12. Battle For Peace (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, 1991)
Nicholas Meyer’s second directorial stab at Trek comes together magnificently in its big battle finale.
The Enterprise is racing to stop a plot to derail the peace process between the Klingons and the Federation even as it comes under attack from General Chang's (Christopher Plummer) sneaky, can-fire-while-cloaked Bird Of Prey.
All the elements work – Cliff Eidelman’s militaristic, urgent score, some top notch model and CG work from ILM and the fantastic, scenery-chewing turn from Plummer as he quotes Shakespeare (“Let slip the dogs of war!”) while ordering his crew to batter poor Enterprise.
A last-minute arrival of the Excelsior just adds to the fun, and leads into the heroic wrap-up as the main cast save the day at the peace conference.
Trek Trivia: Eidelman got the composing job after James Horner turned it down as “beneath" him and Jerry Goldsmith refused after the disappointment that was Star Trek V. Worked out well for everyone, then…
11. David’s Death (Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, 1984)
Trek III gets serious as Kirk’s son, David Marcus (Merritt Butrick), Saavik (played here by Robin Curtis) and a young Spock are captured on the Genesis Planet by the Klingons.
A tense stand-off ensues, and Kirk is forced to hear over the communicator that his son has been stabbed and killed.
In one of the more effective and emotional acting turns by Shatner, Kirk collapses backwards on to his captain’s chair, devastated by the loss of his only child.
Trek Trivia: We might not often give much credit to The Shat, but the choice to collapse was his own, after being told by director Leonard Nimoy he could play it as he wanted.
Next: Crash Landing, Borg Body Horror
Comments
mattburgess
May 4th 2009, 16:33
Star Trek Generations, and the Enterprise-D is moments from being destroyed by a vastly inferior klingon warbird. But thanks to a nifty little trick by Data, they force the warbird to drop its own shields, and in one brilliant, heart stopping, breath taking moment, Commander Riker gives the order: "Fire!" A single, fateful photon torpedo later, and the warbird is a complete wreck. Brilliant! (Never mind the fact that Riker has previously asked for a spread of torpedos)
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jhr01
May 5th 2009, 21:42
6. “This Far. No Further!” (Star Trek Generations, 1994) The scene involving Patrick Steward and Alfie Woodward's Lily Sloane is from First Contact, not Star Trek's Generations! Shame on you Total Film!!!!
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jwhite
May 7th 2009, 21:26
Argh! My bad. I'm turning in my phaser and heading to the Agony Booth for a sesh. Error fixed!
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Juliette
May 8th 2009, 19:53
Brilliant article, thanks! Though I think Spock's death has to be No 1 for me, and I also have a soft spot for Chekov's 'Now would be a good time!' in Star Trek IV
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stewart
May 10th 2009, 18:08
A really good article, thanks! Personally I thought your number 3 was probably the number 1 - Kirk destroying that which he coveted above all else - and of course the exchange between Kirk & Bones that followed. I felt that Star Trek III was the best of the lot - despite the critics harangueing it no end, and largely because of the scenes from that filn that you included in this article!
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