Dec 7th: Happy Birthday ST:TMP!

Star Trek may have been born on September 8, 1966, but it was born again on December 7th, 1979. It's rebirth was a long time coming; although in retrospect it doesn't seem that long, for those of us who lived through the 70's as a fan, it was very long indeed. Now, as I look back, it's hard to believe that 31 years have passed since the newest Star Trek in over a decade was bursting upon us, heralded in the TV spots by the weighty tones of the equally weighty Orson Welles. This wasn't just a new movie... it was an Event!

(If you are new to this site, and haven't yet plumbed its depths, click on this link for all the entries tagged Star Trek: The Motion Picture to enjoy the many articles and items I've posted so far. It will take you back to that exciting time!) Here's an article you can skip to that came out the weekend of the movie premiere that spotlights Stephen Collins.

Here is a short article from issue #17 of Starlog (published in October of 1978) that features the upcoming movie, as it was just getting underway; for real this time.

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Here's the Star Trek Report from Susan Sackett from the same issue. There's a line in it from a hopeful writer about a planned book set "70 years in Star Trek's future." Don't think the book got published, but it is interesting that it just about coincides with the time of the future Next Generation series that came later. Coincidence? Or the germ of the idea to advance things to that time period? Like how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop, the world may never know.

Bonus #1: Here's one of several coloring books that came out in 1979 using publicity photos from the movie for front and back covers. A nice picture on the front that I don't have anywhere else.

The phrasing of the text on the back is amusing: "The Enterprise has beamed down on you..." Huh?

Bonus #2: A nice b&w publicity shot, taken very early in the shoot (possibly on the first day) of the crew all together.

Nichelle's uniform would have been so much better by leaving off the pants and letting her wear high black boots.

And one more bonus, a nice photo of our heroes in those infamous one-piece jumpsuits that left nothing to the imagination below the waist.

One word that describes the movie that really doesn't fit any of the sequels in "epic." The scope, the leisuirely pace to enjoy the scale, and the lofty ideas and concepts all combine to take one on what feels like an important journey, and not just an adventure. The tagline, "The Human Adventure Is Just Beginning" is accurate (if not in the intended meaning), in that the action/adventure would only come in followups; but this one, more than any other, had the feeling of a truly big-budget film, and not just a movie. The oft-maligned drydock tour of the ship, criticized by many as too long and only being a showcase for special effects, was for me the highlight of it all; the long-hoped-for lingering look, in close-up detail, had tears of awe flowing from my eyes the first time I beheld the starship in all it's glory. I knew how Kirk felt as he gazed at her with love!

That said, the tightened and finished Director's Cut is the superior version, and the only one I take out to watch now. I look forward to doing that once more to celebrate this 31st birthday!

Star Trek Report from Starlog #19

From issue #19 of Starlog magazine, published February of 1979, comes this edition of "Star Trek Report" by Susan Sackett. These monthly reports from Gene's secretary were a reliable and anticipated look at the progress of the movie.

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Update: Susan Sackett herself, who is a friend on my Facebook fan page, left these comments on the post over there: "Thanks for bringing back memories. Hard to believe they actually paid me to write this stuff! I think it was $300 per column, but I really don't remember, just that it wasn't a lot! Truth be told, it was really like trying to balance a ball on my nose for FOUR YEARS without dropping it! Finding things to write about and cheerlead for the "upcoming movie/TV series/whatever" month after month was a real challenge. Glad you enjoyed my little contribution!" Yes, we did, Susan. Thanks for the insight!

Bonus: below, from the same issue, a short news bit about the Yellowstone location shooting for the movie.

Also gleaned from the same issue comes this writeup on a Trek spoof by an Australian TV show. Although I never saw it, (with apologies to Mr. Hogan) it sounds about as dumb as a lot of the others done since then, a tradition that continues to this day... and they haven't improved much.

And below, finally, is a sad reminder of the time when I heard the news that talented Trek fan Mike McMaster had passed away.

For more material from this issue, go to my other blog "Fantastic Flashbacks" for a look at the painful collective memory known as "The Star Wars Holiday Special." Yes, Virginia, it does exist!

1978 article: The Making of ST Phase II

From Issue #12 of Starlog, published March of 1978, comes an interview with Gene Roddenberry on the progress of the then-planned TV series. The planning, designing and writing for the proposed series was finally moving along until it was scrapped in favor of a big budget movie, which had just happened after the interview but before press time. It's interesting to see the struggles they went through to get it going, and observing what would evolve into the movie, and beyond. Much of the stage was being set for what we saw in the movie at this point. Gene is to be commended for not simply throwing up his hands and walking off due to the frustrations and fights he was going through!

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Bonus: below, from the same issue, is Susan Sackett's report on the development of the series.

And below, also from the same issue of Starlog, is a report that looks at the development of the new Enterprise design. The inset box reveals the latest news that the series had been scrapped in favor of developing the two-part "In Thy Image" as a big-budget theatrical film, and as yet Nimoy was still not involved. Interesting stuff to look back on as history, or to remember if you haven't seen it in awhile.

As I read about Gene's struggle to make his vision and be in control of it, I get a little sad in retrospect how, after the movie came out with lukewarm reviews, they put someone else in charge of the next movie. Many see the second movie as the best of any of the movies, but we have to remember that the groundwork was laid and the path paved by Roddenberry, and others then built on that hard work. The Motion Picture may have lacked action, and the script may have needed more work before being pressed into production; but it was not a failure, and studios don't generally "throw good money after bad;" they only recognized that if another was to succeed, it would need to be more dynamic and exciting. Even during the series, Gene was a good producer, but not neccessarily a good writer. The studio felt that, next time, it needed more.

Aug. 7, 1978 Star Trek Report from Starlog

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Scanned from Starlog issue #18 in December of 1978, this article relates the events of the first day of filming on the new movie. Each month Susan Sackett, Gene's assistant, would contribute a column to the magazine keeping fans apprised of the movie's progress, and this insider's view was one of the main ways we Trekkers kept up on the details of how this long-delayed project was coming along month to month.

The photo in the article was too good to pass up using for a captioned humor piece...

Gene tries to convince Bill that he can't pose like that due to the film's "G" rating.

Bonus: Early Mike Minor pre-production painting for the aborted Phase II series before it became refined for ST:TMP.

Below: The crew gets together for the grand opening of the new Star Trek display at the Hollywood Movieland Wax Museum, circa 1978. Sadly, the museum was closed in 2005, and the figures sold off. Read about what happened to the bridge crew here... it's a happy ending with lots of pictures.

Spot the real Bill Shatner and ignore the fact that Nichelle went braless that day.

And finally, below is the first drawing I did of the good captain when I was 15, in 1974. Shatner was always a hard one to get right for some reason, as the many action figure face sculptures will attest.