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(TV announcer)
The "Star Trek" USS Enterprise
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gift set with command chair,
console,
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00:00:04,078 --> 00:00:05,162
three telescreen cards,
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00:00:05,246 --> 00:00:07,914
and five "Star Trek"
action figures.
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(narrator)
Years after its cancellation,
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00:00:09,584 --> 00:00:11,844
the only new "Star Trek"
characters on TV
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were about six inches tall
and made of plastic.
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(TV announcer)
"Star Trek" action figures
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also sold separately.
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(narrator)
With no new series,
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00:00:19,010 --> 00:00:20,686
Gene Roddenberry could
only watch
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00:00:20,770 --> 00:00:23,430
as other people
got rich off his idea.
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- The sold $12 million worth
of toys the first year
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on a toy line
of a television show
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that was off the air
for half a decade.
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(narrator)
Desperate, Gene went cap in hand
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00:00:32,607 --> 00:00:34,775
to Paramount looking for
a piece of the action,
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00:00:34,859 --> 00:00:37,194
but instead...
- They said, "For 150,000,
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why don't you just buy
everything?"
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(narrator)
A good deal for a franchise
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that's now worth $4 billion.
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- He could've been
the George Lucas of "Star Trek,"
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but right at that time, he
couldn't come up with the cash.
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(narrator) But don't worry.
Help is on the way.
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- Somebody's gotta write
the goddamn script.
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(narrator)
Sort of.
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♪♪
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So beam aboard and hold on tight
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as we boldly go into the depths
of "Star Trek."
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And you can see it all from here
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in "The Center Seat."
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Unable to come up
with that cash,
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Gene looked to create
another cash cow
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00:01:17,077 --> 00:01:20,570
in the form of sci-fi pilots,
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pumping them out
one after the other.
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Phasers set to stun
and jumpsuits set to kill.
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- That thing is
from your century?
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- Yeah, we call them
automobiles.
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(narrator) But no matter how
fetching the jumpsuits,
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nothing fit quite like
"Star Trek."
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- The reruns were doing
gangbusters.
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- And when they're
in syndication,
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they kept running and kept
running and kept running.
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So we watched that show
all the time because it was on.
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- I grew up watching
the original series
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and, you know, reruns
whenever it was on.
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00:01:49,267 --> 00:01:51,268
- Come home from school,
you watch "Star Trek."
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- It was a perfect
sales demographic.
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It was a show that appealed
to 18 to 49,
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and they just ate it up.
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(narrator)
The networks were crying out
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for new "Star Trek,"
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but the show had already been
consigned to history.
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- Because they had
destroyed the sets,
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they had given away
the Enterprise
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to the Smithsonian Institute.
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(narrator)
But Paramount could no longer
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ignore the show's growing
legion of fans.
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(Marc)
It's everywhere-- fan fiction,
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00:02:16,553 --> 00:02:19,045
books, it's just selling,
the merchandising is selling.
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So they finally said, okay,
let's do a "Star Trek" movie.
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(narrator)
Well, that was easy.
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- The idea that a "dead"
TV series
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would come back as a movie,
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because the fandom demanded it.
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That was revolutionary.
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(narrator) But for Gene,
it was an opportunity
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or even an answered prayer.
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So he wrote a feature film
script entitled "The God Thing."
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- In which Kirk fights Jesus
on the bridge of the Enterprise.
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- Which involved the crew
of the Enterprise,
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in essence, meeting what is
perceived to be a god
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but not being god.
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(narrator) But this wasn't
to be God's chosen script
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because in 1974
"The God Thing" wasn't a thing.
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- Barry Diller, who was running
Paramount, was Catholic,
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and this script dealt
with religion.
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And so he was bothered by it.
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(narrator) But Gene wasn't
the only one to pull up a pew,
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and another script had caught
Paramount's eye.
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- Called "Star Trek:
Planet of the Titans,"
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a planet that the Klingons,
the Federation,
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and a new alien race
that was being introduced,
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were trying to develop.
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Several versions of the script
were written.
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(narrator) And Gene didn't like
any of them.
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- He keeps having to tell them
that everything they wrote
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is not "Star Trek."
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They got-- the characters
aren't right.
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The Federation's not right.
The starship's not right.
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Have you seen any
of the episodes, guys?
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- There were about a dozen
scripts that were written
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that were never produced.
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(narrator)
After two years of false starts
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aiming for the silver screen,
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Paramount gave up, deciding
it was now time
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to return to the small screen.
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- Paramount decided,
let's do what we know how to do.
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(narrator)
Uh, make movies?
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- Let Gene make another
TV series on "Star Trek."
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(narrator)
So no movies, then?
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Which isn't as odd as it sounds
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because Paramount did have
big plans to make content
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for the small screen.
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(John)
By the time you get to 1977,
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the only networks that existed
in the United States
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were CBS, NBC, and ABC.
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Paramount decides
it wants to try its hand
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at a fourth network.
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- Now, you know, a decade
before Fox,
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here's Paramount trying
to add to the big three.
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- "Star Trek" was going to be
the flagship of that network.
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- They realized what
their strength is,
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and they're gonna lead
with that.
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(narrator) They thought
they needed TV people
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to make a TV show.
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And that's why this man
entered the fray.
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- I'm Harold Livingston.
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(narrator)
Harold was hired to produce
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Paramount's new "Star Trek"
TV show called "Phase II."
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- All I know is Roddenberry
called me in one day.
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They offered me this job.
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(narrator) Harold had just
one sci-fi credit,
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but it was a doozy.
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00:04:41,856 --> 00:04:45,608
- I was the story editor
on a show called "Future Cop."
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00:04:45,693 --> 00:04:47,536
(narrator)
But now he'd be the writer
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for this perfectly named second
"Star Trek" series, "Phase II."
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- We were going to do
13 one-hour episodes.
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00:04:54,535 --> 00:04:56,878
(narrator) There was just one
rather pointy problem.
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- Spock was not going
to be in "Phase II."
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- That, sir, is illogical.
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(narrator) It was all
to do with differences
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regarding a chocolate
breakfast cereal.
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00:05:04,962 --> 00:05:06,805
- Mr. Spock!
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00:05:06,889 --> 00:05:09,466
- My search for something
super chocolaty has led me here.
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00:05:09,550 --> 00:05:12,135
- They let Pebbles cereal
have Fred and Barney
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wearing pointed ears and making
quasi-Vulcan jokes.
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- Fascinating.
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(Preston)
There had been legal disputes
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involving royalties from the
series, involving the use
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00:05:22,563 --> 00:05:25,732
of the actors' faces
in merchandising.
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(narrator) Nimoy refused
to sign on until the dispute
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over licensing
his image was resolved.
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Ironically, the script
he passed on
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was called "In Thy Image."
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- Everyone else says,
yes, sign me up.
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(narrator) And although the
screenplay writing duties fell to Harold...
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- The idea of the story
came from Alan Dean Foster.
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- Alan Dean Foster
has been published
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in science fiction magazines
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00:05:46,429 --> 00:05:48,671
and has written
science fiction books.
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He also wrote
the novelization books
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based on the animated
"Star Trek" series.
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- Fascinating.
- (narrator) Well, hopefully
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Harold would make it so as
he began working on the script.
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- I went home and locked the
doors, and wrote this script.
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(narrator)
And what a script.
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(John)
There's a supreme intelligence
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on its way to Earth
to meet its creator.
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The Enterprise is sent
to intercept it.
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(narrator) But then,
another supreme intelligence
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intercepted Harold's script.
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- Roddenberry!
He said, "All right.
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You've done your job.
Now I'll do mine."
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- And Gene Roddenberry rewrote
Harold's script.
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- It was about 40 pages longer
and very poor, just dreadful.
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(narrator) Possibly because
Gene had replaced
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his beloved Spock
with an inferior facsimile.
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- The character of Xon
was a full Vulcan,
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but wanted to be
on a mostly human ship
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because he wanted to explore
the human element more.
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(narrator) The man lined up
to replace Spock
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wasn't from Vulcan.
He was the "Man from Atlantis."
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Oh, not the man from Atlantis.
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A different one.
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- My list of credits,
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other than the theater plays
that I'd done,
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was the "Man from Atlantis."
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No.
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Freely, I haven't the heart.
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(narrator)
It was just a humble guest spot,
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00:07:02,079 --> 00:07:03,338
but it led to this.
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- Will Decker.
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00:07:06,092 --> 00:07:07,843
- How do you do, sir?
- (narrator) With so little
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00:07:08,002 --> 00:07:11,346
experience, David was brought in
for a full makeup screen test
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00:07:11,431 --> 00:07:13,339
to see if he had the chops...
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- Lieutenant, you're erasing
those tapes.
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00:07:15,092 --> 00:07:17,185
(narrator)
and the ears for the role.
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00:07:17,270 --> 00:07:20,430
- Sir, if I am to function
efficiently as science officer,
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00:07:20,514 --> 00:07:22,182
I must become intimately
familiar
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with each circuit
in this system.
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- Carry on.
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- Thank you, sir.
I will.
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(narrator) But just as the new
kid was about to be cast,
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a new kid on the block
arrived for sci-fi
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and he had people queuing around
the block for his movie.
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00:07:35,371 --> 00:07:38,623
- Mr. Roddenberry told me
that he was very wistful
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00:07:38,782 --> 00:07:43,536
one day in 1977 when he drove
by the theater
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00:07:43,629 --> 00:07:47,540
and saw the long line around
the block for "Star Wars,"
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00:07:47,625 --> 00:07:51,544
wishing that it could have been
for a "Star Trek" film.
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00:07:51,637 --> 00:07:54,297
(narrator) Even if Paramount
was having second thoughts
202
00:07:54,390 --> 00:07:56,216
about doing TV instead
of a movie,
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00:07:56,300 --> 00:07:58,718
it was too late
to change course.
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00:07:58,802 --> 00:08:00,562
- When "Star Wars" became a hit,
205
00:08:00,646 --> 00:08:02,314
they didn't want to do a movie
206
00:08:02,398 --> 00:08:03,648
because they said,
now it's been done.
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00:08:03,807 --> 00:08:05,984
Who needs another?
It's a one-time thing.
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00:08:06,143 --> 00:08:08,320
(narrator)
Well, then a TV series it is.
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00:08:08,404 --> 00:08:10,572
- Well, that's the real trick,
isn't it?
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00:08:10,731 --> 00:08:12,240
(narrator)
Actually, yes.
211
00:08:12,325 --> 00:08:15,410
Because Paramount's plan
to turn on a fourth network
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00:08:15,569 --> 00:08:17,487
was about to be turned off.
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00:08:17,571 --> 00:08:19,247
- Because no one wanted
to really commit the dollars
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00:08:19,332 --> 00:08:21,074
for a fourth network.
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00:08:21,167 --> 00:08:23,835
(narrator) The TV network was
faltering, and if Paramount
216
00:08:23,994 --> 00:08:26,579
thought George Lucas
was a one-trick pony...
217
00:08:26,672 --> 00:08:28,507
- They didn't think there'd be
sequels to "Star Wars."
218
00:08:28,591 --> 00:08:30,008
They didn't think
there'd be "Close Encounters."
219
00:08:30,092 --> 00:08:31,751
- I want to speak to someone
in charge.
