Dec 10, 2019
Star Trek: The Motion Picture on the big screen.
Forty years ago, Star Trek boldly went where it had never gone
before: the cinema. A commercial hit—thanks in large part to
feverish anticipation by fans whose dedication to The Original
Series that had grown steadily since the show left the airwaves 10
years earlier—The Motion Picture proved less successful with
critics. Over the years, its reputation with fans sunk lower and
lower. Compared with the ballsy action and emotional drama of The
Wrath of Khan, the The Motion Picture came to be seen as a misstep
into hard science fiction. It is too long, ponderous, and
emotionally distant. many say. In recent years, however, its stock
has begun to rise. Today, Star Trek’s first big-screen outing is
often seen a film that, while unusual , is an absolutely crucial
installment in Trek canon. Poetic and soulful in its serious
attempt to conjure the truly alien and unknown, 40 years after its
premiere, The Motion Picture is gaining newfound respect.
In this episode of Primitive Culture, recorded live at the Prince Charles Cinema in London’s West End, host Duncan Barrett is joined by Drew Barker, Dana Kazim, and Ben Keeling at an anniversary screening of Star Trek: The Motion Picture to reflect on our own experiences of witnessing the film on the big screen for the first time. Of the six movies featuring the cast of The Original Series, the first perhaps benefits most from a theatrical presentation—even if the old 1979 prints now show significant signs of wear and tear. In our discussion, we consider how our opinions of the movie have shifted over the years, what we look for in Star Trek at the cinema, and how The Motion Picture fits into broader Trek canon.
Chapters
Intro (00:00:00)
Cinematic First Contacts (00:15:35)
The Perfect Trek Movie (00:21:00)
Just Beginning? (00:29:33)
Hosts
Duncan Barrett
Guests
Drew Barker, Dana Kazim, and Ben Keeling
Production
Duncan Barrett (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive
Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive
Producer) Tony Black (Associate Producer) Clara Cook (Associate
Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Amy Nelson (Associate
Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager)