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Klingon Battle
Star Trek Lyrics

No lyrics text found for this track.

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Alex Greene

10y↑411

This movie had a whole bunch of firsts in it, quite apart from the fact that it was the first of what would become a whole movie franchise. The interesting points I'll list here are the only ones relevant to this clip.

This was the first time we saw the inside of a Klingon Bridge. The first time we saw Klingons in their bumpy-forehead Samurai death metal form. The first time any Star Trek story opened with Klingons - even if they were only the warmup act here to let V'Ger show off its combat moves by putting down J Random Badguy.

The Klingon speaker on the Bridge was Mark "Sarek" Lenard. This was the first time an actor had played three different roles in Star Trek, each time playing a member of a different species (that record has since been comprehensively smashed by Jeffrey Combs, who has played Weyoun, a human, Shran, Brunt, and at least one other Ferengi, not to mention his appearance in Voyager).

It was the first time Klingon was ever spoken - five years before Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and six years before the 1985 release of The Klingon Dictionary by Marc Okrand, who'd worked on the Klingon and Vulcan dialogues in the sequels. Okrand claimed to have been inspired by the Klingon words used in this movie - but he did not write the TMP monologue.

The inventor of the Klingon language was, in fact, James "Scotty" Doohan.

All comments from YouTube:

Brian Newman

3y↑138

The Klingons in this film, their ships and ship interiors, the way they speak, are ALL superior to any other incarnation of them that I have seen anywhere since. Even the little details, like the sound the torpedoes make when launched, are just brilliant. They really nailed it with this movie. Very underrated.

Charles Hemphill

This entire film is under rated

kiltedjohn1000

right on brian

N/A

2y↑2

Quite, and don't forget that this was where the iconic klingon fanfare originated.

Brian Newman

2y↑1

@Steven Williams I think this is the most "Star Trek" of all the movies. I never understood the hate.

Steven Williams

2y↑2

my mom took me to see this in the theatres in 1980. i was into star trek at ten. the intro was amazing on the big screen. i loved this movie, even though towards the end it gets a little longish. it was just so cool seeing kirk and spock on the big screen and i liked the story, interesting as spock would say with raised eyebrow.

17 More Replies...

MeTube

5y↑23

The camera tracking over the Klingon ship still brings a smile to my face. In 1979 that was mind blowing in the days before CG. And Jerry Goldsmith's music is just perfect.

NYCBlonde

4y↑109

Like everyone else, I LOVE the score to this movie! The Klingon leitmotif is made up of open fifths (a perfect fifth with no third so you can't tell if it's major or minor), which is the Western mind is associated with a sense of strangeness (often associated with Asian music). The notes bum BAM bum BAM bum BAM--those are three open fifths in a row. And the syncopation (it's not in a straight rhythm, it's an eighth note followed by a quarter note) gives the theme a jittery, aggressive feeling--so appropriate for the Klingons. Such a clever score! I also love Ilia's theme. Just brilliant.

KingKaitain

Always put me in mind of Mongol horsemen.

Empyreanabove

2y↑1

Brilliant analysis. I love hearing how and why music works.

NYCBlonde

@Jilal Jahangir I was a music major and trust me, within a Western "art" musical context, open fifths are associated with the East and Asia. Take it up with my professors and my textbooks if you disagree but it's a truism.

Patient Secretary

2y↑4

I agree. This film score has to rate as one of the best in movie making. It was perfect for the time in terms of leaping forward from the often rather poor scores and films or earlier sci-fi. We all recognise the theme music of Star Wars but as a score it pales in comparison with this which truly is superb technically in my opinion. I write not as a Trekkie but one who appreciates well written-music. I thought the film itself was wonderful homage to the idea of Star Trek and precursor to all the films that followed it. To see it at the cinema was visually stunning..

Colin Dunnigan

2y↑3

Indeed. Jerry Goldsmith was one of the best.

1 More Replies...

Grey Jedi

8y↑1.6K

The music in this scene is phenomenal.

the60sKid

Jerry Goldsmith was a Master. I miss his scores in films.

Joe O'Malley

Agreed. The music score gives it that added measure of mood.

Archie Lets You Know

And it also sounds good

Kevin Mandrusiak

I totally agree!!!

Mxyzptlksac

Some of it was played by the tall red head boy from And The Children Shall Lead, Craig Huxley. He invented the instrument to make the sounds

71 More Replies...

Jed

2y↑12

Criminally underrated film. This entire opening is told visually with virtually no dialogue. Fantastic storytelling.

Heritage Ancaster

6y↑27

Only those (like me) who went to see this movie at the theater in 1979 (in glorious Dolby stereo) can truly appreciate how amazing this film really was. No one who left that theater criticized the film (as far as I can recall). The audience was in awe.

Distomos

4y↑21

I saw it ´79 and it still get goose bumps watching it. The music and suspense was great. Trek of today is nothing compared to it.

Art Vandelay

7y↑233

The script was underdeveloped, but it is still the most impressively realistic depiction of. futuristic society and technologies of any Star Trek film. The production values, the amazing music, Douglas Trumbull's effects, the sets, everything was first rate.

Idazmi7

3y↑3

@BigNoseDoggie
"As flawed as the movie was, it’s the only Star Trek movie prior to 2009 that actually felt like a movie."

You obviously didn't see The Wrath of Khan or The Undiscovered Country.

