God, listening to Montalban talk about how he got back into the role of Khan..First off, that voice alone is amazing. But the interview just shows what an amazing and intellectual actor he really was. He put everything into getting into character for his roles. He's criminally underrated as an actor. And was a really good man IRL as well. Married to the same woman for 63 years, a deeply religious man without shoving it in anyones face. He loved his home country of Mexico and his adopted country of America both very much. Basically anyone who ever met him said he was about the nicest guy you could ever hope to come across. I can count myself lucky enough to be amongst them, as I had the opportunity to meet him in the mid 90s. He was super easy to talk to, and took a good 15 minutes out of his day to just chat with me like I was an old friend, while I was a nobody who he'd never seen before in his life. I'll always remember his kindness that day. I'm sure he had somewhere more important to be, something more important to do than talk to some random nobody. But he really took the time to make sure I didn't FEEL like a nobody. Not just one of the nicest actors/celebrities I've ever met, but one of the nicest PEOPLE I've ever met. Full stop.
Spock's death to funeral scene is THE BEST character ending scene in movie history. Kirk's subtle falling alongside the chamber glass and the murmur of "No." just shows how minimalistic acting can really deliver a gut punch. People can mock William Shatner's acting all they want, he delivered in that scene.
Those scenes were Shatner's best work, especially when he spoke with David in his quarters about cheating death. To me that was KIRK at his most vulnerable, not an actor playing a part.
Shatner is underrated. He delivers the acting the part needs. That's why he was continuously employed for so many decades. And Kirk, Hooker, and Crane were all distinctly different people. Shatner is not Gary Oldman but he is more talented and skilled than people recognize.
Personally, I think a lot of people confused the parody and jokes about Shatner with his actual acting. There were a few scenes from TOS that were supposed to be weird, like under great strain or otherwise not normal that became memes.
As a film composer myself I am really loving the attention you bring to the score in these. It’s such a crucial part of the experience that really flavors the experience a viewer has. Not enough retrospective videos give the composers their due
Every review I saw about this movie James Horner is always fondly mentioned. I agree with you about "not enough retrospective videos give the composers their due" but when the composer create such astounding soundtrack, they will be mentioned a lot.
nonsense scores are a shortcut away from.authentic experience. think of every meaningful conversation you have been a party to. did it need a backing track? most film makers take the easy way out and present a type of music video but I will give you one fantastic example free of your nature. the birds by alfred hitchcock. absolutely no need for your noise.
I agree. When a musical score is masterfully done it adds just as much as an actor's performance. It sets tone. It sets expectation. It can be used as a plot element to confuse or provide an unexpected twist. As someone who is colorblind, the eye candy for me is less important that the feel of a movie and the music is a major part of that for me.
I remember re-watching Wrath Of Khan a couple of years back, and my mother looked over as the coffin is launched and said. "Is this the one where Scotty dies." An important reminder that most people only half know Star Trek.
My sister to this day sends me Star WARS shirts every once in a while with a letter or card reminding me that she remembers how much I like Kirk and Spock.
Three cheers for James Horner. The main theme for this movie is so memorable and just so evocative, and I dare say he basically MADE those battle scenes work.
A 28 year old musical genius. After the clip of his description of how the music was used to enhance the battle sequences I have even more respect than before.
The Wrath of Khan, in my humble opinion, is one of the greatest films ever made. The ship combat is the stuff of legend. No spinning, flipping, or barrel rolls. No dubstep pew pew sound effects, and no chaotic, impossible-to- follow CG distractions. Just two massive, powerful ships, trading fire, and doing massive damage with every exchange. It’s absolutely amazing! 🖖😀 Edited to add that James Horner’s score was the finest score ever made for any film, ever!
The next iteration will be a crossover. The Enterprise will now fire spinning lightsabers and the Sith will hatch a plot to steal Q's powers. Also, all the Klingons are now related to Worf's bloodline for some incoherent reason, so everyone now refers to them as Worfs. (for marketing purposes, of course)
I agree about the space battles. In terms of space battles, I love that it feels more like a chess game, more like battleships or submarine combat than the dogfighting in other sci-fi franchises (and arguably in Star Trek from TNG movies onward).
I think Gene Roddenberry and George Lucas can be lumped into those people who have a wonderfully creative view of their properties but had tremendous difficulty executing those visions. I was actually relieved they took the second movie away from Roddenberry. (My views on Roddenberry have soured over the years, but that's a discussion for another time.) I actually saw Time After Time in the movie theaters. It is one of the very few movies whose plot twist I didn't see coming. I had no idea Meyer directed that. Now I know why I liked both it and Wrath of Khan so much. I had never seen that interview with Montalban. That was fascinating. As always, a terrific retrospective you put together. Thanks, Rowan. I look forward to Part 3.
Personally I'd argue Lucas is the more talented of the two. He has trouble with dialogue and actors of course, but he can actually craft good stories and is a decent director overall. Out of the 5 movies he's directed, I'd only call one of them an outright failure, another is simply meh and the others are either good to great. That's my ranking of Star Wars though haha.
Agreed, they can create universes but are really bad at writing stories for those universes. Im also in agreement with you on Roddenberry, my opinion on the man has cooled givin how much he preached but never lived up to his own standards, mostly with how poor his attitudes towards women were on Trek and had he not passed away female characters the franchise is known for would most likely have never come to pass
I had the great privilege to watch "Star Trek II - the Wrath of Khan" (the directors Cut) during a theatrical screening in January of 2020, here in Berlin Germany, where William Shatner was touring across Europe with this film and also talked about the time working on Star Trek as well as some personal anecdotes & non Star Trek related things. It really was absolutely incredible finally seeing one of your most favorite films on a big screen (although digital video projection but hey, better than nothing) WITH the Captain himself hosting the event. That truly was an unforgettable highlight in my life and it still feels a little unreal, looking at it again. :) I am so glad this actually happened.
I am jealous of you. I was supposed to see this on the same tour but it was cancelled due to Covid a few days before. Sounds like it was a once in a lifetime experience...
@@joz6683 Yeah it wasn't even sure if it was going to happen or not, that evening. It was even announced that the venue was considering to cancel it but at the end they actually hosted it. Which was i think one of the last shows during the tour that actually happened. To me it really will be a once in a lifetime moment. Even though i did not have the pleasure of talking to the man himself afterwards. It was still great to watch one of my absolute Trek favorites on the big screen at least once and also seeing Mr. Shatner with my own eyes too. Which i never thought would ever happen.
I’ve watched ST2 a million times but it was only when I saw it on the big screen for the 40th anniversary that I truly noticed how great Shatner’s acting is in it. One of my fave films of all time. Thanks for making this retrospective…
This is really phenomenal work, Rowan. Seriously, I'm having an absolute blast. Thank you for all the hard work you (and your team?) put into this short documentary.
22:40. I watched the James Horner segment three times. Wow. What a treat. Thank you, Rowan. You can read about things, hear other people talk about things, but that was special. To hear it straight from the man himself.
Over the last 50 years many of my favorite TV shows and movies were created with small budgets and limited time. It almost seems as if lack of time and money are the keys to a successful project. And in the case of "The Wrath of Khan" all the constraints , including non-trek-fan creative staff, worked because producers and directors knew the elements of good storytelling. Even the musical score helped to carry each scene to the point that you could close your eyes, and hear what was happening!
