Star Trek: The Motion Picture Arrives (1 Viewer)

[SteveGon]

I can't really add anything new to this discussion but I do have a question. Did anyone else have a problem with disc one starting up? I have a Toshiba 3109 and the first time I put the disc in, I got a "disc error" message. Same thing the second time. The third time, the disc started up and worked fine. Good thing as I really didn't want to make another 40-minute round trip to Best Buy for a replacement! BTW, the disc was clean - no scratches or dirt. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[Britton]

My disc played fine in my Sony, and Best Buy was even kind enough to sell me a pre-scratched disc!
I did exchange it to see if that ringing sound was just a problem with my disc, but it isn't. It's definitely just one of the bridge noises (it reminds me more and more of a sound from the bridge in Star Trek 6 every time I hear it). Thankfully this second disc wasn't scratched, even though the Best Buy employee who handled the exchange completely ruined the case with her long fingernails and broke one of the tabs that keeps the case closed. Anyone know a place that sells double alphas (aside from inetdvd with their outrageous shipping charges)?

 

[Ivan Lindenfeld]

I only got to watch certain chapters but I must say that I am impressed with the transfer quality. Obviously the sound is better, but the picture is amazing. I have only ever seen VHS versions and TV versions. Good job Mr. Wise, et al and Paramount!
Thankfully others in this thread only recently have noted the same with the only point of reference being VHS and TV since the theatrical release. The first coupla dozen posts about it not being better than LD just weren't relevant to me or most of the world for that matter.
Really impressed with this one technically. Can't wait to actually watch the movie to judge the new version.
I am truly sorry I bought Khan last year if they are going to give it a similar treatment for the SE. (not a director's ed. but techinically).
Truly a title I have been looking forward to since 3 years ago when I bought my Tosh DVD player. It did not dissapoint.
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Ivan Lindenfeld
I call it "Extreme Hometheater" Ask me about the Audi TT!

 

[Coressel]

I'm not a big Trek fan, but I picked this one up anyway yesterday. I must say, this version is light years ahead of the original release. The enhanced effects shots are great, and I think the tightening-up of some scenes greatly improves the whole film. I saw it when it came out in the late 70's and hated it. I saw it again just about 3 or 4 years ago (a friend's LD) and appreciated it a little more but thought it needed something.
Well, now it has received that "something." This is a very nice and much improved version of the movie.
Also, I did notice a some matte-lines during the opening scene, so I simply turned my brightness down a notch and it pretty much went away.
[Edited last by Coressel on November 07, 2001 at 06:49 AM]

 

[Matt Perkins]

Sorry, have to muzzle my praise for a moment:
AUDIO DROP-OUTS ALL OVER THE PLACE! on my ancient Toshiba 2108. Am I the only one? I sure hope so ...

 

[Kevin M]

In the music score? Yes.
As far as the Matte lines/boxes go, I turned my black level up & I still can't see the lines/boxes you guys are talking about. Give me a time and specific image to look for because I can't see any, unlike let's say the opening space battle in Enemy Mine, boxes galore.
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-Kevin M.
I can brave the nastiest weather, even when it's eighty below.
My Pa was an Elephant, but that's irrelevant,
My Ma was an Eskimo." - Cannibal the Musical.
[Edited last by Kevin M on November 07, 2001 at 09:10 AM]

 

[Ivan Lindenfeld]

RE: Audio Dropouts:
I have an SD_1008 which is a SD2008 minus COlorstream outs. I'll let you know via this thread if I have audio dropouts when I view the film all the way home.
I have the latest firmware.
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Ivan Lindenfeld
I call it "Extreme Hometheater" Ask me about the Audi TT!

 

[Michael Reuben]

The documentary on the making of the Director's Edition is fascinating stuff. They used original storyboards; the CG artists creating the new shots of the Enterprise were able to use the original model as a reference; and the CG shots were "aged" to match the optical shots done in 1979.
M.

 

[Rich Howard]

I am highly impressed with the new visual effects. All blended well with the storyline and give us Trek Fans a little extra (BTW, I like the TOS shuttle taking off during the San Francisco Tram Station scene. I believe it added a little nostalgia) Which I believe was the goal of this first movie.
Anyway, This new ST:TMP edition is a classic example of the whole is better than the sum of its parts. Like everyone, I would have been happy to see the inclusion of THE MEMORY WALL sequence, yet , it was never completed, I would have liked a short Nogura sequence (could been great dialogue), BUT all these things withstanding, The Director's Edition is awesome!!
A much improved film in search of a theater...Who's with me?

