TMP-DE fully restored in 4K…it’s about time!

[Cyrus]

I stopped buying physical media for movies long ago. And I am already subscribed to P+ for Picard. Really can't wait to see this. I saw it in movie theaters in its initial release multiple times. I have watched it a few times on home video versions (including the original DE) but those never recaptured how glorious it looked in movie theaters. I think this is going to be the closest to the experience I had seeing it in move theaters. I am glad this classic movie is back and looking so good.

 

[Warped9]

I saw the theatrical release on IMAX at Ontario Place long ago. That was mindblowing. I would love to see the remastered DE on IMAX. That would ROCK!

 

[Lord Garth]

I'm really looking forward to seeing the 4K DE now. I saw TMP in the theater for the 40th Anniversary Special and I finally got to see the film the way it was meant to be seen, and never knew. If you haven't seen TMP on the Big Screen, you haven't seen TMP.

In 2001, the DE was something I was looking forward to, but it didn't excite me. When I see the visuals in 4K, I realize now that SD wasn't doing them any justice. Also, there was the initial shock of the film not looking exactly like how I was used to seeing it. I'm over that now. And how those visuals look in the photos that have been released so far are very impressive. The exterior shots of the Enterprise approaching V'Ger depict the Enterprise in a way that has never looked better.

Also something different: In 2001, I had a relatively small 4:3 TV. Now I have not only a 50-inch flat-screen TV, but also a projector so I can watch TMP up against an entire wall of my living room, if I wish (and I will). The visuals matter for TMP more than for any of the other films, being that they were trying to evoke 2001: A Space Odyssey and this is really still a New Hollywood film (even though it was made after Star Wars), not Modern Hollywood. So the sensibilities are different. And the sensibilities here are they didn't want it to just be a narrative experience, they wanted it to be an visual/artistic experience. So the presentation especially matters.

 

[Warped9]

After all these years TMP seems to be coming into its own and getting the respect it deserves. It’s also a little sad because I so much wanted to see a followup to it in that era, and we never got it.

 

[Nightowl1701]

It shows that the golden age of home media effectively died with DVD, as studios really don't understand what kind of material collectors and film enthusiasts actually want.

Oh, I think they understand just fine. They just have to be arm-twisted sometimes (more so, depending on the studio) into taking the time and effort - and, especially, expense - to dig into the vault and do all that restoring and transferring.

Plus TMP is something that's been around for decades, choosing to give it an "exclusive!" streaming window of five months feels rather ridiculous. What's the average streaming-only window for most movies at this point before the Blu-Ray streets? A couple days? That seems "a little" more fair (by which I mean to say not that little at all).

Depends on what extras are going to be on the physical release. If they simply cut/paste what was on the last BR/4K, then yeah, you'd be right to complain. As I've mentioned before though, I'm hoping they've done a real deep dive into the archives this time and come up with some gems (I'd be surprised if they didn't, given the two-three more deleted scenes they've mentioned). That alone would justify the delay.

 

[publiusr]

It looks like they recycled Ralph McQuarrie's San Francisco concept art from The Voyage Home:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e18d98xkyjew4pj/662424.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hlntxti0pjyjhfe/00df568265bf8fccfe472c06cc72b374.png?dl=0

Suits me.

 

[publiusr]

After all these years TMP seems to be coming into its own and getting the respect it deserves. It’s also a little sad because I so much wanted to see a followup to it in that era, and we never got it.

With Deep Fake…someone will do a TMP follow on novel at some point. No actors.

 

[Bad Robot]

Oh, I think they understand just fine. They just have to be arm-twisted sometimes (more so, depending on the studio) into taking the time and effort - and, especially, expense - to dig into the vault and do all that restoring and transferring.

Depends on what extras are going to be on the physical release. If they simply cut/paste what was on the last BR/4K, then yeah, you'd be right to complain. As I've mentioned before though, I'm hoping they've done a real deep dive into the archives this time and come up with some gems (I'd be surprised if they didn't, given the two-three more deleted scenes they've mentioned). That alone would justify the delay.

But even without the deep dive, I think it takes a very unique lack of understanding to have a director's commentary made... but then insult consumers by putting it on iTunes.

 

[Pauln6]

With Deep Fake…someone will do a TMP follow on novel at some point. No actors.

Use the QMX / Exo6 action figures and Wav2lip to make their mouths move in conjunction with the dialogue! Like Robot Chicken.

 

[Warped9]

Back in ‘79 and into the early ‘80s some of the Pocket novels could be taken to be followups to TMP. But, of course, a licensed book isn’t the same as an actual film.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I find it asinine that a lot of these streaming shows already don't get Blu-Ray releases.

I agree with you that physical media is a beautiful, beautiful thing, but the truly asinine thing for any business to do would be to release a product that only a minority would buy. It's all about profit.

I used to own so much physical media, but over the years I've sort of unknowingly transitioned into digital. I don't like it any more than you do, but that's where we are as consumers.

