why another blu-ray of all Trek movies by 2016 will happen

[jefferiestubes8]

Many purchased the sets of the Trek movies on Blu-ray.

the amount of digital noise reduction on those video masters for Blu-ray left the HD image with waxy faces and little grain. Entirely too much DNR processing.

This article shows why Paramount needs to cash in and re-release on Blu-ray the Trek movies while the format still has some weight behind it.
Is the end near for physical media?
2 specific quotes: PricewaterhouseCoopers

the latest study saying that streaming video will surpass DVD rental by 2018 as on-demand takes off and DVD sales crater.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, predicts that electronic home video, which includes subscription video-on-demand services and cable on-demand offerings, will overtake the box office by 2017

All the films Original Camera Negatives can be rescanned to 4k (except ST:TMP was already mastered to 4k).
The 2009 & 2013 films were done digital intermediate at 2k so it is moot to remaster these at 4k but they may upscale the digital intermediate masters.
The new 4k masters will be good for 4 future new releases:
A new Blu-ray set, the standalone Blu-ray movies, and a future 4k streaming & 4k unknown future physical media set.
I believe that 2016 will be the year they get released so the sets can sell through 2018.


related:
this older thread discussed the Blu-ray sets:
Movies on BluRay: Worth it?

 

[ChristopherPike]

I thought it was Star Trek II that was 4k remastered? Not TMP.

Days ago I happened to be reading criticism about TWOK. How there had been a switch from warm redish hues found on DVD/VHS/Laserdisc, to cooler looking colours on Blu ray.



Assuming DS9 remastering has run into complications that need a while to sort out, CBS Digital switching to such a project would seem ideal. At least three Director's Editions await really don't they? Possibly others depending on how receptive Paramount are to Shatner revising TFF. Perhaps one of the producers who worked on Nemesis, creating an alternative to Baird's preferred cut.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

I thought it was Star Trek II that was 4k remastered? Not TMP.

Oh yes. My mistake. It was STII:TWOK that was the only one 4k mastered. The color timing was technically done after the original camera negative scan and it could be re-timed from the 2008 scans.

At least three Director's Editions await really don't they?

No. Paramount can sell "remastered in 4k" sets and not go into changing the films, re-editing the picture, re-editing the audio, and remixing the audio to save a lot of money.

Many fans want the ST:TMP, The Director's Cut (from the Special Collector's Edition DVD released in 2001) that had new CGI mastered at standard definition only. That would be expensive to re-render the CGI shots in 4k but possible if CBS Digital did it in-house. Possibly the 2001 era CGI model assets exist and are in Paramount's archives.

New special features always help to sell these remasters.
Sure the Trek I-VI movies were remixed into 7.1 surround sound for Blu-ray, but the 'Next Gen' movies remained in 5.1 surround.
Those all could use a bump up to 7.1 and that may be all those films get.
Since the Blu-rays of TOS, TNG are all in 7.1 it is a no-brainer to make all Trek in 7.1 surround.
Maybe more audio commentaries by the actors & other crew which are pretty cheap to do.

 

[jeddah]

I've waited and waited for proper blu ray releases and directors cuts and new sfx for TFF and the 2001 DC or TMP. But I have to say with a heavy heart I just don't think Paramount will do it.

I see another release in 2016 with 50th Anniversary packaging and that's about it.......

Prove me wrong paramount prove me wrong.....

 

[trekker670]

Assuming DS9 remastering has run into complications that need a while to sort out, CBS Digital switching to such a project would seem ideal.

Except the Movies are handled by Paramount, not CBS, so it adds a bit of complication to the process.

 

[Grant]

Assuming DS9 remastering has run into complications that need a while to sort out, CBS Digital switching to such a project would seem ideal.

Except the Movies are handled by Paramount, not CBS, so it adds a bit of complication to the process.

Yes, but Paramount could hire CBS Digital to do the work for hire.

They have a great track record and have shown a lot of respect for Star Trek from TOS to TNG


But no, I agree all we will get in 2016 is new packaging.

 

[trekker670]

Assuming DS9 remastering has run into complications that need a while to sort out, CBS Digital switching to such a project would seem ideal.

Except the Movies are handled by Paramount, not CBS, so it adds a bit of complication to the process.

Yes, but Paramount could hire CBS Digital to do the work for hire.

They have a great track record and have shown a lot of respect for Star Trek from TOS to TNG


But no, I agree all we will get in 2016 is new packaging.

Agreed. If Paramount were to remaster the movies (rather than just re-release what they already have), they'll likely use CBS due to their relationship with the franchise.

 

[Grant]

Except the Movies are handled by Paramount, not CBS, so it adds a bit of complication to the process.

Yes, but Paramount could hire CBS Digital to do the work for hire.

They have a great track record and have shown a lot of respect for Star Trek from TOS to TNG


But no, I agree all we will get in 2016 is new packaging.

Agreed. If Paramount were to remaster the movies (rather than just re-release what they already have), they'll likely use CBS due to their relationship with the franchise.

I figure the project is big enough that if it were to happen---they would have to start a full year before the presumed summer 2016 release.


Finding original negatives, scanning at 4k, doing full restoration of any defects, dirt, tears, etc, finding deleted scenes, adding new commentaries (hopefully Koenig, Nichols, Takei, Judson Scott, Chris Lloyd, Catherine Hicks, Stephen Collins, etc.), finding new teasers, trailers and TV spots, new retrospectives, maybe even a Director's Cut of TFF with new FX.........

............and it will never happen.

 

[mos6507]

Lots of people never thought they'd do TOS remastered, but they did. I think it's conceivable they will do this, at least the HD remastered FX for TMP.

 

[ChristopherPike]

That the Memory Wall sequence might possibly exist and be completed, enables a new cut to make the most of Kirk going after Spock.

http://www.marcellorossi.info/Memory/Memory.html

As good as I find the Director's Cut, the loss of that from the extended version always disappointed me. Despite being able to see the soundstage because of a lack of matt painting to superimpose.


Likewise the lack of a more fuller climax to the Final Frontier lessened that film - clearly signaling Shatner hadn't kept enough money in reserve. Not being able to show what was attacking and shaking the Galileo shuttle, or the overwhelming odds that force Kirk to abandon his position and begin climbing. Although CG is the only real way to bring those rock creatures to life. Shooting just the one guy in that costume from different angles and multiplying him across the frame, clearly wasn't going to work. Ray Harryhausen wasn't exactly going to feel threatened by the legions of stone monsters offered up there.

Plus if the ending is them having found the Devil instead of God, then continuing to have George Murdoch's giant white beardy face menace Kirk - even shooting laserbeams from his eyes - doesn't fulfil that twist. Having dropped the pretence, and appearing as something more Satanic... it's surprising the creature didn't still resemble Lawrence Luckinbill as Sybok at that point really.

 

[MakeshiftPython]

I can only see CBS Digital work on the Director's Edition of TMP since a lot of those 2001 additions would have to be redone and they've proven to do good with TNG. I don't see why CBS would be hired to work on the other films though, since all they really need is just new transfers and some editing for the directors editions. Also, I don't think doing all of the remaining 9 films in 4K is gonna happen. It would be great, but I don't think it's realistic because it's more costly and many of the titles are just not deserving of such treatment. All they have to really do is just scan for new and better looking transfers. I think Lowry Digital would make a lot more sense to handle that, as I think they did a really good job with the Bond and Indy films (Raiders and the first 8 Bond films were the only ones done at 4K, yet the rest look just as great IMO):

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Bond-50-Blu-ray/36569/
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Indiana-Jones-The-Complete-Adventures-Blu-ray/3956/

If the Trek films can be properly done and look as good as those two series, I'd be totally satisfied.

 

[MikeS]

Are the DNR Blu-ray's really that bad? I've been holding off buying them in hope of a proper re-master. I'm not that interested in different cuts, just give me a good picture quality...

 

[Grant]

Are the DNR Blu-ray's really that bad? I've been holding off buying them in hope of a proper re-master. I'm not that interested in different cuts, just give me a good picture quality...

It depends on how much you are bothered by DNR.

1 and 2 are fine 3-6 have varying degrees of DNR that most videophiles consider "heavy."

Of course they look better than they've ever looked on any other format.
They are pretty cheap, but it seems the last best chance for a better release of the movies is in 2016 for the 50th anniversary. If you can hold out till then---you can avoid buying them twice.

If the hoped for 2016 set is a big upgrade I think a lot of folks will rebuy them. If you've had them since 2009 then you got 7 years out of them, but if you buy in 2014 and they announce sometime in 2015 a deluxe set for 2016--it might annoy some people.

 

[MacLeod]

One simple reason as to why a new set might come out in 2016, is simply to try and cash in on the 50th Anniversary.

 

[Grant]

One simple reason as to why a new set might come out in 2016, is simply to try and cash in on the 50th Anniversary.

And One simple was they can do that is ......

by rereleasing the same set with "ALL NEW 50th ANNIVERSARY PACKAGING"..............

which they will do.

Either they will redo the set or they will re-release the current set all spiffed up.

question is how much money do they make with choice 1 or choice 2.

Choice 1 has a lot of production cost but may attract repeat sales from folks who bought the first set.

Choice 2 costs next to nothing but will mostly attract folks who held out all this time and would then realize there won't be a better set.

 

[MacLeod]

One simple reason as to why a new set might come out in 2016, is simply to try and cash in on the 50th Anniversary.

And One simple was they can do that is ......

by rereleasing the same set with "ALL NEW 50th ANNIVERSARY PACKAGING"..............

which they will do.

Either they will redo the set or they will re-release the current set all spiffed up.

question is how much money do they make with choice 1 or choice 2.

Choice 1 has a lot of production cost but may attract repeat sales from folks who bought the first set.

Choice 2 costs next to nothing but will mostly attract folks who held out all this time and would then realize there won't be a better set.

And maybe chuck in an extra disc witha few bonus features. Just to see if they can tempt some who already own the set.

 

[Grant]

One simple reason as to why a new set might come out in 2016, is simply to try and cash in on the 50th Anniversary.

And One simple was they can do that is ......

by rereleasing the same set with "ALL NEW 50th ANNIVERSARY PACKAGING"..............

which they will do.

Either they will redo the set or they will re-release the current set all spiffed up.

question is how much money do they make with choice 1 or choice 2.

Choice 1 has a lot of production cost but may attract repeat sales from folks who bought the first set.

Choice 2 costs next to nothing but will mostly attract folks who held out all this time and would then realize there won't be a better set.

And maybe chuck in an extra disc witha few bonus features. Just to see if they can tempt some who already own the set.

Absolutely right.

A bonus disc with a few new features and interviews and retrospectives.

Still a lot cheaper than getting the original negatives for 1, 3-6 and rescanning and restoring them the way they deserve. and digging up deleted scenes/upgrading the Fx for TMP.

 

[BillJ]

I'm up for an uber-edition of The Motion Picture, but I'm pretty happy with the Blu-ray versions of the other movies.

Give me a TMP Blu-ray with seamless branching of the theatrical, director's and special longer versions (cleaned-up with all effects in HD). Stuff it full of special features, especially of the other attempts at bringing Trek to the big screen in the 70's (maybe a Planet of the Titans story treatment and artwork) and on Phase II. Maybe a table reading of one of the scripts by the remaining living members of the cast, including David Gautreaux and Stephen Collins. Or, hell, create an animated episode out of it.

Give it some kick-ass steel book packaging and I'll be there day one to get it.

 

[NewHorizon]

I can only see CBS Digital work on the Director's Edition of TMP since a lot of those 2001 additions would have to be redone and they've proven to do good with TNG.

From what I've heard, it's Daren Dochterman and his team who saved the CGI project files for TMP: DE, not paramount. If anyone should lead that project, it should be Daren and his team, they would be able to import the project files into the latest versions of maya or lightwave and get them looking just as perfect. The effects were created to be hi-def ready, so the models and textures should hold up.

 

[austen_pierce]

I'm up for an uber-edition of The Motion Picture, but I'm pretty happy with the Blu-ray versions of the other movies.

Give me a TMP Blu-ray with seamless branching of the theatrical, director's and special longer versions (cleaned-up with all effects in HD). Stuff it full of special features, especially of the other attempts at bringing Trek to the big screen in the 70's (maybe a Planet of the Titans story treatment and artwork) and on Phase II. Maybe a table reading of one of the scripts by the remaining living members of the cast, including David Gautreaux and Stephen Collins. Or, hell, create an animated episode out of it.

Give it some kick-ass steel book packaging and I'll be there day one to get it.

THIS! Why we don't already have this, I will never understand. TMP and TWOK desperately need this, IMO. Giving this treatment to the rest of the films, honestly, would be nice, and (don't get me wrong) Paramount should make this happen regardless of why does the actual work, but I'm not chomping at the bit for super treatments of the remaining films.

What I don't want to see... an attempt by Paramount to transform TMP through NEM into action-adventure blockbusters through CGI, aggressive edits, and misleading marketing in service of duping new fans of 09 and ID into buying the older movies.

I can only see CBS Digital work on the Director's Edition of TMP since a lot of those 2001 additions would have to be redone and they've proven to do good with TNG.

From what I've heard, it's Daren Dochterman and his team who saved the CGI project files for TMP: DE, not paramount. If anyone should lead that project, it should be Daren and his team, they would be able to import the project files into the latest versions of maya or lightwave and get them looking just as perfect. The effects were created to be hi-def ready, so the models and textures should hold up.

I've read numerous post to the contrary, indicating that the DE effects were standard def only and would have to be completely redone for HD. Do you have a source for this? I hope you are right... one less reason to hold back on that TMP Uber Edition.