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If they had known that only a handful of these aliens and uniforms could only be glimpsed in the final movie, they probably woulnd't have bothered with them. So WHY did they put such an enormous amount of manpower, money and effort into these aliens and uniforms?
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They had a big budget on this picture back in 1979, and they spent a lot on make-up and special effects. So Robert Fletcher had the money and time to develop the make-up and backstory of the aliens.
In my opinion, they also probably thought that it was a good way to generate excitement for the movie before it opened and get more publicity in magazines. More cool photos to print, more interesting stories to write, more publicity that the studio doesn't have to pay for.
I seem to remember at the time that a magazine like Omni, sorry I don't remember exactly it was 24 years ago, had on its cover in large letters:
"Spock's Planet: An Exclusive Look"
And the photos were publicity photos taken at the Yellowstone National Park geyser shoot with Nimoy in Spock robes and wig and that large head from the statue.
Not that it mattered that we saw it in "Amok Time".
I also remember my excitement at thumbing through the Starlog, Fantastic Films, and Famous Monsters magazines for any photos for the upcoming ST:TMP.
Can you imagine a time when you only had the original series and the animated series?
There was a lot of pent up demand for a new Star Trek, and the release of big-budget science fiction films were more of an event then. Well maybe it was because I was a pre-teen back then.
Also there was no Internet then, which today distributes a lot of publicity photos, or a fan community with image scanners sharing images.
Question by the way, was any of the make-up, or Bob Fletcher's notes, originally developed for use on Star Trek: Phase II? Sorry, I lost my copy of The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture during a move many years ago, and I can't remember if all this work was done exclusively for the film.
Registered: Jun 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Triton: They had a big budget on this picture back in 1979, and they spent a lot on make-up and special effects. So Robert Fletcher had the money and time to develop the make-up and backstory of the aliens.
And you never know what the director is going to want to shoot. The costume and makeup people where told there's be a tram station fullof humans and aliens, but generally they wouldn't know what exactly the director would shoot. Wise could have asked for a tracking shot through the throngs of aliens and ending up on Kirk's shuttle or something. Woe be to the makeup and costime people who weren't ready for such an eventuality in a major motion picture!
quote:Question by the way, was any of the make-up, or Bob Fletcher's notes, originally developed for use on Star Trek: Phase II? Sorry, I lost my copy of The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture during a move many years ago, and I can't remember if all this work was done exclusively for the film.
I don't think so. Fletcher was hired for TMP and did no work on Phase II. I'd have to check, but I though they were going to use William Ware Theiss and Fred Phillips again for costumes and makeup on Phase II.
-------------------- "Well, I mean, it's generally understood that, of all of the people in the world, Mike Nelson is the best." -- ULTRA MAGNUS, steadfast in curmudgeon
Registered: Feb 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Triton: Question by the way, was any of the make-up, or Bob Fletcher's notes, originally developed for use on Star Trek: Phase II? Sorry, I lost my copy of The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture during a move many years ago, and I can't remember if all this work was done exclusively for the film.
I don't think so. Fletcher was hired for TMP and did no work on Phase II. I'd have to check, but I though they were going to use William Ware Theiss and Fred Phillips again for costumes and makeup on Phase II. [/QB]
If memory serves, and according to the Reeves-Stevens Phase II book, William Ware Theiss was the costume designer on the aboarted series. For whatever reason, which I don't think has been fully explained he wasn't used for the movie. I know that Bob Wise felt that the brash and bold colors of the original show were a bit too much for a serious science-fiction film.
Registered: Dec 2002
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