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

[Firebird]

I find it fascinating that nobody complaining about the typical streaming/theatrical release window before the physical release has stopped to think about they're likely using that time to work on the bonus features that will be on the disc. If it means we're getting a Criterion-level TMP boxset like I've dreamed about for years, including restored deleted scenes, then I am all for them taking their time before the disc gets released.

Can't wait until April 5th! At this point, I've got TMP on VHS, laserdisc, DVD, BRD, 4K UHD, multiple soundtrack releases, the novel, the photonovel, comic adaption, multiple making-of books, and a near complete archive of script drafts and revisions - I'll take any new release Paramount is serving up because I may just be a crazy person.

 

[Warped9]

As was said upthread CBS/Paramount is a corporation in existence to make money. It’s not a charitable non-profit organization. That said it does offer options.

Back in the day the only way to watch Star Trek was by first-run broadcast, reruns and syndication. That was it. Your access was dictated by network scheduling. You missed an episode you had to wait until it was rerun. Feature films were essentially the same—if you missed it at the theatre god knows how long you’d have to wait to see it broadcast on your little CRT televsion.

Home video freed you, to some extent, from network scheduling. If you could afford a VCR player then you could record programs and rewatch them at your convenience. But it wasn’t exactly cheap—besides the VCR you had to buy a lot of blank VHS cassettes to record and store your programs. And it was bulky and took up a lot of room to store. Later pre-recorded home video was nice in terms of being able to buy the programs nicely recorded without commercials, but it was rather expensive and still took up a lot of space.

DVD was a game changer. Not cheap at first, but it got progressively more affordable and it was much more compact in terms of use and storage. It also offered a superior viewing experience. BluRay is really just an extension of this. Today, despite repeated proclamations to the contrary, DVD and BluRay are still with us. More affordable than ever we still have the option to own a physical copy of the programs we like, of which I am grateful.

Streaming is an option I haven’t really gotten into primarily because I have so very little interest in much of contemporary television. I barely watch anything broadcast anymore. Back in the day I couldn’t get enough Star Trek, but now there isn’t any new Trek I care for. I never watched DS9 all the way through, ENT and VOY turned me off, the JJ films made me want to hurl, and I’ve seen nothing of PIC. DSC or SNW to interest me. The Expanse and Superman & Lois are the only recent things I’ve watched (I got them off iTunes).

But streaming is an option for those who like it. You don’t have to go for every option—just pick the one that suits you. Seeing the film on the big screen is another option you can take or leave.

Physical media is never released at the same time as a theatrical release. Why should the 4K DE remaster be any different? Strictly speaking this is something that has never been on the big screen before so to some extent they’re treating it like a new feature followed by a physical video release some months later. Yeah, kinda sucks, but not really a big thing. I’m grown up enough (I guess) to be able to wait for it without feeling my life will be lacking somehow.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Interesting that iTunes already has the 4K version of TMP. Wasn't it supposed to debut on Paramount+ first?

 

[Indysolo]

Interesting that iTunes already has the 4K version of TMP. Wasn't it supposed to debut on Paramount+ first?

iTunes has the theatrical cut in 4K. They, along with the other digital retailers, got it in September when the 4K UHD discs came out.

 

[Tomalak]

Yeah, iTunes is great for that. The Godfather box set I bought for £12 a couple of years ago just got upgraded to the brand new 4K remasters too.

Currently TMP-DE is available in the extras package in SD only. It’ll be interesting to see if that gets a free upgrade when the time comes or if the new 4K DE will be a separate purchase.

 

[Indysolo]

Yeah, iTunes is great for that. The Godfather box set I bought for £12 a couple of years ago just got upgraded to the brand new 4K remasters too.

Currently TMP-DE is available in the extras package in SD only. It’ll be interesting to see if that gets a free upgrade when the time comes or if the new 4K DE will be a separate purchase.

My guess is separate purchase. 4K Star Trek II includes "The Director's Edition" of that film as well on iTunes but it's the old HD transfer. The Director's Edition of TWOK in 4K/HDR is a separate purchase.

 

[Campe]

Yeah, iTunes is great for that. The Godfather box set I bought for £12 a couple of years ago just got upgraded to the brand new 4K remasters too.

Currently TMP-DE is available in the extras package in SD only. It’ll be interesting to see if that gets a free upgrade when the time comes or if the new 4K DE will be a separate purchase.

Typically they don’t upgrade the SD version to 4K. Unfortunately.

 

[UssGlenn]

every person who chooses streaming over physical media just plays into the hands of the money grabbers because the the buyers seemingly don't realise (or don't care) that not only do they ultimately lose out, but everyone else loses too (choice is taken away, quality is lowered, prices are raised, etc).

Intellectually I know this, and I have a reasonable DVD (and a few Blu-ray) Library of movies I want access to at all times. Yet it almost physically pains me to have to go put a disc in the player if something isn't available on one of the several streaming services I have access to.