As far as the Star Trek movies go my favorite Star Trek movies are the wrath of Khan, the search for Spock, the voyage home, the undiscovered country and first contact
Back in 1982, my friends and I had heard of the "death of Spock" controversy. We were totally taken in by the Kobiashi Maru sequence. When Spock, McCoy, and the bridge crew died it was dead silent in the theater. When Spock got up we all started babbling then grinning. I didn't see anyone get up the whole rest of the time. Everyone was quiet and eyes on screen. Except for gasps and cheers, of course. That was a brilliant way to mend such a breach. We kept the secret, no spoilers.
Wrath of Khan is now and will always be my favourite film. I must watch it at least 2 or 3 times a year. I consider it to be a perfect film, or as close to perfect as it's possible to be.
@@AWMJoeyjoejoe So that modern audiences could enjoy it with updated v/x. George Lukas updated star wars and made them more snazzier with updated cgi. by updating star trek you could get more accepting them.
I appreciate your enthusiasm. But perfect film? I suppose if your tastes run to the sci-fi genre you could legitimately have that opinion, but I'm sorry, I don't. To me there is so much more to movies than Shatner's cardboard acting and contrived plots. To me Casablanca is the masterpiece that stands above all others. Not that I would say it is my favorite movie, I don't have a favorite. But in terms of movie making there is nothing better in my opinion.
We've certainly got a lot to thank Meyer for, not least for creating a new class of Star Fleet vessel other than Constitution-class. If it wasn't for this movie we might still be stuck with one class of Star Fleet vessel. Notice also that it's very similar to Empire Strikes Back, in being darker themed, a major hero dying or almost dying, a bleak ending, a hero finding a new family member he didn't know he had, the heroes being chased by the villain through the movie, it being the second movie in the franchise, as well as it being widely considered the best movie in its franchise. Oh, and also the director totally disregarded the so-called "creator's" loony ideas when making the movie.
When I first saw Wrath in the theater, Horner's music kept me on the edge of my seat! I have watched this movie so many times since that it is beyond counting... but I still find myself on the edge of my seat every time! The score to this film gets your blood pumping! Horner was a genius!
I honestly think about 80% of the reason The Warth of Khan works so well is the villain. Because from the get go we are given a villain with clear motives. So audience members like me who had no idea of the past history between Krick and Khan can easily see why this is all happening. I also think this is why Into darkness did not work as well since Khan motives are not clear from the get go and it can be argued that Khan is not the villain in that movie.
I personally think Into Darkness would have actually been a better movie if Khan had been removed entirely and instead the narrative had focused itself solely on the rogue Admiral Marcus and a less convoluted conspiracy plot that Kirk and the others would have to uncover as the story unfolds. Into Darkness had potential, but it needed more rewrites and less fan-service.
@@BioGoji-zm5ph I agree, Into Darkness had the potential to be great, but it suffered from things that I think too often franchise creatives are often pushed to do, link back to old things so as to do fan service instead of what actually services the story itself. Into Darkness could have been a great political thriller drama in the vein of a Captain America: Winter Soldier type story about corruption in Starfleet, at least that's what it started out like, and it ended in the last third of the movie being about something else entirely. Khan should have just been another augment that Marcus used or if they wanted more emotional weight, maybe the Kelvin timeline version of a Gary Mitchell to build up a personal stake for Kirk. Instead of trying to replicate Wrath of Khan, it should have just told its own story and be great on its own. There was a story there that was entirely capable of it, but I think the studio, as usual, went the safer and more conventional route instead of trying something new and different.
@@CaptainPikeachu Personally, I think they should have done with what the original concept for the TNG episode "Conspiracy" would have been, prior to Roddenberry forcing the writers to make it an alien invasion plot. No Augments, just corrupt Starfleet officials engaging in political espionage and secretly attacking their own in order to push things their way. Sort of a... SciFi take on the ideas seen in the second Dirty Harry movie, Magnum Force, with the heroes fighting corruption from within. Hell, it could have used the Romulan connection from the previous film to do a sort of Undiscovered Country type of plot, with Starfleet deciding to take the initiative and try to initiate peace talks with the Romulans, only for Marcus and other rogue elements within Starfleet to try to sabotage it. If I were to re-write the film, that's the kind of thing I would do. Not a complete remake of Undiscovered Country, but a political thriller with some similar themes and tones.
You know how you turn Nu-Trek into a cinematic universe and not a feckless cash-grab? Make it so that Cumberbatch's character wasn't Khan--- he is _Joachim..._ ...and his motivation for working with Admiral Marcus was for help _finding where Khan is lurking this whole time._ When Starfleet finds the Botany Bay, Khan's tube is found to have been opened many years earlier and he's missing. This way Khan is an unknown factor out there in the universe and Into Darkness is merely a taste of what he and his followers are capable of.
As a child, I don’t remember this film resonating with me. I do remember being moved and impressed by Spock’s death, and when they put that thing in Chekhov’s ear. But when I watch it as an adult, the whole film hit me like a ton of bricks. Really intense drama solidified by the performers, Ricardo Montalban in particular. Wow, what a film!
Found the soundtrack to this movie in the discount bin at my local record store(remember those?) I loved the movie and listened to that record many many times. I can pick out a James Horner soundtrack anywhere. Most of the 'songs' are still on my playlist. I can picture the movie in my head from what part of the soundtrack is playing. RIP JH.
cumberbatch is a good actor and I enjoy his stuff but he just doesn’t have the same presence at all. It could be because of writing…but I haven’t particularly been fond of any of abrams stuff especially his star trek reboots. Montalban is just amazing
fun fact: Nimoy grew up in Boston. His father was a barber. I was taken to that barber shop to get my hair cut. Pictures of Nimoy, signed, were all over the place. I told his dad what a fan i was of Star Trek. About 5 minutes before i was done, the door opened and someone said "Hi Dad." It was HIM! I was blown away. I told him, like a kid rambles, how much i liked him in Star Trek, In Search Of, and Mission Impossible. He smiled, gave me an autograph and said "You seem like a good, smart kid. Maybe you should think about astronomy or science. Thanks for being such a loyal fan!" - with that big smile. Well, who got a degree in biology? THIS GUY. I've seen him live about 4 times, and actuallly got to see him and William Shatner in Cherry Hill, NJ share the stage. I saw him at hte 25th Anniversary in Valley Forge, PA. (two of my buddies went with me...we still have the picture of us, grinning like goons, in front of the big banner) And yes, i do speak Klingon with a terrible Terran accent. LLAP!
In the Mutara Nebula fight, I am always put in the frame of mind of a submarine battle. Can't see, can't hear, don't know where the enemy is or will be. The man-vs-man aspect of the fight really comes through. So good!
One important item about the music was simply the fact the original theme was used. This was the cherry on the top to the feel of Star Trek being well and truly back! Your retrospective is really good. I know a lot about Trek but am learning a lot from these vids!
I love this movie so much, I love how hard I cry everytime I see it, even ballin' now just seeing the clips of the ending! When I was a child I cried having never faced death with the fear of that undiscovered country yet to be reached. To now being a grown adult, dealing with the loss of my Mother and other loved ones. I used to strive to be a emotionless vulcan as a kid, hiding my gay side and now, being open, I love the emotions I allow myself to feel. Thanks for a great doc, I subscribed!
