wanttaja@ssc-vax.UUCP (Ronald J Wanttaja) (06/06/84)
<After all, what do I know... I actually LIKED ST-TMP>
Alas and alack, I'm a bit disappointed in ST-TSFS. I much
prefered TWOK, although TSFS is better than ST-TMP. Most of my
complaints have to do with continuity with the series.
1. When did Sarek have a genetic transformation to become human? He
definitly seems P.O'ed when he arrives at Kirk's quarters, and, at the
ceremony on Vulcan, he says something to the effect that his logic has
been affected by Spock's loss. ARGHHHHHHHHHHH! From a Vulcan, this is
equivalent to a human stating that he enjoys molesting children. The way
I understand it, Logic is a be-all and end-all to Vulcans... and Sarek,
ambassador to the UFP, etc, publicly admitting that he can't think due
to emotionalism? Sarek angrilly chewing Kirk out? No way! The role,
as played, seems more logically intended for Spock's mother, which would
allow some emotionalism to come into play. Sarek should have cut Kirk
to ribbons in the first scene by pure logic ("you did not ensure the
continuation of Spock, therefore you were not his friend. You have ill-served
Spock...") which would have been much more effective. At the ceremony,
Sarek, probably one of Vulcan's best logicians, should have been able to
prove- logically- the advantages of the reincarnation of Spock.
2. Re the Vulcan Ceremony: ARGHHHHHH! (squared). A Vulcan with
ORIENTAL features, wearing what appears to be a chinese pillbox hat, pounding
a gong. I didn't realize the continuation of earth stereotypes on
Vulcan. Vulcan "temple virgins" in white neglegees (sp.)? An alien
ceremony should be just that... ALIEN! Not something out of the 1938
production of "She." I half expected the High Priestess to break out
with "Anything Goes."
3. David, Kirk's son, suffers the worst fate possible for an actor on
Star Trek... he died like a (shudder) Ensign! As in, "Ensign Extra, check
out that Sensor reading/sound/smell behind that rock. He dies wrestling
rather ineffectively with a Klingon, admittedly saving Saavik's life.
This seems to be nothing but a plot device to get Kirk mad at the Klingons.
I feel, since the comment had been made about "just like your father" he
should have died like his father would have... fighting to some effect.
Admittedly, he was a scientist. (Dammit, Dad, I'm a scientist, not a
Marine! :-) ). But his death would have had a far better dramatic effect
by interleaving short clips of him holding a rearguard action against the
Klingons, giving Saavik and proto-Spock some sort of chance to get away.
After all, they did show him going back with the phaser to slow the Klingons
down. He could have been killed in action, and the result to the plot
still the same... the Klingons capture Saavik and proto-Spock, and, when
Kirk arrives, Saavik tells him David is dead. Kirk then grieves, etc.
4. What did Scotty wire in to allow the entire ship to be controlled from
the Bridge? An M-5? Was Dr. Daystrom giggling through the corridors?
5. Doggone right, it was a ROMULAN Bird-of-prey ship in the series. The
Roms and the Klingons might exchange ship designs, but Paint Jobs? How about
a two-tone red and white, with a vinyl top?
My main peeve is not that the movie was bad, it is that it could have been
so much better with a little effort.
Now follows my contribution to the other ongoing discussions:
1. Kirk, Scotty, et all are in deep Yogurt ... even assuming the
intervention of the Vulcans. Lets look at a parallel:
A Few weeks ago, at Bangor Sub base, they had a ceremony decommissioning
a Polaris Sub (the Patrick Henry, I think). Assume the night before the
ceremony, Admiral Hyman Rickover and some loyal Naval Officers pulled a
gun on the sentry, locked him in the swab locker, stole the sub, and
disappeared into the Pacific. A week later they reappear in possession
of a Russian Trawler, of which only one man of the 12 man crew survives.
I don't think having the long-lost son of a VIP on board is going to
help their case (assuming the Russians hadn't kidnapped him, of course).
Adm. Rickover and his hearty crew are NOT just going to get their wrists
slapped... They'll likely end in jail for a long time.
Kirk and crew are in a similar fix... There's no proof the Klingons
destroyed Grissom (Saavik didn't actually see it) and the "Piracy" of
both a Federation AND a Klingon Empire vessel is not likely to escape
notice.
I predict that in ST IV a crisis will occur that absolutely requires
Kirk's help, and he'll get them all off.
2. The Enterprise has to return ("These are the voyages of the Star
Ship...Enterprise.", remember?). Pleeeeze build a new Constitution
class, and keep those "Excelsior" abombinations off the screen.
3. TSFS doesn't copy SW because it has a "Cantina" like sequence.
If you wanted to hire a smuggling vessel, where would you go- the
public library? By your reasoning, any SF film in the next 2000 years
will be copying SW if they show aliens in a bar.
4. Kirk & Co. have no trouble reaching Vulcan. The Klingon ship has
a cloaking device, and, as has been noted before on this net, the
Federation Sensors/Computers still are not set up to detect its use.
A small ship, with stealth features, should have no trouble. Ask the
Swedish Navy about the difficulties of detection.
5. Of course, Sulu has to land the ship instead of everyone just beaming
down. Would you risk your neck (and the relative location of same) on
the chance that the crew can figure out how to *correctly* operate the
Klingon transporter? I'm sure the Klingon prisoner would be eager to
help...
Ron Wanttaja (getting ready to put on
my asbestos suit)
(ssc-vax!wanttaja)lmaher@uokvax.UUCP (06/19/84)
#R:ssc-vax:-17800:uokvax:5800027:000:660 uokvax!lmaher Jun 19 01:26:00 1984 <Skipping 1 and 2, we come to...> 3. But David was a complete incompetent as a soldier. It's obvious the Klingons snuck up on him and captured him easily; he was still alive. 4. The M-5 was capable of defeating FOUR Starships (and an ore freighter :-) in combat. Scotty: I didna plan to take the ship into combat. 5. If you're a Klingon violating Federation space (an act of war!), wouldn't YOU rather have it blamed on the Romulans? The more details people bring up, the more I see how this movie hangs together perfectly. Not that I claim it was done on purpose :-) Carl (formerly uok!crigney) ..!ctvax!uokvax!lmaher ..!duke!uok!uokvax!lmaher