BigNoseDoggie

As flawed as the movie was, it’s the only Star Trek movie prior to 2009 that actually felt like a movie.

A really long and unremarkable generic user title.

3y↑1

@Idazmi7 yes...
I realized that after I posted, but I couldn't really remember where I posted it!! DOH!!

its like what happened with Zach synder's justice league,
Release the unfinished version, then release the definate version later on.

Idazmi7

@A really long and unremarkable generic user title.
That would be the next movie. Not this one.

A really long and unremarkable generic user title.

Moby Dick was one of the inspirations!

23 More Replies...

Jack

4y↑41

One of the most under-rated Trek films - the sound design and look of Klingons shown here changed Star Trek forever

Scott Slotterbeck

Yes, it did.

Michael Laferriere

2y↑1

@Mark Fox If it was such a poor film, why did so many other Star Trek movies and shows follow? Remember, Star Trek had TAS after TOS and that was it until TMP came out and showed yes, there is a an interest still in Star Trek and a helluva good following out there.

Mark Fox

3y↑3

It wasn't underrated - it was rated fairly and accurately as a poor film. It was overlong, there was basically only a 40 minute episode worth of script dragged out to movie length.

V Lee

3y↑10

The special effects have aged no doubt but are still great for their time. The music however is timeless. Mr Jerry Goldsmith is in my opinion one of (if not) the greatest music composer for movie soundtracks in terms of variety and depth.

David Simpson

6y↑85

I remember seeing this in the theaters in 1979. Particularly spectacular on the big screen was the scene at 00:28 where the camera focuses on the bridge of the approaching middle ship until it's directly below, then turns 180 degrees as the ship passes. The whole field of stars rotated, and it almost made you dizzy.

datacipher

@Dragon Fly Enterprise was the last thing I watched too. I remember telling people on old usenet groups that I was turning in my trek fan card because I had no interest in seeing the JJ Abrahms movies....I said: it's going to Star Wars and no matter how much money they make, it's the end of the real Trek. Last year, I tried watching Picard and found is truly disheartening....but THEN I watched a few episodes of Discovery - I had seen critical reviews on youtube, so I thought I was prepared. I had no expectations....but I was appalled. It was WORSE than the people mocking it had made it out to be. In the first one I watched they made a chubby ensign the first officer for apparently no good reason other than to empower her, and after her feelings were hurt at the crew's shock, they gave her a GROUP HUG at the end to reaffirm her. Crying occurred regularly - for no monumental dramatic reason.... I don't mind swearing...yet it was off-putting here, mostly because it - along with the rest of the casual millennial dialogue would be totally out of place in a competent professional environment now - let alone in the world of classic Star Trek. Starfleet's finest are now emotional hysterics who act like 15 yr olds..... and even the logic of the sets is unfathomable....a few episodes later I turned it on to see a capsule flying through a vast V'ger sized interior....it turned out to be a turbolift....I had to go online to research that....verify it really was a turbolift, and that there was no unusual circumstance.....apparently in the Discovery the turbolifts fly around vast interior caverns - like Dr. Who, the inside is much bigger than the outside of the ship?? Anyways....I couldn't take it... lol.

Dragon Fly

2y↑1

@datacipher I was a 19 yr. old Trekker at the time, been one since 9,8,1966. Stopped watching all new TV Trek when Enterprise ended it's run. Favorite Trek is DS9 then TOS and their movies.

Ashley Pomeroy

It's a really good example of computerised motion control - the kind of thing you'd use in film school to show off how it was such a big leap at the time.

datacipher

3y↑2

@Slyguy threeonetwonine I was too young for this one but by wrath of Kahn I was just old enough to go! Naturally it’s a great experience in the first showings to see it on the big screen with a bunch of serious and enthusiastic trekkies!

datacipher

3y↑8

I was a young boy when this came out but already a Trekkie. An older 18 yr old Trekkie told me how in this first scene he was nearly jumping out of his seat as the ships approached, explaining to me that in the series you’d never even see a Klingon ship up very close. Things like this were an incredible treat for the serious fans who had kept trek alive after the cancellation.

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ed008ue

2y↑12

Jerry Goldsmith deserves an Oscar for this score, simply magnificent!!!!

Drunken Jedi

2y↑4

I know TMP gets a lot of rap for being slow or boring. But can we take a moment to appreciate the LEGENDARY musical score it gave the franchise? This Klingon theme is iconic, as is the Enterprise reveal, which itself would go on to be the theme for TNG.

Mark Viola

4y↑160

In many ways, Star Trek - The Motion Picture was the purest expression of the original spirit of Star Trek.

Jacob McCandles

@Joshua S TOS was cancelled just as it finally achieved the production values it so badly lacked in S1.

Jacob McCandles

@Anthony LaFata Jr lol...Right!? Star Trek, the Slow Motion Picture!

Jacob McCandles

Yes. And it alspmgoes to prove a rather tragic truth that is shared with the Star Wars universe: Lucas and Roddenberry were their own worst enemies.

Pillman

3y↑3

I agree. Wrath of Khan is my favorite tho. This is an extremely close second.

Herman Lane

Totally agree. My favorite of all.

8 More Replies...

Alex Palmer

5y↑3

Imagine seeing this movie for the first time in theatres, and the only other Star Trek you've seen was TOS or TAS years earlier. They came a long way, and even though the story may be slow, it more than makes up for it IMO by setting the new stage for Trek and future movies. New ship, more experienced crew, badass models and FX.

