New DVD Releases of the Movies

Discussion in 'Star Trek Movies I-X' started by Smiley, Jun 25, 2009.

  1. Smiley

    Smiley Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    According to The Digital Bits, concurrent to the release of STXI on DVD, there will be a TNG collection, plus the even numbered movies less Nemesis released individually. Added to the Genesis trilogy already available on DVD, that just leaves TMP and TFF as movies not rumored to be given a new DVD release yet. Has anyone heard about possible releases of those two on DVD?
     
  2. Oso Blanco

    Oso Blanco Commodore Commodore

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    TMP and TFF are available individually in Germany and as part of the box set in the UK. I'm not sure about the rest of the world, though.
     
  3. CoveTom

    CoveTom Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    So these are -new- DVD releases of the movies? I presume that, like the "Genesis trilogy," they are going to have new features in addition to the ones on the previous releases? Really, if they don't eventually give TFF a reworking, that's a shame...
     
  4. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    Ditto Australasia (Region 4).

    Yep. But the "in addition to..." only aplies to the Blu-Ray versions. The new DVD presentations of TMP and TFF are the original theatrical releases with all-new commentaries, a Starfleet Academy lecture each (same format/host as "Genesis" trilogy). TMP has the fan extras reunion, etc.

    No reworking for TFF. No one wants to invest more capital into an old turkey. ;)
     
  5. Falcor5

    Falcor5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Wait they are not releasing the Directors cut of TMP on the DVD version? I thought the only reason it was not on Blu-ray was because the new content was not in HD. Wow I am glad I bought the Directors cut version on DVD when I had the chance!
     
  6. Andrew-Kenneth

    Andrew-Kenneth Ensign Newbie

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    The new dvd of TMP looks far better than the old Director's cut dvd.

    It was derived from the same transfer as the new blu-ray release.

    So instead of watching the disappointing picture quality of the old dvd prepare to be dazzled.

    And the improved picture quality helps this particular film a great deal.

    Instead of cursing the filmmakers for the rather slow pace of the movie (V'ger cloud, V'ger fly-over) your jaw drops, just like the crew members when they're gazing at the cloud and the V'ger ship.

    On this site are some comparison shots. (scroll down to discover that only on the new transfer Kirk washed his white shirt using a brand-name washing powder instead of the drab product-X of the directors cut dvd.)
    http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/70794/star-trek-the-motion-picture.html
     
  7. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    Many purists have been calling for a DVD release of the theatrical cut, and this is it. Now you can have both.
     
  8. Chrisisall

    Chrisisall Commodore Commodore

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    Thanks- those are fascinating, however, even if I have to see Kirk's brand-X ring around the collar for the rest of my life, so be it. The Director's cut is THE ONLY way to go. Someday they'll jack up the new FX pixels from 480 to over twice that for HD, THEN I'll get it.:techman:
     
  9. Data Holmes

    Data Holmes Admiral Admiral

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    I bet you liked "new COKE" and "Crystal Pepsi" too. It's amazing humanity ever made it out of the 20th century.:vulcan:
     
  10. Chrisisall

    Chrisisall Commodore Commodore

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    I do not like Coke of any variety, and Crystal Pepsi is something I've never even tried.
    And what does that have to do with the natural flow of time from one century to the next?
    :vulcan:
     
  11. trevanian

    trevanian Rear Admiral

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    Yeah, the new picture pops, but the lack of texture in the faces and on the ships is ... just kinda sickening. It is like the DNR gives you terrific edges and then blunts the insides, like vaselineing over the faces to obliterate grain. For people who grew up watching video, I guess it is okay, but for film people, this looks like a colossal disappointment, like the bluray PATTON.
     
  12. Chrisisall

    Chrisisall Commodore Commodore

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    I didn't notice that in my quick look, I was frankly amazed by the excellent contrast. But so what? Content over presentation is my motto, if I started having a motto.
     
  13. Falcor5

    Falcor5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I agree! :techman: IMO the Directors Cut improved the pacing and flow of the movie a ton! I really enjoy it alot more then the original. But I guess its good that people can buy the theatrical version on DVD now too. However for me I am just glad I have the directors cut!
     
  14. Chrisisall

    Chrisisall Commodore Commodore

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    As I type this I'm watching it playing on my new upconverting DVD player into my new 26" 720p LCD TV. It looks so beautiful I could cry. I can SO wait for an HD version. In the mean time, I can see the makeup where Spock's ears were applied. Too much definition can be a bad thing as well. :vulcan:;)
     
  15. Andrew-Kenneth

    Andrew-Kenneth Ensign Newbie

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    OK - I'll repost this link with comparison screenshots.
    http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/70794/star-trek-the-motion-picture.html#thumb
    Scroll down to the comparison of the Starfleet HQ pics. And then tell me which version compels you to cry.

