Eddie Murphy Wanted To Be A Vulcan July 8, 2008
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Feature Films (TMP-NEM) , trackback
It is fairly well known that at one point during the development of Star Trek IV The Voyage Home, Paramount was considering including Eddie Murphy in the film. In an interview promoting his new movie Meet Dave (originally titled Starship Dave), Murphy talks about why he didn’t take the role in ST:IV and how he is a big Trek fan. (transcript and video link below)
Star Trek IV was being developed in 1985, which was a year after Paramount’s hit film Beverly Hills Cop had come out. Murphy explains to Access Hollywood how he was hoping for a real Star Trek role, but Paramount just wanted to put an Axel Foley-like character into Trek:
…I was a big Trekkie and they were like ‘ok we are going to develop something with you’ and they wrote something where they come back to San Francisco. Then they were ‘and you are going to be the jive dude in San Francisco with Spock’ and I was like ‘I don’t want to be the jive dude with Spock, I want to have pointed ears and a phaser and I want to beam and I want to do all of that’ and I never got to do it. So now I got to play the captain in this film. Captain of the ship with a mid-Atlantic accent.
VIDEO: Murphy shows how he wanted Vulcan ears
The role originally intended for Murphy would evolve into Dr. Gillian Taylor played by Catherine Hicks. Murphy ended up doing the critically panned film The Golden Child which came out a couple weeks after Star Trek IV (Trek also beat Golden Child in box office sales by $30 million).
Murphy’s Star Trek routine
Murphy’s Trek fandom was apparent from his 1983 concert movie Delirious which contained a section where the comedian talked about how Star Trek was the only good thing on TV.
[WARNING: clip below contains VERY adult language and is NSFW]
Meet Dave comes out this Friday (July 11), more info at the official site.
Loading ...
Comments»
This is one of those things that I was always rather thankful didn’t pan out. Besides (and this is primarily my 12 year old self at the time talking), Catherine Hicks was much easier on the eyes than Eddie Murphy.
I always wondered why that fell through…
First?
“The role originally intended for Murphy would evolve into Dr. Gillian Taylor played by Catherine Hicks.”
A Shatner-Murphy romance would have been groundbreaking!
[ Maybe that’s why the film is set in SF! ]
I for one am glad thing worked out as they did…
Yeah right because anything this guys done in his life is really in line with the morals and ethics that Star Trek is about.
@ #4: Morality screening for the cast?
“The role originally intended for Murphy would evolve into Dr. Gillian Taylor played by Catherine Hicks.”
If they played the role against the type of characters Murphy was known for at that time, then it might’ve been interesting. IIRC, in a Starlog interview with the first-draft writers (Harve Bennett and Nick Meyer did the final draft with Bennett doing the “bookends” and Meyer doing all the 20th century stuff), they state that the idea was for Murphy to be a college professor who was also a UFO nut and would chase down the crew after seeing the BoP appear above a Giants game.
I don’t blame him for backing out. Look what happened when they put the “jive dude” in a Superman movie.
Also, “Starship Dave” was written by Bill Corbett of MST3K. I was excited by the concept a few years ago when I first heard about it, but now … it just looks like another Eddie Murphy crapfest.
I wonder if Bill weeps at night.
I remember all the talk/rumor about ‘Murphey in a Star Trek role’ going around about that time, but the rumor I heard was that it was going to be some kind of Harry Mudd type of character, which I thought, at the time, wouldv’e been kind of interesting. So then only part of that rumor was true. I’m kind of with the others: Glad the “jive dude with Spock” thing didn’t go over. Can’t say I blame Murphey for turning that one down.
I love eddie, it would have main streamed trek a bit. What a stupid move on Paramounts part not putting him in.