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00:08:31,844 --> 00:08:34,170
(narrator) Along came a film
whose dazzling lights
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00:08:34,263 --> 00:08:36,172
proved just how hypnotic
science fiction
222
00:08:36,257 --> 00:08:37,507
at the movies could be.
223
00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,260
(five-tone sequence plays)
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There was no denying it.
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00:08:42,438 --> 00:08:45,273
The big money in sci-fi
was moving to the big screen.
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00:08:45,358 --> 00:08:48,026
After seeing
"Close Encounters"'s success,
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00:08:48,185 --> 00:08:50,436
Paramount executives called
David Gautreaux
228
00:08:50,521 --> 00:08:53,439
to their offices for a close
encounter of their own kind.
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00:08:53,533 --> 00:08:55,700
- I'm brought right up to
Gene Roddenberry's office now.
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00:08:55,859 --> 00:08:58,361
I'm in a big room,
a lovely office,
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00:08:58,445 --> 00:09:00,372
and there's a lot of men
in this room.
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00:09:00,531 --> 00:09:02,865
(narrator)
Including Paramount's top brass.
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00:09:02,950 --> 00:09:04,701
(David)
There was Jeffrey Katzenberg
234
00:09:04,785 --> 00:09:06,202
and Michael Eisner,
and there's Gene.
235
00:09:06,295 --> 00:09:07,954
And he's got
a drink in his hand.
236
00:09:08,047 --> 00:09:09,205
And he's offering me,
"What would you like, David?"
237
00:09:09,290 --> 00:09:10,873
And I go, well, I happen
to like bourbon.
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00:09:10,958 --> 00:09:12,717
"Pour David a bourbon."
So Gene is really the master
239
00:09:12,802 --> 00:09:15,220
of ceremonies for this.
And so it was two things
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00:09:15,304 --> 00:09:16,888
going on at the same time.
241
00:09:16,973 --> 00:09:21,893
"David, congratulations.
You are our Xon. Hurrah!"
242
00:09:21,978 --> 00:09:24,563
A big toast. I'm so happy.
I'm standing there.
243
00:09:24,647 --> 00:09:26,648
"Now we have another
announcement we wanted to make
244
00:09:26,732 --> 00:09:28,057
"with all of you here.
245
00:09:28,150 --> 00:09:30,476
We're going to be
a motion picture."
246
00:09:30,561 --> 00:09:33,572
(narrator)
So not a TV show, a movie again.
247
00:09:33,731 --> 00:09:35,073
- Huzzah!
248
00:09:35,157 --> 00:09:37,409
(narrator)
And so now,
249
00:09:37,493 --> 00:09:39,911
all they had to do was repurpose
Harold's pilot...
250
00:09:39,996 --> 00:09:41,246
- (coughing)
- (narrator) That had been
251
00:09:41,405 --> 00:09:43,999
repurposed by Gene,
for the big screen.
252
00:09:44,083 --> 00:09:46,159
- So we all go and we read it.
253
00:09:46,243 --> 00:09:47,752
And he's sitting there.
254
00:09:47,911 --> 00:09:49,996
He had a desk that was
about two feet higher,
255
00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,674
so he looked down on you,
like Mussolini.
256
00:09:52,758 --> 00:09:56,919
He had this grin on his face
expectantly, "What'd you think?"
257
00:09:57,013 --> 00:09:59,005
- So I said, "Gene,
it's (bleep)."
258
00:09:59,089 --> 00:10:01,099
And the grin fades.
259
00:10:01,183 --> 00:10:04,093
We had a few words,
and he got a little angry.
260
00:10:04,186 --> 00:10:05,770
"Well, we'll let
the studio decide!"
261
00:10:05,855 --> 00:10:07,597
(narrator) That gave
studio head Michael Eisner
262
00:10:07,690 --> 00:10:10,183
the deciding vote
between Gene's rewrite
263
00:10:10,267 --> 00:10:12,352
or Harold's original pilot.
264
00:10:12,436 --> 00:10:14,029
- He says, "This is a good
script, Gene.
265
00:10:14,113 --> 00:10:16,364
But it's a television script."
266
00:10:16,523 --> 00:10:18,283
He says, "Harold's is a movie."
267
00:10:22,204 --> 00:10:23,446
(narrator)
I By the mid-1970s,
268
00:10:23,530 --> 00:10:24,789
it seemed "Star Trek"
the TV series
269
00:10:24,948 --> 00:10:27,533
was suffering
an identity crisis.
270
00:10:27,627 --> 00:10:29,786
What was always meant
to be a TV series became...
271
00:10:29,879 --> 00:10:31,704
- The movie that was a movie,
272
00:10:31,789 --> 00:10:34,049
but then it was a TV show,
but then it was a movie again.
273
00:10:34,133 --> 00:10:37,043
(narrator) Nearly everyone
had lost track of the "Trek" until...
274
00:10:37,136 --> 00:10:39,128
- The decision is made
to take "In Thy Image"
275
00:10:39,221 --> 00:10:40,713
and turn it
into a motion picture.
276
00:10:40,798 --> 00:10:43,725
- The pilot that we were
commissioned to do
277
00:10:43,809 --> 00:10:46,636
is being morphed
into a major motion picture.
278
00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:47,979
(narrator)
And in more ways than one,
279
00:10:48,138 --> 00:10:50,473
Paramount was shooting
for the stars.
280
00:10:50,566 --> 00:10:52,984
- They were aspiring
to do "2001."
281
00:10:53,069 --> 00:10:54,894
- (Dave) Open the pod
bay doors, please, HAL.
282
00:10:54,978 --> 00:10:56,813
(narrator)
George Lucas had shown Sci-Fi
283
00:10:56,906 --> 00:10:58,823
could pull a crowd.
But Paramount
284
00:10:58,908 --> 00:11:00,575
didn't think movies
were the way to keep them.
285
00:11:00,660 --> 00:11:02,235
- People think Paramount said,
286
00:11:02,319 --> 00:11:03,986
oh, we gotta have a movie
like "Star Wars."
287
00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:05,822
- And it's gonna cost you
something extra.
288
00:11:05,906 --> 00:11:08,166
(Marc)
The reality was, "Star Wars" had
289
00:11:08,250 --> 00:11:09,742
very little to do with it.
290
00:11:09,827 --> 00:11:11,494
- Science fiction was not,
by any stretch
291
00:11:11,587 --> 00:11:13,171
of the imagination,
a guaranteed thing
292
00:11:13,330 --> 00:11:14,664
just because "Star Wars"
had been successful.
293
00:11:14,748 --> 00:11:17,834
The concept of
a sustained, profitable,
294
00:11:17,927 --> 00:11:19,928
growing science fiction
franchise
295
00:11:20,012 --> 00:11:22,088
had never really existed before.
296
00:11:22,172 --> 00:11:23,598
(narrator)
So Paramount planned to make one
297
00:11:23,757 --> 00:11:25,508
and one movie only.
298
00:11:25,601 --> 00:11:27,176
- With big money,
big box office,
299
00:11:27,269 --> 00:11:28,853
no reason to ever
make a second one.
300
00:11:29,012 --> 00:11:30,855
The fans will never come out
to watch a second
301
00:11:30,940 --> 00:11:33,516
"Star Trek" movie, and then
we'll launch our network
302
00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:37,028
and then doing the series off
of the strength of the movie.
303
00:11:37,187 --> 00:11:39,355
(narrator) But no matter
how much Paramount said,
304
00:11:39,448 --> 00:11:41,858
"May the fourth network
be with you,"
305
00:11:41,942 --> 00:11:44,777
it never would be.
But in any case...
306
00:11:44,862 --> 00:11:48,364
- You still have a lot of money
that has been invested.
307
00:11:48,449 --> 00:11:50,700
(narrator)
The studio's "Star Trek" project
308
00:11:50,784 --> 00:11:52,460
resembled a real-life
space program
309
00:11:52,619 --> 00:11:54,546
and felt almost as costly
310
00:11:54,630 --> 00:11:57,623
with sets, props,
and even a brand-new spaceship.
311
00:11:57,708 --> 00:12:00,301
- An entire overhaul and update
of the Enterprise itself.
312
00:12:00,386 --> 00:12:02,462
(narrator) They had a new ship
for a new production,
313
00:12:02,546 --> 00:12:05,223
but who would captain
this risky mission?
314
00:12:05,382 --> 00:12:07,133
- Robert Wise.
- (narrator) Paramount thought
315
00:12:07,217 --> 00:12:10,812
veteran director Robert Wise
would be a safe pair of hands.
316
00:12:10,971 --> 00:12:13,973
- Robert Wise was the first
317
00:12:14,057 --> 00:12:16,642
and only director
on the list considered.
318
00:12:16,736 --> 00:12:19,312
(narrator) Wise couldn't make
a flop if he tried,
319
00:12:19,405 --> 00:12:22,148
not after this song and dance.
- "West Side Story."
320
00:12:22,232 --> 00:12:24,484
- This is the guy
who made "Sound of Music."
321
00:12:24,568 --> 00:12:26,402
(narrator)
And he knew sci-fi from way back
322
00:12:26,495 --> 00:12:29,080
when it was lasers, not phasers.
323
00:12:29,165 --> 00:12:31,073
- He had done a classic
science fiction movie
324
00:12:31,167 --> 00:12:32,751
called "The Day the Earth
Stood Still."
325
00:12:36,505 --> 00:12:38,498
- Which is still regarded
as one of the greatest
326
00:12:38,582 --> 00:12:40,258
science fiction movies
ever made.
327
00:12:40,417 --> 00:12:42,427
(narrator) The pieces were
falling into place
328
00:12:42,586 --> 00:12:44,337
for Paramount,
but there was still something
329
00:12:44,421 --> 00:12:46,264
or someone missing.
330
00:12:46,348 --> 00:12:49,425
- Mr. Nimoy was still not
involved in the project.
331
00:12:49,518 --> 00:12:53,104
Robert Wise, he agreed
to do the film.
332
00:12:53,189 --> 00:12:56,682
His wife was a Trekker,
and her son was a Trekker.
333
00:12:56,776 --> 00:13:00,102
And they told him, "It's crazy
to do it without Spock.
334
00:13:00,187 --> 00:13:02,030
It'd be like doing it
without Kirk."
335
00:13:02,114 --> 00:13:05,107
And so Wise went to Paramount
336
00:13:05,201 --> 00:13:07,693
and said exactly
what they had told him,
337
00:13:07,778 --> 00:13:10,038
and said, "There's got to be
a way that we can get him."
338
00:13:10,197 --> 00:13:12,532
(narrator) Scheduling conflicts
and a bigger conflict
339
00:13:12,616 --> 00:13:16,452
over licensing and royalties
had taken it down to the wire.
340
00:13:16,545 --> 00:13:19,205
- Days before
the press conference
341
00:13:19,298 --> 00:13:21,874
to announce "Star Trek:
The Motion Picture,"
342
00:13:21,959 --> 00:13:24,803
all of those issues
were quickly resolved
343
00:13:24,887 --> 00:13:26,712
and Leonard Nimoy came on board.
344
00:13:26,797 --> 00:13:28,556
- Science Officer Spock.
345
00:13:28,641 --> 00:13:30,308
Reporting as ordered, Captain.
