Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) (1 Viewer)

[Neil Middlemiss]

I watched a marathon of all the Star Trek films over the past couple of weeks. I'd not seen ST: TMP in a number of years so it was a joy to see it again. I have always loved the ambition of The Motion Picture, even if it can be slow and sterile, there's such a fascinating weight to the idea that I have always been easily sucked into the story. Watching the rest of the series, with its ups and downs, I was struck by how much better I found even the weaker entries. At least, the wonderful moments that hold up the weaker films (ST: V and ST: Nemesis were both far more enjoyable than I have found them in quite some time).

Happy 39th Birthday, Star Trek: The Motion Picture!

 

[Carabimero]

There has to be a way to get a remastered TMP DE out!

My understanding is that there are too many elements that must be recreated from scratch to make it a feasible project. The cost analysis makes it a no-go.

I'm hoping at some point advances in technology will render those costs negligible. I'm also dreaming beyond logic that they'll cut that Vger footage that Wise actually wanted excised, despite what he said publicly and in print as a team player.

 

[Osato]

I watched a marathon of all the Star Trek films over the past couple of weeks. I'd not seen ST: TMP in a number of years so it was a joy to see it again. I have always loved the ambition of The Motion Picture, even if it can be slow and sterile, there's such a fascinating weight to the idea that I have always been easily sucked into the story. Watching the rest of the series, with its ups and downs, I was struck by how much better I found even the weaker entries. At least, the wonderful moments that hold up the weaker films (ST: V and ST: Nemesis were both far more enjoyable than I have found them in quite some time).

Happy 39th Birthday, Star Trek: The Motion Picture!

It’s my most watched trek film. Actually the directors cut dvd. I have the blu ray of the theatrical but I choose the dvd as it is more polished and has the final sound mix too.

Love this film.
Wrath of khan is still my favorite of the series. However I watch the motion picture and listen to its soundtrack constantly.

 

[Nelson Au]

A good post is worth repeating, I’m paraphrasing from the end credits from Frankenstein. In late 2016 and early 2017 I participated in a thread on the Steve Hoffman forums as a friend suggested its a good site to pose the question of why there is still no Star Trek TMP DE available yet on blu ray. So I posted the question since my friend said there are industry insiders there. One guy named Vidiot is an video editor in the business and says he’s handled the film. Below I am reposting the entire reply from David C Fein, the producer of Star Trek The Motion Picture Directors Edition. He found the thread and was nice enough to make a post with answers to earlier posts and questions that were posed and tried to correct any misinformation. I’d wished he’d have participated more, but I can imagine he has to be careful what he says. So here’s the entire post. I think I posted this before, but it seems fitting on the anniversary. Hope this won’t bother anyone that I’m reposting it. ( Alan, this might contradict what you posted earlier. I am not trying to dispute your information. I’m sure there are many people in-the-know who has a different information and perspectives and point of view. I think everyone knows what they know. So everyone is right. . )

——————————————- February 1, 2017, posted on the Hoffman forum—————————-

Hi Guys... I just stumbled onto your thread and I appreciate the conversation, so I thought I'd offer a few thoughts.

There is only one reason that Star Trek: The Motion Picture–The Director's Edition is not out on Blu-Ray yet. Paramount has yet to green light the project. We've had some discussions, and it'll happen, the only question is when are we going to go ahead with it.

"One member at the Home Theater Forum claims to have checked with a Paramount person and said that the individual film elements that were used for all the effects shots are missing."

Answer: This is completely false. We have all that we need. Would I like a few more pieces... sure. But we have everything we need.


"I mastered the "director's cut" for Paramount in 1980, and it was never commercially released. Wise cut the film down to 110 minutes, and the assistant editor on the picture told me he was livid when the studio overruled him and cut 12 minutes of the V'Ger VFX sequence back into the film. Wise was smart enough to know it dragged the film down, and he was right. But because the film had gone so grossly over budget, the studio was determined to see "all their money up on the screen," so it went out at 132 minutes."

Answer: I've had many discussions with Bob about the film and the final days of Post, and I can not see how any of this statement could have happened under those extreme circumstances. ( this has the to be the Special Longer version out on laserdisc at the time. Nelson )


"Most of the issues revolve around redoing the new visual effects for the director's cut--they were rendered in SD not HD and it would be fairly expensive to do from scratch. They could upscale them but they wouldn't look great at 4K much less 2K. It's certainly possible that the film elements for the DC were mislabeled."

