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Star Trek: The Motion Picture

  • 1979
  • G
  • 2h 23m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
100K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,164
225
Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and Persis Khambatta in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount Home Entertainment
Play trailer1:53
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Sci-Fi EpicSpace Sci-FiAdventureMysterySci-Fi

When an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it.When an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it.When an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it.

  • Director
    • Robert Wise
  • Writers
    • Gene Roddenberry
    • Harold Livingston
    • Alan Dean Foster
  • Stars
    • William Shatner
    • Leonard Nimoy
    • DeForest Kelley
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    100K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,164
    225
    • Director
      • Robert Wise
    • Writers
      • Gene Roddenberry
      • Harold Livingston
      • Alan Dean Foster
    • Stars
      • William Shatner
      • Leonard Nimoy
      • DeForest Kelley
    • 597User reviews
    • 128Critic reviews
    • 50Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 4 wins & 20 nominations total

    Videos2

    Star Trek: The Motion Picture
    Trailer 1:53
    Star Trek: The Motion Picture
    Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Enterprise
    Clip 2:08
    Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Enterprise
    Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Enterprise
    Clip 2:08
    Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Enterprise

    Photos270

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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    William Shatner
    William Shatner
    • Captain Kirk
    Leonard Nimoy
    Leonard Nimoy
    • Spock
    DeForest Kelley
    DeForest Kelley
    • Dr. McCoy
    James Doohan
    James Doohan
    • Scotty
    George Takei
    George Takei
    • Sulu
    Majel Barrett
    Majel Barrett
    • Dr. Chapel
    Walter Koenig
    Walter Koenig
    • Chekov
    Nichelle Nichols
    Nichelle Nichols
    • Uhura
    Persis Khambatta
    Persis Khambatta
    • Ilia
    Stephen Collins
    Stephen Collins
    • Decker
    Grace Lee Whitney
    Grace Lee Whitney
    • Janice Rand
    Mark Lenard
    Mark Lenard
    • Klingon Captain
    Billy Van Zandt
    Billy Van Zandt
    • Alien Boy
    Roger Aaron Brown
    Roger Aaron Brown
    • Epsilon Technician
    Gary Faga
    • Airlock Technician
    David Gautreaux
    David Gautreaux
    • Commander Branch
    John Gowans
    John Gowans
    • Assistant to Rand
    • (as John D. Gowans)
    Howard Itzkowitz
    • Cargo Deck Ensign
    • Director
      • Robert Wise
    • Writers
      • Gene Roddenberry
      • Harold Livingston
      • Alan Dean Foster
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews597

    6.499.7K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    7russem31

    A muddled epic

    Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Stardate: 7412.6

    Of all the Star Trek films, this is the most impersonal and epic - which necessarily isn't a bad thing. This film really isn't about the Star Trek crew, but about the vast visual effects laden V'Ger and how the Enterprise spends 2+ hours exploring it. The score by Jerry Goldsmith only accentuates this epic-ness - this is one of his best scores and brings a majestic quality to the Star Trek crew. Never really is this film funny (unlike 4) or action-packed (unlike II) but regardless will always have a place in my heart because it tries to be as epic as Star Trek can possibly be. Overall, a 7 out of 10 (mostly because of the state-of-the-art effects of its time in 1979 and a superb score by Jerry Goldsmith RIP).
    9The_Other_Snowman

    A different kind of Star Trek

    I recently watched this movie for the first time in ten or fifteen years. When I was younger I thought this one was even worse than Star Trek V, because as bad as "The Final Frontier" was, at least it had some action and colour.

    The version I just saw wasn't the new Director's Edition, just the old video, but I was still completely surprised by just about everything -- partly because I hadn't seen it in so long, and partly because it's so totally different from all the following Trek movies. I even kinda liked the silly space pajamas everyone wears.

    After this, the movie series turned to action-oriented stories, a more militaristic look and feel, and infinitely less challenging concepts. True, the pacing of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" drags in parts, and the behavior of its stars is a little cold and stiff. But instead of treating us with space battles and phaser shootouts, it gives us long, loving shots of the newly revamped starship Enterprise, and instead of rather tawdry plots grounded in mundane reality, it takes us on a metaphysical voyage into an unknown, bizarre, and palpably huge alien device. The relationship of the three main characters has changed a little after several years apart, and they're each getting used to things all over again: Kirk has to deal with the unfamiliar new ship; Spock, after trying to purge his emotions, must confront his human half; and McCoy is "shanghaied" out of retirement for the trip. Decker and Ilia, the new characters, provide enough interest that they were virtually resurrected as Riker and Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

    The sense of scale is important. The cloud surrounding V'Ger is gigantic, and the ship at the heart of the cloud is a whole world to itself. The Enterprise must fly into the cloud and communicate with the ship, and it's the only time in any of the ten movies that the heroes actually confront something new and unknown. This was a staple of the original show, and some of the best episodes of the spin-off series. The subsequent films were content with setting their battles and chases in space, but "Star Trek I" actually wants to explore that space. The question at the centre of the film, posed by Spock, is "Is this all we are? Is there nothing more?" Kirk, Spock, and V'Ger are all searching for an answer to that question.