346
00:13:30,392 --> 00:13:33,311
(narrator) The movie was
announced to huge fanfare.
347
00:13:33,395 --> 00:13:36,222
Leonard Nimoy was already
getting into character
348
00:13:36,306 --> 00:13:39,225
and when asked why it had
taken him so long to confirm...
349
00:13:39,309 --> 00:13:42,570
- Probably the thing that took
the most time is the fact that
350
00:13:42,729 --> 00:13:45,398
the mail service between here
and Vulcan is still pretty slow.
351
00:13:45,491 --> 00:13:47,242
(laughter)
352
00:13:47,326 --> 00:13:49,902
(narrator) But Paramount still
had a mountain to climb.
353
00:13:49,995 --> 00:13:52,488
Since "Star Trek" last took
to the airwaves,
354
00:13:52,581 --> 00:13:54,833
science fiction had gotten real.
355
00:13:54,917 --> 00:13:57,502
- Now audiences are expecting
"Star Wars" level
356
00:13:57,586 --> 00:13:59,671
and "Close Encounters" level
quality special effects.
357
00:13:59,830 --> 00:14:02,164
(loud tones)
358
00:14:02,249 --> 00:14:03,758
(narrator)
Aggressive presales had also
359
00:14:03,843 --> 00:14:05,677
painted Paramount into a corner
360
00:14:05,836 --> 00:14:08,096
with a terrifyingly
close release date.
361
00:14:08,180 --> 00:14:10,181
- The distributors were promised
362
00:14:10,340 --> 00:14:12,684
that there would be
a "Star Trek" movie
363
00:14:12,843 --> 00:14:14,427
that they could show
in their theaters
364
00:14:14,511 --> 00:14:16,938
on December 7, 1979.
365
00:14:17,097 --> 00:14:18,764
- They had penalty contracts
366
00:14:18,858 --> 00:14:21,267
where if they could not deliver
this movie by the 7th,
367
00:14:21,351 --> 00:14:23,528
because these theaters are
holding open the space for them,
368
00:14:23,612 --> 00:14:25,947
they were out the wazoo
for millions of dollars.
369
00:14:26,106 --> 00:14:29,450
(John Tenuto) So that only
gives them 18 months, basically,
370
00:14:29,535 --> 00:14:31,527
to take what was
a television show
371
00:14:31,620 --> 00:14:33,446
and turn it
into a motion picture.
372
00:14:33,530 --> 00:14:36,032
(narrator) At least they had
a brilliantly inventive title.
373
00:14:36,116 --> 00:14:37,700
This motion picture
would be called...
374
00:14:37,793 --> 00:14:39,118
- "Star Trek:
The Motion Picture."
375
00:14:39,211 --> 00:14:41,045
(narrator)
Huh?
376
00:14:41,130 --> 00:14:43,956
- The body politic that was
making the movie went,
377
00:14:44,049 --> 00:14:46,467
we better let everybody know
that this is a motion picture,
378
00:14:46,627 --> 00:14:49,888
as opposed to an adapted
TV show.
379
00:14:49,972 --> 00:14:53,299
(narrator) The fact was
this was an adaptation.
380
00:14:53,392 --> 00:14:56,978
- You had what was meant to be
a teleplay for a TV show,
381
00:14:57,137 --> 00:14:59,731
has to become a major motion
picture for large screens.
382
00:14:59,890 --> 00:15:01,140
(narrator)
Which brings us back to Harold.
383
00:15:01,233 --> 00:15:04,652
- Somebody's gotta write
the goddamn script.
384
00:15:04,811 --> 00:15:07,572
- There was a deadline looming.
They had to start shooting.
385
00:15:07,656 --> 00:15:10,742
So Roddenberry invited
Harold Livingston back.
386
00:15:10,901 --> 00:15:12,652
(narrator)
Harold's original script
387
00:15:12,745 --> 00:15:16,572
seemed to have gotten its DNA
mixed up in the transporter.
388
00:15:16,665 --> 00:15:19,584
In fact, it had gained
a whole new Gene.
389
00:15:19,743 --> 00:15:22,244
"'In Thy Image, ' written
by Gene Roddenberry."
390
00:15:22,338 --> 00:15:24,664
- He took all the credit.
He didn't share.
391
00:15:24,748 --> 00:15:26,424
- His name is on top.
392
00:15:26,508 --> 00:15:28,593
(narrator) Harold felt
his script was now a rewrite
393
00:15:28,677 --> 00:15:30,169
and a write-off.
394
00:15:30,253 --> 00:15:32,597
So he decided to draw
a line in the sand
395
00:15:32,756 --> 00:15:35,257
when meeting Roddenberry
and director Bob Wise.
396
00:15:35,342 --> 00:15:37,009
- The first thing
Wise says to me is,
397
00:15:37,094 --> 00:15:38,344
"What'd you think
of the script?"
398
00:15:38,428 --> 00:15:40,179
I said, "What do I think,
Mr. Wise,
399
00:15:40,272 --> 00:15:43,274
is you ought to take cyanide."
Total crap.
400
00:15:43,433 --> 00:15:45,518
And that was but
a big laugh, ha ha ha.
401
00:15:45,602 --> 00:15:47,770
So they asked me if I would
rewrite it.
402
00:15:47,854 --> 00:15:51,699
I said, "I'll rewrite it as long
as it is contractually agreed
403
00:15:51,784 --> 00:15:54,527
that Gene Roddenberry does not
put word on paper."
404
00:15:54,611 --> 00:15:56,862
I mean, I hated him
because he couldn't keep
405
00:15:56,947 --> 00:16:00,032
his fingers off the script,
he had to rewrite everything.
406
00:16:00,125 --> 00:16:01,542
Agreed.
407
00:16:01,627 --> 00:16:03,127
And they gave me a lot of money.
408
00:16:03,286 --> 00:16:05,121
(narrator) Harold set about
writing a script
409
00:16:05,214 --> 00:16:07,465
the whole franchise
was riding on,
410
00:16:07,624 --> 00:16:09,717
safe in the knowledge
that Gene Roddenberry
411
00:16:09,802 --> 00:16:11,711
would not have his way with it.
412
00:16:11,795 --> 00:16:14,806
(Harold) I write a first draft
which Eisner wants to see.
413
00:16:14,890 --> 00:16:18,467
I give it to Gene's secretary
to send to Eisner.
414
00:16:18,552 --> 00:16:20,812
About three days later,
my phone rings.
415
00:16:20,971 --> 00:16:23,147
It's Eisner calling me
from Paris.
416
00:16:23,232 --> 00:16:26,067
He said, "What kind of (bleep)
did you send me?"
417
00:16:26,151 --> 00:16:28,811
Honest to God. I said,
"What are you talking about?
418
00:16:28,904 --> 00:16:30,062
I tell you it was
a good script."
419
00:16:30,147 --> 00:16:31,814
I said, "Bob liked it."
420
00:16:31,898 --> 00:16:34,066
He said, "Nobody could like
this crap."
421
00:16:34,151 --> 00:16:35,735
We find out what happened
422
00:16:35,819 --> 00:16:38,496
was I gave the script
to Gene's secretary,
423
00:16:38,580 --> 00:16:41,991
and she sent Gene's rewrite
to Eisner in Paris.
424
00:16:42,075 --> 00:16:43,909
(narrator)
You can't write this stuff,
425
00:16:43,994 --> 00:16:46,829
which is why director
Bob Wise was amazed.
426
00:16:46,922 --> 00:16:48,923
- Wise said to me, direct quote,
427
00:16:49,008 --> 00:16:52,084
"Harold, I've been in
this business for 40 years,
428
00:16:52,177 --> 00:16:54,670
and I've never had an experience
like this."
429
00:16:54,763 --> 00:16:56,338
(narrator)
Not for the first time.
430
00:16:56,432 --> 00:16:58,266
"Star Trek," the fourth
iteration
431
00:16:58,425 --> 00:17:00,259
was back to square one.
432
00:17:00,343 --> 00:17:03,021
- We threw Gene's rewrite out
and went back to what I did.
433
00:17:07,026 --> 00:17:08,026
(narrator) The signing of
Leonard Nimoy as Spock
434
00:17:08,185 --> 00:17:09,101
had "Star Trek:
The Motion Picture"
435
00:17:09,186 --> 00:17:11,112
headed in the right direction...
436
00:17:11,196 --> 00:17:14,115
- Well, so help me,
I'm actually pleased to see you.
437
00:17:14,274 --> 00:17:16,776
(narrator) ...and Paramount
breathing a sigh of relief.
438
00:17:16,869 --> 00:17:19,028
- Because we're not gonna risk
a "Star Trek" property
439
00:17:19,121 --> 00:17:21,030
that doesn't have
its most recognizable
440
00:17:21,114 --> 00:17:22,206
and one of the most popular,
441
00:17:22,291 --> 00:17:23,791
if not the most popular
character.
442
00:17:23,876 --> 00:17:25,960
(narrator)
But Spock's return was still
443
00:17:26,045 --> 00:17:27,462
throwing a wrench in the works.
444
00:17:27,546 --> 00:17:28,454
- In an essence,
you have to write Spock
445
00:17:28,547 --> 00:17:30,206
into the movie, right?
446
00:17:30,299 --> 00:17:32,124
He wasn't even in
"In Thy Image."
447
00:17:32,209 --> 00:17:33,968
(narrator)
What was good for Leonard Nimoy
448
00:17:34,053 --> 00:17:36,295
was not so good
for David Gautreaux...
449
00:17:36,379 --> 00:17:38,556
(man) Are you trying to tell me
all that work was done for nothing?
450
00:17:38,715 --> 00:17:40,716
- That is the logical
conclusion, sir.
451
00:17:40,801 --> 00:17:43,728
(narrator) ...whose Johnny-come-lately
Vulcan character Xon
452
00:17:43,812 --> 00:17:45,554
was suddenly
on the chopping block.
453
00:17:45,647 --> 00:17:48,566
- Spock is vital to this core.
454
00:17:48,650 --> 00:17:50,151
(narrator)
And knowing Xon wasn't,
455
00:17:50,235 --> 00:17:52,570
David met with Gene
for reassurance.
456
00:17:52,729 --> 00:17:55,323
- And he gave me
a thousand assurances.
457
00:17:55,407 --> 00:17:57,075
"We're definitely,
definitely, definitely,
458
00:17:57,234 --> 00:17:59,077
we're building this
to go into series."
459
00:17:59,161 --> 00:18:01,570
(narrator)
Executives insisted Xon
460
00:18:01,655 --> 00:18:03,831
was a Vulcan who would live
long and prosper.
461
00:18:03,916 --> 00:18:06,084
- "Xon is key
462
00:18:06,168 --> 00:18:07,919
to the future
of this franchise."
463
00:18:08,078 --> 00:18:10,254
Okay.
464
00:18:10,413 --> 00:18:11,831
(narrator)
So all David had to worry about
465
00:18:11,924 --> 00:18:14,258
was learning his lines.
- They send me the script.
466
00:18:14,343 --> 00:18:17,670
There is no Xon
in the screenplay.
467
00:18:17,754 --> 00:18:21,173
And I realize, oh, it's over.
