Rating: 
Summary: Barely Changed....Just a Face Lift
Review: I am a fan of the original version of this film (guilty pleasure), though I completely understand people who say it is very longwinded. I had heard initially that this DVD was going to re-edit the film extensively and was going to shorten many of the more longer pointless scenes (Kirk's shuttle tour of the Enterprise, some of the longer cloud sequences, etc). I was under the impression that this was going to be a tighter version of the movie but unfortunately these looonggg scenes still remain in their entirety.
As far as the re-edits go, there are only a few inserts from the longer 1983 T.V. version and a few deletions from the original theatrical version (or very slight changes) but thats pretty much it. They did do a good job enhancing many of the visual effects much the same way the Star Wars Trilogy was redone years ago. The only complaint I have is the sound seems to be muffled in some areas. It seems like the dialogue and the music are very clear and sharp but everything else is somewhat drowned out, which I found disapointing.
However to sum up, if you like the original release or the T.V. version you should like this as it really is basically the same.
Rating:
Summary: Robert Wise new edit is AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT!
Review: You can imagine how skeptical I have been when I heard that Paramount was going to re-edit this film and add new digital effects. My attitude was SHOW ME THEN? Well Paramount and Mr. Wise certainly have done just that. I remember seeing this film in 1979 when it was first released. I watched about 40 minutes of it before I fell fast asleep in my theatre seat. I woke up feeling very guilty just as the movie ended. Even the videocassette version would have the same effect on me. There were all those dark endless shots of VGER that would not hold my interest and some of the editing was missing key story elements which made it hard to follow or get into the story. BUT NOW THIS HAS ALL BEEN CHANGED! I did not fall asleep watching this newly edited directors cut or even grow groggy. In fact to my astonishment the 134 minutes went by quite quickly. Working from the movies original 1979 storyboards Paramount must have literally spent millions of dollars to give this film a rebirth! The new digital visuals enhance the film experience and the director's tight editing keeps your eyes moving. The soundtrack on this movie has now been remixed as it should have been in the first place. You can now clearly hear every instrument and soundeffect clearly. Several scene sequences have been enhanced with added digital images. There is a scene when Spock is on Vulcan to receive the Kolinar discipline. He places his hands in front of him to block out the brightness of the sun and in the original version of this film the next shot we see is a night shot on vulcan. This has now been replaced with incredible visuals. And there are other enhancements throughout this new version. The editing is tight and the directors commentary together with the visual effects people and music composer are valuable assets to this dvd. All the elements are there now so that the story no longer drags but moves at a steady clip. I can't say enough about the reworking of this film. They have made me believe in miracles. Now if only they could do the same with Star Trek 5 which also needs to be re-worked so that story makes more sense. During the filming of that movie the budget was cut so much that the storyboarded visuals never made it to the big screen. How about it Paramount. Give us a directors cut of that film too!
Rating: 
Summary: Well, it's not "Motionless" any more...
Review: Without a doubt...Star Trek: The Motion Picture has finally arrived. Certainly not perfect...but it is, as Mr. Wise eloquently points out in the commentary track, the best it probably can be...which, if I may be so bold, is a remarkable demonstration of how an editor can make or break a film. Truly I am in awe of Mr. Wise's mastery of bringing a new, dramatically more insightful, ebb and flow to what was/is essentially a static, parlor drama set in outer space. I don't think of myself as being easily seduced...but, strangely, enough I found myself captured and enthralled anew by a film I know like the back of my hand. Of course, the blame for this sort of geeky awareness would have to fall at the feet of Jerry Goldsmith who, if he hadn't imagined such a glorious musical universe for the Enterprise to soar, I would not have returned these past 20 years, again and again, to a film that had been so ingloriously dubbed as 'Star Trek: The Motionless Picture'! Well, it's not "motionless" anymore. For 20 years Star Trek: TMP has held the steadfast appreciation of those who understood the film's bumpy ride to the big screen and the 'race-the-clock' challenges faced by the entire production staff - -- because, let's face it --- all the ingredients of a noteworthy film were already there...they just simply ran out of time. With the televising of the extended version this became even more clear. Still, who would have guessed Paramount would ever oblige Mr. Wise (let alone the fans) with the opportunity to correct such an oversight. For those who belied the film it's lack of warmth and sterility, here we have in the Director's Special Edition a re-focusing of what Star Trek has always been about: the characters. With the simple addition of one brief scene here, the re-cutting of another or just a simple reaction shot...our attention is always brought back to the characters, creating a completely unique emotional experience. Goodness, even the Decker/Ilia story arc has more poignancy. Technically speaking, yes, the print utilized for this transfer is not ideal in spots. But, most definitely, the new sound design brings alive sequences as they never had been before. (Still, in the defense of old sound effects put out to pasture...I do prefer the old klaxon and masculine voice of alarm). Also, while it is true they had to trim and excise certain portions of Jerry Goldsmith's score...they are judicious and remarkably sensitive. And so, once more, the much maligned offspring of Gene Roddenberry sails forth from drydock into the gaping maw of public opinion but, this time though, it wisely remembered to patch all the holes.