Answer: All of the shots in the film were created with HD in mind so the quality of the models and elements were much higher than the SD renderings. We have everything, and when the time is right, we'll use them. Again, there is no truth that anything is missing. ( edit: I’m sure Darren Dochterman would love to give his time and effort to produce the effects shots in HD, he’s been highly enthusiastic.- Nelson )


"You are very much correct about the low lighting on the bridge set to accommodate the CRT displays used on the bridge."

Answer: This is almost correct, there were projectors, projecting film onto the displays on the bridge, not CRTs. The low lighting was to accommodate the projector displays, but also to set a far more intimate mood. The color timing for the Director's Edition is exactly right, whereas the Blu-ray of the theatrical is very inaccurate.


"As I understand it, the TMP bridge console displays at one point were animations displayed by rear projection via 16mm projectors. One article I read several years ago regarding TMP's production seemed to suggest that the ambient noise on the bridge set from the 16mm projectors was so loud as a result that recording the crew lines on the bridge set ranged from difficult to impossible."

Answer: Yep, I didn't see this was stated. Good job!


"Vidiot's thinking that Sumner Redstone is part of the issue is new to me and I had to read up on him to understand what the issue is. The Viacom CEO is trying to sell a minority stake of Paramount Studios and Sumner Redstone is blocking that. Sounds like lots of lawyers now are fighting it out with the Redstone family. This must be part of the turmoil. Though I can only guess why executives at Paramount are under pressure or getting fired. So the whole video department at Paramount is likely only concentrating on new releases and not worrying about the legacy films they have in their library. Shame given it's the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek and you'd think they'd treasure one of their golden gooses. And years earlier they were investing in the legacy films such as the Godfather and The 10 Commandments and so forth to give them proper restorations and preserving them."

Answer: Immmm..... well put.


"Karl Urban likes Star Trek The Motion Picture a lot" -

Answer: I like Karl Urban as McCoy!


Thanks, and I hope this helps and I really appreciate your support of the film and the project.


David C. Fein

Producer

Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director's Edition

———————————————-

 

[Nelson Au]

Hey Josh, good song, My Back Pages. I mainly know the version by The Byrds.

 

[Osato]

A good post is worth repeating, I’m paraphrasing from the end credits from Frankenstein. In late 2016 and early 2017 I participated in a thread on the Steve Hoffman forums as a friend suggested its a good site to pose the question of why there is still no Star Trek TMP DE available yet on blu ray. So I posted the question since my friend said there are industry insiders there. One guy named Vidiot is an video editor in the business and says he’s handled the film. Below I am reposting the entire reply from David C Fein, the producer of Star Trek The Motion Picture Directors Edition. He found the thread and was nice enough to make a post with answers to earlier posts and questions that were posed and tried to correct any misinformation. I’d wished he’d have participated more, but I can imagine he has to be careful what he says. So here’s the entire post. I think I posted this before, but it seems fitting on the anniversary. Hope this won’t bother anyone that I’m reposting it. ( Alan, this might contradict what you posted earlier. I am not trying to dispute your information. I’m sure there are many people in-the-know who has a different information and perspectives and point of view. I think everyone knows what they know. So everyone is right. . )

——————————————- February 1, 2017, posted on the Hoffman forum—————————-

Hi Guys... I just stumbled onto your thread and I appreciate the conversation, so I thought I'd offer a few thoughts.

There is only one reason that Star Trek: The Motion Picture–The Director's Edition is not out on Blu-Ray yet. Paramount has yet to green light the project. We've had some discussions, and it'll happen, the only question is when are we going to go ahead with it.

"One member at the Home Theater Forum claims to have checked with a Paramount person and said that the individual film elements that were used for all the effects shots are missing."

Answer: This is completely false. We have all that we need. Would I like a few more pieces... sure. But we have everything we need.


"I mastered the "director's cut" for Paramount in 1980, and it was never commercially released. Wise cut the film down to 110 minutes, and the assistant editor on the picture told me he was livid when the studio overruled him and cut 12 minutes of the V'Ger VFX sequence back into the film. Wise was smart enough to know it dragged the film down, and he was right. But because the film had gone so grossly over budget, the studio was determined to see "all their money up on the screen," so it went out at 132 minutes."