468
00:18:21,258 --> 00:18:22,767
(narrator)
Fortunately for David,
469
00:18:22,851 --> 00:18:24,769
another envelope arrived
470
00:18:24,853 --> 00:18:27,605
and it contained the next best
thing an actor can hope for.
471
00:18:27,689 --> 00:18:30,775
- Here's your payoff.
You're free.
472
00:18:30,934 --> 00:18:33,778
All in one gesture
and a very large check.
473
00:18:33,937 --> 00:18:37,690
Well above what the pilot
figure was.
474
00:18:37,774 --> 00:18:40,952
I felt completely liberated.
475
00:18:41,036 --> 00:18:43,112
(narrator)
But Mr. Spock himself
476
00:18:43,196 --> 00:18:46,949
was feeling anything but relief
over the Spock vs. Xon debacle.
477
00:18:47,042 --> 00:18:49,285
So Nimoy summoned David
to ask him...
478
00:18:49,369 --> 00:18:51,537
- "How did it affect you...
479
00:18:51,630 --> 00:18:54,456
"when I...
480
00:18:54,550 --> 00:18:56,551
took that role away from you?"
481
00:18:56,635 --> 00:18:58,794
(narrator)
For David, Nimoy's olive branch
482
00:18:58,887 --> 00:19:01,130
was compensation enough
for his loss.
483
00:19:01,214 --> 00:19:05,059
- I certainly never, ever
once said, that Nimoy guy
484
00:19:05,218 --> 00:19:07,136
coming back and taking my role.
485
00:19:07,220 --> 00:19:11,399
I never viewed it that way
because... he's Spock.
486
00:19:11,483 --> 00:19:13,225
- You are correct.
487
00:19:13,318 --> 00:19:14,894
(narrator) And even
by the standards of a Vulcan,
488
00:19:14,978 --> 00:19:16,821
this was...
- It was very human,
489
00:19:16,905 --> 00:19:19,982
very humane that he would ask
such a challenging question.
490
00:19:20,075 --> 00:19:21,567
(narrator)
And David still got to learn
491
00:19:21,651 --> 00:19:22,994
some lines for the movie.
492
00:19:23,153 --> 00:19:24,320
- That's within Klingon
boundaries.
493
00:19:24,413 --> 00:19:26,238
Who are they fighting?
- Unknown, sir.
494
00:19:26,323 --> 00:19:28,332
- They did say, "David,
495
00:19:28,491 --> 00:19:30,326
we'd like you to play
Commander Branch."
496
00:19:30,419 --> 00:19:32,244
So I agreed.
I played Commander Branch.
497
00:19:32,329 --> 00:19:33,588
(narrator)
Here he is commanding,
498
00:19:33,672 --> 00:19:34,922
albeit briefly.
499
00:19:35,007 --> 00:19:36,257
(alarm sounds)
500
00:19:36,416 --> 00:19:38,334
- We are under attack!
501
00:19:38,418 --> 00:19:40,678
(narrator) And while Xon
the new Vulcan didn't make it,
502
00:19:40,837 --> 00:19:43,264
for the first time
in nearly a decade
503
00:19:43,348 --> 00:19:45,341
the original cast was
tight again,
504
00:19:45,425 --> 00:19:47,176
like peas in a space pod...
505
00:19:47,260 --> 00:19:48,519
(William Shatner)
I appreciate the welcome.
506
00:19:48,604 --> 00:19:49,937
(narrator)
including Mr. Chekov.
507
00:19:50,022 --> 00:19:51,680
- Aye, sir.
(narrator) Walter Koenig
508
00:19:51,773 --> 00:19:53,274
finally came in from the cold
509
00:19:53,358 --> 00:19:56,185
after missing
the animated series.
510
00:19:56,278 --> 00:19:58,103
- I thought we were in
for a grand time.
511
00:19:58,197 --> 00:20:01,532
- When we came back to do
the first really big one
512
00:20:01,691 --> 00:20:04,118
that we did after
being away so long,
513
00:20:04,203 --> 00:20:07,455
it was amazing that they're
the same people.
514
00:20:07,539 --> 00:20:10,449
(narrator) And there were
mysterious new characters too,
515
00:20:10,542 --> 00:20:13,535
smuggled in from the original
"Phase II" TV pilot.
516
00:20:13,620 --> 00:20:15,955
- She's... Deltan, Captain.
517
00:20:16,039 --> 00:20:17,965
- A Deltan, which was a new
518
00:20:18,050 --> 00:20:20,709
alien race,
her species was bald.
519
00:20:20,794 --> 00:20:22,294
They possess the pheromone
520
00:20:22,379 --> 00:20:25,464
that was something that humans
just could not
521
00:20:25,548 --> 00:20:26,974
steal themselves against.
522
00:20:27,059 --> 00:20:28,226
(narrator)
Which was especially
523
00:20:28,310 --> 00:20:30,052
inconvenient for humans
because...
524
00:20:30,136 --> 00:20:32,396
- My oath of celibacy
is on record, Captain.
525
00:20:32,555 --> 00:20:34,148
(narrator)
Lieutenant Ilia was played
526
00:20:34,233 --> 00:20:37,235
by a new face, and not just
any face--
527
00:20:37,394 --> 00:20:41,313
Miss India 1965.
- Persis Khambatta was
528
00:20:41,398 --> 00:20:43,157
an exceptionally
beautiful woman.
529
00:20:43,242 --> 00:20:45,985
(narrator) It wasn't just
her looks that set Persis apart.
530
00:20:46,069 --> 00:20:47,903
- Unlike a lot of actors,
531
00:20:47,996 --> 00:20:49,413
she was willing to part
with her hair.
532
00:20:49,498 --> 00:20:50,998
(narrator)
This was no simple matter
533
00:20:51,083 --> 00:20:53,242
of a few hours of makeup
and a bald cap.
534
00:20:53,335 --> 00:20:56,003
Persis was prepared to go baldly
535
00:20:56,088 --> 00:20:58,831
where no "Star Trek" actress
had gone before.
536
00:20:58,924 --> 00:21:01,166
- There are really heartbreaking
images of her crying
537
00:21:01,260 --> 00:21:03,085
while they were doing that.
But that's how committed
538
00:21:03,178 --> 00:21:04,929
she was to playing the character
539
00:21:05,088 --> 00:21:07,089
and bring an authenticity
to the role.
540
00:21:07,173 --> 00:21:09,925
(narrator) Also new, the
character of Commander Decker,
541
00:21:10,010 --> 00:21:13,262
but actor Stephen Collins
got to keep this locks.
542
00:21:13,346 --> 00:21:15,764
- He was the son of Will Decker
from "The Doomsday Machine"
543
00:21:15,849 --> 00:21:17,441
from the original series.
544
00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,019
- Commodore Decker,
you are relieved of command.
545
00:21:20,103 --> 00:21:22,029
(narrator) The cast for
"The Motion Picture"
546
00:21:22,114 --> 00:21:25,691
was in shipshape, but
unfortunately the script wasn't.
547
00:21:25,784 --> 00:21:28,452
- It was not perfect
because it had been rushed
548
00:21:28,537 --> 00:21:31,122
to convert "In Thy Image" to
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture."
549
00:21:31,281 --> 00:21:33,291
- Ready or not,
she launches in 12 hours.
550
00:21:33,450 --> 00:21:35,960
(narrator) So much so that
principal photography
551
00:21:36,044 --> 00:21:39,705
began in 1978 before a script
had even been finished.
552
00:21:39,798 --> 00:21:43,134
Paramount was also behind on
commissioning special effects.
553
00:21:43,218 --> 00:21:45,052
- (screaming)
554
00:21:45,137 --> 00:21:47,796
- They wanted to give it
to Industrial Light & Magic,
555
00:21:47,881 --> 00:21:49,298
but they weren't available.
556
00:21:49,391 --> 00:21:50,975
(narrator)
Meaning there was a risk
557
00:21:51,059 --> 00:21:53,978
their special effects might not
be so special, and so...
558
00:21:54,137 --> 00:21:57,222
- Paramount hired
Robert Abel & Associates.
559
00:21:57,307 --> 00:21:58,474
(narrator)
Which in movie circles
560
00:21:58,558 --> 00:22:00,401
was not an obvious choice.
561
00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:03,070
- Had never done a movie.
They were doing TV commercials.
562
00:22:03,229 --> 00:22:05,239
(TV announcer) Enough of this
kissing little registered mark.
563
00:22:05,324 --> 00:22:07,149
(narrator)
Not just any TV commercials,
564
00:22:07,242 --> 00:22:09,902
but effects-heavy extravaganzas.
565
00:22:09,986 --> 00:22:12,237
- And they had just gotten
a lot of attention
566
00:22:12,331 --> 00:22:15,249
for a 7UP TV commercial, which
had a lot of effects in it.
567
00:22:15,408 --> 00:22:17,501
- ♪ We see the light ♪
568
00:22:17,660 --> 00:22:19,411
♪ Of 7UP ♪
569
00:22:19,496 --> 00:22:21,997
(narrator) While it was
more soda than Yoda,
570
00:22:22,082 --> 00:22:24,592
it wasn't a million light-years
away from sci-fi.
571
00:22:24,751 --> 00:22:26,752
So Robert Abel was hired.
572
00:22:26,845 --> 00:22:29,347
- To do all these mind-blowing
special effects
573
00:22:29,431 --> 00:22:31,673
that are in
an industry perspective,
574
00:22:31,767 --> 00:22:33,351
having to compete
with "Star Wars."
575
00:22:33,510 --> 00:22:35,761
(narrator)
Desperate for fresh ideas,
576
00:22:35,845 --> 00:22:38,356
Robert Able hired a hotshot
young designer.
577
00:22:38,515 --> 00:22:40,274
- I was recommended
right out of school
578
00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:42,693
to work on "Star Trek:
The Motion Picture."
579
00:22:42,778 --> 00:22:45,604
(narrator) And gave him a
suitably entry-level job to start.
580
00:22:45,688 --> 00:22:47,439
- Build a whole new Enterprise.
581
00:22:47,532 --> 00:22:49,450
(narrator) Completely redesign
one of television's
582
00:22:49,534 --> 00:22:52,444
most iconic vehicles,
and do it fast.
583
00:22:52,529 --> 00:22:54,530
- The Enterprise had already
been built,
584
00:22:54,614 --> 00:22:57,032
but it was too small.
It was like six feet long.
585
00:22:57,125 --> 00:22:59,543
They decided on maybe
a ten-foot model.
586
00:22:59,628 --> 00:23:01,537
(narrator)
For the big screen,
587
00:23:01,621 --> 00:23:03,297
Paramount needed a big ship.
588
00:23:03,456 --> 00:23:05,457
So the Enterprise was upsized.
589
00:23:05,542 --> 00:23:08,052
- And they build this
beautiful model, huge!
590
00:23:08,136 --> 00:23:09,970
- He rebuilt most of the
miniatures.
591
00:23:10,130 --> 00:23:11,472
And the ones he didn't rebuild,
592
00:23:11,556 --> 00:23:13,298
he had to redesign
in some way or another.
593
00:23:13,383 --> 00:23:15,300
(narrator) But with the script
still in flux
594
00:23:15,385 --> 00:23:16,885
and with shooting under way,
595
00:23:16,970 --> 00:23:18,562
who knew which of the new ships
would even fly?
