DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Star Trek: Generations - Special Collector's Edition (1 Viewer)

[TomWoodward]

Paramount contacted me late last night saying that there now probably would be a recall. I should hear more later today. Hopefully they'll be fixing a little more than the back cover this time...

 

[Joseph Bolus]

Well ... I had just about decided to go ahead and purchase this just for the supplements; but if Paramount will recall this title *and* somehow fix the video then this will be a clear indication to the Star Trek fan base that, indeed, Paramount still cares a great deal about this franchise.



And if they really do this, I promise to *never*, ever, grumble again about the price of a season of Voyager!

 

[Frank@N]

You might call it a 'catastrophic victory'...

 

[Sean Laughter]

I was definately going to buy this disc. But now, after hearing about the video issues, I'll probably just rent it to see the extra features, rather than spend money on a purchase. I have enough great looking DVDs to watch and to buy so there is no need for me to give money to a studio that refuses to give top priority to good transfers to one of its top franchises.

 

[Nelson Au]

trekweb reports that Paramount is recalling this DVD. Read about it here.

 

[John H Ross]

Well Amazon.com just sent my GENERATIONS out today along, I'm sure, with several hundred others. I'm thinking it might be a little bit too late for a recall.

I'm not fussed about the mis-advertising on the back, especially when you consider that most of the other Trek special editions have some sort of printing error.

John

 

[Lyle_JP]

This can also be caused by the way a DVD player down-converts a 16:9 image to 4:3. By any chance are you viewing this disc on a 4:3 monitor?

 

[Joseph Bolus]

The quote was referring to the initial release of Generations to DVD which was non-anamorphic.

 

[Jason Borchers]

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[Jason Borchers]

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[Tim_P_76]

Since supposedly copies have gotten out, most likely a version 2.0 will replace it later on. Big fan base but otherwise not a big title for Paramount to put the brakes on all together.

 

[Frank@N]

I hope this situation gets clarified soon:

Will it be delayed, recalled, sold as-is, replaced later, and for what issue (video vs. missing trailer vs. incorrect packaging)

I'd like to get the best 'day one' sale, but I don't want to have to participate in another recall (BTTF was a pain in the ass).

 

[DimitrisKiminas]

The funny thing is that Generations first DVD had a perfect transfer in Region 2 & 4. Even when R1 got a non-anamorphic transfer, R2 got 16x9 enhancement back then.

The following excerpt is taken from the review of the region 2&4 PAL of the original Generations DVD, a review posted on 18/5/2001 in michaeldvd.com.au:

QUOTE

Video
In a word, this is a gorgeous transfer. Two trivial problems deny it reference quality status, but it is certainly the best-looking Star Trek DVD that I have seen to date.
The transfer is presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. It is 16x9 enhanced.

The transfer is brilliantly sharp, with a multitude of super-fine detail on offer in this transfer. Shadow detail is generally good, but this is dependant on the cinematography to a certain extent. This is certainly one of the more stylishly photographed Star Treks, with lots of use of unusual shadows and unusual colours for dramatic effect. The bottom line with the shadow detail is that if you were meant to see it, you will. If something was meant to be hidden, it will be. There is, of course, no low level noise to mar the blacks. There is perhaps some very minor edge enhancement. Occasionally, I saw black outlines around the actors, but these could well have been matte lines, not edge enhancement.

The colours are gloriously rendered according to the cinematographer's intent, with the Enterprise and her crew gorgeously vibrant in colouration. Picard is often lit with yellow lighting to reflect his mood which gives his skin an odd colouration at times, but this is clearly a cinematographic choice and indeed fits very well with the movie's plot. Colour bleed? Nup, not a scrap of it. This is a seriously good-looking transfer in the colour department.

MPEG artefacts are absent. There are a few instances of minor aliasing, with the worst being shown on the Enterprise-B whilst she is exiting dry dock for the first time between 6:14 and 6:30. This section also shows a moiré effect. As with the other Star Treks that I have reviewed to date, there is far less aliasing in this transfer than I would have expected given the clarity and sharpness of the image and the nature of the sets being photographed. Well done to the technical crew for a superb film-to-disc transfer.

There are a few minor film artefacts here and there, more than on previous Trek DVDs, but certainly not at any distracting level. There is also some minor grain in shots of the sky towards the end of the movie and at 93:45.

This DVD is RSDL formatted, with the layer change occurring at 63:30. It is a tad jarring, but not overly so.

UNQUOTE

One would think that with Trek originating in the US, the R1 version should have been better?

Dimitris

 

[TedD]

Could be, but based on the high quality of recent Paramount transfers, something just doesn't smell right. Actually, the PAL conversion makes more sense now.

Maybe someone who has the PAL version and the new release would care to comment on the print blemishes and if they match the "new" release.

Ted

 

[John Alderson]

As another poster said, I was referring to the original transfer. I do have a 16:9 monitor, so I was wondering if this is at least a little better in the new transfer. The notes on the new one sound VERY much like my impressions of the old, non-anamorphic transfer. This worries me, because I thought Generations was weak even for non-anamorphic.

But I'm a sucker (aka "completist") so I'll buy it just to have matching boxes

 

[Dave Mack]

Well, I saw a copy here in NYC today. If anyone wants to know the store, gimme a hollar. D

 

[Ric Easton]

If they are going to recall this just to correct the mention of trailers on the packaging, they should just save their time and money. How much longer will we have to wait to get the same flawed discs?

Ric

 

[Dave Mack]

Why was the original release in the UK anamorphic and the R1 not? And they are indeed releasing this SE there as well. Wonder if they will have a new transfer and it'll be bad as well...

 

[KyleC]

I was just wondering if someone could explain the problems of this disc in noobie terms? I'm pretty sure I know what the shimmering effect is (DS9) but just a small explanation of some of the problems of this disc if anyone wouldn't mind. Thanks.

 

[TomWoodward]

Yeah, the region two transfer is a hell of a lot better than the one on the new collector's edition unfortunately. I'm kinda gutted because I gave my region two copy away to my sisters kid last week! Hopefully Paramount will sort this out, although it sounds like it's just going to be the cover correction still...