 

[Turbo]

I wouldn't be surprised if the reason it's getting a streaming release first is that Paramount+ paid for a chunk of the restoration budget which is why it's finally happening after years of rumors (and not happening in a TOS/TMP anniversary year).

 

[Bad Robot]

I agree with you that physical media is a beautiful, beautiful thing, but the truly asinine thing for any business to do would be to release a product that only a minority would buy. It's all about profit.

I used to own so much physical media, but over the years I've sort of unknowingly transitioned into digital. I don't like it any more than you do, but that's where we are as consumers.

I might agree, if it weren't for studios purposely manipulating the market to swing this way. We're seeing one of their sleight of hand tricks right now. Who wouldn't watch this on streaming, if they've already committed to giving Kurtzman Trek a fourth chance to float with SNW? I'm not going for it. And SNW can wait until September.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I might agree, if it weren't for studios purposely manipulating the market to swing this way. We're seeing one of their sleight of hand tricks right now. Who wouldn't watch this on streaming, if they've already committed to giving Kurtzman Trek a fourth chance to float with SNW? I'm not going for it. And SNW can wait until September.

I just don’t see it that cynically. It’s hardly sleight of hand if we know and can see what the hands are doing.

I do love physical media, honestly to some degree I bemoan it’s loss. I just don’t see the conspiracy here.

In a sense, paying to get it digitally is better than the cinema route, because you can watch it repeatedly at home.

I don’t know. I get why you’re mad, but I from my point of view it’s an overreaction. It’s just the way things are done these days. People dipped in for VHS, double dipped for DVD, but are reluctant to triple dip.

Basically, if people bought the things in enough numbers, TPTB would release things physically. At some point, enough people voted with their wallets and here we are. The situation is as much a product of the consumer as it is the producer.

 

[Bad Robot]

I just don’t see it that cynically. It’s hardly sleight of hand if we know and can see what the hands are doing.

I do love physical media, honestly to some degree I bemoan it’s loss. I just don’t see the conspiracy here.

In a sense, paying to get it digitally is better than the cinema route, because you can watch it repeatedly at home.

I don’t know. I get why you’re mad, but I from my point of view it’s an overreaction. It’s just the way things are done these days. People dipped in for VHS, double dipped for DVD, but are reluctant to triple dip.

Basically, if people bought the things in enough numbers, TPTB would release things physically. At some point, enough people voted with their wallets and here we are. The situation is as much a product of the consumer as it is the producer.

I'm not mad. I already said in reply to IronWaffle I was dialing back my cynicism. Doesn't mean I have to change my position. He's not streaming this and neither am I. I COULD shut up, but if someone else on here decided he didn't need to stream this before buying to own, I would consider than a win. I don't argue whether people should avoid the stream if they want both versions of 4k remastered The Undiscovered Country on Blu-Ray (preferably theatrical version in 2.35 and director's cut in 2.00whatever ), but they might be thankful they decided to sleep on it.

I also can't agree with the vote-by-wallet argument because capitalists already love using that to deflate criticism and dodge accountability ("Did you NEED to buy that smartphone if you don't like how the leftover sludge gets disposed of in a toxic dry lake bed?" ... When was the last time you landed a successful job interview without one?). And in streaming's case the vote was rigged (or at least gerrymandered) and has been almost as far back as HD-DVD still appeared viable. Who's to say the numbers aren't there to support physical media, let alone wouldn't have been more so if not for the decade-long manipulative push away from it?

 

[Warped9]

I won’t be paying to stream this film. If it showed up at a nearby theatre then…maybe, maybe I’d go see it on the big screen. Otherwise I’ll be waiting for the physical media release.

 

[shapeshifter]

I totally missed the original release but this will make up for that, big time. I am going to watch the crap outta it on P+ then I am going to watch the crap outta it on the big-screen. I wish it was getting a 3D treatment. I'd watch the crap outta that too. lol

 

[BillJ]

I won’t be paying to stream this film. If it showed up at a nearby theatre then…maybe, maybe I’d go see it on the big screen. Otherwise I’ll be waiting for the physical media release.

I'm not deluding myself. I'll be watching it on Paramount+, as I am already a subscriber, then I'll be buying the 4K disc when it comes out.

 

[ananta]

Y’all accusing Paramount of “money grabbing” and “greed”…hello, they’re a business! Far from some noble public service guild, they’re a corporation in a ruthlessly competitive market. They’ve spent a fair amount of money on this, knowing that it’s frankly a highly niche product (even a large number of Trek fans hate this film), and they’ll want to make it back with as much profit as possible. I can live with it being on Paramount+ before blu ray (even though I don’t have access to P+) for the simple reason that if it weren’t for P+ they probably wouldn’t have even done this. I’m pretty sure blu ray sales alone wouldn’t have made back a fraction of the cost. I’m just grateful. Bring it!

 

[Campe]

Being a P+ subscriber I have no issue streaming now and buying the 4K disc later. I likely won’t see it in the theater because I’m not going to the theater again until my 3 year old can get vaccinated.