Star Trek- The Motion Picture Appreciation Thread

[2takesfrakes]

To the untrained eye, some of these TMP cosplay uniforms almost look like the genuine article ...

http://www.hellocosplay.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=star+trek+the+motion+picture

 

[janney lee]

i found these TMP cosplay uniforms almost look like the genuine article ...

https://www.cosmanles.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Star+Trek

 

[J.T.B.]

To the untrained eye, some of these TMP cosplay uniforms almost look like the genuine article ...

http://www.hellocosplay.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=star+trek+the+motion+picture

Yeah, maybe from a distance. I give them credit for considering TMP at all. The color doesn't look blue enough, but those rank stripes, yikes! They look like something somebody found in a disreputable box of old Christmas decorations.

 

[2takesfrakes]

It kind of surprises me that TMP gets notice from these costume manufacturers when there's such a vocal fanbase hating on them.

 

[Damian]

Star Trek: The Motion Picture is my personal favorite of all the Star Trek films. Some people give me a strange look when I say that (most Trekkies seem to like the film, but it's generally not a favorite). I first saw it sometime before The Voyage Home came out. I had already seen TWOK and TSFS (both great films as well) and I finally rented out TMP from a video store mostly out of curiosity. I was not yet a Trekkie. It was more, I saw II and III, might as well see the first. It was when I saw TMP that I became a Trekkie. Some have said TMP is the most 'pure' Star Trek film. There is no real villain, we see the creation of a new life form, and almost the entire film takes place in space. I loved the story, the sets and Goldsmith's score. The Director's cut was even better, improving the pacing of the film. And until Star Trek (2009) it was the only Star Trek film given a big movie budget. After seeing it for the first time I looked at TWOK and TSFS in a new light and I was excited about TVH coming out soon, another great Star Trek film. I loved all the Star Trek films to varying degrees, but TMP will always be my favorite.

 

[Tallguy]

It kind of surprises me that TMP gets notice from these costume manufacturers when there's such a vocal fanbase hating on them.

Looking at the prices on those I can't imagine that they'd be any good. (If someone can say otherwise I have a new Christmas wish next year. And a new weight goal.)

 

[Pauln6]

I've just started watching Star Trek Phase II. I'm about half way through and just watched Blood and Fire. One thing that stood out for me was a little scene in the Rec Room between Chekov, Uhura, and Scotty where they lament their lack of sleep. It so perfectly captured the spirit of TOS. I think one or two scenes like that in TMP would have been all it would have taken to elevate the movie.

 

[Vger23]

To the untrained eye, some of these TMP cosplay uniforms almost look like the genuine article ...

http://www.hellocosplay.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=star+trek+the+motion+picture

The white "v-neck" one would be all mine.

Do they come with the "vital signs belt monitor" thing?

 

[2takesfrakes]

There is, indeed, a representation of the buckle on the V-neck costume, but – judging by the accompanying photograph – it is made of soft vinyl, not of hard plastic, as the authentic TMP costumes were. But they look similar, enough …

http://www.hellocosplay.com/star-trek-the-motion-picture-james-t-kirk-cosplay-costume-uniform.html

Star Trek: The Motion Picture James T. Kirk Cosplay Costume Uniform
Material: Cotton + Polyester
Include: T-shirt + Pants
$99.99

 

[Vger23]

There is, indeed, a representation of the buckle on the V-neck costume, but – judging by the accompanying photograph – it is made of soft vinyl, not of hard plastic, as the authentic TMP costumes were. But they look similar, enough …

http://www.hellocosplay.com/star-trek-the-motion-picture-james-t-kirk-cosplay-costume-uniform.html

Star Trek: The Motion Picture James T. Kirk Cosplay Costume Uniform
Material: Cotton + Polyester
Include: T-shirt + Pants
$99.99

The biggest deterrent from purchasing this would be the need for accessories:

• The bio-monitor belt buckle
• Matching footwear (built-in? I can't remember...but wearing my New Balance sneakers with this would probably really break the illusion)
• Authentic-looking wrist communicator

If I could find those items, this might be worth a serious purchase. And that's coming from a guy who has never owned a uniform or any cosplay elements in his entire life.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I agree, completely, that the V-neck TMP uniforms look really cool -- I like them, a lot. The problem they have is that they too closely resemble normal clothes, unlike - say - Kirk's Admiral uniform. Even if you didn't know STAR TREK, it's clear that the Admiral's outfit is referencing something that somebody would make a costume about, like Spider-Man, or whatever else. A non-Trekkie would simply axe why you didn't just wear a T-shirt & slacks, because that's all it looks like. $aved yourself some money, that way, for all the difference a store-bought rip-off of it made. But this costume is still a reasonable approximation and if it were, as you say, properly accessorised, I can easily see it making a splash at a STAR TREK convention.

 

[TrekkieRiker]

Well ... I am a working Artist, in the sense that -- you know -- I actually get paid for my Artwork. So ...

But no, I've never dealved too deeply into animation, except as experiments, relating to how well I understood rendering objects. They were not for public consumption. That's the first thing. Secondly, I would never have wasted my time on a STAR TREK spoof. And besides ... spoofs aren't any good, generally speaking.