Thank goodness he didnt end up in the movie, because it would have to been centered around Sulu and Murphy’s romance at the end can you imagine the scene in the Fed. Chamber at the end and Kirk and crew walk off and instead of the scene with Sarek and Spock it would be Sulu and Murphy, and then Murphy kisses him on the cheek and Takei says, ‘I feel Fine!’ That would have brought the house down in 1986 LOL! ‘OH MY’ (Sulu accent)
Catherine Hicks= Cute
Murphy= NOOOOOOOOOOO (in wormhole sounding talk from STTMP)
“I wonder if Bill weeps at night.”
Not if the check cashed.
“I love eddie, it would have main streamed trek a bit. What a stupid move on Paramounts part not putting him in.”
Two words: Superman III
#3-
LOL!
Catherine Hicks= Irritating.
Murphy= DISASTER!!
I agree with 14.
They blew it by not finding a way to put Murphy in that movie.
Eddie wanted to be a Vulcan cause they have such pretty pretty feet
When I first heard that he was to be in the movie (at the time), while I was a grate fan of his and the 48 hours and all that… it just sounded wrong for Star Trek. Especially now, in the knowing that the studio wanted him for the Gillian Taylor part. Oh my god, that would have been just terrible.
I way more agree with what he says that he wanted to do as a Vulcan, a serious role. Still, it would have been distracting and I am glad it didnt work out. It’s too popular culture mixed in with a classic. The 15 seconds or so in 6 with Christian Slater was much the same kind of distraction.
Iman as a shapeshifter was really pushing it, too.
I cant wait to see my main geezah Quinto as Spock though. You dudes have been going on about the Heroes and whatnot and I had never seen it. SO then it comes on comcast ON demand, but it’s like $2 an ep. But you guys went on and on about it so much that I took your word for it. I torrented seasons 1 and 2 off the interwebs and burned them all to dvd and have been watching it.
You guys were right - it’s a wonderful show, I love it!
BEST!!
=h=
thar’s nothin’ on earth stoppin’ him or anyone else from digitally insertin’ Eddie o’er Catherine Hicks’ performance (sorry, darlin’)… he can even put on some pointed ears…
Then we can all bask in tha’ glory of “what could have been”…
Ya’ can do it wit’ Samual L. Jackson as well: “I’ve had it with these m-**!## whales on this m-**!## Bird Of Prey!”
Arrrrr…
#15
Catherine Hicks = Hot
re 21. Jor-dun®
Dude? I dunno about that. Everytime I see that Catherine Hicks I get the impression that she’s a chick that farts alot.
I don’t know why, but that’s pretty gross dude. SO what are you thinking?
BEST!!
=h=
They should’ve cast him as Sybok.
I just watched the trailer for “Meet Dave.” Looks like Eddie is trapped doing stupid movies; what a waste of talent. Playing a Vulcan could transform his career in a positive direction, and I think he could play a Vulcan with a refreshing vibe.
I’m glad Eddie Murphy was never in a Star Trek movie. He would have ruined it. I just don’t see any way for his style of acting or comedy to have a place in a Trek film.
It worked out for the best. Whoever said ‘it would have helped mainstream Trek’ is crazy. ST IV DID mainstream Trek, without Eddie.
I would love to see him in Trek the way he wanted, as a Starfleet officer or Vulcan would be great. The fact he turned it down increases my admiration for the man as a creative person.
maybe they can make it up to him and cast him as Harry Mudd in the new films…
is Abe Vogoda still around? he would be great as an Academy professor…
Might have been interesting to have him in the movie playing a Q type of being on Earth taking a vacation in the past when the crew of the Enterprise appears, and he not only refuses to help, he makes life comedically-difficult for them, but at the end decides to help and flings them back to their own time. That would have been an interesting role for Murphy. This way he gets to be a space alien and doesn’t become a part of crew-canon.
#17 - The blew it? Really? Hmmmm, ST IV was the most publicly accepted movie of all the trek movies…but they blew it?
I have to agree with #13 here…Superman III…what an embarrassment.
Judging from Eddie’s latest entry into filmdom, they should have cast him as the Enterprise. Now that’s a serious Trek role.