U too? The minute I saw Star Trek on tv as a kid in San Francisco I was hooked. I know all the film lines and you can say any line and I know the next one. U r right ... The movies help with loss (my mom 1996 dad 2003 niece 2004 even my divorce). Spock's logic Bones unstable but deep friendship and Kirks rashness and extreme reasonableness.
This is the best series I have ever seen, on any media at anytime. I was 5 years old when Star Trek was released. I literally can not remember a time in my life when I could turn on a TV and not find Star Trek on or soon to be on. When I was younger and only 3 channels were available ABC, CBS and NBC sometimes PBS (for my Doctor Who fix) I planned my Star Trek watching well ahead of time, because I had the Awesome TV GUIDE. I know when I hear someone here on UA-cam SAYS they are a fan, and someone that ACTUALLY IS.. THIS GUY... is a fan and well worth your time watching his videos. Thank You Rowan, Thank You so very much.
I also know that Harve Benette never seen Star Trek so he was given all 79 episodes which took him three months to watch when he seen "Space Seed" and noticed how impressed at Richardo's performance as Kahn. He said, "he dominated the show." He continued saying, "we will see Khan again."
Man i know the Enterprise model was a pain to work with but it really is one of the most beautiful ship designs ever put to screen. In a way im glad that because of the cumbersome nature of the model it never joined the Miranda class in being regular cannon fodder in later star trek shows. Its seldom use helps cements the mystique of this ship and its legendary status to the majority of Star Trek fans. Excellent video i might add very well narrated and presented.
I love Horner's music even more than Goldsmith's. It's technically complex while passionately maintaining clear themes so you know who the good guy and bad guy are with the Reliant and Enterprise in space.
Excellent video. When it popped up in my recommendations I thought, "C'mon, what is there left to say about this movie?" Well, quite a lot, as it happens. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this.
Wrath is a modern masterpiece - it’s not just my favourite Star Trek film but my overall favourite film of all time It never gets old - every time I put it on I’m loving it I once read a quote from Nicholas Meyer that said essentially that art thrives with limitations At his core Meyer is a great storyteller - whether in his films or his books He’s an intellectual and a student of history and art in all it’s forms - he’s well read and brings his abundant knowledge into every project he’s involved in - and it shows - he brings his love of literature, music and Hollywood into everything he does - even the interviews he gives - Star Trek was fortunate to land him - his influence on the TOS film series was enormous
James Horner's soundtrack for this film really makes you see sailing ships because of its majestic mood and weight that carries with it. It is an absolutely intense score and the music really becomes one of the main actors. Spock's theme also added so much mysteriousness and underlines the dialogs between Nimoy and Shatner and their friendship. When you watch it you really feel every character is finally allowed to show emotions again and play them. Something you really missed in Star Trek TMP. And also funfact: This score was one of the early digital filmscore recordings.
I know this sound kinda backwards, but. When I first started watching Star Trek I started watching the movies first. The Motion Picture 1979 was such a slow moving burn of a movie that I almost thought that maybe Star Trek wasn't going to be my cup of tea and quit watching. I'm glad I didn't stop there, because this movie is fantastic!
The Motion Picture is like philosophical Trek. I really like it actually. But I'm glad were able to change styles each movie. You get to experience a different aspect of Star Trek each time (and without any "subverting your expectations" rubbish).
My favorite Trek movie!! Kahn was the best bad guy!! The music for the movie was fantastic, and fun, especially the attack scenes. They really keep you on the edge of your seat!! Spock's death was iconic, and I actually cried.
This series is the greatest breakdown of Star Trek films on the web. Thank you for all you have done here. My story…. I was 7 years old when Star Trek 2 was released. It would go on to change my life in a profound way based on my fascination with this film. Star Trek 2 is the GOAT of all the films in my opinion.. And to have this one as my first exposure to Star Trek enthralled me to know end through my formative years in the 1980’s. I typically do the triad marathon of 2,3,4 back to back for the continuation fun. I watched via VHS tape over 50 times, enough to be able to recite every line. But it was the majesty of the special effects and score that brought me into this new world. Inevitably, now, I am still enthusiastic to hear these back stories and scene depictions down to the most minute level simply as a retrospective to a time that was essentially the beginning of a lifetime journey with Star Trek. As I write this.. I can’t wait to watch the directors cut again, knowing what has been revealed here. And also to check out more of Nicholas Myer’s work from your suggestions. Ricardo Montalbon was simply brilliant and absolutely deserved best supporting actor from this performance. Absolutely epic villain. Long live classic Star Trek Long Live William Shatner And Live Long and Prosper 🖖
Watching the Enterprise and Reliant fight was the best. For the first time in Star Trek you see what king of punishment these ships could really dish out. I really miss practical effects. I was so happy that Peter Jackson used them so well in LOTR.
I wasn't a huge trekkie. The original series, while entertaining, always came off as being somewhat elitist and utopian in its scripting and direction. The character development was lacking and somewhat one-dimensional. The Motion Picture was the culmination of that facet of the series and franchise. It wasn't until the second installment that I really became personally invested in the stories. The on-screen chemistry between the characters, especially in II, III, and IV was second to none. Thank you for doing this retrospective series...great work.
I have always been disappointed that James Horners Star Trek music was never used anywhere else except Star Trek Ii and III. I wish they had used some of it in TNG DS9 or Voyager. But they sadly never did.
Oh what a wonderfull film. Aside from maybe "The Doomsday-Machine" from ToS, my most wached pice of Star Trek Media, and i still can't get enough of it. Loving you redone retrospectives so far. Can't wait for the next one
I always saw McCoy's best quotes and performance (aside perhaps from the back alley scene in City on the Edge of Forever) occurred in the films, rather than the original series. In Wrath of Khan he is awesome.
In Search for Spock he has to play out a Spock-McCoy conflict on only his own face, eyebrow lifts and all. It's genius & maybe some of the best acting by anyone ever.
Thanks for highlighting the music. Being a muso I should have spotted it but in all the times I have watched the movie I have never noticed the subtleties of the score, being too wrapped up in the visuals and story. My bad! I will be listening with my ears switched on next time I watch it. Again, excellent stuff :-)
RIP James Horner, one of our most underrated film composers. This to me is the definitive Star Trek score and a much better fit for the franchise vs Jerry Goldsmith's bombast.
Jerry Goldsmith's iconic theme for TNG was very bombastic, but it was also fitting for the nature of the show. In a world where there's no interpersonal conflict (in Roddenberry's words), the theme almost served as a sort of victory lap for humanity. It was every bit as antiseptic as the first two seasons of TNG itself, but I can't imagine any other piece of music representing it quite as well. It's still the song I think of first when I think of Star Trek themes, and I feel like a large percentage of Trekkies would say the same
@@tmtmtlsml That is fair enough of course. What can I say, in the end I just prefer Horner's score. No disrespect to Goldsmith who gave us lots of excellent film music and the Motion Picture theme is a fine theme. I also love the Klingon theme introduced in that film.
