The Great Links is back and this week we find out why Orson Welles hated doing his Star Trek: The Motion Picture promos. Plus we have have Star Trek intersecting with white colar crime, red shirt Zombies, something for Star Trek strippers, a new "Cage-y" timewaster, and more.
GREAT LINKS: WEEK OF JUNE 4, 2011
Orson Wells hated saying Robert Wise’s name for TMP trailers
If you can remember that far back, or if you have the Star Trek Motion Picture on DVD, you know that veteran actor/director Orson Welles voiced a whole bunch of trailers and commercials for TMP. However, it appears that Orson had some issues with line "a Robert Wise film." IFC reports that at a recent event, veteran movie trailer director Merv Bloch recalled that Welles held a 37 year-old grudge against director Robert Wise due to changes Wise made as an editor to Welles’ 1942 film The Magnificent Ambersons. IFC reports:
But now Welles was being paid to advertise Wise’s film, to say his name with as much awe and import as he could muster. According to Bloch, that proved to be a struggle. Every time they would come to Wise’s name, Welles’ would intentionally botch it. Bloch did an impression of Welles sneering "A Robert Wise Film" — deep and gravelly and full of contempt — which print simply can’t do justice to. Just think of the person you hate most in the universe, then say his or her name with as much bile and disgust as you can muster. Then multiply that by 1000% and you’re close.
Eventually they worked it out. Here is an example of Welles’ work for TMP.
Welles eventually got the "A Robert Wise Film" thing out in TMP trailer (uploaded by ShipHunter)
Accused Wall Street Hustler Used Leonard Nimoy’s Name To Scam Millions
Investment manager Ross Mandell is currently on trial in New York for securities fraud. Prosecutors claim that Mandell defrauded $140 from his investors. The AP reports on testimony from one of Mandell’s former business partners, where he detailed how one of their scams involved Star Trek:
"Everything with ‘dot-com’ attached to it was going through the roof," said Robert Grabowski, the broker who pleaded guilty in exchange for his testimony.
One of the cheesier pitches cooked up by Mandell for a failed Priceline.com knockoff called Ticketplanet.com. was how the new company would overcome the popularity of Priceline pitchman William Shatner
"We’re going to do one better," Grabowski said investors were told. "We’re going to get Mr. Spock."
Leonard Nimoy was never beamed up. Nor did the company go public as promised. But prosecutors claim an illicit spending spree with investor money went on unabated until two brokerage operations went bust.
Of course Priceline themselves eventually beamed up Leonard Nimoy to join Shatner, so this scam was never going to work, as can be seen in commercial below.
Scammer tried to tie Nimoy to Priceline competitor – eventually Nimoy did a Priceline commercial (uploaded by GuruGadget)
Photos of the week: Red Shirt Zombies
On Saturday thousands of "zombies" descended on the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, WA to successfully break a Guinness World Record of most undead gathered. The 3rd annual "Red White & Dead Zombie Walk" gathered 4,522 shambling corpses, including a few Star Trek red shirts. See photos below.
Craft of the week: Star Trek Pasties
Are you a burlesque dancer (or considering a change in careers) and want to be able to take your routine to the final frontier? Well lululiilii on Etsy has just the thing for you: Star Trek pasties! They are (of course) sold in pairs. Unfortunately she is currently sold out.
Ensign, are you certain your "uniform" is Starfleet regulation?
Star Trek Timewaster of the Week: Ask Captain Pike
Want to waste some time? Have some burning questions. Well BasicInstructions.net has built a special interactive "Ask Captain Pike" web application just for you.
Click and Pike will answer your questions
Music of the week: BBC Performs Star Trek TMP Theme
In June the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra performed a live concert where they did a number of themes from film, including the theme for Jerry Goldsmith’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture theme with a little of Ilia’s Theme thrown in.
BBC performs TMP theme (uploaded by ReaderDriver)
Mashup of the Week: Star Trek Avatar
Are people still making mashups of the Star Trek 2009 trailer? Yes they are. Here is one via HollywoodStreams that mashes Avatar and Star Trek.
Star Trek on the lists:
Here are the latest top lists on the web featuring Star Trek:
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Dvice has 12 ways technology has you living in Star Trek’s future today
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WhatCulture imagines 5 Things To Expect in JJ Abrams Star Trek 2
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Arrow in the Head looks at the 10 Creepiest Star Trek TOS episodes
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Blastr looks at 18 most memorable sci-fi speeches (including the "dare you to do better" from Star Trek 2009)
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ScreenJunkies picks the 11 Nerdiest Movies of All Time (with Star Trek: The Motion Picture coming out on top)
Even more links:
That wasn’t enough linkage for you? Well here is more.
- The Spoof: Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner Reveal Never Before Known Star Trek Secrets.