“Oh no! He fell for the old ‘banana in the bussard collector’ trick!”
Somewhere, in an alternate reality, Eddie Murphy was in STIV.
I’m glad we live in the Mirror Universe.
murphy in trek?? god no!!
Meet Dave doesn’t look too bad
BND#20- LMAO!
Eddie Murphy is a comedy genius, but he would have single-handedly killed the Trek franchise if he’d been in ST4TVH. If you doubt me, I have two things to say to you:
Richard Pryor.
Superman III.
Enough said.
that’s three things.. right.?
Kind of figured out Eddie was some what of a Trekkie(er) in the movie “Boomerang” when he was with Halle Berry on the couch watching, I believe Elan of Troyas, whist Halle feel asleep in his arms…. much like my GF does when I watch Trek :^)
Superman III blew chow even without the Prior role.
Keep him as far away from Star Trek as possible!
“Gimme a Break” to all these “he would’ve messed it all up” comments, it was the 80’s Murphy, which means at the very Least it could’ve Been funny.
Personally I don’t think it would’ve worked in ST IV, but in some other trek capacity, it Might have been Cool.
Thank God!!!
Murphy would have killed the movie.
Phew! Glad someone saw some sense.
As it transpired - it was one of the best Treks - Murphy would have made it cheap.
Oh - and we probably wouldn’t have had that ‘Do you like Italian?’ scene. It was magic.
Just wanna give props where due- Murphy was wrong for Trek but that stand-up was funny as hell.
Perhaps he could be a guest cast member for Star Trek: Phase II.
So, Murphy would play Gillian as a 400 lb. black woman?
“Captain, there be whales here!”
Love Eddie — but, like Shat, he needs a strong director to keep him from running in bad directions (”Vampire of Brooklyn”, anyone?) Never say never. There are still two flicks left on Paramount’s contract…
#45
Eddie Murphy as Momma from The Nutty Professor in Trek IV.
“Kirk-a-lese! Kirk-a-lese!”
As the father from the same movie for Trek IV:
“I LOVE Italian! “Cept it give me gas. Spock, pull mah finguh! WHOA! Now that’s a warp core breach!”
…At one point the script called for Harry Mudd to be involved, but the failing health of Roger C. Carmel nixed that one right about the time they were talking about bringing Eddie in as well. The idea would be that it would take two con artists from different centuries to pull off stealing two whales *and* get the transparent aluminum. In the end, Eddie’s character would have gone back to the 23rd century to avoid geting busted, and would have wound up going off with Mudd as his “protege’”.
Go figure.
#48
I’m glad that wasn’t how it turned out…wow!
The Voyage Home didn’t need Eddie, as it was very popular, made the most money of all the movies, and is admired by non-fans even to this day.
Maybe he would have saved Star Trek V, though, playing a renegade Vulcan who tries to find God. A passionate Vulcan with misplaced priorities but with a sense of humor.
Yeah, Eddie wanted to be a Vulcan, and that approach just might have saved that movie. They would have lost the Spock’s brother angle, but the plot device really didn’t work in the first place.
I doubt William Shatner would have wanted to share the spotlight in HIS Trek movie, however.
I would have LOVED seeing Eddie Murphy in Star Trek. Awwww, I hope he’ll be in the next movie!!!!
To #9: I agree, but par for the course so far as I have observed.
44: brilliant, but I’d make him a Romulan instead of a Vulcan in Phaze 2. Can you imagine the battle senes? :)
glad it was made the way it was - without murphy
greg
UK
#50
Alert! DefCon Clavin! Prepare for Pedantic Counterpoint!
STIV: The One with the Whales grossed the highest dollar figure, BUT STTMP sold the most tickets of any Trek film, and if adjusted for inflation, is the winnah and still champeen.
IV holds up very, very well. The entire cast was never used better in any of the other films. They all got some real work in this one.
Glad Eddie wasn’t in it.