    However, the thing that definitely drags the film down is the sound. The red alert blares every other minute, and mechanical computer voice-overs announce just about everything they possibly can. In the process of updating the ship, they've emphasized the computers and mechanics of the vessel in a way they never had before or since, and the effect is jarring and interesting at the same time. The Enterprise is much more of a physical ship traveling in space, and less of a device to facilitate storytelling.

    The visual effects are amazing enough to warrant some digital cleaning, and the movie should be seen in widescreen, preferably on a large television.

    It's too bad that this movie wasn't more of a success, because I would like to see more Star Trek in this style. After many years and many TV shows, I admit I've gotten a little tired of space battles.

    UPDATE: I recently watched the Director's Edition DVD. The sound effects are fixed, and the film has been re-edited to tighten the pace ever so slightly. The changes made are not on the level of the Star Wars special editions, but they do make the movie more watchable. It's a little more coherent now, and I like it even more.
    7aheaven2005

    Still Holds Up

    This one starts really slowly but things pickup after that and become really interesting. Even with its weird pace it brings interesting scifi thoughts that are still valid today, probably even more. All in all, a good first motion picture for the series.
    7bowmanblue

    The most underrated of the Star Trek franchise

    Star Trek: The Motion Picture was Paramount Studio's attempt at cashing in on the Star Wars craze that was sweeping through the late seventies. However, instead of getting a fast-paced action romp, they got something more in tune with 2001: A Space Odyssey. Therefore, the first big screen Star Trek outing was always left in Star Wars' shadow. This, of course, was slightly rectified by the sequel (and darker and more action-orientated) The Wrath of Khan, but that's another story.

    It's easy to see why Star Trek: The Motion Picture never set the box office alight, it's slow, very talky-talky, with lingering shots of things that you don't really know what they are and absolutely no action. However, that said, it's actually quite good (but only if you're in the mood).

    If you're looking for something fast-paced then you should probably ignore most of the Star Trek saga and skip straight to the 2009 reboot. Whereas if you are a fan of slow-burning (and dare I say it?) 'intellectual' science fiction then you might get something out of this.

    Avatar it is not. Interesting it is. Although, it should probably have an 'Eighteen Certificate' slapped on it - not because the content is particularly 'adult' in nature, but simply because there's no way anyone under eighteen would ever appreciate it and have the patience to sit through it.

    May the old crew live long and prosper.
    8Xstal

    The Emotion Picture...

    Boldly going where no man (or woman) has gone before, climb aboard the Enterprise and let it fly and soar, as old friends gather, reunite, off to battle and to fight, strange new worlds, civilisations to explore.

    There's a cloud that's gathering in outer space, it's heading towards Earth at a great pace, starship Enterprise is sent, to discover its intent, gauge the power of the enemy that they face.

    A reflective and contemplative piece reintroduces us to the crew of the starship Enterprise.

    More like this

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Captain Kirk addresses the crew before launching, many of the extras were noted Star Trek fans, including Bjo Trimble, co-organizer of the letter-writing campaign that kept Star Trek (1966) alive for a third season.
    • Goofs
      When flying past Jupiter, three consecutive shots of Jupiter and its moons are shown. The first and third are from the POV of the ship as it approaches and passes Jupiter, and show the sunshine on planet and several moons coming from the port aft. The second shot shows the opposite angle of the oncoming ship, and the sunshine on the planet and 4 moons is coming from a different direction on each body, none of them from the port aft.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Chief DiFalco: Heading, sir?

      Captain James T. Kirk: Out there... thataway.

