Nobody’s going to hate you, but look — nothing you say is going to make ongoing and future Trek productions stop treating it as the prime continuity. (Unless they decide to, of course; but currently there’s no indication they ever will.)
TMP continued…
- Thread starter Warped9
- Start date
After rewatching TMP, I'm in far more agreement than I was before, and I already was.
Trek really deserved another big screen, proper cerebral outing, and not until TNG on TV did we get anything as cerebral (TNG also feels like "The Cage", slightly retooled).TMP definitely has action, it's just applied differently than most templated dramas. The transporter malfunction is a grizzly form of action, as is the terrific wormhole sequence. Kirk's obsessions are another form of action (as well as being inspired by the TOS episode of the same name, only this time it's not about a big sentient vampire in the form of a puffy cigarette cloud) and wondering just what Kirk is going to do next.
I also dig the idea of not using warp drive in the solar system because of relative gravitational, distortion, and other issues that might affect the system's stability. That might also hint at why Ceti Alpha V exploded, if one wants to play headcanon, as TWOK didn't do any tie-in...
...Then again, didn't the Klingon ship in TVH warp away while in Earth's orbit? Or even if it was maximum impulse power, that speed would cause more than a teensy few problems than a 30mph gust of wind or a hotel convention room filled with participants in a bean-eating contest. so to look up a clip and transcript:
And, yep, that's immediately after beaming up the whales, with the whalers spinning with futility as well as redefining what a "poop deck" is...
TMP is said to be a remake of a handful of TOS episodes, particularly "The Changeling". While that's not untrue and that the inspiration very likely came from that episode, the last time I had seen "The Changeling", it was throwing big words on the screen to sound important. "90 photon torpedoes" and so on. TMP does a better job at where to apply exposition (show vs tell), also using real science terms (Astronomical Units, et al), and sells V'Ger more successfully than Nomad ever was. Indeed, Nomad's ending was unintentionally campy, unless the goal was to induce humor indirectly by making Nomad sound like a helium-snorting rat, in which case it was going out of its way to be intentionally campy.
In that regard alone, the notion of taking an old story and rebooting it into something better - it's been done successfully since and TMP, for all its issues, IMHO anyway, isn't a failure by any measure. (Didn't expect to be mesmerized by the several minutes of gawking at the viewscreen, mostly because the sense of scale being told in both dialogue and visual means is flat-out impressive! )
It was also easier to buy into Spock mind-melding VGer than Nomad, mostly because V'Ger is a huge unknown that only Spock can somehow sense (and from a considerable distance a way), whereas Nomad is clearly and definitively a technological construct.
Plus, this philosophical mettle of calling out to Spock really blends into the movie's themes nicely and it really doesn't matter that other Vulcans couldn't pick up on it; the plot knew how to carry it for Spock. To compare, Spock mindmelding Nomad feels gimmicky and empty. Why doesn't he mindmeld with the main computer to do his tasks faster? Or where Redjak was in? Or Norman? Who wouldn't love to grasp onto Norman's head and meld? Or a dozen other computers or androids? It's a throwaway.
Then, halfway in, we get Decker and not-Ilia explored. The explanation of her, scripting, and acting are all pretty top-notch, and the dramatic scenes (which do risk becoming boring, I won't disagree) are build-up for the final action scene at the end where Decker wants to plug his cord into VGer's socket and become a metaphorical omniscient being or something. Which requires the audience to be invested in the build-up on some facet or level...
...But here's a fun thought: Given how much he knows of the redesign, maybe he'sa microcosm of and the progenitor of Q after merging with VGer/not-Ilia, if small universe syndrome is to be entertained. It's not as implausible than VGer being a tool of the Borg, but not by much... then again, VGer was an amalgamation of an Earth probe with a big alien unknown (neither good nor evil as such) and the chemical reaction to VGer, its cloud bubble, and Decker, all becoming a groovy glittery special effect, led to the incorporeal Q as a result. Well, not really as that means the Q came from humanity and that's clearly not the case in some episodes despite the plausibility of that in others, but if truth is stranger than fiction then I want to conjure up a fiction that's stranger than truth...
