Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Director:

Leonard Nimoy

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (television series Star Trek)
Harve Bennett (written by)

Release Date:

1 June 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Join the search

Plot:

Admiral Kirk and his bridge crew risk their careers stealing the decommissioned Enterprise to return to the restricted Genesis planet to recover Spock's body.

Plot Keywords:

Fight The System | Back From The Dead | Invisibility | Amnesia | Alien Creature As Pet

Awards:

7 nominations

Cast

William Shatner	...	Admiral James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Capt. Spock / Elevator Voice (also as Frank Force)
DeForest Kelley	...	Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy
James Doohan	...	Montgomery "Scotty" Scott
George Takei	...	Hikaru Sulu
Walter Koenig	...	Pavel Chekov
Nichelle Nichols	...	Cmdr. Uhura
Merritt Butrick	...	Dr. David Marcus
Phil Morris	...	Trainee Foster
Scott McGinnis	...	Mr. Adventure
Robin Curtis	...	Lt. Saavik
Robert Hooks	...	Adm. Morrow
Carl Steven	...	Spock...Age 9
Vadia Potenza	...	Spock...Age 13
Stephen Manley	...	Spock...Age 17
Joe W. Davis	...	Spock at age 25
Paul Sorensen	...	Captain
Cathie Shirriff	...	Valkris
Christopher Lloyd	...	Cmdr. Kruge
Stephen Liska	...	Torg
John Larroquette	...	Maltz
David Cadiente	...	Klingon sergeant (as Dave Cadente)
Branscombe Richmond	...	Gunner #2
Phillip R. Allen	...	Capt. J.T. Esteban
Jeanne Mori	...	Helm
Bob K. Cummings	...	Klingon gunner #1 (as Bob Cummings)
Mario Marcelino	...	Communications
Allan Miller	...	Alien
Sharon Thomas	...	Waitress
Conroy Gedeon	...	Civilian agent
James Sikking	...	Capt. Styles (as James B. Sikking)
Miguel Ferrer	...	First Officer
Mark Lenard	...	Ambassador Sarek
Katherine Blum	...	Vulcan child
Judith Anderson	...	Vulcan High Priestess (as Dame Judith Anderson)
Gary Faga	...	Prison guard #1
Douglas Alan Shanklin	...	Prison guard #2
Grace Lee Whitney	...	Janice Rand
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harve Bennett	...	Flight recorder (voice)
Judi M. Durand	...	Space Dock controller (voice)
Teresa E. Victor	...	Enterprise computer (voice)
Frank Welker	...	Spock screaming (voice)
Charles Correll	...	Space Dock worker (uncredited)
Claudia Lowndes	...	Officers lounge patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Leonard Nimoy

Writing credits
Gene Roddenberry		(television series Star Trek)
Harve Bennett		(written by)

Produced by
Harve Bennett	....	producer
Gary Nardino	....	executive producer
Ralph Winter	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Charles Correll

Film Editing by
Robert F. Shugrue

Casting by
Mary Ann Barton
Elza Bergeron
Stuart Jensen

Art Direction by
John E. Chilberg II

Set Decoration by
Tom Pedigo

Costume Design by
Robert Fletcher

Makeup Department
Paul Abascal	....	additional hair stylist
Silvia Abascal	....	hair stylist
Barney Burman	....	makeup effects lab technician
Wes Dawn	....	makeup artist
Jim Kail	....	makeup artist (as James Kail)
James Lee McCoy	....	key makeup artist
Carol A. O'Connell	....	additional hair stylist (as Carol O'Connell)
Steve LaPorte	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Rick Stratton	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Michael P. Schoenbrun	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Hockridge	....	first assistant director
Cynthia Riddle	....	dga trainee
Ken Stringer	....	second assistant director

Art Department
William Apperson	....	propmaker foreman
Cameron Birnie	....	set designer
Ed Charnock	....	paint foreman
Ron Galloway	....	swing gang
Scott Goodale	....	construction foreman
Ron Greenwood	....	assistant property master
Dennis Ivanjack	....	stand-by painter
Jerry Kobold	....	lead man
Thomas W. Lay Jr.	....	illustrator (as Tom Lay)
Joe Longo	....	property master
Clarence Lynn Price	....	construction coordinator (as Lynn Price)
Blake Russell	....	set designer
Charlie Russo	....	swing gang
Mark Siegel	....	sculptor
Louis Zamora	....	labor foreman

