DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Recommended) (1 Viewer)

[Sean Moon]

The copies we got in for sale at my work are in a double alpha, and black, just like the rest. I cannot confirm the no insert thing, as i cant buy it until tues......dammit.

 

[Danny*B]

i just went to wallmart last night and found star trek 6 already out.

 

[Ric Easton]

Just picked mine up. White Box! What's the deal with this anyway? Did they run low on black? Doesn't matter much to me, they're going in thinner doubles with custom covers, it's just that consistancy would be nice.

And of course the no insert issue still bugs me but... what the hell! It's all about the movie, right?

Ric

 

[Frank@N]

What were they charging?

 

[Frank@N]

Have to say, I'm on the fence about this one...

Some reviews indicate that the new transfer isn't really too much better than the old one:

http://www.dvdmg.com/startrek6se.shtml

Honestly, I felt the transfer for ST5 SE was also only a marginal upgrade as well.

I've also think that ST6 (the movie) was only marginally better than ST5 (not saying much).

The white case with no insert is also a total blunder (but I could always swap it into a black double-disc, think my copy of Bounce SE has one).

With ST5 SE, I sold my old copy for $7 and covered half the cost of used SE copy (someone had immediately dumped it).

If I can work a similar deal for ST6 SE, I'll probably do it even if it's a buck or two more.

 

[Frank@N]

Since Paramount seems to be going cheap on the ST SE packaging, I hope they just adopt a single-width keepcase with disc-swinger for 'Generations'.

Why bother with the double-case, if it's empty?

And for the love of God, make it black...

 

[Colin Jacobson]

One piece of clarification: as my review notes, I think the difference seems fairly small for folks with 4X3 sets. The new one will offer a much more substantial improvement for those with 16X9 TVs. For them, I totally recommend the DVD - it's more questionable for people with 4X3 TVs...

 

[Lyle_JP]

The white case doesn't bother me too much. I'll just swap it with one of the black double Disney cases I have (Atlantis or Tarzan will do nicely). The Disney discs look better in white anyway.

But no insert? Just how cheap can they be?

-Lyle J.P.

 

[Frank@N]

I'd like to say first that your reviews and site are among the best I ever seen. Thank You!

I do plan on getting a larger display in the future, so the best (or better) transfer is always preferred.

But I can't help but feel that the transfers for ST5&6 SEs seem to be...uninspired.

I've only seen the 5SE so far, but your comments about 6SE echoed my feelings about the previous release.

I recently screened 'Once Upon a Time in the West' and was stunned by the PQ.

Yet, 5SE remains murky and somewhat soft.

Basically, I don't think Paramount went all out for ST5&6 and what we get a mediocre product.

It probably has something to do with sale estimates and the general lack of respect that the later original-cast movies received.

I do feel that 5&6 are the weakest in the series (so maybe I'm part of the problem), but was hoping for strong A/V to shore up these weaker titles.

I *really* hope they go all-out for 'Generations', I want to be dazzled.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

It's a packed special edition with a brand-new transfer and it retails for less than $20 - aren't complaints that it lacks a crummy insert card kinda petty?

 

[Scott Kimball]

Comparing OUATITW and ST:VI is apples and oranges.

OUATITW underwent a painstaking restoration by Lowry Digital - something that film is definitely worthy of. It's not something that a studio can afford to do to every release in its catalog.

Also, you can't blame the amount of grain on the transfer if that grain was inherent in the original elements. If the grain is SUPPOSED to be there, then the transfer still gets high marks. Whether or not that grain should have been in the original negative is a whole different issue.

Remember that all the Trek features had limited production budgets. Where a budget limitation from over a dozen years ago affects a DVD transfer, you can't blame the transfer.

I never did purchase or rent the last ST:VI DVD... I was waiting for the SE. I obviously can't compare directly - but I was not disappointed by this transfer.

-Scott

 

[Dave Mack]

Transfer on my Mits. Diamond WS set looks pretty dang swell...

 

[Frank@N]

Despite my concerns, I took my copy of ST6 out to shop it around.

Got $1 less than I paid for it (bought it used and cheap) and then headed off to a chain that I heard was breaking street for 6SE.

Got them to price match with BB ($15) a day early.

Transferred contents of 6SE to a black double-keeper (feel much better now).

Bounce SE also looks better in double white.

Put on 6SE and watched first hour, no major issues with transfer.

Think I was disappointed with 5SE 'transfer' because of the extended sequences on the two dust-bowl planets.

Murk may have been largely due to the film's imagery.

Anyway, SE6 was clear and clean.

I do wish the set included an insert, however.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Just to add a comment from my film-school geek knowledge:

As Colin noted in his review of the DVD, ST6 was shot using the Super 35 format. I wanted to say that while yes, the optical frame extraction and blowup to produce the 2.35:1 release prints can result in additional grain, that shouldn't be a factor for this DVD release. Since the DVD presents the image in a 2:1 ratio, there's no way they could have made that from a scope release print; the extra information on the top and bottom wouldn't be there. That means it was made from elements closer to the original negatives than a scope release prints, which would lead me to believe that any visible grain in the film was intended, or at least, part of the original production rather than a result of the transfer.

 

[DaveB]

I picked this up last week at Walmart. I was surprised to find it there as I was planning on picking it up this Tuesday.

I'm black-cased and insertless. Has anyone made up a nice insert available for download yet?

Can't wait to watch this one -- it's my favorite Trek film!

David

 

[Paul Arnette]

For what it is worth: black case, no insert at Suncoast.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

I just picked mine up at my local Suncoast and it also had the black case.

BTW, Suncoast is selling this title for just $14.95 today!!!

 

[Alex S]

Costco has it for $11.99.

 

[Frank@N]

I've yet to see any retail copies that were in black cases, odd that Paramount would vary the packaging like this.

As for 6SE itself, I'm impressed with the sheer amount extras on the 2nd disc.

The extras seem to be far more plentiful those on the 5SE.

 

[Nelson Au]

Just to confirm, out here in the San Francisco Bay Area, they are at Costco for $11.99 and with the black case too, yoo-woo! But no booklet. Bummer.