- The Atlantic: Your iPhone is now officially a Star Trek Tricorder.
- Canada.com: Calgary professor criticizes "Star Trek" Take on religion.
Send in your links
TrekMovie will try and keep up with weekly (or bi-weekly) "Great Links" articles. So please send in links where you see Star Trek connections out there in the universe. Send them in to tips@trekmovie.com. You can also send in links to @trekmovie on the Twitter.
This week’s linkage thanks to Greg B, and Amy L.
Orson should have known that to criticize Wise was not wise.
Imagine being at a ‘Best of Film Music’ concert having no idea what they were going to play and they start the concert (with no introduction) as above!! How would you have felt?! I sooooo wish I’d been in Manchester that day!!
Tellingly he finally coughed it up as “a Gene Roddenberry production OF a Robert Wise film”.
The BBC Orchestra perfectly redendered the TMP score.
The First Contact score is similarly awesome. While the Abramsverse is keen to forge its own way, I’d be all in favour of the next film borrowing a bit of Jerry Goldsmith. The opening of Superman Returns still gives me chills of recognition, in a way the rest of the picture sadly didn’t.
I’d prefer that the producers of the Trek sequel stay with Michael Giaccino’s “Enterprising Young Men” as the theme. It’s more appropriate. It is also one of the all-time greatest Trek themes just like Michael Giaccino’s overall score was outstanding and different from the previous Trek movies and shows.
The “The Motion Picture” theme is classic, but after hearing it in five different movies (theme for two TOS, end titles for three TNG films) and during the entire run of TNG, I think it should be retired for good.
Orson got over it thinking about the reversal of fortune no doubt, with Robert Wise having to be Gene Roddenberry’s bitch. ‘scuse my disrespect. In view of Wise not being Welles’ during Ambersons, but chopping up his work, changing intent of certain scenes, on behalf of the studio.
4. Well maybe it’s the Alexander Courage theme I’m thinking about?
The BAH BA-BAH BAH BAH BAH BA-BAH, as the stars fly around the Paramount logo.
Great article, Anthony Pascale! … :-) :-)
3. correction – rendered.
The BBC Orchestra perfectly rendered the TMP score.
Boy is my face “redendered”! :-}
… about the video, “Star Trek Avatar”… Ok is interesting, but Star Trek has a better dialogue and soundtrack … and the coolest actors… Uhura is ultimately more interesting than Neytiri… LOL… I think at least…
Chris Pine said he auditioned to Avatar… and that he was awful! … great he got Captain Kirk after all …
:-) :-)
That’s not really the TMP theme per se, it’s the “End Title” cue from the TMP score, which includes recaps of the main theme and Ilia’s Theme, a la William’s work on end titles where he blends some of the main musical themes together.
As much as I love Horner’s TWOK score, TMP’s score is the best and Ilia’s Theme is, without doubt, the finest moment of Star Trek music. Hands down.
Love that theme.
Beautiful editing on the Avatar/ST09 video; it’s amazing how carefully selected images and choice soundbites can turn damn near any trailer into a trailer for something else entirely. This is the kind of stuff they used to pay film editors big bucks for, and now a 10 yr old can do it on his laptop. Wow…
And as for the Orson Welles/ST-TMP thing? It would give me serious shivers just to hear the late great Orson Welles even speak my name; I can imagine how the TOS cast must’ve felt. What a magnificent voice and what an amazing directorial talent he was. “Citizen Kane” and “Touch of Evil” are truly two of the greatest movies ever made (yes, even with Charlton Heston cast against type as a Mexican policeman). Kind of gave me a chuckle about the rivalry between him and the equally great (and also sadly and more recently late) Robert Wise.
Thanks for posting these. ;-)
Good stuff! I really liked the creepy list! :)
Beautiful music, and well played BBC, well played.
10 Williams? Goldsmith?
Wise was Welles’ editor on Citizen Kane, but really stabbed him in the back on Ambersons. Amberson is one of the sad “lost film” stories – the film exists, but only in the hacked up version Wise cut behind Welles’ back.
On Kane and Ambersons, Wise was closley guided by Welles. As a director, Wise got lucky on a great script with The Day the Earth Stood Still, and with proven commercial properties West Side Story and the Sound of Music, which he simply had to adapt. Wise simply was not a great director on his own – he needed a guiding hand or a proven property where all the decisions were already made
TMP was an awfully directed, wooden, pompous train wreck. Put aside your grateful nostalgia and thrill that it ever cam to exist, and try to look at it objectively as a movie. Although Welles I’m sure never saw it, it must have been galliing indeed to be the hired shill for one of your former staff who betrayed you.
