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Been a fan of your work sir. I watched Star Trek 3-6 in theater with my late father...Along with many amazing pieces of work that was our youth. I tip my hat sir. I also have watched almost all of OG Who (Tom Baker!) and (some of new), Blakes 7, Babylon5, Firefly,Xfiles, Fringe..... and of course all of the Star Trek series PRE JJ Abrams moves.....
Eddie Murphy did NOT turn down the role. He was very insistent on taking taking the role. Nimoy said NO. Paramount gave him The Golden Child instead. Get your facts straight
OG Star Trek had lots of experience of Science Fiction Star Trek in the past earth from a number of tv episodes. Maybe those past experiences helped with keep it star trek in a then modern setting of 1980s.
IV Demonstrated the strength of years of good character development. You could take these people out of their ship, uniforms, and setting, put them in a fish out of water story and watching them interact and solve problems together felt every bit like Star Trek.
What was pretty cool was the comic book series that started post-Wrath had Saavik as part of the regular crew. Then post-Search Kirk was in command of the Excelsior for years of comics until Star Trek IV gave us NCC-1701A.
Too bad they couldn't do that with Spock. The Enterprise was already scrapped by Starfleet in ST3, after being shot up by Khan in ST2; despite being completely refit and overhauled in ST1.
@@SovereignStatesman there's at least a decade or maybe a dozen years between ST1 ST2. The upgraded Enterprise lasted for a while, even longer than A, B, C, or D.
What I remember is leaving the theater, thinking, "They really captured the humor of Star Trek with this one." The line that cemented it for me was, "Everybody remember where we parked."
I've always considered "Star Trek IV: Save the Whales!" a breath of fresh air in the movie series. For once, the rest of the cast got to do something besides react and "run lines." Kirk Thatcher as "the Punk on the bus with the Boombox," came up with a "fake Punk" song that continues to resound over the decades. Mr. Scott gets to "address the computer," Hikaru Sulu flies a helicopter, Chekov and Uhura get to spy on "nuclear wessels," Dr. McCoy gets to trash "20th century medicine," then there are the "colorful metaphors" made famous by "The Literary Masters," Harold Robbins and Jacquelyn Susann! Nothing like having fun while saving the world...again.;)
Yeah I agree. This movie worked because we had a lot of character moments that felt earned over the past few movies. Their banter and reactions to our modern day felt more natural.
I loved the fact that in The Search for Spock, McCoy commented "I'd feel safe giving him (Spock) one of my Kidney's than what is stored in my Brain" and in The Voyage Home, he gives the woman on kidney dialysis in the hospital a tablet that helps her grow a new Kidney while wondering if it's the Dark Ages. The characterisation was everything in this film.
Chekov's scene with the "nuclear wessels" is one that only gets better as we age. As a kid, I thought it was pretty funny because it was "Chekov, saying line in funny accent". Then I got older, and realized the full weight of the socio-political time period that scene took place in, and it transformed from pretty funny to hilarious.
I like the part where Scotty tries to give verbal instructions to a computer. 37 years later not only can we do that and be understood by AI but we even have transparent aluminium.
"Your associates seem to be people of good character." Spock corrects him: "They are my friends." Then the message to his mother, relayed through his father... "Breathe easy, Mom; I'm going to be okay... I 'get it'."
I remember watching this in the theatre. When Enterprise A showed up, the whole audience applauded and cheered. It was a wonderful thing to be a part of.
This film is a great example of how to have 'a message' , instead of pushing "THE MESSAGE". A few subtle hints here and there, then leaving it there without having it front and centre of every single frame.
The thing people forget is that many Star Trek episodes didn't have a "villain", but more an obstacle to overcome. Yes, there were dangers, but no one to fight directly. "This Side of Paradise", "Operation: Annihilate" , "The Immunity Syndrome", "Amok Time". Heck, in most of the Kirk destroys computer episodes it wasn't that the original programmers were evil, just misguided and the computers really couldn't handle the subtleties of human thought and emotion.
My grandfather took me to see this at the cinema. It was the first Star Trek I saw on the big screen, and the memory of my spending time with my late grandfather will stay with me forever. One thing that's always made me chuckle is that they only used animatronic whales, but the usual sort still protested it and wrote angry letters. Sorry people in the 1980s, some things will never change.
I didn't know they were animatronic either until now! And yeah, I'm not surprised people complained. Sometimes I think that's all some people live for.
My favorite part of the movie is when Dr. McCoy, Kirk and Taylor go to rescue Chekov in the hospital. Bones' reaction to the primitive 20th century medicine is hilarious, and is totally in character for him. There's a throwaway bit where he sees a woman who's in the hospital for dialysis, and he gives her a pill. Later, she's celebrating in a wheelchair shouting, "The doctor gave me a pill and I grew a new kidney!" It does have some slapstick bits, but I do think the whole scene captures the spirit of Trek, that things can get much better in the future, and medicine is probably the area where future generations will think we were barbarians, much like Bones.
I actually thought the messaging was pretty heavy handed especially for Star Trek which usually handled things in a nuanced way but I forgive that since the rest of the movie is so darned good
@@johntabler349 I'm not sure how old you were when you saw it, but back then the call for stopping whale hunting worldwide was pretty much everywhere. TVH took that topic and made an entertaining story around it. It was just another bandwagon thing corporations still do (perhaps on steroids), but without the entertaining bit.
@@inkermoy back then there were radicals but for the most part environmental causes were grounded in sanity. It's similar in my opinion to Let that be your last Battlefield, which is an episode I like a lot but it took a very on the nose approach to racism as opposed to the more subtle but extremely effective strategy of showing diverse people working together in an environment as equals and showing it as normal. Not trying to be critical just offering my perspective
During TOS we had a number of episodes where the crew the Enterprise somehow end up in Earth's past, so IV is very in keeping with TOS. Also, most TOS episodes were NOT about space war, but were about solving quirky problems which is also what IV is about. IV is very in keeping with TOS and is only being done on a larger scale with a movie budget. IV may be a change of pace for the movies, but in many ways is the most typical of classic Trek.