Cool Cat

4y↑8

Not only were the visual effects, in this film, great but the sound effects were terrific as well. Especially luv the way the torpedoes sounded & also the entire sequence of the Klingon ship when it got zapped by V’ger.

euphorik6

4y↑1

people can say what they want about TMP - personally, i love it - but whether you enjoy the film or not, this scene is - beyond question - one of the coolest scenes ever filmed for a star trek movie. beyond awesome. RIP mark lenard.

Nate's Models & Doodles

3y↑8

Damn this scene never fails to give me chills.

John Michael Arnaud

6y↑8

I was 4 years old when I saw this opening and it has stayed in my imagination as a near religious experience for nearly 40 years. It was my first introduction to the concept of an overwhelming force. I was terrified and far too fascinated to look away.

krjames 68

3y↑8

Two points:
1) Opening this movie with the Klingons was, in itself, a stroke of genius.
2) We tend to talk about which movie is the best in a given franchise. I'm wondering if it might be fun to discuss which sequence is the best. And I think this sequence gives all others in "Trek" a run for their money.

Dean Wille

4y↑3

Star Trek is a phenomenal franchise! I love this movie!

p 0 0 x

3y↑6

With the first movie especially, I think you get a really good sense for how absolutely gigantic and mysterious space really is.

Tony Duran

6y↑1

The music adds so such weight and gravitas to this scene that it's still amazing even after all these years. Very well done.

Mike Destiny

5y↑1

I was lucky to be young enough to see this on the normal huge cinema screen at my local ABC cinema. Its hard to describe, but at the opening, despite its now , low tech graphics, as the Klingon ship passes through space with the stars behind it, the depth of field was so real, I really felt I was in space with them. Despite the rather boring shuttle trip with Scottie to the re designed Enterprise, I loved all the music. I have the DVD of this and a brand new re pressing of the vinyl soundtrack to play on my hi fi separates. The new Star Trek films with Chris Pine has failed to move me, but this still holds up as being quite a possible plausible story . back in 1997 I used to paint (airbrush) Trek ships on 20 x 18 inch acrylic boards before they were printed on A3 to go in frames. used to sell them at the Birmingham NEC event..... But still, stunning effects, especially when the warp engines go into imbalance causing that worm hole, with the asteroid in the middle. Both Khan , The Voyage home and this are my faves. Of next Generation, First Contact and Nemesis was cool. "The Final Frontier" I thought was over criticised, It wasn't that bad. "row row your boat" at the camp fire was hilarious! Thank you the original crew for turning on its head Sci Fi, and pushing the boundary's of different relationships and technology for all of us to enjoy. :)

Prander5x5

9y↑129

4:00 I like this one particular shot, it being only seconds long. This was the very first movie and the Klingons were the proverbial bad asses of Star Trek. This short clip, with that slightly more urgent burst of music, made you take in what was happening in an instant. They Klingons had went from three heavy cruisers to one, and now they were running for it? You sat there thinking what could possibly make KLINGONS run for it? So you got the impression that this cloud was something truly powerful before Kirk and crew ever found out. Sure people say this one is slow and boring, but they knew what they were doing by showing, not telling, and this opening battle still gives me chills for that fact alone.

Empyreanabove

2y↑1

@Relugus Or the destruction of the Borg Cubes by Specis 8472. In all those cases, we see species previously understood to be badasses being utterly overmatched and destroyed which prompts a WTF moment.

Big73Bang

Solid comments by all!

eveningtsar

Absolutely - completely agree.

Dr Galactose

5y↑8

Also, the way the Klingon were beaten.

They weren't blow up. They simply disappeared.

Relugus

5y↑7

I just realized this has some parallels with the Narn vs Shadows fight in Babylon 5 (Long Twilight Struggle).

Stephen Aldridge

4y↑6

I've always loved this Klingon theme music and was thrilled when Goldsmith used it again for Worf's introduction in Star Trek: First Contact.

nafnaf0

4y↑1

The scenes with the ships and the command array were so well done. Amazing this was done in 1979. Most modern day CGI crap isnt this good. Likewise Star Wars very impressive for its time.

thedealer777

5y↑13

The Klingon commander was played by the late Mark Lenard. He also played The Romulan commander in "Balance of Terror" and the Vulcan ambassador "Sarek" (Spock's father) in classic,/new generation Star Trek TV episodes and movies.

Steven Williams

2y↑1

didn't know this was mark lenard. wow. most memorable scene from the movie for me. great opening.

david chapman

5y↑7

This music has THRILLED me for 40 years. It is my theme song! Long Live the Klingon Empire!!

Charles Somerset

3y↑4

One of the most thrilling movie openings in history. I remember seeing this at 14, and my thought was: Holy shit, if it can wipe out Klingons that easily, we're in some serious deep fecal.

Steven Williams

v'ger is like oh boy time to swat some flies today. klingon ships do look badass though but going against a foe a thousand times their strength, die like a warrior i guess.

Anthony

6y↑8

This was amazing to watch in the movie thereat at the time. It was large, epic with the "space is big" feel--very menacing. My parents didn't like this movie but I was mesmerized, and even after all these years, haven't seen a sci-fi movie that could capture the atmosphere this one did.

Patient Secretary

Yes this takes me back to being just 15. listening to the soundtrack with the window at night, wrapped in a duvet with my then girlfriend staring up at the stars and dreaming of the future. A magnificent score and for me a thoroughly immersive movie experience.