Really great work here. I was 10 when I saw it, and made a lasting impression on me. And I thought I knew a lot about it but you put together only of the most through retrospective I have seen.
Rowan, you are really hitting your stride with this series on Trek, just amazing stuff. If I recall correctly in the DVD commentary with Meyer he mentions getting better stuff out of Shatner because he would just do enough takes that Shatner would get slightly bored and this would actually result in the slightly more subdued Kirk that Meyer wanted.
One line that always sounded wooden to me was "Genesis, what's that?" Kirk sounds like he already knows Khan won't fall for it. Maybe Shatner was bored.
The"here it comes" line was delivered that way because Shatner would play it up and it sounded wrong, like Khan would know something was wrong by the tone. Meyer was responsible for getting the deadpan delivery after multiple takes and it's one of the best parts of the film as a result
"If I am not on the screen, they are talking about me." - Ricardo, my man... We are talking about you years... No, decades after your passing. Yopu were truly something peerless!. You made Khan Singh into something truly memorable.!
I have to believe that the entire cast, and crew knew that they were creating something truly spectacular, during production of this great masterpiece.
As a classical music afficionado, the soundtrack to this film is the first CD I ever purchased when I was eleven. Time cannot diminish the great work that is this music and this story.
I'm watching through these retrospectives as a guy who was born the same month as TNG was first syndicated and let me tell you something I have emotions to express these are all so good.
The scene with Kirk and Khan conversing via view screen is so much more meaningful when you hear how they weren't on set / screen speaking with one another. They recorded the lines
Plenty of films have that situation. Star Wars, for example, never puts Luke and Vader face to face (the closest this happens, Vader is shooting Luke in the back while they're in separate starfighters).
The best part of this interesting series (cudos) is the interview with James Horner. It is so nice to see how much thought he put into his work. Compare this with mainstream composers nowadays and their dull soundtracks without heart and soul (yes, I'm looking at you, Hans Zimmer, and your many clones--you were great in the 80s, but look at what you've become). I'll always be grateful for James Horner's work and how much joy it brought to my life.
The scene where Spock sacrifices himself had so much more impact here than the same scene with Kirk does in the Kelvin timeline. Kirk always put the crew first, so him sacrificing himself was the norm. Spock letting his human side win out over his Vulcan side was just perfect.
Simply the greatest movie score of all time. John Williams smashed it with Star Wars and all of his scores are my second favourite but Horner just destroys it here. This score just delivers time and again. You don't need to hear the dialogue, the score alone tells the story.
Just a fun personal story, my Dad worked for Evans and Sutherland and when he first arrived in salt lake he went and saw this movie (since he was a big fan of Star Trek) and during the credits some of the people started cheering. Turns out they had worked on the movie and were my Dad's new coworkers!
I just stumbled across this video and wanted to sing your praises as this should be a required part of the STII:WOK behind the scenes distrobution and historic knowledge base. This was the first time I saw the Montalban interview and I just knew that is what he must have had to reach to; in order to portray Khan as he did. You are being kind and cavalier in you stating of how this one movie is perhaps the best Star Trek movie that ever will be made. It was as close to perfection as one could get without the budget; just as you had mentioned. Thank you.
1. Thanks for bringing in discussion of the music 🎶 2. The low (for a movie) budget makes it visually much like an episode of a TOS show for which fans were desperate...... watching 2,3 and 4 feels like watching the best of the original series episodes back to back but new. ❤❤ 3. 31:07 😢I'm not crying you're crying
Nice video,great recommendation Time After Time is a fab movie,its a hidden gem of time travel movies,as for The Day After its still holds up as a wake up call for the dangers of nuclear weapons and there being no winnners in such a Scenario.
God, listening to Montalban talk about how he got back into the role of Khan..First off, that voice alone is amazing. But the interview just shows what an amazing and intellectual actor he really was. He put everything into getting into character for his roles. He's criminally underrated as an actor. And was a really good man IRL as well. Married to the same woman for 63 years, a deeply religious man without shoving it in anyones face. He loved his home country of Mexico and his adopted country of America both very much. Basically anyone who ever met him said he was about the nicest guy you could ever hope to come across. I can count myself lucky enough to be amongst them, as I had the opportunity to meet him in the mid 90s. He was super easy to talk to, and took a good 15 minutes out of his day to just chat with me like I was an old friend, while I was a nobody who he'd never seen before in his life. I'll always remember his kindness that day. I'm sure he had somewhere more important to be, something more important to do than talk to some random nobody. But he really took the time to make sure I didn't FEEL like a nobody. Not just one of the nicest actors/celebrities I've ever met, but one of the nicest PEOPLE I've ever met. Full stop.
Montalban was one of those rare few gentlemen's gentlemen.
Aye... Ricardo was something truly special.
Bud. I envy the fact that you got to meet him. I feel privileged to know that you exist...
Shep I will tell my grandkids that you typed with the guy who met Ricardo. Inspiring.
He just overacted for 2 hours.
Thanks for sharing. He was truly an underrated talent. Outside of Trek I also loved him in Columbo.
Spock's death to funeral scene is THE BEST character ending scene in movie history. Kirk's subtle falling alongside the chamber glass and the murmur of "No." just shows how minimalistic acting can really deliver a gut punch. People can mock William Shatner's acting all they want, he delivered in that scene.
Proof that you can get a great performance out of Shatner with the right director.
Those scenes were Shatner's best work, especially when he spoke with David in his quarters about cheating death. To me that was KIRK at his most vulnerable, not an actor playing a part.
@@eliotanders3488 That and when he was speaking with Carol in the cave. He broke down and spilled his heart to her without going above a whisper.
Shatner is underrated. He delivers the acting the part needs. That's why he was continuously employed for so many decades.
And Kirk, Hooker, and Crane were all distinctly different people.
Shatner is not Gary Oldman but he is more talented and skilled than people recognize.
Personally, I think a lot of people confused the parody and jokes about Shatner with his actual acting. There were a few scenes from TOS that were supposed to be weird, like under great strain or otherwise not normal that became memes.
As a film composer myself I am really loving the attention you bring to the score in these. It’s such a crucial part of the experience that really flavors the experience a viewer has. Not enough retrospective videos give the composers their due
Every review I saw about this movie James Horner is always fondly mentioned. I agree with you about "not enough retrospective videos give the composers their due" but when the composer create such astounding soundtrack, they will be mentioned a lot.
I've never really got that. Oftentimes, it seems the music distracts, for me
nonsense scores are a shortcut away from.authentic experience. think of every meaningful conversation you have been a party to. did it need a backing track? most film makers take the easy way out and present a type of music video but I will give you one fantastic example free of your nature. the birds by alfred hitchcock. absolutely no need for your noise.
@@BlueRidgeBubble you mean to say, that for example the classic superman theme doesn't add anything? Or star wars theme ?
I agree. When a musical score is masterfully done it adds just as much as an actor's performance. It sets tone. It sets expectation. It can be used as a plot element to confuse or provide an unexpected twist. As someone who is colorblind, the eye candy for me is less important that the feel of a movie and the music is a major part of that for me.
I remember re-watching Wrath Of Khan a couple of years back, and my mother looked over as the coffin is launched and said. "Is this the one where Scotty dies." An important reminder that most people only half know Star Trek.
