20 Things You Didn't Know About Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Everything you ever needed to know about The One With The Whales.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is easily one of the more fun films in the Original Series-era. After the contemplative Star Trek: The Motion Picture, action-heavy Wrath Of Khan, and slightly bonkers Search For Spock, the One With The Whales, as it's lovingly been nicknamed, is the crew having the time of their lives, while they are completely out of time.
Leonard Nimoy returned as director on Star Trek IV, something that benefitted this movie greatly, while may possibly have spelled doom for its sequel. The tone of the film is entirely different from those that had come before, leaning into comedy and lightness. Time Travel is used to great effect, giving the audience the Enterprise crew in their most fish out of water scenario yet.
Yet how did the film achieve the contrast in styles between the 23rd and 20th centuries? Were the producers worried that the film's pro-environmental message would alienate audiences? Was there a place for Robin Curtis anymore? And, how on Earth were they going to fit Eddie Murphy into an already packed adventure?
The One With The Whales is many Trekkie's favourite film. Here are 20 things to bear in mind about the fun.
20. The Models Were So Good, Animal Rights Groups Complained
It must be so gratifying, as a model maker, to know that your creation is so effective that people believe you are being cruel to animals, just to get that perfect shot. This is exactly what happened after the release of Star Trek IV.
As there was no opportunity of filming Humpback Whales in the wild, or at least not to the extent needed for the film, Nimoy decided that animatronic whales would have to be used instead. These would consist of several models, and part thereof, which could be manipulated with relative ease.
The models used for the long-shots of George and Gracie were roughly four feet long, fully animated, and covered in a rubber skin. The manufacturers of this rubber advised the film crew not to push it too far. For example, on a flexibility scale, underwater, of 1 - 100, they advised not to go beyond 15. The crew, to their delight, pushed it 70, and the models worked perfectly.
For the scenes showing the massive tails of the Humpback's breaking the water, these were fitted to a rig that rose and sunk into the tank, which lift the tail and allowed it to slap down, giving it that sense of power you can see in the film.