Dykstra didn't actually work on the actual effects for Star Wars, he developed the camera equipment. When Lucas returned from location, he found Dykstra and his team sitting around in the middle of the afternoon smoking weed. They had not captured a single, usable shot, and argued that they needed George to guide them. George fired the lot of them and hired people like Dennis Murren to complete the actual effects. Dykstra has since publicly apologized and distinguished himself as one of the best in the business.
That is very interesting. Thank you for the comment.😀 I also heard that they installed a small portable swimming pool in the front parking lot of ILM and the team was just goofing off all day. 🤣
I'll look forward to seeing this. I worked at a theatre back in 79 when this picture opened. Back in those days, we normally drove to "film row" and picked up our prints ourselves a day before release. I recall it being a bit of nailer biter in this case, though. They were literally down to the last minute finishing this film and striking the prints, and our print was delivered by secure courier, arriving a few minutes after the first show was to begin. For that first show, it was the only time I can recall running a film with absolutely no trailers or bumpers. No one realized there was an opening musical prelude, so when the opening fanfare suddenly began, combined with the late start and no trailers, it greatly startled the audience, who burst into applause and took their seats. There was a lot of pent up demand for this film, especially after the success of Star Wars, and the opening weekend audience had a good experience, offering judicial applause when it was over. Subsequent audiences (and critics) were a bit less kind. I think where you lie with this film has a lot to do with how much you appreciate the effects, which were jawdropping for the time. I also appreciated Goldsmith's score, which is among his best work. He really did the impossible, instantly implanting an all-new musical theme upon a franchise that was already identified with a distinctive melody. When it became the theme of TNG, it would forever after overshadow Alexander Courage's original composition as the music most popularly identified with Star Trek. Thanks again for sharing. It's great stuff for those of us who actually grew up with these now half-century old films!
Wow! That's incredible that you worked in the theaters during this time! What an amazing story! You were part of history! It's neat hearing your story and how it affected the actual thaters. I wish I could have included your story into the episode, but thank you for sharing it in the comments. I was 10 yo when this movie came out and I remember my father taking us on opening weekend. I had no idea of the drama involved in the production back then, and I was just happy to see my heroes on the big screen. However, it wasn't until the next film, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, that I became a full-brown Trekkie, but a part of always loved this film. Thank you so much, and I hope you keep warching and commenting!
@@TotallyAwesomeFilmsPodcast Thanks. I just came off the new Beetlejuice video after binging the other ST ones. I saw the film last night. While bloated with characters. Your take helped me appreciate it a bit more. Proud to subscribe!
I think the fact that Robert Wise was not a fan and had not done this type of movie before actually worked in their favor, lending it a sort of credibility. Reminds me of Irvin Kershner doing The Empire Strikes Back, having done mainly character driven movies. It worked out great for Empire, which is why most Star Wars fans consider that one the best of the whole lot. I liked ST:TMP but felt it was, as the critics complained, very slow paced. But other than that I liked it well enough. But, as a ten year old kid at the time, it did not compare to Star Wars. As an adult I love and appreciate both. Anyway, I always felt that they missed a golden opportunity in ST:TNG to connect the Borg to V'Ger as an origin story. It would fit beautifully.
Thanks for the comment! We're the same age. I was 10 years old as well, and my father took my sister and me to see this on opening weekend. You're right, it wasn't Star Wars, but I appreciate it the older I get. However, it was Wrath of Khan that really turned me into a die-hard Star Trek fan.
@@TotallyAwesomeFilmsPodcast To me, Star Trek and Star Wars were never in competition with each other because they were different kinds of movies. Star Trek is science fiction, whereas Star Wars is science _fantasy,_ good versus evil, light versus dark etc. If you watch just about any Star Wars film or TV show you'll see that there is virtually no technobabble, whereas they love that kind of stuff in Star Trek. (The original series didn't have much of it, but starting with TNG they greatly expanded on "explaining" how things work in that universe.)
Also, Star Trek the Motion Picture was not the most expensive movie made up to that date. Superman: The Movie was. The Salkinds often divulged that 'Superman's' had cost $50M. But more recently Ilya Salkind has admitted that between the footage Donner shot for the 1st and 2nd pictures, the actual tally was $100M. At the time, this massive budget (the largest in history) was reported by a gossip columnist named Rona Barrett, but the Salkinds had denied it.
as a child, I couldnt stand the orginal Star Trek. I always found it BORING, and always wished something better was on, like either the Batman tv series or Lost in Space. I never understood the appeal of the original star trek, only until i saw some of the 1980s movies like star Trek the vovyage home did i come to like the original series, but im still no trekkie.
Thanks for the comment! I didn't become a die-hard Star Trek fan until Wrath of Khan, Search for Spock, and Voyage Home. I have continued to love Star Trek since. Ive come to appreciate The Motion Picture as I get older.
@@TotallyAwesomeFilmsPodcast still can’t get into watching that first movie.its too slow and mind numbing boring. I’m so glad they changed the format for the Wrath of khan which was much better movie.
One thing. Shatners career was in the toilet and he didnt have a TV Career of any note at that time. TJ Hooker was well after TMP. TMP is the best Trek pic in my opinion, especially the directors cut. The Shat was typecast as Kirk and living in a trailer with his dogs with no money before TMP Nimoy had the best TV Career at that time with Impossible Mission
Dykstra didn't actually work on the actual effects for Star Wars, he developed the camera equipment. When Lucas returned from location, he found Dykstra and his team sitting around in the middle of the afternoon smoking weed. They had not captured a single, usable shot, and argued that they needed George to guide them. George fired the lot of them and hired people like Dennis Murren to complete the actual effects. Dykstra has since publicly apologized and distinguished himself as one of the best in the business.