 

[BillJ]

Yet it almost physically pains me to have to go put a disc in the player if something isn't available on one of the several streaming services I have access to.

Same here. We've grown fucking lazy!

 

[Campe]

We’re down to less than 75 physical titles in our home. My physics title purchases have definitely slowed and I’ve gotten rid of many. On the other hand, we now have over 400 digital titles (there is some overlap). But for the most part, I will only buy a digital title if I can get it for $10 or less, $5 if it’s an older catalog title. The rare exception (like Spider-Man: No Way Home), I’ll buy full price. But we get Prime with our Amazon Prime, HBO Max with our cell provider, Apple TV+ bundled with all of our other Apple stuff, we have a 3 year Disney+ subscription (that sadly is about to end in November), and an annual sub to P+. The only thing we pay monthly for is Netflix and their prices are getting outrageous. I’d cancel but my wife loves it.

 

[trekfan_1]

Any word if this will be streaming anywhere in Canada ?

If not I guess I will have to wait until September when I get it on itunes.

Bit off topic but I have a question to anyone who owns a 4k bluray player. Is it common for these players to have a setting to turn off HDR? My TV has crappy HDR (it makes the image extremely dark) and cannot be turned off. But if HDR can typically be turned off in players I may invest in one. Thankfully I can turn it off with my Apple TV 4k.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

We’re down to less than 75 physical titles in our home. My physics title purchases have definitely slowed and I’ve gotten rid of many.

The only physical titles I buy anymore are the yearly BluRay releases of the World Series. And I only buy those so I can listen to the radio feeds as opposed to the Fox TV broadcast. If Fox had decent broadcasters, I wouldn't even buy those discs.

Actually, now that Joe Buck is leaving Fox, I may yet get my wish...

All other films & TV shows, I either stream (via Paramount+ or Peacock) or get from iTunes. No physical discs anymore. And whenever I can, I get rid of existing physical copies and replace them with iTunes versions. I eventually hope to do that with every movie and TV disc I own, just like I have already done with music.

 

[Therin of Andor]

And the trailer is on YouTube. Again. But watermarked, this time.

For those able to view 4K, Paramount has released a 4K version of the official trailer for the upcoming “Director’s Edition” of TMP.
https://youtu.be/zrXvBaFFu80

I'll have to sit this one out, unfortunately. I can't reward them for giving it the "exclusive!" streaming treatment first.

Paramount+ supplied the $$$$ to create the 4K DE. Without P+, the project was dead.

 

[Therin of Andor]

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.

Or there is Christopher L Bennett's "Ex Machina" (2004). It takes place three weeks after TMP and includes much fallout from the movie, including giving names and personalities to the humans and aliens glimpsed in the Rec Deck scene of TMP. Other Bennett stories have continued these characters' careers.

 

[Tomalak]

My guess is separate purchase. 4K Star Trek II includes "The Director's Edition" of that film as well on iTunes but it's the old HD transfer. The Director's Edition of TWOK in 4K/HDR is a separate purchase.

Ah thanks, I hadn’t noticed that about the TWOK DE.

Having said that, there doesn’t appear to be a separate purchase in the UK iTunes Store, so it’s only the theatrical that is available in 4K currently.

 

[Campe]

The only physical titles I buy anymore are the yearly BluRay releases of the World Series. And I only buy those so I can listen to the radio feeds as opposed to the Fox TV broadcast. If Fox had decent broadcasters, I wouldn't even buy those discs.

Actually, now that Joe Buck is leaving Fox, I may yet get my wish...

All other films & TV shows, I either stream (via Paramount+ or Peacock) or get from iTunes. No physical discs anymore. And whenever I can, I get rid of existing physical copies and replace them with iTunes versions. I eventually hope to do that with every movie and TV disc I own, just like I have already done with music.

I saw recently they have some of the World Series titles on iTunes. Not sure if they have the radio feeds or not but they were like $5 a pop. I’m a Cards fan but I debated picking up the Cubs one having lived in Illinois for many years and that being historic. If it’s still on sale I might.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I saw recently they have some of the World Series titles on iTunes. Not sure if they have the radio feeds or not

They don't.

 

[Campe]

They don't.

Bummer.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

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 hope you didn't get the idea I was telling you to shut up? Far from it.

 

[Kor]

Streaming is convenient and all, but with the compression and encoding of both the video and audio, it's still not quite up to physical media.

Any word if this will be streaming anywhere in Canada ?

If not I guess I will have to wait until September when I get it on itunes.

Bit off topic but I have a question to anyone who owns a 4k bluray player. Is it common for these players to have a setting to turn off HDR? My TV has crappy HDR (it makes the image extremely dark) and cannot be turned off. But if HDR can typically be turned off in players I may invest in one. Thankfully I can turn it off with my Apple TV 4k.

I know Sony 4K disc players have the option to turn off HDR output in the screen settings. I presume that most players would have something similar.

Kor