Star Trek Movie LogBook - part 2

           by Earl Green, taken from the Internet

@~Continued from Issue 59

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premiere date: Nov 26, 1986
    screenplay by Steve Meerson & Peter Krikes and Harve Bennett &
    Nicholas Meyer
    story by Leonard Nimoy & Harve Bennett
    directed by Leonard Nimoy
    music by Leonard Rosenman
Stardate 8390.0: An enormous alien probe on a heading for Earth
encounters and completely cripples the USS Saratoga, continuing
unchecked toward Earth, where a high-ranking Klingon Ambassador is
trying to convince the Federation Council that the Genesis device
was, in fact, a weapon designed to eradicate the Klingon species.
The Ambassador promises that there will be no peace between the
Klingons and Federation while Kirk lives.

In the meantime, Kirk and the rest of his crew, excluding Saavik,
who stays behind, leave Vulcan in their hijacked Bird of Prey,
which McCoy has renamed the "Bounty." While en route to Earth,
they receive an emergency transmission informing them that Earth's
defenses have been neutralized by a huge vessel of unknown origin,
and that the alien ship is beginning to destroy the atmosphere and
oceans, all the time transmitting indecipherable sounds. Analyzing
a recording of the sounds transmitted by the alien ship, Spock
determines that the probe can not be responded to because the
sounds are apparently analogous to songs sung by humpback whales -
extinct in the 23rd century.  Kirk decides to risk a slingshot
around the sun to send the Bounty into a time warp to Earth of the
past and bring back enough whales to repopulate the species and,
more importantly, respond to the probe.

The Bounty lands in San Francisco, 1986, and the crew splits into
three teams. Kirk and a thinly disguised Spock set out to find the
whales, which Kirk decides to take from the Cetacean Institute, a
museum devoted to whales. There, Kirk meets Dr.  Gillian Taylor as
she leads a tour of the Institute, during which she shows off the
Institute's two whales, George and Gracie. Gillian also reveals
that the whales will have to be released into the open sea due to
the cost of keeping them in captivity. Spock dives into the whale
tank and mind-melds with one of the whales, finding that Gracie is
pregnant, but Gillian throws them out of the Institute, only to
find them walking back to Golden Gate Park and picks them up
again.

Chekov and Uhura find the Navy's USS Enterprise and sneak in to
collect photon spillage from the ship's nuclear reactor in order
to replenish the dilithium crystals on the Bounty for the return
trip to the 23rd century, while Scotty, Sulu and McCoy seek out
the materials necessary to build a tank for the whales and their
water in the Bounty. Scotty's team visits a plexiglas factory,
where he trades the "recipe" for transparent aluminum (common in
the 23rd century) in for the necessary materials and the loan of a
helicopter to return the tank walls to the Bounty.  (Scotty
insists no damage is being done to history - perhaps the director
of the factory to whom Scotty revealed the "secret" is the
inventor!)

Uhura and Chekov gather the necessary energy to ready the Bounty
for its next time warp, but they are detected on the carrier.
Chekov gives Uhura the collection device and has her beamed back
to the Bounty, while he is captured and briefly interrogated.
Chekov escapes again, but is seriously wounded and taken to a
hospital. Kirk, having befriended Gillian and learned how upset
she is that "her" whales are about to be turned loose, gets the
frequency to radio tags that the whales will be carrying so
scientists can track them, but even Gillian doesn't know the exact
location to which the whales will be taken.

Kirk receives the news of Chekov's injury and, with McCoy, mounts
a rescue operation which will require the help of Gillian.  They
enter the hospital disguised as surgeons, and McCoy performs a
quick fix returning Chekov to normal after expressing alarm that
20th century medicine would have called for a hole to be drilled
into Chekov's skull.  They "kidnap" Chekov from the hospital and
take him back to the Bounty, where Gillian stows away by jumping
Kirk just as he is beamed aboard. The Bounty lifts off and reaches
the whales' coordinates in the Pacific, only to find a whaling
ship is in hot pursuit of George and Gracie. Kirk orders the
Bounty to decloak, which frightens the poachers away while the two
whales are beamed aboard. The Bounty makes it back to the 23rd
century and crash-lands in San Francisco Bay after being disabled
by the probe, and Kirk releases the whales into the ocean.  George
and Gracie re-establish contact between Earth's whales and the
aliens - a dialogue which had been in progress before man even
existed - and Gillian begins her new life as a Federation cetacean
biology specialist. Kirk and the others are exonerated for all
charges against them concerning the theft and destruction of the
starship Enterprise, except for Kirk, who is demoted to Captain
and given command of a new, more advanced vessel: the new
Enterprise, NCC-1701-A.

