Poll Should they just release the SLV on blu ray?
- Thread starter Lance
- Start date
They might have to tweak the scene where he catches Spock to disguise the change in space suit. It could be done but if it ever is, I doubt it will be the studio that will do it!
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I'm guessing the problems in this scene might be the main argument for the studio to not update the SLV to HD. It's not approved by the director, it has unfinished scenes that were not supposed to be seen by an audience, it's a network edit and how many of those have been released lately in the best definition? The guys from the Director's Edition were pretty dismissive of it. That might be a general feeling around the studio too.
I really think the scene works. It has energy, a terse exchange between Kirk and McCoy, a cool sound effect when the door opens, and a gorgeous view of Spock from Kirk's perspective. Its a pity the two space suits don't match!
Oh, I wouldn't mind it in the film were it finished... apart from the moment where Bones just stands awkwardly still waiting for the door to veeery slowly close. In fact, the framing of this scene is not quite right... the tension you speak of asks for closer framing.
As a comparison, for better or worse, Superman: The Movie got a decent blu-ray release of the extended TV version a couple years back (all in the theatrical aspect ratio, too).
One would think that it wouldn't be too much trouble for somebody to scan the TMP:SLV at high resolution and do a basic, quick and dirty home video release without any cleanup or remastering. Since it's more of a niche item, it could even be distributed through the Warner Archive Collection, like Paramount has arranged with certain other titles from their catalog (since apparently Paramount can't get with the program and start their own MOD disc service
).Kor
As a comparison, for better or worse, Superman: The Movie got a decent blu-ray release of the extended TV version a couple years back (all in the theatrical aspect ratio, too).
One would think that it wouldn't be too much trouble for somebody to scan the TMP:SLV at high resolution and do a basic, quick and dirty home video release without any cleanup or remastering. Since it's more of a niche item, it could even be distributed through the Warner Archive Collection, like Paramount has arranged with certain other titles from their catalog (since apparently Paramount can't get with the program and start their own MOD disc service
Kor
Good call, I never saw that version, don't know if it's supposed to be better or worse... then again, for me, the moment Lex Luthor appears, the movie loses itself.
The TV version of Superman is 45 minutes longer than the theatrical release. As I recall, the Salkinds wanted to put back in as much stuff as possible so they could charge ABC TV more based on length.
Kor
I like the trimmed shots from the DE but I'd prefer it if none of the dialogue was cut. Most of the scenes just need tightening slightly. I saw an attempt on Facebook to splice some of Uhura's frantic attempts to contact Starfleet, reduced in volume, as background chatter to a conversation with Kirk. I thought it worked quite well. It kept her dialogue but didn't drag on the movie.
Are the extra dialogue scenes from the SLV not included on the Blu-ray? I would think you'd be able to piece them back in.
The unfinished Shatner spacesuit scene can stay out, of course. Not that I ever noticed it was unfinished watching the VHS when I was younger.
The unfinished Shatner spacesuit scene can stay out, of course. Not that I ever noticed it was unfinished watching the VHS when I was younger.
The TV version of Superman is 45 minutes longer than the theatrical release. As I recall, the Salkinds wanted to put back in as much stuff as possible so they could charge ABC TV more based on length.
Kor
Slightly off topic - what extra scenes does this contain? I've got the directors cut of Superman The Movie which has a few minutes of extra scenes (most of which are pretty good too) but as a massive fan of the movie I'd be interested in seeing this.
This site attempts to list out all of the differences, noting 53 identifiable instances of additional footage: https://www.supermanhomepage.com/the-story-behind-superman-the-movie-extended-cut/
Kor
That might've been a crude test I did. Someone else did their own version of it after. I made that to demonstrate why the SLV additions don't work, because they are dropped in crudely rather than intercut.
Yes it was very similar, but featuring a bit more of Uhura before the switch so that her lines didn't bleed into so much of the other dialogue. I wouldn't say the SLV 'doesn't work' (lots of people prefer the SLV) but rather that 'many of the additions would work better if...'
As long as her dialogue is quiet enough so as not to impact on the dialogue that is more significant to the plot, I actually think it ramps up the drama and tension a bit more and improves the scene without increasing the run time significantly. That's why I'd love to see how a hybrid cut would work .
Well, yes. The problem with that dialog as used in the SLV was it's a just a raw take where they had her do a bunch of variations on the line and someone decided to drop the whole thing into the film.
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Some of those takes are better than what we saw on the theatrical version. Bones's line, "You've used this emergency to get the Enterprise back", sounds more wooden on the theatrical and DE version cut. They used Deforest Kelley's best reading on the SLV.
They looped a lot of the lines. DeForest Kelly was unhappy with some of that.
Interestingly, this dialogue appendix from the shooting script doesn't present any of her dialogue as alts. I get the impression most of it is supposed to be background chatter to the scene.
I would like to have versions of the movie including deleted scenes, remastered, in one Blu ray/ UHD disc; it's a history of these pieces which should be available. Does anyone know how are the sales going for Trek movies? Does those figures constitute a multi-version opus?The SLV was, of course, the alternative 'longest cut', orginating as a television edit before released on VHS and Laserdisc but never on DVD or Blu Ray. It adds in considerably more content than either the Director's Edition or the theatrical cut, some of it obviously superfluous, but undoubtedly there will be scenes in there (and alternative takes of other scenes) that some of us grew up with and maybe prefer to either other version. At least, to have the option of watching it in HD.
Precedent has been set now by Warner Brothers releasing a widescreen high definition version of the 3 hour 'TV cut' of Superman on Blu Ray. So, doing so becomes more plausible.
I have included options on the poll for the Director's Edition as well, just to cover all bases.
Do you think any of these alternative cuts should be made available on blu ray? Or are you perfectly satisfied with the theatrical version?
