MovieChat Forums > Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) Discussion > One of my favorite Star Trek movies, yet...

One of my favorite Star Trek movies, yet there are two details that have always frustrated me about it

posted 3 years ago by PopMusicFan1927 (114)
9 replies | jump to latest

So yeah, I love this movie and have seen it countless times. However, each time I watch it, there are two minor details that have always frustrated me - -

1) The fact that the bulk of the crew is wearing the same civilian clothing that they wore in Star Trek III. While I have always thought that their civilian clothes in these movies looked sharp and cool, I do not understand why they have the exact same outfits on that they had in the previous movie. According to Kirk's log at the start of the film, he mentions how they had spent three months on Vulcan before making the choice to turn themselves in at Starfleet HQ. Did they ever mention anything about having other clothes to wear? I am guessing that Vulcan does not have an establishment where one could acquire new sets of clothes?

2) The bridge of the Klingon ship; the bridge looks nothing like how it did in Star Trek III. Now, I know that in several of these films features the Enterprise bridge looking slightly different than how it looked in the previous film, yet the bridge of the Klingon ship in this film literally looks nothing like it did in III. Oddly enough, all future depictions of Klingon ships look very similar to the bridge of the ship depicted in this film. I thought it was strange how this wasn't really discussed/mentioned in the films in general.

[–] strntz (12225) 3 years ago

Maybe while on Vulcan, they stashed those cool civilian duds and wore Vulcanian fashions during their stay. When they left to go home, they switched back to the civilian threads?

Not sure about the Klingon ship. I'll have to pay more attention next time.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

-They were favorite clothes.

-The bridge was refitted to updated specifications according to Starfleet regulations.

FTFY

[–] Redsfan001 (6144) 3 years ago

Well, that's a double dumb ass on the continuity department.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

1: Were they being paid while on the outs with Starfleet? Did they have access to their own money while waiting to turn themselves in? Because if there was a problem on that front, the Vulcans would of course provide them with all the necessities of life, but wouldn't see it as logical to give them new clothes if they already had something perfectly good to wear.

2: I haven't watched "Star Trek III" in decades! Why would I! It's not a good film, and it'd only make me worry about the continuity of the bridge set. Which BTW, could have been modified a bit during their stay, to make it more human-friendly.

[–] Costumer (1821) 3 years ago

Otter,

By some interpretations of Federation society, they were not paid; nor is anyone else. The economy is moneyless and people are supplied with their needs without having to pay for any of it.

Now, I do have issues with that, but it is a popular view.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

Are wanted criminals of people who've been suspended from their jobs pending an investigation supplied with their needs? Do Vulcan perceive "needs" the same way we do? Would the Vulcan give them warm-weather clothing, or just loan it? Would the crew want to be seen in Vulcan guest clothing back on Earth?

And Trek is inconsistent about money. In some episodes they say there's no money, in another they're buying stuff with Federation credits, or gold-pressed Latium.

[–] Costumer (1821) 3 years ago

In answer to your first question, yes they are. And if Vulcan wishes to supply them with goods, what is the Federation going to do? That would be an internal Vulcan affair and the Federation doesn't have any authority to interfere.

Star Trek has been a bit inconsistent on money. Various theories have been put forward. The one I think works best is that Star Fleet, and other organizations probably, supply their people money (latinum or whatever) when they have to interact with cultures that use money. Credits could easily be seen as simply an accounting system.

Many theories can be put forward. Whatever the "truth" we are never shown Federation citizens, law abiding or criminal, going without necessities.

[–] MikeCable (1843) 3 years ago

The clothes thing wasn't an issue for me until I realised the three months thing when reading your post. Thinking about it, they all knew they were doing something very bad by stealing the ship, then possibly might find Spock and may spend some time on Vulcan. Maybe they knew the Vulcans will provide clothing for them or can somehow get clothing from a Starfleet embassy on Vulcan, etc. But the fact that after three months they are all wearing the same thing they wore the day they arrived (let's assume they have new underwear on) seems a bit silly, but maybe they were all asked to do that by Kirk to leave no trace of who helped them on Vulcan, or something.

As for the Bird of Prey bridge - that's always been a stupid thing which we all just accepted. They wanted to have more accessibility and individual camera angles for each actor during the longer time spent in the bridge on this production and wanted it mounted on a movable platform to simulate the ship movements (no more silly leaning!). So it was all redesigned with that in mind. Imagine if it was left as-is, with Kirk sitting high up on a pedestal / emperor-style chair kind of thing like Kruge from III. That would have seemed a little odd.

[–] bozo_500 (13105) 3 years ago

bet shatner would've preferred that lol