TV version of Wrath of Khan available?

[One Lucky Red Shirt]

I always thought because the cast were middle aged and going beyond that Saavik was supposed to add some youth and a good sight for the eyes. Same goes with David. They never did expand on that though really on TSFS. Maybe if negotiations failed with the original cast they had backups?

I always prefer the extended cuts. The directors cut is 99.9% the same as the abctv version, save for a few alternate takes. Love the extra character moments. It adds about 4 min. To the film. I remember growing up my next door neighbor had taped the abctv version. We watched it like wow its like watching a whole new movie lol.

Basically just pick up the 2 disc directors edition of TWOK on dvd.

 

[EnriqueH]

Growing up, when Kirk and Bones first walk onto the bridge of the Enterprise, it seems like Bones is checking out Saavik, and when Bones offers Kirk a tranquilizer, I used to think that it was because Kirk was ALSO attracted to Saavik and that they were having a "guy moment" checking out the babes. But now I realize it's probably because Kirk is dying to get in the captain's chair.

It was about Kirk's nervousness over Saavik never having piloted a starship out of spacedock and Spock gave her the center seat.

Which never quite made sense since Sulu was actually the guy flying, so no matter what, it's not like they were gonna slam the ship through the garage doors or anything...

I CAN NOT and WILL NOT subscribe to your interpretation of this event!!!

It's about Kirk wanting the captain's chair again.

All joking aside, is that really what was intended or that your interpretation?

 

[Maurice]

^^^
From the script:

They all stifle their responses. Kirk is like a father
watching his kid drive the family car for the first time.

There's the answer.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Maybe if negotiations failed with the original cast they had backups?

Nimoy had passed on "Phase II", coerced back for TMP and then was written out of ST II.

Shatner wanted a (non-Trek) movie career and had agreed to only the first 13 episodes of "Phase II", after which he had the option to be a semi-regular (as an admiral).

Decker and Ilia were gone as of the theatrical version of TMP, and yet at least twelve more TV scripts and synopses featuring them were on hand.

The rest of the TOS cast had roles as long as they kept agreeing to participate.

Xon/Dr Savik/Saavik (as a young Spock replacement) and David Marcus (as a young Kirk) were definitely conceived as a way to have youth and romance in whatever ongoing movies, telemovies, TV series or specials might have followed ST II.

 

[erastus25]

Those never released Saavik half-Romulan and Saavik and David scenes are here:

http://youtu.be/7rKw66EU5Fc

I'm glad they cut that. The youtube poster is correct that it runs into Saavik's "damn" and kind of kills the delivery of the line.

The additional line of computer dialog in the Kobayashi Maru scene is on YouTube. Check it out here:

http://youtu.be/HYN_Pk1qi-w

This, the alternate elevator scene, and the edited-out Ceti Eel close-ups (both going in & coming out of Chekov's ear) are the only three differences between the Director's Edition and the ABC-TV cut, not counting the aspect ratio.

--DDA

How did someone get a hold of this to begin with? Smuggled out of the editing room?

 

[Maab]

How did someone get a hold of this to begin with? Smuggled out of the editing room?

The Saavik Romulan scene was part of a trailer/preview shown at the ShoWest convention in 1982. Here you can find the original thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od4BjWW5jTw

The other scenes come from the ABC TV version of TWOK, that many have recorded on VHS at the time and that has been circulating for years among fans.

A VHS workprint of TWOK with much more scenes is at UCLA archives (http://cinema.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=392&recCount=50&recPointer=1&bibId=117615 - last item), but unfortunately it has never leaked.

Best,
Maab

 

[Mytran]

Brilliant! I remember the Vulcan/Romulan scene from the novelisation but never thought I'd actually see it!

 

[ChristopherPike]

Presumably the Workprint VHS contains the mythical Khan's baby in the transporter room, reaching for the Genesis Device, seconds before it detonates.

I've always been fascinated to see movies like this and Generations, given some kind of alternate presentation. with the original intent or test audience screenings out there. Not an attempt to rewrite history, but a curiosity piece among the usual DVD/Blu ray extras.

 

[Maab]

Presumably the Workprint VHS contains the mythical Khan's baby in the transporter room, reaching for the Genesis Device, seconds before it detonates.

Unfortunately it doesn't, since the VHS at UCLA is incomplete. It stops when Spock leaves his station to go to the engine room. Grant can confirm this, since he has seen the tape (which can be screened only at UCLA library). It does however contain all the baby scenes in the Botany Bay, on Cety Alpha 5.
Probably a complete workprint is also in Paramount archives, and it surely contains also the final baby scenes in the transporter room.

Best,
Maab

 

[erastus25]

How did someone get a hold of this to begin with? Smuggled out of the editing room?

The Saavik Romulan scene was part of a trailer/preview shown at the ShoWest convention in 1982. Here you can find the original thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od4BjWW5jTw

The other scenes come from the ABC TV version of TWOK, that many have recorded on VHS at the time and that has been circulating for years among fans.

A VHS workprint of TWOK with much more scenes is at UCLA archives (http://cinema.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=392&recCount=50&recPointer=1&bibId=117615 - last item), but unfortunately it has never leaked.

Best,
Maab

Thank you for the information. This is fascinating. Now I wish I lived in LA so I could go watch the work print (even if it is incomplete).

 

[BillJ]

Presumably the Workprint VHS contains the mythical Khan's baby in the transporter room, reaching for the Genesis Device, seconds before it detonates.

