The original Excelsior bridge...
- Thread starter Aubster2863
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That illustration looks a bit small to me- like they were trying to make it close to the sizes of the other bridges. From what part we saw on the screen the perimeter work stations seemed to be in a much wider arc and the bridge dome on the NX-2000 miniature was larger as well. The whole thing behind the Excelsior was bigger, cleaner, higher tech and the bridge showed that off the best.
I like it for that reason- the TMP/Refit broke up a clean design with these little workstation pods scattered around a curved wall- never did like that incarnation much.
Looking at the Bridge of the Excelsior just now:
I have to say it is ugly. It looks like a 1970's/1980's cheap science fiction TV series set.
The lights under the chairs look cheesy, the open-close arms on the chairs are cheesy, the big comical emergency panels by the turbolift doors are cheesy, the color scheme is ugly, and there are so many blinking lights it's like an epic epilepsy session going on there.
At least it had a floor, though. I recall an image from I think The Final Frontier where the Enterprise Bridge has wires and plastic/rubber all over the floor like the budget ran out or filming had to be rushed before the set was completed.
Re-watching the scene, I found something amusing: there Kirk is, stealing the ship, ordered by Starfleet to surrendor, ordered by Starfleet to be pursued by the Excelsior and what does Kirk say after they've gotten away:
"Gnetlemen, your work today has been outstanding; I intend to recommend you all for promotion."
"Good job stealing the Enterprise, gentlemen -- we'll all be arrested for theft, sabotage, disobeying direct orders, but I intend to recommend you all for promotion, 'cause this is what Starfleet looks for when promotions are considered."
I have to say it is ugly. It looks like a 1970's/1980's cheap science fiction TV series set.
The lights under the chairs look cheesy, the open-close arms on the chairs are cheesy, the big comical emergency panels by the turbolift doors are cheesy, the color scheme is ugly, and there are so many blinking lights it's like an epic epilepsy session going on there.
At least it had a floor, though. I recall an image from I think The Final Frontier where the Enterprise Bridge has wires and plastic/rubber all over the floor like the budget ran out or filming had to be rushed before the set was completed.
Re-watching the scene, I found something amusing: there Kirk is, stealing the ship, ordered by Starfleet to surrendor, ordered by Starfleet to be pursued by the Excelsior and what does Kirk say after they've gotten away:
"Gnetlemen, your work today has been outstanding; I intend to recommend you all for promotion."
"Good job stealing the Enterprise, gentlemen -- we'll all be arrested for theft, sabotage, disobeying direct orders, but I intend to recommend you all for promotion, 'cause this is what Starfleet looks for when promotions are considered."
He said at the end "in whatever fleet we end up serving. So clearly he wasn't talking about them getting promotions in Starfleet. In fact the promotion line was an acknowledgement that they would not be in Starfleet anymore after this incident.
Oh, not necessarily, they could all be demoted. Further more to get promoted, you first have to actually serve in another agency other than Starfleet, which they don't; nobody new to another agency would recommend promotions for their last job which included getting jailed for theft and insabordiation, but the agency would not even consider a promotion for newbs. It only makes sense he is refering to Starfleet.
If you can't see that Kirk is attempting to lighten the mood(the just stole a Federation Starship) by humorously saying he will recommend them for a promotion in whatever fleet they end up serving, then this is a lost cause. Kirk known the consequences are dire and is trying to help every one relax by making a joke, while also complimenting them on their good work.
It wasn't Star Trek V.
Love this bridge, by the way.
Wasn't there bits and pieces on the floor early on? When they are still working on it pre-launch? Of course, that is set dressing for that bit of the story.
^ Yeah, there was some coiled up tubing sitting on the floor near the viewscreen and some people with diagnostic equipment. That's about it, I think.
The bridge in ST-V was in pieces when the movie started- the whole bit about the ship not being functional and major systems not working right was part of how the plot advanced. Having some open panels and exposed wiring would be natural under those circumstances I would think.
I really liked the original Excelsior bridge. It's smooth black touchscreen walls seemed very high-tech to me. When I first saw the STV bridge, I thought it was cool they did something similar.
I also really liked the Excelsior's overly-friendly turbolift (voiced by Leonard Nimoy IIRC). The ship lost it's uniqueness and futuristic fun in STVI, IMO.
I also really liked the Excelsior's overly-friendly turbolift (voiced by Leonard Nimoy IIRC). The ship lost it's uniqueness and futuristic fun in STVI, IMO.
Voiced by Harve Bennett. He admitted as much at conventions.
^ No, the Excelsior computer voice was indeed Nimoy (under the pseudonym of 'Frank Force').
Harve Bennett did voice the Kobayashi Maru simulation in ST II, though. As well as playing Admiral Bob onscreen in ST V.
Harve Bennett did voice the Kobayashi Maru simulation in ST II, though. As well as playing Admiral Bob onscreen in ST V.
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I like Sulu's bridge. It almost looks like the STV bridge with a different color scheme and a different helm/navigation. Oh yeah, and since that helm/nav was done 80 years before TNG, it makes the Enterprise-D seem not so high-tech after all.
And before this thread, I thought that the Star Trek III bridge was bigger but now I'm not so sure. Maybe it just seemed bigger and grander because of all the drama surrounding the great ship Excelsior.
I also see that Styles' bridge doesn't have any railings which probably makes the open space seem bigger than it is.
And before this thread, I thought that the Star Trek III bridge was bigger but now I'm not so sure. Maybe it just seemed bigger and grander because of all the drama surrounding the great ship Excelsior.
I also see that Styles' bridge doesn't have any railings which probably makes the open space seem bigger than it is.
I misremembered, then. Harve Bennett was Enterprise's computer voice in STV. Which, as I said, he admitted as much at conventions.
I think that was intentional. The Excelsior was, for all intents and purposes, the "bad guy" ship in those scenes. You're not supposed to like their bridge or think that they looker cooler than the Enterprise. Nimoy said in his commentary for STIII that the crew of the Grissom was supposed to feel like "pretenders to the throne" compared to the Enterprise crew. That's why he went with the more effeminate pink chairs. I'm sure he wanted a similar feeling of inferiority for the Excelsior and her crew.
Could you be thinking of the bridge in STVI after it gets blown apart by Chang's Bird of Prey? There were loose wires hanging by Spock & McCoy in the final scene:
http://movies.trekcore.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=55032&fullsize=1
http://movies.trekcore.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=55036&fullsize=1
As other posters have noted, you're taking Kirk's joke far too literally.
The STV bridge never did too much for me. I think it's all that late 80s/TNG-style tan & beige coloring. I was thoroughly impressed with the more military-style redress Nicholas Meyer's people gave it in STVI. That version might be my favorite ST bridge.Love this bridge, by the way.
Now THAT'S a bridge!
I love the blue & green color scheme of the readouts. They mesh much better with the metallic finishing.
I love the warm earth tones. Brown/tan with green and blue for the displays.
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