Expanded/Directors Editions or Theatrical?

[Tallguy]

The original version of TOS is still extremely available. (To the extreme!)

1) Much more so than Star Wars.
2) Someone says "I want to watch this Star Trek thing you keep going on about. But I hear there are different versions. You tell me to watch the originals. How do I do that?" And you have to answer "Um. Go buy the Blu ray sets."

In olden times that would be not only reasonable but even obvious. But nowadays for MOST people (certainly casual viewers) what's "available" is what the streamers serve up. Or what gets aired. Neither of which is the originals.

 

[Vger23]

1) Much more so than Star Wars.
2) Someone says "I want to watch this Star Trek thing you keep going on about. But I hear there are different versions. You tell me to watch the originals. How do I do that?" And you have to answer "Um. Go buy the Blu ray sets."

In olden times that would be not only reasonable but even obvious. But nowadays for MOST people (certainly casual viewers) what's "available" is what the streamers serve up. Or what gets aired. Neither of which is the originals.

This is precisely why I invested in the BR sets of TOS and TNG.

 

[Tallguy]

This is precisely why I invested in the BR sets of TOS and TNG.

Oh, I can certainly take the attitude of "I've gots mine!" Heck, I even stream the original eps over my Plex server.

 

[Belz...]

For TWOK, the director's cut. It was a revelation when I saw it on ABC after years of watching the (even shortened) theatrical. For TUC, I prefer the shorter version on BluRay because it cuts a few oddities of the other version.

As for TMP it's a tough choice. Both have their advantages. I feel that the 2022 version's contrast is a bit odd sometimes, and the lounge scene's alterations aren't perfect, but it's a more complete version. I do prefer much of the sound design in the theatrical, somehow, such as the alert sound for instance.

On a related note, TMP has just passed TWOK as my favourite Trek movie, which would theoretically make it one of my top 3 favourite movies of all time, alongside 2010 and Apollo 13.

 

[Tallguy]

On a related note, TMP has just passed TWOK as my favourite Trek movie, which would theoretically make it one of my top 3 favourite movies of all time, alongside 2010 and Apollo 13.

That's good. You've taken your first step into a larger world. Oh, wait, that's the other one, isn't it?

 

[Belz...]

That's good. You've taken your first step into a larger world. Oh, wait, that's the other one, isn't it?

You won't hear any complaint from me for quoting another of my favourite franchises.

After those three and TWOK comes SW and Empire.

 

[STEPhon IT]

I prefer all of the versions of TMP, there was so much footage and alternate takes which I appreciate owning.

The extended version of The Wrath of Khan I enjoy but it is a revision from the ABC version where I love the added dialogue when Spock walks along with Saavik and Kirk and just says, "Fascinating". Still, I want another version where I can get some of the deleted scenes of David and Saavik and the post Kobayashi Maru scene where Saavik was established as a Romulan between Kirk and Spock.

TUC the theatrical version is the one I prefer, the other versions are quite strange because I don't think what's added brought anything to make the movie stronger. So I don't bother ever watching that again. I still wish the movie appeared like it originally was on LD where there wasn't any black bars on the frame; it didn't match the aspect ratios like rest of the movies but what I loved about that version was I saw the whole picture of the movie.