ChrisCa1601

8y↑628

Did you know the Klingon captain was played by Mark Lenard? The same guy who played Ambassador Sarek.

Ensign Cthulhu

2y↑1

The only actor I know of to play all three of a Klingon, a Romulan (in Balance of Terror) and a Vulcan.

Marty Karr

2y↑1

And the actor who played the commander of the listening post was originally cast as Xon, Spock's replacement, because Nimoy held up on joining the cast for the movie, and the script was originally the pilot episode of "Star Trek: Phase II", where most of the original cast would have been replaced. And as an added note, many of the Phase II scripts were later reworked for the first season of "TNG"

Jeffery Daugherty

3y↑1

I did not know the Klingon Commander of the lead ship was Mark Lenard. Great observation on your part !!

rapturekevin

3y↑1

Did not know that.

Joshua Irwin

3y↑1

And the First Officer was Tom Morga, who was Jonathan Frakes' Stunt double.

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Ithinkiwill66

This to me was the very first time, eventhough many had been confused of how their beloved actors became to be, more serious of a Trek than before. This really showed how space can be more dangerous, and dark, than what Star Trek series showed. Nevertheless, I feel a since of comfort, and time travel back to the days when it all was simpler, and felt better, watching these Star Trek classics.💚💚💙💙

Alex Greene

10y↑411

Scott Slotterbeck

@Retiredmco1199 FJE They show it disappearing on the viewscreen of the last Bird of Prey to he destroyed.

Dragon Fly

2y↑2

Alex Greene you are a bit off on some of your information, Vaughn Armstrong who played Admiral Maxwell Forrest on Star Trek Enterprise appeared in 27 Star Trek episodes in 12 different roles, while Jeffrey Combs only portrayed eight different characters from the three different Trek series he was in. All the ‘Star Trek’ Characters Played by Vaughn Armstrong, Klingon Commander Korris :TNG, Cardassian Gul Danar: DS9, Cardassian Seskal : DS9, Romulan scientist Telek R’Mor : Voyager, ex-Borg Lansor, formerly known as Two of Nine : Voyager, Vidiian Captain :Voyager, Alpha-Hirogen Hunter : Voyager, Klingon scientist named Korath :Voyager, the above said Admiral Maxwell Forrest : Enterprise, Klingon Captain : Enterprise ep. “Sleeping Dogs,” Kreetassan Captain : Enterprise ep. “Vox Sola” and “A Night in Sickbay,” Captain Maximilian Forrest : Enterprise ep. In a Mirror, Darkly.

Every ‘Star Trek’ Character Played by Jeffrey Combs
Tiron : DS9, Brunt : DS9, Weyoun : DS9, Officer Kevin Mulkahey : DS9 ep. “Far Beyond the Stars.” as a Patron in Vic’s Las Vegas Lounge : DS9 ep. “What You Leave Behind,” Penk : Voyager ep. “Tsunkatse,” The Andorian...Thy’lek Shran : Enterprise, Ferengi named Krem :Enterprise ep. “Acquisition,”

Play

Alex Greene

@Schlaftäter Nr. zZz In my case, bit late for that.

Schlaftäter Nr. zZz

Your virginity will be preserved For Future generations

Sphinx Rising

3y↑1

Not really, as it is very similar to the TOS episode where NOMAD shows up.

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Phil Corrigan

4y↑12

The use of Jerry Goldsmith’s Klingon war drums theme when the Birds of Prey uncloak at the end of the TNG episode The Defector is one of the best moments in the series. Was it used in other films/episodes? It’s one of the all time great ST themes.

Ben Russell-Gough

FWIW, I think that the most dramatic use of this piece is in Star Trek V - Then final Frontier. Pioneer 10 tumbles past the camera, a symbol of humanity's hope of peace amongst the stars and then the BoP decloaks and the Kllingon March starts up.

DamienDrake

That was Ron Jones' nod to Goldsmith as his Klingon theme for TNG begins with the open fifth, like Goldsmith's. That's the one instance he just used the Goldsmith version. Jones' theme pops up in numerous episodes he scored. Nearly every episode he worked on during the second season has it.

Goldsmith scored V, First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis and used the theme in all of them except Nemesis.

TNAralwaysfun

6y↑3

This was such an epic intro for the Klingons.
Plus that music really made it.

Milo

As great as this scene is, the best thing about it is the music.

So much about it is perfection. The two memorable melodies (Klingon and Epsilon station), the ever-present menacing waterphone-and-blaster beam accentuations that represent V'Ger, the atonal and cacophonous mayhem as the Klingon ships are digitized by V'Ger's torpedos, the dark restatement of the Epsilon theme followed by the MASSIVE two exclamation points of orchestral tutti at the end (headed for Earth!)... all just so amazing.

Simply one of the greatest action cues ever written -- by a master of action music. It doesn't get any better than this.

Watson87Unknown

3y↑2

The sound from that Blaster Beam is still one of the scariest sound effects I've heard in any movie. And yet it's so awesome to hear.

pscully1969

2y↑1

I forgot what a classic scene this was, with an awesome soundtrack. I love that no frills Klingon bridge; minimal aesthetics and maximum utility. I remember seeing this as a kid and thinking, Wow! Those Klingons look cool!!

bill

7y↑3

my favorite starships ever.. i absolute loved the way this movie opened!the music the camera work..all of it

Outta Bubblegum

2y↑1

Best scene in the movie, by far. One of the best theme musics ever made.
And for those who didn't know: that Klingon commander was Mark Lenard (SAREK!!).
The very first Klingon with the new looks and the first to speak Klingonese.

