Captain Spock is dead! The Enterprise is being decommissioned. The Genesis planet has been declared off-limits. Dr McCoy is losing his mind. But all hope is not lost, Spock’s Katra, his living spirit was transferred to McCoy. Now, Admiral Kirk and crew will have to risk everything for the chance to restore Spock.
In the eyes of the majority of Trekkies, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is the Apex mountain of the movies in the Star Trek franchise. It is a tough act to follow. Star Trek III does its best but its plot is contrived towards the ultimate goal of resurrecting a beloved character.
THE EDGE
While TSFS is an excellent movie it just misses the mark by a hair. It just doesn’t have the emotional impact of TWOK. In a few places it relies on deus exes machina and willful convenience. It does, however, feature a very deep and talented cast of supporting players. Next to Khan, Commander Kruge, played by Christopher Lloyd, is one of the most determined and vindictive villains in Star Trek. His cruelty extends not only to his enemies but also to his crew.
This was a breakout role for Lloyd. Up until this point he was primarily known for his comedic work on the sitcom Taxi. It was also a step outside the comfort zone for John Larroquette who played Maltz, Kruge’s second in command. At the time Larroquette was known primarily for his work on Night Court.
TSFS is perhaps the most influential in the Trek lore. While TWOK tells a personal story of vendetta, sacrifice and camaraderie, TSFS tells a story on a galactic scale. From this movie, they establish the politics of Trek. The Federation Council, the state of relations with the Klingons, Klingon language are all explored in this film and inform lore for the 80s and into the 90s.
At this point in history, producers were always ready for each installment of Trek to be the last. With 2 movies released and a third on the way, Writer/Producer Harve Bennett decided to build out the mythology…..and it stuck.
THE LOWDOWN
Working on TSFS would have been a challenge, but not as hard as a lot of other films. Except for 2 days, the whole movie was shot in the studio. This makes your life a lot easier because you can control your environment. You don’t have to worry about the sun going down or anything else Mother Nature can throw at you. So the deadline and actor availability drive the schedule.
Nimoy and the creators of TSFS had several challenging scenes that they had to achieve practically, particularly, the destruction of the Genesis planet. They pull out all the stops here, you have fire, wind, water, smoke, blowing debris, floors falling out, all of which have to be created physically. The practical effects would have been challenging to work with day in and day out.
When you generate smoke in a studio, you need to keep the doors closed, otherwise it never reaches a consistent volume. This means you have to live in it for days. The chemicals they used in 1983 stank. They seep into your clothes and you need to have a shower when you get home. It’s awful! This video gives you an idea of the amount of practical work that had to be done on TSFS and how long it took.
As if the destruction of the Enterprise and the destruction of the Genesis planet weren’t difficult enough to pull off the cast and crew also had to deal with a fire that broke out on a neighboring stage. Fortunately, it only caused a minor delay in the filming and it really helped the bruised ego of William Shatner.
Shatner has always had a reputation for being a challenge to work with. His ongoing feuds with the cast of TOS are well known. However, if you’re a crew member, chances are he was ok with you. Tensions between the cast are never great for the vibe of the set. It’s just drama that you don’t need and it can make an exhausting experience even more so. In the years since shooting STIII Shatner has spoken of his resentment to Nimoy getting the director’s chair, and how he believes that he taught Nimoy everything he knew about directing.
Usually, it is very difficult to work with a first-time director. There is a lot to do, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed and take it out on the crew. However, unless your name was Shatner, by all reports Nimoy was spectacular his first time out of the gate. A colleague of mine worked with Nimoy as a director a few times, he said “Lenny was great! He didn’t do more than 2 takes. He said there’s no point, the actors just get tired.”
Despite the challenges, this would have been a great movie to work on. Talented cast, talented director, storied franchise and plenty of stagecraft to keep things interesting.
THE JIST
Star Trek III ended up being the middle act in a trilogy of movies. Although this movie doesn’t have the punch of TWOK, it’s still a solid flick. It's the first time the creators that be decided that Star Trek was here to stay. Without TSFS you’d have a tough time understanding the absolute barn burner that is Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
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