William Shatner
Admiral/Captain James T. Kirk
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Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a 1979 American science fiction film directed by Robert Wise. The Motion Picture is based on and stars the cast of the 1966–1969 television series Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry, who serves as producer. In the film, set in the 2270s, a mysterious and powerful alien cloud known as V'Ger approaches Earth ...
- $44 million
- December 7, 1979
- Gene Roddenberry
- Jerry Goldsmith
composer: theme "Star Trek" Jerry Goldsmith ... conductor (uncredited) Kenneth Hall ... music editor (as Ken Hall) Craig Huxley ... composer: additional music, Blaster Beam, microtonal clavichord, Tubulons, Serge Modular System, piano Francesco Lupica ... additional score sound design Arthur Morton ...
A sci-fi film from 1979 that follows the crew of the Enterprise as they encounter a mysterious alien cloud. See the critics' and audience's ratings, trailers, clips, photos, cast and crew, and more on Rotten Tomatoes.
- (57)
- Robert Wise
- G
- William Shatner
Kirk and his crew face a mysterious alien probe that threatens Earth in this sci-fi adventure. Read the plot details, synopsis, and cast information on IMDb, the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
- Overview
- Summary
- Log entries
- Memorable quotes
- Background information
- Links and references
"The Human adventure is just beginning…"
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- 1979 TV ad
After an eighteen-month refit process, the USS Enterprise is ready to explore the galaxy once again. But when a huge, invincible cloud approaches Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk must assume command of his old ship in order to stop it. Crew members old and new face new challenges, and must work together to triumph over the unknown.
Act One
In Klingon space, three Klingon K't'inga-class battle cruisers approach a massive cloud-like annomaly. As they approach it, the captain of one of the ships, the IKS Amar, orders photon torpedoes. They're armed and targeted on the center of the cloud, and the captain orders them to fire. The torpedoes are launched, and streak toward the annomaly. However, they abruply dissapear on sensors, and the captain orders evasive maneuvers, and the vessels pull back. Meanwhile, in Federation space, a listening post, Epsilon IX, picks up a distress signal from one of the Klingon ships. Commander Branch asks what they're fighting, and a liutenant responds that she doesn't know. Another officer reports he has a visual, and the ships continue away from the cloud. A plasma-energy weapon streaks from the cloud hits one of the ships, engulfing it in plasma bolts before seemingly fading out of existence. On a tactical display on the Amar, the captain sees they're the only ship in that area. Another plasma weapon is launched, and the captain orders aft torpedoes fired. As the plasma weapon approaches, a torpedo is fired from the rear launcher, but dissapears on contact with the plasma weapon. With nothing they can do, the weapon hits the Amar, engulfing it in plasma bolts, before it, too, dissapears. On Epsilon IX, the liutenant reports the cloud will pass by them, and it's on a direct course for Earth On the planet Vulcan, Spock has been undergoing the kolinahr ritual, in which he has been learning how to purge all of his remaining emotions, and is nearly finished with his training. The lead elder tells Spock of how their ancestors had long ago cast out all animal passions on those sands, and says that their race was saved by attaining kolinahr, which another elder describes as the final purging of all emotion. The lead elder tells Spock he has labored long and she prepares to give him a symbol of total logic. She is about to give him a necklace, when Spock reaches out and stops her, clearly disturbed by something out in space. She asks for a mind meld to read his thoughts, to which Spock complies. She discovers that the alien intelligence which has called to him from deep space has stirred his Human half. She drops the necklace and states, "You have not yet achieved kohlinahr." She then tells the other elders, "His answer lies elsewhere. He will not achieve his goal with us." Then she bids him farewell, telling him to "live long and prosper." Spock picks up the necklace from the ground and holds it in his hand. Meanwhile, at the Presidio campus of Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, Admiral James T. Kirk arrives in air tram 3. As he steps out, he sees Commander Sonak, a Vulcan science officer who is joining the Enterprise crew and was recommended for the position by Kirk himself. Kirk is bothered as to why Sonak is not on board yet. Sonak explains that Captain Decker, the new captain of the USS Enterprise, wanted him to complete his science briefing at Starfleet Headquarters before departing. The Enterprise has been undergoing a complete refitting for the past eighteen months and is now under final preparations to leave drydock, which will take at least twenty hours, but Kirk informs him that they only have twelve. He tells Sonak to report to him on the Enterprise in one hour – he has a short meeting with Admiral Nogura and is intent on being on the Enterprise at that time. Following the meeting, Kirk transports to an orbital office complex of the San Francisco Fleet Yards and meets Montgomery Scott, chief engineer of the Enterprise. Scott expresses his concern about the tight departure time. After the two men enter a travel pod and the doors seal shut, Kirk explains that an alien object is less than three days away from Earth, and the Enterprise has been ordered to intercept it because they are the only ship in range. Scott says that the refit, a process that took eighteen months, can't be finished in twelve hours and tries to convince him that the ship needs more work done as well as a proper shakedown. Kirk firmly insists that they are leaving, ready or not, in twelve hours. Scott activates the travel pod's thrusters and they begin the journey over to the drydock in orbit that houses the Enterprise. Scott tells Kirk that the crew hasn't had near enough transition time with all the new equipment and that the engines haven't even been tested at warp power, not to mention that they have an untried captain in command. Kirk tells Scott that two and a half years as the Chief of Starfleet Operations may have made him a little stale, but that he wouldn't exactly consider himself untried. Kirk then tells a surprised Scott that Starfleet