Unfortunately it doesn't, since the VHS at UCLA is incomplete. It stops when Spock leaves his station to go to the engine room. Grant can confirm this, since he has seen the tape (which can be screened only at UCLA library). It does however contain all the baby scenes in the Botany Bay, on Cety Alpha 5.
Probably a complete workprint is also in Paramount archives, and it surely contains also the final baby scenes in the transporter room.

Best,
Maab

Would be an awesome extra on a Blu-ray rerelease for the 50th Anniversary. Would get me to buy another copy of TWOK.

 

[Maab]

Would be an awesome extra on a Blu-ray rerelease for the 50th Anniversary. Would get me to buy another copy of TWOK.

Yes it would, but I don't think it's going to happend. TWOK has already been released in standard edition DVD, special edition DVD and Blu-ray (at least twice). Paramount already had plenty of opportunities to dig their archives to look for extras, but this is not their way of doing things (at least it hasn't been so far).

For the 50th anniversry they'll simply shoot some new interviews, maybe a new commentary and that's all.

For example for TWOK, the most popular of trek movies, no behind the scenes footage exists (well, except this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpOAdrezna0 ).

Thank you for the information. This is fascinating. Now I wish I lived in LA so I could go watch the work print (even if it is incomplete).

Well, it would suffice that someone go there with the right equipment :
http://www.amazon.com/Car-Alarm-Remote-Keychain-Camera/dp/B004W86GQS/

Best,
Maab

 

[erastus25]

Thank you for the information. This is fascinating. Now I wish I lived in LA so I could go watch the work print (even if it is incomplete).

Well, it would suffice that someone go there with the right equipment :
http://www.amazon.com/Car-Alarm-Remote-Keychain-Camera/dp/B004W86GQS/

Best,
Maab

I'm kind of stunned that hasn't happened yet. haha

 

[BillJ]

Yes it would, but I don't think it's going to happend.

I agree. There are probably people they would have to pay that they haven't paid to this point if it was released on home video.

But I can dream...

 

[drt]

^^^
From the script:

They all stifle their responses. Kirk is like a father
watching his kid drive the family car for the first time.

There's the answer.

I had always thought it was more that Kirk had been desk-bound for a while and that just going out into space on Enterprise had him stoked.

 

[Grant]

Yes, curse me for being so unprepared when I saw it!
Gotta be someone in the So Cal area who can get it out into the world.

I'd for sure pay for another dip if they released it on the next Blu-ray release.

Of course I'd pay again for the DE as well. They just don't want my money.

But suffice to say virtually everything from the TWOK script was shot with only minor changes in dialogue in a few spots. (Probably due to actors reversing the order of lines in various takes.)

But after owning the TWOK script since 1989 is was beyond exciting to see 95% of all the cut stuff show up in the work-print.
I always suspected that since every cut scene occurred on sets that were used in the movie----
(that is--none of the cuts parts were located on sets that were ONLY needed for the cut portion and therefore possibly not filmed to save money on building sets for a single use)
----that were very likely shot.

If you go to the script for TWOK at Trekcore and read it---every part that you read that was not in the movie---was shot and in the work-print---except for about a minutes worth of dialogue that I assume WAS ALSO shot but clearly did not help the movie as far as tone and pacing.

Of course, the above refers to: from the opening simulator sequence up to where Spock leaves the bridge to fix the engines.
I'd bet all the cut stuff after that point WAS shot also, but having not seen it I can't swear to it.

 

[Maab]

I agree. There are probably people they would have to pay that they haven't paid to this point if it was released on home video.

I'm not sure if this is the problem. Look what they are doing with Next Generation Blu-rays. Tons of deleted scenes (including for example Scotty from "Relics" in season six) and nobody ever mentioned they had to pay extra money for the deleted scenes... I don't know how this worked in the 80s, however I would assume that the actors are simply paid for all they shoot, either it is used or not.

And in in any case they would be money well spent for an extra content.

I'm kind of stunned that hasn't happened yet. haha

Well, at least not that we know of. However I would sponsor this!

Yes, curse me for being so unprepared when I saw it!

Don't worry, you have done what you could!

Best,
Maab

 

[BillJ]

I'm not sure if this is the problem. Look what they are doing with Next Generation Blu-rays. Tons of deleted scenes (including for example Scotty from "Relics" in season six) and nobody ever mentioned they had to pay extra money for the deleted scenes... I don't know how this worked in the 80s, however I would assume that the actors are simply paid for all they shoot, either it is used or not.

I honestly don't know how these things work. But wouldn't actors that appeared in the films have to be given a cut of revenue if they are in a certain version?

I'm thinking of the child that appeared in various scenes that has never been in a home video release before now.

I just don't know why Paramount would never release a new version of the film that fans would obviously buy up if there was no negative financial ramifications to the decision?

 

[Maab]

I just don't know why Paramount would never release a new version of the film that fans would obviously buy up if there was no negative financial ramifications to the decision?

I don't have an answer for this, but I'm more inclined to believe one or a mix of the following reasons: 1. They don't know it exist, 2. They don't know where to find it, 3. They don't know if they can do it, 4. They are not sure fans would buy it, 5. It's too much trouble to do it.

Regarding #4, we know that many of us here would gladly pay to see something like a workprint as extra content, but this is certainly not true for the general audience. Also among trekkers, according to my experience, those interested in deleted stuff, or behind the scenes stuff are not the majority. Many (understandably) are simply interested in the main feature/episode.

Best,
Maab