star trek 4 scenes

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Published Jan 4, 2019

Star Trek IV: Did You Know That...

We're sharing some of our favorite fun facts about the making of the film

startrek.com

During April of 1986, I (John) was getting ready for final exams and couldn’t accompany my parents on a vacation they were taking to California. Little did I know my voluntary absence from that year’s family vacation meant I missed an opportunity to watch the filming of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . By luck, my parents—Vincent and Josephine—happened to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium on April 29, 1986. With a 1980s behemoth video camera in tow, my parents forwent their planned tour, and stayed all day to film William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Catherine Hicks as they rehearsed and filmed the important exposition scene where the plight of whales is explained. In the era before the ubiquity of camera phones and social media, there were no restrictions on the audience filming the action. When my parents returned from their vacation, they surprised me with almost an hour's worth of footage of the filming of the next Trek adventure. I couldn’t understand why Kirk and Spock were walking around a modern-day aquarium, but that footage – watched again and again – gave me a lifelong appreciation for the hard work that the actors and behind-the-scenes crew undertake to shoot a Star Trek movie.

That footage also inspired a desire to learn all there was about the making of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .  Here are some of the favorite fun facts about the making of the film that we have learned while researching the behind-the-scenes memos, scripts, and production information available at the University of Iowa Library’s “Papers of Nicholas Meyer Collection.” What’s in a Name?

• Admiral Lance Cartwright (played by Brock Peters) was originally the character of Admiral Harry Morrow (played by Robert Hooks) in the first several versions of the script. Morrow was the Admiral who fans were familiar with from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , who ordered the decommissioning of the U.S.S. Enterprise and forbade Admiral Kirk from going to the Genesis Planet.
• Gillian Taylor’s character was for a time named Shelley Clarke.
• George and Gracie were originally named the more Biblically inspired monikers of Adam and Evie.

• The real name of the whale museum, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, could not be used because the script required the action to take place in Sausalito, closer to San Francisco.
• The October 18, 1985, Revised First Act draft of the script by Harve Bennett listed the name of the film as Star Trek IV: The Adventure Continues

Could Have Beens:

• In a scene that has not yet appeared as a bonus feature on home video, the October 18, 1985, version of the script has a scene where Commander Christine Chapel greets Ambassador Sarek as he arrived uninvited to the Federation Council’s meeting about the fate of Admiral Kirk and crew. A Federation Guard will not allow Sarek into the meeting because he does not have the proper entry medallion credentials. Chapel puts the guard in his place, telling him that “This man is Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan, as any school child would know.” The scene is interesting because it implies that Sarek may have been called to Earth by Chapel to testify and not at the request of the Council, and it is also appropriate that Chapel—whose love for Spock is documented in the original show—would stand up for Sarek in his attempt to help his son and Chapel’s former crew mates. The Official Star Trek Communicator Magazine (the publication of the Official Star Trek Fan Club by Dan Madsen) included a picture from the scene at the time.

• Saavik was indeed pregnant with Spock’s child in the early versions of the script. During Spock and his mother Amanda’s conversation, the script has Amanda trying to tell her son the news, but she hesitates and does not. Kirk and Saavik discuss the situation, with Saavik eventually not telling Spock. Had this scene been included as written, it would have meant that Saavik and Spock’s situation very likely would have had to have been dealt with in a future film. As is, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was Saavik’s last on-screen appearance (although the character of Valeris was originally written as Saavik in drafts of the Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country script).

What date does the crew arrive in 1986 San Francisco? This is a difficult question to answer. One of the scripts (again the October 18, 1985, Revised First Act version) lists the date as December 19, 1985 for the crew’s arrival back in time. However, a careful look at the newspaper the crew reads upon first landing appears to reveal the date to be Thursday, December 18, 1986. If that is the date, then the audiences on opening night in the United States was doing a bit of time traveling themselves, watching events unfolding several weeks after the actual date of the premiere of the film! Complicating December 18th being the official date of the crew’s arrival in San Francisco is a prop that was on display at Star Trek: The Experience . The prop was the pawn store ticket given to Admiral Kirk when he sold his glasses for cash. The date on the ticket is August 19, 1986, four months before the newspaper date the crew looks at a few moments earlier (however, the ticket is not visible on screen directly). By the way, the name of the pawn store according to the prop ticket is Feinberg’s Loan & Pawn. It appears that Kirk gave the pawn store owner the alias name of Sydney Carton and the fake telephone number of... wait for it... 555-1701!

I never did get a chance to see the filming of a Star Trek film. But, by missing my chance in 1986, I learned two important lessons. First, I got to experience another great example of why my Dad and Mom were such great parents, sacrificing a good portion of their day to film something only because their son was a fan. Second, I learned that there are many talented people required to make a Star Trek film. When the credits roll, we continue to marvel at the contributions of the men, women, and whales, that helped make The Voyage Home so incredibly special.Special thanks to: The University of Iowa Libraries, Memory Alpha, Nicholas Meyer, Dan Madsen, and Vincent and Josephine Tenuto. Maria Jose and John Tenuto are both sociology professors at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois, specializing in popular culture and subculture studies. The Tenutos have conducted extensive research on the history of Star Trek , and have presented at venues such as Creation Conventions and the St. Louis Science Center. They have written for the official Star Trek Magazine and their extensive collection of Star Trek items has been featured in SFX Magazine . Their theory about the “20-Year Nostalgia Cycle” and research on Star Trek fans has been featured on WGN News, BBC Radio, and in the documentary The Force Among Us . They recently researched all known paperwork from the making of the classic episode "Space Seed" and are excited to be sharing some previously unreported information about Khan's first adventure with fellow fans. Contact the Tenutos at [email protected] or [email protected].

Get Updates By Email

Inside 'Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home's Famous Bus Scene and Leonard Nimoy's Real-Life Inspiration (Flashback)

William shatner gets emotional after blue origin space flight, why chris hemsworth 'felt like a fool' doing australian 'dancing with the stars', taylor swift not attending met gala 2024: here’s why, barbra streisand asks melissa mccarthy if she uses weight loss shots in awkward instagram exchange, 'the idea of you' author robinne lee weighs in on harry styles theories (exclusive), 'american idol': katy perry wants to give her replacement this unique gift (exclusive), 'little people, big world' star matt roloff gets candid on future of show after 20 years of ndas, 'outdaughtered': danielle cries over quints' struggles with reading (exclusive), jennifer connelly says she's 'ready' for 'top gun 3’ (exclusive), nicholas galitzine wants to go on tour with boygenius or lana del rey (exclusive), 'american idol' honors late alum mandisa with special tribute, gabrielle union credits 'the power of no' with her youthful appearance (exclusive), anne hathaway on choosing sobriety and motherhood connecting her to 'the idea of you' (exclusive), chilli gives sweet reaction to matthew lawrence refusing to shower, bow wow shares rare look at daughter celebrating major milestone, watch billy joel sing 'uptown girl' to ex-wife christie brinkley, inside wwe diva erika hammond and tech billionaire's over-the-top egypt wedding, why maddie ziegler turned down ‘dance moms: the reunion’, vanessa lachey shares sweet way her daughter cheered her up after 'ncis: hawai'i' cancellation, travis kelce calls taylor swift his ‘significant other’ to cheers at charity gala, sophia bush makes red carpet debut with ashlyn harris at white house correspondents dinner, et spoke with the late nimoy about the inspiration behind 'the voyage home's funny bus moment. also, et breaks down an mcu connection..

If Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home has a Friends episode-style nickname, it’s "The One With the Whales." But it speaks to the power of the movie's comedic moments that among Trekkies it's also referred to as "The One That's Funny" 35 years after its debut. 

Speaking with ET upon The Voyage Home ’s premiere in 1986, the late Leonard Nimoy , who died in 2015 at age 86 , revealed the humor wasn’t happenstance. In fact, for his second outing as director and actor following Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,  it was a mandate. 

“I said I want to have some fun here,” Nimoy explained. “We said intentionally right from the very beginning. We want this lighter in tone than these previous films.” Noting the amount of deaths that transpired in I-III, including Mr. Spock, Nimoy quipped, “[The characters] were having eulogies all the time.”

