There are some VFX shots of ST V that are well done, in my opinion: -When we see the Enterprise with the Bird of Prey at the end of the movie, flying over Sha Ka Ree. -Shuttle approaching both Sha Ka Ree and Nimbus III. -Shuttle leaving Yosemite and approaching Enterprise, that appears over the moon, and the subsequent shuttle landing on the bay. -Sha Ka Ree Energy Beam passing next to the Enterprise. I also like the Matte Painting job in the Yosemite´s scenes.
The point is that i don´t think that can ever happen with some move by the fan base. Crowfunding, petition campaign. And contacting William Shatner to know if he would make it for the 30th Anniversary of the film.
Hey, Forever, I think you've set up a great template and I'm going to go point-by-point here and lay out what I think of a Director's Edition 30 years after the fact. The weak SPFX are the least of The Final Frontier's problems. I'd like to see better effects, sure. Who wouldn't? Is that going to fix the film? That in combination with certain cuts and edits? I dunno... keep reading. To what end? There is no corresponding footage of the actors interacting with said Rock-men. Not to be to derisive, but do you mean just have them in the existing shots? Kind of... "hanging out in the background?" It would be too much like dewbacks in Star Wars: superfluous, distracting window dressing. Do you mean new effects, surrounding "God?" Different takes of "Excuse me.." and "I doubt any God..." and etc. Again, a "new scene" can't be constructed without footage and or participation of the actors. In 1989. And the takes that are in are likely the best. So add in some practicals, huh? Ok. I'll buy that. I don't think they'd spring for the renovation of original models, or construction of new models, plus photography, including motion control cameras, and etc. Again, see above. It's still not a "fix" for the film. Sure, frame by frame clean-up would be great. But the shot of the Enterprise would require either a new practical model shoot, or CGI. Just scrubbing the negative wouldn't fix the lack of depth and layering. That was required during effects photography and subsequent compositing. Oh, Yeah. Seriously. A good fan edit can take care of the fan-dance, Scotty's head-knock, some of the downright stupid quips added in, and etc. Those scenes were crap. It's one thing to be the type of fan who gets a kick out of seeing everything you can possibly see about Star Trek, including outtakes, deleted scenes, bloopers... It's another thing entirely to suggest that they be "restored" into a film just because it's "new" material. That stuff was cut for a good reason. Spock doing a baby voice? I didn't buy it. Having written the above, I'd like to go on record as having enjoyed The Final Frontier. I like the film. Is it the best Trek? No. Is it a close runner-up? No. But I like it. As above, the weak SPFX are the least of The Final Frontier's problems. Would new effects fix the film? Of course not. New SPFX in combination with certain cuts and edits? I think the existing material is weak, and re-shoots aren't a possibility. CGI-ing in Rock-men, adding flourish to God, all this amounts to is Lucasisms: distracting, after-the-fact, vain, undeserved embellishments and frame-crowding. The Final Frontier is flawed. As is my favorite Nikkor 28mm lens. I still like them both, and each has a place for me.
DE would need frame by frame clean up plus new practical models shot. Because if you put a lot of CGI around a 1989 film it will be like Lucas alterations, as you mentioned. The nice VFX shoots like Enterprise over moon would requiere re-compositing and even re-shooting the practical models, also cleaning them up frame by frame. If i am not wrong, the original model of Enterprise A was sold in an auction and i dont know what happened to the BOP model or the shuttlecrafts. The bad VFX shoots could require well done CGI (i mean retro-CGI like in TNG Blu Ray or The Original Series), or re-sh William Shatner already tried to make a Director´s Edition happen. His request was rejected, but that was like 20 years ago. Now things are different and the film is getting its 30th Anniversary next year.
Hey, Man, I sympathize. I feel your pain. But the fact that The Final Frontier is thirty years old doesn't mean anything to anyone but us. And there ain't enough of us to make it worthwhile, cost-wise - to put money into it. They just wouldn't sell enough copies to make it worthwhile. They'd put more money into the ten-year anniversary of the reboot before sinking any money into The Final Frontier.
I'm afraid I agree. I wouldn't mind just a DC with upgraded special effects. Even if they didn't touch the rest of the movie and just did that, it would at least improve the 'look' of the film. But I don't see it happening. They'd feel it was good money after bad, we're probably lucky they even bothered to put it on Blu-Ray.
As far as a DC of TFF, probably not. Never say never, but if they didn't do it when Shatner asked for it when they did the Special Edition DVD, I don't think they'll change their minds. But TFF is one of those oddball movies that doesn't get good reviews, but fans do seem to find things to like about it. On my list it's in 13th place of the 13 movies, but I still enjoy watching it. It does have some great character moments. And I'd loved to see a version with updated effects, and from the sounds of it there are some fans out there that would like it too.
He won´t make it if fans do nothing for it. If there is a campaign from the fans to make it happen, it could work. He has enough money for sure... and Paramount could make it limited to 10k copies for example.
Yeah true, but I don't see that happening. And wouldn't Paramount still have to approve of it. They own the film, even if he was the director. I'd find it hard to believe if Shatner decided to drop a million himself to fix the effects that Paramount would say, sure go for it. But I've seen stranger things happen in this day and age.
Back when he asked them during the Special Edition DVD releases a million dollars was thrown out there. With CGI this day and age it probably could be done for less at this point, but it'd probably still be a couple hundred K's.
I meant they could release a limited number of copies. About the budget, i think it could be high as he would need a VFX company, editors, sound editors....i think more than one million $.
Probem is Cbs and Paramount always think there is no enough people that will buy this things. They say that about DS9 and VOY Blu Ray too.
I have always liked TFF , even with all of it's problems, simply because it aspired to be different than the prior four films. Also, I like this film because of the 1701-A Hangar set complete with shuttlecrafts actually being built for this film. I think a Director's Cut would be great if Shatner had the budget to revise TFF the way he wanted it to be.