That is very interesting. Thank you for the comment.😀 I also heard that they installed a small portable swimming pool in the front parking lot of ILM and the team was just goofing off all day. 🤣
I'll look forward to seeing this. I worked at a theatre back in 79 when this picture opened. Back in those days, we normally drove to "film row" and picked up our prints ourselves a day before release. I recall it being a bit of nailer biter in this case, though. They were literally down to the last minute finishing this film and striking the prints, and our print was delivered by secure courier, arriving a few minutes after the first show was to begin. For that first show, it was the only time I can recall running a film with absolutely no trailers or bumpers. No one realized there was an opening musical prelude, so when the opening fanfare suddenly began, combined with the late start and no trailers, it greatly startled the audience, who burst into applause and took their seats. There was a lot of pent up demand for this film, especially after the success of Star Wars, and the opening weekend audience had a good experience, offering judicial applause when it was over. Subsequent audiences (and critics) were a bit less kind. I think where you lie with this film has a lot to do with how much you appreciate the effects, which were jawdropping for the time. I also appreciated Goldsmith's score, which is among his best work. He really did the impossible, instantly implanting an all-new musical theme upon a franchise that was already identified with a distinctive melody. When it became the theme of TNG, it would forever after overshadow Alexander Courage's original composition as the music most popularly identified with Star Trek. Thanks again for sharing. It's great stuff for those of us who actually grew up with these now half-century old films!
Wow! That's incredible that you worked in the theaters during this time! What an amazing story! You were part of history! It's neat hearing your story and how it affected the actual thaters. I wish I could have included your story into the episode, but thank you for sharing it in the comments. I was 10 yo when this movie came out and I remember my father taking us on opening weekend. I had no idea of the drama involved in the production back then, and I was just happy to see my heroes on the big screen. However, it wasn't until the next film, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, that I became a full-brown Trekkie, but a part of always loved this film. Thank you so much, and I hope you keep warching and commenting!
Kids in the 8th grade kicked my leg when I talked about Star Trek in 1993. They're miserable adults with high BAC levels.
That's hilarious! 🤣
That spock helmet was diabolical! 🤣
Haha! So true!
"Wise wanted the uniforms to look more realistic...like realistic pajamas."
Haha! 🤣 This comment genuinely made me laugh out loud!
@@TotallyAwesomeFilmsPodcast Thanks. I just came off the new Beetlejuice video after binging the other ST ones. I saw the film last night.
While bloated with characters. Your take helped me appreciate it a bit more.
Proud to subscribe!
I think the fact that Robert Wise was not a fan and had not done this type of movie before actually worked in their favor, lending it a sort of credibility. Reminds me of Irvin Kershner doing The Empire Strikes Back, having done mainly character driven movies. It worked out great for Empire, which is why most Star Wars fans consider that one the best of the whole lot.
I liked ST:TMP but felt it was, as the critics complained, very slow paced. But other than that I liked it well enough. But, as a ten year old kid at the time, it did not compare to Star Wars. As an adult I love and appreciate both. Anyway, I always felt that they missed a golden opportunity in ST:TNG to connect the Borg to V'Ger as an origin story. It would fit beautifully.
Thanks for the comment! We're the same age. I was 10 years old as well, and my father took my sister and me to see this on opening weekend. You're right, it wasn't Star Wars, but I appreciate it the older I get. However, it was Wrath of Khan that really turned me into a die-hard Star Trek fan.
@@TotallyAwesomeFilmsPodcast To me, Star Trek and Star Wars were never in competition with each other because they were different kinds of movies. Star Trek is science fiction, whereas Star Wars is science _fantasy,_ good versus evil, light versus dark etc. If you watch just about any Star Wars film or TV show you'll see that there is virtually no technobabble, whereas they love that kind of stuff in Star Trek. (The original series didn't have much of it, but starting with TNG they greatly expanded on "explaining" how things work in that universe.)
I sold the holographic WARP effect for this.
Wow! Please tell!
Also, Star Trek the Motion Picture was not the most expensive movie made up to that date. Superman: The Movie was. The Salkinds often divulged that 'Superman's' had cost $50M. But more recently Ilya Salkind has admitted that between the footage Donner shot for the 1st and 2nd pictures, the actual tally was $100M. At the time, this massive budget (the largest in history) was reported by a gossip columnist named Rona Barrett, but the Salkinds had denied it.
Very interesting. Thank you for the comment. I should consider doing a Superman series!
as a child, I couldnt stand the orginal Star Trek. I always found it BORING, and always wished something better was on, like either the Batman tv series or Lost in Space. I never understood the appeal of the original star trek, only until i saw some of the 1980s movies like star Trek the vovyage home did i come to like the original series, but im still no trekkie.
Thanks for the comment! I didn't become a die-hard Star Trek fan until Wrath of Khan, Search for Spock, and Voyage Home. I have continued to love Star Trek since. Ive come to appreciate The Motion Picture as I get older.
@@TotallyAwesomeFilmsPodcast still can’t get into watching that first movie.its too slow and mind numbing boring. I’m so glad they changed the format for the Wrath of khan which was much better movie.
One thing. Shatners career was in the toilet and he didnt have a TV Career of any note at that time. TJ Hooker was well after TMP. TMP is the best Trek pic in my opinion, especially the directors cut. The Shat was typecast as Kirk and living in a trailer with his dogs with no money before TMP Nimoy had the best TV Career at that time with Impossible Mission
Great point! Thanks for the comment!