Re: Star Trek films on Blu-Ray... what we know so far
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Originally Posted by Kevin EK
The correct sound mix for Star Trek TMP is the one on the Director's Edition DVD that Robert Wise supervised in 2001. Wise says on the inset booklet "In addition to finding a new, and I feel, proper editorial balance for the film, we have also completed those effects shots and scenes which we had to abort in 1979, and have given the film a proper final sound mix."
Wise makes clear that the film that was released in 1979 was never properly finished, since they were in a dead rush to get it into theaters on time. The sound mix as heard in the Director's Edition incorporates material that was created and assembled for TMP, but couldn't be mixed in with the time they had. All sorts of things were left out that should have been there, particularly the sounds intended for Vejur's transmission to the Enterprise and Spock's response transmission. In the theatrical cut, there are no sounds for these, even though Spock is pressing a button to indicate one should be there. In the Director's Edition, you can finally hear the appropriate sounds. Another example is the Klingon bridge scene, where Wise's cut includes sound effects for the various displays, particularly as the torpedoes are destroyed.
Once you can actually hear the mix that Wise intended, the earlier mix doesn't hold up nearly as well. I understand the value of having a copy of the theatrical cut and its mix for archival purposes, but I'll be happier to have the Wise version once it gets released in a couple of years. I'll also be happy to see the print of Wise's cut of TMP completely remastered for 1080p - I believe that this will be part of the selling point for the Blu-ray when it comes.)
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Agreed. Great post here. I ordered the Trilogy set, but will wait until they can release the finished version of TMP. I know Robert Wise intended that the DC version of TMP be the ONLY version shown from here on out. There is a great Q and A's with Mr. Wise and some other interesting articles about TMP on Star Trek.com.
Thanks for the posts about the blu ray sound effects, computer voices, etc on the new blu ray version. It sounds as if these are the original ones used in the theatrical version. Very interesting about the intro piece Illia's Theme before the credits. I didn't know it was shorter in the theatrical than the DC.
Links:
STARTREK.COM*:*ArticleSTARTREK.COM*:*Transcript
Q: Mr. Wise, were you surprised or disappointed that Paramount decided not to re-release the new edition of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" the way "Alien" or the old "Star Wars" trilogy were? Was [a theatrical release] supposed to happen at all?
JF, Montreal Canada
RW: My return to the picture was always intended as the final cut of the film, and for it to be released theatrically. Paramount offered to only support the project for home video, so given the options we accepted. I still believe that the film deserves a theatrical re-release, and that my team, David, Michael, and Daren need to be back at the studio to accurately restore and create the new negative I always intended. In the future, my "Director's Edition" should be the only version that people see, on film theatrically and video in the home.
Q: Hi Mr. Wise. I love the new DVD, it's fantastic — the new sound mix really engaged me. My question is, what were your impressions and input about updating the original sound track from the audio system of the time to 5.1-channel surround sound that is standard today? Did you have any input on the new sound track?
Paul M.
RW: David, Michael, and I had many discussions about what we wanted to do with the 5.1 sound mix. We really didn't have an opportunity to complete the sound mix originally, because the sound editors can't work until the picture element is finalized, and the minute it was finished it went to the lab to have prints struck. The designers created a whole library of sound effects, and all of that material was still available. So I didn't have to pick and choose every little sound, but David and Mike played sequences for me as they were finished, in some cases giving me one or two other choices. Sound plays a very pivotal part of any motion picture, and we knew that it would be necessary to update the sound mix to help carry the story and flow of the picture. I believe that it was at least fifty percent sound that helped the film gain a 'PG' rating over its original 'unthreatening' 'G'.
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