Sulu's big Trek IV scene never even got filmed.

[Mutara Nebula 1967]

In G.T.'s audio book he tells about the scene in 1986 San Francisco where Sulu is suppose to meet his great great grandfather.

Problem was the little boy who was to play him would not cooperate and the sun began to set and the shot had to be shelved.

Too bad because its a tie between this movie and TMP where Sulu has the least to do. It almost doesn't even seem like Sulu was in VOYAGE HOME.

His only standout scene was two seconds piloting the helicopter that came from god knows where...but that was it.

 

[Smiley]

Everyone remembers his line about being born in San Francisco.

 

[ancient]

He also pilots the BOP into the sun and has the 'Excelsior' line at the end. I'd say any shortchanging he got here is made up for when he got his own ship.

And the scene with the kid would've been cute I guess, but it wouldn't have been a huge scene. It's not really important to the plot either, so I'm not missing it any.

 

[Charles Trip Tucker III]

George Takei shouldn't be upset about such a trivial scene, because it doesn't add to the plot.

 

[Ssosmcin]

But it was more screen time for him and something new for his character to do aside from pilot a ship. I can see why he laments its loss.

I'll wager Shatner bribed the kid into screwing up on purpose. "Let's give Georgie a hard time, okay Wang? Here's a Snickers."

 

[Charles Trip Tucker III]

That is exactly why the scene doesn't need to be in the movie. A scene should move the plot forward, not be there for the sole purpose of giving the actor something to do. That's why a lot of movies these days are way too long winded.

 

[ancient]

Pretty much all the 'character moments' in TVH have a direct relation to the plot: Scotty getting the plexiglass, Uhura & Checkov getting the nuclear fuel, Sulu transporting the glass via Huey, Kirk & Spock getting $$$ from the pawn shop, etc.

But this scene seems a rather unimportant trivia scene. We already know he was born in San Francisco. Oh yay, his grandfather is from Frisco too. Big whoop.

Just as well it was left out.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Charles Trip Tucker III said:
George Takei shouldn't be upset about such a trivial scene, because it doesn't add to the plot.

It's not that he continues to carry a grudge about it, though. He was disappointed the scene didn't happen; the kid was cute and the scene played very well in rehearsals.

I know George quite well, and fans do ask him, "Why didn't you have much to do in ST IV?", and if the scene was there, they wouldn't ask so often. Telling the story about the lost scene explains why he seems to have so little to do, because that one scene that was written into the script, as an added tempter for George to sign aboard, was dropped.

Similarly, there was the "Captain Sulu" tempter added to ST II, again when it seemed he would resist signing. IIRC, his participation in ST II was not confirmed until mere days before principal photography.

That's showbiz. Sadly, it seems that these disposable scenes are written into many Hollywood movies, often as bribes to actors, who then have absolutely no control over what bits will be part of the final edit of a movie.

If George suddenly stops telling all these anecdotes, and says, instead, "No comment" every time he gets interviewed or appears at a signing event, fans will be wondering here what new secrets George Takei is keeping from them.

 

[Candlelight]

The movie was filled with enough anachronistic jokes already. Losing one more didn't hurt things.

 

[Kirby]

ssosmcin said:
I'll wager Shatner bribed the kid into screwing up on purpose. "Let's give Georgie a hard time, okay Wang? Here's a Snickers."

Yeah right, like Shatner would voluntarily give up a Snickers bar.

 

[cardinal biggles]

Maybe it got all melty in his pocket and he didn't want it anymore.

 

[Peacemaker]

Kirby said:

ssosmcin said:
I'll wager Shatner bribed the kid into screwing up on purpose. "Let's give Georgie a hard time, okay Wang? Here's a Snickers."

Yeah right, like Shatner would voluntarily give up a Snickers bar.

 

[Tosk]

It's a pity the boy wasn't played by a very young Masi Oka. That'd give them twenty more years worth of anecdotes.

 

[NiteTrek]

Smiley said:
Everyone remembers his line about being born in San Francisco.

Yes...and everyone knows that he was also reared in San Francisco.

 

[lucyloo]

If you look at it from an actor's point of view, had George not taken part in The Voyage Home, he could have got a more decent role in another film or tv series. Ok his chances wouldn't have been great but they were there.

Star Trek may have given George, Walter, James and Nichelle both fame and enough money to not have to worry about their financial futures but it did nothing for their careers as actors. That's the downside to being a supporting actor in a long running franchaise. What little George got to do in the original tv series, makes what Gates had to do in Next Gen look like the staring role.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Charles Trip Tucker III said:
That is exactly why the scene doesn't need to be in the movie. A scene should move the plot forward, not be there for the sole purpose of giving the actor something to do. That's why a lot of movies these days are way too long winded.

I agree, but without these little scenes, the supporting cast would have little to do. If you cut out the Nuclear Wessels scene, the movie still makes sense. All that did was provide a comedy scene (they still didn't get directions). Same holds true especially for TFF. Scotty, Uhura, Sulu and Chekov got mostly comedy bits. Cut them out, the movie actually works better.

 

[NiteTrek]

lucyloo said:
If you look at it from an actor's point of view, had George not taken part in The Voyage Home, he could have got a more decent role in another film or tv series. Ok his chances wouldn't have been great but they were there.

I completely disagree. NOBODY was knocking down doors to sign Takei to anything. Turning down STIV would've been a stupid career move on his part and he knew it.

 

[Basil]

ssosmcin said:
But it was more screen time for him and something new for his character to do aside from pilot a ship. I can see why he laments its loss.

I'll wager Shatner bribed the kid into screwing up on purpose. "Let's give Georgie a hard time, okay Wang? Here's a Snickers."

Who is Wang?

 

[Alpha Romeo]

Mutara Nebula 1967 said:
In G.T.'s audio book he tells about the scene in 1986 San Francisco where Sulu is suppose to meet his great great grandfather.

Problem was the little boy who was to play him would not cooperate and the sun began to set and the shot had to be shelved.

Too bad because its a tie between this movie and TMP where Sulu has the least to do. It almost doesn't even seem like Sulu was in VOYAGE HOME.

His only standout scene was two seconds piloting the helicopter that came from god knows where...but that was it.

So what? Sulu was a shitty character played by a shitty actor.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Basil said:
Who is Wang?

Someone's humorously assuming the ornery child actor grew up to play Harry Kim on VOY.