Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!whuxle!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-via!schuetz From: schuetz@via.DEC (Chris Schuetz - @ 2R04, DTN 381-2647) Newsgroups: net.movies,net.startrek Subject: Commentary on "The Search for Spock" (spoilers) Message-ID: <1225@decwrl.UUCP> Date: Thu, 7-Jun-84 14:29:32 EDT Article-I.D.: decwrl.1225 Posted: Thu Jun 7 14:29:32 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 9-Jun-84 07:47:48 EDT Organization: DEC Engineering Network Lines: 133 This article responds to many others' comments about the details of Star Trek III - The Search for Spock, and as such, contains many spoilers, although I suspect that everyone who cares has already seen the movie by now. I'll start by saying that the movie was very satisfying, although containing few surprises. Characterizations: I agree that this movie contains the best character development so far. I especially enjoyed McCoy. I thought that Kirk could have been more strongly protrayed at times, though. The best performances by all the actors of the three movies. Character humor certainly helped me enjoy the movie. However Saavik did not sit right this time. Robin Curtis looked less human than Kirstie Allen, but the hairdo was distracting. Also the hairstyle didn't match any of the Vulcan women on Vulcan either. Curtis' acting felt rather flat - too unemotional. I agree with others' perceptions that Nimoy and Allen maintained an amused yet uncomprehending attitude towards the humans. I *LIKED* Allen's Saavik, but I didn't care if Curtis' Saavik was killed by the Klingons or not. Please bring back Allen if we must have Saavik in another movie. Curtis' character should have been just another Vulcan, not Saavik. I wish producers would maintain the same actors if they need the same characters. Special Effects: They were great! I don't need a whole movie of them, but I like to marvel at the ones I do see. I thought that the destruction of Genesis was the best earthquake, fire & brimstone effects of any movie to date. They just didn't look like miniature models set on fire. The rocks bursting up through the surface were just fantastic and didn't look scaled at all! The effects of various hand-phasers were good too. I just sat there and marveled at the Vulcan landscape. No criticisms here at all. The destruction of the Enterprise was also well done, from a technical point of view, but I have to agree emotionally that it just wasn't necessary. I won't belabor the alternatives, but I agree that it was unreasonable of the Klingon commander to send 5 men into capture a ship that supposedly holds a compliment of 400+. I'll admit that Kirks' crew transporting into the Klingon ship at the same time would have played better. And given that the Enterprise was gone, I expected more remorse from the characters. They didn't feel any, so I didn't either. A shame. Noone has commented about the Klingon mascot! A great piece of work! Go-motion animation combined with live actors! Unique! I just loved it. (It did seem out of character for it to have been killed in the first volley. The Klingons certainly would have chosen a much hardier beast.) Uniforms: Alright until the last scenes on Vulcan. Weren't Kirk and the others all in Federation uniforms? or is my memory fuzzy? Kirk even left his civie jacket on Genesis to cover David. Certainly the Klingon ship didn't have spare Federation uniforms. Only Saavik was wearing one throughout the movie. Continuity fault here. Paying the piper: Right. Kirk never seems to have to pay the consequenses. I'll be very disappointed if the next movie just starts with Kirk in command of the Excelcior and all past actions are forgiven by the Federation. Christopher Lloyd: I'll agree that as fine a actor as he is, his voice is unique, and once you've known him as Rev. Jim, he'll remain Rev. Jim forever; just as Nimoy has a hard time being anyone other than Spock. Casting goof here. Everyone in the audience (about 25 people total, very disappointing night for the theater, I should think) who had seen Taxi couldn't help laughing at his lines on Genesis. In general though, I thought the Klingons were excellently portrayed. David's death: This brings up another point. The Klingon guard didn't just reach out and stab the person in front of him because the Klingons are convinced of their natural superiority to humans, and like other bullies in a commanding situation, enjoy sadisticly tormenting their captives. The whole point in walking around the 3 was to torment them. Very *IN* character I thought. I would have felt more sympathy for David if the camera direction had made it clearer that he turned and saw that the Klingon guard was going to kill Spock (or Saavik, if Allen had been playing her and she had more audience empathy), instead of making me wonder if the guard was trying to kill him and he was just trying to save his own skin. Makes him more heroic if he dies trying to save someone else. Spock jr and Saavik: This was a nice touch. Leaves you wondering just what the situation is. Personally, I interpreted their actions to proceed to its implied conclusion, but in the dignified and ritual Vulcan manner off camera. Could result in some family-based motives for actions in future movies. The Ending: I have to agree, that given the premise that you're going to ressurect Spock, this was a clever way to do it. Remember that Sarek said only that the original purpose of the "core-dump" was to return Spock's entity to Vulcan, *NOT* to restore him to life. That was a unique circumstance in this case, one that T'Pau said had not been attempted in milenia. Usually the Vulcan's body is lost, only his soul or whatever they called it is restored. Ressurection is NOT the norm on Vulcan. I was expecting a little stronger response from Kirk when Spock finally said "Jim?" The rest of the audience was too; the applause didn't come until the credits started, and I think that just a little more excitement on Kirk's part would have made the ending super, instead of just ok. Left me feeling a little cheated. But still much better than the ending of RotJedi, which I thought the music and singing just spoiled. Now for the future: Lets hear some plot outlines for the next movie. Here's mine: Since there were mitigating circumstances, the Federation, under additional pressure from the Vulcans, cannot throw them all in the slammer, but neither can they restore them to their former positions. So our friends buy a light armored scout ship and fly off on the original mission of the Enterprise, "To seek out new worlds and new civilizations; To boldly go where no man has gone before!" Along the way, they discover that Carol Marcus has been kidnapped by Klingon agents who learned that she still holds the knowledge of Genesis. Great chase sequences and rescue attempts in exotic worlds. Perhaps Romulan allies come to rescue the Klingon agents. Finally when all is looking rather grim for our heros, the Excelcior shows up to drive off the enemies. Of course Kirk has to help the commander of the Excelcior, who dies tragicly, leaving Kirk in command. Upon return to the Federation, they decide to reinstate Kirk and his crew on the Excelcior, which leaves them back on board a battle cruiser to start the next movie. Subplots with Saavik (hopefully Kirstie Allen) and Spock and their kid. What would Spock's reaction be to find out that his body had fathered a child while he wasn't in it? Lets all sorts of melodrama into the script. What's your scenario? /Chris (UUCP) {decvax, ucbvax, allegra}!decwrl!rhea!via!schuetz (ARPA) decwrl!rhea!via!schuetz@Berkeley decwrl!rhea!via!schuetz@SU-Shasta