    After seeing Star Trek XI on the big screen I decided to enlarge my small Star Trek dvd collection. (only had the 2-disc set of TWOK). I picked up the new 3-disc "trilogy" (ST 2,3 &4) and then borrowed the 2-disc sets of ST:TMP, ST5 and ST6 from the local library in order to decide if they were worth buying. (I had only seen TMP once on television way back in the eighties, and have never seen ST 5 or 6 before.)

    Anyway a couple of days later I did also buy the new dvd's of TMP, ST 5 & ST 6. And I can tell you they all look better than the old dvd's. (and at the bargain prices these dvd's are selling for they're a steal. 18,90 EUR for the 3-disc set and 6,90 EUR each for the TMP and ST5 & 6 dvd's)

    Also Star Trek 6 is presented on the new dvd for the first time in it's original aspect ratio of 2,35 :1 instead of the 2,00 :1 ratio of the old dvd. Which improves the composition of the movie.
    comparison screenshots => http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/70821/star-trek-vi-the-undiscovered-country.html

    Now the three weeks in which I could compare both versions of TMP left me underwhelmed by the merits of the DC.

    In my opinion only two shots are better in the DC.
    1) the explosion at the end of the wormhole sequence.
    2) the alien probe disappearing when Spock transmits the code as seen from outside the Enterprise.
    And these shots combined last about 10 seconds tops...

    The DC starts out with 3 ruined scenes.
    1) Overture with superimposed windows screensaver starfield giving us the impression of flying backwards through space.
    2) Main titles with gaudy golden typeface.
    3) the DC managed to trim the Klingon battle sequence. The most exciting scene of the movie and it gets trimmed...

    Then some random scenes are added that don't particularly help the film.
    1) Uhura dissing Deckard and praising Kirk. I mean is she a professional or a Kirk-groupie? After all it is Deckard who saves the ship twice. In the worm-hole and at the end by merging with V'Ger.
    (this scene and for instance the added scene just before McCoy transports aboard also cause the launch of the Enterprise to take place later in the movie making a slow-paced movie even more slow-paced.)
    2) Ilia healing Chekov.

    Also in the Director's cut the V'Ger ship is shown in it's entirety. It seems slightly larger than a Super-Stardestroyer out of Star Wars. (Vader's command ship in "Empire") In the theatrical cut the V'Ger always seems immense.

    The DC-effects of the V'Ger-bridge scene already look dated. The old scene had a less than perfect matte painting of the Enterprise but at least it was part of the original movie.

    Both cuts are new to me so maybe that explains my point of view. Someone who has lived with the DC for a number of years and is really convinced that it is better than the theatrical cut may find it harder to like the new dvd-version.

    Ideally all versions should be released in excellent quality (like Spielberg did with his ultimate Edition of "Close Encounters" or the Blade Runner 5-disc set.)
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2009
  16. Chrisisall

    Chrisisall Commodore Commodore

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    I agree. Thanks for the links too.:techman:
     
  17. Too Much Fun

    Too Much Fun Commodore Commodore

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    Has anyone seen the new "Captain's Summit" roundtable featurette on one of the new DVD releases? If so, how is it?
     
  18. Genesis Does

    Genesis Does Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    Andrew-Kenneth: All we had for 20 years was that cut and a "special extended cut" VHS tape, which was a TV version that had a few deleted scenes. When the DC came out, it was a godsend. It finally shed a load of light on that film. There was little or no information on the movie available until this came out. This BR theatrical cut would have to be something unbelievable for me to like it more than the DC.
     
  19. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    Enjoyable, humorous, nostalgic banter with Whoopi, Bill, Leonard, Patrick and Jonathan. What's not to like?
     
  20. trevanian

    trevanian Rear Admiral

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    That's utter hogwash. I don't think there are more than a couple dribbles of info in the DC that weren't already well-documented in several books and magazine articles, and that's probably offset by some of the errors introduced on the disk.

    Maybe the 'casual' trek enthusiast didn't know about this stuff, but it was always there to find if folks looked, in unauthorized volumes and even some of Pocket's stuff. The DC has actually complicated the issues by bringing a revisionist aspect to the whole picture, since it claims to be what Wise first intended, but doesn't reflect much of what he said he wanted to change in earlier interviews, nor does it incorporate some of the most interesting unproduced visuals from the film's original development.