    • Crazy credits
      End title: "The human adventure is just beginning."
    • Alternate versions
      On November 6, 2001, the Director's Edition supervised by Robert Wise was released on DVD and widescreen VHS, running 136 minutes. The material added to the film consists of the following:
      • The landscape of Vulcan was changed to include a yellowish sky and new landscape featuring massive statues. All other footage was tinted gold.
      • The matte painting of the Golden Gate Bridge in the scene where Kirk arrives at Starfleet Headquarters was replaced by a new CGI scene that shows Kirk's shuttle arriving at Starfleet. It is actually slightly longer than the original version.
      • The matte painting of Starfleet Command was improved with CGI effects, including an original series shuttle launched in the background.
      • In a close-up shot when Kirk first sees the new Enterprise from his shuttle, the image of the ship was superimposed over Kirk's face as a reflection in the shuttle's window.
      • After Kirk leaves the bridge, a short conversation between Sulu, Uhura and an alien officer was inserted.**
      • A new CGI shot of the Earth is shown on the viewscreen when the Enterprise leaves the planet.
      • A new CGI effect showing one of the Enterprise's nacelles was inserted into the window when Kirk, Spock and McCoy speak on the observation deck.
      • A new CGI shot was inserted which shows V'Ger's second energy torpedo vanishing before it could strike the Enterprise.
      • The energy probe that invades the bridge now approaches in a CGI exterior shot.
      • A new CGI shot shows the V'Ger vessel entering Earth orbit.
      • The scene in which Chekov burns his hand is much longer and shows Lt. Ilia healing him with her empathic powers instead of Nurse Chapel.**
      • The long walk to V'Ger was totally redone. There is now a walkway that materializes out of thin air, compared to the endless field in the original version.
      • The Enterprise's voyage to the center of V'Ger is slightly extended. It has a scene of Spock sharing a tear "for V'Ger" and Scotty ordered to self-destruct the ship if the landing party is unsuccessful.**
      • The small black "empty matte" in the window when Decker and Ilia confront each other in the recreation deck was replaced with a CGI shot of the V'Ger cloud interior.
      • The final explosion of V'Ger was slightly extended. The shot from the original version remained intact, but a new element of the vessel imploding its energy for the explosion was added.
      • New opening titles were commissioned for the film's opening. The opening titles now have a slight fading effect and are now seen over a background of stars. The text is colored a bright gold, compared to the original version's white.
      • The explosion in the wormhole was redone. There is now an exterior shot of the asteroid exploding and the wormhole disintegrating. Additionally, the viewfinder in the next shot is enhanced to show sparks and debris.
      • The final message to the audience, "The human adventure is just beginning", was altered. In the original version, the starfield cuts away to a blank title card showing the text. In the Director's Edition, the starfield was extended by a few seconds to allow the text, colored bright gold, to fade into the picture.
      • The ending credits were slightly altered. The text, as with the opening titles and the final "human adventure" text, was changed color, from white to a bright gold. Additionally, the music was slightly extended to add new Director's Edition credits.
      • An all-new sound mix was commissioned, keeping the music and dialog intact, and adding new effects for almost all scenes. For example, the Enterprise computer voice alarms are now replaced with klaxon sirens, the lightning effects have new echoes, and a blend of Enterprise bridge sound effects from the original Star Trek series, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country have been added into the background of scenes taking place on the bridge. The new mix is in Dolby 5.1 EX Surround.
      • The footage from 1979 was digitally restored and remastered, and combined with the new CGI elements.
      • The opening overture has been restored to its full length. It is also played over a CGI starfield, rather than the blank screen in the original version.
      • A slight dialog alteration was made: In the 1979 and 1983 versions, the V'Ger cloud is said to be "over 82 AUs in diameter" which equals 7.626 billion miles across - much too large for the Enterprise to realistically travel to the heart of the cloud at subwarp speeds within a reasonable length of time. For the Director's Edition, the Epsilon 9 commander's dialog was altered so that the cloud is now said to be a (somewhat) more reasonable "over 2 AUs", or 186 million miles.
      • The producers of the Director's Edition submitted the film for re-rating by the MPAA, hoping for a PG rating rather than the original G rating which they believed carried a negative association; the basis for the higher rating was the intensified soundtrack. Oddly, when the original theatrical version was released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2009, it carried no MPAA rating.
      • Scenes previously available in the "special longer version."
    • Connections
      Edited into Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
    • Soundtracks
      Theme from 'Star Trek: The television Series'
      Written by Alexander Courage and Gene Roddenberry

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    FAQ34

    • How long is Star Trek: The Motion Picture?Powered by Alexa
    • Why did V'Ger choose to take Ilia out of all the people on the Enterprise?
    • Did V'Ger ever transmit its data or just join with the Creator?
    • What is "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" about?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 8, 1979 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Startrek.com
    • Languages
      • English
      • Klingon
    • Also known as
      • Viaje a las estrellas
    • Filming locations
      • Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA(portions of planet Vulcan sequence filmed at Minerva Terrace)
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Century Associates
      • Robert Wise Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $35,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $82,604,699
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $11,926,421
      • Dec 9, 1979
    • Gross worldwide
      • $82,676,805
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 23 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
      • Dolby Surround 7.1
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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