Star Trek:The Motion Picture Director's Cut Reveals 4K Remaster
The trailer for the new Director's Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture reveals the long-rumored 4K restoration of the classic sci-fi film. Originally released in 1979, ten years after the original series ended, Star Trek: The Motion Picture was the first cinematic outing of the Starship Enterprise and her crew. It saw the main cast return in an original story wherein Kirk, Spock, and the gang are tasked with confronting a mysterious alien known as V'Ger. Directed by Robert Wise and hastily adapted from the pilot of the scrapped series Star Trek: Phase II, the film received mixed reviews upon release and performed short of studio expectations at the box office. Wise was himself critical of the film, describing the theatrical version as a rough cut of the picture he wanted to make.
In the years that followed, Star Trek: The Motion Picture saw numerous versions released in theaters and on home media. In 1983, an extended cut premiered on ABC, which included unfinished footage that was cut from the theatrical release. Then, in 2001, Wise oversaw a new restoration on DVD, with enhanced effects and a runtime that was 30 minutes longer than the original version. Known as the Director's Edition, it was far better received than the theatrical cut and saw re-releases on Blu-ray in 2009 to coincide with JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboot. Since then, rumors have circulated that a restoration of the Director's Edition was in the works, which were confirmed in July 2021 when it was announced that it would be premiering exclusively on Paramount+.
Fans have now been treated to their first glimpse of the restored Director's Edition in a new trailer, which shows off pristine effects and a crystal clear 4K image. Proudly announcing that it has been restored from the original negative, the restoration is preserving the original film while also drastically modernizing the effects. This is most evident when the trailer draws a direct comparison between an effects-heavy shot in the 2001 edition and the same shot in the new 4kKversion. It also announces that the film has been upgraded to feature Dolby Atmos sound. Watch the full trailer below:
While Wise passed away in 2005, work on this restoration has been carried out by producer David C Fein and Mike Matessino, both of whom worked with the director on the 2001 edition. It therefore wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that the new 4K version is as close to Wise's original vision for the film as possible. Similarly, the restoration has drawn from Paramount's archives to recreate the original effects in Ultra HD, further emphasizing how faithful it is to the spirit of the original Star Trek.
What remains to be seen is if the 4K restoration of Star Trek: The Motion Picture manages to satiate the appetites of Trekkies who have been disappointed with the recent properties set in Gene Roddenberry's groundbreaking universe. While receiving critical acclaim and huge viewership figures, both Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard have been divisive among hardcore Trek fans, with many outlining how the new shows aren't very faithful to the original. Let's hope then that this new version hits the right spot when it releases on Paramount+ on April 5th.
Source: Youtube