My sister to this day sends me Star WARS shirts every once in a while with a letter or card reminding me that she remembers how much I like Kirk and Spock.
I was gonna say that Scotty outlived all of them, but the 50 or so ST timelines are a real mess. Almost as bad as the Terminator.
@@BronzeAgeBryon i would do something like that on purpose to my sister (if she liked either in any major capacity)
If ever there were grounds for disowning a family member...
@@BronzeAgeBryon Life hack: just like everything with a similar name so even if they make a mistake it still works out.
Three cheers for James Horner. The main theme for this movie is so memorable and just so evocative, and I dare say he basically MADE those battle scenes work.
He is sorely missed.
Yes BUT goldsmith gave us the iconic star trek theme from TMP
@@FilmThePoliceFTP indeed he did, indeed he did. Not to mention the Klingon battle cruiser trumpet thing which is also fantastic.
@@Plisken65 amen, he did such great work across so many genres.
A 28 year old musical genius. After the clip of his description of how the music was used to enhance the battle sequences I have even more respect than before.
" I am...and shall always be...your friend" I'm not crying, you're crying.
Yes. {sniff} Yes I am!
David's line "I'm also... proud.... very proud... to be your son." is what has me crying every time :'( This father-son bonding moment.
And it doesn't even hurt that Kirk gives Spock the Nanu nanu.
ua-cam.com/video/h1B8L_eIMl4/v-deo.html
I'm NOT crying!.....just allergies is all 😢
The Wrath of Khan, in my humble opinion, is one of the greatest films ever made. The ship combat is the stuff of legend. No spinning, flipping, or barrel rolls. No dubstep pew pew sound effects, and no chaotic, impossible-to- follow CG distractions. Just two massive, powerful ships, trading fire, and doing massive damage with every exchange. It’s absolutely amazing! 🖖😀 Edited to add that James Horner’s score was the finest score ever made for any film, ever!
The next iteration will be a crossover. The Enterprise will now fire spinning lightsabers and the Sith will hatch a plot to steal Q's powers. Also, all the Klingons are now related to Worf's bloodline for some incoherent reason, so everyone now refers to them as Worfs. (for marketing purposes, of course)
@@rafetizer It's probably already in somebody's expanded universe.
I agree about the space battles. In terms of space battles, I love that it feels more like a chess game, more like battleships or submarine combat than the dogfighting in other sci-fi franchises (and arguably in Star Trek from TNG movies onward).
I agree. It's a masterpiece of a film with an absolutely BRILLIANT story which made EXCELLENT use of its cast and their characters.
Not just my favorite of all ST movies, but one of my favorite movies ever...almost a damn near perfect film.
Brilliant work as always!
Kirk's eulogy for Spock at the end is probably Shatner's best acting of his career. That break in his voice... oof!
I think Gene Roddenberry and George Lucas can be lumped into those people who have a wonderfully creative view of their properties but had tremendous difficulty executing those visions. I was actually relieved they took the second movie away from Roddenberry. (My views on Roddenberry have soured over the years, but that's a discussion for another time.)
I actually saw Time After Time in the movie theaters. It is one of the very few movies whose plot twist I didn't see coming. I had no idea Meyer directed that. Now I know why I liked both it and Wrath of Khan so much.
I had never seen that interview with Montalban. That was fascinating.
As always, a terrific retrospective you put together. Thanks, Rowan. I look forward to Part 3.
Personally I'd argue Lucas is the more talented of the two. He has trouble with dialogue and actors of course, but he can actually craft good stories and is a decent director overall.
Out of the 5 movies he's directed, I'd only call one of them an outright failure, another is simply meh and the others are either good to great. That's my ranking of Star Wars though haha.
@@guntooasttt You're correct.
Agreed, they can create universes but are really bad at writing stories for those universes. Im also in agreement with you on Roddenberry, my opinion on the man has cooled givin how much he preached but never lived up to his own standards, mostly with how poor his attitudes towards women were on Trek and had he not passed away female characters the franchise is known for would most likely have never come to pass
@@RowanJColeman That's what you say. The actors have said that his directing is terrible. It shows with the wooden acting in the PT.
If this video premiered only a few hours ago, how is your comment over a week old? Time is warped and space is bendable!
I had the great privilege to watch "Star Trek II - the Wrath of Khan" (the directors Cut) during a theatrical screening in January of 2020, here in Berlin Germany, where William Shatner was touring across Europe with this film and also talked about the time working on Star Trek as well as some personal anecdotes & non Star Trek related things. It really was absolutely incredible finally seeing one of your most favorite films on a big screen (although digital video projection but hey, better than nothing) WITH the Captain himself hosting the event. That truly was an unforgettable highlight in my life and it still feels a little unreal, looking at it again. :) I am so glad this actually happened.
I am jealous of you. I was supposed to see this on the same tour but it was cancelled due to Covid a few days before. Sounds like it was a once in a lifetime experience...
@@joz6683 Yeah it wasn't even sure if it was going to happen or not, that evening. It was even announced that the venue was considering to cancel it but at the end they actually hosted it. Which was i think one of the last shows during the tour that actually happened. To me it really will be a once in a lifetime moment. Even though i did not have the pleasure of talking to the man himself afterwards. It was still great to watch one of my absolute Trek favorites on the big screen at least once and also seeing Mr. Shatner with my own eyes too. Which i never thought would ever happen.
That composer dude f'ing nailed it.
Nicholas Meyer is hands down the best Star Trek movie director.
Certainly top of my list :)
Nicholas Meyer and Bryan Fuller's involvement in Discovery were the reason I was initially excited for that show. Such a shame.
@@WasimSaleem Amen.
@@WasimSaleem The Show is pretty good.
@@MovieMagic515
Controversial.
Best Trek film & will never be equaled. Meyer is a genius & Ricardo’s acting presence gave us a masterpiece.
I’ve watched ST2 a million times but it was only when I saw it on the big screen for the 40th anniversary that I truly noticed how great Shatner’s acting is in it. One of my fave films of all time. Thanks for making this retrospective…
This is really phenomenal work, Rowan. Seriously, I'm having an absolute blast. Thank you for all the hard work you (and your team?) put into this short documentary.
Haha I wish I had a team. But I'm glad you're enjoying the videos :)
The only movie the Enterprise uses her phaser banks. Rapid fire phaser blasts.
Can we make a good Star Trek movie? Yes we KHAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNN!!!!
22:40. I watched the James Horner segment three times. Wow. What a treat. Thank you, Rowan. You can read about things, hear other people talk about things, but that was special. To hear it straight from the man himself.
Horner's score really elevated this film
Having Scotty tell Kirk that Spock was dead was a real shocker. Usually McCoy would make that statement.
Over the last 50 years many of my favorite TV shows and movies were created with small budgets and limited time. It almost seems as if lack of time and money are the keys to a successful project. And in the case of "The Wrath of Khan" all the constraints , including non-trek-fan creative staff, worked because producers and directors knew the elements of good storytelling. Even the musical score helped to carry each scene to the point that you could close your eyes, and hear what was happening!
When the budget is low, talent and creativity prevail.
