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:

Planet | Klingon | Vulcan | Admiral | Commander

Awards:

7 nominations

Cast

William Shatner	...	Kirk
Leonard Nimoy	...	Capt. Spock / Elevator Voice (as Frank Force)
DeForest Kelley	...	McCoy
James Doohan	...	Scotty
Walter Koenig	...	Chekov
George Takei	...	Sulu
Nichelle Nichols	...	Uhura
Robin Curtis	...	Saavik
Merritt Butrick	...	David
Phil Morris	...	Trainee Foster
Scott McGinnis	...	Mr. Adventure
Robert Hooks	...	Admiral Morrow
Carl Steven	...	Spock...Age 9
Vadia Potenza	...	Spock...Age 13
Stephen Manley	...	Spock...Age 17
Joe W. Davis	...	Spock...Age 25
Paul Sorensen	...	Captain
Cathie Shirriff	...	Valkris
Christopher Lloyd	...	Kruge
Stephen Liska	...	Torg
John Larroquette	...	Maltz
David Cadiente	...	Klingon Sargeant (as Dave Cadiente)
Bob K. Cummings	...	Klingon Gunner #1 (as Bob Cummings)
Branscombe Richmond	...	Klingon Gunner #2
Phillip R. Allen	...	Captain Esteban (as Phillip Richard Allen)
Jeanne Mori	...	Helm
Mario Marcelino	...	Communications
Allan Miller	...	Alien
Sharon Thomas Cain	...	Waitress (as Sharon Thomas)
Conroy Gedeon	...	Civilian Agent
James Sikking	...	Captain Styles (as James B. Sikking)
Miguel Ferrer	...	First Officer
Mark Lenard	...	Sarek
Katherine Blum	...	Vulcan Child
Judith Anderson	...	Vulcan High Priestess (as Dame Judith Anderson)
Gary Faga	...	Prison Guard #1
Doug Shanklin	...	Prison Guard #2 (as Douglas Alan Shanklin)
Grace Lee Whitney	...	Woman in Cafeteria
Frank Welker	...	Spock Screams (voice)
Teresa E. Victor	...	Enterprise Computer (voice)
Harve Bennett	...	Flight Recorder (voice)
Judi M. Durand	...	Space Dock Controller (voice) (as Judi Durand)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jessica Biscardi	...	Vulcan Maiden (uncredited)
Steve Blalock	...	Trainee Crewmember (uncredited)
Charles Correll	...	Space Dock Worker (uncredited)
Al Jones	...	Klingon Crewman (uncredited)
Claudia Lowndes	...	Officers' Lounge Patron (uncredited)
Eric Mansker	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Danny Nero	...	Vulcan Guard (uncredited)
Dennis Ott	...	Klingon (uncredited)
Nanci Rogers	...	Bar Waitress (uncredited)
Kimberly L. Ryusaki	...	Bar Alien (uncredited)
Rebecca Soladay	...	Vulcan Maiden (uncredited)
Philip Weyland	...	Starfleet Officer (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	....	makeup artist (as James L. McCoy)
Carol A. O'Connell	....	additional hair stylist (as Carol O'Connell)
Tom Woodruff Jr.	....	special makeup effects artist
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 (as Ed Charnock Jr.)
Ron Galloway	....	swing gang
Scott Goodale	....	construction foreman
Ron Greenwood	....	assistant property (as Ronald E. Greenwood)
Dennis Ivanjack	....	stand-by painter (as Dennis C. Ivanjack)
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
Mike Villarino	....	propmaker
Louis Zamora	....	labor foreman

Sound Department
Pamela Bentkowski	....	foley editor
Raul A. Bruce	....	boom operator
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	sound mixer
Robert W. Glass Jr.	....	re-recording mixer
Cecelia Hall	....	supervising sound editor
Sean Hanley	....	adr editor
Ellen Heuer	....	foley by
Ron Horwitz	....	adr editor
Alan Howarth	....	special sound effects
David J. Hudson	....	re-recording mixer
Tom Johnson	....	additional sound effects
John Leveque	....	sound effects editor
Dan O'Connell	....	foley by
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	....	re-recording mixer
Jack Wolpa	....	utility
Jack Woods	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects technician
Bob Dawson	....	special effects supervisor
Peter G. Evangelatos	....	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 (as Dennis K. Petersen)
Tony Vandenecker	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Craig Barron	....	matte camera supervisor
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 photography supervisor
Donald Clark	....	optical camera operator
Peter Daulton	....	visual effects assistant camera
Richard Davis	....	model maker
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
Alan G. Markowitz	....	optical effects supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
Steve Blalock	....	stunts
David Burton	....	stunts
Phil Chong	....	stunts
Jean Coulter	....	stunts
Eddy Donno	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
James M. Halty	....	stunts (as Jim Halty)
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 'Big' Ed Cooper)
Clarence Ebert	....	second company grip
Jon Falkengren	....	dolly grip
Ray Gilberti	....	assistant camera
Norman Glasser	....	chief lighting technician (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 (as Norman E. Parker)
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 (as Alfredo R. Sepulveda)
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
Jean Merrick	....	wardrobe