This is the truth. I am a huge Kirk and ToS fan. I guess there are those who don't relate the movies with the serial. I enjoyed IV very much for the same reasons, not every story needs to be a big space battle.
Just like in The Trouble with Tribbles, Trek always needed a light moment. They're people too with days that are just humorously strange. The 20th century bits of IV are reminiscent of City on the Edge of Forever.
@@somelittlellama4186 We'd be better off learning how to speak to the other intelligent life on Earth than worrying about the life in outer space, which, if it does exist, is just going to kill us in multiple ways.
Voyage Home is my second favorite of the Trek movies, behind only Wrath of Khan. It absolutely fits with classic Star Trek's lighter episodes. Kirk's "A double dumba** on you!" is comedy gold.
@@docsavage8640 I love Undiscovered Country, I usually would put it 3rd or maybe 4th, but I like the 1986-made IV better. I think part of it is that VI, being made in 1991, looks a bit more reminiscent of TNG and DS9 in the sets and stuff, and that feels just a bit odd to me.
Wrath of Khan is my favorite because it is the most "epic-like" of the movies. At the time I hated it because of its messaging. First Contact is my 2nd favorite, because of its messaging: one flawed man gives Mankind the stars. Also I love the scene where Picard implicitly equates the Borg with the socialist slavers of the real world. "We've made too many compromises already; too many retreats. They invade our cultures and we fall back. They assimilate entire societies and we fall back. Not again. The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! And _I_ will make them pay for what they've done!" There are millions of Americans, and some Europeans, who can relate to this sentiment.
A good copy of this kind of film is 'Galaxy Quest' back in 1999. It somehow pokes fun at the Stat Trek universe while being respectful at the same time. Jason Nesmith is one of my favorite starship captions. And the all-star cast did a fantastic job, too.
Always enjoyed Star Trek on TV when I was a kid in the 70s, but it was Star Trek IV which turned me into a hard core Trekkie. The humour in the movie works with the characters being put in a fish out of water situation and environment they are not familiar with. One of the very best of the movies.
In 1986 the whaling moratorium had not started and whale populations had almost reached the point of no return. It was really quite depressing at the time. I wonder how much this film improved whales' lot? A superb Trek film as well!
It was many years before I knew the whales were animatronic models. Amazing work they did, and the way the on screen chemistry came through was great. It takes many years to have chemistry like that
Watched this film so many times as a kid. Saw it again a few years ago as an adult and loved it even more. As you pointed out, very strong writing. Quintessential 80s feel good film. A true gem.
The morbid thing about renaming the USS Yorktown to the USS Enterprise-A was that the Yorktown was shown at the beginning of the movie, and its crew didn't survive the encounter with the probe.
I watched this on VHS around the time I was recovering from a perforated stomach ulcer. It took my mind off my problems and it's still my second favourite Star Trek movie after Wrath Of Khan.
I remember sitting in the theater watching the movie and when the part of Spock entering the bus, only for moments later to exit the bus concerning "exact change" there was a person sitting in the seat before me mumbling about exact change right before Spock says the statement. At that point the person was nodding his head and whispers something to his wife (I assume) and I get the impression that not just him but many in the audience were trying to guess what might happen next in everything the characters were experiencing. The audience was getting into the film. It was an enjoyable experience.
We still need a murder mystery sequel focusing on the sudden disappearance of Dr. Gillian Taylor. What happened to her after she fled the aquarium in a rage? Did Bob Briggs murder her? Or maybe he saw the perfect opportunity to abduct her without anyone knowing. The police will have questions!
@@docsavage8640 Only until she was legally declared dead. People have been convicted for murder without a body. But, yes, until that point, it would be a missing person investigation. As the last person to see her, Bob Briggs would still top the suspect list though.
She found Willard Decker in the wreckage of V'Ger after the crew of her science vessel was killed in an ion storm. They accidentally went on a time traveling adventure back in the 20th century. When they were ultimately stranded in the past, they fell in love, got married, and he became a minister and she a housewife.
After the dark tone of the previous two films, it was nice to see the cast having a bit of fun. It kind of reminds me of "Tomorrow is Yesterday." Each cast member got a chance to shine. It is purely 80's, but any time travel film is going to be locked into the era it is set in. I still enjoy this movie today, because I am an 80's kid.
I consider this my favorite movie, as it feels the most like the series. I do wish Takei's scenes, where he meets his great-great-grandfather were not lost.
I had the chance to watch this film in the theaters when it first came out. At the time I was living in a community where a very large percentage of the community were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is that scene where Spock was wearing his traditional Vulcan robes and Dr. Taylor asks Admiral Kirk what is up with his friend, and Kirk, slightly misremembering his history tells her, "Oh, him? He's harmless. Back in the sixties, he was part of the free speech movement at Berkeley. I think he did a little too much LDS." The auditorium absolutely ROCKED with laughter. I think the audience was delighted that not only was there a truly funny joke that referenced their faith in a Star Trek film, but that it was all in good fun without being even the slightest bit derogatory or having any mean spiritedness. I could hear a couple of people repeating the joke to each other and laughing as I left the cineplex. I remember the experience and the film quite fondly. Thanks Dave!
I think Nicholas Meyer deserved so much praise for his contribution to this film as well as II and VI. I highly recommend one of his earlier films 'Time After Time' which had a lot of parallels to The Voyage Home. Meyer's interviews are also incredibly wonderful to watch, great sense of humour and very intellectual in knowing how an audience's mind works and to surprise them with a real dry wit.
