From: Scott Gorcey <scottgor@jaflrn.UUCP>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Subject: Re: COMMENTS ON STAR TREK V
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 92 18:39:22 EDT
Organization: The Wizzard's Cave, East Meadow, NY

umlippen@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Rick Lippens) writes:

> >From:	FALCON::WINS%"<p5ku@jupiter.Sun.CSD.unb.ca>" 20-JUL-1992 12:21:10.58
> >From: BAMFORD <p5ku@jupiter.Sun.CSD.unb.ca> writes.....
> 
> >>	Besides, all in all, STV wasn't really as bad as was first believed.
> >>In my opinion, the reason it was attacked to such a degree was for the fact
> >>that it did not live up to everyone's expectations following IV; however,
> >>if one watches it with a fresh perspective, then one will notice that STV
> >>(or the last hour thereof) was really the only part of any ST film which
> >>presented itself in the spirit of TOS.  Do not mistake my statement, STV
> >>was not my favorite of the films, I am simply indicating that it was not th
> >>worst.  
> 
> Finally, a positive view of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.  I agree, there
> are elements of the film that are truely good and shouldn't be discarded
> with the whole.  The Final Frontier wasn't that bad a movie overall (in my
> opinion).  The basic problem most people have I think is that there wasn't
> the traditional amount of 'action' that has been prevalent in the other
> movies, and having more of a movie bent on storyline versus action (i.e. a 
> faulty balance between the two) causes anger and disgust in many people. Stro
> action backed up by a strong storyline base holds the premise for a 'good'
> movie (in terms of both popularity and enjoyment). 
> 
> Question:  How is the spirit of Star Trek: The Original Series depicted in 
> Star Trek V.  Are you referring to the storyline, or to the entire feel
> of the movie in general?
> 
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
     I dunno.  I'm a screenwriter, a student of film in general... and
   the problems in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier from a basic 
   story-structure point of view could be presented in the "What Not
   To Do" section of an Introductory Filmmaking Textbook.  
     What was Kirk's dramatic need in Star Trek V?  You could make a 
   case for several, but none of them strong cases: his dramatic need
   was to get back to his vacation.  His dramatic need was "to know."
   Sure.  
     There was NO driving plot in this movie, no identifiable theme,
   no good acting (not to say, no good actors; just no good ACTING),
   no good ANYTHING.
     The blame for this falls squarely on the shoulders of William
   Shatner, just as the PRAISE had is been a wonderful movie would
   have been lofted solely to him.  It was his baby from the start.
   But: despite his decades in the industry, Shatner's knowledge of
   the basic tenets of storytelling on the screen is more than
   faulty: it is virtually NON-EXISTANT.  Shatner's direction is
   amateurish.  And his take on the characters is one-dimensional...
   and more than that, 20 years stale.  
     Nope, it was a good decision on the part of Steven Charles Jaffe
   and Leonard Nimoy to "forget" Star Trek V when making VI... A good
   idea for us all, I think.