596
00:23:18,721 --> 00:23:20,564
(explosion)
597
00:23:20,649 --> 00:23:22,307
- They were rewriting that
script as they were filming it.
598
00:23:22,392 --> 00:23:25,486
- We were shooting without
pages at times.
599
00:23:25,570 --> 00:23:27,229
(narrator) None of this helped
director Robert Wise,
600
00:23:27,313 --> 00:23:29,314
whose vast experience
counted for little
601
00:23:29,399 --> 00:23:31,316
in the "Star Trek" universe.
602
00:23:31,401 --> 00:23:32,827
- He did not know "Star
Trek", and he was
603
00:23:32,911 --> 00:23:34,245
at the mercy of people who said
604
00:23:34,404 --> 00:23:36,155
this is the way
this should be done.
605
00:23:36,239 --> 00:23:38,249
- There were changes coming down
by the hour.
606
00:23:38,333 --> 00:23:40,668
- We had to do
all kinds of scenes.
607
00:23:40,752 --> 00:23:42,253
(narrator)
Soon the movie's right hand
608
00:23:42,337 --> 00:23:43,921
was no longer talking
to its left.
609
00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,841
- Script pages were
coming down to the set
610
00:23:46,925 --> 00:23:49,334
after the scenes had
already been shot.
611
00:23:49,419 --> 00:23:50,752
- And any kind
of script revision
612
00:23:50,846 --> 00:23:52,671
that you have causes problems.
613
00:23:52,764 --> 00:23:55,266
You may need to set up that
scene in a different location,
614
00:23:55,425 --> 00:23:57,017
do the camera movement
in a different way.
615
00:23:57,102 --> 00:23:59,261
That's all time.
That's all money.
616
00:23:59,345 --> 00:24:01,930
Both of which the film
didn't have enough of.
617
00:24:02,015 --> 00:24:04,024
(narrator) The writer and
producer were barely talking either.
618
00:24:04,109 --> 00:24:06,527
(Harold)
Gene would continually rewrite,
619
00:24:06,611 --> 00:24:08,195
and somebody would
sneak it back to me
620
00:24:08,354 --> 00:24:10,197
and I'd rewrite him.
621
00:24:10,356 --> 00:24:12,941
- The rewrite of the rewrite of
the rewrite would get rewritten.
622
00:24:13,026 --> 00:24:14,535
- And it became script wars.
623
00:24:14,694 --> 00:24:15,944
- He wouldn't stop.
624
00:24:16,037 --> 00:24:18,197
He was just maniacal about it.
625
00:24:18,290 --> 00:24:20,449
(Walter) I guess that was
a trademark of Gene's.
626
00:24:20,542 --> 00:24:22,460
He had to rewrite
everybody's work.
627
00:24:22,544 --> 00:24:24,119
- And he was a bad writer.
628
00:24:24,212 --> 00:24:26,547
(narrator)
Ironically, some of the best
629
00:24:26,631 --> 00:24:28,966
dialogue and the most
electrifying scenes
630
00:24:29,125 --> 00:24:31,302
were playing out
between Harold and Gene.
631
00:24:31,461 --> 00:24:33,462
- We'd sit there
insulting each other,
632
00:24:33,546 --> 00:24:36,215
calling each other stupid
and a piece of (bleep).
633
00:24:36,308 --> 00:24:37,883
And you don't know
what the hell you're doing.
634
00:24:37,976 --> 00:24:40,811
Get out of my sight!
We were at each other's throats.
635
00:24:40,896 --> 00:24:42,387
(computer voice)
Emergency alert.
636
00:24:42,481 --> 00:24:44,223
(narrator) But "Star Trek:
The Motion Picture"
637
00:24:44,307 --> 00:24:47,318
now had a problem
money alone couldn't solve.
638
00:24:47,477 --> 00:24:48,894
- I said, "I'm not gonna
put up with this
639
00:24:48,978 --> 00:24:50,821
and I don't care,
and I quit!"
640
00:24:54,734 --> 00:24:55,993
(narrator)
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture"
641
00:24:57,078 --> 00:24:57,328
was now months into shooting,
642
00:24:58,488 --> 00:24:58,496
but fast running out of script.
643
00:24:59,906 --> 00:25:00,456
- And they gave us
an unfinished script.
644
00:25:02,408 --> 00:25:03,334
(narrator) And the only thing
worse than not having a script
645
00:25:03,418 --> 00:25:05,661
is not having a writer
to fix that.
646
00:25:05,754 --> 00:25:07,254
- So I get a call
from Katzenberg.
647
00:25:07,339 --> 00:25:08,589
(narrator)
Writer Harold Livingston had...
648
00:25:08,673 --> 00:25:10,332
- Quit!
- and Paramount executives
649
00:25:10,425 --> 00:25:12,167
rushed to save their production.
650
00:25:12,260 --> 00:25:13,844
- Katzenberg sends a car for me.
651
00:25:14,003 --> 00:25:16,430
Brings me to his office
at 7:00 p.m.
652
00:25:16,589 --> 00:25:18,340
I walk into his office.
653
00:25:18,433 --> 00:25:20,518
The secretary locks the door.
654
00:25:20,677 --> 00:25:22,269
"Would you like something
to drink?"
655
00:25:22,354 --> 00:25:24,429
So I said, "Yeah, I'd like
some gin on the rocks."
656
00:25:24,514 --> 00:25:26,524
Brings me a full glass.
657
00:25:26,683 --> 00:25:29,193
So I'm sitting there drinking.
I drink.
658
00:25:29,352 --> 00:25:32,112
Half-hour later,
Katzenberg comes in.
659
00:25:32,197 --> 00:25:33,864
"All right, you're gonna
come back to work."
660
00:25:33,949 --> 00:25:35,440
I said, "No, I'm not."
661
00:25:35,525 --> 00:25:37,025
And I'm drunk.
I'm whacked out of my head.
662
00:25:37,110 --> 00:25:39,203
(narrator) Perhaps the gin
had not swayed Harold,
663
00:25:39,362 --> 00:25:41,205
but it had given him
some courage.
664
00:25:41,289 --> 00:25:43,282
- I said,
"I want $10,000 a week."
665
00:25:43,375 --> 00:25:45,709
"Got it." "And I want a picture
commitment."
666
00:25:45,794 --> 00:25:47,378
A script commitment.
"You got it."
667
00:25:47,537 --> 00:25:49,964
(chuckles)
Well, that's what I had to do.
668
00:25:50,123 --> 00:25:52,708
(narrator) But just as Harold
had tied one on with Katzenberg
669
00:25:52,792 --> 00:25:56,128
and been tied down,
Gene was unraveling.
670
00:25:56,212 --> 00:25:59,965
- Gene was already starting to
show signs of substance abuse.
671
00:26:00,049 --> 00:26:01,642
- He was on drugs all the time.
672
00:26:01,726 --> 00:26:04,886
He smoked a lot of pot,
and I know he was on cocaine.
673
00:26:04,980 --> 00:26:07,723
And he was a prodigious drinker.
674
00:26:07,807 --> 00:26:09,400
(David Gerrold)
Gene Roddenberry was probably
675
00:26:09,484 --> 00:26:11,727
one of the most complicated
people I've ever met.
676
00:26:11,811 --> 00:26:14,479
He had power, he had authority,
he had ability.
677
00:26:14,564 --> 00:26:16,991
He wasted it
by being a substance abuser,
678
00:26:17,075 --> 00:26:19,401
but when he was at his best,
he was the best.
679
00:26:19,485 --> 00:26:21,486
And when he was
at his worst, he was the worst.
680
00:26:21,580 --> 00:26:23,488
(narrator) Sidelined from
his own production,
681
00:26:23,573 --> 00:26:26,074
Gene was losing touch
with his life's work.
682
00:26:26,159 --> 00:26:28,419
(Harold) I understand
that this was Gene's baby.
683
00:26:28,503 --> 00:26:30,087
It was his whole life.
684
00:26:30,171 --> 00:26:33,757
And without "Star Trek,"
he was gone, he was nothing.
685
00:26:33,916 --> 00:26:35,584
(narrator)
The creator of "Star Trek"
686
00:26:35,668 --> 00:26:38,420
tried harder to force his will
on the production.
687
00:26:38,504 --> 00:26:42,591
- Roddenberry was always
trying imbue his own ideas
688
00:26:42,684 --> 00:26:45,010
into the script,
into the picture.
689
00:26:45,094 --> 00:26:46,937
He drove everybody crazy.
690
00:26:47,096 --> 00:26:48,764
He was more
than a pain in the ass,
691
00:26:48,857 --> 00:26:51,358
he was a monumental nuisance.
692
00:26:51,443 --> 00:26:53,935
(narrator)
On set, director Robert Wise
693
00:26:54,020 --> 00:26:57,356
was feeling stymied by his
overreaching producer.
694
00:26:57,449 --> 00:26:59,116
(David Gerrold)
Robert Wise was used to having
695
00:26:59,275 --> 00:27:01,943
a much greater degree
of autonomy
696
00:27:02,028 --> 00:27:03,704
to getting things to work.
697
00:27:03,788 --> 00:27:07,115
And Roddenberry's meddling
and micromanaging
698
00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,702
was not working well for him.
It was not a happy
699
00:27:10,795 --> 00:27:12,954
experience for him.
Roddenberry was the worst
700
00:27:13,048 --> 00:27:14,456
producer he ever
had to work with.
701
00:27:14,549 --> 00:27:16,208
(narrator)
Adding to the trouble,
702
00:27:16,292 --> 00:27:18,636
Katzenberg and Harold's
gin-fueled accord
703
00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:20,471
had already broken down.
704
00:27:20,630 --> 00:27:22,381
- I got so disgusted
with everything
705
00:27:22,474 --> 00:27:24,141
that I didn't care
about the money or anything.
706
00:27:24,300 --> 00:27:26,385
I just walked out.
(narrator) Again.
707
00:27:26,469 --> 00:27:28,053
Which was not the end of a story
708
00:27:28,137 --> 00:27:30,305
because the story
still had no end.
709
00:27:30,390 --> 00:27:32,733
- They didn't have an ending for
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture."
710
00:27:32,817 --> 00:27:36,737
- They gave us a two-act script
in a three-act movie.
711
00:27:36,821 --> 00:27:39,156
- I had trouble writing
the ending myself.
712
00:27:39,315 --> 00:27:41,316
I mean, I can't blame
anybody for that
713
00:27:41,401 --> 00:27:43,327
because I couldn't come up
with a decent ending.
714
00:27:43,486 --> 00:27:45,412
(narrator)
And without a writer on board,
715
00:27:45,571 --> 00:27:49,750
the only writing being done was
a series of angry memos.
716
00:27:49,834 --> 00:27:51,326
- Lots of memos going
back and forth,
717
00:27:51,411 --> 00:27:52,661
including from Paramount.
718
00:27:52,754 --> 00:27:54,413
"What's the ending gonna be?"
719
00:27:54,506 --> 00:27:56,748
And nobody could agree
on what the ending was gonna be.
720
00:27:56,833 --> 00:27:58,834
(narrator)
Not having a third act was bad,
721
00:27:58,927 --> 00:28:00,669
but there was another problem
722
00:28:00,753 --> 00:28:02,421
that couldn't simply be solved
with a typewriter.
