Battle of Khitomer remastered in 4K

[Kor]

...
Plus the theatrical cut leaves out some great scenes, including the reveal that the Presidential assassin on Khitomer is actually Colonel West in a Klingon mask. Ties up a lot of plot points more neatly.

On the other hand, that scene is often derided as the "Scooby-Doo ending."

Kor

 

[M.A.C.O.]

Extended cut does add a lot more to add to the conspiracy on Star Fleet's side. Not sure how I feel about Scotty calling Atzebur a "Klingon bitch". Valeris sliding down the pole and bumping into the set is hokey. I can imagine why that was cut.

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[Ssosmcin]

The "Scooby Doo" reveal was my least favorite aspect of the directors cut. The film had enough cheesiness, that pushed it over the top for me. I vastly prefer the theatrical cut.

 

[Kor]

The "Scooby Doo" scene was also in the home video version of the movie, along with Operation Reprieve, Valeris sliding down the pole and bumping into the flimsy set, and "Klingon b****." The very first DVD of STVI, released in 1999, was this cut of the film. The aspect ratio was 2.00:1 (reportedly Meyer's preference), but the picture was also framed oddly, I think with the idea of making room for subtitles.

Then the 2004 version was the "Special Collector's Edition," not actually called a "Director's Cut/Edition." This version included the above stuff, and the editing in the Valeris questioning scene was different, using different takes for certain shots and also inserting visual glimpses of the characters being mentioned during the mind meld. This was also in 2.00:1 AR, but framed better.

And then the 2009 blu-ray (and the DVD released at that time) is the theatrical cut, in the theatrical aspect ratio. It took them long enough to actually release the cinema version of the movie on physical media. Only eighteen years after its release in theaters!

Kor

 

[CorporalCaptain]

It was monumentally stupid for Colonel West himself to be the sniper. Plus, the Scooby Doo unmasking was completely ridiculous. TUC is a better film without that nonsense.

 

[Smellmet]

The Klingon translation scene is bad, I agree.

There is also a pretty awful plot gaffe - at the start of the film it's stated Excelsior has been cataloguing gaseous anomalies in the Beta Quadrant when they get hit by the Praxis shockwave.

Later in the film Uhura makes the suggest they use "all that equipment we're carrying to catalogue gaseous anomalies" on Enterprise to build the torpedo that follows Chang's BoP's emissions trail.

Frustrating.

I always took this as all starfleet ships had been retro-fitted with this equipment.

 

[Tuskin38]

I read somewhere it was because of Shatner wanting to be part of the finale more.

I don't know how true that is.

 

[Verteron]

I always took this as all starfleet ships had been retro-fitted with this equipment.

I read somewhere it was because of Shatner wanting to be part of the finale more.

I don't know how true that is.

Yeah I believe in the early script drafts, Excelsior was supposed to improvise and fire the tracking torpedo, but this was switched in a revision. Either the Director or Shatner felt that there should be more emphasis on the Enterprise and Kirk/Spock/McCoy during the Battle of Khitomer finale.

I'd guess Spock's lines were originally Valtane's and Uhura's were originally Rand's, and they weren't fully checked for continuity when switched.

That said, the scene works perfectly well without that line from Uhura. You can even keep her follow-up line, "thing's gotta have a tailpipe". I am surprised it wasn't deleted or modified in the Director's Cut.

 

[STEPhon IT]

Funny, as I think TUD is one of the strongest stories and represents some of the best character development for the TOS crew since Spock's death. The Cold War / Chernobyl / Fall of Berlin wall parallel works well without being stupidly expositional or hammy.

Kirk realises some enemies might be his friends and some friends might be his enemies. Spock utters the famous line that logic is the beginning of understanding, not the end, before being brutally betrayed by his protege. Kirk finally accepts that he's getting old.

And the TOS saga closes by showing us that even two arch enemies might settle their differences in time. Real Roddenberry stuff.

But hey, I respect that you have your opinion. I just very much don't share it with you.

OK, and what does THAT has to do with my "DISLIKING" of the title "THE NAME OF THE MOVIE"???

 

[fireproof78]

I always took this as all starfleet ships had been retro-fitted with this equipment.

Same, I never had an issue with that line. I figured that both the Enterprise and Excelsior were assigned similar duties, with the Excelsior taking over as primary perhaps.

Honestly, and this might belong in the controversial opinions thread, I love the unmasking. Now, I will add that in my experience I had only seen the film with the Operation Retrieve scene in it, so the West unmasking always made sense to me. I appreciated the sniper scene and Scotty's saving the day. Felt very action/adventure style that I liked from TOS.

 

[STEPhon IT]

Yeah I believe in the early script drafts, Excelsior was supposed to improvise and fire the tracking torpedo, but this was switched in a revision. Either the Director or Shatner felt that there should be more emphasis on the Enterprise and Kirk/Spock/McCoy during the Battle of Khitomer finale.

I'd guess Spock's lines were originally Valtane's and Uhura's were originally Rand's, and they weren't fully checked for continuity when switched.

That said, the scene works perfectly well without that line from Uhura. You can even keep her follow-up line, "thing's gotta have a tailpipe". I am surprised it wasn't deleted or modified in the Director's Cut.

I would think the revision was championed by the movies Executive Producer and the creator of the story, Leonard Nimoy. I want my heroes involved in that climax than seeing Sulu do it.

 

[Vger23]

Yeah I believe in the early script drafts, Excelsior was supposed to improvise and fire the tracking torpedo, but this was switched in a revision. Either the Director or Shatner felt that there should be more emphasis on the Enterprise and Kirk/Spock/McCoy during the Battle of Khitomer finale.

I'd guess Spock's lines were originally Valtane's and Uhura's were originally Rand's, and they weren't fully checked for continuity when switched.

That's interesting. I've read a boatload of "making of" materials on TUC, and I've never heard even a hint of this. What source do you have that causes you to say this? Also...isn't it a bit of a stretch to casually throw out there that "maybe Shatner felt..." I think, without a source, that's a pretty irresponsible supposition to make.

Not trying to be a d!ck....just seeking to understand where you came up with this.

 

[Verteron]

That's interesting. I've read a boatload of "making of" materials on TUC, and I've never heard even a hint of this. What source do you have that causes you to say this? Also...isn't it a bit of a stretch to casually throw out there that "maybe Shatner felt..." I think, without a source, that's a pretty irresponsible supposition to make.

Not trying to be a d!ck....just seeking to understand where you came up with this.

I'm 95% sure I read this somewhere. I'll see if I can dig up the source. Of course, it may have been a bad or speculative source. So I'll check that too

 

[Kor]

It was monumentally stupid for Colonel West himself to be the sniper. Plus, the Scooby Doo unmasking was completely ridiculous. TUC is a better film without that nonsense.

And Colonel Worf and Admiral Bill give each other that look, like "What are we doing in this movie?"

Kor