M CD

Apart from the mock death of Spock at the start of "The Wrath of Khan", this scene between the Klingon battle group and V'Ger is arguably one of the best openings of any Star Trek film.

Junior Locomotive

3y↑5

The Motion Picture was brilliant in many ways, and my favorite is it re-established the Klingons in a major way. And I'd still love a pair of Starfleet issue pajamas.

wangson

2y↑1

Both the music in this particular scene and the score for the first film (same as the one they use for, The Next Generation) is amazing! The music as well as the film's sound editing is fantastic!

John Conti

3y↑1

Not much of a Star Trek fan, but this scene always gave me chills, and made me grit my teeth. Its probably the music. It just sounds like you're on your way to destroy something.

SpaceAce100

2y↑2

After all these years, the SFX for all of the Trek films still stand well against the best CGI!!
It was at least 10 years before I found out that Mark Lenard was the Klingon Fleet Commander!!

William H. Baird

8y↑5

This was the best scene in the film! I love the complete silence after the Klingon ships are destroyed. I do wonder why they did not "Warp" out of there though?

Kai L

8y↑1

I think, they also added some minor sound effects. Like the bleeping of the torpedos on the screen.

Mark Plott

8y↑1

Cloud was already at warp when they were fighting.

Matt Perryman

4y↑2

I always loved this scene! Very well done!

jeff johnson

4y↑1

I guess I interpret that music as "Klingon battle music" it fits so awesome in this scene. I get chills when I watch it. Thanks for posting it.

Ben Russell-Gough

8y↑10

I can't understate how utterly this sequence blew my mind the first time I saw TMP in the cinema. I'd seen the original series (although I was a kid and didn't really 'get' it) but the quality jump of VFX just blew my mind.

That aside... Am I the only one who's noticed that these giant doomsday machines always seem to be on a precise heading for Earth? ;-)

Kevin Braden

8y↑5

My big sister and I took a cab to see this film when we were kids. It was showing at the Century theaters in San Jose CA. The theater was all decked out in Star Trek props, costumes and posters. The Century theaters were these large dome shaped theaters that could hold huge audiences and had state of the art sound and projection systems. This went perfect with this movies state of the art special effects. The coolest thing was the mock transporter they set up in the lobby.

glen moss

8y↑1

Yep, back in the 70's I saw Jaws and Star Wars there as well as many others, too at Sacto. Century theaters.

MT KO

8y↑1

I remember the Century theaters! Went to them many times in Sacramento, CA back in the 80's. Awesome place to watch a movie! Did not see this movie there but watched many others.

Loren Helgeson

4y↑12

As a villain, I think V'Ger is a phenomenal idea. Problem is, the move drags its heels way too long for the impact of its origin to really matter in the end. Also, really loving Goldsmith's music here.

Hard Rock Master

3y↑1

You can love this movie now nostalgically, but the movie did drag much.

PV1230

7y↑23

That klingon ship is a beautiful design.

ryan macdonald

Yes, quite a graceful design. It's odd that the Klingons came up with that design type as they're anything BUT graceful and elegant.

Steve Bojo

3y↑6

I've always felt this movie was underrated. It's the closest story to the source material, even though its a rehash of "The Changeling" episode. Still good.

Antón Fernández

10y↑326

VFX are incredible. The ships are amazing because they´re not CGI, are real physical models.

g00gle minus

3y↑1

@Discrimination is not a right. Dude, 2001: A Space Odyssey was shot between 1965 and 1968. There was no such thing as CGI back then. Computers were huge banks of transistors or vacuum tubes, reel-to-reel magnetic tape and copper wire in cabinets that took up half a wall. User-accessible display came on paper printouts, primitive oscilloscopes and tiny little blinking arrays of light bulbs. If you still think anything shot on film for this movie was CGI you're dumber than a bag of hammers.

Speed Racer

Trumbull did the effects for 2001 space odyssey

Sam Lowry

@Discrimination is not a right. No there wasn't - that was done on an animation stand using a process called 'slit scan'

Mark A

3y↑2

The use of just a few models like this is so much better than throwing 500 ships on the screen using CGI.

Jonothan Doezer

4y↑2

I am from the future... and I have come because I have an interest in primitive greenscreen and archaic clay modeling.

12 More Replies...

BobEckert56

3y↑2

The best of all the Star Trek films on every level of cinema.

VINCE CORANI

3y↑43

Who wishes they could hear this music played LIVE by an orchestra ?

SpringIsBACK

Tell you what -- there's a rendition on Telarc's "Star Tracks II" CD that, if played on a sufficiently good (and I mean REALLY good) stereo, is fantastic. In some ways it's almost better than live, as there are low notes that a few subs can produce that I don't think any orchestra can reproduce. (I think they were likely synthesized and mixed back in.) You are talking about subs that can literally do 20 Hz at high volume, to really get all of the effect, tho'. The Telarc recording is also stunningly dynamic.

Ben Russell-Gough

It's incredibly difficult - Jerry Goldsmith actually created half of the instruments used in the piece because he wanted it to sound alien.

