Shatner's Movie Memories.
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This is the follow up book to 'Star Trek Memories' and this time Bill is able to contribute more of his own memories, as it deals with the motion picture series. It is certainly readable enough and Bill is able to give his own perspective on his directorial debut 'Star Trek V: The Final Frontier'. More recommended than the previous book, but the definitive telling of the making of the movies has yet to be written.
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Hugely enjoyable, if a little light
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William Shatner is a genuinely funny writer. This book had me laughing out loud on several occassions as I read through his personal Star Trek movie memories, but the book actually doesn't contain all that many of them. Much of the space used is other people being interviewed and talking about their recollections of what went on. The result is less of a Star Trek memoir and more of a very interesting look at the cutthroat movie-making business. As such, this book could be very appealing to any film student/buff as well as Trek fans.
While the book is funny, it is not consistantly so. A lot of it details the arguments and backstabbing that went on behind the scenes. Also, the interviewees are not all that varied and while we hear a good deal from Nick Meyer, Harve Bennet and Leonard Nimoy (whom I never realised was such a tough character!), it is a huge shame that there is nothing from people like DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols and some of the other cast and crew involved on the films.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy reading what is contained in this book very much, but it is a very quick read and leaves you wanting to get into a lot more detail.
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Too much studio politicking - not enough amusing anecdote.
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The term memoir is a misnomer. It's more a background history of the Star Trek movies. Shatner and Kreski have spent far too much time delving into the backroom fighting and creative disagreements, and not enough time reminiscing. As a useful study on what actually goes into the making of individual episodes of a major motion picture franchise, this book surely has few equals, and I hope it appears on the shelves of all important film schools. It has indeed been well researched. But really that should be a book with Kreski's name alone on it. Surely what we want from William Shatner, actor, director and Star Trek star, is more a true memoir of his own personal relationships with the other members of the cast (good or bad), and to recall some of the laughter as well as the tears that took place while they were filming. The most we get of this is the tale of how the only two of the original cast to join Shatner in "Star Trek Generations" were his two greatest critics, Walter Koenig and James Doohan, and how Shatner, attempting to rebuild bridges, eventually persuaded them to pose for a photo, all holding hands. Koenig remarked that "a photo of the three of *us* holding hands must be worth at least $500, fifteen hundred if it was signed." Apart from that and one story from George Takei about being referred to as "Tiny" in Star Trek III, the rest is all about Harve Bennett, Nicholas Meyer, Leonard Nimoy (with his director and producer hat on) and (via memo) Gene Roddenberry, all of whom ended on very bad terms with each other. As to the cast, Nichelle Nicholls scarcely features at all, and neither does De Forest Kelley. "Star Trek Memories", this book's predecessor, managed a better mix of stories from behind and in front of the camera, although in fairness there is already an inherent romanticism about the 1960s television industry which was to that book's advantage. "Movie Memories" generally leaves one with a nasty taste in the mouth.
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If you're a Trekkie, you will LOVE this!
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Starting.... "This is William Shatner, and these are... my Star Trek... Movie... Memories..." I knew this was going to be a classic audio book. Actually, when one of my friends told me about "Star Trek, Movie Memories" I was a little dubious... but this really is one of the most truely amusing Audio Books I have ever heard! Basically the deep theatrical tones of William Shatner, take you through his book on the background of the Star Trek movie franchise, from 'The Motion Picture' to 'Generations'.... It it a great insight to Shatner's view of Star Trek (if a little warped!). Sometimes you begin to think that Shatner's grip on reality is tenuous at best - at his classic quote of him being in the best physical shape of his life for 'Generations', had me laughing out loud. But his insights to studio politics, personal clashes between Roddenberry and everyone else, and creaky special effects are enlightening. If you are a Trekkie, avid or just interested - this is well worth the money. Pity it's not on CD...
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Emotional and true. One mans exciting journey through life.
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Where do I begin? Before reading this book I merely thought of Shatner as an arrogant, ungrateful upstart who did not appreciate the full impact of his wonderful role on Star Trek. After reading this book I have come to realise that Shatner is Kirk, just as all the other characters on the Enterprise are exaggerated reflections of the actors which played them. One thing that always baffled me was how Shatner could so easily give up the greatest, most popular and televised role in history, spanning over thirty years. This book explains his struggle to control the character and at the same time his sense of loss at finally killing him off. Perhaps it was Shatner himself that made Star Trek what it is today.
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