I would mind seeing Eddie pop up in a Trek movie. Not in a huge role, but a supporting one. Even a cameo. If he wants to be a vulcan, make him a vulcan.
even though a lot of posters on this thread seem to think this is old news i had never heard this before.
frankly, I’m glad they didn’t bother going down the ‘jive dude’ route as that would have been completely overpowering and i can’t say i care for the other idea where his role would have fulfilled the Gillian Taylor character’s dramatic purpose.
however, i’m intriuged by the concept of mid 80’s eddie murphy playing a vulcan in the TOS era movies
bearing in mind that around this time he was at the peak of his public popularity (so therefore assumedly also his studio bankability). 48 hours, trading places and to a lesser extent the first beverly hills cop were good movies but after these he strayed into a succession of vehicles for his ‘talent’ (and probably his ego too), that completely overshadowed his early quality. had he appeared in trek as a vulcan alongside the original crew he would not have been the most prominent character as part of the ensemble, and wouldn’t have been relied upon to carry the movie on the strength of his ’schtick’ . but cast as a vulcan he would have had to be restrained - in other words he would have had to act - who knows what direction his career could have taken afterwards.
although i bet he would have insisted upon getting to experience pon farr
Eddie Murphy…Naaah
I like Eddie Murlphy and he is actually capable of doing some acting, he was quite good in Dreamgirls. And he clearly likes Trek. It would have been interesting to see him as a Vulcan or a serious Trek character. Maybe Murphy as Sybok could have saved Star Trek V!….ok maybe not
Thanks for posting the Delerious clip. It’s a funny take on the main characters. LOL
Good for Eddie Murphy turning down Star Trek IV if it wasn’t going to be a worthwhile role. The Superman III comparison is very apt and he may have been thinking of that himself since it was recent then. (Although I must say I watched Superman III some months ago and actually enjoyed it, compared to a lot of crap today and certainly compared to Superman IV it has some good stuff in it.)
Maybe Eddie Murphy as a black Kirk in a mirror universe? And then he picks up a transvestite alien in his space hopper LOL yeah you know you wanna see that, don’t deny it.
If theyd cast him in a serious role in Trek IV then maybe…but since when has Murphy ever played serious? esp in the 80s…
as he said hed have been the jive guy cracking jokes and acting krazie
nah itd have been Superman III all over again…
Wait - Eddie Murphy WAS on Star Trek - in TNG episode “UP THE LONG LADDER.” (He’s not credited - at least not on Memory Alpha’s website listing or the IMDB.COM page for this episode, just like Whoopi Goldberg isn’t “credited” for being in the seventh and tenth ST movies.) If you watch that episode of TNG and watch very closely (–or freeze-frame the shot on a DVD or video-tape version of it–), when Dr. Pulaski is secretly scanning the Mariposan CLONES, one of those “sets of clones” is actually played by Eddie. No, he didn’t have any lines - but at least he got to be in an episode of [Star Trek] - in some form. That counts for something!
#64. Rhett Coates
I think you’ve been sniffing too many dilithium crystals.
That is totally untrue. Maybe in a trekkie fanboy dream, but not in real life.
# 59 Anthony
The Final Frontier doesn’t need saving. People take Trek too seriously sometimes. The movie is great (I dare say one of the best) for the character interactions between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. The plot is weak, but I can forgive it because the movie is still entertaining. It’s definitely better than III, Insurrection, and Nemesis.
Eddie murphy would have ruined star trek Iv. There is nothing wrong with him in my oppion. But, Think about it. THe guys who run the show behin the curtain would have gon goga with such star power, and made the movie about him. There was a script out there that almost did that very thing.
Now… I might be a dodo or whatever, but is Murphies comments implying that he is in the new star trek movie. If so, is this old news. am I behind here…. please let me now anybody
Sorry… but okey, I think that V was good too, but better then III and Nemesis. You are smoking something….
Ugh. Wacky jive buddy-support part. So … they wanted him to be Donkey years before “Shrek” and they wanted him to be Mushu years before “Mulan” :)
Good old Star Trek — always looking to the future!
