Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 22, 2022

Paramount has yet again released Star Trek: The Motion Picture to Blu-ray (also to UHD), this time in the 137-minute "Director's Edition" version. This version has been remastered; it is not the same image as the 2021 issue. The audio has also been remixed to Dolby Atmos, and new supplements are included. See below for a breakdown and review of new content.

A large, mysterious cloud on a direct course towards Earth destroys three Klingon Battle Cruisers and a Federation outpost. A refitted Enterprise is the only ship within intercept range before the cloud reaches Earth, but the ship is in no condition to either pursue or engage the deadly force. His experience his greatest ally, Admiral James T. Kirk, former Captain of the Enterprise, successfully lobbies for his return to the Captain's chair, supplanting Captain Decker (Stephen Collins) and reassigning him to the position of Executive Officer. Despite new and untested engines, a mostly inexperienced crew, and no science officer, the Enterprise sets out to intercept the cloud, the famed vessel perhaps Earth's last, best chance for survival.

For a full film review, please click here; note that this link point to the 2009 Blu-ray boxed set.

This Director's Edition adds a few minutes of runtime, rearranges some things, and adds new visuals and special effects. There are no wholesale narrative changes, just what might be labeled in 2022 "quality of life" improvements, mostly. There has been some significant tinkering, and the Fein, Matessino, and Dochterman commentary track goes into detail about many of the changes, though a number of them are simply left for the viewer to explore for themselves. Clearly, there has been a significant amount of work done on the film around the edges to make this the most "complete" version of the film. It plays very well and looks terrific, still maintaining, mostly, the original aesthetic rather than introducing jarring new material that doesn't fit with the film. Some of the obvious improvements come at the beginning: the starfield over the black screen during the overture, the transition from white to gold for the opening titles, and the Golden Gate bridge establishing shot introducing Star Fleet headquarters. There are some editing rearrangements and tinkered shots to give a new look to some of the shots, scenes, and sequences as well. Whether the "Director's Edition" is the "definitive edition" will be up for debate, but it is certainly a worthwhile watch for fans of the film.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from the Director's Edition 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Paramount brings this Director's Edition UHD presentation of Star Trek: The Motion Picture to the UHD format with a brand-new restoration. The picture is vastly different from the 2021 Blu-ray. Both share in common 2160p resolution and Dolby Vision color grading, but the differences largely stop there.

This resolution certainly brings out some of the seams in the effects work. Look at the top left of the screen, the edge of the space dock, at the 17:20 mark; there's a glitch that sees the edge pulsating quite severely to the point of distraction, taking away from the spectacle that is meant to be center screen. Granted, this is present on the previous UHD, too, but somehow it stands out more severely here (I had never noticed it before). There's some shimmering here and there, among other artifacts, as well. Most VFX shots, however, are spectacular. There's a very fine sense of natural presence, sharpness, filmic resonance, and immersion.

However, grain is finer here, as it is on the companion Blu-ray, compared to the 2021 releases. This is discussed in detail in the supplements. Listen to the Fein, Matessino, and Dochterman commentary track at the 1:06:40 mark (as well as the "Return to Tomorrow" supplement) where the conversation begins about the grain removal and re-introduction because it was "distracting." It detracted from the experience, they say. Whatever level of grain removal and re-introduction was performed does not mean the movie looks scrubbed down. Is the grain as organic, is the film as pure as it might have been? No, but there is certainly nothing that looks overtly smoothed out.

The result is a picture that is clearly less grainy but not aggressively so, and certainly not to the image's total detriment. It's not intense, and it is not aggressive, but the grainer 2021 UHD holds to a more stable and naturally bent cinematic image, while this one pushes in that direction but can't quite get there. There are any number of shots that look handsomely filmic and pure, capturing solid textures and natural looking film definition. Still, the results of the de-graining processes are evident, even if the end result is nowhere near a visual atrocity. The picture looks quite good much of the time, but it could have looked better all of the time.

The Dolby Vision color grading is the highlight here. There is a more aggressive warmth on the older release that is absent here. Skin tones are more naturally inclined, and whites are more purely brilliant (look at Kirk in the shuttle at the 16:31 mark, and the corresponding shot on the old UHD at the 15:37 mark, for a great example). The new white balance and brilliance are the highlights here. White uniforms are impressively bright and bold, while the other more subdued uniform colors are equally flattering and true. Bright electrical elements, the V'Ger light beam probe that moves through the Enterprise bridge, and other assorted tonal elements offer amplified intensity and clarity over the previous UHD. Black levels depth is excellent here, again very naturally occurring without pushing into crush. The Dolby Vision grading here is spectacular.