Notes: Often, the version of the "past" presented in "Star Trek"
in the 1960s dealt with events still in the future, such as the
Eugenics Wars mentioned in "Space Seed," supposedly in the late
1990s. Happily enough, such events have not taken place (though,
on the other hand, one could argue that the late 90s still haven't
arrived...), and a similar inaccuracy, though it didn't exist when
the movie was first released, now occurs in "Star Trek IV." Though
in 1986, while the story was being written and filmed, there was
still a Leningrad and still a Soviet Union, those officially
ceased to exist in 1991 with the advent of the Commonwealth of
Independent States, and the city of Leningrad was promptly
restored to its original name - St. Petersburg.

Cast: William Shatner (Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), DeForest
Kelley (Dr.  McCoy), James Doohan (Scotty), George Takei (Sulu),
Walter Koenig (Chekov), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Jane Wyatt
(Amanda), Catherine Hicks (Dr. Gillian Taylor), Mark Lenard
(Sarek), Robin Curtis (Lt. Saavik), Robert Ellenstein (Federation
Council President), John Schuck (Klingon Ambassador), Brock Peters
(Admiral Cartwright), Michael Snyder (Starfleet Communications
Officer), Michael Berryman (Starfleet Display Officer), Mike
Brislane (USS Saratoga Science Officer), Grace Lee Whitney
(Commander Rand), Vijay Amritraj (Starship Captain), Majel Barrett
(Commander Chapel), Nick Ramus (USS Saratoga Helmsman), Thaddeus
Golas (Controller #1), Martin Pistone (Controller #2), Scott
DeVenney (Bob Briggs), Viola Stimpson (Lady in tour), Phil
Rubenstein (Garbageman #1), John Miranda (Garbageman #2), Joe
Knowland (Antique Store Owner), Bob Sarlatte (Waiter), Everett Lee
(Cafe Owner), Richard Harder (Joe), Alex Henteloff (Nichols), Tony
Edwards (Pilot), Eve Smith (Elderly Patient), Tom Mustin (Intern
#1), Greg Karas (Intern #2), Raymond Singer (Young Doctor), David
Ellenstein (Doctor #1), Judy Levitt (Doctor #2), Teresa E. Victor
(Usher), James Menges (Jogger), Kirk Thatcher (Punk on bus), Jeff
Lester (FBI Agent), Joe Lando (Shore Patrolman), Newell Tarrant
(CDO), Mike Timoney, Jeffrey Martin (Electronic Technicians), 1st
Sgt. Joseph Naradzay USMC (Marine Sergeant), 1st Sgt. Donald W.
Zautcke USMC (Marine Lieutenant)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier premiere date: Jun 9, 1989
    screenplay by David Loughery
    story by William Shatner, Harve Bennett and David Loughery
    directed by William Shatner
    music by Jerry Goldsmith
Stardate 8454.1: On the planet Nimbus III, a central location
where one ambassador each from the Federation, Klingon Empire and
Romulan Empire have met to discuss solutions to the mutual
hostility each government holds for the others, talks have
virtually ceased despite the arrival of a new Romulan ambassador
and Nimbus III has become an arid desert. A renegade Vulcan -
apparently breaking from the tradition of his race and embracing
emotions and impulses - has generated a strong following on the
planet and takes the three ambassadors hostage. The Vulcan, Sybok,
then sends a message to the delegates' governments, demanding a
fair hearing of his demands in exchange for the hostages' lives.

A Klingon vessel, commanded by trigger-happy Captain Klaa, heads
for Nimbus III with Klaa spoiling for a fight with the legendary
Enterprise. The Enterprise arrives first, and Kirk mounts a rescue
operation involving distracting the guards, but he finds himself
being held at gunpoint by the hostages he was meant to rescue,
Kirk realizes that the affair has been a trap. Sybok now intends
to hijack the Enterprise, and succeeds in earning the loyalty of
Sulu, Uhura and Chekov by "releasing" them from painful memories
in their lives.

Sybok sets the Enterprise on a course to the Great Barrier at the
center of the galaxy, where he believes he will find the mythical
planet Sha Ka Ree and, according to Sybok's theory, that world's
inhabitant - God. Surviving the supposedly deadly trip through the
barrier, the Enterprise arrives at an uncharted planet, convincing
many of the ship's crew that Sybok may be right. In their
excitement, no one notices that Klaa's ship is now arriving at Sha
Ka Ree as well.

Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Sybok fly a shuttle to the surface and,
although initially finding no sign of life, encounter the
projection of an enormous face which claims to be God and greets
Sybok. However, when the being insists that the Enterprise be
brought in close enough that he may meld with it for the journey
beyond the Great Barrier, Kirk is suspicious and questions the
being's authenticity. The creature lashes out at Kirk and Spock
when they doubt his identity, and Sybok realizes that it is not
God.  Grappling with the entity so that the others may escape,
Sybok gives Kirk time to order a torpedo fired at the creature,
but it is not easily killed.

When they return to the shuttle, Kirk, Spock and McCoy discover
that it has been crippled by the creature, and Kirk orders Scotty
to beam Spock and McCoy up. As soon as they have safely returned
to the Enterprise, Klaa opens fire on the Enterprise, damaging the
transporters once more. Spock convinces General Koord, the Klingon
delegate from Nimbus III and one of Sybok's recent converts, to
use his rank to commandeer Klaa's ship and rescue Kirk.  Koord
agrees, and Spock takes over the gunner's seat on the Klingon ship
to destroy the God impostor in time to save Kirk. The Klingons and
the Enterprise leave Sha Ka Ree peacefully (and after profuse
apologies from Klaa), offering some hope for a peaceful future, in
which the formerly disgruntled Nimbus III delegates promise to
take a more active interest.

Note: Although the movie's end seemed to touch on a Federation
peace with the Klingons, the situation obviously was a small
instance of cooperation between the two, as "Star Trek VI"
indicated that they were still deadly enemies.

Cast: William Shatner (Captain Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock),
DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy), James Doohan (Scotty), Walter Koenig
(Chekov), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), George Takei (Sulu), David
Warner (St. John Talbot), Laurence Luckinbill (Sybok), Charles
Cooper (Korrd), Cynthia Guow (Caithlin Dar), Todd Bryant (Captain
Klaa), Spice Williams (Vixis), Rex Holman (J'onn), George Murdock
("God"), Jonathan Simpson (Young Sarek), Beverly Hart (Vulcan High
Priestess), Steve Susskind (Pitchman), Harve Bennett (Starfleet
Chief of Staff), Cynthia Blaise (Young Amanda), Bill Quinn
(McCoy's Father), Melanie Shatner (Yeoman)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country premiere date: Dec 6, 1991
    screenplay by Nicholas Meyer and Denny Martin Flinn
    story by Leonard Nimoy and Lawrence Konner & Mark Rosenthal
    directed by Nicholas Meyer
    music by Cliff Eidelman
Stardate 9522.6: A colossal explosion on the Klingon moon Praxis
sends intense shock waves through space, which are encountered by
the USS Excelsior in its third year of duty under Captain Sulu.
The Excelsior is damaged by the leading edge of the energy burst,
but regains her balance.  When offered assistance, the Klingons
tell Sulu to mind his own business and stay out of their
territory.

Later, on Earth, the command crew of the Enterprise is invited to
a top priority, high-security briefing at Starfleet Headquarters,
where it is revealed that one of the Kligons' main sources of
power, located on Praxis, released radiation that will eat away
the Klingon homeworld's ozone layer in roughly fifty years, and
the Klingons, whose economy is devoted entirely to military
development, are unable to combat the deterioration of their
planet without aid. Spock, acting as an ambassador, has opened the
door for discussions with Chancellor Gorkon of the Klingon High
Council, and has taken the liberty of volunteering Kirk and the
crew of the Enterprise - both of which are three months away from
mandatory retirement as Starfleet prepares to decommission the
ship itself - for the duty of escorting Gorkon and his party to
the first Federation-Klingon peace talks.  Over dinner on the
Enterprise, the Klingons and the Starfleet officers seem to be
unable to avoid eventually insulting or offending each other, and
General Chang seems more interested in Kirk's reputation as a
warrior than in peace. The Klingons return to their ship, and
shortly afterward, torpedoes from the Enterprise's direction
pummel Gorkon's ship, and two figures in Federation spacesuits
beam aboard and kill the Chancellor and many of the Klingon crew.

Still unsure of what has happened - Scotty finds that none of the
Enterprise's torpedoes have been fired - Kirk surrenders when
Chang threatens to fire on the Enterprise point-blank. Kirk and
McCoy beam over, where McCoy tries to save the dying Gorkon, but
with Federation medicine's limited knowledge of Klingon anatomy,
McCoy cannot prevent Gorkon's death. Kirk and McCoy are arrested
and given a trial where Chang's unusual evidence - including
entries from Kirk's personal log stating his distrust of Klingons
since they killed his son - insinuates that Kirk was behind the
assassination. Kirk and McCoy are sentenced to work for the rest
of their lives in the dilithium mines on Rura Penthe.