 

[Richard_Huntington]

I some friends over last night and they all noticed the black matte lines around the Klingon ships and later around the Enterprise in some shots.
This on a 36" Wega.
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"My wife actually prefers widescreen"

 

[Kevin M]

Black? Well yeah I saw that (as in the black outline around the lead Klingon ship just before the camera flips around and over it), but to me that isn't a "Matte Line", to me that's a halo. A matte line as far as I have ever heard it described (and I could very well be be wrong about this) is when the blue field that is used to isolate a model is not entirely removed during the optical printing of a process shot and you see a ghost like "Box" around the model (or whatever is blue-screened).
I thought I was going BLIND because I couldn't see these Boxes around the Klingon ships!
I'm splitting hairs I guess, just turn down your black setting to the proper level & it disappears.
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-Kevin M.
I can brave the nastiest weather, even when it's eighty below.
My Pa was an Elephant, but that's irrelevant,
My Ma was an Eskimo." - Cannibal the Musical.
[Edited last by Kevin M on November 08, 2001 at 09:44 AM]

 

[Brian Kidd]

First of all, I think that this version of the film is the best one out there. The tighter editing definitely helps the narrative and the new effects, whilst not theatrical quality even for the late '70's, IMO, look really nice and do nothing but add to the film.
That being said, I'm sorely disappointed in the quality of the extras. This was one of the most troubled productions in the history of film and to gloss over those trouble and go on and on about how great Paramount is as a studio made me lament the lost opportunities for information. I know that studios never like to talk about themselves in a bad light, but come on, this was over twenty years ago! Give us features like those found on the Criterion BRAZIL set any day over this fluff! I'm putting mine up for sale right now.

 

[Kevin M]

(shrugs shoulders)
Be true to thy own self & all that.
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-Kevin M.
I can brave the nastiest weather, even when it's eighty below.
My Pa was an Elephant, but that's irrelevant,
My Ma was an Eskimo." - Cannibal the Musical.
[Edited last by Kevin M on November 08, 2001 at 10:10 AM]

 

[Michael Reuben]

I'm putting mine up for sale right now.

So even though it's the "best" version of the film ever, you're dumping it because you don't like the extras? Interesting priorities.
M.

 

[Dave H]

I an very pleased with the transfer and audio of the film.
However, I wish there were more extras. I'm sure there's a ton of stuff out there that could have been included. I would have liked to have seen more behind-the-scenes stuff while making the original film. The three documentaries that are on the disc are very good - it just leaves me wanting more.

 

[Zack Scott]

I'd like to quote Kevin Smith on his view of Longer Director's cuts "Just because It's longer, doesn't make it better."
I feel that this Director's editon is so much better than the SPecial Longer version that I have had on VHS for close to 11 years. It takes out all the needless dailog (like the 100 men ten miles tall line) and ther useless thing that don't help the story along.
The one this that I did feel kinda jarring was the Red aletr Alarm. It just didn't sound right. But that's my only beef.
Yeah the extras are miniscule but that ain't why I bought the movie. I bought it for the move.
Also if you guys miss those little lines, they're included in the bonus disc which I feel was a great move by paramount.
All in all a great disc and I can't wait for Star trek 3. (I don't think that I'll repurchase Star Trek 2 since it's already Animorphic and 5.1)

 

[Dave H]

I would be very surprised if the special edition of Star Trek II looked or sounded much better than the current release. I could maybe see them selling it as Director's Cut with extras, of course.

 

[Rich Howard]

I think the extras are lacking too, but the reason I decided to invest in DVDs is for the higher film quality and, on TMP, it is money very well spent.
I'll have to say the extras on these discs are mediocre compared to others I have seen. The behind the scenes documentaries seem disorganized, no true direction. You can certainly tell that Robert Wise did not direct them.
I did enjoy the Memory Wall test footage. I remember a controversy about this part of the story years ago and I am glad to finally see it.
The prize in this DVD package is definitely the film. I loved it from end to end. I look forward to showing it to my son when he sees a few more birthdays. Thank you Robert Wise and crew!

 

[Brian W.]

I liked everything about the new cut except the horrid, embarrasing reading by Uhuru of the line, "Oh, Grace, good. It's Chekov," when Grace comes through the elevator after Chekov is burned. For God's sake, Chekov was just severely burned by plasma energy from V'ger, and Uhuru reads the line like, "Oh, Grace, good. The shopping list is over there. Can you pick me up some artichokes while you're at the store?"
And Grace doesn't even hurry! She just strolls over there like he has a hangnail. Then when Ilia takes his pain away -- not only is it badly acted, it totally stops the movie. It was a mistake to put that back in. But I like the rest of it, even though, overall, the acting was worse than I remembered.
[Edited last by Brian W. on November 08, 2001 at 10:39 PM]

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

quote: And Grace doesn't even hurry![/quote]
Maybe because her name is Christine.
I admit, that line wasn't delivered particularly well, but it added some humanity to the scene. Uhura was showing compassion for her friend. These people are supposedly all friends, but in the '79 version of the film, none of them showed anything towards Chekov when he was hurt. For that reason, the scene definitely belongs in the film. Also, in the original cut, Doctor Chapel just appears on the bridge in one shot. Now we see her arrival, which helps the scene.
quote: Then when Ilia takes his pain away -- not only is it badly acted, it totally stops the movie. It was a mistake to put that back in.[/quote]
Again, it may not be well acted (particularly by Walter Koenig), but it shows that Ilia is an empathic character, which could be why the plasma probe chose her to communicate with the "carbon units".
Neil
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"Conspiracy theorists don't live on the same flat Earth as the rest of us." -- astronomer Stephen Maran
[Edited last by Neil S. Bulk on November 09, 2001 at 02:52 AM]