Caleb Morgan

Did the Danish National Orchestra ever do a cover? They’re all about classic movie themes.

michaels Shawn

3y↑1

Dylan

3y↑1

I agree, the sound track is phenomenal. It must be great live.

Claire Louise

3y↑4

I love this film. Never understood why it gets so much negativity. I remember seeing it at the cinema and people cheered when the Enterprise was finally revealed in spacedock.

Michael Laferriere

I agree, I think most who grew up with just TOS & TAS and then when TMP came out, its back! Woot! I saw TMP around 10 times at the Rivoli theatre in Chicopee Massachusetts & loved it more everytime! People wanted to see it and keep seeing to make sure they kept givins us more Trek. Everyone recognized the Klingon ships from the outside but lots of gasps and wtfs when they showed the interior. Good times & still easily my favorite of the movies, things went downhill after Roddenberry got out, it seems like it has become almost like Star Wars lite.

Dino Flagella

I never cared for this movie. I saw it one time when I was a kid and found it boring. One night I decided to smoke a joint and popped this movie on and watched it again. This time I actually enjoyed the movie and the soundtrack. I think most people are put off by the pacing of the movie, and it comes across as boring. It took me multiple viewings to really enjoy this film. It’s now one of my favorite Star Trek movies along with “Wrath of Khan”.

Mr. Ishmael

8y↑18

This film had such a great sense of scale that I've not seen in many sci fi films. V'ger was COLOSSAL

Solomon Rutzky

2y↑1

Agreed. For me, it feels similar to the underground complex shots in "Forbidden Planet".

Herberti Pedroso

9y↑144

Despite the inconsistencies in the Star Trek universe , is by far the best opening sequence of the entire filmography of the franchise .

Hard Rock Master

3y↑1

One of the best Sci-Fi openings ever!!

Walter Szewczyk

If referring to Klingons, they mutated in appearance after last episode of original star trek and by the time of Star Trek t.m.p.

Furious Furian

6y↑1

Herberti Pedroso wrath of khan a close second

Ghost_of_Turns

6y↑2

Herberti Pedroso 100% agree!

leocmen

7y↑9

Herberti Pedroso This is the best movie of the Franchise, the only one which could convey the real meaning of Star Trek

1 More Replies...

DireCrow

I remember seeing this movie expecting the series style and it was like a massive reboot. The Klingons were improved 1000%. It completely changed how people approached Star Trek.

Gerald Ward

6y↑2

K'Tinga class has always been my favorite Klingon vessel! such a pity we never seen a full battle between the Enterprise Connie refit and a K'Tinga! I know TMP had a storyboard early on showing a battle between Klingon's and the Enterprise within the V'Ger cloud including saucer separation! imagine we had of seen that! Still TMP is a great movie in its own right although probaly too long in hindsight it has a charm and honesty about it missing from all over Trek films

Nicholas Maude

4y↑12

IMO Jerry Goldsmith's musical score is the best ever of all the ST films.

James Miller

3y↑2

When I saw this on the Movie release date they had the volume up so loud you could feel the firing of the torpedoes sound thru your body. Amazing

Registered Murse

10y↑29

I was born in 1976 and I still have to apologize to my parents for watching this SO many times on Betamax that I can literally recite all the dialogue from memory to this day. One of my all time favorite movies as a kid to watch (to also include "The Black Hole, Tron, and of course, Star Wars"). So many memories :).

James Peters

3y↑3

Black Hole action figures were the best.

TitanFind

9y↑4

Good choices, man.

Sir Turd

6y↑2

Klingon battlecruiser is so badass looking.
Best ship design ever.
Love the way those torpedoes shot out of the ship like pure energy weapons.

Charles Hemphill

3y↑1

I love this soundtrack Goldsmith really did a fantastic job on this one

john tracy

4y↑2

This is the most epic battle ever in science fiction, topping the Death Star battle in Star Wars, and that battle was epic also.

rorrante

7y↑1

Great opening scene and Awesome Music too ! Goldsmith was the best. I'm old enough to remember watching this First Run in a theater with long lines outside waiting to get in, and some of them were reading the paperback novelization of the film while standing in line waiting to get it ! Was a very big deal back then.

paintur68

9y↑95

I was blown away the first time I saw this movie. I still love it. I think my favorite scene is when Captain Kirk is being taken to the Enterprise on a shuttle piloted by Scottie. You can sense the Captain's love of ship and crew. Great movie.

Starfleet Legend

5y↑4

And Jerry Goldsmith's score in that scene was quite epic. The scene is priceless.

ryan macdonald

6y↑6

When I first saw Kirk in the movie, the atmosphere and music made it feel like Kirk was a legend in his time who'd once again save the Federation from those who threatened its survival.

Jero Briggs

7y↑5

That's just it. Although I do like 2001: A Space Odyssey, it was a lot lot more boring than this film. Yet 2001 is praised while Star Trek: TMP is criticized - and by many who praise 2001.

paintur68

8y↑3

@***** They're wrong. For one thing, "Nerd" icon, Spock, learns that logic is not enough. To be human...is in fact..to be more alive, more evolved. Meanwhile, Kirk leads his crew into another amazing adventure, and we get to enjoy the thrilling ride. Come over. I bought chips and guacamole.

paintur68

8y↑6

@***** I think I'll re-watch this movie again tonight....It's great. I love the ominous theme music that plays when VGER is on screen. The only Star Trek scene that is comparable is when The Enterprise looms over the Reliant.....(in the nebula) and begins to rain down phasers on her bridge. I appreciate your thoughts on the movie...nice.

jimmy Ryan

8y↑1

It's a bit crazy that they created the movie version of the Klingons along with the ships, the language and that iconic music just for this scene. They were developed for the other movies but they didn't know there would be other movies at that point. one scene contains so much.