In 1986 I was 21 and working in the West End of London. I went to see this movie after work in Leicester Square and found myself sitting behind a middle-aged couple who were obviously huge Trek fans. When the Alexander Courage theme struck up at the beginning, the man briefly bounced in his seat with excitement. That's how wonderful it was to see these films back then. What a happy time.
This is my favorite of the ST films. The film, being shot in San Francisco, missed an absolutely golden opportunity! I would have loved to see a seen where Kirk and Spock spot a "fellow" in only chaps and wondering if he is an extraterrestrial, they follow him into a leather bar to ask him. They both enter, the door closes and instantly (sharp cut edit), they both exit looking astonishingly perplexed! Spock turns to Kirk and says, "It's life Captain. But not as we know it!"
Great analysis. I didn't mind the "center" portion of the film set in the past, but honestly it was the beginning and ending sandwich parts I found the most intriguing: the brief scene of the USS Saratoga and crew, Spock's computer training regime, the Klingon ambassador tearing into Kirk's actions, Spock's farewell to his father, and the "ta-da!" of the new Enterprise at the end all make up why I just love those Harve Bennett portions of the film.
It was a chance to sit back and just indulgently enjoy the original cast of Star Trek characters that we had grown so fond of over the years. This was the pinnacle moment of the franchise history for that, as no other cast from any of the other Star Trek series acheived as much endearment as this cast did
Sadly, we can't ask Leonard Nimoy if he read Douglas 'Adams' book, or if he ever commented on it. You're not crazy to like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy though!@@solidoffortitude
Voyage Home is good because it’s fun. Not necessarily _funny,_ but fun. They don’t take themselves too seriously (normally), and they take advantage of the characters they have. Anyone could have been captured, but they knew it had to be Chekhov.
What always amazed me, even now so long later is how well those whales look .. because except for a couple of wildlife shots or shots from whaling documentaries there were no real whales in the movie
I loved that they gave Uhura an opportunity to display her skills with audio tech when she had to adjust the probe signal for sea density. That hasn't happened since the original series when she had to climb into the the crawl space under her consul and repair circuitry with a space soldering gun.
The true brilliance of this film is that they time travel back to the (then) present day. Even though I'm sure this was done for budgetary reasons, we now have a perfect time capsule of 1986. There was no need to produce any sets or to recreate any clothing or hairstyles from the period, which no matter how well it was done, you can always tell. And yes, I agree that this worked well as a change of pace film, but you can only do that so many times.
@@22BOZIDAR yeah but imagine that the whale probe is asking for an update on the mission to colonize earth……. And we play back a Nat Geo, recording of two adult humpbacks on migration yelling at their calves that “we’ll get there when we get there! “
I remember seeing this film as a young man on opening night. Star Trek IV came out shortly after the Challenger explosion which really shook up the USA at the time. Its message, positivity, & light hearted humor was such a warm welcome.
This is my favorite movie from the TOS movies. Modern trek should take note: You don’t need a lot of special effects to have a good star trek story! Just tell a good story!
I decided to watch it. The introductory orchestral soundtrack as the credits roll just baffled me. I had forgotten how great the original movies were. They put you in such an excellent mood. You want to call family members, you want to sit by a fireplace after a long day at work. Thank you!
I’m still trying to figure out how LT. Saavik was able to be miles away from the departing Bird of Prey, watching. Only seconds before she was on the ship talking - and she wasn’t seen beaming out.
I finally got my wife to watch all the movies, even the first one. IV is probably my second favorite and just barely after Wrath. It also has one of my favorite lines in all of these movies and any movie “let me guess you’re from outer space? No, I’m from Iowa, I work in outer space.”
The scene where the Enterprise A is revealed and there is a reprise of Alexander Courage theme, is one of my favorite scenes in all of cinema. My friends we've come home.
I do love that premise that an intelligence might come to visit or communicate with a species OTHER than us. As a kid I used to think it was narcissistic of us to imagine we are the only beings of depth and interest on this planet.
I, like so many, saw STIV in the theater and I was hooked. I saw the many other films and I started to watch the beloved TV show which I love to this day. The original cast and films are the best!
I find myself watching these "old classics" more and more these days. I think it's funny that you (Dave) have been doing a lot of reviews lately of them. It shows the terrible state we are in these days with a lack of good quality content. Yes. The "good ole days" may be a real thing.
This one stood out the most I think. It didn't have a main villain, just a destructive force, ironically not even trying to cause destruction and not aware that it is. Only movie that involved traveling through time in the original star trek, and easily the funniest out of all of them. And it's funny without being absurd or silly. Because it's just well written and the characters don't act out of character. One of the best feel good endings as well. Kirk is demoted, which is what he wanted anyway, Spock makes up with his father, the whales prevent the destruction of the Earth and are no longer extinct anymore, and Gillian makes a new path for herself. And you'd think she and Kirk would get together, but I feel that might be too predictable. Not every woman he is with has to be romantically involved, too. Just a good bye kiss, that's all that's needed, although I do wish we saw her at some point in the future.
You're right, the comedy works because it comes out of the characters. This movie is similar in many ways to Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, which was also much more lighthearted than its predecessors and worked because the humour was genuinely funny and often delightful. That movie also made a perfect, satisfying ending to the trilogy.
@@mroctober3657 Indeed. I love it that the last time Indiana Jones appears on the screen is as he rides off into the sunset with his Dad, Marcus & Sallah -- absolute perfection.
What makes the OG film series so great is that each of the six movies is so unique in terms of story and style. After First Contact, every Next Gen and reboot film was a "revenge" story
Yeah this is my favourite of the TOS crew movies, the tone and style of the film reminded me of the tone and style of such classic TOS episodes like 'The Trouble with Tribbles' and 'Piece of the Action'. Have to say kind of glad that Murphy bowed out, did not know that about the production, I think Catherine Hicks and her character was a great part of the movie.
I heard the probe originally was a blue sea color with coral and shells on it to make it appear it came from a world dominated by sea life. But they took all of it off and painted it black to make it more menacing.
I enjoyed this film in theaters (It was long before I was red-pilled.), and I still do. It was character driven and had enough clever lines and developments so that it withstands a rewatch. Sulu having trouble with the Bird of Prey: "I got used to the Huey." Scotty to McCoy: "How do we know he didn't invent it (transparent aluminum)?" Chekov's interrogation scene. Good stuff.
Interesting side note when Scotty and Doc. Mc Coy get the plastic needed to transport the whales they get it by giving the formula for transparent aluminum. Transparent aluminum now exists!
I was in grade school when this movie came out - the whole "save the whales" schtick was pretty prevalent at the time (even at 10 years old I thought it was a little over the top and cliche, used to sell things and convince others to change their behavior through do-goodism). I didn't see this movie until I was in my early 20's, and I was pleasantly surprised, and now I can't really watch this film without watching the entire unofficial trilogy of II through IV. Definitely always worth watching when I see it on TV - the humor is great and not overdone, as you stated, and appropriate for the story.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was my introduction into Star Trek, the first one I watched, and IMO the perfect representation of what Star Trek is. It didn't NEED a villain or an epic battle or any violence and yet it has high stakes and it. WORKS. Also, I found that the dark cylindrical probe looked like a mix between two different snack treats, Devil Dogs and Swiss Rolls. I wouldn't say Kirk got snubbed so much as she was assigned elsewhere and the writers never brought her back. The comics show them spending time together. This movie is a good ending to the Genesis Trilogy, after the dark storytelling of Wrath of Kahn and Search for Spock, this more light-hearted story was a refresher and a good way to end a mostly dark 3-part storyline.
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You forgot to mention that Star Trek VI is really good. All other points are valid.
Been a fan of your work sir. I watched Star Trek 3-6 in theater with my late father...Along with many amazing pieces of work that was our youth. I tip my hat sir.
I also have watched almost all of OG Who (Tom Baker!) and (some of new), Blakes 7, Babylon5, Firefly,Xfiles, Fringe..... and of course all of the Star Trek series PRE JJ Abrams moves.....
Eddie Murphy did NOT turn down the role. He was very insistent on taking taking the role. Nimoy said NO. Paramount gave him The Golden Child instead. Get your facts straight
Have you reviewed all TNG movies yet?
I can’t find a playlist on UA-cam.
OG Star Trek had lots of experience of Science Fiction Star Trek in the past earth from a number of tv episodes. Maybe those past experiences helped with keep it star trek in a then modern setting of 1980s.
IV Demonstrated the strength of years of good character development. You could take these people out of their ship, uniforms, and setting, put them in a fish out of water story and watching them interact and solve problems together felt every bit like Star Trek.
💯 it ONLY works because we know these characters so well
yip - zero sympathy for hard-core trekkies that don't like this film
Great point
Yep! I truly love this movie.
and Nimoy directed it
I just gotta point out how much I respect that they destroyed the enterprise, and KEPT IT DESTROYED for one whole movie.
What was pretty cool was the comic book series that started post-Wrath had Saavik as part of the regular crew. Then post-Search Kirk was in command of the Excelsior for years of comics until Star Trek IV gave us NCC-1701A.
It stayed destroyed, the Enterprise A was a completely different ship.
Too bad they couldn't do that with Spock.
The Enterprise was already scrapped by Starfleet in ST3, after being shot up by Khan in ST2; despite being completely refit and overhauled in ST1.
@@SovereignStatesman there's at least a decade or maybe a dozen years between ST1 ST2. The upgraded Enterprise lasted for a while, even longer than A, B, C, or D.
As a movie Trope, It's been overdone...
What I remember is leaving the theater, thinking, "They really captured the humor of Star Trek with this one." The line that cemented it for me was, "Everybody remember where we parked."
“Don’t tell me, you’re from outer space” “no, I’m from Iowa. I only work in outer space” classic Kirk
“Obviously too much LDS at Berkeley.” Will never get old for me.
I've always considered "Star Trek IV: Save the Whales!" a breath of fresh air in the movie series. For once, the rest of the cast got to do something besides react and "run lines." Kirk Thatcher as "the Punk on the bus with the Boombox," came up with a "fake Punk" song that continues to resound over the decades. Mr. Scott gets to "address the computer," Hikaru Sulu flies a helicopter, Chekov and Uhura get to spy on "nuclear wessels," Dr. McCoy gets to trash "20th century medicine," then there are the "colorful metaphors" made famous by "The Literary Masters," Harold Robbins and Jacquelyn Susann! Nothing like having fun while saving the world...again.;)
Also, it was about time they had an installment that reflected the lighthearted episodes
Yeah I agree. This movie worked because we had a lot of character moments that felt earned over the past few movies. Their banter and reactions to our modern day felt more natural.
I loved the fact that in The Search for Spock, McCoy commented "I'd feel safe giving him (Spock) one of my Kidney's than what is stored in my Brain" and in The Voyage Home, he gives the woman on kidney dialysis in the hospital a tablet that helps her grow a new Kidney while wondering if it's the Dark Ages. The characterisation was everything in this film.
Chekov's scene with the "nuclear wessels" is one that only gets better as we age.
As a kid, I thought it was pretty funny because it was "Chekov, saying line in funny accent".
Then I got older, and realized the full weight of the socio-political time period that scene took place in, and it transformed from pretty funny to hilarious.
And don't forget the true star of the show: Madeleine!
I like the part where Scotty tries to give verbal instructions to a computer. 37 years later not only can we do that and be understood by AI but we even have transparent aluminium.
where do you think we got the transparent aluminium from?