has given him back his command of the Enterprise. Scott comments that he doubts it was so easy with Admiral Nogura, and Kirk tells him he's right. While sharing a laugh with Kirk, Scott remarks, "Any man who can manage such a feat I wouldna dare disappoint. She'll launch on time, sir… and she'll be ready," and gently puts his hand on the admiral's arm. They arrive at the Enterprise held in drydock, and Scott gives Kirk a brief tour of the new exterior of the ship. Upon docking with the ship and entering the Enterprise's cargo bay, Scott is immediately called to engineering. Kirk takes a turbolift up to the bridge, and upon arrival, is informed by Lieutenant Commander Uhura that Starfleet has just transferred command from Captain Decker over to him, and she, along with several other crewmembers including Sulu and Chekov, step forward excitedly to greet Kirk, who appreciates the welcome but wishes it were under more pleasant circumstances. Kirk asks the crew where Decker is. "He's in, uh, engineering, sir. He, uh… he doesn't know," Sulu says. Kirk makes his way to the new engine room and pauses to look at Enterprise's warp core before taking the lift down to where Captain Decker is busy assisting Scott with launch preparations. After Kirk takes him aside to talk, he becomes visibly upset when the admiral tells him that he is assuming command. Decker will remain on the ship as executive officer and will receive a temporary demotion to commander. As Decker storms off, an alarm sounds. Someone is trying to beam over to the ship, but the transporter is malfunctioning. Cleary informs Scott that there is a red line on the transporter. Kirk and Scott promptly race over to the transporter room. Transporter chief Janice Rand is frantically trying to tell Starfleet to abort the transport, but it is too late. Commander Sonak and a female officer are beaming in, but their bodies aren't re-forming properly in the transporter beam. The female officer screams horrifically, and then their bodies disappear. Starfleet tells them that they have died. With tears beginning to form in his eyes, Kirk tells Starfleet to express his sympathies to their families. He mentions that Sonak's can be reached through the Vulcan embassy. "There was nothing you could have done, Rand," Kirk tells the upset transporter operator, "it wasn't your fault." In the corridor outside the transporter room, Kirk sees Decker and tells him they will have to replace Commander Sonak. Kirk wants another Vulcan if possible. Decker tells him that no one is available that is familiar with the ship's new design. Kirk tells Decker he will have to double his duties as science officer as well. In the Enterprise's recreation room, as Kirk briefs the assembled crew on the mission, they receive a transmission from Epsilon IX. Commander Branch tells them they have analyzed the mysterious cloud. It generates an immense amount of energy and measures 82 au (only 2 au in the director's edition) in diameter. Branch also reports that there is a vessel of some kind in the center. They've tried to communicate with it, but there has been no response. The lieutenant reports that further scans indicate something inside the cloud, but all scans get reflected back. Suddenly, an alarm goes off on the station, and Branch reports they're under attack. Kirk orders an external view of the station, and plasma bolts start engulfing it. The crew is watching this happen, and Epsilon IX dissapears. Ordering Uhura to deactivate the viewer, Kirk informs the crew that the pre-launch countdown will begin in forty minutes and the assembled crew leaves to attend to their duties.
Act Two
Later on the bridge, Uhura informs Kirk that the transporter has been fully repaired and is functioning properly now. Lieutenant Ilia, the Enterprise's Deltan navigator, arrives. Decker is happy to see her, as they developed a romantic relationship when he was assigned to her home planet several years earlier. Ilia is curious about Decker's reduction in rank and Kirk interrupts and tells her about Decker being the executive and science officer. Decker tells her, with slight sarcasm, that Captain Kirk has the utmost confidence in him. Ilia tells Kirk that her oath of celibacy is on record and asks permission to assume her duties. Uhura tells Kirk that one of the last six crew members to arrive is refusing to beam up. Kirk goes to the transporter room to ensure that the person is beamed up. When told by a yeoman that the crew member insisted on them beaming up first, "said something about first "seeing how it scrambled our molecules,"" Kirk tells Starfleet to beam the officer aboard. Dr. McCoy, dressed in civilian attire and wearing a thick beard, materializes on the transporter platform. McCoy is angry that his Starfleet commission was reactivated. He realizes that Kirk is responsible for the draft. His attitude changes, however, when Kirk says he desperately needs him. McCoy leaves to check out the new sickbay, grumbling about all the new changes to the Enterprise. The crew finishes its repairs and the Enterprise leaves drydock and heads into the solar system at impulse. "Captain's log, stardate 7412.6. 1.8 hours from launch. In order to intercept the intruder at the earliest possible time, I must now risk engaging warp drive while still within the solar system." A clean-shaven Dr. McCoy arrives on the bridge and complains that the new sickbay is now nothing but a "damned computer center." Kirk is anxious to intercept the cloud intruder at the earliest possible opportunity, and despite protests from Scott and Decker, he orders warp drive engaged. The Enterprise goes to warp 1 sucesfully, and Kirk turns to speak with Decker, but an alarm draws his attention to the viewscreen. The Enterprise has entered a wormhole, and Kirk orders full reverse. Uhura reports all communications are jammed, and Ilia reports an asteroid has been pulled into the wormhole and is on a collision course. Kirk orders phasers, but Decker countermands his order, goes over to the tactical station, and tells Chekov to arm photon torpedoes. Chekov is able to lock on to the asteroid, and Decker gives the order to fire. With four seconds left before impact, the torpedo leaves the launcher and collides with the asteroid, causing a massive explosion that rocks the Enterprise and causes the wormhole to dissapate. Sulu reports that helm control is restored, and Kirk, annoyed, wants Decker in his quarters. McCoy decides to come along, as well. Once in Kirk's quarters, Kirk demands an explanation from Decker on why his phaser order was