V is better than any TNG film, because it has Kirk Spock, and McCoy. I’m just not interested in visiting with the TNG gang. Nice little show there, it just isn’t my ST. I know it is subjective and unpopular. But there you have it.
I’ve never liked Murphy but now that I know he’s a Trek fan, I feel he can’t be all bad. ;)
Aha — Maybe I should learn to read (re: the poll ST IV). Sorry, Anthony. I see now what was meant. Just didn’t read it right.
kg
I always like it when actors are able to put their egos aside and realize when they’re wrong for a part or what’s being offered is a lousy idea. Kurt Russell did this when he backed out of Ladyhawk, in favor of Rutger Hauer, and Eddie showed this same capacity when turning down this really dumb, but given the times, understandable, idea.
As for Richard Prior, I don’t blame him so much for Superman III, I blame the writers and the director. For one thing, if you’re gonna have Richard Prior in a movie, let him be RICHARD F%^$&#ING PRIOR!! Any dufus could’ve played the part they wrote for him and been just as sucky!
Maybe if they’d cast Richard as Black Lightning….
he shouldve played sybok in Trek V
Eddie doing Kirk ‘doing’ an Orion Slave Girl to the dramatic underscore music, man, he even had the soundtrack down!
Agreed on the cameo in the new TREK as a Vulcan; nothing major, maybe even a non-speaking cameo.
I believe it was in his “I am Spock” book, Leonard Nimoy said he had heard the story about Edie Murphy being offerred a huge multi million $ movie contract - and he told those bringinging the contract to him they had to wait until he was done watching Star Trek - he did not want his favorite show interrupted. The man is a serious Trekkie.
I am also glad he turned down IV - it would have been a big joke; and I respect his reasoning.
All you folks citing Superman III as an example of why Murphy wouldn’t have worked in Trek seem to forget that Superman III was absolutely awful DESPITE Richard Pryor, not BECAUSE of Richard Pryor. The story was bad, the secondary characters were bad, even Christopher Reeves managed to be bad.
#66
TFF is SO bad the only way to save it would be to completely rewrite it and call it something else. The characters in that movie are NOT Kirk, Spock & McCoy, but rather broad cariactures that seem like they were written by a 13 year old. The only thing missing were fart jokes, but I wouldn’t be suprised if they were in the original screenplay. Spock’s character ends up taking a step backwards in his development, and the only one that gets something decent to chew on is McCoy with his father’s death. Ugh, just talking about it makes me nauseated.
78 - very true aboutt TFF…it dosnt ‘feel’ like an orignal cast trek film..it really dosnt feel like its in the same series as II, III, IV and VI
even TMP has that original crew movie feel despite the coolness and uniforms which is odd as if any movie in the 6 should feel the odd one out its TMP
i think the best way to look at TFF is as a strange dream of Kirks…from the first campsite scene post mountain fall to right at the end of the film: (posted this before somewhere but its worth mentioning again I guess)
- The events of the movie are a reflection of Kirk’s fears: being put back into action while he’s unprepared, geting screwed by Starfleet, losing his crew and losing, above all, his friends.
- Events from the camping trip are mirrored in the dream: the fall from El Capitan/the fall from the turboshaft, musing around the campfire/musing around the steering wheel.
- The broken and unreliable Enterprise is another fear of Kirk; that no ship can live up to the original.
- The movie follows dream logic: characters appear when needed (Spock in the turboshaft, Scotty in the brig, Spock in the BoP) and reality warps to accomodate the “story” (70+ decks, the mysterious wheel room, unicorns).
- Kirk ate gods for breakfast, so it’s no surprise they show up in his dreams. The fight against “god” is Kirk’s subconscious idea of a generic adventure. Likewise, a Klingon is his idea of a generic villain.
- In the end, Spocks saves his ass, just like he saved Spock’s.
- The romantic relationship between Scotty and Uhura.