I seem to remember Orson Wells being associated with Star Trek years before TMP. I think during a very early Star Trek convention in the 1970’s in New York, everyone was atwitter because the rumor was that Orson Wells was shopping around some sci-fi movie that he had directed and was making an appearance at the Convention. I never saw him and I never knew what film they were talking about, but to this day I’ve always associated him with Star Trek.
As for Wise being a mediocre director, I beg to differ. He could be workmanlike, but as someone said, if you take the best four works that an artist has done and burn the rest, the history of art would be no different. There is no “Robert Wise” style. He was not an auteur like Hitchcock, but if I had made such beloved and critically acclaimed films as “West side Story” “The Sound of Music” and “The Day the Earth Stood Still” I would die happy.
TMP WAS a disaster, but it’s the half-baked script that is to blame. No one could have brought those empty pages to life, not even Nicholas Meyer.
Like cold molasses that TMP trailer was.
Haha! Looky there. Last year I joke in here that in the next film Uhura should be wearing a red thong and delta shield pasties, and look what we got! Funny!
@15: was referring to how Williams started the trend of recapping the major musical themes from a film in the end titles with Star Wars. Thus the “a la” terminology…
4. Red Dead right on.
17.
“As for Wise being a mediocre director, I beg to differ. He could be workmanlike, but as someone said, if you take the best four works that an artist has done and burn the rest, the history of art would be no different. There is no “Robert Wise” style. He was not an auteur like Hitchcock, but if I had made such beloved and critically acclaimed films as “West side Story” “The Sound of Music” and “The Day the Earth Stood Still” I would die happy.”
Agree with you on Wise.
“Day the Earth Stood Still” and “Andromeda Strain” are beautifully directed; “Andromeda Strain” is still frighteningly realistic and it’s minimalist style helps to convey that very well. Another director might’ve been tempted to make it more melodramatic or over-the-top, but Wise’s tight reigns kept it tense and true. And while I realize ST-TMP was not his best work, but it did have some unique and very interesting moments to it nevertheless.
So for me it’s not whether Wise or Welles was the better director; I appreciate them both but on very different works and styles. Welles couldn’t have made “Andromeda Strain” and NOBODY else could’ve done “Kane.” And there’s no need to demonize Wise for following studio orders (it wasn’t like he did additional cuts to “Magnificent Ambersons” without studio insistence). That kind of thing happens all the time; very few directors get final cut then or now (even when they’re independent, they’re often forced to submit to cuts or re-shoots to get a distributor). Wise is no more a backstabber than many other editors who are forced to do studio suit’s dirty work…
#3 Christopher sir-not sure i understood your superman returns music comment as the music was by john ottman based on john williams original score–i agree the original williams supes soundtrack some of his very best work as was et,close encounters n raiders–welles was a genius with an ego to match-wise also had talent–the opening sweeping soaring camera work on sound of music n the high almost orbital opening shots of west side story were stunningly original–i remember being disappointed by his direction in tmp as i was expecting better but oh well–
Really loved that performance of the TMP End Credits, love that soundtrack. I’m a fam of a lot of the music from Trek, even love the theme from Enterprise (Archer’s Theme, not the song at the start of the show). The TMP/Next Gen is just so classic, love it.
That’s the first time I’ve seen that trailer for TMP, thanks Anthony for that.
The Trek/Avatar thing – meh.
I’m not amused by any of this—-my good humor has been sapped by the lack of movement on this mother f#$%ing sequel. Not even kidding. I’m pissed. JJ, I loved SUPER 8, would you please dain to grace the production with a little attention please? I hate internet haters. And you’ve turned me into one.
Wow, the trailer for TMP was terrible… just a list of names and little more.
Yeah, whenever I watch The Haunting I think “what a hack director”. Sheesh…
I think for that movie ALONE Wise deserves amazing respect.
yeh about all they had for a trailer for tmp was list of names as production was so far behind due to the efx work not done on time which necessitated almost every big efx houses at the time to work 24 hours a day almost right up to release date-i remember stories of the still almost wet final reels being flown to the opening–amazing it was as good as it was when u realize all the problems they had-also stunning that goldsmiths music was so great under that kind of pressure-i think he was still writing n performing music up to a week before the opening due to not seeing major scenes until they were put together at the last minute–
Redshirt Zombies! “Brains-need Starfleet brain’s -yum!” Wonder if they would like Spock’s Brain? Almost no one did-hahhah
Is Ask Captain Pike worthwhile?
*beep* *beep*
Double yes!
I’m on the fence about the pasties though. Maybe if some young ensignette would model them… @ @
Ah, Orson. Almost as much fun to work with as Shat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V14PfDDwxlE
Great stuff!!
18.@dmduncan. Great metaphor!
