I recently upgraded my media room to include a vastly improved sound system (and went from 5.1 to 7.1 and changed out every speaker for a major upgrade), and a 4K UHD projector with a 109 inch screen. The most amazing thing I've experienced about all this is that I popped in my TMP BD the other day, and I noticed sound and visual details in the film that I have never, in (easily) over 100 viewings experienced. For example, there's additional background chatter in Main Engineering when Kirk breaks the bad news to Decker that I had never heard. There was always background chatter and pre-launch checklist stuff...but this was something completely new. Same thing during Kirk's first appearance on the Bridge. I also noticed (during the first appearance on the bridge scene) that consoles were open and there were thin fiber-optic-like wires going from the consoles to the removed panels. NEVER noticed that in easily 100 viewings. It's amazing the detail that went into that production.
Even after many decades, TMP still has surprises on offer! The more you watch it, the more you pick up. It's always nicer, though, when these discoveries are helped by sound system upgrades! STAR TREK, in general, is like that, though. That's partly why this franchise never gets old for me. All of the artists and talent involved made more than just a couple hours' entertainment ... they "sold" us on the imagination and these unlikely events with layer upon layer of material to help make it all not only interesting ... but plausible. And for what? Moments that go by so fast we don't really notice everything, but that's their job and they excel at it, especially when things are subtle. On the surface, these details don't seem like much, but it's a completely different experience, without them ... what it is to be a Weaver of Dreams!
I would love to see a Directors Cut released on Blu-Ray someday. TMP was always my favorite Star Trek film and the directors cut was even better. I hope they get whatever legal/licensing issues or whatever it is that's holding it up resolved someday because that would be a great film to see on Blu Ray.
The DC is definitely a great version. I'd love to see a release like Blade Runner and Close Encounters have gotten...with all the various versions available in one package!
There are no licensing issues. The real issue is that al the new effects work was only rendered out at DVD resolution and not HD, and no one's ever put up the money to re-render said effects in HD.
I thought I read somewhere the original work was thought lost, though one of the creators of the effects said they still had a copy if Paramount was interested in doing a Blu-Ray version.
Some of it ought to remain lost. The wrongheaded and pointless change to the airtram station being one.
A big reason why I liked the DC is more the pacing. Some of the special effects were nice additions (adding the nacelles in the officers lounge scene for instance--I have to admit I thought that when I saw the original version, you know, shouldn't there be nacelles back there, unless they were in the shuttle bay). But a lot of it was just simple adjusting and cutting of scenes that helped the flow of the movie, it felt more like a final cut.
The main problem is that the TMP-DE was never rendered into high definition. All of those new special effects would have to be made all over again, and the digital assets that were created for the DE may or may not have been misplaced in the last seventeen years (I forget what the latest story is). Paramount just doesn't see any financial incentive to spend all that money on such a niche product. Edit: Ninja'd by earlier posts. Kor
I read somewhere that one of the creators of the new special effects has a copy of the 'originals' I guess you would call it. It Paramount wanted they could take those and render those into HD since they're the originals (I don't know all the ins and outs but it sounded like as long as the original CG work was available they could be rendered HD). I'll see if I can find where I saw that. But even if they kept the original effects and just released a DC edition with the improved pacing that would be nice. I've actually held off buying a Blu-Ray copy in the hopes that someday they might release a DC edition on Blu-Ray. Maybe for the 40th anniversary in 2019
Here it is, from Memory Alpha: *In 2017, it was one of the co-producers of the Director's Edition, David C. Fein, who has confirmed Bonchune's assessment, by stating it was he who still had all the original digital effects elements available for remastering to Blu-ray standards. "We have all that we need. Would I like a few more pieces... sure. But we have everything we need," stated Fein, "All of the shots in the film were created with HD in mind so the quality of the models and elements were much higher than the SD renderings. We have everything, and when the time is right, we'll use them. Again, there is no truth that anything is missing." Fein also confirmed that a Blu-ray release was put on the backburner as "Paramount has yet to green light the project. We've had some discussions," adding that "it'll happen, the only question is when are we going to go ahead with it". [3] As of 2018 though, the status of a Blu-ray release remains yet unknown, and as a result, only the original, theatrical version has seen release in high-definition versions. (see: main article for further particulars) I actually wouldn't be surprised if you see a DC Blu Ray release next year--Paramount loves to celebrate anniversaries and I can certainly envision them releasing a "Special Edition 40th Anniversary Directors Cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture on Blu-Ray"--see I even provided the packaging for them
Well, we all know you can never have enough versions of TMP. I was wondering whether next year would be a good time to unleash the deluxe original, TV and directors cuts on Blu Ray. Oh and throw in cinema showings as well (in the UK as well please, still somewhat annoyed we didn't get WOK).
I've held off buying all the Trek movies on Blu-ray because of the lack of TMP DE in high-def, apart from the three reboot films. I mean, it almost seems like a forgotten movie now, but it was a pretty big box office hit back in it's day. It doesn't deserve to languish in limbo like this.
Yeah, to be honest I only have the 3 Abramsverse and TWOK on Blu-Ray (I bought the directors cut of TWOK on Blu-Ray last year when it came out). Otherwise I have the first 10 films on the special edition DVD's they released about 10 years ago. I suppose there's nothing stopping me from replacing the other 8 films on Blu-Ray since they are pretty equivalent to the special editions, but just haven't got around to it yet (I keep hoping someday they re-do the special effects to TFF--but that's probably a hopeless dream, the special effects in TFF are almost a travesty they're so bad).
I'd say it does pretty well for movie going on 40 years old. I don't hear much about Kramer vs Kramer, either, and that was HUGE, and a really good movie.
You have to concede that sci-fi movies are somewhat different in respect to having directors cuts and special editions of them made though. Other than a blu-ray transfer, there's not a lot you can do to improve the viewing experience of Kramer vs Kramer is there? It's not like they're suddenly going to start producing revised FX for it, but I take your point nonetheless. I just wish the DE of TMP would see the light of day.
2019. That's when I'd look for it. I'm actually more confident it will be released after reading about it on Memory Alpha. It's very much possible, they noted they filmed the effects with HD in mind. Someone just needs to transfer the elements to Blu-Ray. And I think 2019 will be the year since it'll be an anniversary. And you may get what some have suggested, a directors cut with an original theatrical cut as well in Blu-Ray. Now if nothing happens in 2019, then I'd be concerned. But I think we will.
I agree, especially if they had sequels. From around the same time, Alien has had a strong re-release and home video history (The Black Hole, not so much). But for that very reason I can't really think of them as "forgotten" films. I don't know, I'm fine with the original being the default HD release. That's the most historical version. If only Star Wars was in the same situation!