Star Trek VI Opened 30 Years Ago Today

On December 6, 1991, the final Star Trek movie with the original cast opened in movie theaters.

I won't go into what the film was and what it wasn't. I'll just say that I liked it then and I like it now.

That night was cold here in Binghamton. When I got to the Cameo theater on Robinson Street, I was the first person in line. I walked a short distance to eat dinner at a KFC store, and when I got back to the theater two people were in line ahead of me.

This was the same theater that had shown "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" in 1979, when I was 13 years old.
So being there twelve years later was kind of weird, but good.

The owner, who had run the theater for decades with her late husband, opened the doors early so we could get out of the cold. She apologized that the heat was just coming on, but by the time the movie started things were fine. She asked us if we wanted to listen to music while we waited, which was nice. She played a Jim Croce greatest hits album.

When the opening credits rolled, the theater was sold out and everyone cheered.

I was working part-time at that time, so money was tight. I managed to get out of the theater and call for a taxi from a pay phone and get downtown in time to catch the last bus back home to Endicott.

I went back the next day to catch an early afternoon matinee.

That was, as hard as it is to believe in some ways, thirty years ago.

 

I saw it in a theater on opening night and I remember the cheering. It’s a wonderfully nostalgic Trek movie, and the original cast went out on a high note after the previous entry tanked.

 

Pretty great sendoff to the original cast. It's one I revisit fairly often, and it's kind of a shame the official Blu-ray and HD digital version has been given the waxwork treatment with DNR plastered on. Hopefully the 4K remaster that should be in the next box setwill right those wrongs.

The original teaser trailer is iconic, complete with voiceover from Christopher Plummer:

 

The full trailer is available on Youtube with the option to buy or rent a stream of the film:



Does give away quite a bit of the story, for anyone who (somehow) is a Trekkie and hasn't seen this.

 

Oh yes, when I first saw that teaser trailer, it gave me goose bumps. And yes, Star Trek V was definitely not the best of the bunch.

 

I think it was the best "original cast" (retaining the feel of the original series anyway) Star Trek flick after Wrath of Khan. Voyage Home, although incredibly entertaining, comes off now to me as Trek's Thor: Ragnarok--not bad of course but a very different vibe from the series, unless you think "A Piece of the Action" was the best episode ever

 

Watched this last night to celebrate the anniversary. For some reason, I thought, then and now, that Kim Cattrall made for an excellent looking Vulcan - believable, exotic and good-looking. The previous two females who portrayed Saavik, they just looked like 80's chicks with pointy ears glued on. Cattrall's severe haircut and feline-esque features really made her stand out, to me at least.

 

Not touching that with a ten foot pole. But since you mentioned Saavik...

Fun fact: Saavik was originally intended to be the protégé-turned-traitor of Spock in this story. Gene Roddenberry objected, Nick Meyer pushed back, but ultimately decided to invent a new character when he was unable to get Kirstie Alley back for the role. Robin Curtis was apparently not considered to make a return appearance.

Saavik | Memory Alpha | After-effects

 

I'm torn. On one hand it would have been a huge shock to find out Saavik betrayed Spock and the crew. However in hindsight, it would have been a real stretch to believe she could have been a turn coat. Would have been one hell of a twist, though. Ultimately I'm glad Saavik didn't end up a traitor as it may have cast a pall of sorts on her past appearances. Especially given Kirk's son David gave his life to save her in Star Trek III.

Kim Cattrall's character was interesting but it really wasn't a surprise she was the inside woman of the plot. The newbie was always going to be the most obvious candidate for betrayal. The scene where Spock confronts her and then the mind meld afterwards still rate highly for me. Great acting from Nimoy and Cattrall.

 

Ive always liked this one.

I’d rate it 3rd behind Khan and the Whales

 

What's interesting, is in TWO of those films, also much beloved by most Trek fans, is that the "villain" is not your standard cardboard cut-out baddie. In "IV" it is mankind itself, for killing off all the whales, and in "VI" it is long-time members of Starfleet. "II" works because even though Khan is your somewhat stereotypical baddie, it is a call-back and he has legit reasons for wanting Kirk dead.

The problems I have with the recent re-boots is the villains all suck. I simply ADORE the new cast, but the bad guys/final conflict/inevitable saucer separation are really weak.

An idea I had for "J.J. Abrams Presents Star Trek IV" was for them to fall into a worm hole, end up traveling back in time and pick up George Kirk. Lots of hi-jinks/guffaws as BOTH Kirks keep responding to "Captain Kirk". Then they try to escape the worm hole, can't, get sucked in again, and encounter Nero (bad guy from the 2009 film), but as a child. Spock and James T. Kirk ruminate, sometimes violently, about how much the future would be different if they just kill kid Nero (George Kirk and Spock's mom don't die and Vulcan is not obliterated). There was already talk of a "Time Travel Fourth Film", but BOTH Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth, who played George Kirk in the 2009 film, wanted too much money. For Pine, it was already written in his contract, but Hemsworth is a MUCH bigger name now than he was in 2009.

 

For me, depending on the day, I flip-flop between this being the best Trek film or Wrath of Khan...that is how much I love this movie.

A few memories...
I saw this opening night, and I remember someone in full Trek gear asking to get by and she said "I wish I could beam over there, but the technology doesn't exist yet."

I went back about a week later with a friend and his girlfriend at the time...he was a causal fan and she didn't know from Trek. But I clearly remember when Kirk and Sulu both fire at General Chang's ship they both turned to me with huge grins.

Also, it can't be stressed enough how much the destruction of Praxis has changed special effects in movies. From the Star Wars reissue to just about any show with a big explosion they use the same type of effect that was first done here.

 

Side note since we're talking about Saavik...

I thought it was a huge missed opportunity that she wasn't on Star Trek: Picard. I think it's in episode 3 where I clearly thought it was Robin Curtis but it was another actress (Rebecca Wisocky) playing a character called Ramda. Provided she was available it would have been a great way to bring Saavik back in some form.

 

Speaking of "same type of effect", the VFX for Chang's Bird-of-Prey exploding was reused in Generations:

That character had some backstory that I don't think would jive with Saavik, but that would be fun to see her again in another context.

 

So much so the said effect is actually now referred to as the "praxis effect" !

I'm like you. I'll watch II and think "that's the best one". Then I will rewatch VI and think that its the best one. I'm of the mind that both are equally great and IV is runner up.

 

Plummer or Montalban ?

 

They both hit it out of the park.

 

saw it at the movies! I still love it.

 

yea we've all seen this! if not you are not a fan... so true...

 

both home runs over the wall.

 

Speaking of the Whales, I found this when I went back to my parents' place for Thanksgiving. We went to opening night in Westwood and they handed out this glossy flier to attendees.

 

My dad wanted to go see it with me. Being only eight at the time I could not get into the movie which was rated twelve or older in Germany. Well, at least I've got a memory of THAT.

 

During the entire run of the original cast movies, I made sure I was there on opening night. The crowd was always filled with receptive fans who would cheer and clap throughout the entire movie. It always made for a fun evening. I fondly remember those days.

 

I remember it pretty clearly. I'd heard the final movie was coming and eventually there was a 'Reels on Wheels' showing at a local school. I freakin loved that movie, I was 11 and my socks were knocked clean off. In retrospect it's my favourite original cast movie. At least equal to Wrath of Khan.