Answer: I've had many discussions with Bob about the film and the final days of Post, and I can not see how any of this statement could have happened under those extreme circumstances. ( this has the to be the Special Longer version out on laserdisc at the time. Nelson )


"Most of the issues revolve around redoing the new visual effects for the director's cut--they were rendered in SD not HD and it would be fairly expensive to do from scratch. They could upscale them but they wouldn't look great at 4K much less 2K. It's certainly possible that the film elements for the DC were mislabeled."

Answer: All of the shots in the film were created with HD in mind so the quality of the models and elements were much higher than the SD renderings. We have everything, and when the time is right, we'll use them. Again, there is no truth that anything is missing. ( edit: I’m sure Darren Dochterman would love to give his time and effort to produce the effects shots in HD, he’s been highly enthusiastic.- Nelson )


"You are very much correct about the low lighting on the bridge set to accommodate the CRT displays used on the bridge."

Answer: This is almost correct, there were projectors, projecting film onto the displays on the bridge, not CRTs. The low lighting was to accommodate the projector displays, but also to set a far more intimate mood. The color timing for the Director's Edition is exactly right, whereas the Blu-ray of the theatrical is very inaccurate.


"As I understand it, the TMP bridge console displays at one point were animations displayed by rear projection via 16mm projectors. One article I read several years ago regarding TMP's production seemed to suggest that the ambient noise on the bridge set from the 16mm projectors was so loud as a result that recording the crew lines on the bridge set ranged from difficult to impossible."

Answer: Yep, I didn't see this was stated. Good job!


"Vidiot's thinking that Sumner Redstone is part of the issue is new to me and I had to read up on him to understand what the issue is. The Viacom CEO is trying to sell a minority stake of Paramount Studios and Sumner Redstone is blocking that. Sounds like lots of lawyers now are fighting it out with the Redstone family. This must be part of the turmoil. Though I can only guess why executives at Paramount are under pressure or getting fired. So the whole video department at Paramount is likely only concentrating on new releases and not worrying about the legacy films they have in their library. Shame given it's the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek and you'd think they'd treasure one of their golden gooses. And years earlier they were investing in the legacy films such as the Godfather and The 10 Commandments and so forth to give them proper restorations and preserving them."

Answer: Immmm..... well put.


"Karl Urban likes Star Trek The Motion Picture a lot" -

Answer: I like Karl Urban as McCoy!


Thanks, and I hope this helps and I really appreciate your support of the film and the project.


David C. Fein

Producer

Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director's Edition

———————————————-

Thanks Nelson!!

I’d like to hope it’s coming next year for the 40th...

Hallmark is at least doing an enterprise ornament next year too!!

 

[Osato]

Just started this review of the film...

 

[JimmyO]

All this talk about ST:TMP reminds me of the time I won a big prize pack full of TMP merchandise from a local radio station. It was full of really cool stuff when you're a kid. High quality book full of stickers of all the new graphics to be found on the enterprise from science stations, engineering, medical, etc. Signs for turbolifts, all kinds of stuff. It wasnt the TOPPS stickers, these were from my memory very, very limited and perhaps only included with press kits, but I don't know for certain.

There was also a full press kit with cast photos and a whole bunch of other things that I couldn't really appreciate then the way that a collector would. But it was cool.

Working at an arcade back then, I also had access to all kinds of things that came with big arcade video games, including extra decals (HUGE) that were on the side of the machines. I remember one I got for the Star Trek video game that was almost the size of a door.

Good memories.

 

[Carabimero]

Alan, this might contradict what you posted earlier. I am not trying to dispute your information. I’m sure there are many people in-the-know who has a different information and perspectives and point of view. I think everyone knows what they know.

I don't mind being corrected if I am wrong. I will never be able to prove Wise wanted the cut shorter, but I know it's true and that's enough for me. As to why it hasn't been released in HD, when I was working on War of the Worlds, at that time, the cost of doing TMP: DE would far outweigh what they would ever recoup. If this has changed, great. But I don't see how it could have changed in such a short amount of time.

Star Trek is among their best sellers. Lack of will to make money has never been their problem. Lack of will to spend more money than they will ever make has always been a problem.