Wells may also be a little underwhelming in his enthusiasm for this project as he may be ruminating on what his career, so promising at first, has devolved into, doing voiceovers for sci-fi movies made from TV shows.
“By the Hammer of Grapthor…what a savings!”
Ask Pike has been around for years. Since 2003 in fact.
If you ask me, Trek and zombies simply don’t go together.
guess that means they need Maurice LaMarche to do voice-overs for Star Trek XII’s trailers :P
I never noticed this before, but at the end of the Teaser Trailer for TMP, does anyone else think that the rising sound effect that starts when those green lines come in sounds very, VERY like the THX sound test?
10 @JKP-
“Ilia’s theme…the finest moment of Star Trek music.”
I have said the same for decades now, my favorite Trek composition. Voyager’s theme being a close second. (Though the show is my 2nd least favorite Trek.)
Ilia’s theme has to take 3rd place behind the TMP theme and the cut “The Enterprise” as two of the best pieces of movie music ever – not just Trek. And I think Ilia’s Theme was one of the last times a major motion picture included an overture.
Can’t wait for Walking Dead Season 2.
>•Canada.com: Calgary professor criticizes “Star Trek” Take on religion.
Surprised this hasn’t caught more response, because its a keen and accurate observation. “Trek” telegraphed Roddenberry’s dislike for religion by, typically, ridiculing it in favor of his own “enlightened” secular humanism.
>I’d prefer that the producers of the Trek sequel stay with Michael Giaccino’s “Enterprising Young Men” as the theme. It’s more appropriate…
I’ll vote a firm disagreement here. Giacchino’s score was pointless and, with the exception of the Kelvin destruction background, uninspired. Since Abram’s Trek had no discernible score, I’d prefer they started fresh with a new composer. I’ve listened to the entire Trek 09 soundtrack several times, trying to be fair and give it weight on its own merits, but it just doesn’t work. Aside from the Engineering Brewery (grin), it was easily the most disappointing aspect of the film.
@37 I’ve actually got Ilia’s Theme first, The Enterprise second. The main theme, while different slightly from TNG, is still too saturated in my mind to rate higher than those two cues. Not sure about all movie music (there’s a LOT of good score out there), but definitely in Trek.
And if the audience of today doesn’t have the patience to sit through more than 3 seconds without an edit and have to have their shaky cam to feel “immersed” in the action, then I’m pretty sure the overture is dead forever. Pity. :(
@40 I agree that Giacchino’s score was mostly average – wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great.
The biggest exception being the Labor of Love cue, which was quite excellent, especially how it was used with no other sound in the sequence. Very moving piece of music for that scene.
That’s a teaser trailer, which is why it’s so utilitarian. Back then, just the fact they (the original crew) were in the film was enough to induce elation. What can be said of people demeaning Robert Wise? Shrug.
Interesting trailer for TMP. Chapel gets billing before Chekov and Uhura? Only on-screen mention of Decker’s complete first name? Fascinating!
@ 4. Red Dead Ryan “I’d prefer that the producers of the Trek sequel stay with Michael Giaccino’s “Enterprising Young Men” as the theme. It’s more appropriate. It is also one of the all-time greatest Trek themes just like Michael Giaccino’s overall score was outstanding and different from the previous Trek movies and shows.”
I got to go with you on that, Ryan; Giaccino’s score was outstanding & was one of the key elements that allowed me to let go of my cannon hang ups & just enjoy the film.
It’s unique, yet familiar.
I whistle “Enterprising Young Men” around the house when I’m cleaning or when I’m looking at my ship models, involuntarily.
It has replaced the opening theme to TUC in my mind.
That is the sign of a great score
18. dmduncan
Like cold molaases? Not! That trailer was our (the fans) first glimpse of the ship and crew since the series had ended a decade earlier. People were THRILLED by that trailer!
I liked the TMP trailer above. However if you look closely you can see the boom holding the Enterprise minature as it pulls out of Spacedock.
No I am going to have to put my TMP VHS in and see if it made into the final film. Probably not as I remember the an image of the Earth being in the background.
I also liked that they started the trailer with the ol; Red White and Blue stars. Seemed like they were always making little subliminal nodes to the USA in Trek. Nice!
New Trek film had a good score…but the end theme was my fav of the entire album. It just screamed of a triumphant return of STAR TREK and Captain Kirk. Just awesome!
@47 – the boom made it into the final cut, and I remember noticing it when I saw TMP in the theaters the first day. I thought, geez, how could they miss that?
The edited it out in the director’s cut, if I’m not mistaken.
Wise made some very interesting movies, though I do feel his approach could be somewhat sterile at times, and several of his films had pacing issues. The Andromeda Strain, for instance, is an interesting movie but not a very good movie. Welles, on the other hand, had his own excesses but rarely could you accuse him of making a boring film.