One step of Nimoy's initiative was a memorable incident as Spock and Captain Kirk ( William Shatner ) traversed San Francisco circa 1986, or “the Dark Ages” according to Bones (DeForest Kelley). While riding the city bus, they’re disturbed by a quintessential ‘80s punk blasting loud music from a boombox. At first, Kirk applies his 23rd century manners and politely requests he lower the volume. But the “Punk on Bus” -- the character’s official name in the credits -- replies by flipping him the bird and raising the audio even higher. That’s when Spock resorts to his people’s go-to defense: the “Vulcan nerve pinch,” which renders the unruly passenger unconscious and cuts off the music after he collapses onto his boombox.

As Nimoy told ET, the comic moment was the filmmaker living out a personal fantasy following a similar interaction in his real life that later inspired the scene. “I was walking on Columbus Avenue in New York one day and suddenly was hit with a wall of noisy music,” he recalled, explaining that he then discovered the source was a man who just walked past him carrying a “gigantic” boombox. “I thought if I was Spock right now, I'd 'pinch' his brains out and that's how that got into the movie. It really happened.” He added, “I got hit with that noise and I thought, ‘I've gotta make a comment on that.’” 

On top of the real-life inspiration, Nimoy employed his real-life assistant at the time, Kirk Thatcher, to play “Punk on Bus” (he was also an associate producer for the movie, in addition to co-writing the song playing on the boombox). Thatcher went on to be a prolific writer and director for multiple projects at The Jim Henson Company, including this year’s Muppet Haunted Mansion on Disney +. But ultimately, it would be the notoriety from his less than a minute of screen time that led to a serendipitous invitation to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe , albeit briefly. 

As Thatcher later discovered, MCU overseer Kevin Feige is a big fan of The Voyage Home and, in particular, Spock and Kirk’s bus scene. And sometimes that’s all it takes to end up in a Marvel film, such as 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming . As Thatcher explained to StarTrek.com at the time, not only did he film a cameo in the movie, it’s comically -- and very non-canonically -- implied that he reprised his role as “Punk on Bus” for a quick moment early in the film (as seen below).

Thatcher explained to the outlet: "I was having a meeting with the guys at Marvel and Kevin Feige had to leave early to catch a plane to New York for the last few days of shooting and wrap on Homecoming . I mentioned that I was going to New York too, only two days later. He got excited and asked if I would be interested in doing a cameo as a punk in Spider-Man ? I, of course said, 'Sure!'” While the moment had been 30 years in the making, Thatcher noted that “about 48 hours” passed between his initial invitation and breaking out the boombox again on the set of a big-budget Marvel film. 

Spock becoming a public transit hero also derived from Nimoy’s wish to get Star Trek “off the lot,” which for this franchise mostly pertains to the Paramount Studios backlot in Hollywood, where a majority of the original series and the first three movies were filmed. His objective culminated with him and veteran Star Trek writer Harve Bennett crafting a plot that in part weaved together a lethal threat to Earth, time travel, nods to global warming and the Vulcan’s recovery after being resurrected from the dead in  The Search for Spock . 

But the production ultimately did circle back to Melrose Avenue to film The Voyage Home ’s climatic finale at Paramount, which saw the crew crash their borrowed Klingon Bird-of-Prey into the San Francisco Bay. Still, shooting that sequence in a water tank adjacent to the parking lot was a little more exciting than their run-of-the-mill soundstage production sets. “It was a lot of fun to shoot that scene,” Nimoy said, which he also jokingly referred to as his “Cecil B. DeMille moment” on account of the wind, wave and smoke machines around the set that were reminiscent of productions in Hollywood’s “Golden Age.” 

Despite the excitement, Nimoy said he faced extra challenges while pulling double duty on set. “I had to be taken back and forth in a boat in order to get into the shot, and then [another boat ride] to get back out of the shot and look behind the cameras,” he remembered.

Nimoy’s initial instincts paid off when The Voyage Home was released on Nov. 26, 1986. The movie brought in $130 million at the worldwide box office and garnered several favorable reviews. It also won over a very important figure in the Trekkie community. “I have seen the rough cut of [the movie] and I was very, very pleased,” Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry told ET leading up to the release. “I think it's the best of all the Star Trek movies. Leonard Nimoy has done a fine job.”

Looking at the canon in the 35 years since, it’s easy to see the movie’s influence on both the franchise’s TV shows and films. Time travel has proven to be one of Star Trek ’s most fertile storytelling devices, which The Next Generation took advantage of nearly 10 years later to the day. And its influence on the comedy end has reverberated all the way to Lower Decks , which referenced  The Voyage Home ’s pair of whales as one of many Easter eggs on Mariner’s conspiracy tac board in "Cupid's Errant Arrow" (seen below). 

Looking past the movie’s humor and dynamic set pieces, Nimoy believed the magic behind The Voyage Home could be attributed to his long-time collaborators. “I think every one of them makes an extremely valuable contribution to Star Trek ,” Nimoy expressed. “One of the most important things is this particular group of people and the special chemistry that happens when we all come together.”

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home  is streaming on Paramount+.

RELATED CONTENT

'Star Trek: Picard' Earns Early Season 3 Renewal

'Star Trek: Picard' Season 2: Jean-Luc Comes Face to Face With Q in First Trailer

'Star Trek' Turns 55: Remembering Dwayne Johnson, Vanessa Williams and Other Celebrity Guest Stars (Flashback)

• Leonard Nimoy
• William Shatner

Latest News

Updates on celebrity news, tv, fashion and more.

• April 30, 2024 | Star Trek Team Was Top Fundraiser For Pancreatic Cancer Action Network 2024 Charity Walk
• April 30, 2024 | See Alexander, Nog, And Jake Deal With Q Jr’s Time Loop Shenanigans In ‘Sons Of Star Trek’ #2 Preview
• April 29, 2024 | Preview ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Episode 506 With New Images. Trailer And Clip From “Whistlespeak”
• April 28, 2024 | Interview: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Writer Carlos Cisco On Unmasking The Breen And Revisiting The ISS Enterprise
• April 26, 2024 | Michael Dorn Wanted Armin Shimerman To Play The Ferengi That Worf Killed In Star Trek Picard

Watch: Star Trek IV Behind-The Scenes-Video Filmed By John Tenuto’s Parents

| December 29, 2007 | By: John Tenuto 71 comments so far

Can you imagine any film today, especially J.J. Abrams’ new Star Trek , allowing members of the general public to videotape filming. Abrams did recently allow some workers of the City of Long Beach to observe filming , but all were required to sign NDAs. Of course Star Trek IV was made over a decade before the Internet became a reality and when video cameras were the size of a Buick, nonetheless it was pretty cool. It was also very nice of my parents to spend most of a day of his vacation videotaping the shooting of a Star Trek movie just for me. You can tell he isn’t really a fan as he couldn’t even get the actors names right.

Bloopers And just for fun, here are some bloopers from Star Trek IV

First to be a loser!

So shoot me–this is still my favorite film. Thanks for the look back!

Taking a moment to be sure that nostalgia doesn’t blind your perception, it was with The Voyage Home that the entire franchise began to go from being “epic” and slid toward self-parody…………..a one time opportunity to have the franchise endure wasted!! What a shame!!

Fascinating to see Shatner actually checking out an actual exhibit.

Harry Ballz, I’m disappointed in you. I expected to see that in rhyme.

Talk about wasted opportunities!

I suspect Nimoy would rather we sit back and enjoy his film as opposed to worrying about epic status. Harry–you get the post-Christmas Grinch Award.

They did a movie pertaining to whale For THAT they should have worked for scale The plotline was supremely lousy Watching this film made me drowsy After ten minutes I wanted to bail!!

ah….what would the Internet be without those who are here to lift the blinders of our own misperceptions.

oh and thanks to John and his dad who shot this cool video. If anyone else or their dad has more behind the scenes footage of trek movie making let me know

I loved this movie and frankly I liked the fact that they were able to poke fun at themselves.

Maybe we should learn to do the same.

Ah, that’s more like it, Harry!

Although I’m obviously not in your camp!

My favorite ST film, too, Admiraldeem!

And right on, MiamiTrek!

Wow! Thanks a lot for that video! Your parents have no idea of the history they were watching! By far the best movie with the original cast, and the one to have the biggest impact on society!

Gees,, thats lucky!!

Love seeing Nimoy directing in-costume.

FWIW, some of my favorite trek is what Harry and others might call “self-parody.” I think what really is damning to the franchise is fans who act ashamed of it.

TOS was already silly before Trek IV ever came along.

I think the gentle self-parody aspect made the film very warm and loveable.

It is truly amazing how they allowed the public to watch and videotape a day’s filming. Bravo, and thanks for sharing.