Rating:
Summary: The Magic is Back! Only one thing though..the DVD case
Review: The movie was trimmed a bit to tighten up scenes and such. I was glad they added the sound effects of the old bridge to bring a sense of continnuty to the new ship. I was very dissapointed all the Memory Wall footage was not shown. I wanted to see the sets. They just showed an actor on a wire going down a movie set which looked like a wall from the entity. Then there was a pass with no sound with the costume coming towards the camera. There were so many photos I have seen of that deleted scene that at least I wanted to see the other portions of the set. Wise was right in his decision to remove it. It did look like they were on wires. The case is another dissapointment. The plastic disk holder falls out if you don't open it correctly. It's like a two page disk container and you can lose the disk very easily if you are not careful. Since my Star Trek Motion Picture disk is going to get lots of repeated viewings I am going to switch the case from my Star Wars Episode one disk. The Episode One Disk plastic case won't fall apart like this one did. Other than that along with the dissapointing Memory Wall footage, it was a decent package. We finally get to see what V'Jer looks like without the clouds surrounding it. If it were up to me I would have added a scene that shows the exterior and massive size of the craft in comparison to the Enterprise. I was so surprised to see this thing had an actual shape. It looked like an alien ship out of Babylon Five. With Foundation Imageing ....the guys who did the CGI on B5 working on this...it's only natural.
Rating:
Summary: An improvement in content but dated sound & picture
Review: I received my copy on Monday. I watched the DVD twice so far, and I too think it's an improvement over the old versions. I particularly liked the seamless integration of new visual effects into the original ones. They do look as if they're done 22 years ago. The sound is improved as well with lots of tiny details added. But on my machine it didn't sound as *cracking* as some of recent, digitally recorded movies. Although trimming and deleting some scenes did help to make the film move faster, I felt that some of human elements as well as musical rhythms have been lost as a result. One example is in the beginning where starfleet officers are checking on their screen the three Klingon battleships being attacked by an alien object. Jerry Goldsmith's music is essential here in conveying the urgent mood of the coming catastrophe, but it is cut by a second or two due to the trimming (Mr. Goldsmith, please check it out yourself!). Too bad they didn't leave the music untouched. Another example is a sequence in which lieutenant Ilia provides her treatment to one of wounded crew members. Here, in the extended TV version a doctor looks at Ilia once with awe & surprise and does it again a moment later. I always thought this was one of the most inspiring scenes in the movie. Unfortunately, in the new director's cut, the second glance at Ilia has been cut out hereby diminishing the psychological effects of Ilia's mysterious power. Another part they shouldn't have altered is the Prelude & the beginning title. In both of the old versions, the screen during the first few minutes is all black, while in the new version they added stars flying backwards. This is nothing but a cliche. I mean, I've seen so many science fiction films that begin and end just like this that I felt that adding stars has cheapened the static, grandiose mood of the beginning that's so essential in this film. Still, the newly created V'Ger spaceship looks great, as are the Vulcan planet and the new bases in S.F. city. Overall, I like the new edition very much but don't want to be without the 1983 TV version either.
