The best Saavik: Kirstie Alley vs. Robin Curtis
- Thread starter HAL.9000
- Start date
So who are we to disagree? Nimoy said it, and Nimoy is the ultimate Vulcan. He must know.
I have to agree there. When it comes to Vulcans, Nimoy broke the mold. Clearly the perfect actor for the part.
Beyond just sex appeal, I thought that Alley made for a more interesting Vulcan than Curtis. Curtis portrayed a text book adult full Vulcan, Alley performance gave us something else, a younger (maybe barely out of adolescence) Vulcan, cocky and arrogant in the KM simulator, but nervous and near tongue-tied commanding the bridge watch when Kirk orders the training ship onto an actual mission. She openly flirts with Kirk in the turbolift scene and she openly crys during Spock's funeral.
Curtis on the other hand ... well, she was just a Vulcan.
Alley was comfortable in the role, she was loose, confident and passionate. Curtis was stiff.
Alley had a woman's body, Curtis had the body of a boy.
Alley informing Kirk of his sons's death would if come with sympathy. Curtis simply report the incident.
Returning to sex appeal. The pon farr scene in TSFS with Alley would of been "hot sweaty dirty sexy," with Curtis it was just awkward.
If Saavik had developed into a ongoing character Alley, not Curtis, would have been the ideal choice. Alley could have easily became a part of Kirk's regular command crew. She would have been a asset during both Voyage Home and Undiscovered Country. Watching Alley as Saavik play opposite Kim Cattrall as Valeris would have been a definite bonus. Alley demonstrated superior acting range over the course of her professional career. Not just comedy but also drama and action/adventure, lots of work. Curtis on the other hand has had a pretty thin career.
Kirk: "Spock, I'm about to have turbo lift - turbo sex. Inform the crew."
That's one happy birthday present right there
There have been rumours of certain middle aged leading men pursuing the young Miss Alley on the set of TWOK, and I could hardly blame them for trying. She was just so damn hot.
Anyway, looks aside, that's great post actually, sums it up for me nicely. I would have loved to have seen Alley playing Saavik in TUC.
I've never met her, but Robin Curtis comes across as 100% positive about Trek in her interviews, and seems like a really nice person. Pretty thankless job replacing another actor in the same role, especially in a much inferior sequel.
Do youself a favor and read the rules that you agreed to abide by when you signed up for this BBS.
You have an infraction for linking to an image containing nudity.
In fairness to HAL, the rules prohibit the slightly ambiguous category of "NC-17 or R-rated material," and a tasteful shot showing bare breasts is not an automatic R-rating. I could post a list of PG and PG-13 films with images similar to the one HAL posted. As coincidence would have it, I watched such a film last night: Airplane II.
Kirstie Alley. I found her take on the character far more enjoyable.
I would say Kirstie, by a slim margin (Curtis did well too) because she captured the look of a Vulcan. There always seem to be certain look and mannerism or it the character can off looking lifeless or boring.
One thing I have noticed about this character is there has been a lot of speculation about the supposed Vulcan sex scene in STIII. Even weirder speculation in fan fics.
One thing I have noticed about this character is there has been a lot of speculation about the supposed Vulcan sex scene in STIII. Even weirder speculation in fan fics.
Take it from somebody who has met her, your perceptions of her are 100% right.
And Star Trek III was NOT an inferior sequel. At least I didn't think so.
I re-watched the Star Trek movies in question here. Try it instead of relying on memory and you'll pick up some things. What I found was the Alley's character was waaaay inferior to Curtis'.
In fact, I agree with some here that Curtis' Saavik is even sexier. Alley provided a prettier face perhaps (your personal tastes depending) but Curtis' character had depth.
Alley's portrayal in the beginning of Wrath of Khan looks bored instead of Vulcan like stoic, and again her speaking accent just kills the whole thing.
Re-watch Wrath of Khan and Search for Spock with this thread in mind and post your opinion.
In fact, I agree with some here that Curtis' Saavik is even sexier. Alley provided a prettier face perhaps (your personal tastes depending) but Curtis' character had depth.
Alley's portrayal in the beginning of Wrath of Khan looks bored instead of Vulcan like stoic, and again her speaking accent just kills the whole thing.
Re-watch Wrath of Khan and Search for Spock with this thread in mind and post your opinion.
Kirstie, definitely. Much better portrayal, and her emotions were what made her character click.
Robin's performance wasn't "Vulcan", it was just wooden.
Robin's performance wasn't "Vulcan", it was just wooden.
There was a common misconception in the 23rd century that Vulcans were made of wood.
OH MY GOD, NUDITY!!!!!!!!
Sometimes I think the Europeans are right about us Americans being repressed puritanical tight-asses. Teeth, hair and eyeballs splattered across the wall is okay, even for the youngest of viewers, but a rogue tit sends us into a national conniption. 
But, to be on topic, I met Curtis many years ago at a con, and she was definitely a kind, caring individual who didn't really like how she portrayed Saavik and absolutely despised her "David is Dead" delivery. I definitely understood where she was coming from, being painted into a corner like that. At the end of the day, it was a job and she wasn't given much flexibility how to work her role. All that aside, I'm an Alley fan all the way. Always have been. You could see her Romulan half continuously boiling under the surface, constantly struggling with it, likely even more so than Spock had to with his human half. By comparison, Spock had it easy. Yeah, he was made fun of as being half-human, but at least the humans were Vulcan allies. the Romulans were the true traitors to the teachings of Surak (as well as enemies of the Federation) and I suspect Saavik had a much more difficult time assimilating into Vulcan society with that pedigree. Alley pulled it off with perfection. Curtis was way too Vulcan.
And for those who doubt her Romulan heritage, it was filmed, but dropped from the final cut. It's in all the scripts, so I would consider it canon.
But, to be on topic, I met Curtis many years ago at a con, and she was definitely a kind, caring individual who didn't really like how she portrayed Saavik and absolutely despised her "David is Dead" delivery. I definitely understood where she was coming from, being painted into a corner like that. At the end of the day, it was a job and she wasn't given much flexibility how to work her role. All that aside, I'm an Alley fan all the way. Always have been. You could see her Romulan half continuously boiling under the surface, constantly struggling with it, likely even more so than Spock had to with his human half. By comparison, Spock had it easy. Yeah, he was made fun of as being half-human, but at least the humans were Vulcan allies. the Romulans were the true traitors to the teachings of Surak (as well as enemies of the Federation) and I suspect Saavik had a much more difficult time assimilating into Vulcan society with that pedigree. Alley pulled it off with perfection. Curtis was way too Vulcan.
And for those who doubt her Romulan heritage, it was filmed, but dropped from the final cut. It's in all the scripts, so I would consider it canon.
Do we know more about why Curtis was directed by Nimoy to play Saavik that way?
And that's interesting about Alley thinking of Saavik as Spock's daughter. I wonder what kind of reaction she would have had -- had she played Saavik in TSFS -- to the pon farr scene.
^^^ Or, further, her reaction to the potential of being pregnant with Spock's child in TVH as a result of that pon farr scene.
^^^ Or, further, her reaction to the potential of being pregnant with Spock's child in TVH as a result of that pon farr scene.
Incest is only taboo because the resulting children will be stupid. If that's not the case in Vulcan genetics, then it wouldn't be a taboo.
^^^ Good point. The additive of her Romulan genes may contribute additional protection from that as well.