TMP was inspired by the script "Robots Return" for Roddenberry's unmade Genesis II series, which became "In Thy Image", the first episode of the aborted Phase II Trek series and later TMP. It may have been inspired consciously or otherwise by "The Changeling " but nothing is known for sure.
See also this thread:
www.trekbbs.com
See also this thread:
Alan Dean Foster and Star Trek: The Motion Picture
I was watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture the other day and noticed Alan Dean Foster's name in the credits. He has written many novelizations that I have enjoyed through the years. Anyways, I was surprised to see his name in the credits because I thought Roddenberry and Harold Livingston were...
www.trekbbs.com
The final reveal that Vejur is an Earth space probe altered by an encounter with aliens is fairly coincidental with The Changeling. The scene where the Enterprise's shields are almost taken down in a shot while Spock figures out that the entity is communicating too fast just in time to prevent a killing blow is verbatim from The Changeling.
But that's really about it. Nomad mistakes Kirk for the creator. Vejur doesn't believe that humanity is the creator.
But c'mon, When Nomad has Gone Before is funny and kudos to whatever witty fan coined it. (Better than Star Trek: The Motionless Picture.)
But that's really about it. Nomad mistakes Kirk for the creator. Vejur doesn't believe that humanity is the creator.
But c'mon, When Nomad has Gone Before is funny and kudos to whatever witty fan coined it. (Better than Star Trek: The Motionless Picture.)
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TMP was inspired by the script "Robots Return" for Roddenberry's unmade Genesis II series, which became "In Thy Image", the first episode of the aborted Phase II Trek series and later TMP. It may have been inspired consciously or otherwise by "The Changeling " but nothing is known for sure.
See also this thread:
Alan Dean Foster and Star Trek: The Motion Picture
I was watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture the other day and noticed Alan Dean Foster's name in the credits. He has written many novelizations that I have enjoyed through the years. Anyways, I was surprised to see his name in the credits because I thought Roddenberry and Harold Livingston were...
It wouldn't be like Roddenberry to recycle a plot idea. Not at all.
There are two things in TMP that are absolute perfection and could not be improved upon: the musical score and the Enterprise. I wouldn't want to see them change a thing.
My thing is I don't think they would change the refit design, any more than they changed the design of the Enterprise-D in Picard Season 3. At least not externally. There's a line in the sand drawn in 1979 with regards to visuals, before which needs updating and afterwards is perfectly fine. And internally, even the movies were largely inconsistent with how the refit Constitution class interior was supposed to look. I wouldn't mind an "upscaling" of the TMP Enterprise interiors as long as they kept the color scheme and general style. But the exterior should remain almost identical.
Because the uniforms were being prepared well in advance, a set of all variants were tailored for all of the main characters. When the “It’s a Wrap!” auctions were on, there were leisure robes, short sleeve tops, jumpsuits, etc, with labels of numerous cast, even though they were never worn onscreen.
They were prepared for more films, telemovies or episodes, whatever sequels would follow from TMP. They also had many more of the casual-style Epsilon Nine costumes that were ever seen onscreen.
I don't know if you're being facetious or not, but Shatner had nothing to do with the costumes of the other actors, and he's never been out to get George Takei. The idea that Robert Wise would reduce the number of outfits Sulu had because Shatner was upset is absurd.
Orbit nothing. It goes into warp while still in Earth's atmosphere! TVH may be fun, but they play very fast and loose with Trek's science.
So after careful consideration, something has always bugged me about the design of the refit Enterprise, something they could fix with my proposed Strange New Worlds sequel series.