At Spock's command, the Enterprise conveniently develops a
malfunction that prevents them from receiving Starfleet's order to
return home while the crew searches for the equipment used by the
two Starfleet officers who assassinated Gorkon. A few leads
appear, but then are revealed to be false alarms - someone is
deliberately trying to lead the investigation off track. In the
meantime, Kirk and McCoy fight for their lives on Rura Penthe but
are helped by exotic fellow prisoner Martia, who warns Kirk that
even in the penal colony, there is a price on his head.  Martia
helps them escape, hoping that Kirk, who she says is the most
attractive prisoner to appear in a long time, will repay her
somehow.  During their escape, Martia is revealed to be a
shapeshifter, and perhaps not even a true female. Kirk realizes
that the escape has been too easy and that Martia is the one out
for he and McCoy. Martia changes into a copy of Kirk, but when the
prison guards catch up, Kirk tricks them into shooting Martia
instead. Bluffing their way past Klingon border guards, the
Enterprise crew beams Kirk and McCoy up just before the two would
have been executed.

After returning to the Enterprise, Kirk and the others discover
two dead crewmen - the assassins - and realize that there is one
more conspirator. Kirk suggests laying a trap by announcing to the
crew that the dead crewmen are alive and in sick bay awaiting the
court reporter, which would lure the culprit to sick bay to kill
the two crewmen before they could talk. The ploy works, and the
conspirator is Lt. Valeris, Spock's trusted protege.  Spock forces
a mind-meld with Valeris to find out who the main conspirators
are, and discovers that Klingons and a member of the Federation
top brass are already cooperating peacefully - to ensure that
peace is destroyed by the assassination of the President of the
Federation. Kirk contacts Captain Sulu, and their two ships head
for Khitomer to save the President and reveal the conspirators,
but time - and Chang's prototype Bird of Prey that can fire while
cloaked (the real source of the attack on Gorkon's ship) - are
against their efforts to save the negotiations.

Notes: Although "Next Generation" was approaching its second
season when "Trek V" was made, the film ignored the TV series.
However, in "Trek VI," many "Next Generation" connections were
present: a Klingon defense attorney (Michael Dorn) is briefly
identified as Colonel Worf; Khitomer is the site of the 24th
century Romulan attack on a Klingon colony, killing Lt.  Worf's
parents in "Next Generation" lore. Events in this movie happen at
least 3 years after "Trek V," as Sulu states that he has commanded
Excelsior for 3 years - though some reports place "Trek VI" 10 to
15 years later than "Trek V," which would better account for the
crew's signs of age. The events in "Trek VI" were mentioned
briefly in the "Next Generation" episodes "Unification," in which
it is mentioned that Spock met a Romulan Senator Pardek at the
Khitomer Conference. Also, some time after "Trek VI" and the 23rd
century scenes of "Generations," Scotty, aboard a transport ship,
encounters the enormous alien device which causes him to attempt a
last-ditch maneuver to save his life, as told in the "Relics"
episode of "Next Generation."

Cast: William Shatner (Captain Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock),
DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy), James Doohan (Scotty), George Takei
(Captain Sulu), Walter Koenig (Chekov), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura),
Kim Catrall (Valeris), Mark Lenard (Sarek), Grace Lee Whitney
(Excelsior Communications Officer), Brock Peters (Admiral
Cartwright), Leon Russom (Chief in Command), Kurtwood Smith
(Federation President), Christopher Plummer (Chang), Rosanna
DeSoto (Azetbur), David Warner (Chancellor Gorkon), John Schuck
(Klingon Ambassador), Michael Dorn (Klingon Defense Attorney),
Paul Rossilli (Kerla), Robert Easton (Klingon Judge), Clifford
Shegog (Klingon Officer), W. Morgan Sheppard (Klingon Commander),
Brett Porter (General Stex), Jeremy Roberts (Excelsior Officer),
Michael Bofshever (Excelsior Engineer), Angelo Tiffe (Excelsior
Navigator), Boris Lee Krutonog (Helsman Lojur), Christian Slater
(Excelsior Communications Officer), Iman (Martia), Tom Morga (The
Brute), Todd Bryant (Klingon Translator), John Bloom (Behemoth
Alien), Jim Beoke (First Klingon General), Carlos Cestero
(Munitions Man), Edward Clements (Young Crewman), Katie Jane
Johnston (Martia as a Child), Douglas Engalla (Prisoner at Rura
Penthe), Matthias Hues (Second Klingon General), Darryl Henriques
(Nanclus), David Drance (Sleepy Klingon), Judy Levitt (Military
Aide), Shakti (ADC), Michael Snyder (Crewman Dax), Rene
Auberjonois (Colonel West - home video release only)

@~The final part will be in Issue 61
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