Sound Department
Pamela Bentkowski	....	foley editor
Raul A. Bruce	....	boom operator
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	sound mixer
Robert W. Glass Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Cecelia Hall	....	supervising sound editor
Sean Hanley	....	adr editor
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Ron Horwitz	....	sound editor
Alan Howarth	....	special sound effects
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Johnson	....	additional sound effects
John Leveque	....	sound effects editor
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Bruce Richardson	....	sound effects editor (as Paul Bruce Richardson)
Frank Serafine	....	special sound effects
Randy Thom	....	additional sound effects
George Watters II	....	supervising sound editor
Ray West	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jack Woods	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects technician
Bob Dawson	....	special effects
Rocky Gehr	....	special effects
Bill George	....	spacecraft and prop designer
Thomas R. Homsher	....	special effects
John McLeod	....	special effects technician
Dennis Petersen	....	special effects
Tony Vandenecker	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Craig Barron	....	matte cameraman
William Beck	....	model maker
David Berry	....	optical line up
Dave Carson	....	visual effects art director (as David Carson)
Sean M. Casey	....	model maker (as Sean Casey)
Terry Chostner	....	still photographer
Donald Clark	....	optical camera operator
Peter Daulton	....	visual effects assistant camera
Don Dow	....	visual effects cameraman (as Donald Dow)
Selwyn Eddy	....	visual effects cameraman (as Selwyn Eddy III)
Christopher Evans	....	matte artist (as Chris Evans)
Scott Farrar	....	special visual effects cameraman
Warren Franklin	....	visual effects production supervisor
Michael Fulmer	....	model maker
Steve Gawley	....	supervising model maker
Ray Gilberti	....	visual effects assistant camera
Ralph Gordon	....	optical line up
Caroleen Green	....	matte artist: ILM
John Haggar	....	visual effects editor
David Hanks	....	visual effects assistant camera (as Dave Hanks)
Toby Heindel	....	visual effects assistant camera
Robert Hill	....	visual effects assistant camera
Jay Ignaszewski	....	visual effects editor
Randy Jonsson	....	assistant camera: ILM (as Randy Johnson)
Ira Keeler	....	model maker
Bill Kimberlin	....	chief visual effects editor
James Lim	....	optical camera operator
Jeff Mann	....	model maker
Patrick McArdle	....	visual effects assistant camera
Ted Moehnke	....	miniature pyrotechnics
Michael Moore	....	assistant visual effects editor: ILM
Charlie Mullen	....	animation supervisor (as Charles Mullen)
Phillip Norwood	....	visual effects animator
Frank Ordaz	....	matte artist
Michael Pangrazio	....	matte painting supervisor
Ken Ralston	....	visual effects supervisor (as Kenneth Ralston)
Nilo Rodis-Jamero	....	visual effects art director (as Nilo Rodis)
Kenneth Smith	....	optical photography supervisor (as Kenneth F. Smith)
Thomas G. Smith	....	general manager: ILM (as Tom Smith)
David Sosalla	....	creature supervisor
Laurie Vermont	....	visual effects production coordinator
Bruce Walters	....	visual effects animator

Stunts
Steve Blalock	....	stunts
David Burton	....	stunts
Phil Chong	....	stunts
Jean Coulter	....	stunts
Eddy Donno	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
James M. Halty	....	stunts
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts
Jeff Jensen	....	stunts
Al Jones	....	stunt double: Christopher Lloyd
Don McGovern	....	stunts (as Don Charles McGovern)
John Meier	....	stunt double: William Shatner
Tom Morga	....	stunts
Alan Oliney	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
R.A. Rondell	....	stunt coordinator
Frank James Sparks	....	stunts
Ron Stein	....	stunt coordinator
David Zellitti	....	stunts
Lightning Bear	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ed Cooper	....	best boy (as Ed 'Big Ed' Cooper)
Clarence Ebert	....	second company grip
Jon Falkengren	....	dolly grip
Ray Gilberti	....	assistant camera
Norman Glasser	....	gaffer (as Norm Glasser)
Dennis Harper	....	key grip
Hal Landaker	....	video supervisor
David B. Nowell	....	camera operator (as David Nowell)
Norman Parker	....	second assistant camera: second camera
Ed Reilly	....	best boy
Randall Robinson	....	first assistant camera
Peter Santoro	....	second assistant camera
Tom Sawyer	....	dolly grip
Michael Scott	....	second camera operator
Alfredo Sepulveda	....	second assistant camera
John R. Shannon	....	still photographer (as John Shannon)
Robert A. Torres	....	first assistant camera

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	casting: voice-over

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dan Bronson	....	wardrobe
Agnes G. Henry	....	wardrobe supervisor: women
James Linn	....	wardrobe supervisor: men
Joseph Markham	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Martin Chielens	....	assistant editor (as Martin X. Chielens)
Daniel F. Finnerty	....	assistant editor
Bruce Fortune	....	assistant editor (as Bruce D. Fortune)
John Haggar	....	assistant editor (as John A. Haggar)
Terry Haggar	....	color timer (as Terry P. Haggar)
Bob Noland	....	color timer

