And the band got back together! As the latest Trek movie was released the other week, I thought it would be fun to look back on the first press conference for the movie that started the series way back in March of 1978. Here’s Leonard and company looking splendid on that happy day. He looks so genuinely thrilled at this impromptu nearly-10 year reunion! Love that velvet blazer! Bless them All!
ST:TMP
My Weekly Spock: Long-Hair Kolinahr Vulcan
I always thought that the Vulcan sequence at the beginning of ST:TMP was interesting. I wondered why Spock was so determined to shed his human half, what had made him so repulsed by it? We may never know, although when Spock comes to understand V’Ger, he begins to appreciate his human half more (who could forget his hand holding with Kirk?
Other interesting aspects of Spock’s failed Kolinahr ceremony to me were that gigantic red food, which I presume was a statue of a prominent Vulcan (I’m sure there are more readers here who know about it than I) And of course, Spock’s long hair! You rock that Prince Valiant haircut, Mr. Vulcan!
I always thought his robe here was a bit too quarterback-ish, but it became the standard look for high-position Vulcans to come in all the later series. I preferred the original Ambassador Sarek look myself!
By the way, the robe Nimoy wore as Spock in the Kohlinar Ceremony went up for auction the other week, but did not sell — I think the seller forgot that many of us don’t have that kind of money! ($30,000)
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The Daily Scrapbook: 8/23/13 (1977) — Roddenberry Projects
Here’s today’s flashback: New Roddenberry Projects from Media Spotlight Magazine. Gene discusses his latest projects and (at this point in 1977) the speculation and early pre-production regarding a possible Star Trek film. It notes that the first outlines which were written by such sci-fi notables as Robert Silverberg, Harlan Ellison, Theodore Sturgeon, Dick Simmons and Chris Knopf were rejected by Paramount, just as they had rejected Gene’s original outline. I think this initial action is what caused the first movie to be less Star Trek and more Hollywood. Paramount dropped the ball here, rejecting the Trek creator and others who knew Trek well. I can only imagine that a script from one of these authors, and direction by Philip Kaufman (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) might have been more true to the spirit of the original. And being Media Spotlight, the article naturally features artwork and photos of the original series that have nothing to do with the article’s content! (Ah, they were such a fanzine!)
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The Daily Scrapbook 7/19/13 Hippie Spock
Here’s today’s flashback: As Long as we’re talking hair this week, I believe this is from a Star tabloid, don’t think I kept the article, (hated all the bumpy new aliens) but kept this picture because I was totally digging Spock’s Prince Valiant Do’. Not too thrilled with the football shoulder pads, ( I liked his black tunic much better) but this was a neat scene in the movie.
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The Daily Scrapbook: 7/17/13 Bill and Marcy at the ST:TMP World Premiere
Here’s today’s flashback: From Dec. 7th 1979, Bill Shatner enjoys a taste of A-list stardom, and gets energized at the world premiere of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. (He’s so excited!) Dig those ruffly cuffs! Marcy’s so cute here too.
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The Daily Scrapbook 5/16/13 December 8, 1979, Star Trek: The Motion Picture Premieres!
Here’s today’s flashback: The day had finally come! After 10 years fans fervent hopes of a comeback, of waiting for the day when Star Trek would return, it was finally here! I remember waiting outside the Cameo Theater in Binghamton on that cold winter night for the first showing with my school pal John and we couldn’t wait to see how this ‘Human Adventure’ would unfold. (The Press photo below is of the line for the second showing that night) I recall being happy to see the ol’ crew again, and delighted that Spock was back. I liked the beginning, I liked the end, but couldn’t recall much from the middle. And I couldn’t help but wonder why parts of it seemed so slow and sometimes the dialogue was barely above a whisper! I admit, I said it was great to fellow patrons on the way out, but in my heart I knew it was more a matter of ‘be careful what you wish for’. Was this dull, beige-y/grey saga the future of my beloved show? It was Trek, but just not quite Trek enough; where was the humor and the spirit of the original? I admit, I almost gave up on Trek after this version, but the sequel in ’82 made me much happier!
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The Daily Scrapbook 7/12/13 –(12/4/1979) The Stardates have been kind to Mr. Sulu
Here’s Today’s Flashback: From December 4, 1979, a local review of George Takei’s visit to BInghamton at Broome Community College. Funny when you thing that as promotion tours go, it’s surprising how often we had Trek stars come to our little upstate haven. Why Bingamton and nearby areas? My theory is that at the time, it was still an IBM town, and Paramount had a targeted audience with all the computer geeks there!
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The Daily Scrapbook: 7/9/13 (November 1979) NYT Interview w/Roddenberry
Here’s today’s flashback: From November 23rd, 1979, Gene Roddenberry recalls to The New York Times the long, hard trek it took to get Star Trek to the silver screen:
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The Daily Scrapbook: 7/8/13 Trek Promos begin…The Poster
Here’s today’s flashback: From November of 1979, Newspaper Ads for the Star Trek Daily Comic that would soon premiere in our local paper, and an ad for an ad in the Sunday paper to see the special color ad in the Sunday Parade insert! (Mind you, newspapers were mostly in black and white back then, so no color in the movie timetables) This was the first time I saw the poster for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and I couldn’t imagine the promise of the shiny, rainbow drenched poster! 
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The Daily Scrapbook 6/12/13 A tabloid preview of Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Here’s today’s flashback: From 1979, a full color (!) sneak peek at Star Trek: The Motion Picture from a supermarket tabloid (I think it’s The Star, but it could be The National Enquirer). I recall being stunned at how different the Klingons looked, and that Spock had a pageboy haircut! (oh, the hippie!) But it stoked my interest, as you can see, I cannibalized it so it would fit neatly into my scrapbook pages.