 

[Osato]

I don't mind being corrected if I am wrong. I will never be able to prove Wise wanted the cut shorter, but I know it's true and that's enough for me. As to why it hasn't been released in HD, when I was working on War of the Worlds, at that time, the cost of doing TMP: DE would far outweigh what they would ever recoup. If this has changed, great. But I don't see how it could have changed in such a short amount of time.

Star Trek is among their best sellers. Lack of will to make money has never been their problem. Lack of will to spend more money than they will ever make has always been a problem.

Does the Return to Tomorrow book perhaps have a quote about the run time from Wise?? It’s a huge book.

 

[Osato]

Just started this review of the film...

This was pretty good btw. 40 minutes.
They made an interesting comment comparing the older trek films to recent trek and Star Wars.

 

[benbess]

I assume most of you have read Gene Roddenberry's novel for Star Trek TMP. It's good imho. Haven't read it in decades, but perhaps I'll try again at some point....It's still sitting on my shelf.

 

[Nelson Au]

Ben, I’ve read the novel back when it was first released. I haven’t read it again recently. That was an exciting time as about 6 novels were published in the 1970’s that were not official or canon prior to TMP release. The novels including the Star Trek New Voyages anthology series.

 

[Tommy R]

That's a great little video review/discussion! I don't agree about the younger guy saying the worm hole scene is the worst in the movie. I've always loved that sequence. I watched TMP earlier this year and it gets better and better over the years every time I revisit it. I've always appreciated it, but it's skyrocketed to the top of my ranking list of all the Trek films over my last few viewings. I bought a used copy of the novelization after watching it this year, but haven't read it yet. Looking forward to it, though.

 

[Carabimero]

Does the Return to Tomorrow book perhaps have a quote about the run time from Wise?? It’s a huge book.

If there's something in there, I missed it.

It’s my most watched trek film. Actually the directors cut dvd. I have the blu ray of the theatrical but I choose the dvd as it is more polished and has the final sound mix too.

I'm alsmost sure you know about the audio commentary available for download that you have to manually sync to TMP: DE, but mentioning it here in case you missed it.

I assume most of you have read Gene Roddenberry's novel for Star Trek TMP. It's good imho. Haven't read it in decades, but perhaps I'll try again at some point....It's still sitting on my shelf.

It's a decent read. Alan Dean Foster actually ghost wrote that, if my memory serves.

 

[Osato]

If there's something in there, I missed it.


I'm alsmost sure you know about the audio commentary available for download that you have to manually sync to TMP: DE, but mentioning it here in case you missed it.


It's a decent read. Alan Dean Foster actually ghost wrote that, if my memory serves.

Not sure. It’s a 400+ page book

 

[Osato]

I assume most of you have read Gene Roddenberry's novel for Star Trek TMP. It's good imho. Haven't read it in decades, but perhaps I'll try again at some point....It's still sitting on my shelf.

Agreed. I sold mine years ago.

 

[Jason_V]

I assume most of you have read Gene Roddenberry's novel for Star Trek TMP. It's good imho. Haven't read it in decades, but perhaps I'll try again at some point....It's still sitting on my shelf.

I'm reading all the Trek books, in order, and have been doing so for a few years now. TMP was in my read list back in 2016 and the things I remember about it are the warmth and humanity in the book which don't translate in the film and a deep sense of desperation from Kirk to figure out how to stop V'Ger. do I ever need to go back and re-read it? Probably not. But the novel gave extra depth to the movie and made me appreciate it more.

 

[DVBRD]

I caught a screening of the film last year that was sort of a hybrid - it was basically the director's cut minus the new effects and sound mix, or if you prefer, the TV edit minus a couple of scenes. It already exists on 35mm, so it wouldn't require any expensive fixes. There's no reason they couldn't release this version in HD at some point.

Whaaa? I never heard of this hybrid cut. Are you sure that you saw is real?

 

[Nelson Au]

I used to have a great tradition where every time a new TOS Star Trek film came out, I’d get the novel and read it. And I kept them all. I treasure them along with the James Blish novelizations. Star Trek 8 has one of the best cover art paintings! These are my film novelization paperbacks below. .

I stopped reading when Generations came out. I did try to read Star Trek Into Darkness, but gave up.

I must have missed Worth’s post about a hybrid cut. That’s a new one to me too!