Star Trek the Motion Picture: Brand New Edition

[Barry]

Star Trek the Motion Picture: Brand New Edition

If you did not like Star Trek The Motion Picture, read no further.  You have not yet attained Kolinahr, your answer lies elsewhere.

I knew that an updated edition of movie was coming to the theaters in May and on 4k discs in September, but, to my surprise, it can be found on Paramount+.

I saw the movie when it first came out. I enjoyed it because it was good sci-fi, it just wasn’t Star Trek. Star Trek was an action/adventure series that relied on characterization as many TV shows do. This movie did not and they hired a great director, but one who never saw a Star Trek episode.

This edition is a great improvement in every way. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the changes, but it is still not quite the Star Trek we know.  And it is not really a director’s cut, it is a producers cut.

The original opened with an overture and a blank screen, here they fill in the screen and update the titles.

We go immediately to the Klingon attack with V’ ger, but the photography has been so much improved I was greatly surprised. Great detail, great color great everything. Yes, it’s not quite 2020 special effects, but excellent, nevertheless. They also added special effects to scenes that did not have them.  Many effects were left out of the original, not forf financial reasons, but for deadline reasons.  The Shuttle landing of Kirk at the beginning and the bridge to V’ger at the end are two of the additions.

The biggest improvement maybe the Atmos soundtrack, which, especially for streaming is startling good.  Many “effects” have been added and enhanced. I was taken back, it was so good especially the bass.

About five minutes have been added to the movie, many of them add to the characters speaking.  Sadly not enough.  I now elevate this movie from “sit-throughable” to “Good.” I did enjoy this.

PS:
This was the first Paramount movie to break the $100,000,000 barrier.  It is listed as costing $40 million but it really only cost $20. Paramount, to write off charges, included the expenses it had for failed Star Trek TV Shows and other projects.

[David Vaughn]

I'll wait for the disc and I'll trudge through it one last time

Thanks for the review Barry. 

[AVSCraig]

The Director's Cut is coming to 4K Blu-ray soon. 

[AVSCraig]

I'll wait for the disc and I'll trudge through it one last time

Thanks for the review Barry.

Sort of how I'd feel watching " Ordinary People " again. 

[tripplej]

Thanks Barry for the review. I will have to do a Star Trek Marathon one of these days!