"How do we know he didn't invent it?"😊
@@JamesRDavenport "Why? How do we know he didn't invent the thing?"
He was only a couple of decades out coming from 300 years in the future. Pretty respectable margin of error.
We have transparent aluminum?
Missed one of the best moments: Spock and Sarek reconciled.
"Tell my mother I feel fine."
That was a great bit. So concise. One could even call it logical.
@@docsavage8640 With just a soupcon of emotion. Hanging around with humans will do that.
"Your associates seem to be people of good character."
Spock corrects him: "They are my friends."
Then the message to his mother, relayed through his father... "Breathe easy, Mom; I'm going to be okay... I 'get it'."
@@graceskerp
It has to me, too.
They cared about the franchise and thought about what they were making. I miss that level of professionalism and pride.
I remember watching this in the theatre. When Enterprise A showed up, the whole audience applauded and cheered. It was a wonderful thing to be a part of.
After 2 and 3, we really needed a pick-up story. This is one of my favorites.
Every time I think of Eddie Murphy being in this movie, I immediately remember Superman 3 with Richard Pryor
"Star Trek - The one with the Whales" is definitively the funniest one 😁
STAR TREK 2025: THE ONE WITH THE SEARCH FOR CHANDLER🤣🤣🤣
This one's for you Mr. Perry. May your death be avenged because it's a dish best served cold.
This film is a great example of how to have 'a message' , instead of pushing "THE MESSAGE". A few subtle hints here and there, then leaving it there without having it front and centre of every single frame.
The thing people forget is that many Star Trek episodes didn't have a "villain", but more an obstacle to overcome. Yes, there were dangers, but no one to fight directly. "This Side of Paradise", "Operation: Annihilate" , "The Immunity Syndrome", "Amok Time". Heck, in most of the Kirk destroys computer episodes it wasn't that the original programmers were evil, just misguided and the computers really couldn't handle the subtleties of human thought and emotion.
I agree and that is why ST IV is quintessential Star Trek with a little more humor.
Not to mention, that it was hardly out of character for ST to have a 'light' or straight-up funny episode, every so often.
@@anthonylogiudice9215how many franchises can get away with "a massive weapon is here destroying our planet. Why don't you go ask it to please stop."
My grandfather took me to see this at the cinema. It was the first Star Trek I saw on the big screen, and the memory of my spending time with my late grandfather will stay with me forever.
One thing that's always made me chuckle is that they only used animatronic whales, but the usual sort still protested it and wrote angry letters. Sorry people in the 1980s, some things will never change.
I didn't even know they were animatronic until reading about it this year. They were well done.
@docsavage8640 of course! It was ILM!
I didn't know they were animatronic either until now! And yeah, I'm not surprised people complained. Sometimes I think that's all some people live for.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
It was the only one my dad bought on VHS while I was growing up...saw most of them in theaters, but that's the only one he bought.
My favorite part of the movie is when Dr. McCoy, Kirk and Taylor go to rescue Chekov in the hospital. Bones' reaction to the primitive 20th century medicine is hilarious, and is totally in character for him. There's a throwaway bit where he sees a woman who's in the hospital for dialysis, and he gives her a pill. Later, she's celebrating in a wheelchair shouting, "The doctor gave me a pill and I grew a new kidney!" It does have some slapstick bits, but I do think the whole scene captures the spirit of Trek, that things can get much better in the future, and medicine is probably the area where future generations will think we were barbarians, much like Bones.
That's how we look at medicine from 300 years ago, it fits.
Some actual good fun family entertainment with an environmental message that doesn’t punch you in the face.
I actually thought the messaging was pretty heavy handed especially for Star Trek which usually handled things in a nuanced way but I forgive that since the rest of the movie is so darned good
@@johntabler349 I'm not sure how old you were when you saw it, but back then the call for stopping whale hunting worldwide was pretty much everywhere. TVH took that topic and made an entertaining story around it. It was just another bandwagon thing corporations still do (perhaps on steroids), but without the entertaining bit.
@@inkermoyI recall save the whales on everything
At least they didn't ask the whales for their pronouns. @@johntabler349
@@inkermoy back then there were radicals but for the most part environmental causes were grounded in sanity. It's similar in my opinion to Let that be your last Battlefield, which is an episode I like a lot but it took a very on the nose approach to racism as opposed to the more subtle but extremely effective strategy of showing diverse people working together in an environment as equals and showing it as normal. Not trying to be critical just offering my perspective
During TOS we had a number of episodes where the crew the Enterprise somehow end up in Earth's past, so IV is very in keeping with TOS. Also, most TOS episodes were NOT about space war, but were about solving quirky problems which is also what IV is about. IV is very in keeping with TOS and is only being done on a larger scale with a movie budget. IV may be a change of pace for the movies, but in many ways is the most typical of classic Trek.
This is the truth. I am a huge Kirk and ToS fan. I guess there are those who don't relate the movies with the serial. I enjoyed IV very much for the same reasons, not every story needs to be a big space battle.
Exactly, and thank you.. I was gonna post the same thing :)
Just like in The Trouble with Tribbles, Trek always needed a light moment. They're people too with days that are just humorously strange. The 20th century bits of IV are reminiscent of City on the Edge of Forever.
I always loved the fact that, even though humanity was exploring the stars, they still couldn’t figure out the language of the humpback whales.
Well, they have never TRIED.
I think they did in the novel, "Probe".
And then Spock comes along and communicates easily with them.
Days ago there was an actual news saying they hoped that, learning the language of whales can help us to understand eventual alien languages.
@@somelittlellama4186 We'd be better off learning how to speak to the other intelligent life on Earth than worrying about the life in outer space, which, if it does exist, is just going to kill us in multiple ways.
