star trek: the undiscovered country

In contrast to Roddenberry's vision of the future, Meyer thought there was no evidence that bigotry would disappear by the 23rd century. play_arrow. In 2293, the starship USS Excelsior, commanded by Captain Hikaru Sulu, is struck by a shock wave, and discovers that Praxis, a Klingon moon, has been destroyed. [...] I don't quite agree with using too much of that sort of thing, but once you get Plummer, suddenly it's working. [81], A phrase from The Tempest is mentioned by Gorkon as representing the new galactic order, that of a "brave new world". "[Meyer] loves to play the classics," Kenny Myers explained, "and incorporating these two images was really genius on his part. Taking place after the events of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, it is the last film featuring the entire cast of the original series. Initially, the language was supposed to be more somber and classical, but Meyer made some last minute changes. [55], As it was intended to be Nimoy's last portrayal of Spock, the actor was adamant that his appearance be faithful to the original 1960s Fred Phillips and Charlie Schram design of the character. [3] The film earned two Oscar nominations, for Best Makeup and Best Sound Effects, and is the only Star Trek movie to win the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film. [8] Ralph Winter was brought on to the project as producer shortly after Bennett's departure, and said Paramount's mandate was to produce a 25th anniversary film that would not cost a lot of money. Internal pressures, enormous military expenditures, and the destruction of their primary energy source have brought the Klingon Empire to the verge of catastrophic collapse. Later when Kirk confronts Chang's warship, Chang mocks the historic British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain who attempted to appease Hitler; with Chang saying that there will be "no peace in our time". Will they manage to escape? The undiscovered country...the future. View production, box office, & company info. Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country, no better way to finish the movies with all of The Original Series characters. [40] Meyer acknowledged that had he been the creator of the franchise, "I would have probably designed a much more claustrophobic world because it's much more dramatic. [117], The film's original theatrical cut was released on Blu-ray Disc in May 2009 to coincide with the new Star Trek feature,[128] along with the other five films featuring the original crew in Star Trek: Original Motion Picture Collection. During makeup tests, Snell was about to apply Plummer's wig when the actor muttered that he wanted no wig, with Chang's small amount of hair swept back into a warrior's topknot.[52]. Chang recites most of the lines from Shakespeare used in the film, including quotes from Romeo and Juliet and Henry IV, Part 2 in his parting words to Kirk after dinner. Mary Boson of the Sydney Morning Herald considered the comparisons to real-world situations timely, and praised the plot for exploring the reactions of those who have invested themselves in a life of belligerence. [84] As the Enterprise crew works to identify Gorkon's assassins, acting Captain Spock describes "an ancestor of mine" who maintained that when the impossible is eliminated, what remains must be true, no matter how unlikely it is. Peace talks don't quite proceed, and Kirk and McCoy are convicted of assassinating the Klingon High Chancellor, and imprisoned on Rura Penthe, a snowy hard-labor prison camp. [15] The Excelsior bridge was a redress of Enterprise's command center, with consoles taken from the battle bridge of the Enterprise-D to convey the impression that the Excelsior was a more advanced ship. [6], Because of budget cuts, plans for filming were constantly revised and reduced, but sometimes this proved to be an asset rather than a hindrance. Christopher Plummer requested his character's forehead have more subdued spinal ridges than Klingons in previous films, to look unique and to humanize his character. Flinn said that Meyer "was in an optimistic mood", and the director suggested that Kirk quote Peter Pan for the last lines:[62] "Second star to the right, and straight on till morning." He also felt that since the film was darker than its predecessors, it demanded something different musically as a result. At his post, Valtane locates t… Azetbur likewise refuses to invade Federation space. Chang's cloaked Bird of Prey attacks and inflicts heavy damage on both ships. [31] Nimoy's hiring of Meyer was not only beneficial because Meyer knew the material and could write fast (having produced The Wrath of Khan's screenplay in twelve days),[32] but if Meyer was to direct it would offset any acrimony from Shatner, whose ire would have been aroused if Nimoy returned to direct his third Star Trek feature after The Search for Spock and The Voyage Home. [70], Eidelman stated that he finds science fiction the most interesting and exciting genre to compose for, and that Meyer told him to treat the film as a fresh start, rather than drawing on old Star Trek themes. On the eve of retirement, Kirk and McCoy are charged with assassinating the Klingon High Chancellor and imprisoned. [29] Flinn was aware that the film would be the last to feature the cast of the original television series, so he wrote an opening that embraced the passage of time. The Undiscovered Country opened in 1,804 theaters in North America and grossed $18,162,837 in its opening weekend; the showing was a record for the film series and was the top-grossing film of the weekend. The galley was the set used for Deanna Troi's office, the dining hall was a redress of the USS Enterprise-D's Observation lounge, and the Federation president's office was a redesign of the Ten-Forward lounge, the exterior doors to which accidentally retained their