- A 30 year plus impossible journey to the centre of the galaxy that happens in a few hours.
- Spock having a brother which was never mentioned before.
- the song “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” ends with the line “life is but a dream.”
- when going through the great barrier and the 3 are in the mysterious wheel room Bones asks ‘are we dreaming?’ and Kirk goes ‘if we are..then life is a dream’…
- Being chased by ‘Rock men’ would also have had a very nightmare like quality to it (although those scenes were dropped)
- Kirk climbing the mountain at the end to get away from ‘god’ust like he climbs El Capitan
- Kirk, Spock and Bones remain together for much of the movie..just like at the campsite..
- And of course the story starting and ending in the same spot, with the Kirk, Spock and McCoy wearing the same clothes.
When you look at the movie as a nightmare, a reflection of Kirk’s subconscious fears and desires, it actually, somehow, makes *more* sense. In fact, it starts making a *lot* of sense
#79
I actually thought the one thing that identified the movie as a true nightmare was seeing Scotty & Uhura flirt. It was a bit like catching my grandparents frenching.
TFF reduces the main characters’ relationships to trite banter.
Many believe this film has great interaction among the three main characters. However, all the banter still allows Kirk to have his ship taken over by an idiot with Spock and McCoy as accomplices. That right there simply shuts the film down. All three would die to make sure that does not happen. A glance from Kirk to Sulu, and the shuttle goes Poof!
Shatner also messed up the Klingons, the Romulans, the crew, the FX, the decks, etc.
It is a true misfire for fans who see Kirk, Spock and McCoy as something other than three old ladies knitting together.
“Maybe he would have saved Star Trek V, though, playing a renegade Vulcan who tries to find God. A passionate Vulcan with misplaced priorities but with a sense of humor. “
…I can see it now:
Sybok: “Are you the God of Sha-Ka-Ree?”
God: “I AM. I AM THE LORD THY GOD!”
Sybok: “Good. You wouldn’t mind answering me a question, would you?”
God: “ASK AND YE SHALL RECIEVE!”
Sybok: “Great. Lissen, can you tell me where I can find some trim on this planet? See, I’m about to go into Pon Farr, and these Earth chicks just can’t handle a Vulcan like me when he hasn’t had any for seven years…”
TFF could have been saved if Eddie Murphy had played the part of Sybok. Then we could all be talking about Sarek having a fling with Uhura between heart operations in his debut appearance on TOS.
81. AJ
Your wrong dude, sorry. Sounds like your just a Shatner hater. I’d take TFF over Nemesis anyday. The Klingon forehead designs from ST:V is a decision that stuck for the remaining Klingon episodes. The realization at the end that they were their own family, and that God was inside the human heart (not some outside dictator), are major Trek moments. These are realizations that define Trek as whole. ST:5 is not the best trek and can be downright embarressing, yes, but to throw the whole movie away and consider it trifle Trek is just plain short sighted
84 — amen!!
I recall reading that one angle pitched to Murphy had him playing one of the trash truck guys who witness the crew arriving — essentially a cameo.
#84
I may be wrong, but I’m fairly certain #81 wasn’t referring to the prosthetics when he said the movie ‘messed up the Klingons’. Rather, I think he’s referring to the fact that the Klingons in that movie are about as intimidating as my granny. The Romulan was, well, let’s face it - NOT a Romulan. And thank god they gave Warner a second chance in TUC, because he wasn’t at his shining best here. Laurence Lukinbill can be much, MUCH better, and again, Scotty was reduced to a buffoon doing vaudeville schtick.
This is still the best review of Trek V I’ve ever read.
http://www.jabootu.com/startrekv.htm
Eddie Murphy could have worked very well as a Klingon. After all, most of the Klingons in the Classic TREK films were played by comedic actors: Christopher Lloyd, John Schuck, John Larroquette… so Murphy would have fit right in. I believe Whoopi Goldberg even came close to playing a Klingon in STAR TREK VI.