There's an interview somewhere online where the special effects artists who worked on TNG all get together and explain how the effects came to be. They mention that Andy Probert (who designed the Enterprise-D AND worked heavily on the refit/-A) had wanted the Enterprise-D Bussard Ramscoops to be unlit, and for the engines themselves to not glow blue unless at warp. This was overruled, because having the ramscoops and engines light up "looked cool". I realized there isn't much on the refit that lights up, and I feel like this is the chance to fix that. Below is some concept work of what I feel the modernized refit Enterprise could look like, using my ship from Star Trek Online as a template.
There's an interview somewhere online where the special effects artists who worked on TNG all get together and explain how the effects came to be. They mention that Andy Probert (who designed the Enterprise-D AND worked heavily on the refit/-A) had wanted the Enterprise-D Bussard Ramscoops to be unlit, and for the engines themselves to not glow blue unless at warp. This was overruled, because having the ramscoops and engines light up "looked cool". I realized there isn't much on the refit that lights up, and I feel like this is the chance to fix that. Below is some concept work of what I feel the modernized refit Enterprise could look like, using my ship from Star Trek Online as a template.
I am.
They played fast and loose with The Motion Picture's science. For TOS science it was fine.
The TMP warp engines already light up (and only when being used). They just don't look like TNG when they do it.
I disagree. You did some good work on your rendering, but I like it better the way it was. I agree with Probert that having the engines lit up all the time on the D doesn't make much sense. And I don't think adding the illuminated bussard collectors/ramscoops to the TMP refit looks right or adds anything to the design. I still maintain that the refit is perfect as she is.So after careful consideration, something has always bugged me about the design of the refit Enterprise, something they could fix with my proposed Strange New Worlds sequel series.
There's an interview somewhere online where the special effects artists who worked on TNG all get together and explain how the effects came to be. They mention that Andy Probert (who designed the Enterprise-D AND worked heavily on the refit/-A) had wanted the Enterprise-D Bussard Ramscoops to be unlit, and for the engines themselves to not glow blue unless at warp. This was overruled, because having the ramscoops and engines light up "looked cool". I realized there isn't much on the refit that lights up, and I feel like this is the chance to fix that. Below is some concept work of what I feel the modernized refit Enterprise could look like, using my ship from Star Trek Online as a template.
They were always lit up in TOS. TMP is actually the odd one out here. Not saying one is right or wrong, but they are different.
I really like how "active" the TMP version is, with different modes for different situations. The low- and high-power deflector, the impulse exhausts and crystal that are on for impulse, and the warp engines coming on only at warp. It's a touch that was carried forward in the JJ movies, with the nacelles and deflector opening up for warp, and even being able to see the interior lighting turn red through the windows during the space battles in STID and BEY.
Was thinking about TMP continuing. Or at least a version of it that returns to TV.
Decker and "Ilia" survive. Decker is in love with "Ilia" but she's not really the woman he fell in love with. She's more of a Data-type trying understand what being "human" is but hampered by being an android (for lack of a better term)
Kirk stays as CO
Spock is reoccurring.
Phase out the old guard and bring in newer characters.
Decker and "Ilia" survive. Decker is in love with "Ilia" but she's not really the woman he fell in love with. She's more of a Data-type trying understand what being "human" is but hampered by being an android (for lack of a better term)
Kirk stays as CO
Spock is reoccurring.
Phase out the old guard and bring in newer characters.
So after careful consideration, something has always bugged me about the design of the refit Enterprise, something they could fix with my proposed Strange New Worlds sequel series.
There's an interview somewhere online where the special effects artists who worked on TNG all get together and explain how the effects came to be. They mention that Andy Probert (who designed the Enterprise-D AND worked heavily on the refit/-A) had wanted the Enterprise-D Bussard Ramscoops to be unlit, and for the engines themselves to not glow blue unless at warp. This was overruled, because having the ramscoops and engines light up "looked cool". I realized there isn't much on the refit that lights up, and I feel like this is the chance to fix that. Below is some concept work of what I feel the modernized refit Enterprise could look like, using my ship from Star Trek Online as a template.
wasn't the original idea in TMP that they were gold, then powered up to blue? or something like that?