723
00:28:02,505 --> 00:28:03,514
- The special effects people
724
00:28:03,673 --> 00:28:05,516
were not producing
what he needed.
725
00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:07,351
- So the question would be,
why wouldn't they come forward
726
00:28:07,510 --> 00:28:09,019
and say, "Hey, we're having
a problem?"
727
00:28:09,178 --> 00:28:10,595
Well, 'cause you don't
want to get fired.
728
00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:12,597
They were feeling
that they would somehow
729
00:28:12,682 --> 00:28:14,108
find a way to pull it through.
730
00:28:14,192 --> 00:28:16,101
(narrator) The director was
getting nervous.
731
00:28:16,185 --> 00:28:17,769
- Paramount presold this.
732
00:28:17,854 --> 00:28:19,947
There was a locked
premiere date.
733
00:28:20,031 --> 00:28:22,190
(narrator) With the movie
already booked in theaters,
734
00:28:22,275 --> 00:28:25,035
Wise knew how true
the teaser poster really was.
735
00:28:25,194 --> 00:28:27,538
The adventure was only
just beginning
736
00:28:27,697 --> 00:28:29,781
when it should have been
nearly finished.
737
00:28:29,874 --> 00:28:31,792
- They were opening the movie
in nine months.
738
00:28:31,951 --> 00:28:33,210
- It needs more work, sir.
739
00:28:33,294 --> 00:28:34,703
- Bob Wise finally said,
740
00:28:34,796 --> 00:28:36,130
"Come show me what you have."
741
00:28:36,214 --> 00:28:38,206
He'd been asking to see it
for a while.
742
00:28:38,291 --> 00:28:40,292
(narrator) The effects crew
played a test reel,
743
00:28:40,376 --> 00:28:42,136
hoping the director
would see the light.
744
00:28:42,220 --> 00:28:44,796
- And so they brought it in
and they screened it.
745
00:28:44,889 --> 00:28:46,715
(narrator) Robert Wise saw
the light all right.
746
00:28:46,799 --> 00:28:48,467
- The probe itself,
which was a physical thing,
747
00:28:48,551 --> 00:28:49,801
putting out a huge amount
of light.
748
00:28:49,886 --> 00:28:51,470
(narrator)
But that was all he saw.
749
00:28:51,563 --> 00:28:52,730
- And he said, "Okay, show me
what else you have."
750
00:28:52,814 --> 00:28:54,481
And they said,
"That's everything."
751
00:28:54,566 --> 00:28:57,476
And they failed terribly.
They were over their heads.
752
00:28:57,569 --> 00:28:59,478
They didn't know how
to do something like this.
753
00:28:59,571 --> 00:29:02,406
(narrator) Worse, this humble
on-camera effect
754
00:29:02,565 --> 00:29:04,742
was not what Robert Abel
had promised.
755
00:29:04,901 --> 00:29:08,236
- Bob had bitten off
a huge chunk.
756
00:29:08,329 --> 00:29:10,998
He had proposed and pursued
757
00:29:11,157 --> 00:29:14,659
doing the effects for the movie
in a digital environment
758
00:29:14,744 --> 00:29:17,162
with computers that were
not even
759
00:29:17,246 --> 00:29:18,839
as powerful as your cell phone.
760
00:29:18,923 --> 00:29:20,665
(narrator)
Unbeknownst to the director,
761
00:29:20,750 --> 00:29:22,834
the digital effects had failed
762
00:29:22,927 --> 00:29:26,087
and the only stunning
visual effect Robert Wise saw
763
00:29:26,172 --> 00:29:28,173
was the disappearing budget.
764
00:29:28,257 --> 00:29:29,758
- About 5 million
was squandered.
765
00:29:29,851 --> 00:29:31,685
Robert Wise had a meltdown.
766
00:29:31,844 --> 00:29:33,512
He'd just storm out
767
00:29:33,605 --> 00:29:35,680
and say, "I never want
to see that man again."
768
00:29:35,765 --> 00:29:37,858
(narrator)
That man was soon-to-be-replaced
769
00:29:37,942 --> 00:29:40,277
special effects supervisor
Robert Abel.
770
00:29:40,436 --> 00:29:42,529
- "Find me somebody else.
I don't care who.
771
00:29:42,688 --> 00:29:45,106
I will never have anything
to do with that man again."
772
00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:46,617
(narrator)
The numbers were all bad
773
00:29:46,701 --> 00:29:47,776
for "Star Trek: The Motion
Picture."
774
00:29:47,869 --> 00:29:50,111
Six months until the premiere,
775
00:29:50,205 --> 00:29:53,031
only two of three acts scripted,
776
00:29:53,124 --> 00:29:55,626
and just one miserable minute
of special effects.
777
00:29:59,547 --> 00:30:01,540
(narrator) Nearly a year into
production, "Star Trek:
778
00:30:01,633 --> 00:30:03,208
The Motion Picture"
still had no special effects,
779
00:30:03,292 --> 00:30:05,052
no ending,
and seemingly no hope.
780
00:30:05,136 --> 00:30:06,553
- Systems overloading, Captain.
781
00:30:06,638 --> 00:30:08,222
(narrator)
Only one thing could make
782
00:30:08,306 --> 00:30:11,475
this classic Hollywood
nightmare worse... lawyers.
783
00:30:11,559 --> 00:30:14,228
- Exhibitors put a lot
of pressure on the studio
784
00:30:14,312 --> 00:30:16,230
in the form
of a potential lawsuit
785
00:30:16,314 --> 00:30:18,974
to make sure that the movie
was completed
786
00:30:19,058 --> 00:30:21,226
on the date
that they had proposed.
787
00:30:21,319 --> 00:30:22,644
(narrator)
There's nothing like the threat
788
00:30:22,737 --> 00:30:25,063
of legal action
to get things moving.
789
00:30:25,147 --> 00:30:28,492
Fearing the worst, Paramount
made plans to shift liability.
790
00:30:28,651 --> 00:30:31,236
- I believe they had to have
a fall guy.
791
00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:33,247
(narrator)
Overwhelmed and underachieving,
792
00:30:33,331 --> 00:30:35,833
Robert Able was cast
in that role.
793
00:30:35,917 --> 00:30:39,253
- Bob Abel became
the force majeure
794
00:30:39,412 --> 00:30:41,505
that the studio had to have
795
00:30:41,589 --> 00:30:46,009
in case they were sued
by the exhibitors to avoid
796
00:30:46,168 --> 00:30:48,428
a hundred-million-dollar
class-action suit.
797
00:30:48,588 --> 00:30:50,681
(narrator) Trimming up legal
strategies was one thing,
798
00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:53,091
but what Paramount needed
was someone to dream up
799
00:30:53,175 --> 00:30:54,768
an ending to their film.
800
00:30:54,853 --> 00:30:57,012
(Marc) And Jon Povill,
who was associate producer,
801
00:30:57,105 --> 00:30:59,097
came up with the ending
in the 11th hour
802
00:30:59,190 --> 00:31:04,027
with this idea that V'Ger is
trying to achieve consciousness.
803
00:31:04,112 --> 00:31:07,030
(narrator) That's V'Ger, the
giant amorphous energy cloud.
804
00:31:07,189 --> 00:31:09,950
- And how better to do it
than to merge with the Creator?
805
00:31:10,034 --> 00:31:11,785
- And who is the Creator?
- A human.
806
00:31:11,870 --> 00:31:13,203
(narrator)
That's this human.
807
00:31:13,362 --> 00:31:14,955
- And Decker can merge
with Ilia.
808
00:31:15,039 --> 00:31:16,290
(narrator)
That's this woman.
809
00:31:16,374 --> 00:31:18,041
- The Creator has not answered.
810
00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:19,200
(Marc) Which is also
merging with V'Ger.
811
00:31:19,285 --> 00:31:21,202
- Who is V'Ger?
812
00:31:21,287 --> 00:31:23,046
- V'Ger is that
which seeks the Creator.
813
00:31:23,131 --> 00:31:25,624
- Which allows V'Ger to merge
with humankind.
814
00:31:25,708 --> 00:31:26,967
- It became a living thing.
815
00:31:27,051 --> 00:31:28,635
(narrator)
If that sounds confusing,
816
00:31:28,794 --> 00:31:31,046
that's because it is,
and Paramount felt the same way.
817
00:31:31,139 --> 00:31:33,974
- Paramount hated it.
Hated it.
818
00:31:34,058 --> 00:31:36,718
But Robert Wise said,
"I like it."
819
00:31:36,802 --> 00:31:38,395
And of course,
when Bob Wise liked it,
820
00:31:38,479 --> 00:31:40,138
then Paramount liked it
and so it got filmed.
821
00:31:40,231 --> 00:31:42,307
(narrator)
Working at the end was a start,
822
00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:46,144
but in June of '79, Paramount
still had an incomplete film
823
00:31:46,228 --> 00:31:47,896
with no special effects.
824
00:31:47,980 --> 00:31:49,648
- Paramount brings in
Doug Trumbull,
825
00:31:49,732 --> 00:31:52,067
who is one of
the special effects' worlds
826
00:31:52,151 --> 00:31:54,486
most amazing artists
working on "2001."
827
00:31:54,570 --> 00:31:56,246
(narrator)
Stanley Kubrick's classic opus
828
00:31:56,405 --> 00:31:59,917
had virtually defined the look
and feel of space on film.
829
00:32:00,076 --> 00:32:01,585
- Nobody knew how to do
the space effects
830
00:32:01,669 --> 00:32:03,328
better than Doug Trumbull.
831
00:32:03,412 --> 00:32:04,829
(narrator)
Paramount needed Trumbull to do
832
00:32:04,914 --> 00:32:07,499
the same for "Star Trek"
and at warp speed.
833
00:32:07,592 --> 00:32:10,677
What "Star Trek" needed
was a new way of doing things,
834
00:32:10,836 --> 00:32:12,179
and luckily for Trumbull,
835
00:32:12,263 --> 00:32:14,514
John Dykstra had invented
just that,
836
00:32:14,599 --> 00:32:16,424
courtesy of "Star Wars," again.
837
00:32:16,517 --> 00:32:17,926
- Here's where the fun begins.
838
00:32:18,010 --> 00:32:19,853
- When we did
the "Star Wars" stuff,
839
00:32:20,012 --> 00:32:24,516
it opened up a whole new realm
for lots and lots of material.
840
00:32:24,609 --> 00:32:27,110
(narrator) Motion control, still
a new technique, had made
841
00:32:27,269 --> 00:32:29,780
it possible to realistically
depict space flight.
842
00:32:29,939 --> 00:32:32,699
- Take us out.
- We were using technology
843
00:32:32,784 --> 00:32:35,527
we designed for an earlier
project
844
00:32:35,611 --> 00:32:38,279
to achieve a new result.
845
00:32:38,373 --> 00:32:41,708
But there was so much work to do
in such a short period of time.
846
00:32:41,793 --> 00:32:43,961
When I joined them,
it was triage.
847
00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:46,955
- Suddenly there was
a crash rush at the end of--
848
00:32:47,048 --> 00:32:48,799
Coming up to release date.
849
00:32:48,883 --> 00:32:50,709
(Dykstra) We immediately went
into a nightmare.