Enterprise-D markings. George told Farrar that he had always wanted to see something penetrate the thin saucer section of the Enterprise, so a replica of the saucer was recreated and blown up; the model was hung upside down so that the explosion could be flipped to approximate the zero gravity effects. Cinematographer Hiro Narita's previous work had been on effects films such as The Rocketeer, where he had time and money to make a lavish period fantasy; with The Undiscovered Country, he was constantly under time and budgetary pressures. By combining separate key light and fill light passes, optical effects could generate any amount of contrast they wanted without causing spillage. The majority of the visual effects were created by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) under the supervision of Scott Farrar (who previously served as visual effects cameraman on the first three Star Trek films) and animator Wes Takahashi. He mentioned the opening to Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird as similar to the foreboding sound he wanted. [8], Eidelman's previous project had been creating a compilation of music from the past five Star Trek films, and he consciously avoided taking inspiration from those scores. Another concern was that there was not enough of designer Robert Fletcher's The Motion Picture uniforms for all the Klingons in the film. A special "pyro model" was created from a rubber cast of the Bird of Prey and exploded instead, with a lap dissolve making the transition from the motion control ship to the pyro vessel. [29] Meyer said that when he started work on the screenplay it did not occur to him that he would direct the film. Meyer was adamant about having the actors be able to unholster their weapons, so the existing pistols had to be redesigned. [129] The Undiscovered Country was remastered in 1080p high-definition from the 1999 DVD transfer. The script constantly changed because of demands made not only by the core cast, but also the supporting players. [57] To give the set a larger appearance, a shot from high above the courtroom was created using miniatures. The loss of Praxis and the destruction of the Klingon homeworld's ozone layer throws the Klingon Empire into turmoil. The shot of the Enterprise leaving Spacedock was difficult to produce because the interior dock miniature had disappeared. Worf was a Klingon male who appeared in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.. Worf was the elder brother of Thok Mak and the head of the House of Mogh. Old and new techniques were applied to shooting the models. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is one of the finest installments in the saga. [123], The Undiscovered Country was released on VHS and in widescreen and full screen formats on Laserdisc in June 1992;[124] the release added a few minutes of new footage to the film. Jaffe noted that the low-tech method of suspending actors by wires helped the final effect, because as photographed by John Fante, few wires had to be removed digitally in post-production;[46] sets were constructed so that the harsh lighting obscured wires, and entire sets were constructed on their sides so that by pulling actors up and down on the rotated sets, the characters appeared to float sideways. [8], The battle above Khitomer was one of the last sequences to be shot, which proved fortuitous as the bridge of the Enterprise was damaged by the simulated sparks and explosions. [53] This design change meant only Plummer's front could be photographed during the first few days of filming while the makeup department created appliances to cover the back of his head. In this case, as the Klingon empire begins to self-destruct after a Chernoble-type explosion on one of its moons, the obvious reference is to the disintegration of the Russian empire. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. He wanted there to be uncertainty about Gorkon's true intentions. Two days later Eidelman produced a tape of his idea for the main theme, played on a synthesizer. [58] These zero gravity scenes were the most expensive sequences to complete. As with Meyer's previous Star Trek film (The Wrath of Khan), the script had strong military overtones, with a naval theme present throughout. At the suggestion of Uhura, Spock and McCoy modify a torpedo to home in on the exhaust emissions of Chang's vessel. I was offered $1.5 million to do Star Trek VI and I said 'Thanks, I don't want to do that. [86] Kirk undergoes a transformation through the film by way of his incarceration; realizing that his hatred is outmoded he allows for a cleansing that restores his son to him in some way. [78] The title itself alludes to Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1, the famous “To be, or not to be” soliloquy. Librarian, website maker, screencapper, writer, wallpaper & icon maker. [20] The film was shot in Super 35 instead of anamorphic format, because of the former's greater flexibility in framing and lens selection, larger depth of field, and faster lenses. [...] It added some humanity to the characters. [43] ILM's "Praxis effect" shockwave became a common feature in science fiction films depicting the destruction of large objects.[65]. [111] Desson Howe, writing for The Washington Post's Weekend section, said that "the Klingons' spilled blood floats in the air in eerily beautiful purplish globules; it's space-age Sam Peckinpah. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the sixth movie in the Star Trek film series, released in 1991. Directed by Nicholas Meyer. The prequel was designed to be a way of keeping the characters, if not the actors, in what was called "Top Gun in outer space". [39] For The Undiscovered Country, Meyer wanted the Enterprise interiors to feel grittier and more realistic; the metal was worn around the edges to look used without looking beat up. The unusual title Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is derived from William Shakespeare, but it takes on a different meaning in the movie's context from what the Bard intended in Hamlet. Batteries drained after minutes of filming in the cold, and the lack of snow was compensated by dropping fake precipitation into the scene by helicopter. The Undiscovered Country ranks as the second best Star Trek feature film, just behind The Wrath of Khan. When an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it. [15] Effects supervisor William George wanted to make it distinct from the earlier ships, since it was one of the few models that could be altered: "We did some research into military costuming, and came up with the concept that when these ships return victorious from battle, the Klingons build some sort of epaulet onto their wings or paint a new stripe on." Because the alien creatures played such an important role in the film, there was a concerted push to provide enough money to the makeup department to make sure the complex work was finished. Well edited movie. AKA: Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country, Star trek VI - Terre inconnue, Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country. The final budget came in at $27 million. The Undiscovered Country is a strong cinematic send-off for the original Trek crew, featuring … Shots of the interior of the mine were captured at night so it appeared like the setting was underground. Written by [97][98] The seventh Star Trek feature, Star Trek Generations (1994), would blend the old and new cast. Creating a fake blizzard was challenging; two types of plastic snow were mixed together to provide flakes and powdery accumulation. Textures that changed every frame were added to the main wave body and over the top of it to give the impression of great speed. Later that night, Enterprise appears to fire torpedoes at the Klingon ship, disabling its artificial gravity. [105][106] Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 81% based on 54 reviews, with an average rating of 6.85/10. The consensus was for the next film to star the cast of The Next Generation. The stuntmen, dressed in woolen costumes, were in danger of catching pneumonia. The shoot lasted several days because of what Plummer called the "horror" of filming the dinner.[8]. Another departure is Eidelman's use of non-western instruments, favoring more exotic sounds and percussive elements in representing the Klingons and other aliens. The other supporting characters received similar praise;[114][115] H.J. The characters were shot on a San Francisco beach, with a white plastic underfoot. Peace talks don't quite proceed, and Kirk and McCoy are convicted of assassinating the Klingon High Chancellor, and imprisoned on Rura Penthe, a snowy hard-labor prison camp. The further apart the spheres, the more the shape could stretch and even break apart. [68] Meyer approached producer Steven Charles-Jaffe with Eidelman's CD, which reminded Jaffe of Bernard Herrmann; Eidelman was given the task of composing the score. [127] The home video cut was later released for the film's 1999 DVD debut. [37] By February 13, 1991, the film was officially put into production with the agreement it would be in theaters by the end of the year. Everyone: The undiscovered country. Principal photography took place between April and September 1991. Meyer estimated that almost two months were spent fighting with the studio about the budget. Cliff Eidelman produced the film's score, which is intentionally darker than previous Star Trek offerings. Makeup artist Ed French found a spare Klingon headpiece in Richard Snell's possession and attached it to his own head. [117], The Cold War allegory and the whodunit aspects of the film were less positively received. Who returns from previous "Star Trek" movies. Enterprise to return to the restricted Genesis Planet to recover Spock's body. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was released in North America on December 6, 1991. The writers and producers really did a wonderful job with this one. Events. 26 of 35 people found this review helpful. Meyer and cinematographer Hiro Narita aimed for a darker and more dramatic mood, subtly altering sets originally used for the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. When the culprit arrives in sick bay to finish them off, Kirk and Spock discover that the killer is Spock's protégé, Valeris. Cast No Shadowfeatures Valeris and expands on the Khitomer Conspiracy. 2009 96m. Having saved the peace talks, Enterprise is ordered back to Earth by Starfleet Command to be decommissioned, but Kirk orders a course set for "the second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning". [43] Mills and his team created the largest makeup endeavor ever seen in a Star Trek film until then; custom makeup was applied to 22 principal actors, and as many as 126 prosthetic makeups each day. To save Earth from an alien probe, Admiral James T. Kirk and his fugitive crew go back in time to San Francisco in 1986 to retrieve the only beings who can communicate with it: humpback whales. The production budget was smaller than anticipated because of the critical and commercial disappointment of The Final Frontier. Kirk surrenders to avoid armed conflict, and beams aboard the Klingon ship with Doctor Leonard McCoy to attempt to save Gorkon's life. "To some degree, almost every area of the production was affected by the cuts—but the script was the one thing that did not become a casualty," Meyer said. The Klingon energy production facility, Praxis, explodes, leaving the Klingon Empire with fifty years of life remaining. The set was being used at the time for Data's room in The Next Generation, and had originally been built as Kirk's quarters for Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Mills consulted photos from the original television series as