Yeltsin 68

5y↑1

When I saw this with my dad I was 10 years old and it was scary. The music really adds to the tension.I actually bought the album I felt it was so good.

john tracy

7y↑1

The best Star Trek movie opening sequence hands down and that blaster beam sound is like no other.

Edward Pate

4y↑1

God I love the D7/K'tinga battle cruiser! One of my favorite scifi vessels!

KlunkerRider

9y↑143

0:10 to 0:55 Fun Film Fact: this opening passing shot was the very thing George Lucas had originally wanted in Star Wars during the battle of the Death Star showing the X-Wings approaching and then passing open their wings in the process all as one single passing shot, but ILM at the time couldn't figure out how to shot it given the level of camera control technology and the amount of shooting time they had at the time. They instead used two shots, one approaching, and one from the rear showing the wings opening. Given time they eventually did figure out how to shoot it but it was too late for SW. Only two years later, John Dykstra who had led the ILM team creating Star Wars FX was subcontracted by Trumbull to help with ST-TMP shooting the starships FX. Given the opportunity to actually now do the shot they hadn't been able to do in SW Dykstra used what he learned at ILM here in the opening shot, its not the same angle, overhead vs side view, but the technic was what was desired for SW. Lucas eventually got his single pan side shot, but by then ILM was using CGI entirely. Lucas always claimed the shot he wanted was impossible with the cameras ILM was using, but ST-TMP proves no such thing was the case.

zeb jensen

just gose to show you that if you have the right person you can do anything. and maybe it was impossible as far as they knew. maybe they didn't realize it was, all it takes is one person to figure it out. still given everything else in starwars I would say lucas gets a pass on this one.

Chris Maguire

3y↑4

It's interesting to note that Star Trek came out about the same time as Kubrick shot 2001: A Space Odessey. He was impressed with the Star Trek sfx, especially the opening shots (which were minatures, camera angles with the now famous 'beauty pass', and starfields and planet passes, which were sensational around 1967-70 because satellite pictures of our planet and Apollo fly-by shots were mostly grainy and classified, unless taken on a Hasselblad or similar quality-lensed colour film camera).

Fun fact: did you know that, during the Vietnam War, a motorised patrol was saved by Star Trek? Caught in a tight spot, the patrol commander yelled into his bullhorn "This is Captain Kirk! Set phasers to full!". The VC had seen Star Trek. They knew what, they thought, was coming and retreated rapidly! It's a story recounted in the book "The Making Of Star Trek". Check it out, it's a true story.

Eric Kirk

3y↑1

Interesting!

ahsen khan

@Michael Kurland don;t bother
these so called fans love to put other people down and with their arrogance their fandom is destroyed.

Michael Kurland

5y↑5

KlunkerRider you do realize that ILM was on a very tight schedule to meet the release date of May 25, 1977. But Lucas was able to get the shot that he wanted 20 years later.

2 More Replies...

iago

6y↑1

Love the Klingon theme tune. It finds it way into later films and tv episodes too.

Produccion Palatium

7y↑1

Yo que he visto muchas películas de Ciencia Ficción a lo largo de mis 44 años, me quedo con esta secuencia Magnifica que representa al género de una manera Magistral: El combate a lo Desconocido.

A really long and unremarkable generic user title.

I really like how the studio and producers decided to go deadly serious sci-fi, instead of the occasionally surreal TV show, the sequel pushes the story even further.

Carlos Aponte

4y↑6

I now understand the purpose of this scene: to introduce a new, hidden enemy so powerful, even the Klingons couldn’t stand a chance.

Exidy YT

@Jim Barrows Some believe that v'ger was rescued and re-built BY the Borg, believing it to be a primitive form of bio-mechanical life so as to enable the probe to complete it's programmed goal. Of course in that time of acquiring knowlege it grew so powerful that you are quite correct, even the Borg themselves (if they were the 'machine intelligence' that found v'ger in the first place) wouldn't have a chance of stopping it.

Jason Cherry

4y↑2

This movie was ahead of its time in visual andd sound effects, I still remember seaing this in the theater when I was a kid. Boy do I feel old.

Forrest Penrod

7y↑1

This movie demonstrates the scale of objects better then almost any other movie. All of the slow shots of the Enterprise for instance are to emphasize how massive the ship is compared to a person and that little work bee Scotty was flying. This is what makes Vger so impressively huge later on when you see that the Enterprise is a speck in comparison and shows the surreal grandness of space. If not for those pans and demonstrations of scale the build up to the climax would never have worked. This is an absolutely beautiful and brilliant movie maybe the most Trek movie to be made. The only part I dislike are the uniforms but they are what they are.

maginzentroide one

I gotta say, that this scene was maybe the best of the whole movie. I stood in line back in 1979 for this premiere, having been a fan of TOS. We were all liquored up on Star Wars back then, but what followed was one of the most cerebral Star Treks ever. Definitely not a cowboy space western. More like a cross between Trek and 2001, A Space Odyssey. But back to this scene...the first new Trek that we had ever seen on the big screen...it was the music of this scene that set it all up. What a motif! Rivals the Darth Vader theme, I think.