I wrote an article about a similar theme for MarketingProfs. Check it out if you have a chance.

Sorry for the double post — here’s a link to the article:

http://www.mpdailyfix.com/2007/12/inviting_outsiders_in_helps_co.html

Trek IV was an enjoyable film, but it got into whales and things and you could tell that it wasn’t serious science fiction.

#2 – no we won’t shoot you. ST:IV is a guilty pleasure. It was Star Trek at it’s most comfortable, and yet even with it’s insider humour it reached out to a much broader audience.

It was the first Trek that made me feel good inside when I left the theatre, it rekindled my imagination in Trek – and we even see Mr. Spock laugh, and the Enterprise restored.

After such a high note, the ST:V was a dissapointment. I think at that point the movie franchise had in my mind jumped the shark. Don’t get me wrong – Undiscovered Country was good, and First Contact was awesome – but some of the wind had gone from her sails.

Maybe I had gotten older. The days of standing in line hours before a premiere, and getting excited with friends has been replaced with blogs and online tickets.

But for the first time in ages, I’m excited again.

Ok, I’m rambling. But you know I’m right.

Looking forward to the teaser in front of Cloverfield…..

I hope the new film can capture at least some of the charm and appeal of TVH. Great film. Love it.

Awesome! I kept thinking.. this was all REAL footage of Captain Kirk and Spock. Pretty trippy. lol. :)

You excitement is infectious. I know exactly what you’re talking about and I am totally feeling it too.

Is it good for you? ;-)

This is the real thing!

A wonderful film which unclosed an adorable humorous approach, which still was able to deliver an important message – today more topical than ever – and which at the same time gave us true science fiction by means of the time travel realization.

Thanks to John and his parents for the remarkable footage and thanks for the fantastic bloopers, as well!

Awesome to see that behind the scens footage. Very interesting. I have a real soft spot for ST:IV. I was six years old when the movie came out and it was the first Star Trek Movie I got to see on the big screen! For a six year old kid it was pure magic! And now with Star Trek (2008) less than year away I feel like a kid again waiting for Christmas Morning!

#25 i’m really hoping that the Earth (and stars) will move for me, Miami Trek. ;) Without fail the last 5 minutes of TVH brings a tear to my eye. I so want Trek08 to have that same affect on me. I honestly do. Try to do it, JJ and Roberto. Try really hard to deliver us the charm and delight that TVH brought.

Shatner has an interest in marine life. He shot a doc about the manatee a few year back and in it he swam, avec toupee.

Wow, first time I saw that blooper reel! I wish it was on the DVD, but I heard Leonard Nimoy doesn’t like bloopers to be shown publicly.

Voyage Home is still my favorite Star Trek. It was a really fun light-hearted romp and accessible to a wide audience. I think J.J. Abrams movie is going to be in a more serious tone, but I hope it will have its fun moments too.

I mean to say Voyage Home was my favorite Star Trek movie.

#2 “So shoot me–this is still my favorite film:

Why would anyone shoot you? This wonderful outing just shows the TOS crew was equally adept at comedy as they were drama. Just look at some of the lighter TOS episodes. Not to mention the fact that it remains the most successful Trek movie ever made. You and many many more feel the same way and contributed to the movie’s un-equalled success. You’re in the majority, don’t sweat it..

my favorite as well – especially as a biologist :D

John thanks so much for sharing that! Very cool to see! A great little Christmas present.

This was wonderful! I hope the next movie will be like this.

# 30 I have heard that too. But maybe he relaxed his attitude over time, because I first saw those at a convention and he himself was the one that brought the tape and showed it to us as part of his time on stage.

The Voyage Home is my all time favorite Trek Movie. It trackled a subject near to my heart but at the same time it had a lot of laughs. One of my favorite lines from Spock in it is, where he gets dropped off in the park before Kirk and co go for a priza. The bit about sure you will not change your mind and Spock ‘s reply, “Why is there something wrong with the one I have.” That really made me cracked up and nearly got thrown out of the cinema as I have a loud laugh.

The Original Trek series was not silly. It might look out dated by some now but hey they did not have CGI back then or a huge budget. I watched it because of the good stories and action. It was so different to other sci fi show s of that time. I got my interest in Astronomy from watching TOS too.

speaking of deleted scenes and bloopers – did anyone notice the Trek bloopers that could be found in the Target dollar secton? …

I always had one niggling problem with The Voyage Home. “Space Seed” placed Khan’s departure from Earth during the Eugenics Wars in 1996. The Voyage Home was set in 1986, just ten years before. Earth 1986 in The Voyage home looked too much like the real Earth 1986, rather than what 1986 should have looked like in the Star Trek Universe. The same sort of problem plagued DS9’s “Past Tense”, VGR’s trip to 1997 and the whole of ENT.

Funny, I just watched the TVH yesterday! It is interesting to see some behind the scenes takes. I like how he keeps calling him William Nimoy. :) Just a thought. I personaly feel TVH was a nice departure from the, up til then, studio bound films. I think it lent a somewhat broader feel to the movie, not like it was just another Star Trek but a big Star Trek. Although I think TMP accomplished that without location shoots. But that was also a film that was really mostly visual. You will also notice that there isint much dialog in TMP. Lots and lots of reaction shots though!

Very cool video, Thank You for posting it.

Thanks for the video clips.

I wonder if there are any more bloopers from the other Trek movies available on the Internet.

I always thought it would have been great if Joan Collins had made a very brief cameo.

“Nobody’s perfect.” “Oh yeah?”

Priceless. Nimoy actually has a wicked sense of humor.

TOS was odd in the sense that they did air two flat-out comedy episodes during the show’s run – “The Trouble with Tribbles” and “I, Mudd”, which showed the malleability of the show and it’s characters. They could literally be out of character and still in character at the same time.

So similarly, when the opportunity came for STIV, they decided to wrap up their super-serious, death-filled films mini-arc trilogy on a comedic note. A brilliant and enjoyable strategy, but one that should have been used sparingly. Part of the problem with STV was that they seemed to want to keep the silly humor going, but it was poorly delivered, poorly placed, and it dropped like a turd in church.

And to the comment saying STIV was the beginning of the downfall of Trek, was it not the most successful of all the TOS films?

NIce! What a year 1986 was. The Mets won the WS, the Giants won the Super Bowl, Nicklaus won the US Open, and TVH was a big hit.

Trivia Question: Can you name the movie that knocked TVH out of its number 1 slot?

Watched it again for the first time in years. It is very well done. Each of the characters actually get well written, important subplots throughout the film. Uhura and Chekov looking for the wessels, Scotty and McCoy with the transparent aluminum guy, Sulu and the helo, McCoy saving Chekhov in the hospital. I can’t think of another Trek movie where all are used better. And I really enjoy this movie’s lighthearted mood. When I read people moaning about how things aren’t “sci-fi” enough, I think of Shatner’s brilliant SNL appearance, ALSO from 1986! In other words, lighten up.

Trivia answer: TVH was only held the number 1 spot for two weekends, then lost it to The Golden Child, and Three Amigos (!). It was a strong number 2 for about a month into 1987. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=1986&wknd=48&p=.htm

Those home movies and bloopers are GREAT!!

I dunno, as time goes on, I’m actually liking STV more than the saccherine IV, warts and all. Hell, I like V better than FC with it’s smarmy Voyageresque sense of humor and plot holes ten miles wide. (I don’t expect anyone to agree…)

#45 It was the biggest straight box office winner, but TMP remains the champ of all 10 of the ST films in terms of tickets sold, and after adusting for inflation, TMP is the clear champ. That has been mentioned here quite a lot. I think Anthony had a whole story about it once.

As far as being the “downfall”, the success of TVH in late 1986 could be credited as the catalyst for Paramount greenlighting TNG, which premiered the following September in 1987. So, arguably, without those goofy whales, you’d have no uber-serious TNG. I guess some would say the rise of TNG was the downfall of TOS.

Yep, here’s the list:

1 Star Trek IV $109,713,132 2 Star Trek: First Contact $92,027,888 3 Star Trek: TMP $82,258,456 4 Star Trek II $78,912,963 5 Star Trek III: $76,471,046 6 Star Trek: Generations $75,671,125 7 Star Trek VI $74,888,996 8 Star Trek: Insurrection $70,187,658 9 Star Trek V $52,210,049 10 Star Trek: Nemesis $43,254,409

And if I understand the chart on BoxOfficeMojo.com, STIV was the only Trek film to ever grab the top spot for an opening weekend.

