DVD Review HTF REVIEW: "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (Highly Recommended) (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[David Tolsky]

This has always been my favorite of all the Star Trek movies. Nicholas Meyer brought his own style to the series and made a wonderfully entertaining movie. I'm buying this no matter what the cost and will be able to offset it slightly by selling the previous release on ebay

 

[Mike Friedrich]

The review sounds like a definite winner Ron, although it would of been awesome if they managed to include a teaser trailer of ST Nemesis that I recently saw @ Signs. Well only a few hours away before the WoK unfolds on my screen, neighbors be forwarned
bodymov 'n

 

[Jeff Pryor]

Picked it up this morning at Best Buy for $19.99. Great DVD! And the bonus features disc was light-years ahead of TMP bonus features. Clerk asked me what was the difference between this disc and the previously released one. Added scenes, I said, bonus features. Then he told me the first DVD is still retailing for $27.99. I laughed, have fun getting rid of 'em!

 

[Woo Jae]

Just got mine at work... Can't wait to put it in the player at home....

 

[Chris Purvis]

I just got it too, and looking at it on my PC it looks very good. The live-action scenes are a little grainy but the color is great, the image is super-clear, definately a great looking transfer. Just showed it to a friend who was resisting (he has the earlier DVD) but when he saw it he immediately said, "I have to go get that right now"...

 

[Nelson Au]

I've only sampled the first 10 minutes. One comment I would make, but first my compliments to Paramount for doing this DE and giving Star Trek further great treatment, especially the Original Series cast.

I can't wait to watch the film all the way through, but in watching the openning credits, I was slightly dissapointed that the openning titles were not redone as was done for Star Trek The Motion Picture. I understand that Star Trek-TMP was a total revamp and Robert Wise did as terrific job. While Star Trek 2 was not in need of that level of finishing. The only thing about Trek 2 that I felt was lacking were the graphic design of the titles, it shows that the film was terrible low budgeted at the time. But I also understand that you preservationist feel it's better to leave the film as originally done. I have a foot in either camp, depends on the film.

Not a huge deal.

Nelson

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Costco Has Khan for $17.99

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

I think Paramount should have included the original theatrical titles, where the film was just called Star Trek The Wrath of Khan. The number "2" was added for the video release.
Neil

 

[Dave Mack]

Howdy!
Just got mine tonite, new transfer is DEFINITELY an improvement, extra scenes are nice, but has anyone else noticed that occasionally, the dialogue sounds a bit "Hot" especially in the center channel, bordering on occasional "digital" sounding distortion? I checked my old disc and it's apparently on that one also.
I wish Paramount had sprung for a new audio mix as well, since us fans are probably buyint ths title for the umpteenth time... Lessee, Beta, Vhs widescreen version, Laser, 1st DVD and now this...
Oh well, the pic. looks pretty nice, the audio is just pretty dated and could have DEFINITELY been improved.
D

 

[Britton]

I've always noticed that the dialogue for ST2 has sounded pretty harsh and shrill. Just my 2 cents.

 

[David Lambert]

I think Paramount should have included the original theatrical titles, where the film was just called Star Trek The Wrath of Khan. The number "2" was added for the video release.

Did they also go back after-the-fact and add the number "2" (actually, "II") to the theatrical trailer, then?
My biggest disappointment on this release is the lack of the TV spots. This film had some VERY cool TV spots! "Somewhere, in the darkest reaches of the universe, a battle is about to begin..."

 

[Matt Pasant]

I thought the first release of Khan suffered from the same problem.

-- Matt

 

[Brian Kidd]

Dag nabbit! Our Blockbuster rarely replaces old versions of discs with new ones. Looks like I won't be able to catch this one for a while. :frowning:

 

[Todd K]

Hi all,
In honor of the release of the new Director's Edition of Star Trek II, I have finally decided to make a clip of this trailer I've had lying around. It's not on the new DVD and includes some scenes not in the movie.
Apparently it was put together for some promotional reel of upcoming movies in 1981 or 1982.
Be warned, it's a pretty big file at 33 megs, in mpeg form. It might be best if you clicked on the "save link as" option, since when I opened it directly in Internet Explorer, the last three seconds were missing, but when I clicked on it a second time, they were there. It should run 3 minutes 24 seconds.
Here is the link:
Scenes from a picture we're all proud of.
From what I can tell, the new DVD is nearly identical to the ABC version from years ago. Here is a website detailing those new scenes:
Link Removed
There are three or four exceptions, though, as far as I've been able to tell:
-When Saavik asks for data on the Kobayashi Maru, the computer does not add "Registration Amber Tau Ceti IV," as in the TV version.
-The turbolift scene with Kirk and Saavik is the theatrical version, and not the TV version. In the TV version they cut back and forth between their faces, and the same dialog is said differently.
-The music during the new scene where Kirk, Spock and saavik crawl up through the Jeffries tube is looped differently. It sounds better than the TV version, but as much as I love this scene, the flow of the whole sequence (compared to the theatrical) seems a bit off now.
-The non-edited-for-television scenes of the eels going in and out of the ears (same as theatrical) are in there.
Also, I'm not sure about the extra scene with Scotty's nephew in sickbay. The extended version from ABC differed by maybe one or two brief reaction shots from the more recent cut they've shown on WGN. I would assume the ABC version is on the disc, but the differences are so subtle I couldn't be sure.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Did they also go back after-the-fact and add the number "2" (actually, "II") to the theatrical trailer, then?

You are correct, it is the roman numeral "II".

I do not know about the trailer, as I did not see that in the theater. I have seen Trek II theatrically, and the "II" is not present in the titles.

Todd, thanks for posting that clip. I have that too on VHS, but it's a lot easier to see it this way.

Neil

 

[RobertCharlotte]

Regarding the audio, I noticed a much greater dynamic range than I have become accustomed to in watching this on VHS for nearly 10 years. Some words were nearly inaudible.

Am I the first one to mention how badly-placed the layer change was?

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

I could have sworn that when I saw this movie twice during its original theatrical run in 1982 (both times on rainy days here in Bridgeport, CT at the Merrit Theater, which no longer exists; these details are just to "prove" that I am not entirely forgetful of the occasion), that the opening titles always had the words STAR TREK II coming together, followed by THE WRATH OF KHAN. If memory serves...

Perhaps there was more than one print struck and circulated to theaters during the original release? One with and one without the "II"? Or am I just crazy?

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

I saw Trek II once in the theater in 1982. I remember walking in just as the film was starting, and missing the opening titles. Up until 1994, I never saw it in theaters again, only on home video (RCA CED and the widescreen LD, both with the title Star Trek II). Imagine my surprise, as well as the others around me, when the title appeared differently on screen, from an original 35mm print. I then spoke to other people who attended the "Sit Long and Prosper" 1991 anniversary screenings, and they also said the title did not have the number on-screen.

Some friends of mine are going to the Egyptian Theater's screening tomorrow. I'll ask them what the title says on that print.

Neil

 

[Anthony_H]

Anyone from the D/FW area notice that the 1982 interviews were conducted by none other that Bobbie Wygant(sp)? I always assumed she was local to DFW.. but if not, please educate. What happended to her?

 

[Eric Bass]

. It's very dangerous just to put things back for the sake of putting them back. I am not persuaded that artists are the best judges of their own work."

That could be the smartest thing I've heard from a director in quite a while and very relevant given all the revisionism going on with SE's today.