News Star Trek: The Motion Picture Director's Cut is being restored in 4K, launching first on Paramount+

[FredH]

I do think it would be a shame not to finally have a definitive release which includes the SLV. I know it has a lot of detractors because it makes an already languid film even longer, with quite a bit of redundant dialogue. There's also the Kirk spacewalk scene where he's wearing the wrong space suit.

But it's the first version of the film I saw, and I suspect many others are in the same boat. I'd love it to be represented on the ultimate UHD Blu-ray release.

For me, the SLV is easily the best cut of the film. I actively prefer the slower, more contemplative pace; additional footage like the “Spock cries for V’Ger” scene add a lot to what’s already a multilayered film; and keeping “We all create God in our own image” spoken onscreen is absolutely essential.

The original theatrical cut that everybody seemed to despise for decades is for me a very good second-best — it may not have the added stuff I prefer in the SLV, but it’s still perfectly solid.

I actually find the Director’s Cut the weakest of the three (which is a relative term — I don’t dislike it at all, I just prefer the other two).

 

[Vger23]

For me, the SLV is easily the best cut of the film. I actively prefer the slower, more contemplative pace; additional footage like the “Spock cries for V’Ger” scene add a lot to what’s already a multilayered film; and keeping “We all create God in our own image” spoken onscreen is absolutely essential.

The original theatrical cut that everybody seemed to despise for decades is for me a very good second-best — it may not have the added stuff I prefer in the SLV, but it’s still perfectly solid.

I actually find the Director’s Cut the weakest of the three (which is a relative term — I don’t dislike it at all, I just prefer the other two).

I agree with your comments about the SLV. I feel it had more emotion and character development than the other versions and I like TMP as a long, thoughtful “event” movie.

Honestly, if you could combine the longer character/dialogue scenes from the SLV with the enhanced special fx and tightened editing during some of the “flying through/over V’ger” scenes that the DE did, as well as the improved sound mix, you’d have a definitive version.

 

[FredH]

Honestly, if you could combine the longer character/dialogue scenes from the SLV with the enhanced special fx and tightened editing during some of the “flying through/over V’ger” scenes that the DE did, as well as the improved sound mix, you’d have a definitive version.

I mostly agree, with one caveat -- I hate seeing all/most of V'Ger's actual shape when the cloud dispersed over Earth. That's like when they made an actual Blair Witch action figure (yes, they did). The older, murkier shots of bits of V'Ger carry a lot more awe, I think.

 

[publiusr]

For years I had no idea what it was supposed to look like. The novel had it as an egg…and a joke about miles tall crew.

 

[David cgc]

If the DE commentary track returns, it won’t surprise me if Stephen Collins is completely deleted from it.

It wouldn't be impossible, since it was one of those awful pseudo-commentaries where they stitched together a bunch of interview clips. It's not like anyone else on the track interacted with him and would leave obvious gaps.

 

[Therin of Andor]

For me, the SLV is easily the best cut of the film. I actively prefer the slower, more contemplative pace; additional footage like the “Spock cries for V’Ger” scene add a lot to what’s already a multilayered film.

The tears for V'ger is included in "The Director's Edition".

 

[FredH]

The tears for V'ger is included in "The Director's Edition".

Fair enough, my oops.

 

[Vger23]

The tears for V'ger is included in "The Director's Edition".

To this day, I still have no idea what would have motivated them to cut this from the theatrical release. This scene and Decker’s “In Thy Image” observation are both critical to the themes of the film.

 

[David cgc]

As I recall from "Return to Tomorrow," the last editing pass was pretty brutal about removing redundant information, and the scene of Spock crying was seen as just reiterating what we'd learned a few minutes earlier in the Sickbay scene.

Oddly, that cut did keep very many mentions of people supposing, as if it's a new idea, that there's a ship generating the cloud, most of which were removed from the DE. Or, maybe not so odd, as I remember, Wise didn't even see the theatrical cut straight through until the premiere, so it was probably easier to catch an entire conversation than a bunch of repetitive lines scattered throughout the movie.

 

[Indysolo]

To this day, I still have no idea what would have motivated them to cut this from the theatrical release.

They had to deliver a movie that was under 130 minutes before credits.

 

[BillJ]

If they include the SLV, I’m more than happy to have it as it was originally presented on ABC, in 4:3 aspect ratio.

 

[Vger23]

If they include the SLV, I’m more than happy to have it as it was originally presented on ABC, in 4:3 aspect ratio.

100%

The Blade Runner collection has the work print, which is very choppy and no-frills. TMP SLV could be that simple. Anything is better than it remaining on VHS, particularly when I don’t even have a player any longer.

 

[Indysolo]

If they include the SLV, I’m more than happy to have it as it was originally presented on ABC, in 4:3 aspect ratio.

Would you want it in standard def as well?

I'd prefer to get them all in widescreen 4k UHD so no one can complain.

 

[Firebird]

I'd prefer to get them all in widescreen 4k UHD so no one can complain.

This is Star Trek fandom we’re talking about here; people will always find a way to complain.

 

[BillJ]

Would you want it in standard def as well?

Yeah, I just want it how it was presented.

 

[Indysolo]

Yeah, I just want it how it was presented.

Buy a tape and splice in the vintage commercials.

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[MakeshiftPython]

The insertion of the TOS-era shuttlecraft in San Francisco seemed rather gratuitous.

Kor

It’s just an Easter egg.

 

[BillJ]

Buy a tape and splice in the vintage commercials.

I don't want more equipment. Just a cut of a movie no longer in circulation. I don't think putting it on there would be some kind of dealbreaker, it would hardly take up any space on a UHD disc.

 

[cooleddie74]

Give me a deluxe set with the Director's Edition, the SLV with all the 1983 ABC cut scenes and the original 1979 theatrical edit. I'd love all three versions in one box.

 

[Pauln6]

I agree with your comments about the SLV. I feel it had more emotion and character development than the other versions and I like TMP as a long, thoughtful “event” movie.

Honestly, if you could combine the longer character/dialogue scenes from the SLV with the enhanced special fx and tightened editing during some of the “flying through/over V’ger” scenes that the DE did, as well as the improved sound mix, you’d have a definitive version.

To be honest, it only took about a week to add in most of the key missing scenes from the SLV into the DE. The main issue is lighting and image quality. In particular, the Sulu/Ilia scene looks very different to the scene before it. I tried to sharpen it, shift the colour palette and add bridge noises but it still has a rather jarring transition.

Similarly, the lighting is different between Ilia's quarters parts 1 and 2. I got around this by adding Memory Wall scenes between the two, using the journey through the cloud soundtrack across the latter two scenes. It works OK because the sound effects double as thruster noises for the Memory Wall.

Some scenes stitch together more easily, like the hybrid briefing scene. Others need a bit of luck merging or tweaking musical transitions, and the sound quality needs tweaking.

I'm sure someone with experience could do a decent edit. I was least ambitious and just kept fingers crossed for SLV quality