84: asc1138
In my opinion, Trek is not about God being in the human heart. That is Shatner’s own dimestore LA secularism dumbed down to the last 5 minutes of his film. Roddenberry himself is purported to have admitted that his characters lived in a time when humanity had shed religion. A major “WTF” moment for Trek fans.
And sean (86) is right regarding the Klingons and Romulans. “I…apologize!” is about the last thing you’ll hear a Klingon say, even if his alcoholic commander tells him to. Kirk is wanted by the Klingon Empire at the time this film occurs, and both Korrd and Klaa would most likely incur a death sentence for their failure to get Kirk. The Romulan woman sounded like she was reading a a corporate PowerPoint presentation.
#66—”The Final Frontier doesn’t need saving. ”
Only because it is too late…
#86 and #88—Amen. Those are just SOME of the things wrong with STV: The Great Trek Turd…
Eddie Murphy is a great comedian and with a good sense for characters. I’m sure that the script would have been worked over so that he would have been happy with the results to play a good role. He’s got the brains to deliver the technobabble lines..look at his work in the Nutty Professor movies.
Looking back, I would have liked him to play different characters in the movie. He could have played the punk on the bus that got nerve pinched by Spock..only this time, Murphy’s character is playing that awful cRAP music to the annoyance of everyone on the bus. Some exchange of words (funny ones) could have been had until Spock takes him out.
My guess is that the REAL story is that Shatner and Nimoy and their collective egos didn’t want to be upstaged by an up and coming entertainer like Murphy. Think about it. Remember the cast’s bios recall Shatner often demanding lines that were given to other members to make him look good.
I’ve been saying for years that ST V works best as a drunken ghost story told around the campfire, after a few too many helpings of McCoy’s “secret ingredient.”
KIRK: An’ so we go shootin’ up the shaft, past Deck 10, Deck 23, Deck 72…
SPOCK: Captain, the Enterprise only has twenty-two levels, and in any case, no turboshaft is aligned in such a way as to –
McCOY: Shaddup, Spock! You’re ruinin’ the story! G’head, Jim…(burp)
# 86 - Sean
That deservedly cynical review brought back some memories best left buried. I’d almost managed to forget what a monumentally god-awful movie ST V was. Yeesh! In retrospect it’s amazing that it was ever allowed to happen.
if only theyd come up with something better for Trek V in 89…especially since it was such a competitive year (Batman, Indy 3, GB 2, BTTF 2, LW 2 etc) i dunno what - any ideas?
The Genesis trilogy had been completed so it had to be an all new adventure..
maybe something with the Romulans? as the Klingons had already been done in Trek III..(and were centre stage in VI)
maybe a big budget version of Balence of Terror…not exactly the same but taking elements of it like TMP did with Changeling/Doomsday Machine and TVH did with Tomorrow is Yesterday/Assignment Earth
Could of still had Shatner directing and had the Yosemite scenes but when they go up to the ship the admiral gives them a romulan mission near/in the neutral zone…cue dangerous mission where they uncover a plot to invade earth or something…hide and seek battle scenes with cloaked ships…Sorta building on the Ent/Reliant batlle scenes that proved so popular in TWOK..
Wouldve been apt, getting back to action territory after the light tone of IV..
I think eddie murphy would make a good cameo on the next trek ?
I still blame Paramount for the problems with ST:V, very cheap production. They screwed Shatner, and they should have never let that film be released the way it is. Still, I like it better than III - (another cheapo) and IV (hate that dated stupid comedy and refuse to own it). I, II, V, VI are the best, can’t be bothered with TNG and the USS Politically Correct, er Enterprise D/E
Murphy definitely should’ve been cast… as a tree… in a sealed crate… in a .5 second shot in the cargo hold of the Enterprise… in STV… That’s more than enough exposure for him methinks.
I have to agree with ety3 (Post #7) : Look what happened when they stuck Richard Pryor into “Superman 3!” It became a bad Richard Pryor movie that Superman just happened to be in!