For instance, I know that Galaxy Quest has its fans and it benefits enormously from Missi Pyle's having been cast in it. At the time she was still quite lovely and is always very talented. She saved the spacey sequences which otherwise sucked pretty badly, in this, uh ... in this "film." The scenes taking place on Earth were far more enjoyable. Alexander's rantings at the convention were pure gold: "Five curtain calls! I was an ACTOR once, damn it. Now look at me. LOOK AT ME! I won't go out there and say that stupid line one more time. I can't ... I won't." Rickman is sorely missed, indeed. I won't even go into The Orville. I tried to give the show a chance ... but it doesn't do the trick.

Fan Films in general aren't worth looking at, but STAR TRIX star sux and if it didn't ... I wouldn't have said so.

Even though I, myself, like Fan Films, I really dislike Star trek spoofs, but I did not even know about "Star Trix". Good to know there was such a thing.

 

[2takesfrakes]

STAR TRIX and whatever else like it at least demonstrates the affection TMP was afforded by fans, at the time. And that love fans have for this movie and the rest of the franchise is remarkable, really. If I came up with a show, I'd expect it to be successful and to make a shitload of money off of it. But masses of people having great affection and love for it is something I probably wouldn't be able to prepare myself for. There was even a fanbook on how to make your own, homemade TMP outfits from what's at hand. On the pages inbetween are pictured fans looking quite farcical but the love they have for the source material is undeniable. Behold:

http://neatocoolville.blogspot.com/2013/05/star-trek-motion-picture-make-your-own.html

 

[J.T.B.]

There was even a fanbook on how to make your own, homemade TMP outfits from what's at hand. On the pages inbetween are pictured fans looking quite farcical but the love they have for the source material is undeniable. Behold:

http://neatocoolville.blogspot.com/2013/05/star-trek-motion-picture-make-your-own.html

I'm not sure what's meant by "fanbook," but that was an official Paramount/Pocket Books TMP tie-in, when they thought the merchandising was going to be like Star Wars. The "fans" in the photos are kid models. I used to check that book out of the library and I actually picked up a copy in a used bookstore years later. I never cared about making the costumes, but it has some good information from Bob Fletcher in it.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Ah ... thanks for that information, then. I only ever glanced at the thing, in a Google search. In my defense, however ... it really does reek of kitsch, does it not?! And Velveeta ...

 

[J.T.B.]

^Yeah... even at 10 years old I could tell there was a pretty big accuracy -- not to mention quality -- gap from what I'd seen in the movie. But it had a certain DIY charm. The main thing I thought when I first saw it was "Arcturan? Zaranite? They weren't in the movie!" Years later I spotted them at the back of the rec deck crowd on the VHS.

 

[Tallguy]

^Yeah... even at 10 years old I could tell there was a pretty big accuracy -- not to mention quality -- gap from what I'd seen in the movie. But it had a certain DIY charm. The main thing I thought when I first saw it was "Arcturan? Zaranite? They weren't in the movie!" Years later I spotted them at the back of the rec deck crowd on the VHS.

Oh, the behind the scenes stuff and the various tie ins were FILLED with those guys! Then it was "blink and you'll miss them"!

The merch for TMP was awesome! I think my favorite --- WAS THE KIMBLE CUTAWAY POSTER. Ok, sorry. AFTER that my favorite was the sticker book. It was all the insane amount of signage that they made for TMP in a purchasable format. (No, seriously, that cutaway poster was a gateway drug. I'd argue I was a fan before the poster and a Trekkie after.)

 

[David cgc]

It was all the insane amount of signage that they made for TMP in a purchasable format.

Typeset in the Future had an article on Alien where they talk about the symbols developed for that film but, honestly, I think the TMP icon language is head-and-shoulders above. Look at how it's been some of the most durable design in the history of the franchise. The turbolift icon being used in "Insurrection," the transporter icon in ST09, the red alert graphic being used in DSC... One of the great examples of graphic design in film.

 

[Maurice]

Not many of those symbols made for TMP actually carried over very far. The transporter one is the only one I can think of of that got much play after the first two movies. And variations on Ron Cobb's semiotic standard for Alien popped up in the sets of Prometheus.

 

[J.T.B.]

The merch for TMP was awesome! I think my favorite --- WAS THE KIMBLE CUTAWAY POSTER. Ok, sorry. AFTER that my favorite was the sticker book. It was all the insane amount of signage that they made for TMP in a purchasable format. (No, seriously, that cutaway poster was a gateway drug. I'd argue I was a fan before the poster and a Trekkie after.)

Yeah, for me that Kimble poster was probably the high water mark of Trek merchandising and tech fiction. I won mine at Circus Circus in Las Vegas in a dart-throwing game. That must have been months before the movie came out, because I was on summer vacation, even though Memory Alpha says the poster came out in 1980. Maybe I'm confusing somethign, but the only time I was there was the summer of '79. That poster hung in my room all through my teen years.

Apparently Kimble did not have a good experience working with Paramount.

And of course the sticker book was a "peel-off graphics" book! I really had my eye on that in the bookstore but my mom, no doubt picturing herself scraping stickers off every wall, steered me away from it.