As far as the Star Trek movies go my favorite Star Trek movies are the wrath of Khan, the search for Spock, the voyage home, the undiscovered country and first contact
@@kevinmiller9884 The FAB FIVE 🎬
Back in 1982, my friends and I had heard of the "death of Spock" controversy. We were totally taken in by the Kobiashi Maru sequence. When Spock, McCoy, and the bridge crew died it was dead silent in the theater. When Spock got up we all started babbling then grinning. I didn't see anyone get up the whole rest of the time. Everyone was quiet and eyes on screen. Except for gasps and cheers, of course.
That was a brilliant way to mend such a breach. We kept the secret, no spoilers.
Wrath of Khan is now and will always be my favourite film. I must watch it at least 2 or 3 times a year. I consider it to be a perfect film, or as close to perfect as it's possible to be.
You took the words out of my mouth. Bravo sir.
They could update the effects with more cgi
@@esecallum They could update the Mona Lisa with modern paint. The question is, what's the point?
@@AWMJoeyjoejoe So that modern audiences could enjoy it with updated v/x. George Lukas updated star wars and made them more snazzier with updated cgi. by updating star trek you could get more accepting them.
I appreciate your enthusiasm. But perfect film? I suppose if your tastes run to the sci-fi genre you could legitimately have that opinion, but I'm sorry, I don't.
To me there is so much more to movies than Shatner's cardboard acting and contrived plots. To me Casablanca is the masterpiece that stands above all others. Not that I would say it is my favorite movie, I don't have a favorite. But in terms of movie making there is nothing better in my opinion.
We've certainly got a lot to thank Meyer for, not least for creating a new class of Star Fleet vessel other than Constitution-class. If it wasn't for this movie we might still be stuck with one class of Star Fleet vessel.
Notice also that it's very similar to Empire Strikes Back, in being darker themed, a major hero dying or almost dying, a bleak ending, a hero finding a new family member he didn't know he had, the heroes being chased by the villain through the movie, it being the second movie in the franchise, as well as it being widely considered the best movie in its franchise. Oh, and also the director totally disregarded the so-called "creator's" loony ideas when making the movie.
It's very fascinating to listen to Mr. Montalban talk. Such a great presence 7:15
When I first saw Wrath in the theater, Horner's music kept me on the edge of my seat!
I have watched this movie so many times since that it is beyond counting... but I still find myself on the edge of my seat every time!
The score to this film gets your blood pumping!
Horner was a genius!
I honestly think about 80% of the reason The Warth of Khan works so well is the villain. Because from the get go we are given a villain with clear motives. So audience members like me who had no idea of the past history between Krick and Khan can easily see why this is all happening.
I also think this is why Into darkness did not work as well since Khan motives are not clear from the get go and it can be argued that Khan is not the villain in that movie.
I personally think Into Darkness would have actually been a better movie if Khan had been removed entirely and instead the narrative had focused itself solely on the rogue Admiral Marcus and a less convoluted conspiracy plot that Kirk and the others would have to uncover as the story unfolds. Into Darkness had potential, but it needed more rewrites and less fan-service.
@@BioGoji-zm5ph I agree, Into Darkness had the potential to be great, but it suffered from things that I think too often franchise creatives are often pushed to do, link back to old things so as to do fan service instead of what actually services the story itself. Into Darkness could have been a great political thriller drama in the vein of a Captain America: Winter Soldier type story about corruption in Starfleet, at least that's what it started out like, and it ended in the last third of the movie being about something else entirely. Khan should have just been another augment that Marcus used or if they wanted more emotional weight, maybe the Kelvin timeline version of a Gary Mitchell to build up a personal stake for Kirk. Instead of trying to replicate Wrath of Khan, it should have just told its own story and be great on its own. There was a story there that was entirely capable of it, but I think the studio, as usual, went the safer and more conventional route instead of trying something new and different.
@@CaptainPikeachu Personally, I think they should have done with what the original concept for the TNG episode "Conspiracy" would have been, prior to Roddenberry forcing the writers to make it an alien invasion plot. No Augments, just corrupt Starfleet officials engaging in political espionage and secretly attacking their own in order to push things their way. Sort of a... SciFi take on the ideas seen in the second Dirty Harry movie, Magnum Force, with the heroes fighting corruption from within.
Hell, it could have used the Romulan connection from the previous film to do a sort of Undiscovered Country type of plot, with Starfleet deciding to take the initiative and try to initiate peace talks with the Romulans, only for Marcus and other rogue elements within Starfleet to try to sabotage it. If I were to re-write the film, that's the kind of thing I would do. Not a complete remake of Undiscovered Country, but a political thriller with some similar themes and tones.
The Music.
You know how you turn Nu-Trek into a cinematic universe and not a feckless cash-grab? Make it so that Cumberbatch's character wasn't Khan--- he is _Joachim..._
...and his motivation for working with Admiral Marcus was for help _finding where Khan is lurking this whole time._
When Starfleet finds the Botany Bay, Khan's tube is found to have been opened many years earlier and he's missing. This way Khan is an unknown factor out there in the universe and Into Darkness is merely a taste of what he and his followers are capable of.
As a child, I don’t remember this film resonating with me. I do remember being moved and impressed by Spock’s death, and when they put that thing in Chekhov’s ear.
But when I watch it as an adult, the whole film hit me like a ton of bricks. Really intense drama solidified by the performers, Ricardo Montalban in particular. Wow, what a film!
Interestingly, this is the only TOS-era movie in which the Enterprise fires phasers
The Enterprise phasers fire 3 times in this film, we never see them fire again in any other film. They looked awesome.
That's crazy but I think you may be right
Never realized that. Strange because the phasers firing were always a high spot for me. The sound they made while firing was cool!!
It was done well. The phasers shown in pulses looked more believable than just long straight beams.
@@shawndardbarbarbarian5061 yeah when they fired was always a moment of hightend exitment
Found the soundtrack to this movie in the discount bin at my local record store(remember those?) I loved the movie and listened to that record many many times. I can pick out a James Horner soundtrack anywhere. Most of the 'songs' are still on my playlist. I can picture the movie in my head from what part of the soundtrack is playing. RIP JH.
The one TRUE Khan.
*Especially now that I know that was Montalbán's ACTUAL chest. I always thought it was a chest piece.*
-I hate to correct you're ignorance But his last name was pronounced MentalBlock.
cumberbatch is a good actor and I enjoy his stuff but he just doesn’t have the same presence at all. It could be because of writing…but I haven’t particularly been fond of any of abrams stuff especially his star trek reboots. Montalban is just amazing
Hearing Horner explain his choices for the music gives me an all-new appreciation for what he did with it...and I loved the music from the start!
James Horner discussing the nebula battle scenes is incredible! His effort paid in full.
fun fact: Nimoy grew up in Boston. His father was a barber. I was taken to that barber shop to get my hair cut. Pictures of Nimoy, signed, were all over the place. I told his dad what a fan i was of Star Trek. About 5 minutes before i was done, the door opened and someone said "Hi Dad."
It was HIM!
I was blown away. I told him, like a kid rambles, how much i liked him in Star Trek, In Search Of, and Mission Impossible. He smiled, gave me an autograph and said "You seem like a good, smart kid. Maybe you should think about astronomy or science. Thanks for being such a loyal fan!" - with that big smile.
Well, who got a degree in biology? THIS GUY.