countermanded. Decker points out that the redesigned Enterprise now channels the phasers through the main engines and because they were imbalanced, the phasers were automatically cut off. Kirk acknowledges that he has saved the ship – however, he accuses Decker of competing with him. Decker, in his opinion, tells Kirk that, because of his unfamiliarity with the ship's new design, the mission is in serious jeopardy. Kirk sarcastically trusts that Decker will "nursemaid me through these difficulties," and Decker tells the captain that he will gladly help him understand the new design. Kirk then dismisses him from the room. In the corridor, Decker runs into Ilia. Ilia asks if the confrontation was difficult, and he tells her that it was about as difficult as seeing her again, and apologizes. She asks if he is sorry for leaving Delta IV, or for not saying goodbye. He asks if, had he seen her again, would she have been able to say goodbye? She quietly says "no," and goes to her quarters nearby. Back in Kirk's quarters, McCoy accuses Kirk of being the one who is competing, and the fact that it was Kirk who used the emergency to pressure Starfleet into letting him regain command of the Enterprise. McCoy thinks that Kirk is obsessed with keeping his command. On Kirk's console viewscreen, Uhura informs Kirk that a Starfleet registered shuttlecraft is approaching and that the occupant wishes to dock. Chekov also pipes in and replies that it appears to be a courier vessel, non-belligerency confirmed. Kirk tells Chekov to handle the situation. Turning the viewer off, Kirk asks McCoy is he has anything more to add, to which McCoy quietly states "that depends on you," and leaves Kirk to ponder this, while he stands silently. Spock arrives aboard the The shuttle approaches the Enterprise from behind, and the top portion of it detaches and docks at an airlock just behind the bridge. Chekov is waiting by the airlock doors with a security officer and is surprised to see Spock come aboard. Moments later, Spock arrives on the bridge, and everyone is shocked and pleased to see him, yet Spock ignores them. He moves over to the science station and tells Kirk that he is aware of the crisis and knows about the ship's engine design difficulties. He offers his services as the science officer. McCoy and Dr. Christine Chapel come to the bridge to greet Spock, but he only looks at them coldly and does not reply to them. Uhura tries to speak to Spock, but he ignores her as well and tells Kirk that with his permission, he will go to engineering and discuss his fuel equations with Scott. As Spock walks into the turbolift, Kirk stops him and welcomes him aboard. But Spock makes no reply and continues into the turbolift. Kirk and McCoy both share a look after Spock leaves the bridge. "Captain's log, stardate 7413.4. Thanks to Mr. Spock's timely arrival and assistance, we have the engines rebalanced into full warp capacity. Repair time, less than three hours. Which means we will now be able to intercept intruder while still more than a day away from Earth." With Spock's assistance, the engines are now rebalanced for full warp capacity. The ship successfully goes to warp to intercept the cloud. In the officers lounge, Spock meets with Kirk and McCoy. They discuss Spock's kolinahr training on Vulcan, and how Spock broke off from his training to join them. Spock describes how he sensed the consciousness of the intruder, from a source more powerful that he has ever encountered, with perfect, logical thought patterns. He believes that it holds the answers he seeks. Uhura tells Kirk over the intercom that they have made visual contact with the intruder. With the entire ship on red alert, Kirk orders full mag on the viewer, and the massive cloud is revealed. The cloud scans the ship, but Kirk orders Spock not to return scans as they could be considered hostile. Spock determines that the scans are coming from the exact center of the cloud. Uhura reports that she's transmitting full friendship messages on all frequencies, but there is no response. Decker suggests raising the shields for protection, but Kirk determines that that might be considered hostile to the cloud. Spock analyzes the clouds composition and discovers it has a 12-power energy field, the equivalent of power generated by thousands of starships. Sitting at the science station, Spock awakens from a brief trance. Kirk asks him what's happening, and Spock says the alien is puzzled. The Enterprise was contacted, so why is it not replying? Kirk asks Spock how they've been contacted, but an alarm coaxes him to his chair. A plasma-energy weapon has been launched toward the Enterprise, and Kirk orders full shields. The weapon hits, overloading multiple systems and sending bolts of plasma energy throughout the ship. Bolts of lightning surround the warp core and nearly injure several engineering officers. Chekov is injured – his hand badly burned from a plasma bolt emanating from the weapons station on the bridge. The bolt then finally disappears, and Scott reports deflector power is down seventy percent. A medical team is called to the bridge, and Ilia is able to use her telepathic powers to soothe Chekov's pain. Spock confirms to Kirk that the alien has been attempting to communicate. It transmits at a frequency of more than one million megahertz, and at such a high rate of speed, the message only lasts a millisecond. Spock programs to computer to send linguacode messages at that frequency and rate of speed. Another plasma-energy weapon is launched, and Spock is still working as it approaches. With ten seconds left, Spock transmits the message. The weapon continues moving toward the Enterprise, but abruptly dissapears right before it can collide. Kirk asks for recommendations, and Spock recommends proceeding inside the cloud to investigate, while Decker advises against it, calling the move an "unwarranted gamble." Kirk asks Decker what constitutes "unwarranted" to him, while Decker retorts that Kirk asked his opinion. encounters V'ger's ship Kirk orders that the ship continue on course through the cloud. They pass through many expansive and colorful cloud layers and upon clearing these, a giant vessel is revealed. Kirk asks for an evaluation and Spock reports that the vessel is generating a force field greater than the radiation of Earth's sun. Kirk tells Uhura to transmit an image of the alien to Starfleet, but she explains that any transmission sent out of the cloud is being reflected back to them. Kirk orders Sulu to fly above and along the top of the vessel at a distance of only five