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor
Tommy Johnson	....	musician: tuba soloist
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Lynn Harman	....	transportation captain
Scott Jimerson	....	driver
Robert D. Mayne	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Deborah Arakelian	....	production assistant
Barbara Arms	....	assistant choreographer
Steve Blalock	....	stand-in
Geoffrey de Valois	....	production assistant
Robin Kellick	....	stand-in
Lily La Cava	....	script supervisor
Alan Landaker	....	chief engineer
Joel Marston	....	dialogue coach
Marc Okrand	....	dialog consultant: Klingon
Gene Roddenberry	....	executive consultant
Kimberly L. Ryusaki	....	stand-in
Debbie Schwab	....	assistant: Mr. Schoenbrun
Mark Siegel	....	creature maker
Mark Siegel	....	puppeteer
Andre Tayir	....	choreographer
Philip Weyland	....	stand-in (as Phil Weyland)
Rick Whitfield	....	video coordinator
Leonard Nimoy	....	additional writer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cinema Group Ventures
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1987) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (1995) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Burman Studio, The (special make-up design)
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
• Movie Magic (optical effects)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound  sound
• Sprocket Systems  additional sound effects

Also Known As:

Star Trek III: Return to Genesis (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Klingon | Russian

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Iceland:10 | Brazil:Livre | Italy:T | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | France:U | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 (re-rerating) | Norway:12 | Singapore:PG | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Cinema Group Ventures

Trivia:

Grace Lee Whitney, who played Janice Rand, Kirk's yeoman in season one of "Star Trek" (1966) and returned as transporter chief in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), makes a cameo appearance during the Enterprise's docking sequence. She is the red haired officer in the spacedock lounge who shakes her head in disapproval as she sees the ship's damage.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The helm of the Grissom, Jeanne Mori, is also seen standing near Captain Styles on the bridge of the Excelsior.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Spock's dying words, repeated from the previous film]
Captain Spock: Don't grieve, Admiral. It is logical. The needs of the many outweigh...
Kirk: ...the needs of the few.
Captain Spock: Or the one. I have been and always shall be your friend. Live long and prosper.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Team America: World Police (2004)

Competent, but not great...

Perhaps it is the inevitable comparison to the previous episode, but Star Trek III very much has a feel of being low-rent or second-rate. An excellent example of this can be seen whenever Saavik is on the screen. Kirstie Alley may not be the greatest actor in the world, but Robin Curtis succeeds in making her look like Anna Paquin or Sigourney Weaver by comparison. The strange thing is that Merritt Butrick seems to suffer a decline in performance whenever he is in the same frame with her.

Let's face it, any dialogue heavy film was going to be a letdown after the epic battles in Star Trek II. A very personal battle between two enemies that have been festering in one another's minds for years is always going to make a brief fight with a crew of Klingons seem pretty restrained by comparison. A lot of the film's plot elements also come second-hand from the previous film, so it isn't as if much is done to separate it.

The spaceship sequences also look far less realistic in this film than is the case in the past two films. It seems that Paramount hired another effects house to simulate these moments, and the result is that the ships look as if they are under a constant invisible spotlight, rather than the realistic tones that were evident in the previous two films. The combat doesn't seem nearly as realistic, either. After the massive tradings of torpedoes and phaser energy in the previous film, expecting us to believe the Enterprise can be disabled by a single torpedo is a bit much.

The dynamic between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy was always a big part of what made the original series work, so it's not surprising that an entire film be dedicated to restoring this dynamic. To the credit of the screenwriters, it works. The fights on the surface of Genesis, and some of the dialogues, give the whole film a connection with the audience that later films in the franchise particularly lack. Everyone certainly has a friend that they'd do things like this for if they had to, so it's hard not to get behind the Enterprise crew as they battle for one of their most prominent members.

I would have appreciated more footage to show how Uhura arrives on Vulcan, and what the Federation does when they learn that the crew is on Vulcan. Still, the film is much more tightly paced than some give it credit for, so we can let that one slide. It is, however, interesting to note how little internal security the Starfleet orbital station has. I would have thought that the Starfleet version of the drunk tank would have more than just two security guards, given the wide variation in alien races that make up the organisation.

In all, I gave Star Trek III a six out of ten. Most sequels try to be bigger and bolder than the previous episode. Star Trek III is an exception, but it certainly is a worthwhile viewing if you like a bit of science fiction.