Star Trek Movie Memories

by William Shatner, Chris Kreski

Overview

The legendary Captain Kirk takes readers behind the scenes of the long-running movie franchise from the first feature film to Star Trek: Generations.

In this jam-packed memoir, William Shatner picks up where he left off with Star Trek Memories, recounting in equally intriguing detail what went into the making of the first six Star Trek movies, while including on-the-scene reporting from the set of Star Trek: Generations. Shatner discloses all of the creative turmoil, backstage politics, and production challenges that permeated every one of the movies. And with unflinching candor, he reveals the accumulated personal grudges that haven’t mellowed with the passage of time. 

Drawing on in-depth interviews as well as Shatner’s private reminiscences, the book recounts how Kirk’s love interest in Star Trek IV began as a role for Eddie Murphy; the creative and production nightmares of Star Trek V; and the rewarding experience of the “classic” crew passing the torch to Patrick Stewart and the cast of The Next Generation. 

Star Trek Movie Memories contains more than one hundred photographs and illustrations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781504086752
Publisher:	Open Road Media
Publication date:	09/12/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	300
Sales rank:	155,884
File size:	75 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

William Shatner (b. 1931) is a Canadian actor, author, and film director, known for his irreverent charm and his star turn as Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek television series, as well as many other roles. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Shatner was cast in Star Trek as the courageous, unpredictable Captain James T. Kirk in 1966. The show became a cult hit in syndication, leading to a number of spin-offs and movies. Shatner starred in seven Star Trek films beginning with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. He later played leading roles on the television series T.J. Hooker (1982–86) and Boston Legal (2004–08). Shatner has also published a number of novels, most notably TekWar (1989), a science-fiction thriller that inspired eight sequels as well as video games and a television series. When he isn’t working, Shatner and his wife, Elizabeth, divide their time between Southern California and Kentucky.

Chris Kreski (1962–2005) was a writer and consultant for MTV and a head writer of The Daily Show. He cowrote Star Trek Memories and Star Trek Movie Memories, as well as several other books with William Shatner.

William Shatner (b. 1931) is a Canadian actor, author, and film director, known for his irreverent charm and his star turn as Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek television series, as well as many other roles. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Shatner was cast in Star Trek as the courageous, unpredictable Captain James T. Kirk in 1966. The show became a cult hit in syndication, leading to a number of spin-offs and movies. Shatner starred in seven Star Trek films beginning with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. He later played leading roles on the television series T.J. Hooker (1982–86) and Boston Legal (2004–08). Shatner has also published a number of novels, most notably TekWar (1989), a science-fiction thriller that inspired eight sequels as well as video games and a television series. When he isn’t working, Shatner and his wife, Elizabeth, divide their time between Southern California and Kentucky. 

Editorial Reviews

The high-profile Shatner (see Tek Power in "Fiction") follows up the best-selling Star TrekR Memories with a behind-the-scenes look at all seven Star TrekR movies, including the one premiering this Thanksgiving.

Library Journal

Timed nicely to coincide with Captain Kirk's upcoming, long-overdue death (in the November release of the first Next Generation movie, "Generations"), here are Shatner's accounts of what went on behind the scenes of each of the movies to date. In the early 1970s, Gene Roddenberry wanted to do a Star Trek film but couldn't find financial backing; moreover, he was an abysmal writer, and the scripts he churned out simply weren't compelling. Studio executives underestimated--as did Shatner--the ongoing charm of the original series, however, as well as the filmgoing public's general appetite for science fiction (e.g., the epics of Spielberg and Lucas). By the time the sleeping giant that was Star Trek stumbled to its feet, it had some catching up to do, and the first of the new series, released in 1979, was a dud. Nonetheless Trekkers (not Trekkies) went crazy. Once writer Rick Berman came onboard, the films became--well, not bad. Shatner is his usual hammy self here, and he hints that he may not truly be dead after "Generations". But he's always entertaining and even introspective as he contemplates growing older and getting a divorce and conveys his regrets about alienating his colleagues--particularly James Doohan (Scotty). An able sequel to Shatner's "Star Trek Memories". Also of interest may be "Star Trek, Where No One Has Gone Before: A History in Pictures" from Pocket Books ($45, 0-671-51149-1), a coffee-table effort covering every permutation of the show, even the animated.

John Mort