hundred meters. As Enterprise moves in front of the alien vessel, Kirk orders to hold position. Suddenly, an alarm sounds, and another plasma weapon approaches the Enterprise. However, it slows down, stopping in front of the ship, and starts zapping the bridge. It forms a column in the bridge and the crew struggles to shield their eyes from its brilliant glow and their ears from the high-pitched shrieking buzz it lets out. Chekov asks Spock if it is one of the alien's crew, and Spock replies that it is a probe sent from the vessel. The probe slowly moves around the room and stops in front of the science station. Bolts of lightning shoot out from it and surround the console – it is trying to access the ship's computer. Kirk orders the computer turned off, which Decker tries to do, but it has taken control of it. Spock pulls Decker away and smashes the controls, which works. As he starts stepping away, he's suddenly given an electric shock by the probe and falls to the floor. The probe starts moving again, and approaches the navigation console. As Ilia is watching, it starts scanning her, much to Decker's horror. Spock tries to pull her away, but he's knocked back by an electric shock. Decker is similarily shocked to keep him away, and Ilia, horrified, stands there as she's scanned. As Decker's watching this, Ilia abruptly vanishes, and the tricorder she was holding falls to the floor. Kirk, shaken, picks up the tricorder. Decker angrily exclaims, "This is how I define unwarranted!" inside the ship Another alert goes off, reporting helm control has been lost. Spock reports they've been caught by a tractor beam and Kirk orders someone up to take the navigator's station. Decker calls for Chief DiFalco to come up to the bridge as Ilia's replacement. Decker suggests that the ship fire phasers, but Spock, evocatively, asserts that "Any show of resistance would be futile, Captain." The ship travels deep into the next chamber. Decker wonders why they were brought inside – they could have been easily destroyed outside. Spock deduces that the alien is curious about them. Uhura's monitor shows that the aperture is closing – they are now trapped inside. The ship is released from the tractor beam and suddenly, an intruder alert goes off. Someone has come aboard the ship and is in the crew quarters section.
Act Three
Kirk and Spock arrive inside a crewman's quarters to discover that the intruder is inside the sonic shower. It is revealed to be Ilia, although it isn't really her – there is a small red device attached to her neck. In a mechanized voice, she replies, "You are the Kirk unit, you will assist me." She explains that she has been programmed by an entity called "V'ger" to observe and record the normal functions of the carbon-based units "infesting" the Enterprise. Kirk opens the shower door and "Ilia" steps out, wearing a small white garment that just materialized around her. Dr. McCoy and security officer Ensign Perez enter the room, and Kirk tells McCoy to scan her with a tricorder. Kirk asks her who V'ger is. She replies, "V'ger is that which programmed me." McCoy tells Kirk that Ilia is a mechanism and Spock confirms she is a probe that assumed Ilia's physical form. Kirk asks where the real Ilia is, and the probe states that "that unit" no longer functions. Kirk also asks why V'ger is traveling to Earth, and the probe answers that it wishes to find the Creator, join with him, and become one with it. Spock suggests that McCoy perform a complete examination of the probe. "I am concerned with that being our only source of information, captain. In sickbay, the Ilia probe lays on a diagnostic table, its sensors slowly taking readings. All normal body functions, down to the microscopic level, are exactly duplicated by the probe, even eye moisture. Decker arrives and is stunned to see her there. She looks up at him and addresses him as "Decker," rather than "Decker unit," which intrigues Spock. Spock talks with Kirk and Decker in an adjoining room and Spock locks the door. Spock theorizes that the real Ilia's memories and feelings have been duplicated by the probe as well as her body. Decker is angry that the probe killed Ilia, but Kirk convinces him that their only contact with the vessel is through the probe, and they need to use that advantage to find out more about the alien. Suddenly, the probe bursts through the door, and demands that Kirk assist her with her observations. He tells her that Decker will do it with more efficiency. After Decker and the probe leave, Spock expresses concern to Kirk of that being their only source of information. " Decker and Ilia are seen walking around in the recreation room. He shows her pictures of previous ships that were named Enterprise. Decker is trying to see if Ilia's memories or emotions can resurface, but to no avail. Kirk and McCoy observe them covertly on a monitor from his quarters. Decker shows her a game that the crew enjoys playing. She is not interested and states that recreation and enjoyment have no meaning to her programming. At another game, which Ilia enjoyed and nearly always won, they both press one of their hands down onto a table to play it. The table lights up, indicating she won the game, and she gazes into Decker's eyes. This moment of emotion ends suddenly, and she returns to normal. "This device serves no purpose." "Why does the Enterprise require the presence of carbon units?", she asks. Decker tells her the ship couldn't function without them. She tells him that more information is needed before the crew can be patterned for data storage. Horrified, he asks her what this means. "When my examination is complete, all carbon units will be reduced to data patterns." He tells her that within her are the memory patterns of a certain carbon unit. He convinces her to let him help her revive those patterns so that she can understand their functions better. She allows him to proceed. Meanwhile, in one of the ship's airlocks, Spock slips up behind the airlock technician and nerve pinches him into unconsciousness. Decker, the probe, Dr. McCoy, and Dr. Chapel are in Ilia's quarters. Dr. Chapel gives the probe a decorative headband that Ilia used to wear. Chapel puts it over "Ilia's" head and turns her toward a mirror. Decker asks her if she remembers wearing it on Delta IV. The probe shows another moment of emotion, saying Dr. Chapel's name, and putting her hand on Decker's face, calling him Will. Behind them, McCoy reminds Decker that she is a mechanism. Decker asks "Ilia" to help them make contact with V'ger. She says that she can't, and Decker