MovieChat Forums > Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) Discussion > Is it just me or did Shatner appear to b...

Is it just me or did Shatner appear to be on some sort of stimulant at various times throughout this film?

posted 4 years ago by JackalopeCash57 (92)
9 replies | jump to latest

Re-watched this one recently. As a lifelong fan, I have always appreciated this film despite its shortcomings (the uniforms, lengthy exterior shots/scenes, and the Stephen Collins). Upon my latest re-watched, I could not help but notice how Kirk seems to be a little more energetic/intense than usual (not the way we usually see Kirk and Shatner, here it seemed he was more energetic in a bizarre way here). For example, there are several scenes in which Kirk will speak quicker and more rapidly with his eyes having a dilated look to them. It had me scratching my head wondering if Shatner had done any "chemical prepertation" for his return as kirk. I mean, this was the 70s and uppers were pretty much a big part of the stars and their activities during this era. Did anybody else notice this is at all or am I reading too much into it all?

[–] bozo_500 (13275) 4 years ago

lol the guy was/is as professional as they come, very much doubt he was on drugs for the biggest job of his career (beyond some extra large expresso's)

[–] JackalopeCash57 (92) 4 years ago

I see your point lol. I did some research and apparently he did a diet that consisted of eating nothing but carrots for several days to get that slim look that he has (not gonna lie, he looks fucking good in this movie) lol. I see what you mean though, he didn't know they were going to make 5 other Star Trek films to follow - this was the one shot at glory at that time

[–] ducksoup (3933) 3 years ago

If he took any diet pills, those were probably some form of speed as well.

[–] ebhaynz (3732) 3 years ago

After thinking about this for awhile, I can envision a scenario where an actor uses speed to keep their weight down. I know of other actors who've had issues with weight and thus resorted to using speed. This method works well, at least temporarily.

One well known actor with weight problems ended up losing a kidney because of the damage the speed caused. He ended up gaining all of the weight back + more and ultimately died of a heart attack before age 70.

[–] bozo_500 (13275) 3 years ago

Who was that

[–] MikeCable (1879) 3 years ago

He is a real professional and he would have undergone anxiety and excitement to be back on the bridge again in a role like that. Knowing how dramatic he can be, he was probably still finding the best way to perform Kirk all through the movie.

If you read his book, he mentions how during Star Trek he became like a king of the world for a few years and then when it finished it all suddenly changed and he went to the bottom, getting bit parts on TV for a long time until the late seventies and then suddenly Star Trek came back into his life in a big way. At one stage he living out of his car, with his dog, from memory.

There was the Star Trek cartoon but that wasn't the same.

[–] ebhaynz (3732) 3 years ago

I know Shatner's career stalled quite a bit after the original series run but I'm not sure he lived out of his car like a true down and outer. However, I think he rented a camper to travel around east coast gigs so he didn't have to rent hotel rooms.

[–] johnmiller (3976) 3 years ago

Shatner was kind of uptight in the first movie. Most likely the pressure of being the lead in such a major-budget movie. When the second one was made for a fraction of the price, produced by the guy who did "The Six Million Dollar Man," that probably allowed Shatner to relax more.

[–] strntz (12736) 3 years ago

Nah, he's often been over the top. Check this from the original series;

https://youtu.be/S43hytfBMAk?t=3