‘Star Trek’: Six to beam up — Egyptian will screen half-dozen Starfleet films

Feb. 16, 2011 | 4:26 p.m.

Leonard Nimoy, Robert Wise (seated), Gene Roddenberry, DeForest Kelley and William Shatner on the set of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (Los Angeles Times archives)

The Egyptian Theatre will present all six “Star Trek” films that feature both William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy — a string of Starfleet films that spanned a dozen years — and three of them will be presented in 70 mm. Our very own Geoff Boucher will be on hand for the finale of the four-day event to handle the stage interview with Nicholas Meyer after the screening of “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.”

Here’s the information directly from the upcoming American Cinematheque release:

Thursday, March 24 – 7:30 PM

STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, 1979, Paramount, 132 min. Director Robert Wise, ably assisted by Harold Michelson’s (“Dick Tracy”) otherworldly production design, Jerry Goldsmith’s stirring score and a special effects team including Douglas Trumbull, John Dykstra and Ramon Sanchez, delivers the first ”Star Trek” film as a profound meditation on man’s struggle to survive against the negative forces in the universe. With William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Walter Koenig, George Takei, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, Persis Khambatta. A special presentation on the art direction and visual effects of the film will follow including visuals not seen in more than 30 years and a discussion with Robert Abel & Co, art director Richard Taylor, Director’s Edition VFX Supervisor Darren Dochterman and Gene Kozicki of the Visual Effects Society.

Friday, March 25 – 7:30 PM (Double Feature)

Double Feature: STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, 1982, Paramount, 116 min. Dir. Nicholas Meyer. Part one of the three-part story arc. The genetically engineered Khan, played with ferocious energy by Ricardo Montalban, escapes from a 15-year exile to exact revenge on James T. Kirk (William Shatner). Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols and the rest of the Enterprise crew must stop him from obtaining Project Genesis and using its power as a doomsday device.

STAR TREK III: IN SEARCH OF SPOCK, 1984, Paramount, 105 min. At the end of “The Wrath of Khan,” Spock’s dead … or is he? Leonard Nimoy portrays the lovable, logical Vulcan and makes his directorial debut with the film that answers that question. Guests to be announced

Saturday, March 26 – 7:30 PM (Double Feature)

70mm Print! STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME, 1986, Paramount, 119 min. Dir. Leonard Nimoy. The most accessible “Star Trek” film ever made sets its previously galaxy-spanning adventures on a contemporary Earth with a healthy dollop of humor.

70mm Print! STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER, 1989, Paramount, 107 min. Dir. William Shatner. When Spock’s half-brother hijacks the Enterprise in an obsessive attempt to find God, Captain Kirk and his crew must find a way to outwit him and save the ship from total destruction. Discussion between films with actor Walter Koenig.

Sunday, March 27 – 7:30 PM

70mm Print! STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY, 1991, Paramount, 110 min. Dir. Nicholas Meyer. With the Klingon world threatened by irreversible ecological disaster, the Federation and the Klingon chancellor (David Warner) offer an olive branch to each other to save the race, and Captain Kirk (William Shatner) is chosen as the Federation’s representative. Things go quickly downhill when a very high-ranking Klingon is assassinated, and Kirk and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), framed for the murder, end up in a wintry, gulag-style labor camp. With Christopher Plummer. Discussion following with writer-director Nicholas Meyer moderated by Geoff Boucher of the Los Angeles Times and HeroComplex.com.

If you have a suggested question for Meyer, leave it in the comments section below.

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