20 Things You Didn't Know About Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
1. The Moon Is A Window To Heaven
The Fan Dance has become an iconic scene in the franchise for its slightly ridiculous, yet inarguably sensual delivery. There is no question in that it most certainly is Nichelle Nichols standing on that hill. When asked if she really was nude for filming, she said yes, bar a g-string. What the audience sees on screen is exactly what happened on set. What the audience hears is another thing altogether.
Nichols was an accomplished singer, so when she was told that she would be involved in a musical scene in the film, she naturally believed that she would also be providing the vocals. However, as the end of the production schedule loomed, she noted that ADR had not taken place, which left her curious as to what the plan was.
She had appeared in several conventions between filming and the release of the film where news of the scene had leaked. When asked by fans if they would be hearing her voice, she enthusiastically replied yes. And then the film was released.
The singing voice heard in the film is credited to Manchun, the vocalist with the band Hiroshima. The band, along with Jerry Goldsmith and lyricist John Bettis, composed the tune. While the song was a success and would be one of the few original songs ever written for Star Trek, no one informed Nichols of the switch, leaving her both embarrassed and angry at the film's premiere.