asks her who the Creator is. She says V'ger does not know. The probe becomes emotionless again and removes the headband. Spock is now outside the ship in a space suit with an emergency evacuation thruster pack. He begins recording a log entry for Kirk detailing his attempt to contact the alien. He activates a panel on the suit and calculates thruster ignition and acceleration to coincide with the opening of an aperture ahead of him. He hopes to get a better view of the spacecraft interior. Kirk comes up to the bridge and Uhura tells him that Starfleet signals are growing stronger, indicating they are very close to Earth. Starfleet is monitoring the intruder and notifies Uhura that it is slowing down in its approach. Sulu confirms this and says that lunar beacons show the intruder is entering into Earth orbit. Chekov tells Kirk that airlock 4 has been opened and a thruster suit has been reported missing. Kirk figures out that Spock has done it, and orders Chekov to get Spock back on the ship. He changes his mind, and instead tells Chekov to determine his position. Spock touches a button on his thruster panel and his thruster engine ignites. He is propelled forward rapidly, and enters the next chamber of the vessel just before the aperture closes behind him. The thruster engine shuts down, and the momentum carries Spock ahead further. He disconnects the thruster pack from his suit and it falls away from him. Continuing his log entry, Spock sees an image of what he believes to be V'ger's homeworld. He passes through a tunnel filled with crackling plasma energy, possibly a power source intended for a gigantic imaging system. Next, he sees several more images of planets, moons, stars, and galaxies all stored and recorded. Spock theorizes that this may be a visual representation of V'ger's entire journey. "But who or what are we dealing with?", he ponders. Spock attempts mind meld with He sees the Epsilon IX station, stored in every detail, and notes to Kirk that he is convinced that all of what he is seeing is V'ger, and that they are inside a living machine. Then he sees a giant image of Lt. Ilia with the sensor on her neck. Spock decides it must have some special meaning, so he attempts to mind meld with it. He is quickly overwhelmed by the multitude of images flooding his mind and falls back unconscious. Kirk is now in a space suit and has exited the ship. The aperture in front of the Enterprise opens, and Spock's unconscious body floats toward him. Later, Dr. Chapel and Dr. McCoy are examining Spock in sickbay. Dr. McCoy performs scans and determines that Spock endured massive neurological trauma from the mind meld. While he is telling Kirk this, they are interrupted by an incredible sound: Spock, regaining consciousness, is laughing softly, saying he should have known. Spock describes V'ger as a sentient being, from a planet populated by living machines with unbelievable technology, allowing it access to a truly galactic store of knowledge. Yet for all of that, V'ger is barren, with no sense of mystery and no emotions to give meaning to its actions. Spock, seeing the irony when comparing V'Ger to himself, can not help but laugh: V'Ger has, for all intents and purposes, achieved Kolinahr – flawless logic and limitless knowledge – yet doing so has only made it see the gaps in its own understanding. Spock grasps Kirk's hand and tells him, "This simple feeling is beyond Uhura chimes in and tells Kirk that they are getting a faint signal from Starfleet. The intruder has been on their monitors for a while and the cloud is rapidly dissipating as it approaches. Sulu also comments that the intruder has slowed to sub-warp speed and is only three minutes from Earth orbit. Kirk acknowledges and he, McCoy, and Spock go up to the bridge. 's ship enters low Earth orbit, and the cloud entirely dissapears. Starfleet sends the Enterprise a tactical report on the intruder's position. Uhura tells Kirk that V'ger is transmitting a signal. Decker and "Ilia" come up to the bridge, and she says that V'ger is signaling the Creator. Spock determines that the transmission is a radio signal. Decker tells Kirk that V'ger expects an answer, but Kirk doesn't know the question. Then "Ilia" says that the Creator has not responded. Suddenly, a plasma weapon is launched and starts orbiting Earth. Chekov reports all planetary defense systems have gone offline. Several more plasma weapons are launched and all orbit Earth in unison. McCoy notices that the bolts are the same ones that hit the ship earlier, and Spock says that these are hundreds of times more powerful, and from those positions, they can destroy all life on Earth. "Why?", Kirk asks "Ilia." She says that the carbon unit infestation will be removed from the Creator's planet as they are interfering with the Creator's ability to respond and accuses the crew of infesting the Enterprise and interfering in the same manner. Kirk tells "Ilia" that carbon units are a natural function of the Creator's planet and they are living things, not infestations. However "Ilia" says they are not true lifeforms like the Creator. McCoy realizes V'ger must think its creator is a machine. Decker concurs, comparing it to "We all create God in our own image." Spock compares V'ger to a child and suggests they treat it like one. McCoy retorts that this child is about to wipe out every living thing on Earth. To get "Ilia's" attention, Kirk says that the carbon units know why the Creator hasn't responded. The Ilia probe demands that Kirk "disclose the information." Kirk won't do so until V'ger withdraws all the orbiting devices. In response to this, V'ger cuts off the ship's communications with Starfleet. She tells him again to disclose the information. He refuses, and a plasma energy attack shakes the ship. McCoy tells Spock that the child is having a "tantrum." Kirk tells the probe that if V'ger destroys the Enterprise, then the information it needs will also be destroyed with it. Ilia says that it is illogical to withhold the required information, and asks him why he won't disclose it. Kirk explains it is because V'ger is going to destroy all life on Earth. "Ilia" says that they have oppressed the Creator, and Kirk makes it clear he will not disclose anything. V'ger needs the information, says "Ilia." Kirk says that V'ger will have to withdraw all the orbiting devices. "Ilia" says that V'ger will comply, if the carbon units give the information. Spock tells Kirk that V'ger must have a central brain complex. Kirk theorizes that the orbiting devices are controlled from there. Kirk tells "Ilia" that