
In TSFS, Kirk's son raises the dead before sacrificing his life to save everyone.
Merry Christmas!
ETA: If Kirk's son has a house, it's the house of David.
This is true. I recall that the Seattle Times thought that it was far and away the best Trek film to date, giving lots of credit to Nimoy.
(In retrospect, I suspect the behind-the-scenes narrative may have influenced some journalists' immediate reaction. The idea that it took Spock himself to finally get the movies right was just too good a hook to resist!)
Agreed. I was 14 when this movie had come out and was already a lifelong fan. My first viewing of it was the second to last movie I ever saw at the drive-in.
And I agree, the whole odd-even thing is silly. The highlights of this movie for me was the music during Spock's refusion scene and the casting of Robin Curtis as Saavik.
I was 4 years old when Search for Spock came out. My dad and I snuck in some Reese's Pieces and watched it. We've seen every Trek movie together since. I may have had some exposure to it watching the original series with my dad before seeing the movie, but this is where my fandom really started... mainly because of him.
Another thing I really enjoyed about III is the handling of Kruge as the villain. The movie plays off almost as two seperate stories. One involves Kirk and crew trying to bring Spock to Vulcan, while the other is about a determined Klingon who wants the Genesis device. There is no pre-established history between these two characters and they both handle situations very differently but efficiently with only some minor setbacks (Destruction of Grissom and an overloaded automation system).
It's not until these two stories being to meet where the tension gets good. Horner's music "The Bird of Prey decloaks" is on par with "surprise attack". And the pay off is top notch because when the two Captains engage each other, everything changes.
It's not until these two stories being to meet where the tension gets good. Horner's music "The Bird of Prey decloaks" is on par with "surprise attack". And the pay off is top notch because when the two Captains engage each other, everything changes.
III's also really solid in its ensemble work in making all the characters have fun character moments without having the joke be on them (which is one of my slight issues with VI). Scotty sabotaging the Reliant, Uhura forcing Mr. Adventure into the closet, Sulu taking out the guard, and Chekov being the first to indicate his loyalty to Kirk.
Seeing the true depth of McCoy's feelings towards Spock in his confession of not wanting to lose him does a great job of developing their relationship, which didn't get much time in Wrath of Khan. Kirk's relationship with all his crew feels more fleshed out in the film, which was something really good to see since the series went to films.
In general why I think WOK and UD are better movies, they succeed by largely focusing on a smaller group of characters (Kirk, Spock, Saavik/Valeris, villains) While STIII may suffer slightly from broadening the scope, I like it for precisely that reason.
Seeing the true depth of McCoy's feelings towards Spock in his confession of not wanting to lose him does a great job of developing their relationship, which didn't get much time in Wrath of Khan. Kirk's relationship with all his crew feels more fleshed out in the film, which was something really good to see since the series went to films.
In general why I think WOK and UD are better movies, they succeed by largely focusing on a smaller group of characters (Kirk, Spock, Saavik/Valeris, villains) While STIII may suffer slightly from broadening the scope, I like it for precisely that reason.
This wasn't my first exposure to Trek (saw TWOK first but mysteriously skipped TMP) but I remember my parents taking us to the drive-in to see it. I even remember part of the trailer seeing the Enterpise backing out of Spacedock. I've always rather enjoyed TSFS and probably re-watch it and TWOK more than any of the other Trek movies. While there are some points where the movie drags (and I usually skip)- Saavik and David exploring the Genesis Planet and the Katra Ritual, everything else is really interesting and exciting to watch. My favorite scenes in the movie are when Kirk & co. steal the Enterprise (I have the score track on my iPhone and relive watching that scene every time I hear it) and the battle between Kirk and Kruge that culminates in the destruction of the Enterprise and, of course, most of Kruge's crew.
Those scenes alone make the movie worth the price of admission. I also thought that Shatner's reaction to David's death was well-acted, if extremely heartbreaking.
Those scenes alone make the movie worth the price of admission. I also thought that Shatner's reaction to David's death was well-acted, if extremely heartbreaking.
I said above the story is as dark as it could possibly have been given Spock’s return from the dead. That was understatement. This story isn’t just dark, it’s sadistic. It’s not enough to kill David, the movie has to deconstruct him first.
TWOK ends in awe of Genesis. “My God, Carol, look at it,” celebrating “in the shadow of new life, the sunrise of a new world.” It’s a miraculous creation that offers hope even for returning Spock from the dead. Kirk’s son is the brilliant scientist who made it possible.
In TSFS, all that hope (except Spock) is dashed, and David blames himself. “I went wrong. Genesis doesn’t work.” In TWOK his worst fear is that his life’s work “could be perverted into a dreadful weapon”; in TSFS he learns that a dreadful weapon is all it ever was. He is in unimaginable anguish when he decides to throw himself on a Klingon to save Saavik and Spock. A few posts ago I pointed to some Christ/David parallels, but David’s self-image when he sacrifices himself is completely the opposite of Christ’s self-image on the cross.
Paradoxically, maybe all that unrelenting darkness is ultimately what makes the movie uplifting. No matter how great the sacrifices are, no matter how bad the losses get, these friends never waver in their complete devotion to each other. There is never a moment of hesitation, or doubt, or looking back. They never dwell on the sacrifices they make and wonder if it’s worth it. As cheerfully and casually as I might lend a friend a sawbuck until payday, these characters give up everything they have for a chance to save Spock. They don’t even seem to expect gratitude or reward for their sacrifices. And if these friends, in these trying circumstances, can so readily sacrifice so much for each other, whatever your friend needs from you is small potatoes by comparison.
TWOK ends in awe of Genesis. “My God, Carol, look at it,” celebrating “in the shadow of new life, the sunrise of a new world.” It’s a miraculous creation that offers hope even for returning Spock from the dead. Kirk’s son is the brilliant scientist who made it possible.
