Star Trek: TMP questions and observations

[Therin of Andor]

One thing I've never understood about The Motion Picture is the use of Ilia's theme at the beginning of the movie, accompanied by a black screen for the duration of it. It's a beautiful piece of music, but the inclusion just seems to draw the film out even more.

ST:TMP was one of the last motion pictures to come with an overture attached to the front of the first reel. In the good ol' days, trailers were at the end of a movie (trailing it) and overtures were played as people took their seats, played over the curtain, which then opened to show the screen for the beginning of the film.

Wikipedia says that TMP and The Black Hole were the only feature films to use an overture from the end of 1979 until the year 2000 (with the movie Dancer in the Dark).

It's also possible that the costumes weren't up to snuff for any lengthy screen-time duration.

Well, few of the over-the-head slip rubber masks were made to permit speech, and yes, some of the aliens were played by Trek fan, and the uniforms worn by some of the rec deck personnel had tennis shoes covered by fabric.

http://therinofandor.blogspot.com.au/2007/08/faces-in-crowd-ive-wanted-to-do-this.html

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

ST:TMP was one of the last motion pictures to come with an overture attached to the front of the first reel. In the good ol' days, trailers were at the end of a movie (trailing it) and overtures were played as people took their seats, played over the curtain, which then opened to show the screen for the beginning of the film.

That's interesting to know. I must've perceived it differently, as I originally saw TMP at the *gulp* drive-in!

Still, Ilia's theme seems odd to me. A "Kirk" or "Spock" or "Enterprise" theme would seem apt. I could be biased, though: who waited ten years for new Star Trek to see some bald chick they'd never heard about?*

Funny thing with Ilia, for all she was promoted, she was pretty thin soup as a character. In fact, her exchange with Decker in the movie is pretty much (to me anyway) no different than the Chekov/Irina exchange in The Way to Eden! I'll have to do a side-by-side comparison view of those!

*Bear in mind these were my reactions from 30 years ago!

 

[Nerys Myk]

Other anomalies/observations...

1) Why weren't more of the aliens depicted in the RecDeck scene used in other places in the film? The Rec Deck scene gives the impression of a fairly diverse crew for the Enterprise, yet once she is underway, just about all of the aliens disappear

In addition to the other explanations offered, it was stated that many of the people wearing those costumes were not really actors, but well-known fans (ie. Bjo Trimble) or authors such as David Gerrold. These people were given a small part in the movie as a "thank you" for their years of support.

As to why nobody else ever wore those costumes... maybe they were constructed to fit a particular person?

None of those people played aliens, so it doesn't really answer the question.

Many of the costumes used in TMP were reused as the Starfleet jumpsuits and Regula One costumes seen in TWOK.

 

[Harvey]

Still, Ilia's theme seems odd to me. A "Kirk" or "Spock" or "Enterprise" theme would seem apt. I could be biased, though: who waited ten years for new Star Trek to see some bald chick they'd never heard about?

The Enterprise theme is basically the main title, no? Since that immediately follows the overture, it would be kind of odd to hear the same thing back-to-back.

 

[Christopher]

Well, on the soundtrack, the overture is titled "Ilia's Theme," not "Overture." So I've always kind of figured that Goldsmith used the theme as the overture because he hadn't been able to make a full statement of it elsewhere in the film, just variations and snatches. Normally an overture -- to an opera or a film score -- is a medley of themes from the main score (not unlike the structure of movie end title music). The West Side Story film overture is a case in point. But this is just a single cue, leading me to wonder if it wasn't originally meant as the overture.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I believe there was some dialogue about the cloud dissipating as it approached Earth. Presumably, this includes the 82 AU's worth of structure.

No, they really did change the original size of V'Ger. In the original, the commander of the space station says that the cloud is over 82 AU's in diameter. The director's cut edits his line so that the "80" is removed and he only says "over 2 AU's".

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

All excellent points, guys!

However...

Does the overture need to be included on home video? Is it technically part of the movie? You don't see the other stuff, like the cigarette lighters who talk to each other!

I don't intent to beat a dead horse (where does that phrase come from?), so just tell me to shut up about it, and I will!

 

[Therin of Andor]

None of those people played aliens, so it doesn't really answer the question.

Some WKFs at the time did indeed play aliens. John Watts, who is mentioned a few times in Bjo's "On the Good Ship Enterprise" was an Andorian (coincidentally, the same Andorian Christopher Bennett named for my Andorian alter ego in "Ex Machina). Paula Crist, who was a popular cosplayer at conventions before the term was even invented (and later played "Baby" in "Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend") appeared as Worene, her own alien creation. Don Fanning was a Zaranite. JoAnn Christy was a Vulcan. 70s convention entrepreneur Steven Lance was a Rhaandarite.

As to why nobody else ever wore those costumes... maybe they were constructed to fit a particular person?

Are you talking about the rubber masks/hands or Starfleet uniforms? It's not like the heads were attached to particular uniforms.

The fan extras were selected to fit the ready-made costumes at their casting call. One uniform type exception: the tiny white female jumpsuits specially made for Susan Sackett, Bjo Trimble and Louise Stange. But again, they played humans.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Does the overture need to be included on home video?

Motion picture completists will tell you: yes, the overture of pre-1980 movies is very much as part of the motion picture experience.

Is it technically part of the movie?

Yes, the first three minutes of Reel 1.

 

[Christopher]

I agree, the overture should be included for completeness's sake. If you don't like it, there's always the fast-forward or chapter-ahead button.

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

I agree, the overture should be included for completeness's sake. If you don't like it, there's always the fast-forward or chapter-ahead button.

Oh, no no no...I like it fine! Like I said, it's a beautiful piece. It just never occurred to me to use it as a time to gather my popcorn and beverage!

Did Decker technically have a theme of his own?

 

[Christopher]

No, no Decker theme.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Did Decker technically have a theme of his own?

The piece was also known as "Love Theme from ST:TMP", so the theme is tied to his character as well. Had Decker survived into telemovies, using the old "Phase II" scripts, I'm sure he'd have ended up with a more commanding theme.

 

[Nerys Myk]

None of those people played aliens, so it doesn't really answer the question.

Some WKFs at the time did indeed play aliens. John Watts, who is mentioned a few times in Bjo's "On the Good Ship Enterprise" was an Andorian (coincidentally, the same Andorian Christopher Bennett named for my Andorian alter ego in "Ex Machina). Paula Crist, who was a popular cosplayer at conventions before the term was even invented (and later played "Baby" in "Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend") appeared as Worene, her own alien creation. Don Fanning was a Zaranite. JoAnn Christy was a Vulcan. 70s convention entrepreneur Steven Lance was a Rhaandarite.

I have no idea who those people are. So they aren't WKFs to me.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Wow! There's a lot of information in this very interesting thread! I love The Motion Picture - it's one of the best of the STAR TREK features.

 

[Jeyl]

Just read through the pages and those are some great insights Christopher. Thanks for sharing.

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

Interesting to still learn new things!

 

[Therin of Andor]

So they aren't WKFs to me.

You didn't get around enough.

 

[Nerys Myk]

So they aren't WKFs to me.

You didn't get around enough.

Yeah, I'm a watch the shows and movies type fan. Though I've read quite a bit of Treklit. Never really into cons or fanclubs.

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

Yeah, I'm a watch the shows and movies type fan. Though I've read quite a bit of Treklit. Never really into cons or fanclubs.

Join the club!