#47. I agree that V is better than FC. That’s because it features the characters I personally identify with ST. I just never got into TNG. FC was entertaining, but not “my” Trek. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

BTW, any news on the long rumored fan-produced re-edit of STV?

• |   HOME
• 0                  
• AFRICA      
• CENTRAL AMERICA
• MIDDLE EAST
• SOUTH AMERICA
• UNITED KINGDOM
• A            
• ABOUT      
• TRAVEL      
• FEATURES      
• LINKS      
• |   FILMS
• |   PLACES
• |   PEOPLE

Home > Films > S > Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Wednesday May 1st 2024

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | 1986

• Locations |
• San Francisco , Los Angeles , California
• Leonard Nimoy
• William Shatner,
• Leonard Nimoy,
• DeForest Kelley,
• James Doohan,
• George Takei,
• Walter Koenig,
• Nichelle Nichols,
• Vijay Amritraj,
• Madge Sinclair

After a couple of almost totally studio-bound sequels, the Star Trek big-screen series begins to use real California locations with this eco-conscious adventure. The crew of the Enterprise zooms back to 1986 San Francisco in time to save the whale.

Arriving in San Francisco , the crew splits up at the junction of Columbus, Kearny and Pacific Avenues . The crew’s purloined Klingon ship flies under the Golden Gate Bridge .

‘Golden Gate Park’, though, where the crew parks the ‘Bird of Prey’, is actually Will Rogers State Park , 14253 Sunset Boulevard, Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles . The park is the former estate of humorist Will Rogers in the Santa Monica mountains.

The 'Vulcan' planet scenes were filmed at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park , 10700 West Escondido Canyon Road , near Agua Dulce Springs. Named after 19th century outlaw Tiburcio Vasquez , who hid out here, the spectacular location – an outburst of the San Andreas fault where spurs of rock have been thrust out of the earth – has been used in hundreds of Westerns and sci-fi movies, pop videos and photoshoots, dating back (at least) to Werewolf of London in 1935. You can see the rocks in Alpha Dog , Apache , Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey , Blazing Saddles and The Flintstones among many others. Episodes of the Star Trek TV series had been filmed here and JJ Abrams 2009 reboot of Star Trek returns to the site.

The park is in the high desert north of Los Angeles , between Newhall and Acton , off Route 14.

The ‘Sausalito Cetacean Institute’, where the Enterprise crew finds the two humpback whales, was supposedly over the Bay, just north of San Francisco. You can actually find it on the coast about 120 miles south of the city, in Monterey . It's the Monterey Bay Aquarium , 886 Cannery Row, Monterey . The aquarium, by the way, does not contain any whales, but does have loads of other fascinating stuff.

Visit: California

Visit: Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park , 10700 Escondido Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91390 ( tel: 661.268.0840 )

Visit: Monterey

Visit: the Monterey Bay Aquarium , 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940 ( tel: 831.648.4800 )

California | San Francisco

Visit: San Francisco

Flights: San Francisco International Airport , San Francisco, CA 94128 ( tel: 650.821.8211 )

Travel around: BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)

California | Los Angeles

Visit: Los Angeles

Flights: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) , 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045 ( tel: 424.646.5252 )

Travelling around: Los Angeles Metro

Visit: Will Rogers State Park , 1501 Will Rogers State Park Road, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 ( tel: 310.454.8212 )

Den of Geek

Star Trek: four full scenes and new trailer reviewed

Den Of Geek reports from the world-first screening of four complete scenes from the new Star Trek movie, as introduced by JJ Abrams and Simon Pegg. Huge spoilers...

• Share on Facebook (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Linkedin (opens in a new tab)
• Share on email (opens in a new tab)

I’ve just been to see twenty minutes of footage from J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek . We were told by Chris Hedges – head of Paramount UK – and Rob Moore, vice-president of Paramount pictures, that we 400-odd journos were the first people in the world to see the footage. A very disarming Abrams himself was there, as was Simon Pegg, the new ‘Scotty’; both were on-form but clearly very nervous, and both addressed the gathering, Abrams at length. After joking that he’d never been a big fan of Star Trek , Abrams went on to explain how he’d followed the franchise through the original TV and film series, and through the later spin-offs, and intimated that his movie would be the first time that the ‘promise of adventure’ would actually be realised. He may be right: the viewing started with the new trailer, which will be in cinemas Friday, followed by four scenes from the movie itself, all complete with polished SFX and scoring.

And it all looks absolutely amazing.

Anyone prepared to withstand some major spoilers can check below for details of these scenes. For those leaving it here and saving themselves for the movie, let me say that the footage screened today is just sensationally great. Pine is good as Kirk, Urban is UNCANNY as McCoy, Quinto has got Spock’s icy reservation and underlying anger nailed, the effects look more like GREAT model-work than ropey CGI and I’m just about as impatient for May 2009 as I can be…

—————————————————————– NUCLEAR-STRENGTH SPOILERS BELOW. BE WARNED! —————————————————————– THE TRAILER The trailer for Star Trek starts off looking more like a 70s road movie, as a young Kirk drives a beat-up old Chevy round the ranges of Iowa in search of a few thrills before over-estimating his own braking power. Pretty soon his wheels are plunging a few thousand feet and he’s being rescued from a literal cliff-hanging situation by a rather robotic-looking Iowa traffic cop, who’s just descended from his floating ride to help the young rebel out. They’re really going for the ‘bad boy’ bit with this Kirk, as we shall find out in the full-length scenes.

Ad – content continues below

Much of the content of the rest of the trailer contains material covered in the scenes that we were shown afterwards, and the slow Kirk-in-trouble scene quickly gives way to the usual epilepsy-inducing quick-cuts, showing some pretty spectacular space battles, the Enterprise under construction in the fields of Iowa (being regarded by an awed Kirk, not yet enrolled in Starfleet), a roll-call of all the returning characters and…Uhura (Zoe Saldana) stripping down to her bra (for some reason – I’m not complaining, it’s a very nice sight, but it’s a bit of a cheap shot for a film with this much going for it). The trailer concludes with Romulan villain Nero (Eric Bana) declaring portentously ‘The wait is over’….

THE FIRST SCENE: Kirk’s bar-fight The first scene shows Kirk getting his arse totally kicked by some Starfleet squaddies who were letting off steam in a nightclub near the Enterprise site. The squaddies were in fact trying to defend Uhura from Kirk’s persistent and relentless pestering, It’s a far more intense chat-up than you would ever have guessed from the Shatner-Nichols dynamic, and at one point Kirk makes mention of Uhura’s famous linguistic skills, descending to some sub- TOS innuendo with the line “It must mean you’ve got a magic tongue”.

Anyway pretty soon the belligerent squaddies are telling Tiberius to back off. There being only four of them against one of him, Kirk tells them to come back with four more…to make it an even fight! After a bit of a scuffle – during which Kirk ends up inadvertently holding Uhura’s breasts before she sends him back into the fray – the squaddies totally whip Kirk, and at the end he’s pinned to a table having his face violently pummelled by the lead squaddie, before being rescued by Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), who’s slated as the first captain of the Enterprise.

The following section zips to ten minutes later. Kirk is sitting opposite Pike with cotton wool stuffed up his nose to stop the bleeding, while Pike remonstrates with him for being constantly in trouble and failing to enlist in Starfleet in spite of his genius-level test scores. “You could have your own starship in eight years”, he promises. The scene concludes with Pine reminding Kirk that his own father was captain of a starship for only 12 minutes and managed to save over 800 lives – including Kirk’s mother – in that time…and he challenges Kirk to do better.

THE SECOND SCENE: An ill Kirk tries to warn Pike of danger Abrams prefaced this scene by informing us that – after the preceding scene – Kirk continues to get into trouble after his enrolment in Starfleet, and that when all the other graduates have been assigned starships, he is assigned none. Kirk’s friend Doctor McCoy (Karl Urban, who REALLY nails DeForest Kelley’s voice and mannerisms) manages to get him on board Pike’s first run with the Enterprise by invoking Federation Rule 691, which states that a doctor can bring on board any person who he deems to be in need of treatment. In order to qualify Kirk for this loophole, McCoy gives him a nasty but non-lethal virus.

As we join the scene, Kirk’s looking pretty ill as McCoy drags him over to a bed in a very spacious and cool-looking sick-bay. McCoy gives Kirk something to allay the effects of the virus, but Kirk has an allergic reaction to it and his hands swell up like Mickey Mouse’s.