Gloria Judon

This music was perfect for the Klingon people, they, being a warrior race and all. I like how they kept it in the different Star Trek shows. I always liked Worf, General Martok, and his wife Sirella.

Double My Income Society

Why we haven’t seen a movie with just klingons is beyond me. This was a great scene.

Mad Feldor

Awesome scene especially with the music! Not an expert on Klingon history, but I like what I see here in the movie, even if only a short clip but how they are, warriors fearless ones, ready for their doom even if not waiting for it when they die.. Cheers...

DanJ30

Probably the best scene of the whole movie, along with Kirk's approach to the new Enterprise. With that said the rest of it is for the most part a snoozefest imo.

SBaby

Honestly, I'm really glad The Motion Picture is becoming more popular nowadays, because I really think it's a pretty good Trek film. The scenes might be a bit on the lengthy side, but the score is phenomenal, and the whole thing feels like it could have legitimately been an episode of TOS.

judith grace

9y↑38

It's the music that makes this so good...a great opening sequence and even better when you think it was filmed in 1979.

J.C. Dealy

8y↑1

When I was in school, the instrument than make that deep twanging sound was on tour... 34 years ago or so. It was a long steel rail about 20 feet long strung with heavy piano wire or something. Very impressive in person. I wish I knew who the artist was... anybody know?

DamienDrake

It's the blaster beam, constructed and played by Craig Huxley.

Daniel Ward

Excellent score, fits the scene perfectly and for the Klingons. I always found this scene + music kind of creepy though...like you know you're completely screwed but have to try anyway.

Steven Williams

my mom took me to see this in the theatre when i was 11, this opening scene was mind blowing to me, so cool. the rest of the movie pretty good too but this i remember the most.

Raven Moon

May be one of the best combat scenes in Star Trek history. The Klingons we're perfect just like this

krashly71

10y↑9

I always found this first part of the movie to be my favorite part of the movie...got to love the torpedo sound and visual style...not the cheapened torpedos of later films but these old screaming, flaring red suckers that looked like they packed a real punch......later movies cheapened them and made them as expendable as bullets, but they had real value and weight in this.....

Cameron Ladd

Props to Jerry Goldsmith, who not only composed this movie's rousing theme music (the best thing in the movie, and thankfully revived for ST TNG), but was a master of colorful Sonic touches. Listen to the primal, "chirping" percussion when we first see the Klingon battle Cruisers. Perfect.

other examples are the hunting horn in Planet of the Apes, and the "wash" of piano strings in Chinatown.

roteba1

I love this film. But having seen it many times, it's very easy to see how it could have been edited down by a good ten or fifteen minutes simply by shortening some of the Special Effects Sequences. You wouldn't have lost one second of plot or dialogue!

Necron 2112

3y↑5

The D-VII was a thing of beauty. Truly the most incredible warship of her time.

Daniel Dickson

@IAN m TOS gave us two of the most iconic space ship designs in sci-fi history.

IAN m

2y↑1

Loved the design since I was a kid in the 80"s.

Melkior Wiseman

The music is great and the cinematics work well, but I find it hard to believe this was the "Director's Cut" because the chroma-key lines are so incredibly evident on the opening shots. The movie could benefit from a bit of modern-day digital love (as long as nothing else was changed).
Edit: I see now, this is the cut where they removed the text translation of the Klingon language on the space station's monitors, I guess because fans asked "What happened to the Universal Translator?"

Lorenzo Pacheco

10y↑80

I love the sound V-Ger makes. It's like a high-tension cable being whacked inside of a cathedral.

Nerval1855

4y↑3

Well, they made the blaster sounds in Star Wars by hitting high-tension telephone cables and then altering them digitally.

Steve Jordan

4y↑1

Er...not to be frightfully tedious about it, but remember...in space, no one can hear you scream...or fart...or whatever. (We get to hear the shriek of the klingon photon torpedoes only because the sound designer thought - and I agree - that SFX make for a more engaging film.)
Since we probably all know that, I'll add that V'ger never makes any noises as communication until the last ten minutes of the film. Those noises are part of the Goldsmith score. I have only listened to it about a billion times, and it's not as if this is one of those "with SFX and dialogue direct from the film!" sort of soundtrack as was released for Flash Gordon.
And you're straight-up right; the blaster beam has a marvellous sound, it was innovative and signature for the score.

john tuttle

4y↑5

@William Reynolds It was the tall skinny kid from "Children" who came up with all those noises for this movie.

William Reynolds

6y↑9

Brian LaGuardia Another weird fact: The guy who created the blaster beam was also a child actor on the original series. He's the red-headed kid in "Operation: Annihilate!" and "And the Children Shall Lead."

Brian LaGuardia

7y↑22

Those sounds are made from an instrument literally called a "blaster beam." It's like a twelve-foot-long, aluminum piano made specifically for banging things onto.

Cubsfan3585

4y↑2

I imagine seeing this in theaters for the first time must have had a lot of people saying “who are those guys?”, despite similar ship designs this is the first time we ever saw the now-common Klingon redesign.

Curt Zygmond

3y↑1

All true... All true.!..I was a doorman aka ticket taker day one, thought I was as bad ass as the mighty Klingons watching opening scene time after time after time. Absolutely loved that job...word of mouth killed attendance..theatre New back then now parking lot...

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