I've seen him live about 4 times, and actuallly got to see him and William Shatner in Cherry Hill, NJ share the stage. I saw him at hte 25th Anniversary in Valley Forge, PA. (two of my buddies went with me...we still have the picture of us, grinning like goons, in front of the big banner)
And yes, i do speak Klingon with a terrible Terran accent.
LLAP!
In the Mutara Nebula fight, I am always put in the frame of mind of a submarine battle. Can't see, can't hear, don't know where the enemy is or will be. The man-vs-man aspect of the fight really comes through. So good!
One important item about the music was simply the fact the original theme was used. This was the cherry on the top to the feel of Star Trek being well and truly back! Your retrospective is really good. I know a lot about Trek but am learning a lot from these vids!
Excellent stuff - looking forward to part 4! Always fun to see behind the scenes stuff on Wrath of Kahn.
James Horners work was amazing! What a soundtrack and what a career, he will be missed 🙏🏻
I love this movie so much, I love how hard I cry everytime I see it, even ballin' now just seeing the clips of the ending! When I was a child I cried having never faced death with the fear of that undiscovered country yet to be reached. To now being a grown adult, dealing with the loss of my Mother and other loved ones. I used to strive to be a emotionless vulcan as a kid, hiding my gay side and now, being open, I love the emotions I allow myself to feel. Thanks for a great doc, I subscribed!
U too? The minute I saw Star Trek on tv as a kid in San Francisco I was hooked. I know all the film lines and you can say any line and I know the next one. U r right ... The movies help with loss (my mom 1996 dad 2003 niece 2004 even my divorce). Spock's logic Bones unstable but deep friendship and Kirks rashness and extreme reasonableness.
This movie had a massive effect on my youth. Still does.
"Pavel Chekov. I never forget a face. Not even a face I've never seen."
Nicholas Meyer absolutely crushed it with this movie. His work on The Day After is as amazing and shows how fearless he was in his craft.
Man, I've got to say, the blending of the two musical themes at 23:15 is pretty righteous.
This is the best series I have ever seen, on any media at anytime. I was 5 years old when Star Trek was released. I literally can not remember a time in my life when I could turn on a TV and not find Star Trek on or soon to be on. When I was younger and only 3 channels were available ABC, CBS and NBC sometimes PBS (for my Doctor Who fix) I planned my Star Trek watching well ahead of time, because I had the Awesome TV GUIDE. I know when I hear someone here on UA-cam SAYS they are a fan, and someone that ACTUALLY IS.. THIS GUY... is a fan and well worth your time watching his videos. Thank You Rowan, Thank You so very much.
I also know that Harve Benette never seen Star Trek so he was given all 79 episodes which took him three months to watch when he seen "Space Seed" and noticed how impressed at Richardo's performance as Kahn. He said, "he dominated the show." He continued saying, "we will see Khan again."
At last, a composer who appreciates the horn.
This video was worth it just to hear James Horner 'sing' the movie. Amazing stuff as usual!
Man i know the Enterprise model was a pain to work with but it really is one of the most beautiful ship designs ever put to screen. In a way im glad that because of the cumbersome nature of the model it never joined the Miranda class in being regular cannon fodder in later star trek shows. Its seldom use helps cements the mystique of this ship and its legendary status to the majority of Star Trek fans. Excellent video i might add very well narrated and presented.
I already know this whole story. But here I am. Watching this. Enjoying it.
I love Horner's music even more than Goldsmith's. It's technically complex while passionately maintaining clear themes so you know who the good guy and bad guy are with the Reliant and Enterprise in space.
Without a doubt, the greatest film score in human history...
The music was in battle with each other like the characters and ships. Simply beautiful!
Thanks to Richardo, he has left a great legacy playing Khan and being such a professional in this role.
Excellent video. When it popped up in my recommendations I thought, "C'mon, what is there left to say about this movie?" Well, quite a lot, as it happens. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this.
I still have the soundtrack album to ST:II. I loved Horner's work..RIP, James.
Kirk's face when spock died was unforgettable. The music under the scene was perfect. I cried so much
Wrath is a modern masterpiece - it’s not just my favourite Star Trek film but my overall favourite film of all time
It never gets old - every time I put it on I’m loving it
I once read a quote from Nicholas Meyer that said essentially that art thrives with limitations
At his core Meyer is a great storyteller - whether in his films or his books
He’s an intellectual and a student of history and art in all it’s forms - he’s well read and brings his abundant knowledge into every project he’s involved in - and it shows - he brings his love of literature, music and Hollywood into everything he does - even the interviews he gives - Star Trek was fortunate to land him - his influence on the TOS film series was enormous
James Horner's soundtrack for this film really makes you see sailing ships because of its majestic mood and weight that carries with it. It is an absolutely intense score and the music really becomes one of the main actors. Spock's theme also added so much mysteriousness and underlines the dialogs between Nimoy and Shatner and their friendship. When you watch it you really feel every character is finally allowed to show emotions again and play them. Something you really missed in Star Trek TMP. And also funfact: This score was one of the early digital filmscore recordings.
I know this sound kinda backwards, but. When I first started watching Star Trek I started watching the movies first. The Motion Picture 1979 was such a slow moving burn of a movie that I almost thought that maybe Star Trek wasn't going to be my cup of tea and quit watching. I'm glad I didn't stop there, because this movie is fantastic!
Same here
The Motion Picture is like philosophical Trek. I really like it actually. But I'm glad were able to change styles each movie. You get to experience a different aspect of Star Trek each time (and without any "subverting your expectations" rubbish).
My favorite Trek movie!! Kahn was the best bad guy!! The music for the movie was fantastic, and fun, especially the attack scenes. They really keep you on the edge of your seat!! Spock's death was iconic, and I actually cried.
This series is the greatest breakdown of Star Trek films on the web. Thank you for all you have done here.
My story….
I was 7 years old when Star Trek 2 was released. It would go on to change my life in a profound way based on my fascination with this film.
Star Trek 2 is the GOAT of all the films in my opinion..
And to have this one as my first exposure to Star Trek enthralled me to know end through my formative years in the 1980’s.
I typically do the triad marathon of 2,3,4 back to back for the continuation fun.
I watched via VHS tape over 50 times, enough to be able to recite every line.
But it was the majesty of the special effects and score that brought me into this new world.
Inevitably, now, I am still enthusiastic to hear these back stories and scene depictions down to the most minute level simply as a retrospective to a time that was essentially the beginning of a lifetime journey with Star Trek.
As I write this.. I can’t wait to watch the directors cut again, knowing what has been revealed here. And also to check out more of Nicholas Myer’s work from your suggestions.
Ricardo Montalbon was simply brilliant and absolutely deserved best supporting actor from this performance. Absolutely epic villain.
Long live classic Star Trek
Long Live William Shatner
And Live Long and Prosper 🖖
Thanks for some really interesting analysis and history on my fave ST movie.
And thank you for your kind response :)
Watching the Enterprise and Reliant fight was the best. For the first time in Star Trek you see what king of punishment these ships could really dish out. I really miss practical effects. I was so happy that Peter Jackson used them so well in LOTR.
The episodes with space battles in the original series were some of the best, even before they came out with enhanced effects in the 2000s.
