Movies - TV
The Director's Edition Of Star Trek: The Motion Picture Wants To Correct The Character
Of Kirk
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
One of the more notable changes from "Star Trek" to "The Motion Picture" is the behavior of Admiral Kirk. While Kirk could be somewhat stern in "Star Trek," he was generally clear-headed and affable, but in "The Motion Picture," Kirk was angrier, more confrontational, and less patient.
Robert Wise who directed the 1979 film was an effective storyteller and an excellent filmmaker, but he wasn't familiar with Kirk's history as a character. In a recent interview with ScreenRant, producer David C. Fein said Wise made Kirk angry in order to keep certain cinematic rhythms alive but it made the film difficult to edit.
Fein, in the interview, also points out that the Enterprise bridge crew is largely the same as it was a decade previous, which allowed for a natural understanding between captain and crew. Kirk would make decisions and his crew would efficiently follow them, so there was no need for temper and shouting.
The new 2022 Director's Edition has helped in correcting the character of Captain Kirk as it features alternate takes and longer, newly made FX sequences. In one instance, an angry glare by Kirk is replaced by a tiny moment of panic and small expressions like that can go a long way to reestablishing a character.