the information can't be disclosed to V'ger's probe, but only to V'ger itself. "Ilia" stares at the viewscreen, and, in response, the aperture opens and drags the ship forward with a tractor beam into a massive tunnel. Chekov tells Kirk that the energy bolts will reach their final positions and activate in 27 minutes. Kirk calls to Scott on the intercom and tells him to stand by to execute Starfleet Order 2005 – the self-destruct command. A female crewmember, Ross, asks Scott why Kirk ordered self-destruct, and Scott tells her that Kirk hopes that when they explode, so will the intruder. The countdown is now down to 18 minutes. DiFalco reports that they have traveled 17 kilometers inside the vessel. Kirk goes over to Spock's station and sees that Spock has been crying. "Not for us," Kirk realizes. Spock tells him he is crying for V'ger, and that he weeps for V'ger as he would for a brother. As he was when he came aboard the Enterprise, so is V'ger now – empty, incomplete, and searching. Logic and knowledge are not enough. McCoy realizes Spock has found what he needed, but that V'ger hasn't. Decker wonders what V'ger would need to fulfill itself. Spock comments that each one of us, at some point in our lives asks, "Why am I here?" "What was I meant to be?" V'ger hopes to touch its Creator and find those answers. DiFalco directs Kirk's attention to the viewscreen. They're approaching the next chamber, and see a light up ahead. Sulu reports that forward motion has stopped. Chekov replies that an oxygen/gravity envelope has formed outside of the ship. "Ilia" points to the structure on the screen and identifies it as V'ger. Uhura has located the source of the radio signal and it is straight ahead. "Ilia" says the carbon units will now provide the information, and a passageway slowly materalizes from the light toward the Enterprise. Kirk chooses Spock and Bones to come, but Decker volunteers to go as well. They enter a turbolift as Uhura looks at the viewscreen. The passageway is reaching the Enterprise as they come up an airlock onto the hull. They start walking up the passageway, and at the end of the path is a concave structure, and in the center of it is an old NASA probe from three centuries earlier. Kirk rubs away the soot on the nameplate and makes out the letters "V G E R". He continues to rub and discovers that the craft is actually Voyager 6. Kirk recalls the history of the Voyager program – it was designed to collect data and transmit it back to Earth. Decker tells Kirk that Voyager 6 disappeared through what was then called a black hole. Kirk says that it must have emerged on the far side of the galaxy and got caught in the machine planet's gravity. Spock theorizes that the planet's inhabitants found the probe to be one of their own kind – primitive, yet kindred. They discovered the probe's 20th century programming to collect data and return that information to its creator. The machines interpreted that instruction literally and constructed the entire vessel so that Voyager could fulfill its programming. Kirk continues by saying that on its journey back, it amassed so much knowledge that it gained its own consciousness. "Ilia" tells Kirk that V'ger awaits the information. Kirk calls Uhura on his communicator and tells her to find information on the probe in the ship's computer, specifically the NASA code signal, which will allow the probe to transmit its data. Decker realizes that that is what the probe was signaling – it's ready to transmit everything. Kirk then says that there is no one on Earth who recognizes the old-style signal – so the Creator does not answer. Kirk calls out to V'ger and says that they are the Creator. "Ilia" says that is not logical – carbon units are not true lifeforms. Kirk says they will prove it by allowing V'ger to complete its programming. Uhura calls Kirk on his communicator and tells him she has retrieved the code. Kirk tells her to set the Enterprise transmitter to the appropriate code frequency and to transmit the signal. Decker reads the numerical code on his tricorder and is about to read the final sequence, but V'ger burns out its own antenna leads to prevent reception. "Ilia" says that the Creator must join with V'ger, and turns toward Decker. McCoy warns Kirk that they only have ten minutes left. Decker figures out that V'ger wanted to bring the Creator here and transmit the code in person. Spock tells Kirk that V'ger's knowledge has reached the limits of the universe and it must evolve. Kirk says that V'ger needs a Human quality in order to evolve. Decker thinks that V'ger joining with the Creator will accomplish that. He then goes over to the damaged circuitry and fixes the wires so he can manually enter the rest of the code through the ground test computer. Kirk tries to stop him, but "Ilia" tosses him aside. Decker tells Kirk that he wants this as much as Kirk wanted the Enterprise. evolves into a higher form of existence after merging with Suddenly, a bright light forms around Decker's body. "Ilia" moves over to him, and the light encompasses them both as they merge together. Their bodies disappear, and the light expands and begins to consume the area. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy retreat back to the Enterprise. The light starts engulfing V'ger's ship, and an enormous explosion of light forms in orbit. As the light clears, the Enterprise moves forward, unharmed. On the bridge, Kirk wonders if they have just seen the beginning of a new lifeform, and Spock says yes and that it is possibly the next step in their evolution. McCoy says that it's been a while since he's "delivered" a baby and hopes that they got this one off to a good start. Uhura tells Kirk that Starfleet is requesting the ship's damage and injury reports and vessel status. Kirk reports that there were only two casualties: Lieutenant Ilia and Captain Decker. He quickly corrects his statement and changes their status to "missing." Vessel status is fully operational. Scott comes on the bridge and agrees with Kirk that it's time to give the Enterprise a proper shakedown. When Scott offers to have Spock back on Vulcan in four days, Spock says that's unnecessary, as his task on Vulcan is completed. Kirk tells Sulu to proceed ahead at warp factor one. When DiFalco asks for a heading, Kirk simply says "Out there, that-away." With that, the Enterprise flies overhead and engages warp drive on its way to another mission of exploration and discovery.
•Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), mid-2270s
"Heading?"
"Sir, it's on a precise heading for Earth."