Over on the bridge, Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin) tries to log on with voice-identification, but the Enterprise computer won’t let him until he can pronounce his V’s properly.

Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!

Chekov announces to the crew that there is a catastrophic electrical storm on Vulcan, and that the Enterprise is running to the rescue. But Kirk recognises the description of the storm as identical to a Romulan attack that took place at the time of his birth, and is determined to warn Captain Pike that he is warping into a terrible trap.

Kirk tracks down Uhura, not yet a fixture on the bridge, and tries to convince her to help him, but then the virus/palliative causes his tongue to stop working! McCoy eventually manages to stabilise him so that he can talk to Pike.

Confronting Pike with the information on the bridge, a very disapproving Spock tries to have the brash young graduate taken off by security, but Kirk is able to persuade both Spock and his captain of the danger they’re in.

Dropping out of warp-speed, the Enterprise instantly finds itself navigating the hulks and wrecks of the aftermath of a huge space-battle. This is no natural phenomena…

THE THIRD SCENE: Meeting Nimoy’s Spock and Pegg’s Mr. Scott Abrams prefaced this scene by explaining that Kirk’s continuing impulsiveness has forced Spock – now in command of the Enterprise – to exile him temporarily on an unnamed location. Here Kirk is met by…Spock! This time it’s Leonard Nimoy, who has been aged even beyond his 77 years to play a Spock that has travelled back in time to change the course of history.

As we join the scene, Nimoy’s Spock is leading Pine’s Kirk to meet Pegg’s Mr. Scott, who has been similarly exiled, and is in belligerent mood. Scott has a big scene here, talking with some annoyance about his efforts to effect matter transference onto a ship that is travelling at warp-speed. This is something Kirk and Scotty need to know if they are going to use Spock’s handy transporter terminal to get back into the action.

Nimoy informs Scott that his future self will solve the problem of ‘beaming up’ between speeding ships, and even shows him the formula he is destined to work out. The engineer declares (against the evidence). “Of course! I never would have thought of space as a moving force!”.

Old Spock informs Kirk that he will need to get Young Spock’s command revoked with the old ‘unfit for command’ ruse we have so often seen in Star Trek , and that he should do this by getting Young Spock emotionally off-balance. Old Spock declares that it will not be difficult, and that he himself is like that (suggesting that Spock has seen himself in this way his whole life).

As Kirk and Scotty get into the transporter, Kirk playfully accuses Old Spock of cheating by travelling back in time to change the course of events. “I learnt it from a master”, Spock rejoins. Ouch.

THE FOURTH (FINAL SCENE): Stopping the Romulan drill on Vulcan Here Kirk and Sulu are in a drop-ship (inside it’s very similar to the drop-ship from Aliens ) along with a security officer called Olson. Sulu and Kirk are wearing blue-ish space-suits, but Olson’s of course, is red.

Olson will be dead in three minutes.

The mission for our heroes is to stop the chain-like drill that is hanging twenty miles down from an orbiting Romulan ship from completing its work and creating the singularity that will engulf Vulcan. Vulcan only has minutes left before the Big One, and Mr. Spock gives Chekov the helm and beams down to the surface to save the Vulcan senate – including his parents. Meantime he has given orders to have Vulcan evacuate as far as possible in the minutes remaining.

Back at the rescue mission, Kirk, Sulu and Olson are dropped off and free-fall down the endless miles of space-chain. It’s undoubtedly the longest parachute jump ever committed to film, and it’s totally spectacular.

The chain has a number of interstitial platforms, and poor Olson comes a cropper of one of these after deploying his parachute, and ends up a blot on the landscape. Meantime Kirk and Sulu fight Romulans on the rusting platform/link suspended 4 miles above the Vulcan surface. To make matters worse, there’s a vent near them that blasts a decimating wave of energy out every few minutes, so they have to fight around it.

Kirk once again finds himself hanging above a huge drop by his fingernails, with his Romulan adversary trying to stamp on his feet and get him off the ledge. Luckily for Kirk, Sulu’s amazing sword – which unfolds to full-length from the handle like a light-sabre, but is made of metal – downs the Romulan nasty, and Sulu pulls Kirk up. Sulu saves Kirk? Huh?

Fear not, it will be repaid with interest in moments. Nero reveals that the interference of Kirk and Sulu has come too late – the singularity is in place. The Romulan ship lets the chain go and Kirk and Sulu find themselves about 60 seconds from becoming part of the rocky Vulcan landscape.

On the Enterprise, they’re having a bit of trouble beaming our heroes up. “Try and stay in one place”, shouts the transporter officer. Not easy when you’re plummeting at maximum velocity. It looks like the end, but not so, for young Mr. Chekov is sure that he knows the technique for beaming up moving objects, and fights his way through the confusion on the Enterprise to rescue Kirk and Sulu just as they are about to become bug-blatter.

Latest Movie reviews

Challengers review: zendaya scores in twisted sports thriller, rebel moon 2: the scargiver review – zack snyder definitely leaves a mark, spy x family code: white review – a radical genre pivot for a beloved anime.

Star Trek: the new Enterprise revealed (includes exclusive description of production design and photos unveiled before the screening)

More Star Trek at Den of Geek: Kirk and Spock posters revealed Chris Pine talks James T Kirk Loads of new images released Five reasons to be worried about the new Star Trek movie William Morgan Sheppard interview

Women In Star Trek – Will Chris Pine be merrily slapping yeomen’s arses in Summer of 2009?

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Full cast & crew.

Directed by 

Writing credits  , cast (in credits order) verified as complete  , produced by , music by , cinematography by , editing by , casting by , production design by , art direction by , set decoration by , costume design by , makeup department , production management , second unit director or assistant director , art department , sound department , special effects by , visual effects by , stunts , camera and electrical department , casting department , costume and wardrobe department , editorial department , location management , music department , script and continuity department , transportation department , additional crew , thanks .

Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Filming & Production | Technical Specs

Contribute to This Page

• Full Cast and Crew
• Release Dates
• Official Sites
• Company Credits
• Filming & Production
• Technical Specs
• Plot Summary
• Plot Keywords
• Parents Guide

Did You Know?

• Crazy Credits
• Alternate Versions
• Connections
• Soundtracks

Photo & Video

• Photo Gallery
• Trailers and Videos
• User Reviews
• User Ratings
• External Reviews
• Metacritic Reviews

Related Items

• External Sites

Related lists from IMDb users

Recently Viewed

Where was Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home filmed?

City locations.

San Francisco (USA), Los Angeles (USA)

Location Types

Retro, Nature, Film Studio

Location Styles

Cabin, High-tech/Futuristic, Building Dated/Retro

About Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Ready for a sci-fi adventure like no other? Then join the crew of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home on an intergalactic journey full of surprises and wonders! Directed by Leonard Nimoy, this 1986 American science fiction feature film is based on the classic TV series, offering a unique experience through space and time.

So buckle up your seatbelts; it's sure to go an epic voyage! It serves as the fourth feature-length installment of the franchise and is a follow-up to Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984). The movie marks the conclusion of the story arc which began with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and continued with The Search for Spock.

After being held accountable for their actions from the previous installment, the former crew of the USS Enterprise finds Earth facing a crisis due to an alien probe looking to contact extinct humpback whales. With no other options, they journey back into Earth's past to secure some whales that can respond to this probe's signal.

Leonard Nimoy was asked to direct Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and he also came up with a story idea lacking a primary antagonist. However, the first screenplay by Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes failed to gain approval, prompting Paramount Pictures to enlist Nicholas Meyer (writer/director of The Wrath of Khan) for assistance. Together with producer Harve Bennett, they co-wrote the script which had to be approved by Nimoy, William Shatner, and Paramount execs.

Filming commenced on February 24th, 1986. The Voyage Home was distinct in its extensive use of real-world locations for the film, with many of San Francisco's settings and buildings incorporated as part of the scenes. Industrial Light & Magic provided post-production and special effects for the movie. To create an authentic, lifelike experience for humpback whales, ILM used both full-size animatronics and small mechanized models.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Locations

Prior to the release of The Search for Spock, Leonard Nimoy was invited by Paramount to return and direct the subsequent movie. Allowing him more control and freedom compared to his previous experience, they referred to his vision when expressing their desire to have him on board once again - as Nimoy recollects.

