This movie was panned on its initial release, probably because it was rushed to the box office and really needed a little more work/editing. The soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith is outstanding.
I was in the theater for the initial release, which I saw packed with people at one of the largest theaters in the Bay Area. When the famous drydock sequence came on, half the audience fell asleep and you could hear the sound of snoring above the soundtrack. To this day, that scene is considered a recommended treatment for insomnia. It goes to show you how much audience expectations changed in such a short period of time, from the original release of the television show (1966) to the film (1979). One reason I like to watch old films is because the pace is so slow and the camera stays almost motionless in one room. Quite a contrast to today’s sequence of cuts every three seconds, and an altogether different experience.
I always fast forward through the dry dock scene, but the scene of entering the alien ship is still engaging to watch even at the slow pace. I think it's a matter of putting in enough detail.
https://www.fathomevents.com/events/Star-Trek-TMP-Directors-...
This movie was panned on its initial release, probably because it was rushed to the box office and really needed a little more work/editing. The soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith is outstanding.