Rating:
Summary: The Human Adventure is Just Beginning
Review: In December of 1979, when Star Trek The Motion Picture was released, it was apparent to audiences that this was no ordinary "shoot 'em up" science fiction movie--this was a serious film with complex plotting and "big" ideas. Yet, somehow the whole film seemed "off," and lacking the TV show's charm. What was not generally known at the time was that, with the premiere date looming and numerous visual effects sequences not completed--and never having had a test screening--Director Robert Wise basically assembled what he could and physically carried the print to the film's debut. (The final visual effects sequence was literally cut into individual prints of the film before they were express shipped to theaters.) It says something for Wise's ability to work under pressure (he edited Citizen Kane, after all) that, despite mixed reviews, no major critics were able to deduce that they were viewing an unfinished film. It's also a testament to everyone involved in the project that Star Trek The Motion Picture received Academy Award nominations for Visual Effects and Musical Scoring. Nevertheless, I remember seeing the film as a 12 year old, and hearing my father complain "This movie so slow moving." And for 22 years, that has been the general consensus--ambitious plotting, great score, mostly good visual effects, poor pacing, little chemistry between the characters. For this DVD issue, Paramount has allowed Robert Wise to do what he wanted to do all along--finish his picture. Nearly every scene has been reedited--either radically or merely fine tuned--to bring more drama, better pacing, and more emphasis on the characters. Some of the clunkier bits of dialogue have been excised, along with some unnecessary technobabble. The new editing also gives greater subtext to the story, and hints at why V'Ger's probe chose to assimilate Lieutenant Ilia rather than, say, Mr. Spock. The new visual effects shots flesh out the movie, adding visual excitement without drawing attention to themselves. The technicians have even added film grain so that the new shots fit in seamlessly with the originals. The sound mix is livelier also, with use of some of the original series' sound effects, together with new elements. Jerry Goldsmith's superb score has been altered to conform with new versions of several scenes, particularly the early exploration of V'Ger. The score has been edited in such a way that it still makes musical, as well as dramatic, sense. The picture quality is vastly superior to previous VHS issues, and a modest improvement over my widescreen LaserDisc. Colors and flesh tones are more vibrant, and the image seems sharper overall. While the film appears to have been cleaned, radical computer "scrubbing" has not been done, so effects-heavy shots (which were built up element-by-element) show some grain. This new Director's Edition is now the definitive version of Star Trek The Motion Picture. Retaining all the grandeur of the original, with none of the ponderousness, this is probably the closest realization of Gene Roddenberry's humanistic vision for the future. After 22 years, The Motion Picture finally takes its rightful place near the top of the Star Trek film canon.
Rating:
Summary: Star Trek: the Motion Picture DVD
Review: I think Paramount did a good job with this special edition. I looked foward to watching Star Trek with a commentary. It's filled with goodies that I recommend to any trek fan. All star Trek fans would really go for this.
Rating:
Summary: Don't listen to the trekkies, this is a great film.
Review: I'm not a trekkie and as a rule I was lukewarm about the original series and I'm even less a fan of the other Star Trek films or the subsequent 'Next Generation' or later series. I am, however, a film enthusiast and a lover of great science fiction literature, and though the rest of the Star Trek universe is often just average-quality pop culture which takes a back seat to Lucas' imagination for entertainment value, this particular Star Trek film stands above the other Star Trek offerings as a visionary statement on the human condition as we in the 21st century approach the inevitable complete merging of humanity and technology. This film doesn't play like a Spock-vs-Doc shoot-'em-up at all; its pace is more like Antonioni's films (think L'avventura or Red Desert) and the scope will remind you of 2001: A Space Odyssey. This film is, however, more accessible and for me at least, is a more emotional experience as well. It bears repeating: this film is unlike any of the other Star Trek films. Not to be missed; don't listen to the disgruntled trekkies!
Rating: 
Summary: I thought the original was boring
Review: I remember the film moving slow, but I was almost in a coma by the end. There was just not enough of story to warrant two hours for this film. So, we see long static shots of the Enterprise and space that do not move the story. The acting was even worse. Part of the reason this film dragged so much is that the director and the actor's did not build the tension of their impending doom. It is hard to get caught up in the chance of them all dying when the actors are just like it's any other day at the office. Don't get me wrong. I love most of the other Star Trek movies, but this one is just a major dissapointment.
Rating: 
Summary: Mastering not up to par
Review: I have been anticipating this DVD for several years and I'm thrilled it's finally available. I have to admit, however, that the remastering of the picture, to me, is below par on many levels. For one thing, there are COUNTLESS artifacts, scrapes, scratches, etc. on the picture throughout. For another thing, they fixed SOME of the special effects, but some of the most blatantly flawed effects from the original remain. A quick glance at the shots during Kirk's tour around the outside of the Enterprise starts out with shots of the space station orbiting the Earth, and the shuttle with Kirk and Scotty is horribly matted (as it has always been), with horrendous matte lines that could have easily been cleaned up. The sound, however, is very good, and the movie does seem to play better as far as pacing is concerned. But I'm still very bothered by Paramount's rather slipshod handling of this movie, with only half of the effects being enhanced or fixed, and with (in my opinion) one of the worst marketing campaigns for a major release in recent memory. They did so well with the Godfather set. What happened here?
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