After a few adventures that were mainly set in a studio, the Star Trek movie series took advantage of actual California locations for this environmentally-aware adventure. The crew of the Enterprise returns to 1986 San Francisco to save a whale.

Upon arriving in San Francisco, the crew splits up at the corner of Columbus, Kearny, and Pacific Avenues. The Klingon ship that they pilfered then travels below the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Although the crew of the Enterprise lands at 'Golden Gate Park' with their stolen Klingon ship, it is actually Will Rogers State Park, located in Pacific Palisades.

Originally the home of humorist Will Rogers, this stunning park in the Santa Monica mountains was used as a filming location for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Here is a rundown of where other memorable scenes were filmed.

Kirk and Spock first meet Gillian scene in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940, United States

Kirk (William Shatner) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) meet Gillian (Catherine Hicks) at the Cetacean Institute in Sausalito, where they also encounter George and Gracie, two humpback whales. In the movie, these majestic creatures are contained in a large tank outdoors near the Pacific Ocean.

However, the Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home scene was actually filmed at Monterey Bay Aquarium - located some distance away from San Francisco - which has a deck overlooking the Pacific. The whales seen on-screen were created with animatronics for closeups, with special effects taking over for shots taken from further away.

Just 120 miles down the coast from San Francisco, you'll find the Monterey Bay Aquarium located at 886 Cannery Row in Monterey. Although it doesn't have any whales on its premises, many other exciting creatures and exhibits await exploration.

To get there from the north, take the Pacific Grove Highway 68 toward Monterey and exit at Del Monte Avenue. Continue straight on this road for 1.7 miles until you reach Cannery Row. If you're arriving from the south, take the 101 Freeway to Munras Avenue and head west for 2 miles until you reach Cannery Row. Public transportation is also an option, and bus number 22 services both Del Monte Avenue and Cannery Row south of Prescott Avenue and is available throughout most days.

The Bird of Prey Water scene in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

14253 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, USA

Towards the movie's finale, viewers witness the Klingon Bird of Prey dramatically plunging into San Francisco Bay. However, due to safety concerns, these scenes could not be filmed in the real bay - they were instead shot in a large water tank at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. This tank can actually be filled with water for filming purposes and is also equipped with a large background that can be repainted or used as a blue screen.

The crew parks the 'Bird of Prey' at a place known as "Golden Gate Park," but this is actually Will Rogers State Park in Pacific Palisades, located at 14253 Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. This park was once the estate of famous humorist and actor Will Rogers in the Santa Monica mountains.

If you are traveling by car, head west on Chautauqua Boulevard and make a right onto Sunset Blvd. After 7 Miles you will see the address to your left. If you prefer to use public transportation, bus #652 will drop you off at the Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home filming location.

Chekov and Uhura Look For The "Nuclear Wessels" scene in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

The intersection of Columbus & Mason, North Beach, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) set off to locate the Nuclear Vessels ("wessels" as Chekov says). The scenes for this mission were shot at the intersection of Columbus, Mason, and Greenwich Streets.

The actors had to actually approach unsuspecting local passers-by to film their reactions, who had no idea they were being filmed. To retrace their steps, start by making your way to the North Beach area itself, once there use each street name as your point of reference for navigation.

Find either Columbus or Mason and you'll have no difficulty in finding their intersection. For those planning a visit to this central hub of activity in San Francisco, the best transit route is the 30-Stockton or 45-Union line - they both stop two blocks away from Columbus and Mason’s intersection.

The crew of the Enterprise arrives on Earth scene in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

900 Kearny St, San Francisco, California 94133, United States

After arriving on Earth in 1986, the crew discovers that their mission had taken a toll on the ship's power reserves. Thus, they cloak the Bounty and hide it in Golden Gate Park.

The crew then divides up tasks to be accomplished: Admiral James T. Kirk and Spock search for humpback whales, while Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) create a tank that can contain the whales necessary for their journey back to the 23rd century.

The Columbus Tower, commonly referred to as the Sentinel Building, is a multipurpose structure located in San Francisco, California. Construction had already commenced before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake caused serious damage to the building site and other parts of the city; it was eventually concluded in 1907.

Nowadays, much of the tower is occupied by Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope studio. It's just a few blocks away from BART and MUNI stations, so you can easily take public transportation there or even walk if you're feeling adventurous.

You can also get there by car or bike; simply enter your starting address into a navigation application and it will provide you with step-by-step directions. Once you arrive, off-street parking is available as well as several nearby parking garages.

Vulcan scene in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area and Nature Center, 10700 Escondido Canyon Rd, Agua Dulce, CA 91390, United States

The crew began shooting the opening scenes of Star Trek IV on the planet Vulcan at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area situated near Santa Clarita. This area is a popular filming location thanks to the aesthetics provided by its distinctive rock formations and it's relatively close to Los Angeles.

To give the scenes an even greater sense of realism, matte paintings were utilized. The Vulcan site was named after Tiburcio Vasquez, a 19th-century outlaw who had once sought refuge there.

Characterized by spurs of rock that were thrust out of the earth as a result of the San Andreas Fault, this remarkable place has been used to shoot many Westerns, sci-fi movies, and pop videos since Werewolf of London in 1935. Additionally, various episodes of the Star Trek TV series have been filmed at the location and it makes another appearance in JJ Abrams' 2009 reboot.

You can get there by car, bike, or on foot by following a few easy steps. Locate the nearest highway that has access to Agua Dulce, such as Interstate 14 or Highway 126. Once you reach the correct highway, continue driving until you find Sierra Highway/14th Street West, then turn onto Sierra Highway and take it straight until you reach Escondido Canyon Road. Keep following this road until you reach your destination at 10700 Escondido Canyon Road.

Kirk and Spock discuss their plan scene in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA, United States

As Kirk and Spock reflect on their current situation while walking along Marine Drive, situated between the San Francisco Presidio's Fort Point National Historic Site and Torpedo Wharf, they come to a decision regarding their next move after their initial plan fails.

Spanning the one-mile (1.6 km)-wide Golden Gate strait and connecting San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge was constructed at a cost of over $35 million beginning on January 5, 1933. Several designers were involved in crafting this remarkable engineering feat.

Visiting the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA is on the must-do list for many people. Starting from downtown San Francisco, you can take a ride-sharing service or public bus like Muni bus 28; both drop off close to the bridge. For those coming from outside of San Francisco, it's only a short drive away and easy to access from Highway 101 or Interstate 280.

This classic movie is affectionately referred to as "The One with the Whales" - and the nuclear "wessels". The tremendous success of this movie (it was the most lucrative Trek movie until the 2009 reboot) convinced Paramount that Star Trek could succeed in a larger franchise.

This led to another film being approved, as well as Gene Roddenberry getting the chance to develop a brand new show, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the ensuing 18 years of continual Star Trek productions. The movie is ingeniously simple in its concept. The renowned Star Trek gang, who are normally engaged in space battles against otherworldly creatures to protect the utopian and quasi-Marxist United Federation of Planets, are forced to visit our world - more specifically, mid-1980s San Francisco.

They may have mastered outwitting Romulans but now they must tackle the challenge of confrontational punks on public transport. Star Trek IV is just as entertaining as Back to the Future and does not require any knowledge of the wider Star Trek universe for an enjoyable viewing experience.

Best Scenes in Star Trek History, Ranked

Star Trek has produced countless classic moments in the six decades it's been on the air. Here are 10 of the best, from every corner of the franchise.

The Star Trek franchise is one of the oldest and strongest in pop culture, with roots stretching back to the 1960s. New series have run more or less continuously since 2017, and fresh projects point to a very bright future for the venerable space opera. Each new version of the show has brought in new fans and produced too many memorable moments to count.

Reducing something so huge to ten scenes is an exercise in futility. However, a rough "canon" of high points has formed, and while the specifics vary, fans tend to agree on a general list. Ten of the most prominent appear below, each of them helping to define and expand the Star Trek universe.

RELATED: The 15 Lowest Rated TV Shows Ever, According to Rotten Tomatoes

10 The Enterprise Saves the Horta

The original series, "the devil in the dark".

"The Devil in the Dark" is one of The Original Series ' high points. The crew investigates a mining colony being stalked by a monstrous creature, only to learn that the creature is far different from what they suspected. Kirk and the gang prevail not by killing the monster but by communicating with it and brokering peace.