In TSFS, all that hope (except Spock) is dashed, and David blames himself. “I went wrong. Genesis doesn’t work.” In TWOK his worst fear is that his life’s work “could be perverted into a dreadful weapon”; in TSFS he learns that a dreadful weapon is all it ever was. He is in unimaginable anguish when he decides to throw himself on a Klingon to save Saavik and Spock. A few posts ago I pointed to some Christ/David parallels, but David’s self-image when he sacrifices himself is completely the opposite of Christ’s self-image on the cross.
Paradoxically, maybe all that unrelenting darkness is ultimately what makes the movie uplifting. No matter how great the sacrifices are, no matter how bad the losses get, these friends never waver in their complete devotion to each other. There is never a moment of hesitation, or doubt, or looking back. They never dwell on the sacrifices they make and wonder if it’s worth it. As cheerfully and casually as I might lend a friend a sawbuck until payday, these characters give up everything they have for a chance to save Spock. They don’t even seem to expect gratitude or reward for their sacrifices. And if these friends, in these trying circumstances, can so readily sacrifice so much for each other, whatever your friend needs from you is small potatoes by comparison.
Agreed, this is a big part of what makes SfS a good Trek film. It has it's flaws, but ultimately the show of devotion and comradeship of Kirk and Co. lifts it up.
In comparison, watching the same people easily betray Kirk in FF is what drags that particular movie down. In SfS they risk everything out of respect and friendship for both Kirk and Spock. When they do this they don't even know that Spock has regenerated, it's not even about saving his life in the beginning. They do it because it is necessary, there is no debate or hesitation. The needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many. Then in FF a mystic Vulcan spouts some Dr. Phil bullshit and suddenly everyone is willing to turn on Kirk. It's as if people went through a complete character change between the two films.
In their defense, they don’t really think they’re turning on Kirk, they trust Sybok and think they’re doing what’s best for Kirk.
But Sybok’s power over their minds is not explained and is one of the film’s more obvious flaws.
Then there’s this moment:
Shatner seemed to think he was telling a story of these three friends realizing what they mean to each other. After the Genesis trilogy, that story wasn’t available for the telling anymore.
yes, it does come across as rather jarring. Shatner wanted to tell his story his way regardless of character consistency. He wanted to have the crew(including originally Spock and McCoy as well) betray him so he could have the "Kirk stands alone" heroism thing.
I think Sybok's supposed to be doing more than just therapy though, I think it's supposed to have an element of mind manipulation and brainwashing, but it's not well explained and since Spock and McCoy resist it, it unintentionally or not makes the other characters look weak for not being able to do so.
Trek III is miles ahead of Trek V in storytelling and getting the point made on what the director and writers wanted to do. I cannot see Trek V and the Kirk stands alone thing being believeable after Trek III showed how far they would in actuality go for one another.
III was my first Trek experience in the theaters as well. I was 8 and was blown away. I still love it to this day. Sadly this was the LAST time Star Trek was ever treated as a DRAMA. We had some flashes of that in the comfy sequel shows, but this was the last attempt to depict real people in a space navy.
And what a drama! Moving yet still subtle and graceful. The best example is the destruction of the Enterprise. It didn't just blow up in space. We saw the back of the crew's heads as they watched it burn through the sky. Powerful, simple, brilliant!
The music in particular is phenomenal. Builds on the TWOK score well, and remains one of my favorite film scores. Film music has been increasingly bland in general the last few decades, so I appreciate this even more.
The film, for all it's darkness, did have quite a bit of humor, but very quiet and subtle. The entire sequence where they steal the Enterprise was fun. Great character development between Spock and McCoy in particular that seems to wrap up emotional threads from the series.
Some of my fondest memories of the first viewing was the shock of the expanded universe. Until this movie the largest things we had seen in Trek were the Enterprise and other starships. The slow reveal of Spacedock with the rising music made my jaw drop. Same when the Bird Of Prey decloaked above the trader's ship.
Great villain in Christopher Lloyd, who gave a rather underwritten part real character.
I was actually bummed and surprised to read afterwards that most fans don't rate it highly. Pity. Although I'm sure had I been older I would have been whining about the destruction of the Enterprise and the rather implausible manner in which Spock was regenerated. But then again, when the treatment of the material is so careful and somber (but never dour) I think I can be transported and carried along at any age.
And what a drama! Moving yet still subtle and graceful. The best example is the destruction of the Enterprise. It didn't just blow up in space. We saw the back of the crew's heads as they watched it burn through the sky. Powerful, simple, brilliant!
The music in particular is phenomenal. Builds on the TWOK score well, and remains one of my favorite film scores. Film music has been increasingly bland in general the last few decades, so I appreciate this even more.
The film, for all it's darkness, did have quite a bit of humor, but very quiet and subtle. The entire sequence where they steal the Enterprise was fun. Great character development between Spock and McCoy in particular that seems to wrap up emotional threads from the series.
Some of my fondest memories of the first viewing was the shock of the expanded universe. Until this movie the largest things we had seen in Trek were the Enterprise and other starships. The slow reveal of Spacedock with the rising music made my jaw drop. Same when the Bird Of Prey decloaked above the trader's ship.
Great villain in Christopher Lloyd, who gave a rather underwritten part real character.
I was actually bummed and surprised to read afterwards that most fans don't rate it highly. Pity. Although I'm sure had I been older I would have been whining about the destruction of the Enterprise and the rather implausible manner in which Spock was regenerated. But then again, when the treatment of the material is so careful and somber (but never dour) I think I can be transported and carried along at any age.
I don't know. I generally change my clothes at least a few times every three months.