- Branch asks an Epsilon crewmember about V'ger's destination
"The Enterprise is in final preparation to leave dock."
"Which will require another twenty more hours at minimum, Admiral -"
"Twelve."
•This film was the last Star Trek release to occur in the 1970s, and the only live-action one to take place in that decade.
•Grace Lee Whitney (Janice Rand) and Mark Lenard (Klingon captain) are the only actors, besides the original cast, to appear in both this film and the final Star Trek: The Original Series film, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Lenard plays the Klingon captain in The Motion Picture and Ambassador Sarek in The Undiscovered Country, while Whitney plays Janice Rand in both films.
•Likewise, Majel Barrett and Leonard Nimoy are the only original series actors to participate in both this film and the first Star Trek film set in the rebooted timeline, Star Trek. In The Motion Picture, Barrett played Dr. Chapel and in Star Trek she voiced the computer for the alternate reality USS Enterprise, while in both films Nimoy portrayed Spock (in the 2009 film he played the Spock of the original "Prime" timeline). However, James Doohan's son Chris also appeared in both this film and the 2009 film. In The Motion Picture he is in the recreation deck scene (with his twin brother Montgomery) when Kirk addresses the entire crew; and in Star Trek he is in the transporter room scenes as an engineering lieutenant commander. Concurrently, Barrett and Nimoy are the only two cast members from the original pilot "The Cage" to appear in this first Star Trek film. Nevertheless, Nimoy is the only actor to portray the same character in both productions, having played Spock in both, whereas Barrett played Number One in the pilot and Dr. Chapel in the film.
•Also, Nimoy is the only actor to participate in both this film and Star Trek Into Darkness. In both films, Nimoy portrayed Spock.
•Bruce Logan was the director of photography for the Klingon scenes. He was scheduled to be the Director of Photography (DP) on "In Thy Image", the un-produced pilot for Star Trek: Phase II, the immediate predecessor television project of the film. Both the plot and script emerged from the un-produced pilot.
•One of the most persistent myths in Star Trek-lore, erroneously propagated in numerous reference works such as Star Trek Movie Memories, Star Trek Phase II: The Lost Series, Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before, to name but a few, is that the 1977 science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind played a decisive key role (besides Star Wars) in the decision to upgrade Phase II to The Motion Picture. Actually, the upgrade decision was already firmly in place for nearly a month before Close Encounters even premiered. It was Star Wars, and Star Wars alone, that had been the prime motivator for the upgrade decision. The reference book Return to Tomorrow - The Filming of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, which contains a contemporary account of the production history but was only released in 2014, confirmed this to be the case (p. 48) Still, in the mind of the studio executives, the phenomenal success of Close Encounters served as the validation of their decision. (see Production history below)
Credits References
20th century; 2270s; Aaamazzarite; ability; acceleration; acceleration rate; aircraft carrier; airlock four; air tram station; alien; all-decks read-out; alternative; analysis; ancestor; Andorians; animal; antenna lead; answer; antimatter; antimatter imbalance; aperture; appointment; Arcturian; area; arrival; "as soon as possible"; assignment; assumption; asteroid; astronomical unit (au); "at your discretion"; attack; attention; audio-video association; auxiliary computer circuit; auxiliary power; auxiliary power test; baby; backup sensor; battle stations; beauty; Betelgeusian; binary code; biofunction monitor; birth; black hole; blood; bluff; body; body function; "Bones"; brother; burn duration; "burn up"; calculation; captain; captor; carbon-based unit; carbon unit; cargo bay; cargo six (dock six); carrier wave; casualty; cc; "center seat"; central brain complex; chamber; Chief of Starfleet Operations; child; circuit; cloud; cloud boundary; code signal; comm station; channel; commission; compassion; composition; computation; computer; computer center; computer library; condolence; confidence; conic section; connecting tunnel; consciousness; Constitution II-class decks; contact; control arm; countdown; courier; course (heading); course projection; Creator; crew status; cruiser; curiosity; dalaphaline; damage; damage report; data; data pattern; data storage; day; deck; deflector; deflector power; degree; Deltans; Delta IV; demonstration; departure order; design (redesign); destination; device; diagnosis; diameter; dilithium crystal; dimension; dimensional image; directional control; disappointment; discipline; distance; division; dock control; docking port; doctor; Doctor of Medicine (MD); drafting; dreadnought; drydock; duty station; Earth; Earth Defense Network; efficiency; embarrassment; emergency; emergency alert; emergency evacuation thruster pack; emergency power; emergency shut-down trip; emotion; energy; engineer; engine navigation relay; Enterprise (frigate); Enterprise, USS (CV-6); entity; Epsilon IX station; estimate; evolution; examination; executive officer (aka exec); existence; exocrine system; experience; explanation; eye; father; Federation; Federation space; feeling; field coil; flight deck; flight path; flow sensors; force field; force field circuit E10; force field circuit E14; forebearer; French language; friendship; "frighten out of my wits"; fuel equation; gain; galaxy; goal; God; Golden Gate Bridge; grade 1 priority; gravitational field; ground test computer; guidance system; heart; hope; hostility; hour; Human; Human quality; idea; igniter; impact; image; imaging system; Imperial Klingon Cruiser; impulse power; inertial lag; information; injury report; insight; intention; interference; intermix chamber; interrogative; intersection course; intruder; intruder alert; IP; job; Jupiter; Kazarite; key; kilometer; Klingon; Klingon language; Klingon Fight with V'ger; K'normian; knowledge; kolinahr; launch