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

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor (as Robert Badami)
Tommy Johnson	....	musician: tuba soloist
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring 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
Richard Green	....	technical advisor (as Dr. Richard H. Green)
Robin Kellick	....	stand-in
Lily La Cava	....	script supervisor
Alan Landaker	....	chief engineer
Mike MacKenzie	....	equipment engineering supervisor (as Michael MacKenzie)
Joel Marston	....	dialogue coach
Robert Morgan	....	craft service
Marc Okrand	....	creator: alien language
Ed Pine	....	unit publicist
Gene Roddenberry	....	executive consultant
Sylvia Rubenstein	....	assistant: Mr. Bennett
Kimberly L. Ryusaki	....	stand-in
Debbie Schwab	....	assistant: Mr. Schoenbrun
Mark Siegel	....	creature maker
Mark Siegel	....	puppeteer
Andre Tayir	....	choreographer
Teresa E. Victor	....	assistant: Mr. Nimoy
Philip Weyland	....	stand-in (as Phil Weyland)
Rick Whitfield	....	video coordinator
Leonard Nimoy	....	additional writer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)
• Cinema Group Ventures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1987) (USA) (TV)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Video (1993) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Esselte Video (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1987) (Greece) (VHS)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment Finland (2009) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Paramount Home Video (2009) (Canada) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Paramount Home Video (1995) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• René Malo Vidéo-Malofilm Video (1992) (Canada) (VHS)
• TV3 (1992) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

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

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound (as Glen Glenn Sound)
• Sprocket Systems  additional sound effects

Also Known As:

"Star Trek 3" - USA (informal alternative title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Klingon | Russian

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Finland:K-12 (1988) | France:U | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 (re-rerating) | Norway:12 | Singapore:PG | UK:PG | USA:PG (No. 27384) | West Germany:12 | Italy:T | Iceland:10 | South Korea:12 | Brazil:Livre | New Zealand:G | Canada:G (Régie du Cinéma Québec) | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/6 | Finland:K-10 (1996) | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The Excelsior was supposed to debut in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and be identified as newly-promoted Captain Sulu's first command. This plotline was dropped and the Excelsior saved for this film. Sulu would finally take command of her in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). The ship design would be reused for the USS Enterprise-B in the Star Trek: Generations (1994).

Goofs:

Continuity: Arrangement of Kirk's duelling pistols on the wall in the background when Sarek and Kirk are talking in Kirk's home.

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 To Boldly Flee (2012) (V)

Soundtrack:

Genesis Project

Best odd numbered "Trek"

The even numbered "Star Trek" movies (parts 2, 4, 6, 8) have turned out to be the best in the series while the odd numbered ones (parts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9) are the weaker films even though some of the odd numbered ones are pretty good. "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" is, in my opinion, the best odd numbered movie in the series to date. If you recall at the end of "Star Trek II", Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) gave his life to save his friends. His coffin was shipped off to the Genesis Planet, an experiment co-created by Kirk's son David. "Star Trek III" opens with some of this footage from the previous film. As the new scenes begin, the Enterprise crew is on their way home. But weird things start happening. Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) begins to act strange, and a lifeform has been discovered on the Genesis Planet. Is Spock really dead? Is Dr. McCoy going insane? Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) discovers that before his demise Mr. Spock implanted some of his mind into Dr. McCoy, which explains why he's been acting unusual. Spock's father Sarek tells Kirk that he must find Spock's body in whatever condition it's in if there's any chance for Spock and McCoy to have peace. And what follows is a very exciting adventure. In addition to finding Spock, the Enterprise crew must do battle with their most lethal enemy, the Klingons, who's leader (Christopher Lloyd) wants the secrets to the Genesis Project. As far as how good this film is, "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" is just a few notches below "Star Trek II". The story could have used a little tightening and it's a little slow in the first half. But then the film picks up the pace with a thrilling second half. Will Spock be rescued? By now I think everybody knows the answer to this question. Leonard Nimoy made his directorial debut with "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" and did a very good job (he did an even better job on the next film "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home"). "Star Trek III" has all the other elements as well: action, special effects, and performances, all above average. The cast does a good job as usual. Shatner, Kelley, and the rest of the Enterprise crew are back in good form. Lloyd is an exceptional villain here. Look for a pre-"Night Court" John Larroquette as a Klingon. "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" is a fun movie, which was a perfect set-up for the next "Star Trek" adventure.

*** (out of four)