My biggest problem is with Nick Meyer. He was absolutely smoking his own publicity at this point. He leans hard on the Shakespeare and makes the Enterprise more "nautical" than ever.
You made a lot of good points and I think you hit the nail on the head with this comment. The Meyerisms became really annoying.
Talking of boots and bad acting, kudos to Walter Koenig who, after five previous films of amateur acting, manages to plumb new depths of ineptitude in his performance.
So you're saying if you were alone on a deserted island with nothing to do, and a copy of Koenig's autobiography, "I Am Chekov" washed up on shore, you wouldn't read it? Several times, depending on how long you were there?
Scott, quit pussyfooting around and say what your really think.
And I thought my post was long!
I got on a tear, sorry. I actually re-watched the film a few nights ago to reevaluate and so much of it bugged me. I saw it in the theater like 5 times and enjoyed it well enough but all that stuff just wears on me.
It is a fine film, not as good as Wrath of Kkan, or Voyage Home for sure. Meyer made a few odd choices here, that black and white mind meld thing, and the extended cut with a few odd things in it. The first cut of the film was the better, as usual. By the end it has won me over every time, you feel that passing of an era, it is touching.
Scott, quit pussyfooting around and say what your really think.
And I thought my post was long!
I got on a tear, sorry. I actually re-watched the film a few nights ago to reevaluate and so much of it bugged me. I saw it in the theater like 5 times and enjoyed it well enough but all that stuff just wears on me.
Anyway....sorry. gulp.
Hi Scott! Don't worry about it, I respect your opinion.
It is a fine film, not as good as Wrath of Kkan, or Voyage Home for sure. Meyer made a few odd choices here, that black and white mind meld thing
What b&w mind meld? There's Spock's mind meld with Valeris, but it's in color. Is it in a different cut of the film?
The director's cut, on DVD only, has b&w clips of the characters they mention with a big GONG on the soundtrack because Meyer felt people wouldn't remember who they were.
Yeah, my thoughts on the DC aren't popular either....
It is a fine film, not as good as Wrath of Kkan, or Voyage Home for sure. Meyer made a few odd choices here, that black and white mind meld thing
What b&w mind meld? There's Spock's mind meld with Valeris, but it's in color. Is it in a different cut of the film?
The director's cut, on DVD only, has b&w clips of the characters they mention with a big GONG on the soundtrack because Meyer felt people wouldn't remember who they were.
Yeah, my thoughts on the DC aren't popular either....
Ah, they are desaturated video inserts of the guilty parties that Valeris names. On paper it doesn't seem offensive, but the gong and soft video suggests a lawyer commercial. The cut I have is the theatrical without the inserts, but also has scenes that would be in the DC (according to the video comparison below). Is there a 3rd cut?
Wow, those DC scenes play out like a parody. Especially the scene where the British looking dude is discussing war plans with the Starfleet Ambassador. Its right out of a WW2 film. Add to that all the modern day furnishings in the office. Myers went overboard in trying to make this feel relatable to a general audience. The little classical touches he added in WOK worked because they had a reason to exist and well staged. In this film its like he was making a non-science fiction, science fiction film.
Yup. When it was out on VHS and then the initial DVD, Meyer added the scenes. When they did the official "Director's Cut" he added the clips with the gong and also changed the aspect ratio. Then on Blu Ray we got the theatrical, which is the cut I prefer. The worst added bit honestly is the cheesy Scooby-Doo ending.
I feel like I owe Henry a post about what I like about the film.
Yup. When it was out on VHS and then the initial DVD, Meyer added the scenes. When they did the official "Director's Cut" he added the clips with the gong and also changed the aspect ratio. Then on Blu Ray we got the theatrical, which is the cut I prefer. The worst added bit honestly is the cheesy Scooby-Doo ending.
I feel like I owe Henry a post about what I like about the film.
Agreed, that DC with those mind meld inserts - just terrible, and that taking the mask of ending, ugh. I guess those inserts are not really black and and white but they are some kind of processed bleached out video thing. As almost always, DC's are the worst version of the film. Apparently a good many people did not know there is more than one version of this film
Yup. When it was out on VHS and then the initial DVD, Meyer added the scenes. When they did the official "Director's Cut" he added the clips with the gong and also changed the aspect ratio. Then on Blu Ray we got the theatrical, which is the cut I prefer. The worst added bit honestly is the cheesy Scooby-Doo ending.
So the first dvd was a DC, not theatrical? And the mind meld inserts made for a "2nd" DC. I can understand wanting to clarify who's who, although you figure it out when they return to Earth to foil the assassination. But the method was terrible if you're used to the original. Probably works fine for a first time viewer. Another line that doesn't work for me, near the end, "Arrest yourself!" Very "double-dumbass on you!"
BTW guys, I highly recommend the STAR TREK 50th Anniversary Blu-ray set, it contains all 3 seasons of the original series, all 6 movies and a great bonus disc with segments on the films.
Yup. When it was out on VHS and then the initial DVD, Meyer added the scenes. When they did the official "Director's Cut" he added the clips with the gong and also changed the aspect ratio. Then on Blu Ray we got the theatrical, which is the cut I prefer. The worst added bit honestly is the cheesy Scooby-Doo ending.
I feel like I owe Henry a post about what I like about the film.
That's very kind of you Scott, but there's no hard feelings my friend!
Henry is a truly nice person, a decent fellow, and always positive. Truly, I wish that I were more like him. I am not kidding.
I read Nick Meyer's View From the Bridge Book, and I really came to like him, he is very honest, self-effacing and more humble than you might first think. Indeed, Roddenberry come across in all of these things as a more complicated, less heroic figure in Trek-dom than we all though in our youth. Meyer was given a great many challenges in making this picture, not enough money, not enough time. A whole prologue of our crew being pulled out of their private lives was scripted, and that sounded very nice, never shot because of money.
Basically this was movie from Nimoy and Meyer, and Paramount wanted to close our original movies with a high mark after the disappointment of Trek V. I have a great many feelings for all of the original movies, I cannot really dislike any one them. The Undiscovered Country is not the best of them, but it does have many fine qualities in the original cut; the sets are good, the camera work is good, the score is very good, and our crew fall into place like well worn friends.
Despite what I don't like about TUC, such as hijacking Star Trek to make an "anti national defense" parable that defies the real world, common sense, and the show's in-universe history, I'll admit I find the Spock-Valeris mind meld scene gripping.
Here were two serious actors, with a shared theory of how the scene should go, and with preparation (putting the work in), totally committing and creating a fantastic yet "real" scene that gets me every time. It's one of the best scenes in the classic cast films. And unfortunately, its quality stands out like a sore thumb.
Despite what I don't like about TUC, such as hijacking Star Trek to make an "anti national defense" parable that defies the real world, common sense, and the show's in-universe history, I'll admit I find the Spock-Valeris mind meld scene gripping.
Here were two serious actors, with a shared theory of how the scene should go, and with preparation (putting the work in), totally committing and creating a fantastic yet "real" scene that gets me every time. It's one of the best scenes in the classic cast films. And unfortunately, its quality stands out like a sore thumb.
It was nothing of the sorts. It was an anti prejudice message. It was actually very realistic in showing no one side is by default always right and just. There's faults and insecurities in every institution. And there were just a few bad apples in Starfleet. Unlike Nu Trek which is complete garbage and actually disgraces Star Trek and everything about it.
I actually re-watched the film a few nights ago to reevaluate and so much of it bugged me. I saw it in the theater like 5 times and enjoyed it well enough but all that stuff just wears on me. 
