star trek 1 director's cut

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Comparing The Three Versions of Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Is there a definitive version of Star Trek: The Motion Picture at last? We compared all the different versions of this misunderstood movie to find out.

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Some 44 years after it went into production, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is finally complete.

We don’t say that frivolously. Star Trek: The Motion Picture is one of Hollywood’s most famous “unfinished” films. Rushing to meet a December 7, 1979 release date, with many of the visual effects being completed right up until the last possible minute by Douglas Trumbull (who had replaced the previous VFX supervisor), director Robert Wise ( The Day the Earth Stood Still , The Sound of Music ) pretty much just stopped working on the film, carrying the first available print on a plane to the movie’s Washington D.C. premiere.

The complicated story of how ST: TMP – the first major motion picture based on an existing TV series — was developed, written, filmed, and released is a long, winding one that has been told before. It’s also well-known that the original theatrical version of the film – the one that Wise had to deliver finished or not – was not well-received by either fans or critics, although it became a sizable box office success.

Yet Star Trek: The Motion Picture steadily grew in stature over the years, gradually beginning to hold its own with fans even as later favorites like Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ascended to the top of the franchise.

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With fans and even critics constantly reappraising the original film, Paramount Pictures – with the encouragement of two members of Robert Wise’s production company, David C. Fein and Michael Matessino – allowed Wise and his team to revisit the movie in 2001, reconstructing it to finally adhere more closely to Wise’s original vision.

The release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director’s Edition in November 2001 on home video (DVD and VHS) confirmed for many fans that there was a far better film after all hidden inside the “rough cut” (Wise’s own words) released in 1979. Scenes were excised or trimmed, a few were reinstated, and most importantly, the visuals were spruced up with the help of CGI. The legendary Wise, who passed away four years later in 2005, got the chance to finish the movie the way he wanted.

But the story wasn’t over yet.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture Reborn

Earlier this year, Paramount+ premiered a 4K Ultra HD (high definition) version of Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director’s Edition . Prepared over the course of six months by Fein, Matessino, and a visual effects team with access to Paramount’s archives, this iteration of ST: TMP stayed true to the vision established by Wise for The Director’s Edition in 2001, while doing a further, extensive, HD restoration and upgrade of the entire film.

Now the Ultra HD Director’s Edition , along with 4K Ultra HD versions of the original theatrical cut and the “Special Longer Version” that was created for broadcast television in 1983, are available in a newly released set called The Complete Adventure , which gives us a definitive document of Star Trek: The Motion Picture in all three versions, looking perhaps the best they’ll ever look ( The Director’s Edition is also available on its own or as part of a set containing Ultra HD upgrades of all six films starring the original Trek cast).

Having seen the film in its original theatrical release, then on VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray, we were always put off by the seeming drabness of the image and the colors. To our eyes, Star Trek: The Motion Picture – despite the occasionally awe-inspiring visuals it did manage to pull off against all odds – never seemed to pop off any screen or medium we watched it on.

That problem is now solved, and overpoweringly so: the film in 4K Ultra HD looks absolutely magnificent, as if we’re truly seeing the film for the first time.

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Yes, many of the VFX have been digitally enhanced or even freshly recreated, but they’re integrated almost seamlessly into the original aesthetic of the film, while many of the rough spots in the original release have been repaired or replaced. Now the 4K image really does leap off the screen in amazing color and detail. To watch Star Trek: The Motion Picture in this way is to watch a 44-year-old science fiction movie that looks in many ways like it was made last year.

And now that all three versions of the movie are here in this beautiful, pristine form, which one holds up the best and do they differ?

The Original Theatrical Cut

It may look better than it ever has, but the original theatrical cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture still has all the issues it had when it first came out. It’s slow-moving to the point of being inert, it spends way too much time on endless visuals (the first sight of the refurbished Enterprise , the lengthy flyover of the massive V’Ger spacecraft – heck, even Spock’s neck-pinch of some poor slob guarding an airlock takes way too long), and it leaves certain plot information and character motivations ambiguous at best and absent at worst.

What ST: TMP does retain is a sense of grandeur, and occasionally a sense of wonder, that often marked the best of the original series and has been sadly lacking in so much filmed science fiction ever since, including later Trek movies and TV series.

So many of the later movies – especially the J.J. Abrams-conceived Kelvin trilogy , but some of the classic and Next Generation films have the same problem – revolve around fairly simple bad guy/revenge motifs.

The original series had its share of those simple action-adventure episodes, but so much more of it was dedicated to great ideas – whether it be truly alien encounters, mirror universes, or moral quandaries posed by the Enterprise sticking its saucer in a new planet’s business.

And yes, even though Star Trek: The Motion Picture is in some ways a rewrite of the original series episode “The Changeling,” it’s much more expansive and even cosmic in its implications. While several later Trek films are superior in many ways, few of them have matched ST: TMP in its ambitions and pure science fiction concepts.

The acting is inconsistent, to say the least, although all our old favorites each have a memorable moment or two, and the glacial pacing really is at odds with the imagination glimpsed in the storyline and the visuals. In many ways, the theatrical cut remains a slog, but it’s also a one-of-a-kind Trek movie.

The ‘Special Longer Version’

Star Trek: The Motion Picture premiered on American network television – ABC, to be exact – on February 20, 1983. Not only was this the first TV showing of the movie, but it also introduced a different cut of the film that came to be known as the “Special Longer Version.” Running for two hours and 24 minutes (without commercials), as opposed to the theatrical cut’s two hours and 12 minutes, the “SLV” essentially incorporated a number of scenes that were left unfinished and kept out of the picture by director Robert Wise in 1979 – who apparently did not approve of this version.

A lot of the scenes that were added back into the movie for the “SLV” were and are clearly extraneous, although in some cases amusing to watch.

There are a couple of exchanges between Sulu (George Takei) and the Deltan navigator Ilia (Persis Khambatta) – whose species is apparently quite sexually attractive and active – that are possibly meant to suggest Sulu is coming under her spell, although they were jettisoned to focus on Ilia and Decker’s (Stephen Collins) relationship (there is also more of that present in this cut).

Other sequences – like a moment in which Spock (Leonard Nimoy) weeps for V’Ger and a quick scene of Ilia helping to relieve Chekov’s (Walter Koenig) pain after he is injured – actually made it into the Director’s Cut and work well there as improved character moments.

Most infamously, the original release of the “SLV” contained a literally unfinished shot of Kirk (William Shatner) leaving the Enterprise airlock in a spacesuit to pursue Spock as the Vulcan himself spacewalks deeper into V’Ger’s interior. When the “SLV” was first shown, parts of the soundstage around the airlock set were still visible, as a result of the effects for the scene never being completed (the new 4K Ultra HD version of the “SLV” rectifies that, although the incomplete version is provided as a bonus feature).

Importantly, the new version of the “SLV” has restored it to its theatrical matting – the movie was cropped to the old TV screen ratio of 1.33: 1 for broadcast (and for several subsequent home video releases), turning Wise’s widescreen compositions into a nightmare of forced zooms and pan-and-scanning. At least now this version of the film is restored to its proper ratio.

That said, the “Special Longer Version” is in many ways the worst version of the film. While it’s always interesting for completists to see footage left out of a theatrical movie, this iteration simply pastes all that material back into the film – ostensibly to fill a three-hour “network movie premiere” slot, back in the day when such things mattered – without any consideration of whether it should be there. If the pacing of Star Trek: The Motion Picture has always been a bone of contention for you, the “SLV” doubles down on that.

The Director’s Edition

Ironically enough, the Robert Wise-supervised “Director’s Edition” of Star Trek: The Motion Picture runs for two hours and 16 minutes – four minutes longer than the theatrical release. It also includes some of the scenes Wise left out initially, which surfaced in the interim in the TV version of the movie (a detailed list of alterations and additions can be found here ).

But while it still suffers from pacing issues, they’re less of a detriment. The Director’s Edition still moves slowly, but doesn’t feel like it drags, and there’s more of a stateliness to it that is befitting the movie’s larger themes – which are also given more clarity in this version.

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Perhaps the most important edition in that sense is the scene in which Spock weeps for V’Ger – a scene that makes it much clearer what V’Ger is seeking as it returns to Earth, and why its quest has reached a potentially catastrophic dead end.

More importantly, the scene also brings Spock’s own character arc in the film into much better focus – he realizes that his desire to purge all remaining emotion from his own life (the kolinahr ritual) could lead him to the same cold, empty existence that V’Ger now faces, which he firmly rejects.

Also retained is Ilia’s healing of Chekov, adding a little more nuance to what is mostly a blank slate of a character, as well as some brief interactions between the supporting crew members.

What is left out are, most notably, the full-length travelogues along V’Ger’s exterior and interior (although we do get a neat shot of the entire V’Ger vessel emerging from its cloud above Earth). The scenes are still there, but this material – and a number of other visuals – is trimmed and sharpened to give the movie a little more forward motion. Along with that, so many subtle visual and audio touches have been added – whether it’s better matte or CG backgrounds or original sounds from the TV series – to create more ambiance and an overall more fulfilling cinematic Trek experience.

When Wise and his team took the movie back into the shop in 2001, they overhauled the visuals and the sound mix with the best available technology at the time – yet the limitations back then in terms of resolution meant that the Director’s Edition was only available on DVD for the next 20 years. With the new upgrade, all the visual and sonic enhancements (plus new ones) have been rendered so that they can now be seen in 4K Ultra HD – thus giving Star Trek: The Motion Picture the most up-to-date restoration possible.

The result is an often eye-popping science fiction spectacle that looks fresher and better than ever before. As rushed as the original production was, it’s a tribute to Wise, Trumbull, and the team that completed the film in 1979 that so much of their work still holds up and was able to mesh so well with the enhancements of both 2001 and 2021.

But just as importantly, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is now about as close as it will ever come to being the visionary sci-fi epic that it was first conceived as. The new version of The Director’s Edition retains all the narrative revisions that Wise made more than two decades ago, while adding the visual grandeur that such a cerebral story needed in the first place. Yes, there are still flaws in the film, and it may never replace, say, The Wrath of Khan at the top of Trek movie rankings, but more than four decades after it first came out, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is now finished.

This film’s journey is at last complete, but the human adventure is still just beginning.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director’s Edition – The Complete Adventure is out now on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray.

Don Kaye | @donkaye

Don Kaye is an entertainment journalist by trade and geek by natural design. Born in New York City, currently ensconced in Los Angeles, his earliest childhood memory is…

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‘star trek: the motion picture’ fully restored director’s cut trailer released.

Paramount has released a stunning look at the 4K restoration of the 1979 'Star Trek' film.

By James Hibberd

James Hibberd

Writer-at-Large

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Paramount has released a trailer for its long-awaited release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture —The Director’s Edition .

The 1979 Robert Wise film has been given a special effects makeover and an upgrade to 4K HDR with Dolby Atmos sound.

In 2001, Wise revisited the film to refine the edit and enhance the visual effects. The result was released on DVD in standard definition, but this is the first time the edit been made available in high def. Though Wise passed away in 2005, producer David C. Fein and preservationist Mike Matessino assembled a team of effects experts, led by Daren Dochterman, to spend six months re-creating the original effects in Ultra HD for the new release.

“I couldn’t be prouder and more thrilled to have completed the film in 4K,” said Fein. “Paramount offered unprecedented access to the original elements and exceptional support, and the results are stunning. Utilizing the latest discoveries and innovations of modern film production, the Director’s Edition delivers so much more today than was previously possible. It’s an adventure you’ll never forget!”

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The Motion Picture starred William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and launched the Trek franchise onto the big screen, helping spawn a new generation of films. Critics were not impressed, however, with many panning the film for its slow pace (all those long tracking shots of the docked ship!) and a cerebral story (centered around the Enterprise crew investigating a mysterious destructive spacecraft headed toward Earth). Still, the film is often credited as one of the most attractive and cinematic of the Trek films. And the next entry in the series, 1982’s Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan , is widely considered the franchise’s best work.

The Director’s Edition will debut on Paramount+ on April 5 and will arrive on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in September.

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Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Director's Cut) (United States, 2001)

A long time ago in a strange place called Hollywood, a theatrical cut of a movie was considered to be the director's cut. Now, with the advent of DVDs and the proliferation of special editions, numerous big-budget (and some not-so-big-budget) motion pictures are being given a second life in a format that is often quite different from the original version. For filmmakers who continuously like to tinker, this new philosophy is a godsend. They can release a truncated, studio-friendly version in theaters, then offer their "true vision" to DVD buyers.

This trend towards director's cuts/special editions was not started by George Lucas, but it was popularized by him. The financial windfall reaped when Lucas re-released the original three Star Wars films with new effects and footage awakened Hollywood executives to a previously-untapped resource. To be fair, most special editions exist primarily for creative reasons (although the studios backing them dream of $$$), and often result in a vastly improved product. James Cameron's The Abyss is a completely different movie - confusing and dissatisfying in the shortened theatrical version; sublime and brilliant in the director's cut. The hour added to Wolgang Petersen's Das Boot transforms it into a character-driven white-knuckler. Cameron Crowe's extended Almost Famous gives the story greater span and depth.

In 1979, the release of Star Trek - The Motion Picture represented the climax to every Star Trek fan's wet dream. The date, December 7, lived in infamy for the entire production crew. Paramount Pictures etched this date into their release calendar and informed everyone involved that the film would be ready on that day. Despite the Herculean effort by legendary director Robert Wise and his army of post-production assistants, the version of Star Trek - The Motion Picture that reached theaters was not complete. Effects scenes were unfinished, the sound mix was not perfected, and several important sequences were inexplicably left on the cutting room floor.

The movie that played in theaters during late 1979 and early 1980 received a mixed critical and popular reception. Star Trek fans were divided over the film. On one hand, it gave them the opportunity to spend time with characters who were as dear to them as old friends. On the other hand, it was largely a re-hash of previously-produced television episodes (in particular, "The Changeling"). The general public, expecting a Star Wars clone and instead getting something more sedate and less action-oriented, was bored. Two unflattering nicknames were born: Star Trek - The Motionless Picture and Star Trek - The Motion Sickness . The movie was a financial success, grossing nearly $90 million domestically (against a $35 million budget), but a large portion of that was contributed by Trekkers who returned time and time again to theaters to re-watch the movie. It was not unusual to find die-hards who would proudly claim to have seen Star Trek - The Motion Picture 40, 50, or even 100 times. (This kind of repeat business, unheard of in the era of home video, did occasionally happen.)

The film opens with the destruction of three Klingon warships by a mysterious energy cloud that is on a direct heading for Earth. The newly redesigned U.S.S. Enterprise , the pride and joy of the United Federation of Planets, is the only ship available to intercept the cloud, and it hasn't undergone its shakedown cruise. Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner), restless after 2 1/2 years behind a desk, uses the crises to once again take command of the Enterprise , forcing the ship's expected captain, Will Decker (Stephen Collins), into the role of Executive Officer. Most of the crew is re-united, including the irascible Dr. McCoy (the late DeForest Kelley) and the half-Vulcan Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy). Spock senses a kinship with the vast consciousness that exists at the heart of the cloud. Also on board are Chief Engineer Scotty (James Doohan), Security Chief Chekov (Walter Koenig), Helmsman Sulu (George Takei), Communications Officer Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), and a newcomer, Navigator Ilia (Persis Khambatta).

After battling several systems failures, including a malfunctioning transporter that kills two crewman and a propulsion system that becomes unstable and creates a wormhole, the Enterprise makes contact with the entity within the cloud, called V'ger. The journey to the center of the alien ship is a strange and bizarre one. Ilia is killed when a probe invades the Enterprise bridge, and V'ger later sends a second probe to the ship in the form of a mechanism that mimics Ilia's body and features. Kirk learns that V'ger is a living machine traveling to Earth to make contact with its "Creator". If this contact is not made, V'ger intends to wipe out all of the human beings "infesting" the planet. It is up to the crew of the Enterprise to prevent that eventuality.

My recollections of seeing Star Trek - The Motion Picture during its initial release are of watching a lot of pretty images pass across the screen. The special effects sequences seemed to go on forever, with only an occasional glimpse of the actors reacting to what their characters were supposedly seeing. Subsequent viewings on videotape enabled me to more clearly pinpoint the film's flaws - poor pacing and a reliance upon special effects over character development. The sterile atmosphere of the new Starship Enterprise had seemingly seeped into the movie's tone, which was cool and unfriendly.

Now, more that 20 years later, Robert Wise has had the opportunity to return to the film and complete it in the manner he had originally envisioned. In addition to re-editing the movie, he was given the money to complete several effects sequences. The soundtrack was re-mixed and the picture was cleaned-up. The resultant product was released on DVD after consideration of a theatrical re-release was nixed. (A friend of mine who works for Paramount indicated that, had there been an actor's strike, Star Trek - The Motion Picture: Director's Edition would have been in multiplexes some time during 2002, but, since the strike didn't happen, tentative plans for a theatrical launch were scrapped.)

The film's total running length has hardly changed, expanding by four minutes from 2:12 to 2:16. However, alterations to the Director's Edition represent more than just adding a few scenes. Some material was either removed or replaced (all of the deleted scenes and trims are available as part of the DVD's supplementary material). In total, about 10% of the film is different from the theatrical cut, but the changes, while seemingly slight, result in a significantly improved motion picture. Star Trek - The Motion Picture: Director's Edition is no 2001 (its obvious inspiration - a fact that is more evident here than ever before), but it represents thought-provoking, well constructed science fiction.

So why is this version better than its theatrical sibling? The first, and most obvious, reason is that the pacing is better. Some of the new effects transform the V'ger trip into a more involving experience, and the inclusion of several character-based scenes that were previously edited out (Spock weeping for V'ger, Kirk ordering Scotty to prepare for a self-destruct) subtly shift the focus away from technical elements and back to the players. Wise's decisions about what to eliminate and what to add are inspired. The entire second act feels completely different. Secondly, the improved sound allows the audio to pack a punch that the original never did. And, finally, there's an intangible - because the movie explores ideas, it has aged better than many of its action-oriented contemporaries.

The "idea" aspect of Star Trek - The Motion Picture is enhanced in this version. The film spends more time exploring those unique qualities that make human beings special, and the importance of tempering logic and knowledge with emotion. Spock's breakthrough comes when he embraces his human half instead of rejecting it. For V'ger to grow, it must find a way to move beyond the cold machine logic of its programming. To do that, V'ger wants to "join" with its creator, and, in this, the film illuminates our need to strive for new goals and seek to attain the previously unattainable. And, while Star Trek - The Motion Picture doesn't answer the questions of "Who am I? Why am I here?", it isn't afraid to ask them.

It's interesting to note that the new special effects (produced by Foundation Imaging) - including an improved vision of Vulcan, a more impressive end to the wormhole sequence, our first view of the entire V'ger ship from the outside, and a change in the approach "walkway" to V'ger at the end - are done in such a manner that they blend seamlessly with the work done by Douglas Trumbell and John Dykstra 22 years ago. Nothing in Star Trek - The Motion Picture: Director's Edition seems out of place. A casual viewer who hasn't seen the film in more than two decades might assume that little or nothing had changed.

Jerry Goldsmith's score, which has since become a staple in the Star Trek musical lexicon, represents one of the film's strengths. It's the music, as much as the visuals, that makes the shuttle's initial approach to the Enterprise such a majestic moment. The sequence is overlong, but the thrill of hearing Goldsmith's score allows us to enjoy the moment rather than fall asleep. The ominous, ethereal strains of his V'ger themes enhance the sense that the Enterprise is penetrating ever deeper into a wondrous and dangerous realm as it moves deeper into the aliens' vessel.

When it comes to a Star Trek movie, the quality of acting is largely irrelevant. The familiar faces are all there doing pretty much what we expect them to do. William Shatner, ever the ham, applies his unique brand of overacting to Kirk, and we welcome it. (To be fair, Shatner is capable of giving a good performance as Kirk - something he does in Star Trek s II , III , and VI .) Leonard Nimoy imbues Spock with a quiet dignity and DeForest Kelley slides easily into the part of the anti-technology old country doctor. The camaraderie between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, one of the strengths of the TV series, is in evidence here, although not to the extent that it could have been. As far as the newcomers are concerned, Stephen Collins is solid as Decker. However, while Persis Khambatta is striking to look at as the svelte, bald Ilia, this is not a memorable example of acting.

Re-visiting Star Trek - The Motion Picture via this director's cut is like seeing a familiar story unfold in a new way. Wise's picture was an ambitious effort from the beginning, striving for a greatness that it never attained. In this new version, it still falls short, but not by as much. It has taken more than 20 years for Robert Wise to return to his chapter of the Star Trek saga and fulfill his vision. With no hesitation, I can say that it has been worth the wait. Star Trek - The Motion Picture: Director's Edition vaults this movie from a position as one of the weakest entries in the long-running film series to a perch as one of the strongest.

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Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Where to watch.

Watch Star Trek: The Motion Picture with a subscription on Paramount+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Featuring a patchwork script and a dialogue-heavy storyline whose biggest villain is a cloud, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a less-than-auspicious debut for the franchise.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Robert Wise

William Shatner

Leonard Nimoy

Commander Spock

DeForest Kelley

Lt. Cmdr, Leonard H. 'Bones' McCoy, M.D.

Stephen Collins

Persis Khambatta

Lieutenant Ilia

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Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director’s Cut (1979) 4K Ultra + Blu-Ray + Digital Review

“Bones, there’s a thing out there.”

Perfection in sound and vision looks like this.

If you don’t get goosebumps over hearing Jerry Goldsmith ’s epic preamble in the fully restored Director’s Cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture then you ARE dead, son. D. E. A. D. There is a MIGHT and a FURY to that sequence, which is then followed by his glorious Main Titles Theme as the credits roll in director Robert Wise ’s science fiction epic . . . AND THEN the Klingon Battle theme!! Holy crap. Now, Goldsmith might have been influenced by Vaughan Williams - specifically the Third movement of Williams's Fourth Symphony - but it matters little when his bombastic compositions are matched with the striking upgrade in the visuals thanks to the work of everyone involved in this release.

Truth be told, Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director’s Cut , now fully restored and remastered, is like nothing previously seen. This is, to be quite honest, a whole new experience for me. I know every scene and can quote it as if it is poetry (it is), yet it is breathtakingly new in EVERY DAMN SCENE.

But, since this is the REMASTERED and RESTORED Director’s Cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture - the one we have all been jonesing for - we have to give credit where it is due and, simply put, the newly restored, definitive version of the first big-screen adventure, which is presented in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision and HDR-10, as well as Dolby Atmos, is a DAMN FINE way to celebrate the beauty of Star Trek. This release also includes access to a Digital copy of the film, complete with new and legacy bonus content.

Originally released in 1979, Robert Wise ’s film successfully took Trek off the small screen and set the original cast on an adventure which would span SIX more films. Wise’s film might have been rushed to release with unfortunate cuts and incomplete effects but that didn’t stop Star Trek: The Motion Picture from being the fourth highest grossing film of the year, as well as earning Academy Award nominations for Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction, and Best Music, Original Score for that year.

Now, those with only a casual interest in the franchise will probably shake their heads at my calling Star Trek: The Motion Picture not just a classic film, but a TRUE Science Fiction epic. There is no flaw in its function. True fans know it and feel it as the grand spectacle that TMP is - now fully restored and remastered in 4K thanks to producer David C. Fein with post-production supervisor Mike Matessino , both of whom originally collaborated with Wise in 2001 for the DVD Director’s Cut release of the film - washes over the screen.

Gloriously enough, this new 4K scan leaves me completely breathless with great jaw-dropping sequences which feel more engaging and more intimate than ever before. It’s dialogue-heavy and full of BIG IDEAS which continue to inspire the viewer as the classic crew of the newly refitted Enterprise faces down a powerful alien cloud known as V'Ger that is on a path toward Earth and is destroying everything standing in its way.

The “why” is pure poetry as Shatner, Leonard Nimoy as Spock, DeForest Kelley as Leonard McCoy, James Doohan as Montgomery Scott, George Takei as Hikaru Sulu Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov, Nichelle Nichols as Uhura come face to face with humankind’s own invention. All it wants - like all of us - is to meet its creator and share its knowledge.

What’s the harm in that? Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director’s Cut has the answer and every minute wasted in your delay of purchasing this EPIC 4K release is another minute that the creature comes barrelling closer to earth.

Warp your way to that course correction immediately.

Home Video Distributor: Paramount Pictures Available on Blu-ray - September 6, 2022 Screen Formats: 2.39:1 Subtitles : English SDH, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1; German: Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1; French: Dolby Digital 5.1 Discs: 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set Region Encoding: Region free

Director Robert Wise ’s definitive vision—eagerly anticipated by STAR TREK fans for over two decades—is now meticulously restored and remastered in 4K Ultra HD with HDR-10 and Dolby Vision for optimal picture and Dolby Atmos for immersive sound. This must-have release features a bonus Blu-ray disc with hours of new and legacy special features, including extensive behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes, and more. The adventure begins when an unidentified alien intruder destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers. Captain James T. Kirk boldly returns to the helm of a newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command. This bold adventure launched one of the longest running movie franchises of all time and features the cast of the original STAR TREK series, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig , and James Doohan .

Paramount ’s 4K restoration is fantastic in giving the film a clean look without sacrificing too much of the grain. The contrast and colors are restored to extenuate the muted color palette of the film, and the sparkles and other mystical elements really seem to pop out wonderfully. Overall, this is probably a perfect transfer and the best version of the film we will ever see. The organic depth of color leaves the previous blu ray releases in the dust. From opening to ending, the darks throughout these four films are inky black and the vibrant colors pop off the screen. There are almost imperceptible shots that are a touch on the soft side, and the optical effects stand out more so at this resolution, but this is completely faithful to the source, organic even, and the finest these films have ever looked.

The new Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mixes are also another massive upgrade over the previous release. With new overhead channels mixed in, a robust soundscape awaits your ears. Again, the start of these films waste no time in showing you the difference aurally as well as visually.

Supplements:

Commentary :

• There is a NEW commentary with David C. Fein, Mike Matessino , and Daren R. Dochterman , plus previous commentaries with Robert Wise, Douglas Trumbull, John Dykstra, Jerry Goldsmith , and Stephen Collins ​. There is also a text commentary from Michael and Denise Okuda which fans will appreciate.

Special Features:

This 3-disc set includes the Director's Cut on 4K Ultra-HD and Blu-ray and also includes a bonus Blu-ray disc filled with new and legacy special features.

• The Human Adventure - An all-new 8-part documentary detailing how the Director’s Edition came to life
• Preparing the Future - How the remastering began
• A Wise Choice - The storied history of Robert Wise
• Refitting the Enterprise - How the Enterprise design shaped future federation starships
• Sounding Off – Exploring new dimensions of sound in Dolby Atmos
• V’ger - The conception and restoration of an iconic alien antagonist
• Return to Tomorrow - Reaching an already high bar with new CGI effects
• A Grand Theme - Behind the iconic, influential music score that shaped the franchise’s future The Grand Vision - The legacy and evolving reputation of this classic movie
• Deleted Scenes - NEW!
• Effects Tests - NEW!
• Costume Tests - NEW!
• Computer Display Graphics - NEW!
• Additional legacy bonus content

MPAA Rating: G. Runtime: 143 mins Director : Robert Wise Writer: Harold Livingston Cast: William Shatner; Leonard Nimoy; DeForest Kelley Genre : Adventure | Sci-fi Tagline: There is no comparison. Memorable Movie Quote: "Enterprise, what we got back didn't live long... fortunately." Theatrical Distributor: Paramount Pictures Official Site: Release Date: December 8, 1979 DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: September 6, 2022. Synopsis : When an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it.

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Published Mar 24, 2022

David C. Fein Shares the Secrets of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition

The man behind the remaster shares his thoughts on the process and some surprises in store

StarTrek.com | Special Features Producer/DP, Rafael Ruiz

In 1979, Star Trek: The Motion Picture first transported audiences back to the world of Captain Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise . In doing so, it re-launched a franchise — five more films featuring the TOS crew as well as multiple spin-offs and films — and brought life back to the fandom. David C. Fein, the man behind the upcoming Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition , was one such fan.

“I grew up on the classic TV show,” Fein told StarTrek.com during an interview. “I was living in New York City, and I had to be home at 6:00 PM every single night in order to see Star Trek . I grew up on classic Star Trek . It became a major part of who I am.”

I learned so much about [it], watching that and growing up to learn everything I possibly could about it,” he continued. “What was always important is that the story mattered first.”

Fein first joined the franchise 22 years ago, when he — along with director Robert Wise — released the Director's Cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture . “The film had never been finished, originally. It was rushed into theaters because of various marketing arrangements that had been made, and promises of the movie opening when it needed to open. Whatever could be assembled was assembled and put into theaters. That was so rushed. There were so many problems with the film, and even the point of the film was missing.”

Special Features Producer/DP, Rafael Ruiz

Fein had asked Wise for years if they could go back and release a director's cut of the film. “He had some apprehension, especially because he wasn't as familiar with Star Trek , even at the time, and relied on the actors and everybody else. But he understood that collaborating with us, with me and my team, would really make the difference of being able to finish the film. So we finished the film with 100 new visual effects shots, and it took about 1,000 edits, just to tighten the film, to get it to work back then.”

The film was re-released on DVD to mass success, but as the 40th anniversary of the film began to approach, Fein considered going back to his project. “My focus was to finish the film, not necessarily where it was going to be released. In finishing the film, the focus was using every tool within the ability of today, to focus on telling the story and finishing the story the best it could possibly be.” With that in mind, Fein set about remastering the director's cut, now titled Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition .

“Most restorations are we want to make a 40-year-old film look great for a 40-year-old film. That wasn't the goal. When I was speaking to Robert Wise over the years, we learned about HDR, which is a better contrast that was in film, and learned so much more about where audio was going. He absolutely pushed me to always use every tool available and focus on the story. That's what happened this time,” Fein continued. “So the sound mix, which is a theatrical Dolby sound mix, is fantastic. It carries the story forward. In cleaning up the film and going back to the original camera negative, which absolutely blew my expectations away, I never realized how blurry many of the effect shots were just because of the rush to get them out. There was such a loss of quality. To be able to go back, even for the shots that previously existed and reassemble them from the different layers of effect elements, brought tears to my eyes. It was so beautiful.”

Restoring the film brought unexpected surprises as they began the process. “The day we brought back the effects team that we had previously… We wanted to bring back those people who had the experience of building the work originally. And the first thing we had to do was bring back the team, which the majority did return, which is wonderful mojo. It was great. We rebuilt the Enterprise . We brought that up there because there's so many little details you never saw in the ship, but I wanted to make sure that our digital version was exact. So we had all of that reference.”

“Then we upgraded it again because now we're going from a postage stamp to a theater screen, to a giant screen,” Fein added. “And everything had to hold up. So the first thing we had to do was build the team back and then we had to start working on those effects. But at the same time, we had to go back to the studio and get the scan of the film, the negative of the film.”

Another challenge was working on the sound, which led to a fantastic discovery for Fein and his team. They discovered the original ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) for the film that they previously had not access to, which meant a piece of Star Trek history was being unearthed as they remastered the film. This also led to a heartfelt moment for Fein.

“Bob was directing the actors,” Fein said, getting emotional as he spoke about his friend, who passed away in 2005. “To hear him saying, ‘Okay, now let's do it again.’ But this way was magic. There have been just such a few times that I feel like he was standing behind me or telling me, ‘We need to do this. We need to do that.’ It was so precious that I just had to love it. And that was one of many things.”

For fans of the film, Fein also has another big surprise he revealed during the interview. “There's a deleted scene that we wanted to have back 20 years ago,” he said. “This was Ilia and Scotty and Decker in engineering. We found some of the footage 20 years ago, but there was no audio, so there was really no point in showing the scene. But it's three or four scenes that people have wanted to see forever. So we re-transferred that footage… and we found out that Bob looped the dialogue for the scene. Now that scene's going to be included in the physical media release and others, because he looped a few. And we found other key scenes that are just fantastic.”

StarTrek.com

Fein also teased “there's new dialogue from the actors in the background here and there, that you've never heard before that you're going to be surprised about.”

“Classic Star Trek didn't have the money for visual effects,” Fein later said as we discussed The Original Series . “Flash to Star Trek: The Motion Picture , and there's so much spectacle, so much spectacle. But it always remained about the people. And that's what's precious.”

Fein finds the focus on characters — particularly Jim Kirk — to be what helps make The Motion Picture — The Director’s Edition such a strong film.

“One of the things that I've always said about The Director's Edition from when we originally cut it even to now, is that we found our captain,” he said. “When you watch the original theatrical [edition], he's really angry. I never felt that he was really the character of Kirk that he was supposed to be. Even Bob didn't feel that it was right, but it was what we had to do to get the story together. So through editing, we were able to make him more human and more Kirk-like. If you pay attention to the story as it flows now, where I say it's compelling, I love how he's alone. He gets the Enterprise back, but he's not feeling overly secure.”

“McCoy comes. He calls McCoy back, and he gets a little more confident,” Fein added. “And then Spock shows up, and you see the joy on his face, like ‘I never thought Spock would be here. Spock's here.’ And it's such a story about the people, them coming together, to face this amazing entity that's coming.”

“Imagine just the thrill and the fact that this boldly went where no movie or series went before. And it launched everything. Even though it's still about the people,” Fein concluded, as we discussed Trek being a story-driven franchise. “It still remains about the people. Because after all, it's the human adventure, which is just beginning.”

As a gift to fans, Fein has also created phone backgrounds and desktop wallpapers featuring the remastered version of Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition art. You can download them here to share your love of the final frontier, and of the human adventure that makes it so special.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Director's Edition Remastered Trailer

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Fast forward to the turn of the century when Wise was given the opportunity by Paramount’s Home Entertainment division to revisit the movie and — joined by producers David C. Fein, Mike Matessino, and Daren Dochterman — complete the post-production process the way he intended for DVD release in 2001. Armed with the burgeoning world of CG effects, as well as the time necessary to revisit the movie’s editing, the 2001 edition of The Director’s Edition was released on DVD to great acclaim.

But that DVD release was 21 years ago, and saw the movie released only in the standard definition presentation of the time. During that period, the theatrical edition of The Motion Picture received several re-releases, including on Blu-ray and most recently in September 2021’s remastered 4K UHD box set.

Meanwhile, fans of The Motion Picture Director’s Edition have had only ever had access to the original DVD release (or up-rezzed editions of that DVD picture through some streaming services). Until now!

The Director’s Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a superior film to the theatrical edition many of our readers are probably familiar with. And while a lot of the attention naturally falls on some of the movie’s sequences that have been significantly altered from the theatrical edition – Starfleet Headquarters has been improved, Vulcan’s moons have disappeared and the planet looks much more like it does in other appearances in the franchise, and we actually get to see the giant V’Ger vessel at the heart of the cloud – the Director’s Edition does more than just update the effects in a few places.

The whole movie has been upgraded, not just in its look and feel, but in how it runs, too. Robert Wise was an Oscar-winning movie editor before he moved to directing, and used the 2000-era opportunity to revisit the film to adjust a significant number of edits to the movie’s flow.

A lot of these changes aren’t major alterations – the movie is fundamentally the same – but through a series of targeted cuts and edits the movie flows better, and most importantly for fans who found the theatrical edition to be turgid, it feels like a brisker movie as well.

Drew Stewart of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture Visual Comparisons project has meticulously documented the ways in which the Director’s Edition of the movie is different from the 1979 theatrical edition, and will be updating his project in the coming weeks with additional changes made in the 2022 version of the Director’s Edition . The new presentation of the movie is unlikely to fundamentally reshape your opinion of it — given that it’s still the same story and the same script — but you are very likely to enjoy it more than the theatrical edition that has been most prevalent for viewers.

And if you prefer the theatrical edition? Well the good news is, it’s available for you in the same 4K Ultra HD presentation thanks to last year’s movie box set. Fans now have the ability to choose which version of The Motion Picture they want to watch, and Paramount+ is to be commended for making that available to them… as another major science fiction franchise whose original versions have been vaulted for thirty years might take note?

Personally, I see no reason to watch the theatrical edition of The Motion Picture ever again. I’ve loved the Director’s Edition since the original 2001 release, and the 2022 4K remaster does the movie all the justice in the world. The picture is crisp, the colors more vibrant, the sound is incredible, and Jerry Goldsmith’s outstanding score has never sounded better.

The new effects are definitely not egregious additions for the sake of it; they help tell the story of the movie better for the viewer. It never made sense in the theatrical edition that on Vulcan Spock shields his eyes… from the night’s sky. And during the Enterprise’s approach to and journey inside of V’Ger, good luck being able to figure out where anything is or where the Enterprise is in relation to V’Ger as a whole.

The new quick effects shots help the viewer better understand the Enterprise’s journey, and provide more effective visual reference for how large V’Ger is… and what the ship actually looks like! The theatrical edition of the movie never even shows you a wide shot of the V’Ger spacecraft at the heart of the cloud. The Director’s Edition corrects this oversight, not for the sake of it, but because it really helps tell the story better.

The history of Star Trek: The Motion Picture — The Director’s Edition is not one of making changes to the movie just to sell a new product for fans, but of honoring the legacy of the movie’s director and giving him the chance to finish it so that fans could see it in the way it was intended.

Even though Robert Wise passed away in 2005, he lived long enough to work with the Director’s Edition team through the original project that was released in 2001, and that same team has picked up the baton to remaster the movie for a 4K presentation today based upon his guidance during the first project.

The voyage of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture — The Director’s Edition may be at an end, but the Human Adventure is Just Beginning, and you’d be wise to give this movie a chance using the biggest screen and the best sound system you have access to.

I know the Director’s Edition has significantly improved my opinion of the movie as a whole, and I hope it does the same for you.

The newly remastered  Star Trek: The Motion Picture — The Director’s Edition  arrives in 4K UHD format April 5, exclusively on Paramount+. The new edition of the film will be screened in theaters in the United States in May,  followed by a 4K Blu-ray physical release  this September.

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Don’t Worry, Star Trek’s New Origin Movie Isn’t A Threat To Canon

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The trailer for the new Director's Edition of Star Trek : The Motion Picture reveals the long-rumored 4K restoration of the classic sci-fi film. Originally released in 1979, ten years after the original series ended,  Star Trek: The Motion Picture  was the first cinematic outing of the Starship Enterprise and her crew. It saw the main cast return in an original story wherein Kirk, Spock, and the gang are tasked with confronting a mysterious alien known as V'Ger. Directed by Robert Wise and hastily adapted from the pilot of the scrapped series  Star Trek: Phase II , the film received mixed reviews upon release and performed short of studio expectations at the box office. Wise was himself critical of the film, describing the theatrical version as a rough cut of the picture he wanted to make.

In the years that followed,  Star Trek: The Motion Picture  saw numerous versions released in theaters and on home media. In 1983, an extended cut premiered on ABC, which included unfinished footage that was cut from the theatrical release. Then, in 2001, Wise oversaw a new restoration on DVD, with enhanced effects and a runtime that was 30 minutes longer than the original version. Known as the Director's Edition, it was far better received than the theatrical cut and saw re-releases on Blu-ray in 2009 to coincide with JJ Abrams'  Star Trek  reboot . Since then, rumors have circulated that a restoration of the Director's Edition was in the works, which were confirmed in July 2021 when it was announced that it would be premiering exclusively on Paramount+.

Related:  Picard Argues Rios Is Star Trek's Best Pilot - Is It True?

Fans have now been treated to their first glimpse of the restored Director's Edition in a new   trailer , which shows off pristine effects and a crystal clear 4K image. Proudly announcing that it has been restored from the original negative, the restoration is preserving the original film while also drastically modernizing the effects. This is most evident when the trailer draws a direct comparison between an effects-heavy shot in the 2001 edition and the same shot in the new 4kKversion. It also announces that the film has been upgraded to feature Dolby Atmos sound. Watch the full trailer below:

While Wise passed away in 2005, work on this restoration has been carried out by producer David C Fein and Mike Matessino, both of whom worked with the director on the 2001 edition. It therefore wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that the new 4K version is as close to Wise's original vision for the film as possible. Similarly, the restoration has drawn from Paramount's archives to recreate the original effects in Ultra HD, further emphasizing how faithful it is to the spirit of the original  Star Trek .

What remains to be seen is if the 4K restoration of  Star Trek: The Motion Picture   manages to satiate the appetites of Trekkies who have been disappointed with the recent properties set in Gene Roddenberry's groundbreaking universe. While receiving critical acclaim and huge viewership figures, both  Star Trek:  Discovery  and  Star Trek: Picard have been divisive among hardcore Trek fans, with many outlining how the new shows aren't very faithful to the original. Let's hope then that this new version hits the right spot when it releases on Paramount+ on April 5th.

Related:  Star Trek: The Actors Almost Cast As Kelvin Timeline's James T. Kirk

Source: Youtube 

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The new Star Trek: The Motion Picture director’s cut is finally coming to Paramount Plus

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Star Trek : The Motion Picture — the 1979 outing and the first film in the franchise — is coming to Paramount Plus on April 5 (known as First Contact Day in the Star Trek universe) with a new “Director’s Edition.”

For this new version, Paramount Pictures has remastered the film in 4K — an upgrade that even includes recreating the special effects in 4K. The Director’s Edition will eventually come to Blu-ray this September, and appear in theaters via Fathom Events on May 22 and May 25.

Star Trek : The Motion Picture sees the cast of the original series return to the U.S.S. Enterprise to investigate and pursue an alien ship that mysteriously destroyed multiple Klingon vessels. It was one of the top-grossing films in 1979 and earned itself three Oscar nominations, despite being “rushed to theaters” and ultimately earning a lackluster legacy among fans.

The Director’s Edition was restored by producer David C. Fein and preservationist Mike Matessino, both of whom have previously collaborated with Wise. In addition to the various visual improvements and 4K resolution, it also offers Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos.

“I couldn’t be prouder and more thrilled to have completed the film in 4K,” said Fein. “Paramount offered unprecedented access to the original elements and exceptional support and the results are stunning. Utilizing the latest discoveries and innovations of modern film production, The Director’s Edition delivers so much more today than was previously possible.”

Until its release on Blu-ray and its brief stint in theaters, Star Trek: The Motion Picture — The Director’s Edition will be exclusive to Paramount Plus.

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Star Trek: The Motion Picture—The Director’s Edition

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Why Star Trek: The Motion Picture Is Cinema's Most Important Director's Cut

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• Star Trek: The Motion Picture is an important film that revived the franchise with the help of a legendary director.
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture's production was plagued by many problems and the studio forced the director to put out an incomplete project.
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Director's Edition improves the film and forces the fans and director alike to reevaluate their feelings about this controversial franchise entry.

A decade after being unceremoniously canceled by NBC, Star Trek was poised to become the next big thing in cinema. Star Trek: The Motion Picture was hotly anticipated by fans, but upon its debut the film had an unfinished quality that hurt its legacy. Thankfully, for the movie's 40th anniversary, Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Director's Edition was released, allowing Robert Wise's true vision to be seen by fans for the first time. Thanks to Star Trek's first foray into cinema, Starfleet and the Enterprise it continues to be relevant in pop culture today.

Making movies is always a challenge, but The Motion Picture presented unique challenges in its many years of development. Star Trek: The Original Series remained one of the highest-rated series in syndication ten years after its initial run ended. Paramount knew they had to do something with the franchise, but the studio couldn't decide whether to bring it to television or the big screen. After the success of Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind , the studio went all-in on the feature film, but pre-sold the release of the film before a script was even finished. Screenwriter Howard Livingston was irascible and constantly fought with Gene Roddenberry. Robert Abel was contracted to do visual effects, but after nearly spending all the budget on a single test shot he was let go. Robert Wise was effectively forced to put together a rough cut of an unfinished movie and release it to the public. Beyond the importance of The Motion Picture to Star Trek 's legacy , The Director's Edition was equally important to the venerated director, who passed away in 2005. Producers Daren R. Dochterman, David Fein and Mike Matessino oversaw the most important director's cut in cinema history.

How the Concept of a 'Director's Cut' Release Has Changed With Time

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There are two ways movie fans look at a director's cut of a movie: those who are feeling charitable see it as a way for the director to wrest control back from a panicky studio. They can also add or remove elements they don't want in the film. Then, there are those who are more critical of the process and see it as nothing more than a naked cash-grab. The movie is the movie, and once it's released, the picture deserves to live (or die) on its merits. Robert Wise may have agreed with that latter perspective, at least until Star Wars showed up to "save" Star Trek once again.

Find any Star Wars fan who saw the original trilogy films in the theaters, and they likely have a negative opinion of the "Special Editions" of the films released in the late 1990s. George Lucas went back to work on his original three films, readding cut scenes and changing the visual effects. The tireless model work of artists at Industrial Light and Magic were replaced with newer computer generated VFX. Lucas has maintained that, to him, the Special Editions are his original vision. He was merely limited by budgetary concerns and the technology of the day.

For Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Director's Edition , producers took what worked and what didn't from the Special Editions when settling in to work on The Director's Edition . In an interview with The Inglorious Treksperts , co-hosted by Dochterman, Matessino and Fein credit Lucas for indirectly helping to convince Robert Wise to go back in time and revisit the USS Enterprise. While they didn't remake portions of the movie, the project went beyond a simple director's cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. It was ultimately an attempt to present the movie the way Robert Wise wanted it to look in 1979

How The Director's Cut Improved Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Synthehol: Star Trek's Sci-Fi Take on Alcohol, Explained

According to producers, Robert Wise resisted Gene Roddenberry's desire to change the film for international release. Despite being unhappy with the final product, Wise believed changing the film after release showed "a lack of confidence" Fein said. Along with the upgraded Star Wars releases, changes in home media also encouraged the venerated director to revisit his most personally unsatisfying work. Instead of pan-and-scan edits, "letterbox" home video (and eventually digital media) allowed the full picture to be seen at home for the first time. Robert Wise made his bones in the industry as the editor of Citizen Kane , but Star Trek: The Motion Picture was a film he never got to properly polish.

What differentiates The Motion Picture from the Star Wars Special Editions was the approach producers took when it came to finishing the VFX. Everything from the glorious starship shots to the matte paintings representing Starfleet headquarters and the planet Vulcan were upgraded. The effects were drastically improved, but they still looked like effects that could've been achieved in 1979. Instead of crowding shots with CGI aliens or extra ships, the producers made sure the movie maintained a consistent feel. Ironically, by ensuring it matched what was done in 1979, it feels far more timeless than the Special Editions.

The upgrade went beyond VFX. Cut scenes were reincluded, the sound design was perfected and the film simply became more complete. Robert Wise directed some of the most classic films of all time, like The Sound of Music, West Side Story and, one of the best sci-fi movies ever, The Day the Earth Stood Still . In convincing him to allow a Director's Cut, Matessino and Fein ensured that Star Trek: The Motion Picture was a movie he could truly take pride in.

The Motion Picture Director's Edition Is a Perfect Star Trek Film

Star Trek: Just How Old Is the United Federation of Planets?

There are some critiques of the movie that are valid beyond the problems during production. There isn't a lot of action, and the characters lack the playfulness and camaraderie that made their TV iterations endure. Yet, the film presents a perfectly Star Trek situation . There is an unknown and mysterious threat, solved not with violence but by understanding and sacrifice. It celebrated the human desire to touch the stars while meditating on the consequences of such bold action.

Paired with Jerry Goldsmith's gorgeous score , the film is a gorgeous visual spectacle. In The Fifty-Year Mission: The First 25 Years: The Complete, Uncensored, and Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman, associate producer of The Motion Picture praised Robert Wise for saving the franchise. "I feel rather strongly that if not for him," Povill said, "there would have been no further incarnations of Trek ." Wise was able to overcome impossible obstacles to deliver a film that, while unfinished, was a box office smash.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Director's Edition revealed what the film could've been without all those obstacles. It's not a fun romp with Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the rest of the gang. Nonetheless, it is an eminently watchable movie that celebrates both the aesthetics and spirit of what Gene Roddenberry's universe can be. Fans who didn't like it the first time around are forced to reevaluate the film's legacy because once Robert Wise was able to truly finish it, there's no denying it's a powerful piece of cinema.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Director's Edition is available to own and is currently streaming on Paramount+ .

• July 19, 2024 | ‘Star Trek: Voyager’ Documentary ‘To The Journey’ Nears Finish, Backer Screenings Planned For November
• July 19, 2024 | Podcast: All Access Boards The Protostar For Part 3 (Of 4) Of Our ‘Star Trek: Prodigy’ Season 2 Review
• July 18, 2024 | Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Prodigy’ Learns An Adorable Lesson In “A Tribble Called Quest” [Episode 213]
• July 18, 2024 | 2 More Cadets Cast For ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ – Prep Work Already Started In Toronto
• July 17, 2024 | “Star Trek Origin” Movie Tidbit: Reportedly Set Mostly On Earth

‘Star Trek: Voyager’ Documentary ‘To The Journey’ Nears Finish, Backer Screenings Planned For November

| July 19, 2024 | By: Anthony Pascale 3 comments so far

It’s been a while since there has been an update for  To the Journey , but it looks like the Star Trek: Voyager documentary is finally nearing completion. TrekMovie has exclusive details on early release plans.

Voyager doc is (almost) done

To The Journey: Looking back at Star Trek: Voyager has been one of our most anticipated Star Trek projects since its record-breaking $1.2 million crowd-funding campaign back in 2021. The team behind several excellent Star Trek documentaries, including 2018’s What We Left Behind about Deep Space Nine , has turned their gaze to the show set on the USS Voyager, starring Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway. In the last couple of years, they have been filming more interviews, gathering more archival footage, and putting all the pieces together. This week the team behind the doc released an update for backers where producer/editor Joseph Kornbrodt revealed he expected to have “picture lock” by early next week, turning the focus to post-production including composing and recording the score, adding graphics, and other finishing touches. Kornbrodt said the goal was to have a finished film by October.

TrekMovie reached out to producer/director David Zappone who confirmed they are working on holding premiere events for Indiegogo backers in London, New York, and in Los Angeles in early November. The specific dates and locations are being arranged right now, but the LA event is planned for the Paramount Theater on the Paramount lot, home of Zappone’s 455 Films production company. The team expects to be able to announce those dates and locations during an STLV convention panel on the first weekend of August.

Robert Duncan McNeill from  To The Journey (455 Films)

Zappone noted that the film being shown for these first backer screenings won’t be the final cut of the movie. He is planning on having that ready for release on DVD and Blu-ray by Spring 2025. The Blu-ray/DVD is expected to include around 2 hours of bonus features, similar to the DS9 doc,  What We Left Behind . They are also planning on holding an official world premiere event in 2025 once they secure a distributor for a theatrical release.

You can still pre-order a Blu-Ray/DVD as well as additional To the Journey merch at backerkit.com . Once dates and locations are announced for the backer premieres, tickets for those events for some remaining seats will also be made available.

Update and teaser

Here is the production update released this week…

And here again is a teaser released back in 2022…

And to keep updated on the project, visit voyagerdocumentary.com .

Find more  news on Star Trek documentaries .

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Exclusive excerpt from Star Trek The Illustrated Oral History: The Original Cast

Titan Books has done it again! With the upcoming Star Trek The Illustrated Oral History: The Original Cast, it has given fans a rare opportunity to discover more details about Star Trek: The Original Series and to hear from the cast, the crew, the writes, and more about the three seasons the series spent on the air as well as The Animated Series and the six follow-up movies that brought the series to a complete close. I had the privilege of reviewing the book recently [see link below], and now, Titan Books has graciously provided us with an exclusive excerpt.

Books like these are precious commodities that should be added to any fan's bookshelf. With all of the new Star Trek series that are on the air, and the new movies and series to come, it's nice to see a return to the original, to be able to dive deeper than before into these talented actors who gave us one of the best science fiction series to ever air.

Many of the individuals who are quoted in this book are no longer with us so this book is especially poignant for Star Trek fans. Enjoy this brief except that comes from the end of the first season of Star Trek: The Original Series and pre-order your copy of the book at the links provided below.

Read an exclusive excerpt from Star Trek The Illustrated Oral History: The Original Series

By the end of the season, the cast had firmly established themselves in their roles, even

though James Doohan was told his time on the show had drawn to a close, much to the

actor’s surprise. Thankfully his suspension was temporary.

James Doohan (Mr. Scott): My agent was really upset that Gene sent me a letter instead of talking to him. He spoke to somebody and later that day, I was back in! I can remember Gene saying to me, “Jimmy, I just want to let you know that when I want people to believe in what’s going on up there in space, I cut to your closeup.” I did maybe 450 live television shows and I remember other actors saying to me, “How do you get so many close ups?” I never thought about it at the time, but maybe what Gene said may have been the reason.

George Takei (Hikaru Sulu): There was one director who wanted me to hit a button near the top of the panel, just for the camera effect, but that’s not where warp one, two, three, four or impulse power is. We got into a very involved discussion about it. He kept saying, “This is science fiction, I just need it for a shot.” So to persuade away from that, I told him that was the button we used last week to implode the engines. There are certain conventions and you just can’t break them.

DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy): A fan sent me a letter and inside the envelope was a small

piece of cardboard with a marijuana cigarette taped to it. Underneath it said, “You have

turned me on so many times I thought I would return the favor!”

Nichelle Nichols (Nyota Uhura): I never considered turning down the role. After the first

year, I was delighted with having had the opportunity to work with such fine actors, and to have this beautiful role which Gene Roddenberry allowed me to develop. But my first love is musical theater which I was doing when I first got the part of Uhura. I never expected to have a career on television. I was now being offered roles in musical theater.

I went to an NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) fundraiser in Los Angeles and met Dr. Martin Luther King. He praised my work and the manner in which I held myself with dignity, efficiency, ability, and beauty. I thanked him, but told him that I would miss the cast as I was leaving the show. He became very somber and told me that I could not do that. People were seeing African Americans for the first time as they should be seen, as intelligent beautiful people. He told me that I had changed the face of television forever and could not leave. It was my legacy. I told Gene what he said and he invited me to stay in the show.

Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock): I was impressed with the stories that work. Not all of them do, but by and large the success of the series was based on the fact that we had interesting stories to tell. We were also budgeted in such a way that we couldn’t afford a lot of expensive special effects, so we were dependent on performance and story. The ones that had strong stories still have strong stories. “City on the Edge of Forever” was terrific. “The Menagerie” was as good as TV gets.

D.C. Fontana (script consultant): I love those characters. I love them more than the characters of all the other iterations of Star Trek. I thought they were just wonderful. They were fresh when we made The Original Series and when I go back to them now, I still find freshness in great possibilities for storytelling and character growth. A cartoon was done by the artist Bill Rostler for me of a woman who has a manacle around one of her ankles. The manacle has a chain coming from it, which has a small Enterprise at the end of it. The caption read: “It keeps following me around!” I’m happy with that. Star Trek is a good thing to be associated with.

Star Trek The Illustrated Oral History: The Original Series releases on July 30, 2024 but is now available for preorder at various retailers for only $19.99. I also had the opportunity to talk with the volume’s editor, Jonathan Wilkins, about the research that went into this project and what fans will find special about the book. You can read my exclusive interview here on July 26.

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This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as Exclusive excerpt from Star Trek The Illustrated Oral History: The Original Cast .

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Star Trek : The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition [4K UHD + Blu-ray]

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Director Robert Wise’s definitive vision, eagerly anticipated by STAR TREK fans for over two decades, has been meticulously restored and remastered for optimal picture and sound. This must-have release features a bonus disc with hours of new and legacy special features, including extensive behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes, and more. The adventure begins when an unidentified alien intruder destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers. Captain James T. Kirk boldly returns to the helm of a newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command. This bold adventure launched one of the longest running movie franchises of all time and features the cast of the original STAR TREK series, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and James Doohan.

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• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Director ‏ : ‎ Robert Wise
• Actors ‏ : ‎ William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BFJT2PRZ
• #1,847 in Science Fiction Blu-ray Discs

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Everything We Know About 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy'

It's time to hit the books and learn more about this 32nd century-set cadet drama.

• Release date

STARFLEET ACADEMY TRAILERS

• Director, writers, & crew

" Star Trek: Discovery " has finally ended its groundbreaking run after five seasons to usher in the streaming age of Gene Roddenberry's baby, and the third outing of " Star Trek: Strange New Worlds " won't land until sometime in 2025, perhaps before the first " Star Trek " streaming film and its black-ops division arrives for " Section 31 ." 

Keeping the creative energies burning, the next high-flying "Star Trek" project fueling up for a probable release in 2026 from the iconic sci-fi fantasy franchise will be "Starfleet Academy." This young adult-aimed series set in the San Francisco begins filming soon in Canada and fan anticipation is already ramping up to find out exactly what executive producer and showrunner Alex Kurtzman has planned for us Trekkies.  

Before the bell rings, let's warp into everything we know about "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" and its newest class of promising candidates that will someday join the Federation as part of its intrepid peacekeeping armada to reignite the spirit of intergalactic discovery. Take your seat and let's dive straight in!

STARFLEET ACADEMY RELEASE DATE

Cameras for "Starfleet Academy" are due to start rolling late this summer at Pinewood Studios Toronto for a planned six-month shoot. The production is destined to showcase the most enormous set ever created for any "Star Trek" show. 

Its design will incorporate a central two-story academic atrium, an elaborate amphitheater, classrooms for the brightest astrophysics mind, a huge mess hall, and pedestrian walkway flanked by trees. After a normal 6-8 months of post-production, "Starfleet Academy" probably won't arrive on Paramount+ until 2026 sometime.

Paramount+ Essential (ads): $5.99 /mo Paramount+ with SHOWTIME (no ads): $11.99 /mo

When it does release, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will almost certainly be available to watch on Paramount+. You can also watch almost every other Star Trek show and movie on there too though, while you wait.

STARFLEET ACADEMY PLOT

"Starfleet Academy" takes place mainly in San Francisco of the 32nd century at the end of a period known as The Burn, when nearly all of the galaxy's precious supply of dilithium, a material which is required for warp drives, had been rendered inert. 

In " Star Trek: Discovery" Season 3 , Michael Burnham and her crew swept in to aid in stopping the crystal crisis, heralding a new era of cosmic exploration. This end to the severe restrictions of faster-than-light space travel results in a fresh beginning for both the Federation and Starfleet.

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This series will explore the academic incubator for this next generation of starship captains, commanders, pilots, navigators, science officers, and engineers in a higher education environment that will delve into themes of friendship, romance, peer pressure, rivalries and enlightenment as they strive to make the grade under the watchful guidance of their professors and instructors.

"My thinking was, if we set "Starfleet Academy" in the halcyon days of the Federation where everything was fine, it's not going to speak to what kids are going through right now," Kurtzman explained in a May 30, 2024 interview with the LA Times .

"It'll be a nice fantasy, but it's not really going to be authentic. What'll be authentic is to set it in the timeline where this is the first class back after over 100 years, and they are coming into a world that is only beginning to recover from a cataclysm — which was the Burn, as established on "Star Trek: Discovery," where the Federation was greatly diminished. So they’re the first who’ll inherit, who’ll re-inherit, the task of exploration as a primary goal, because there just wasn’t room for that during the Burn — everybody was playing defense. It's an incredibly optimistic show, an incredibly fun show; it's a very funny show, and it's a very emotional show. I think these kids, in different ways, are going to represent what a lot of kids are feeling now.”

STARFLEET ACADEMY SEASON 1 EPISODES

Starfleet Academy follows the same 10-episode format of other Paramount+ Star Trek series. Beyond that, we don't know much at this point as we're still very early in the show's development.

STARFLEET ACADEMY CAST

Since pre-production is still underway on "Starfleet Academy" there are numerous casting announcements popping up from time to time. 

The most prominent of those picks is word that the Academy Award-winning actress Holly Hunter ("The Piano") will portray the "captain and chancellor" of "Starfleet Academy" who oversees the institution's faculty and class of bright-eyed hopefuls.

Recently, news broke that distinguished actor Paul Giamatti ("John Adams," "The Illusionist") has been signed in the ongoing role of the premiere season's big baddie, described as "a man with an ominous past connected to one of our cadets."

And just this week, Paramount+ announced that Kerrice Brooks ("My Old Ass"), Bella Shepard ("Wolf Pack") and George Hawkins ("Tell Me Everything") have joined the cast as newly recruited "Starfleet Academy" cadets.

At this time, since filming won't start until Aug. 2024, there are no teasers or trailers. We'll keep you updated when the first trailer drops.

STARFLEET ACADEMY DIRECTOR, WRITERS, AND CREW

Longtime "Star Trek" ringmaster Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau ("Nancy Drew") will act as executive producers and share showrunning duties for "Starfleet Academy." CBS Studios is in charge of production in collaboration with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, while Paramount Global Content Distribution maintains the series' distribution.

Additional executive producers include Gaia Violo, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa, and John Weber. Kurtzman is also signed on to direct the first two episodes, and Jonathan Frakes is rumored to direct as well. Gaia Violo wrote the series premiere episode.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.

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'S.W.A.T.' Season 8 Just Added a 'Chicago Fire' Star to the Cast

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The Big Picture

• Niko Pepaj has been promoted to series regular on S.W.A.T. for Season 8.
• Annie Ilonzeh joins as the recurring character Devin Gamble with a compelling backstory.
• S.W.A.T. Season 8 tackles casting changes with the departure and arrival of key characters.

There's exciting news for fans of CBS' action-packed series S.W.A.T. Niko Pepaj , who joined the ensemble in Season 6 as Officer Miguel Alfaro, has been promoted to series regular. As Season 8 gears up for its highly anticipated premiere on October 18, viewers can look forward to seeing more of Alfaro as he finally fulfills his character’s ambition to become a permanent member of the elite 20 Squad. Pepaj's promotion comes alongside another thrilling addition to the cast , as Annie Ilonzeh ( Chicago Fire ) is set to join the team in a recurring role as Devin Gamble, according to Deadline.

Ilonzeh's character is rooted in a complex backstory, born into a family deeply entrenched in crime. Determined to break free from her family's notorious legacy, Devin Gamble made a name for herself as an LAPD rookie. However, her father's arrest for a heinous crime led her to escape the looming shadow by relocating to the Oakland PD. A decade later, Hondo ( Shemar Moore ) recognizes her inner strength and recruits her back to Los Angeles, knowing her street smarts and intuition will make her an invaluable asset to the 20 Squad.

Season 8 arrives after a whirlwind of casting changes spurred by the show's unexpected cancellation and subsequent renewal. The Season 7 finale marked the farewell of fan favorites Kenny Johnson and Alex Russell , leaving a significant gap in the squad. Additionally, Rochelle Aytes , who portrays Hondo’s wife, Nichelle Carmichael, will have a reduced presence this season as she transitions to a new role on CBS' upcoming series Watson , starring opposite Morris Chesnut .

What Is 'S.W.A.T. About?

Inspired by the classic television show and feature film, the series continues to follow former Marine and locally born and raised S.W.A.T. sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson. Tasked with leading a specialized tactical unit, Hondo constantly strives to bridge the gap between his community and his duty to law enforcement. His subtly depicted struggle and commitment to his dual worlds remain a central theme of the series, which is set to end with this final season .

Wasn't There a 'S.W.A.T.' Movie?

We're surprised you remembered. Yes, there was a S.W.A.T. movie, and it hit theaters in 2003. Directed by Clark Johnson , the action-packed film is a cinematic adaptation of the 1975 TV series of the same name, and is one of the most '2000s' movies you'll see. The movie stars Samuel L. Jackson as Sergeant Dan "Hondo" Harrelson, who is tasked with assembling a team of top-notch police officers. Colin Farrell plays Officer Jim Street, a former SWAT team member who gets a second chance to rejoin the elite squad. Jeremy Renner , Michelle Rodriguez and LL Cool J also star as members of the team, bringing a mix of toughness and charisma to their roles. The plot centers around the team's mission to transport a high-profile criminal, played by Olivier Martinez , who offers a massive reward for his escape, leading to a citywide frenzy. It received mixed reviews but, to be honest, it's quite fun and a good way to waste 100 minutes of an evening. It streams on Netflix.

The ensemble cast of S.W.A.T. — the series — continues to stand out as well , with returning stars Jay Harrington, David Lim, Patrick St. Esprit , and Anna Enger Ritch . Behind the scenes, the series is put together by a production crew including Shawn Ryan, Andrew Dettmann, Justin Lin, Neal H. Moritz, Marney Hochman, Pavun Shetty, Billy Gierhart, Moore, and James Scura .

Stay tuned to Collider for more, and don't miss S.W.A.T. when it returns to CBS on October 18.

This action-packed series follows a specialized tactical unit in the Los Angeles Police Department, led by Sergeant Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson. The team tackles high-stakes crimes in the city while addressing issues of race, loyalty, and justice. The series is notable for its intense action sequences and the personal dramas of its members.

Watch on Paramount+

• Cast & crew

Alien: Romulus

While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

• Fede Alvarez
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• Dan O'Bannon
• Isabela Merced
• Cailee Spaeny
• Archie Renaux
• 1 Critic review
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• Trivia Director Fede Alvarez sought out special effects crew from Aliens (1986) to work on the creatures. Physical sets, practical creatures, and miniatures were used wherever possible to help ground later VFX work.
• Connections Featured in Nerdrotic: The Acolyte: Force is Female CONFIRMED? The Death of Theaters - The Real BBC @MauLer @HeelvsBabyface (2024)
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• August 16, 2024 (United States)
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• Origo Studios, Budapest, Hungary
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• Runtime 1 hour 59 minutes
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