I always love the way Ricardo Montalban says "buried alive...buried alive...".
Best script, best acting, best music, best movie in the franchise.
It’s both endlessly fascinating and hilarious to me that the best of Star Trek films came at the exclusion of its creator.
I wasn't a huge trekkie. The original series, while entertaining, always came off as being somewhat elitist and utopian in its scripting and direction. The character development was lacking and somewhat one-dimensional. The Motion Picture was the culmination of that facet of the series and franchise. It wasn't until the second installment that I really became personally invested in the stories. The on-screen chemistry between the characters, especially in II, III, and IV was second to none. Thank you for doing this retrospective series...great work.
One of the best films ever made
“Oh, you are going to direct me!” One of my favorite anecdotes
The Wrath of Kahn is, unquestionably, the greatest Trek ever. It's perfect.
I have always been disappointed that James Horners Star Trek music was never used anywhere else except Star Trek Ii and III. I wish they had used some of it in TNG DS9 or Voyager. But they sadly never did.
Oh what a wonderfull film. Aside from maybe "The Doomsday-Machine" from ToS, my most wached pice of Star Trek Media, and i still can't get enough of it. Loving you redone retrospectives so far. Can't wait for the next one
I always saw McCoy's best quotes and performance (aside perhaps from the back alley scene in City on the Edge of Forever) occurred in the films, rather than the original series. In Wrath of Khan he is awesome.
In Search for Spock he has to play out a Spock-McCoy conflict on only his own face, eyebrow lifts and all. It's genius & maybe some of the best acting by anyone ever.
Thanks for highlighting the music. Being a muso I should have spotted it but in all the times I have watched the movie I have never noticed the subtleties of the score, being too wrapped up in the visuals and story. My bad! I will be listening with my ears switched on next time I watch it. Again, excellent stuff :-)
The score for this movie really makes it.
RIP James Horner, one of our most underrated film composers. This to me is the definitive Star Trek score and a much better fit for the franchise vs Jerry Goldsmith's bombast.
Jerry Goldsmith's iconic theme for TNG was very bombastic, but it was also fitting for the nature of the show. In a world where there's no interpersonal conflict (in Roddenberry's words), the theme almost served as a sort of victory lap for humanity. It was every bit as antiseptic as the first two seasons of TNG itself, but I can't imagine any other piece of music representing it quite as well. It's still the song I think of first when I think of Star Trek themes, and I feel like a large percentage of Trekkies would say the same
@@tmtmtlsml That is fair enough of course. What can I say, in the end I just prefer Horner's score. No disrespect to Goldsmith who gave us lots of excellent film music and the Motion Picture theme is a fine theme. I also love the Klingon theme introduced in that film.
This is still my favorite Star Trek story.
Really great work here. I was 10 when I saw it, and made a lasting impression on me. And I thought I knew a lot about it but you put together only of the most through retrospective I have seen.
Sound track was absolutely beautiful.
Rowan, you are really hitting your stride with this series on Trek, just amazing stuff.
If I recall correctly in the DVD commentary with Meyer he mentions getting better stuff out of Shatner because he would just do enough takes that Shatner would get slightly bored and this would actually result in the slightly more subdued Kirk that Meyer wanted.
Yeah, he talked about that too in the panel I showed. He was really innovative when it came to directing actors.
One line that always sounded wooden to me was "Genesis, what's that?" Kirk sounds like he already knows Khan won't fall for it. Maybe Shatner was bored.
The"here it comes" line was delivered that way because Shatner would play it up and it sounded wrong, like Khan would know something was wrong by the tone. Meyer was responsible for getting the deadpan delivery after multiple takes and it's one of the best parts of the film as a result
"If I am not on the screen, they are talking about me." - Ricardo, my man... We are talking about you years... No, decades after your passing. Yopu were truly something peerless!.
You made Khan Singh into something truly memorable.!
I always felt THE WRATH OF KHAN was the real first star trek movie as it carries over an actual aspect of star trek that was already popular.
I have to believe that the entire cast, and crew knew that they were creating something truly spectacular, during production of this great masterpiece.
As a classical music afficionado, the soundtrack to this film is the first CD I ever purchased when I was eleven. Time cannot diminish the great work that is this music and this story.
I'm watching through these retrospectives as a guy who was born the same month as TNG was first syndicated and let me tell you something I have emotions to express these are all so good.
The scene with Kirk and Khan conversing via view screen is so much more meaningful when you hear how they weren't on set / screen speaking with one another. They recorded the lines
This is one of the few films where the villain and the hero never actually meet face to face!
Plenty of films have that situation. Star Wars, for example, never puts Luke and Vader face to face (the closest this happens, Vader is shooting Luke in the back while they're in separate starfighters).
I just laugh everytime Joaquin exclaims, "I caaan't!"
The best part of this interesting series (cudos) is the interview with James Horner. It is so nice to see how much thought he put into his work. Compare this with mainstream composers nowadays and their dull soundtracks without heart and soul (yes, I'm looking at you, Hans Zimmer, and your many clones--you were great in the 80s, but look at what you've become).
I'll always be grateful for James Horner's work and how much joy it brought to my life.
The scene where Spock sacrifices himself had so much more impact here than the same scene with Kirk does in the Kelvin timeline. Kirk always put the crew first, so him sacrificing himself was the norm. Spock letting his human side win out over his Vulcan side was just perfect.
Simply the greatest movie score of all time. John Williams smashed it with Star Wars and all of his scores are my second favourite but Horner just destroys it here. This score just delivers time and again. You don't need to hear the dialogue, the score alone tells the story.
Just a fun personal story, my Dad worked for Evans and Sutherland and when he first arrived in salt lake he went and saw this movie (since he was a big fan of Star Trek) and during the credits some of the people started cheering. Turns out they had worked on the movie and were my Dad's new coworkers!
Horner's score absolutely made this movie what it is. A great score can make or break a movie.
Excellent vid Mr Coleman.
Love those interviews with Meyer and Horner
I can and will watch old trek forever. (Up to Enterprise is what I call old nowadays) keep making old trek videos forever xD
Well I make videos on all of Star Trek, old and new :)
One of the greatest films ever made imo. Spocks funeral is beyond words.
I just stumbled across this video and wanted to sing your praises as this should be a required part of the STII:WOK behind the scenes distrobution and historic knowledge base. This was the first time I saw the Montalban interview and I just knew that is what he must have had to reach to; in order to portray Khan as he did. You are being kind and cavalier in you stating of how this one movie is perhaps the best Star Trek movie that ever will be made. It was as close to perfection as one could get without the budget; just as you had mentioned. Thank you.
Great film, one of the greatest villian performances ever
1. Thanks for bringing in discussion of the music 🎶
2. The low (for a movie) budget makes it visually much like an episode of a TOS show for which fans were desperate...... watching 2,3 and 4 feels like watching the best of the original series episodes back to back but new. ❤❤
3. 31:07 😢I'm not crying you're crying
Nice video,great recommendation Time After Time is a fab movie,its a hidden gem of time travel movies,as for The Day After its still holds up as a wake up call for the dangers of nuclear weapons and there being no winnners in such a Scenario.
You've done it again. Riveting, insightful "retrospective". Bravo!
This is simply incredible content. Thank you and long live Star Trek.