John Berkey is one of my favorite artists, and I wish I could feature him more here. Unfortunately, aside from a few poster sketches for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, this is the only publicly-seen work he did for the Star Trek franchise that I know of.
This is an advance / teaser / promo poster for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, dated 1978. Be sure to click the image above for a hi-resolution version! The art features the Enterprise in a space scene painted by John Berkey, with a row of eight cast photos along the bottom. (This format matches the layout for some other big movie posters of the time — for example, see the one sheet for The Towering Inferno, also with art by Berkey, and also with a row of cast photos along the bottom.) The provenance of this teaser poster is not clear. HA lists it either as a "British Double Crown" or as a promotional poster, with sizes variously given as 18.5 x 25.5, 18.25 x 25.5, 17 x 24.5, and 19 x 26 (inches). Since a Double Crown measures 20" x 30", I would classify this instead as a promo or teaser poster.
The title treatment used for this version of the teaser poster (a decidedly not-futuristic-looking Art Deco-style "STAR TREK" followed by "THE MOTION PICTURE" set in Helvetica) does not match the
typography later used for TMP's marketing as well as for the movie's own
title card, a much more 23rd-century custom typeface designed for the film by Richard A. Foy [source: Typeset in the Future, Dave Addey].
In addition, the starship as shown here looks somewhat different than it does in the finished film. Some internet sources have stated that Berkey did concept art for the aborted Phase II series, and that's what this painting represents; however, Berkey was not a concept artist. The Enterprise was redesigned for Phase II by Matt Jefferies, the ship's original designer. Likely John Berkey was given concept illustrations for the refit Enterprise and based his poster painting on those (see Mike Minor's illustration below, also based on Jefferies' redesign — details on the ship match those in the Berkey painting [source: The Art of Star Trek]).
Teaser Version 2
A second version of this image was published later in 1978. While I have seen no evidence it was printed as a poster, it was used as a print ad in comic books and possibly elsewhere. At the top, this design features a tagline for the film which I haven't seen anywhere else: "A 23rd Century Odyssey Now." The logo / title treatment for the film is now the familiar custom typeface, the Paramount Pictures logo is different, and a ninth cast photo has been added to the lineup: Persis Khambatta as Ilia (her name has also been repositioned in the credits block). At the bottom of the page, the promise that the film is COMING THIS CHRISTMAS TO A THEATRE NEAR YOU.
Teaser Version 3
The image was also used for another print ad in 1980 (source). This is the only evidence I've seen that this image was used not just as a teaser but also during the run of the film, as this ad sports the phrase NOW PLAYING AT A THEATRE NEAR YOU. This ad also uses one of the film's two main advertising tags, "The human adventure is just beginning," and adds a tenth cast photo along the bottom: Majel Barrett as Dr. Chapel. The credits block, etc, has been moved outside the painting.
Paramount Exhibitor Book
A variant of the Berkey painting was used for Paramount's 1978 Exhibitor Book. An exhibitor book announced to theater owners some of the films the studio was going to release in the upcoming year, as well as films that were planned or in production. Be sure to click the images below for hi-resolution versions!
Playing Cards
Berkey's unmistakable rendering of the Enterprise was also used for the backs of a licensed deck of playing cards, albeit in illustrated form. I have no info on the artist responsible for re-drawing the Enterprise.
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