I have nothing but love for this film. It's in the same bracket as The Goonies, where critical analysis doesn't even apply, it's pure joy
Voyage Home is my second favorite of the Trek movies, behind only Wrath of Khan. It absolutely fits with classic Star Trek's lighter episodes. Kirk's "A double dumba** on you!" is comedy gold.
I rate it #3 after II and VI. Very close with III.
@@docsavage8640 I love Undiscovered Country, I usually would put it 3rd or maybe 4th, but I like the 1986-made IV better. I think part of it is that VI, being made in 1991, looks a bit more reminiscent of TNG and DS9 in the sets and stuff, and that feels just a bit odd to me.
Wrath of Khan is my favorite because it is the most "epic-like" of the movies. At the time I hated it because of its messaging.
First Contact is my 2nd favorite, because of its messaging: one flawed man gives Mankind the stars.
Also I love the scene where Picard implicitly equates the Borg with the socialist slavers of the real world.
"We've made too many compromises already; too many retreats. They invade our cultures and we fall back. They assimilate entire societies and we fall back. Not again. The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! And _I_ will make them pay for what they've done!"
There are millions of Americans, and some Europeans, who can relate to this sentiment.
That alien cigar shape probe was similar to Oumuamua that recently passed Earth.
That was eerie how much that thing looked like the probe from this movie.
A good copy of this kind of film is 'Galaxy Quest' back in 1999. It somehow pokes fun at the Stat Trek universe while being respectful at the same time. Jason Nesmith is one of my favorite starship captions. And the all-star cast did a fantastic job, too.
Galaxy Quest also poked fun at the real relationship between the TOS cast, which is funny.
Always enjoyed Star Trek on TV when I was a kid in the 70s, but it was Star Trek IV which turned me into a hard core Trekkie.
The humour in the movie works with the characters being put in a fish out of water situation and environment they are not familiar with.
One of the very best of the movies.
"Well a double dumbass on you!" one of the greatest quotes of James T Kirk.
I was middle school age in 1986 and I really loved watching this movie over and over again.
In 1986 the whaling moratorium had not started and whale populations had almost reached the point of no return. It was really quite depressing at the time. I wonder how much this film improved whales' lot? A superb Trek film as well!
It still amazes me that it took that long. We didn't _need_ to hunt whales since kerosene became a thing in the 1850s.
@@harbl99 Some people just want to kill beautiful creatures (who are probably smarter than the humans hunting them).
...and they still do...and are
Probably my favorite Star Trek movie.
Great stuff.
I can't even begin to express how much fun that movie was! 😎
It was many years before I knew the whales were animatronic models. Amazing work they did, and the way the on screen chemistry came through was great. It takes many years to have chemistry like that
Watched this film so many times as a kid. Saw it again a few years ago as an adult and loved it even more. As you pointed out, very strong writing. Quintessential 80s feel good film. A true gem.
The morbid thing about renaming the USS Yorktown to the USS Enterprise-A was that the Yorktown was shown at the beginning of the movie, and its crew didn't survive the encounter with the probe.
Compared to what trek is now all the TOS films are bangers. I still enjoy rewatching them, yes even 5, as they still never fail to entertain.
I watched this on VHS around the time I was recovering from a perforated stomach ulcer. It took my mind off my problems and it's still my second favourite Star Trek movie after Wrath Of Khan.
I remember sitting in the theater watching the movie and when the part of Spock entering the bus, only for moments later to exit the bus concerning "exact change" there was a person sitting in the seat before me mumbling about exact change right before Spock says the statement. At that point the person was nodding his head and whispers something to his wife (I assume) and I get the impression that not just him but many in the audience were trying to guess what might happen next in everything the characters were experiencing. The audience was getting into the film. It was an enjoyable experience.
We still need a murder mystery sequel focusing on the sudden disappearance of Dr. Gillian Taylor. What happened to her after she fled the aquarium in a rage? Did Bob Briggs murder her? Or maybe he saw the perfect opportunity to abduct her without anyone knowing. The police will have questions!
That would be a missing persons case. No evidence of murder or reason to believe she is dead. But it would be really weird how she just vanished.
@@docsavage8640 Only until she was legally declared dead. People have been convicted for murder without a body. But, yes, until that point, it would be a missing person investigation. As the last person to see her, Bob Briggs would still top the suspect list though.
@@e.j.vkanty4482 Would his situation improve or not when they find her abandoned vehicle in Golden Gate Park?
Greg Cox is actually currently working on a Star Trek novel with pretty much that premise.
She found Willard Decker in the wreckage of V'Ger after the crew of her science vessel was killed in an ion storm. They accidentally went on a time traveling adventure back in the 20th century. When they were ultimately stranded in the past, they fell in love, got married, and he became a minister and she a housewife.
After the dark tone of the previous two films, it was nice to see the cast having a bit of fun. It kind of reminds me of "Tomorrow is Yesterday." Each cast member got a chance to shine. It is purely 80's, but any time travel film is going to be locked into the era it is set in. I still enjoy this movie today, because I am an 80's kid.
"It is purely 80s" -- that's why it's so good.
I consider this my favorite movie, as it feels the most like the series.
I do wish Takei's scenes, where he meets his great-great-grandfather were not lost.
I had the chance to watch this film in the theaters when it first came out. At the time I was living in a community where a very large percentage of the community were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is that scene where Spock was wearing his traditional Vulcan robes and Dr. Taylor asks Admiral Kirk what is up with his friend, and Kirk, slightly misremembering his history tells her, "Oh, him? He's harmless. Back in the sixties, he was part of the free speech movement at Berkeley. I think he did a little too much LDS." The auditorium absolutely ROCKED with laughter. I think the audience was delighted that not only was there a truly funny joke that referenced their faith in a Star Trek film, but that it was all in good fun without being even the slightest bit derogatory or having any mean spiritedness. I could hear a couple of people repeating the joke to each other and laughing as I left the cineplex. I remember the experience and the film quite fondly. Thanks Dave!