crew; learning; light cube table; lifeform; linguacode friendship message; living machine; logic; loyalty; lunar beacon; machine; machine planet; magnification (mag); main drive system; main elevator; main power system; Main stage flux chiller; malfunction; maneuvering thruster; manual override; manual shutoff; mass; matter; meaning; mechanism; medic; medical facility; meeting; megabit; megahertz; Megarite; memory; memory pattern; message; meter; micro-miniature hydraulics; Milky Way Galaxy; million; millisecond; mind; minute; missing in action; mission; mistaking; module; moisture; molecule; momentum; monitor; month; moon; multi-processor chip; mutual advantage; name; nano synch rate; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); navigator; navigational deflectors; neurological trauma; Nogura; nurse; oath of celibacy; obedience; object; objection; observation; obsession; Officer's lounge; officers' quarters; "on the double"; opinion; orbit; orbiting device; orbital office complex; order; orderliness; orifice; osmotic micro-pump; oxygen gravity envelope; pain; orbit; parallel course; passion; pattern; pattern degradation; "pep talk"; percent; permission; phaser; phaser power; photic sonar; photon torpedo; photon torpedo load status; planet; planetary defense system; plasma energy; plasma energy conduit; plasti-skin; pneumonic pulse pattern; pons area; power field; power loss; power surge; pre-launch countdown; Pre stage flux chiller; pressure; priority signal; probe; Probert; problem; program; programming; progress; purge; Quad L-14; quarters; Quasar 7; question; radiation level; radio; radio messaging; radio signal; rate of speed; record; recording; recreation; recreation deck; recreation deck games; red alert (status red); red line; refit; relationship; relative position; remote communications drone; rendezvous; repair time; report; reserve activation clause; Rhaandarite; Rigellian; sand; San Francisco; San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge; Saurian; science briefing; science officer; Scots language; scout; screens; search; season; second; security scan; security team; self-destruct; sensor drone; sensor scan; sensor-transceiver combination device; sequence; shakedown; Shamin; sickbay; signal; simulation study; simulator; Sol; Sol system; Sonak's family; sonic shower; space; space matrix restoration coil; spanking; spinal nerve; spray applicator; standard light; star; stardate; Starfleet; Starfleet Command; Starfleet Headquarters; Starfleet Operations; Starfleet Order 2005; star hour; station keeping; status report; sublight speed; subspace frequency; surface; T'Khut; T'Khut moon; tactical plot; "tag along"; tantrum; technology; temperature; temporary grade reduction; thing; thought; thought pattern; thousand; throat; thruster ignition; thruster suit; "top brass"; tractor beam; Transamerica Pyramid; transfer-of-command order; transmission; transmitter; transporter; transporter accident; transporter accident victim's family; transporter chamber; transporter personnel; transporter platform; transporter room; transporter sensor; transporter system; tricorder; turboshaft; twelfth power; universe; velocity; vessel status; V'Ger's planet; viewer; visual contact; VS; Vulcan; Vulcan; Vulcan embassy; Vulcan language; Vulcan master; Vulcan salute; mind meld; Vulcan nerve pinch; Vulcan ritual; Vulcan symbol; warp capacity; warp drive (main engine); warp power; warp simulation; weapon; "wee"; weep; "with all due respect"; "with our bare hands"; word; wormhole; wormhole distortion; wormhole effect; Yard Command; year; Yerba Buena Island; Zaranite
Script references
aurora borealis; command cruiser; Dante; engine pylon; Grayson, Amanda; heavy cruiser; hydrogen cloud; integrator; lunar monitor relay; nebula; Sarek; Saturn; scrap metal compactor; solar system; Starfleet archives; supernova; transceiver; United States Subdivision; yellow alert
Further reading
•Contemporary, non-review, magazine articles, •"Abel Neglex Trex Effex", Jeffrey Kaye, New West magazine, 26 March 1979, pp. 58-63 •"Red alert on the Starship Enterprise", Peter H. Brown, Reader magazine, 23 November 1979, pp. 7, 20 •"STAR TREK The Motion Picture", Kay Anderson, Cinefantastique, Vol. 9 #3/4, December 1979, pp. 64-67 •"Star Trek's Enterprising Return", Gretchen McNeese, Playboy magazine, January 1980, pp. 138-144, 172, 308-310 •American Cinematographer, February 1980 – The Motion Picture theme issue •"Into the V'Ger Maw with Douglas Trumbull", Don Shay, Cinefex, issue 1, March 1980, pp. 4-33 •Cinefex, issue 2, August 1980 •"Greg Jein-Miniature Giant", Brad Munson, pp. 24-49 •"Star Trekking at Apogee with John Dykstra", Don Shay, pp. 50-72 •See also: Starlog magazine •Chekov's Enterprise, February 1980 •The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, March 1980 •"Star Trek: The Emotional Picture", Chapter 4, Star Trek Movie Memories, August 1995, pp. 81-124 •"The Dream Fulfilled: STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE", Part Two-Chapter One, The Art of Star Trek, November 1995, pp. 153-200 •Star Trek Phase II: The Lost Series, March 1997 •Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 8, December 2001 – The Motion Picture theme issue •Star Trek: Creating the Enterprise, December 2012 •Return to Tomorrow - The Filming of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, December 2014 •The First Star Trek Movie, October 2019 •Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Art and Visual Effects, September 2020
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A classic science-fiction film that follows the Enterprise crew as they face a vast alien spaceship from beyond the galaxy. The reviewer praises the special effects, the plot, and the characters, but criticizes the familiarity of the Star Trek audience and the plot predictability. Read the full review from Roger Ebert, the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture. This first Star Trek film reunites the U.S.S. Enterprise's original crew. Capt. James T. Kirk now an admiral, and his crew must save humanity from an alien ship steadily approaching Earth and destroying everything in its path.
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