The climax shows The Original Series ' three leads at their best. Spock enacts a mind meld at great personal risk, while Dr. McCoy figures out a way to heal the alien of its injuries. Kirk gets to play peacemaker rather than cowboy, giving William Shatner some of his strongest monologs of the series. And it's wrapped up in an elegant little moral about not fearing what we don't understand.

9 Meet the Lower Decks Crew

Star trek: lower decks, "second contact".

From the beginning, Star Trek: Lower Decks made a sharp departure from the franchise as usual: an animated, self-referential comedy series about Starfleet's humblest crew members. It rapidly became a fan favorite thanks to its unerring sense of Star Trek 's absurdity, coupled with a surprisingly heartfelt approach to its characters.

It all kicked off with the opening scene of the premiere, as Ensign Brad Boimler records a log of the less-than-glamorous duties of the USS Cerritos. He's interrupted by a visibly inebriated Beckett Mariner, who razzes him about the recording before accidentally slicing into his leg with a Klingon bat'leth. Star Trek clearly would never be the same.

RELATED: Every Star Trek Series, Ranked By IMDb

8 Discovery Leaps Into the Future

Star trek: discovery, "such sweet sorrow, part 2".

Star Trek Discovery spent its first two seasons threading an impressive needle, as it established new details about the Federation before the events of The Original Series . It proved intoxicating and bold -- complete with a new previously unknown sibling for Mr. Spock -- but it couldn't last. Sooner or later, canon was going to bite it.

It cut that Gordian knot with grace and beauty in the Season 2 finale. Michael Burnham and the Discovery sacrificed themselves in order to destroy the rogue AI Control with the hope of emerging intact centuries in the future. The finale scene showed several vessels -- including Christopher Pike's Enterprise -- bear witness to their heroics before Season 3 opened a whole new era for The Final Frontier.

7 'Risk Is Our Business'

The original series, "return to tomorrow".

Star Trek often casts stage actors for its crew. The tradition started with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. It resulted in some of the best speeches in The Original Series , most famously in Season 2, Episode 20, "Return to Tomorrow," as the officers debated the pros and cons of assisting a mysterious alien species.

Kirk spelled out not only the benefits of helping the aliens but the whole ethos of Starfleet itself: to seek a better understanding of the universe and advance the collective knowledge of all. That came with risk, but as he hammered home with absolute conviction, "Risk is our business." Shatner nailed it and gave Star Trek an outstanding statement of principles in the bargain.

6 Spock Returns from the Dead

Star trek iii: the search for spock.

Having already delivered a death scene for the ages in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , the franchise then endeavored to bring him back just one movie later. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock earns high praise simply for pulling off the resurrection without cheapening his sacrifice. It also proved Leonard Nimoy's bona fides as a director as well as an actor, beginning a long tradition of Star Trek cast members behind the camera.

The high point came in the finale, as the reborn Spock struggled to remember his friends who had sacrificed so much for him. His exchange with Kirk summed their feelings for each other perfectly, and Nimoy's brilliant moment of realization -- recognizing everyone for the first time -- affirmed the singular comradery of the franchise's collected OGs.

RELATED: The 10 Greatest TV Shows of All Time

5 Picard Joins the Poker Game

Star trek: the next generation, "all good things…".

One of The Next Generation 's most whimsical notions quietly morphed into something far more important. The officers of the Enterprise-D played a weekly poker game , starting in Season 2, Episode 9, "The Measure of a Man." The series periodically returned to it -- and ended both The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard with the crew playing -- and it became a stand-in for any Star Trek crew simply going about their lives.

The emotional crescendo arrived at the conclusion of The Next Generation Season 7, Episode 26, "All Good Things..." After all the crew had been through -- in the episode and the series -- Captain Picard finally joined them for a game. "I should have done this a long time ago," he mused before dealing his first hand, affirming their mutual bonds as the ship sailed on through the stars.

4 Sisko Sells His Soul

Star trek: deep space nine, "in the pale moonlight".

In one of the franchise's darkest episodes, Captain Sisko faced the necessity of bringing the neutral Romulan Empire into the war against The Dominion: a war the Federation would lose without them. To gain it, he conspired with Garak to doctor phony evidence of a Dominion plot. He became complicit in murder when Garak knocked off the two people who could reveal the plot, ensuring that the Romulans joined the fight.

The episode took place in flashback as Sisko slowly revealed all the terrible things he'd done. And in a slam-bang final monologue from Avery Brooks, he confessed that he could live with it for the sake of the countless trillions he spared from death and tyranny. "The needs of the many" has never been more chillingly realized.

3 Michael Burnham Takes Command

Discovery, "that hope is you, part 2".

No other Star Trek captain took so long and torturous a route to the big chair as Michael Burnham. Beginning the series as a wrongly convicted felon, she battled for three full seasons before finally taking command of the Discovery . The moment arrived with exquisite timing.

Season 3 launched the Discovery into the 32nd Century, with the Federation shattered. Having restored Starfleet's mandate, Burnham assumed command aglow with joy. Her signature phrase -- "Let's fly!" -- put a cherry on top of the triumphant emotional high point of the entire series.

RELATED: 10 Best Television Universes, Ranked

2 Locutus of Borg

The next generation, "the best of both worlds, part 1".

Star Trek had never used a cliffhanger before Season 3, Episode 26, "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1." It arrived out of nowhere and left Star Trek fans thunderstruck. The Borg returned and claimed Jean-Luc Picard as one of their own, forcing Riker to possibly kill his own captain in order to save the Earth from assimilation.

The episode closed just as he commanded the Enterprise-D to open fire. It forced the fan base to wait three months to find out what happened. At the same time, it established the Borg as a truly terrifying threat, leaving the audience legitimately wondering whether Picard -- or the Federation -- would survive.

1 Spock's Death

Star trek ii: the wrath of khan.

It's impossible to overestimate the impact of The Wrath of Khan on the franchise. It freed the characters from the endless cycle of reruns, allowing their characters to grow older and face the consequences. It culminated in the death of Star Trek 's most beloved character sacrificing himself to save the Enterprise before saying goodbye to his closest friend.

The scene lured Nimoy back to a role he was eager to distance himself from at the time. It also gave him a new lease on life, as he returned to direct the next two films and reaffirmed his commitment to the character. But his final scene in Khan remains the indelible high point of the whole franchise and one of the most memorable onscreen deaths of all time.

Screen Rant

Picard season 2 recreates a kirk & spock scene from voyage home.

Star Trek: Picard's latest nod to Star Trek IV is a recreation of Kirk and Spock's famous bus scene, and the very same punk is back in a cameo.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard Season 2, Episode 4 - "Watcher"

In Star Trek: Picard season 2, episode 4, Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) recreate a famous bus scene from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home but this time, the outcome is quite different. All roads in Star Trek: Picard season 2 have led to 2024 Los Angeles, the time and place Q (John de Lancie) caused a divergence in the timeline that spawned the dark future ruled by the Confederation of Earth . Although their mission was to find the Watcher (Orla Brady), Seven and Raffi have been detoured to rescue Cristobal Rios (Santiago Cabrera), who has been imprisoned by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Star Trek: Picard season 2's time travel deliberately nods to Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , when Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew time-traveled to 1986 San Francisco to bring two humpback whales back to the 23rd century. Kirk's Starfleet crew were the ultimate fish out of water in late-20th-century San Francisco and the outer space heroes from the future had hilarious misadventures, like Pavel Chekov (Walter Koening) asking passers-by where the "nuclear wessels" are. One of the most memorable incidents in Star Trek IV saw Kirk and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) riding the bus to the Cetacean Institute. One of the passengers was a punk (Kirk Thatcher) blasting a rock song at a high volume, making everyone on the bus uncomfortable. After the punk ignored Kirk's request that he turn the music off, Spock efficiently rendered him unconscious with the Vulcan nerve pinch, which drew applause from everyone else on the bus.