Except, LDS is the short form of the Latin for the sixties British monies: pounds shillings and pence (£.s.d)
I think Nicholas Meyer deserved so much praise for his contribution to this film as well as II and VI. I highly recommend one of his earlier films 'Time After Time' which had a lot of parallels to The Voyage Home. Meyer's interviews are also incredibly wonderful to watch, great sense of humour and very intellectual in knowing how an audience's mind works and to surprise them with a real dry wit.
Time after Time is a great hidden gem of a movie.
I remember the title and that I liked it... now I'm going to have to go refresh my memory on what it was about.
Love the 2/3/4 Trilogy.
I like the scene of Spock and Sarek at the end a lot. “Your associates are people of good character”…..Spock says “They are my friends” 👍🏽
In 1986 I was 21 and working in the West End of London. I went to see this movie after work in Leicester Square and found myself sitting behind a middle-aged couple who were obviously huge Trek fans. When the Alexander Courage theme struck up at the beginning, the man briefly bounced in his seat with excitement. That's how wonderful it was to see these films back then. What a happy time.
I was 6 when this came out. It started my love of Star Trek.
Remember when characters were fun, and interesting, and you a whole film could be based around basically hanging out with them for a couple hours.
This is my favorite of the ST films.
The film, being shot in San Francisco, missed an absolutely golden opportunity! I would have loved to see a seen where Kirk and Spock spot a "fellow" in only chaps and wondering if he is an extraterrestrial, they follow him into a leather bar to ask him. They both enter, the door closes and instantly (sharp cut edit), they both exit looking astonishingly perplexed! Spock turns to Kirk and says, "It's life Captain. But not as we know it!"
Always loved this one as a kid, but pretty much enjoyed them all as a Star Trek fan.
It’s like they said, “Hey, let’s remake Star Trek I, but make it a comedy!”
Was a damn great film back in the day!
Great analysis. I didn't mind the "center" portion of the film set in the past, but honestly it was the beginning and ending sandwich parts I found the most intriguing: the brief scene of the USS Saratoga and crew, Spock's computer training regime, the Klingon ambassador tearing into Kirk's actions, Spock's farewell to his father, and the "ta-da!" of the new Enterprise at the end all make up why I just love those Harve Bennett portions of the film.
The real whales were the friends we made along the way.
😂👍 And learning to work as a team!
@@theelder4797my favorte marine mammals
The real team were the whales we friends along the way
Did you just called me fat?
Haha that's a good one 😂
I love this film so much, a real masterpiece and immensely satisfying for OG series fans. Nothing about this film to dislike unless your crazy...
It was a chance to sit back and just indulgently enjoy the original cast of Star Trek characters that we had grown so fond of over the years. This was the pinnacle moment of the franchise history for that, as no other cast from any of the other Star Trek series acheived as much endearment as this cast did
I am not crazy, but I find it plagiarizing from "So long and thanks for all the fish".
Sadly, we can't ask Leonard Nimoy if he read Douglas 'Adams' book, or if he ever commented on it. You're not crazy to like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy though!@@solidoffortitude
I think you're crazy. It was a stupid save the whales movie. Your iq might be a bit cold
Lots of funny one-liners. And a good romp. It's a Star Trek movie to give you some time to relax between catastrophes.
Voyage Home is good because it’s fun. Not necessarily _funny,_ but fun. They don’t take themselves too seriously (normally), and they take advantage of the characters they have. Anyone could have been captured, but they knew it had to be Chekhov.
What always amazed me, even now so long later is how well those whales look .. because except for a couple of wildlife shots or shots from whaling documentaries there were no real whales in the movie
as with the dinos in original Jurassic Park
I loved that they gave Uhura an opportunity to display her skills with audio tech when she had to adjust the probe signal for sea density.
That hasn't happened since the original series when she had to climb into the the crawl space under her consul and repair circuitry with a space soldering gun.
and on an alien vessel, no less!
The true brilliance of this film is that they time travel back to the (then) present day. Even though I'm sure this was done for budgetary reasons, we now have a perfect time capsule of 1986. There was no need to produce any sets or to recreate any clothing or hairstyles from the period, which no matter how well it was done, you can always tell. And yes, I agree that this worked well as a change of pace film, but you can only do that so many times.
"If my suspicions are correct, there can be no response to this message." Always found that statement so chilling coming from Spock.
Surprising that they couldn't replicate whale language, but could slingshot around the sun to travel back in time.
I think they explained this as they would just be talking jiberish.
I think they should have just played the national geograhic record.
@@22BOZIDAR yeah but imagine that the whale probe is asking for an update on the mission to colonize earth……. And we play back a Nat Geo, recording of two adult humpbacks on migration yelling at their calves that “we’ll get there when we get there! “
I remember seeing this film as a young man on opening night. Star Trek IV came out shortly after the Challenger explosion which really shook up the USA at the time. Its message, positivity, & light hearted humor was such a warm welcome.
This is my favorite "TOS" ST movies. "Well Double Damn on you!" :)
I unironically adore this movie.
This is my favorite movie from the TOS movies. Modern trek should take note: You don’t need a lot of special effects to have a good star trek story! Just tell a good story!
The "fish out of water" theme was very popular in movies back then. It was easy humor.
Character development is why I love ST 2, 3, 4, 6.
I decided to watch it. The introductory orchestral soundtrack as the credits roll just baffled me. I had forgotten how great the original movies were. They put you in such an excellent mood. You want to call family members, you want to sit by a fireplace after a long day at work. Thank you!
I’m still trying to figure out how LT. Saavik was able to be miles away from the departing Bird of Prey, watching. Only seconds before she was on the ship talking - and she wasn’t seen beaming out.
