At the beginning of Star Trek 4, the film conveys the emissions of the probe are harmful by having the lights go out. When the lights get dim for the first time, the science officer appears to press a button and white light shines on his face.
Was that supposed to be him pressing a button to turn on a desk lamp, perhaps one not dependent on main power? Or is that just some scanner or something that happens to emit light?
The question sounds absurd, but the filmmakers were clearly trying to do a lot with light in this scene. It’s even in the dialog. When the lights get dim, the captain says “What’s causing that?” When the lights go out altogether, she orders “emergency lights.”
So I suspect someone thought about that light on the science officer’s face. It turns on in two shots, which I think is just a mistake. But I do think they were trying to convey that he turned on a desk lamp.
It’s hard to convey that the probe is causing critical damage to the ship, not firing weapons, but rather by mysterious emissions that damage all the ship’s systems. I found it creepy at age 11 in 1986, apparently so much so that I’m thinking about it 37 years later.
Was that supposed to be him pressing a button to turn on a desk lamp, perhaps one not dependent on main power? Or is that just some scanner or something that happens to emit light?
The question sounds absurd, but the filmmakers were clearly trying to do a lot with light in this scene. It’s even in the dialog. When the lights get dim, the captain says “What’s causing that?” When the lights go out altogether, she orders “emergency lights.”
So I suspect someone thought about that light on the science officer’s face. It turns on in two shots, which I think is just a mistake. But I do think they were trying to convey that he turned on a desk lamp.
It’s hard to convey that the probe is causing critical damage to the ship, not firing weapons, but rather by mysterious emissions that damage all the ship’s systems. I found it creepy at age 11 in 1986, apparently so much so that I’m thinking about it 37 years later.