850
00:32:50,802 --> 00:32:52,293
Everybody's hair was on fire.
851
00:32:52,378 --> 00:32:54,721
We were working
three eight-hour shifts.
852
00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:56,306
- They brought beds in.
853
00:32:56,391 --> 00:32:59,309
- I think the quote was,
from Michael Eisner was
854
00:32:59,468 --> 00:33:02,804
"You're coming out
on the release date we have set.
855
00:33:02,897 --> 00:33:05,482
"I don't care if there's black
leader in place
856
00:33:05,566 --> 00:33:07,976
of where the effects should be,
the movie's coming out."
857
00:33:08,069 --> 00:33:10,311
- Don't worry,
she'll launch on schedule
858
00:33:10,396 --> 00:33:11,980
if we have to tow her out
with our bare hands.
859
00:33:12,073 --> 00:33:14,074
(narrator) With the hardest
of hard deadlines,
860
00:33:14,233 --> 00:33:17,327
John and Doug divided the work
between their studios.
861
00:33:17,486 --> 00:33:20,822
- Doug was really, I think,
focusing on the Enterprise.
862
00:33:20,906 --> 00:33:23,166
(narrator) The iconic and now
redesigned mother ship
863
00:33:23,251 --> 00:33:25,243
was destined to be
the centerpiece.
864
00:33:25,327 --> 00:33:27,328
- Doug did
the dry dock sequence.
865
00:33:27,413 --> 00:33:29,080
- And they do the tour
around the Enterprise,
866
00:33:29,165 --> 00:33:31,758
and if you're a "Star Trek" fan,
it's... ahh.
867
00:33:31,843 --> 00:33:33,844
- The introduction
to the Enterprise
868
00:33:34,003 --> 00:33:35,670
had to be orgasmic.
869
00:33:35,755 --> 00:33:37,172
- I'm in heaven, you know?
870
00:33:37,265 --> 00:33:38,682
If you would stop now,
I'll die happy.
871
00:33:38,841 --> 00:33:40,675
(narrator)
This cinematic climax was made
872
00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,094
possible by some ingenious
smoke and mirrors.
873
00:33:43,187 --> 00:33:46,106
- Trick is, is that we're
trying to create an illusion.
874
00:33:46,190 --> 00:33:48,016
You put a light source
on the ship,
875
00:33:48,100 --> 00:33:52,187
and you want it to focus
on a particular thing.
876
00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:54,689
- So much white lighting
on the side of the ship
877
00:33:54,774 --> 00:33:56,616
kind of took away
from the scale of the ship,
878
00:33:56,701 --> 00:33:58,526
and he thought it'd be better
879
00:33:58,619 --> 00:34:01,529
to neutralize all of that
lighting down
880
00:34:01,614 --> 00:34:05,709
and just use these spotlights
to give the ship a more scale.
881
00:34:05,793 --> 00:34:07,368
(narrator) That epic scale came
from something
882
00:34:07,462 --> 00:34:09,120
small enough to fit
in your mouth.
883
00:34:09,213 --> 00:34:11,873
- There was dental mirrors,
a lot of dental mirrors.
884
00:34:11,957 --> 00:34:14,134
Take a light, source it,
a focused beam,
885
00:34:14,218 --> 00:34:15,710
bounce it off a dental mirror,
886
00:34:15,803 --> 00:34:17,387
and it puts a spot of light
over here.
887
00:34:17,472 --> 00:34:20,465
And it looks like
that light is sourced from here.
888
00:34:20,549 --> 00:34:22,225
(narrator)
But to get the party started,
889
00:34:22,310 --> 00:34:25,053
it wasn't the Enterprise that
needed to look imperious.
890
00:34:25,137 --> 00:34:27,138
- John Dykstra's outfit
891
00:34:27,231 --> 00:34:30,809
did the opening shot
which was of the Klingon ship
892
00:34:30,902 --> 00:34:32,402
looming into view.
893
00:34:32,561 --> 00:34:34,488
They knew how important it was
for the picture.
894
00:34:34,647 --> 00:34:36,898
(narrator) If the Enterprise was
going to be majestic,
895
00:34:36,982 --> 00:34:40,660
her enemies needed
to be electrifying.
896
00:34:40,745 --> 00:34:41,986
- We had lots of weird stuff.
897
00:34:42,071 --> 00:34:43,997
We had a Tesla coil,
898
00:34:44,082 --> 00:34:46,583
which is lightning generator.
899
00:34:46,667 --> 00:34:51,412
It would throw a six-foot arc
in helium with no vacuum,
900
00:34:51,497 --> 00:34:53,665
which is a long piece
of lightning.
901
00:34:53,749 --> 00:34:55,258
(electrical whirring)
902
00:34:55,343 --> 00:34:58,345
It used 60 amps at 440 volts,
903
00:34:58,429 --> 00:35:00,180
which is a lot of electricity.
904
00:35:02,016 --> 00:35:04,184
And we had to build a cage
around it
905
00:35:04,343 --> 00:35:06,344
because we're near
the airport there.
906
00:35:06,428 --> 00:35:08,105
And when we fired it up,
907
00:35:08,264 --> 00:35:10,357
it would interfere
with radio transmissions
908
00:35:10,441 --> 00:35:13,268
from the tower with
the airplanes.
909
00:35:13,361 --> 00:35:15,103
Maybe that wasn't
the best way to do it,
910
00:35:15,196 --> 00:35:16,855
but it was the way
that we figured
911
00:35:16,939 --> 00:35:19,440
we could get it done
in the time that we had.
912
00:35:19,534 --> 00:35:22,110
(narrator) While incredible
explosions were being rendered to film,
913
00:35:22,194 --> 00:35:24,696
something else was exploding
like a supernova,
914
00:35:24,789 --> 00:35:26,114
and it wasn't pretty.
915
00:35:26,198 --> 00:35:27,207
- It went way over budget.
916
00:35:27,291 --> 00:35:28,542
- It doubled and then tripled.
917
00:35:28,626 --> 00:35:30,535
And then eventually
was $45 million.
918
00:35:30,619 --> 00:35:32,045
- Money wasn't an issue.
919
00:35:32,130 --> 00:35:33,288
- And worked around the clock
920
00:35:33,381 --> 00:35:36,457
and finished
the last special effects
921
00:35:36,542 --> 00:35:39,377
about a week before
the movie was gonna open.
922
00:35:39,470 --> 00:35:41,379
(narrator) A lot had gone into
923
00:35:41,463 --> 00:35:43,882
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture."
- Nobody had seen the movie.
924
00:35:43,975 --> 00:35:46,134
(narrator) And a lot of
it ended up on screen.
925
00:35:46,218 --> 00:35:48,228
- It was an incredible
human effort.
926
00:35:48,312 --> 00:35:50,138
(narrator)
To some it was no surprise that
927
00:35:50,222 --> 00:35:54,067
following their first screening,
the "L" word was used.
928
00:35:54,152 --> 00:35:56,486
- And suddenly,
it's feeling long.
929
00:35:56,645 --> 00:35:58,405
(narrator)
Along with the "B" word.
930
00:35:58,564 --> 00:36:01,065
- It's feeling a little boring.
931
00:36:01,150 --> 00:36:03,484
(narrator) However, somewhat
ironically, Robert Wise
932
00:36:03,569 --> 00:36:05,579
just didn't have
enough time to fix it.
933
00:36:05,663 --> 00:36:07,739
- He wanted more time
to shave off
934
00:36:07,832 --> 00:36:11,001
some of those moments that
people complained about
935
00:36:11,085 --> 00:36:12,994
where there's a little
too much special effects.
936
00:36:13,078 --> 00:36:16,581
Add a little bit more of the
humanity into the film.
937
00:36:16,665 --> 00:36:18,675
(narrator) But with the
premiere looming, Paramount had
938
00:36:18,759 --> 00:36:20,919
the bigger problem of finishing
their final cut
939
00:36:21,003 --> 00:36:23,838
or any cut in time
for the opening.
940
00:36:23,923 --> 00:36:26,099
- They were just hoping that
they could get it done.
941
00:36:30,012 --> 00:36:31,262
(narrator)
December 7, 1979.
942
00:36:31,347 --> 00:36:32,597
- It was a red carpet thing.
943
00:36:32,681 --> 00:36:34,441
Everybody was in tuxedos.
944
00:36:34,525 --> 00:36:36,693
(narrator) As everyone made
their way to the premiere...
945
00:36:36,777 --> 00:36:39,354
- Robert Wise was carrying
with him the print,
946
00:36:39,438 --> 00:36:42,023
and it's still wet.
They just made the print.
947
00:36:42,107 --> 00:36:44,618
They came out of the developer
into the cans,
948
00:36:44,702 --> 00:36:47,954
still wet with the idea that
they would be dried off by their
949
00:36:48,039 --> 00:36:50,448
first trip through the projector
when they got to the feeder.
950
00:36:50,532 --> 00:36:52,617
- The last roll
of visual effects
951
00:36:52,701 --> 00:36:55,286
had been done the night before.
952
00:36:55,371 --> 00:36:57,121
- They got it into the theater.
953
00:36:57,215 --> 00:36:59,716
(narrator) The feeling in
the room was euphoric.
954
00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:02,460
- The opening to "Star Trek:
The Motion Picture" is glorious.
955
00:37:02,544 --> 00:37:04,879
There's so much going on.
956
00:37:04,964 --> 00:37:07,382
The effects are marvelous.
The audience cheered
957
00:37:07,466 --> 00:37:09,726
and applauded when
they saw the Klingon ships.
958
00:37:11,896 --> 00:37:13,972
(narrator) Paramount
had a hit on their hands.
959
00:37:14,056 --> 00:37:16,066
- It's amazing, it's insane.
960
00:37:16,150 --> 00:37:17,150
- "Star Trek:
The Motion Picture"
961
00:37:17,309 --> 00:37:19,402
was extremely successful.
962
00:37:19,487 --> 00:37:21,813
- It's insane that the movie
made as much money as it did.
963
00:37:21,897 --> 00:37:23,490
- It made a fortune.
964
00:37:23,574 --> 00:37:25,149
- "Star Trek:
The Motion Picture"
965
00:37:25,234 --> 00:37:26,993
makes $139 million.
966
00:37:27,078 --> 00:37:28,662
(narrator) After crawling
over the finish line,
967
00:37:28,746 --> 00:37:31,498
the film still managed
to take first place.
968
00:37:31,657 --> 00:37:34,909
- It was number one at the box
office for about three months.
969
00:37:34,994 --> 00:37:37,504
- It made more money than
any "Star Trek" film
970
00:37:37,663 --> 00:37:39,756
until "Star Trek" 2009.
971
00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:41,508
(narrator)
But critics were split.
972
00:37:41,592 --> 00:37:42,834
(Marc Cushman)
About half of 'em were very
973
00:37:42,918 --> 00:37:45,178
positive.. and half weren't.
974
00:37:45,263 --> 00:37:49,266
(narrator) For some, the rebirth of
"Star Trek" was an achievement itself.