Ultimately, I enjoyed the texture on the old release and the Dolby vision grading on this release.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The new Dolby Atmos track is a work of art. The overture score is beautifully rendered with precise instrumentals and seamless clarity. Full stage engagement is in evidence, but the track maintains a natural balance where surrounds or overheads never dominate or take away from the primary front end. Spacing is wide and immersive; this is truly the stuff of audio engineering bliss. The same holds for the iconic Jerry Goldsmith score (and all music throughout the film). It's just incredible. The free-flowing space, the precision clarity, the perfectly balanced low end...it's a Trekkie's, and audiophile's, dream come true. The track's excellence extends well beyond music. Action effects, such as when the Klingon ships are engulfed and destroyed by V'Ger in the opening minutes, offer startlingly deep content, supported by exceptional movement and directionality. The track integrates little points of sound here and there, always in superb balance and discrete placement all around the listener. Everything presents just as it should, and this sounds like a track that was mixed yesterday, not decades ago. To be sure, there has been some work performed on the track, but the source elements are dynamic and beautifully presented. Dialogue, of course, never wavers. This is one of the finest retro Atmos tracks out there.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This new UHD set includes new and returning extras. Below is a breakdown of what's included. Reviews of new content are included, and reviews of any legacy materials can be found by clicking here. A few things are missing. Chiefly absent is the commentary track with Michael & Denise Okuda, Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens, and Daren Dochterman. Not all content marked as "new" is actually "new;" some is newly produced, but some is simply new to Blu-ray. Note that the commentaries are on the UHD disc while everything else is included on the bonus Blu-ray; the feature film Blu-ray is not included. This release ships with a digital copy code and an embossed slipcover.

Disc One:

• NEW! Audio Commentary: David C. Fein, Mike Matessino, and Daren Dochterman. This track was recorded in March 2022 and focuses very closely on the process of bringing this new cut to this restorative state.
• NEW! Audio Commentary: Robert Wise, Douglas Trumbull, John Dykstra, Jerry Godsmith, and Stephen Collins.
• NEW! Text Commentary: Michael and Denise Okuda.

Disc Two:

• NEW! The Human Adventure (1080p): An eight-part feature.
  
  
  • Preparing the Future (4:13): Fein, Matessino, and Dochterman discuss their history with the franchise and film, the transition from TV to big screen, Wise's relationship with the film and desire to rebuild the picture, remastering the film, and adding Dolby Atmos audio.
  • A Wise Choice (4:04): Looking at Robert Wise's direction, the tight production schedule, and the failure for the film to reach his final vision upon initial release.
  • Refitting the Enterprise (6:57): Redesigning the Enterprise from the 1960s version to the "A" model seen in this film.
  • Sounding Off (6:47): Discussing sound effects, the difficulty of handling sound effects with the film's hurried production, and the benefits of the new Dolby Atmos track.
  • V'Ger (6:53): Why the film's antagonist is so memorable, creating the cloud and what is inside of it, and the complexities of the VFX work.
  • Return to Tomorrow (6:04): More discussion on the production deadlines and rigors, visual effects work, and rebuilding visual effects with new color grading.
  • A Grand Theme (7:14): Discussing and praising Jerry Goldsmith's iconic score.
  • The Grand Vision (6:02): Exploring the poster artwork, the film's significance and influence on the franchise, and more.
• NEW! Deleted Scenes (1080p, 4:31 total runtime): Included are Ilia & Decker in Engineering, Security Guard, and Three Casualties. These scenes begin with a critical text introduction.
• NEW! Effects Tests (1080p, 3:30): Looking at raw VFX shots.
• NEW! Costume Tests (1080p, 4:40): Exploring motion film and still photo costume tests as well as some history on Star Trek costumes.
• NEW! Computer Display Graphics (1080p, 3:10): A fascinating look at the 16mm and 65mm footage projected onto the background screens on the Enterprise.
• The Star Trek Universe (480i): A seven-part feature.
  
  
  • NEW! Phase II: The Lost Enterprise (12:39): Looking back at the original series and the never materialized Phase II TV program.
  • NEW! A Bold New Enterprise (29:41): Exploring the complex process of bringing the franchise to the screen, big moments, casting, effects work, the tight schedule, and much more.
  • NEW! Redirecting the Future (480i, 14:06): Looking at the making of the Director's Edition version of the film in 2001.
  • The Longest Trek: Writing The Motion Picture
  • Special Star Trek Reunion
  • Starfleet Academy SciSec Brief 001: Mystery Behind V'Ger
  • NEW! The New Frontier: Resurrecting Star Trek (1080p, 30:01): Looking back on the original series' success, the cancellation, projects between the TOS finale and TMP, the transition to the big screen, and more.
  • NEW! Maiden Voyage: Making Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1080p, 29:13): A comprehensive look at building the film: choosing a director, writing, the production schedule, anecdotes, visuals, and much more.
• Storyboards
• Additional Scenes 1979 Theatrical Version
• Deleted Scenes 1983 TV Version
• Trailers
• TV Spot

Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I've now seen this film several times in the past 13 months, and it's grown on me. Substantially. That growth has propelled it to be my second favorite of all the Star Trek films, TOS or otherwise, behind only The Wrath of Khan. This new Director's Edition UHD is a must-own companion to the original release (or, at least, the 2021 release). It's not perfect, but it does offer, beyond the cut, remastered video (which will prove somewhat controversial), exhilarating new Atmos audio, and plenty of extras spread across two discs. Note that this release does not include the standard theatrical cut, so fans will want to hang on to the "legacy" 2021 release for that. Highly recommended, and serious Star Trek fans need to consider purchasing the "Complete Adventure" boxed set.