reference, and created five ear sculptings before Nimoy was satisfied. The new enterprise bridge looks more military like. Lloyd Miller of the St. Petersburg Times said the characters "return to their original roles with a vigor and wit unseen in earlier episodes of the film series". A scene where Spock asks Kirk if they have grown so old and inflexible they have outlived their usefulness had two meanings: it was as much Nimoy asking Shatner as it was their characters. "[114] Plummer and Warner's portrayals of their Klingon characters were well-received; Maslin commented that "whenever a skilled actor [...] manages to emerge from behind all this [makeup] with his personality intact, it's a notable accomplishment." Chang: taH pagh taHbe' [Klingons laugh] Gorkon's appearance was of special concern to Meyer, who had two specific role models: Ahab and Abraham Lincoln. Big explosion! The phasers used in the scene and throughout the film were redesigned versions of earlier models and were first used in The Final Frontier. [122], The special effects were alternately lauded and criticized; USA Today called them "just serviceable", though Wloszczyna's review for the paper said the Klingon assassination sequence was "dazzling", with "fuchsia blood spilling out in Dalí-esque blobs". The final color was violet, a color Meyer disliked but had to go ahead with, because his first choice—red—would almost certainly earn the film an R rating from the MPAA. Spock: Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1. [4] Motion control footage of the Excelsior was then scanned into the computer system and made to interact with the digital wave. [74], The Undiscovered Country's Cold War allegory and references to literary history were recognized among researchers and cultural historians. Meyer would often say that "art thrives on restrictions", and Zimmerman agreed, saying that the design and filming created a rich environment that supported and enhanced the action. [60], Using a technique pioneered on Back to the Future Part II, another shot with a different lighting scheme was filmed. Hairstylist Jan Alexander designed braids and jewelry that suggested a tribal people with a long and treasured heritage. Title: The creature's Yeti-like appearance was based on a Smithsonian cover of a marmoset. [50] Since it was important for the actors' expressions to be visible through the makeup, the appliances were made thin using the latest glues and paints. When the set was rebuilt for use on The Next Generation, the forward wall was rebuilt and redesigned. The Borg travel back in time intent on preventing Earth's first contact with an alien species. "[107] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A-" on scale of A to F.[108], The Herald Sun reported that "those who found The Final Frontier weighed down by emotional gravity and over-the-top spiritualism [welcomed] the follow-up with its suspense, action and subtle good humor. ‎Watch trailers, read customer and critic reviews, and buy Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country directed by Nicholas Meyer for $14.99. “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” begins, as so many “Star Trek” stories do, with a story set in the future but parallel to contemporary developments. Meyer considered Valeris and Chang "frightened people, who are frightened of change", who cling to old ways despite the changing world. The 12-hour showings also included footage of The Undiscovered Country. [71] Kirk's internal dilemma about what the future holds was echoed in the main theme: "It's Kirk taking control one last time and as he looks out into the stars he has the spark again [...] But there's an unresolved note, because it's very important that he doesn't trust the Klingons. At the beginning of the film, Kirk operates under a similar bias, calling the Klingons "animals" and putting him at odds with Spock. [8], Because of the multiple angles and takes required for a single mouthful of food, Meyer offered a bounty of $20 per every shot of a character eating. In this position, the wires were hidden by the actors as they ascended the corridor.[8]. [8] The final sequence married physical effects and stuntwork with computer graphics. Janet Maslin of The New York Times said that "Star Trek VI is definitely colorful, but even more of its color comes from conversation, which can take some amusingly florid turns. [15] The food prepared for the scene was colored blue so it would look alien. Kirchhoff, writing for The Globe and Mail, said that the guest stars joined the "family fun" of the film as "zesty, exotic and colorful good guys and bad guys". While the film was in early production Eidelman worked on electronic drafts of the final score, to placate executives who were unsure about using a relatively unknown composer. The presidential office (may note it is a redone Ten Forward from St, the next generation), the peace talk location, etc.The end of the movie has a sad feeling towards it, a teary farewell to the crew of the Enterprise, and a clear passing of the torch to the new crew.A great movie that you must see,Rating: 9/10. Taking place after the events of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, it is the last film featuring the entire cast of the original series. Initially, the blood was to be colored green, but the filmmakers realized that McCoy had referred to Spock as green-blooded. They have only one choice - to make peace with the Federation, which will mean an end to 70 years of conflict. The second disc contains the material from the original MCA release. The sixth film in the series was initially planned as a prequel to the original series, with younger actors portraying the crew of the Enterprise while attending Starfleet Academy, but the idea was discarded because of negative reaction from the original cast and the fans.

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