Watched Trek V tonight

[Smellmet]

It's a curious phenomena, I find. A few of the movie series in the 1980s started out with blockbuster effects but ended with subpar ones -- Trek V and the last couple Christopher Reeve Superman movies stand out as examples where you could virtually see the budget cuts on screen in the final product. Robocop 3 is another one. Honestly, I always thought that Return of the Jedi's effects looked ropier than the first two Star Wars movies, as well. Was there something in the water? Was it Reganomics? Was it just the stars needing a pay rise resulting in other areas of production taking a cut?

Partially agree but for every iffy bit of FX in ROTJ there's some real quality work on show, especially the end space battle.

 

[X24actor]

It's a curious phenomena, I find. A few of the movie series in the 1980s started out with blockbuster effects but ended with subpar ones -- Trek V and the last couple Christopher Reeve Superman movies stand out as examples where you could virtually see the budget cuts on screen in the final product. Robocop 3 is another one. Honestly, I always thought that Return of the Jedi's effects looked ropier than the first two Star Wars movies, as well. Was there something in the water? Was it Reganomics? Was it just the stars needing a pay rise resulting in other areas of production taking a cut?

Let's not forget Jaws!

I think it was a reputation thing. The original artists probably didn't like the idea of the studios demanding sequels just for $$$. So that's why sequels rarely had the famous film crews and frequently replaced actors. Although the ones you cited are some the more consistent ones.

It wasn't just the 80's. I was just thinking about Jurassic Park 3.


I will shamelessly admit that Star Trek 5 was my go to Trek movie as a kid. But I can't watch it now. Too cringey

 

[Vger23]

Let's not forget Jaws!

I think it was a reputation thing. The original artists probably didn't like the idea of the studios demanding sequels just for $$$. So that's why sequels rarely had the famous film crews and frequently replaced actors. Although the ones you cited are some the more consistent ones.

It wasn't just the 80's. I was just thinking about Jurassic Park 3.


I will shamelessly admit that Star Trek 5 was my go to Trek movie as a kid. But I can't watch it now. Too cringey

That's too bad. I loved it as a kid and still love it now, completely unapologetically!

 

[gottacook]

As I've mentioned in other threads, I sometimes listen to audio tracks of movies at listentoamovie.com while working at home. I happen to have TFF on right now, and am nearly at the end (after having played movies 2 through 4 yesterday). I first saw TFF in the theater in 1989 but very infrequently since then.

Evaluating TFF on the basis of its dialogue, music, sound effects, etc., but with none of the much-criticized visual effects, is an interesting exercise, as it is for any movie. It certainly highlights the weaknesses of the script. But beyond that, it seems to me, it shows that despite (or because of?) the relaxed attitude reputedly engendered by Shatner on set, he proved to be a poor director of his crewmates' dialogue (and of his own). The individual line readings are too often simply uncharacteristic of Kirk, Scotty, et al. - too rushed, too high-pitched, too smartass, etc. Separately, the "swooping" audio effects in both of the falling scenes are really cheesy, especially in combination with the rocket-boot sounds; likewise for the audio of the shuttle-crashing-into-the-hangar scene.

Despite the efforts of Goldsmith, the soundtrack of TFF is enough to make me cringe, all by itself.