Related: Picard: Why Guinan Not Remembering Jean-Luc Isn't A TNG Plot Hole

Incredibly, Seven and Raffi run into the very same punk from Star Trek IV , played by the returning Kirk Thatcher, in Star Trek: Picard season 2. The punk, who is now 38 years older than he was in 1986, was sitting in the back of Seven and Raffi's bus still loudly blasting music from his boombox. But this time, when Seven yelled at the punk to shut the music off, he meekly complied. Even without her Borg implants, Seven can be intimidating when she wants to be, so it makes sense that the punk stood down immediately. Perhaps the punk also never forgot the incident in San Francisco back in the mid-'80s when the strange man in a white robe suddenly rendered him unconscious. However, the fun of the scene is the Easter egg recreation of Star Trek IV and the returning cameo by Kirk Thatcher. Otherwise, Star Trek: Picard 's scene ended rather limply compared to the crowd-pleasing Spock nerve pinch from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Star Trek: Picard' s redo of Star Trek IV 's famous bus scene is its latest homage to one of the best and most popular Star Trek movies. La Sirena also used the very same "slingshot effect" around the sun to time travel as Kirk's crew did aboard their stolen Klingon Bird-of-Prey in The Voyage Home , and the time-travel effects used were another loving nod. Further, Chris Rios suffers a head injury due to a transporter accident and has to be brought to a nearby clinic. This is similar to when Chekov is injured aboard the US Navy's USS Enterprise and is hospitalized in Star Trek IV . Kirk, Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and Dr. Gillian Tayor (Catherine Hicks) had to go to the hospital and rescue Chekov before anyone realized he was from the future.

At this point, it wouldn't be surprising if, in future Star Trek: Picard episodes set in 2024 Los Angeles, one of Picard's crew borrows a helicopter like Sulu (George Takei) did in Star Trek IV or they try to sell future technology to raise money the way McCoy and Scotty (James Doohan) gave away the secret of transparent aluminum so they could manufacture a way to hold the humpback whales in their Klingon ship. Rios already met Dr. Teresa Ramirez (Sol Rodriguez), who is basically Star Trek: Picar d 's version of Star Trek IV' s Dr. Gillian Taylor. It remains to be seen if Dr. Ramirez will also return with Rios to the 25th century the way Gillian joined Kirk and the humpback whales in the future.

Next: Picard's Watcher Identity Confirmed: Picard's TOS Connection Explained

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

• View history

A punk flips Kirk "the bird"

"I Hate You" was a punk rock song which was known on planet Earth in its year 1986 . A rider on a San Francisco bus was playing this song at an excessive volume on his ghetto blaster when he was neck-pinched by Spock , a Vulcan time traveler from the 23rd century , attempting to control the decibel level the bus' passengers were experiencing. The passengers were grateful. ( Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home )

In 2024 , a similar song called " I Still Hate You " existed as well. ( PIC : " Watcher ")

• 2.1 Edge of Etiquette
• 3 External links

Just where is our future , the things we've done and said! Let's just push the button , we'd be better off dead ! 'Cause I hate you! And I berate you! And I can't wait to get to you! The sins of all our fathers , being dumped on us – the sons . The only choice we're given is how many megatons ? And I eschew you! And I say, screw you ! And I hope you're blue , too. We're all bloody worthless,...

Background information

According to the movie credits, the song was performed by the obscure band Edge of Etiquette. (Edge of Etiquette was, indeed, so obscure that it is rather difficult to find anything more about them than their having performed this particular song.) The punk on the bus who flipped Kirk "the bird" was played by Star Trek IV associate producer Kirk Thatcher . According to the Star Trek Encyclopedia  (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 354), Edge of Etiquette was a pseudonym for Thatcher.

Thatcher also wrote the lyrics for the song to music written by Mark Mangini . [1] A game card, from the Star Trek Customizable Card Game released by Decipher , excerpted the lyrics of the song. Thatcher had complained that the new wave music previously considered would not have been an accurate representation of what a 1980s punk would listen to, and offered to write "I Hate You" instead. [2]

The song was also heard in the 1987 Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello beach party comedy Back to the Beach .

Edge of Etiquette

The reason for the obscurity of Edge of Etiquette is the band not having existed longer than approximately one and a half days after the movie had gone into post-production. Thatcher provided the vocals as well as the lyrics for the song. The rest of the team consisted of several such members of the sound department as Mark Mangini, who converted the tune Thatcher had in mind for the song to something that could be played.

To achieve an "authentic" gritty punk sound, Thatcher, Mangini and company moved into the hallway of the sound studio where the post-production sound work was being done in order to record the song. They also used the lowest quality microphones and instruments they had available to enhance the illusion that the song had been recorded live at a punk club.

This was the only time Edge of Etiquette ever recorded anything or played anywhere. No royalties or licensing fees of any kind were ever paid to anyone for the use of the song "I Hate You" in Star Trek IV. Thatcher did get some royalties when the song was later used in the movie Back to the Beach, but the song was not included on the film's soundtrack album. [3] The song remained unavailable for purchase until the soundtrack was re-released in late December 2011 .

External links

• Hardcore Archeology: Edge of Etiquette
• Complete song I Hate You  at YouTube
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Resident Alien Season 4 Already Set Up The Show's Next Best Sci-Fi Guest Star

• Resident Alien season 4 may feature a cameo from one of the show's key figures, tying in with the Resident Alien 's history of sci-fi stars.
• The involvement of Star Trek veteran Robert Duncan McNeill could add more depth and excitement to Resident Alien .
• McNeill's career trend of directing and appearing in other projects makes him a strong candidate for a memorable Resident Alien cameo.

Resident Alien has already starred several sci-fi icons, but Resident Alien season 4 could feature a cameo from a key figure who has been working on the Syfy show all along. Resident Alien 's cameos from sci-fi stars range from cult heroes to figures from smash-hit blockbusters. The irreverent Alan Tudyk-led comedy-drama uses the exciting additions to the Resident Alien cast in various ways, with some becoming mainstays on the show while others only have brief appearances. The acting history of a key member of the Resident Alien team would make him perfect to star in a scene or two.

Resident Alien season 4 hasn't yet been confirmed to be on the way, but should the story of Harry Vanderspeigle continue, it would be reasonable to assume that the show would carry on its trend of featuring guest actors with ties to big sci-fi franchises. If so, the stars in question could come from a variety of places. However, Resident Alien season 4 could mark the debut of a behind-the-scenes figure whose career trajectory has shifted slightly since his biggest role.

Resident Alien Season 3 Ending Explained: What Happened To Harry?

Star trek actor robert duncan mcneill is involved with resident alien season 4, ncneill has worked behind the scenes of resident alien since the show began.

Robert Duncan McNeill's most famous role was Lt. Tom Paris in all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager . While he doesn't star in Resident Alien , McNeill is an executive producer, director, and has earned his first career writing credit with the show. Paris was Voyager 's charismatic helmsman whose story featured a heartwarming redemption arc. While he wasn't one of the most iconic Star Trek characters, he played a huge role in the ensemble that was Star Trek: Voyager 's cast . As such, McNeill's status in the Star Trek fandom would make him a great choice for a Resident Alien cameo .

Resident Alien Season 3's Genius Star Wars Reference Has Huge Implications For Season 4

McNeill wouldn't be the first Star Trek actor to appear in Resident Alien , with George Takei making a voice cameo in three episodes of Resident Alien season 2. With McNeill's main career focus now taking place behind the camera, his most recent role was also a voice cameo - in Star Trek: Lower Decks . Before then, his last live-action acting role came in 2012, when he appeared in a single episode of Chuck .

McNeill has a second character in the Star Trek universe called Nicholas "Nick" Locarno. The shared face of both characters is referenced heavily in Star Trek: Lower Decks .

McNeill's Resident Alien Cameo Would Follow The Actor's Career Trend

The voyager star has appeared in other projects he's directed.

While McNeill isn't currently a member of the Resident Alien cast, his cameo appearances in other projects are a promising sign. For example, he directed four episodes of Star Trek: Voyager - which he also starred in. In addition, he also directed 21 episodes of Chuck , one of which he made an appearance in as an operative. So, McNeill's talents both behind and in front of the camera, paired with his strong association with one of the biggest sci-fi franchises of all time, make him a viable candidate for the next big cameo in Resident Alien .

Resident Alien seasons 1-3 are available to stream on Peacock. Star Trek: Voyager seasons 1-7 are on Paramount+.

Resident Alien

A television adaptation of the comic book series, Resident Alien is a sci-fi comedy that stars Alan Tudyk as an alien who crashes on Earth with one mission - destroy humanity to save the planet. When Tudyk's character takes the identity of a doctor, he arrives at a small town and begins to act the role preparing his plan. As time passes, he develops human emotions against his will - but his plans are further complicated when he meets the son of the mayor - who can see his actual appearance.

Cast Alice Wetterlund, Judah Prehn, Elizabeth Bowen, Levi Fiehler, Corey Reynolds, Sara Tomko, Alan Tudyk

Release Date January 27, 2021

Genres Drama, Mystery, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Network SyFy

Where To Watch Peacock