975
00:37:49,350 --> 00:37:51,518
- What a towering achievement,
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture"
976
00:37:51,602 --> 00:37:55,096
was that it was able to take
a 1960s television show,
977
00:37:55,180 --> 00:37:57,432
produced on a 1960s budget
978
00:37:57,516 --> 00:38:00,443
with 1960s
special effects technology
979
00:38:00,528 --> 00:38:04,188
and transform it into something
realistic and believable.
980
00:38:04,273 --> 00:38:06,116
- It looks like you found a way.
981
00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:07,617
(narrator)
But for some, the film still
982
00:38:07,702 --> 00:38:10,537
moved at a 1960s pace.
983
00:38:10,621 --> 00:38:14,449
- "Star Trek, the motionless
picture" and things like that.
984
00:38:14,533 --> 00:38:16,617
- The papers, they were brutal.
They just said
985
00:38:16,702 --> 00:38:19,287
we were these old guys who were
986
00:38:19,371 --> 00:38:21,873
sort of stuck to television.
It was just awful.
987
00:38:21,957 --> 00:38:24,042
The only thing was, I evidently
988
00:38:24,126 --> 00:38:26,044
was so anonymous in the picture
989
00:38:26,128 --> 00:38:29,297
that when the reviews came
and they started
990
00:38:29,381 --> 00:38:32,133
naming the actors
who were out of their league
991
00:38:32,217 --> 00:38:33,551
by being in this picture,
992
00:38:33,635 --> 00:38:36,229
they ignored my existence
entirely.
993
00:38:36,314 --> 00:38:38,306
I, I, I was grateful.
994
00:38:38,390 --> 00:38:39,891
We have defeated.
995
00:38:39,975 --> 00:38:41,985
- I only see
all the flaws in it.
996
00:38:42,069 --> 00:38:45,405
Because I was there, and I know
where the compromises are.
997
00:38:45,489 --> 00:38:47,157
(narrator) For Leonard
Nimoy, the motion picture
998
00:38:47,241 --> 00:38:49,326
was like a faraway planet.
999
00:38:49,410 --> 00:38:53,071
- V'Ger is barren, cold.
1000
00:38:53,155 --> 00:38:54,998
It was cold, it was distant.
1001
00:38:55,082 --> 00:38:56,074
It had very little to do
with "Star Trek."
1002
00:38:56,158 --> 00:38:59,077
No meaning, no hope.
1003
00:38:59,161 --> 00:39:00,912
The characters
were not in shape,
1004
00:39:00,996 --> 00:39:02,672
in place, playing
off of each other
1005
00:39:02,831 --> 00:39:04,832
and with each other
the way we did best.
1006
00:39:04,917 --> 00:39:06,676
- There were some reviews
that called into question
1007
00:39:06,761 --> 00:39:09,929
the missing sort of humanity
of the characters.
1008
00:39:10,014 --> 00:39:12,507
(narrator) Then it was possibly
the most confusing ending
1009
00:39:12,591 --> 00:39:15,602
to a Sci-Fi picture since
"2001: A Space Odyssey."
1010
00:39:15,686 --> 00:39:17,604
- I wasn't crazy
about the ending.
1011
00:39:17,688 --> 00:39:21,191
- What V'Ger needs in order
to evolve is a human quality.
1012
00:39:21,350 --> 00:39:22,692
- And that's not because
I didn't write it.
1013
00:39:22,851 --> 00:39:25,353
It's because it made
little sense to me.
1014
00:39:25,437 --> 00:39:27,447
Well, though, with V'Ger,
1015
00:39:27,531 --> 00:39:29,199
do some (bleep) thing,
I don't know.
1016
00:39:29,283 --> 00:39:32,619
But if it worked for the
"Star Trek" people, okay, good.
1017
00:39:32,703 --> 00:39:34,195
(narrator)
For director Robert Wise,
1018
00:39:34,279 --> 00:39:36,289
it turned out to be
one of his biggest hits
1019
00:39:36,374 --> 00:39:38,533
and one of his least
favorite films.
1020
00:39:38,617 --> 00:39:40,284
- He said I've never made
a movie before where
1021
00:39:40,369 --> 00:39:43,296
we were rewriting the script
as we were shooting
1022
00:39:43,381 --> 00:39:45,123
and waiting
for the special effects.
1023
00:39:45,207 --> 00:39:47,300
- Making "Star Trek" wasn't fun.
1024
00:39:47,459 --> 00:39:49,052
(narrator) The success of
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture"
1025
00:39:49,136 --> 00:39:51,304
had saved the franchise.
1026
00:39:51,389 --> 00:39:53,297
- "Star Trek: The Motion
Picture" was such a big hit.
1027
00:39:53,382 --> 00:39:54,549
Of course, there was gonna
be a second movie
1028
00:39:54,633 --> 00:39:55,642
and a third movie and so forth.
1029
00:39:55,726 --> 00:39:57,560
- It made it of worth
1030
00:39:57,645 --> 00:39:59,479
to continue
the "Star Trek" franchise.
1031
00:39:59,563 --> 00:40:00,972
(narrator)
But this larger prize came
1032
00:40:01,056 --> 00:40:03,391
at the expense of the TV show.
1033
00:40:03,475 --> 00:40:05,985
- So there, phase two
went away for that reason.
1034
00:40:06,070 --> 00:40:08,479
Because of the success
of the movie.
1035
00:40:08,564 --> 00:40:10,156
(narrator)
For Gene Roddenberry,
1036
00:40:10,241 --> 00:40:12,066
the motion picture
was another example
1037
00:40:12,151 --> 00:40:15,161
of "Star Trek" taking off
without him on board.
1038
00:40:15,246 --> 00:40:17,321
- Yeah, there were a lot of
problems with the motion picture
1039
00:40:17,406 --> 00:40:20,250
both structurally and as a film.
1040
00:40:20,334 --> 00:40:24,421
And a lot of that was not Gene's
fault, but he was blamed.
1041
00:40:24,505 --> 00:40:26,664
And he was demoted.
1042
00:40:26,748 --> 00:40:28,583
- After the motion picture,
1043
00:40:28,667 --> 00:40:30,093
Gene was kicked upstairs.
1044
00:40:30,177 --> 00:40:33,179
- They gave him
a new contract that said
1045
00:40:33,264 --> 00:40:36,599
that he would be a very
well-paid script consultant.
1046
00:40:36,684 --> 00:40:38,759
(narrator) For perhaps
the first time in its history,
1047
00:40:38,844 --> 00:40:41,604
but not the last, "Star Trek"
had broken through
1048
00:40:41,689 --> 00:40:45,099
despite its creator
as well as because of him.
1049
00:40:45,184 --> 00:40:46,517
- We wouldn't be here
discussing "Star Trek"
1050
00:40:46,602 --> 00:40:48,361
if it wasn't for
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture."
1051
00:40:48,446 --> 00:40:51,606
- Somebody had to go boldly
where no one had gone before.
1052
00:40:51,690 --> 00:40:54,525
And Robert Wise did it.
It would be churlish
1053
00:40:54,618 --> 00:40:57,945
and self-aggrandizing,
I think, to not acknowledge
1054
00:40:58,030 --> 00:41:01,282
the debt even if it,
you know, I just learned things
1055
00:41:01,366 --> 00:41:03,293
that I, watching the movie
that I didn't understand
1056
00:41:03,377 --> 00:41:06,287
or wanted to change or thought
could be done differently.
1057
00:41:06,371 --> 00:41:08,882
- It was also a sociological...
(chuckling)
1058
00:41:08,966 --> 00:41:11,292
Pop culture land mine.
1059
00:41:11,385 --> 00:41:12,710
- What do you make of all this?
1060
00:41:12,794 --> 00:41:14,220
(narrator)
Just as the motion picture split
1061
00:41:14,305 --> 00:41:16,380
critical opinion,
fans were also split
1062
00:41:16,465 --> 00:41:18,799
and still debate
its worth today.
1063
00:41:18,893 --> 00:41:22,470
- The very first
debate of the fans
1064
00:41:22,554 --> 00:41:24,314
is "Star Trek: The Motion
Picture" good or bad?
1065
00:41:24,398 --> 00:41:28,234
- It didn't have the dynamics.
It didn't have the drama.
1066
00:41:28,319 --> 00:41:30,820
- I think it's a good movie.
Most people excoriate it.
1067
00:41:30,905 --> 00:41:32,739
But I like the first
"Star Trek" movie.
1068
00:41:32,823 --> 00:41:35,074
(narrator) But for every
fan of the original series
1069
00:41:35,234 --> 00:41:38,319
who lamented the lack of a good
villain or driving action...
1070
00:41:38,403 --> 00:41:40,488
(loud grunting)
1071
00:41:40,572 --> 00:41:43,824
There's a fan who sees
pure science fiction.
1072
00:41:43,909 --> 00:41:47,086
- It's a very cerebral,
thoughtful commentary.
1073
00:41:47,171 --> 00:41:49,422
It comments on the concept
of faith.
1074
00:41:49,507 --> 00:41:52,926
It deals with something that
we are dealing with right now
1075
00:41:53,085 --> 00:41:56,012
in a profound way which is the
merger of humanity and machines.
1076
00:41:56,096 --> 00:41:58,089
- V'Ger and the Creator
will become one.
1077
00:41:58,173 --> 00:41:59,849
- And so in some ways again,
like really great
1078
00:41:59,934 --> 00:42:02,352
science fiction,
ahead of its time.
1079
00:42:02,436 --> 00:42:04,604
- For all the slings and arrows
that the motion picture takes
1080
00:42:04,688 --> 00:42:08,358
as a piece of cinema,
"Star Trek" broke so many norms.
1081
00:42:08,442 --> 00:42:10,851
It broke so much new ground
on so many levels.
1082
00:42:10,945 --> 00:42:13,521
- We are inside
a living machine.
1083
00:42:13,605 --> 00:42:15,782
- "Star Trek: The Motion
Picture" goes into who we are.
1084
00:42:15,866 --> 00:42:18,025
What is life?
What is the meaning of life?
1085
00:42:18,110 --> 00:42:20,194
- "Star Trek: The Motion
Picture" keeps in line
1086
00:42:20,279 --> 00:42:24,282
with Roddenberry's edict
that "Star Trek" is us.
1087
00:42:24,366 --> 00:42:26,459
- I think we gave it
the ability to create
1088
00:42:26,544 --> 00:42:29,537
its own sense of purpose
1089
00:42:29,630 --> 00:42:31,548
out of our own human weaknesses.
1090
00:42:31,707 --> 00:42:33,541
(narrator)
Whatever its human weaknesses,
1091
00:42:33,625 --> 00:42:34,801
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture"
1092
00:42:34,885 --> 00:42:36,961
had put "Star Trek"
the franchise
1093
00:42:37,045 --> 00:42:39,222
back on track,
even if its makers
1094
00:42:39,306 --> 00:42:41,641
felt like they had
just survived a war.
1095
00:42:41,725 --> 00:42:44,060
- I've been in three
(bleep) wars, I've...
1096
00:42:44,144 --> 00:42:46,145
The (bleep)-- had the (bleep)
kicked out of me.
1097
00:42:46,230 --> 00:42:48,815
My worst war
was with Roddenberry.
1098
00:42:48,899 --> 00:42:50,725
I don't know who else could've
taken all that (bleep).
1099
00:42:50,809 --> 00:42:53,194
(narrator) Well, Harold
would not be the last.88636
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