This film brought back Star Trek back to prominence imo and helped pave the way for TNG.
I finally got my wife to watch all the movies, even the first one. IV is probably my second favorite and just barely after Wrath. It also has one of my favorite lines in all of these movies and any movie “let me guess you’re from outer space? No, I’m from Iowa, I work in outer space.”
The scene where the Enterprise A is revealed and there is a reprise of Alexander Courage theme, is one of my favorite scenes in all of cinema. My friends we've come home.
Nuclear wessels
I do love that premise that an intelligence might come to visit or communicate with a species OTHER than us. As a kid I used to think it was narcissistic of us to imagine we are the only beings of depth and interest on this planet.
There is a comic called Debt of Honor by Claremont and Adam Hughes that show Kirk and Madeleine together.
I, like so many, saw STIV in the theater and I was hooked. I saw the many other films and I started to watch the beloved TV show which I love to this day. The original cast and films are the best!
I find myself watching these "old classics" more and more these days. I think it's funny that you (Dave) have been doing a lot of reviews lately of them. It shows the terrible state we are in these days with a lack of good quality content. Yes. The "good ole days" may be a real thing.
This one stood out the most I think. It didn't have a main villain, just a destructive force, ironically not even trying to cause destruction and not aware that it is. Only movie that involved traveling through time in the original star trek, and easily the funniest out of all of them. And it's funny without being absurd or silly. Because it's just well written and the characters don't act out of character.
One of the best feel good endings as well. Kirk is demoted, which is what he wanted anyway, Spock makes up with his father, the whales prevent the destruction of the Earth and are no longer extinct anymore, and Gillian makes a new path for herself. And you'd think she and Kirk would get together, but I feel that might be too predictable. Not every woman he is with has to be romantically involved, too. Just a good bye kiss, that's all that's needed, although I do wish we saw her at some point in the future.
This is what we need now family fun, light hearted movies
Loved that movie, "Double dumb ass on you"
This is one of my personal favorites.
It’s a fun movie, good drama/comedy balance. Some great dialogue too
You're right, the comedy works because it comes out of the characters. This movie is similar in many ways to Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, which was also much more lighthearted than its predecessors and worked because the humour was genuinely funny and often delightful. That movie also made a perfect, satisfying ending to the trilogy.
I'm just relieved they never made any more movies after Crusade.
@@mroctober3657 Indeed. I love it that the last time Indiana Jones appears on the screen is as he rides off into the sunset with his Dad, Marcus & Sallah -- absolute perfection.
My fave!!!!!!
Edit: "....he did too much LDS...."😂😂😂😂
Kirk is the Prince of Whales. 🙃
It makes me smile how I simply read the phrase "the one with the whales" and instantly knew which Star Trek movie you meant.
Love all the “old” Trek stuff and this one is a gem. Could watch it anytime from any point in the movie
The bit with the mouse is the most memorable part of the movie to me, for some reason. Well done.
This movie always reminded me of the light-hearted episodes like The Trouble with Tribbles and the Harry Mudd ones.
What makes the OG film series so great is that each of the six movies is so unique in terms of story and style. After First Contact, every Next Gen and reboot film was a "revenge" story
“Now wait just a damn minute……..” 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Yeah this is my favourite of the TOS crew movies, the tone and style of the film reminded me of the tone and style of such classic TOS episodes like 'The Trouble with Tribbles' and 'Piece of the Action'. Have to say kind of glad that Murphy bowed out, did not know that about the production, I think Catherine Hicks and her character was a great part of the movie.
@doberski6855: Hicks had a nicely wholesome presence which fitted in well.
I heard the probe originally was a blue sea color with coral and shells on it to make it appear it came from a world dominated by sea life. But they took all of it off and painted it black to make it more menacing.
I loved this one! "Computer, hello computer?" I do that with my mouse at least once a month 😂
Some of the lite hearted highlights of the film include...
"double dumb-ass on you"
I enjoyed this film in theaters (It was long before I was red-pilled.), and I still do. It was character driven and had enough clever lines and developments so that it withstands a rewatch. Sulu having trouble with the Bird of Prey: "I got used to the Huey." Scotty to McCoy: "How do we know he didn't invent it (transparent aluminum)?" Chekov's interrogation scene. Good stuff.
Interesting side note when Scotty and Doc. Mc Coy get the plastic needed to transport the whales they get it by giving the formula for transparent aluminum. Transparent aluminum now exists!
I was in grade school when this movie came out - the whole "save the whales" schtick was pretty prevalent at the time (even at 10 years old I thought it was a little over the top and cliche, used to sell things and convince others to change their behavior through do-goodism). I didn't see this movie until I was in my early 20's, and I was pleasantly surprised, and now I can't really watch this film without watching the entire unofficial trilogy of II through IV. Definitely always worth watching when I see it on TV - the humor is great and not overdone, as you stated, and appropriate for the story.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was my introduction into Star Trek, the first one I watched, and IMO the perfect representation of what Star Trek is. It didn't NEED a villain or an epic battle or any violence and yet it has high stakes and it. WORKS. Also, I found that the dark cylindrical probe looked like a mix between two different snack treats, Devil Dogs and Swiss Rolls. I wouldn't say Kirk got snubbed so much as she was assigned elsewhere and the writers never brought her back. The comics show them spending time together. This movie is a good ending to the Genesis Trilogy, after the dark storytelling of Wrath of Kahn and Search for Spock, this more light-hearted story was a refresher and a good way to end a mostly dark 3-part storyline.
Was my introduction to Star Trek as well and it’ll always be a favorite :)
@@thomaszink4406 Same, in fact, imho, ST4 is the perfect representation of Roddenberry's Star Trek.
I always thought the Probe looked like a Cadburys mini roll ;)