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Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country (Special Edition)

Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country (Special Edition)

List Price: $19.99
Your Price: $15.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: stink'n HD-TV's!
Review: First off, the movie it's self is rated 5 stars and no less, but this format stinks. If your gonna show it in widescreen show it in anamorphic and no less. Only rich people own HD-TV's. The average person can't afford them. SO either show it in anamorphic(I can live with the black lines if I get to see the WHOLE picture) or full screen(the reason I bought a 27" TV was to see it in 27 INCHES). Otherwise don't bother. If your wondering about it in widescreen, amazon has missrepresented this, it isn't wide screen anamorphic(as in the theater) it is 16.9 "enhanced", thier's a difference you know.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Last TOS Movie given royal DVD treatment.
Review: I guess Paramount must have heard about many people complaining about the lack of work put into the special edition Star Trek V DVD, so they gave the sixth and last movie to star the original cast, a great treatment on DVD with both a good fresh film print of the movie done in widescreen and plenty of entertaining and informative bonus features on disk two where many of those interviewed speak with pride about their work on the last Star Trek movie. It's done well and that's fine by me, but I do hear now that Paramount will be doing boxed season DVD disk sets of both the original series and the animated episodes which will be released later this year.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: TO BE OR NOT TO BE
Review: Arguably the best of the six STAR TREK feature films sporting the entire original series cast, THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY is a well crafted tale of political intrigue that effectively bridges the gap between the original series and THE NEXT GENERATION. In the capable hands of Nicholas Meyer, who also directed the second Trek feature THE WRATH OF KHAN, each of the cast members are given fuller, more important roles to play. Not only that, but there is still plenty of room for other wonderful characterizations by such guest stars as Christopher Plummer, David Warner, and Kim Cattrall!

Though some have expressed a desire to see the theatrical version of the film released on DVD, this edition contains the extended Director's Cut of the film. There have been a few very minor changes made to the film this time around though, making it the third version available to the public since its debut. Three sequences have been altered, but only one of them is actually noticeable to long time viewers of the film. If you are uncertain as to what scenes have been altered, view the text commentary as it will explain what has been altered. I think that the changes work quite well, being subtle enough not to make you suddenly realize that this is a different version of your favorite film!

As for the extras, Paramount has finally achieved the perfect balance of interesting material. The useless space-filler documentaries of the past Trek special editions, several of which never seemed to pertain to the actual film in any way, are wisely avoided this time around. Now we are presented with nicely detailed interviews and behind-the-scenes excerpts with director Meyer, writer Denny Martin Flynn, as well as the rest of the cast and crew that really give some wonderful insight into the actual creation of the film, from the first idea to the final thoughts about the finished product.

The best documentary on this set is the one made in tribute to the late DeForest Kelley, who endearingly portrayed Dr. Leonard McCoy. Many clips from Kelley's long acting career are shown, much of which pre-dated STAR TREK, and it is fascinating viewing. The documentary takes you right up through the last appearance of his infamous character in the franchise (this film is the last time the venerable actor played the role of McCoy), as well as the last few days of his life. This, as well as the interview with him made during the end of filming for this movie back in 1991, are the absolute highlights of the DVD. DeForest Kelley will always be fondly remembered by fans and critics alike!

Other documentaries abound, such as a nifty tour of the props department. "The Perils Of Peacemaking" is a very interesting piece that details the history of the Chernobyl disaster and how it directly influenced the idea and theme for this film. There are interviews with each of the original cast members, as well as Iman (who plays the changeling "Martia"), where they answer questions and give their insights on the franchise. There is even an interview with composer Cliff Eidelman, who created a very dark and haunting score for this particular entry in the series. Also, storyboards highlight some alternate and deleted scenes of the film that are not to be missed!

The commentaries are very good this time around. The audio commentary is provided by both Meyer and Denny Martin Flynn. Meyer usually tends to pursue rabbit trails in his commentaries versus sticking with the actual film (a reason that I was not looking forward to this commentary), but coupled together with Flynn, they stay focused on the film and the creative process and development that went into it. Overall, a surprisingly informative commentary that I really enjoyed. The text commentary by Michael Okuda is what we have all come to expect, revealing lots of interesting facts and trivia about the cast, sets, and locations of the film. Very well done as usual!

Surprisingly, the fact that this film was nominated for two Academy Awards, one for Best Make-Up and one for Best Sound Effects Editing, is never once mentioned anywhere in the documentaries nor is it commented on during the audio or text commentaries. Oh well, at least you can see and hear for yourself just exactly why it received these well deserved nominations on this disc. The picture quality is superb and the new Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround mix is simply awesome. Quite simply, the film has never looked or sounded better!

As fantastic of a job as Paramount did with this special edition release, I am somewhat baffled by the sloppy packaging of the actual set. Though Paramount plans to stop packaging their DVDs with paper inserts, one has to wonder why they didn't at least include one here for the last of the original cast films. Small nitpick to be sure, but still it would have made the set of six films universally alike. More disturbingly, however, is the lack of quality control when it comes to ensuring that your discs are printed correctly. To place a picture from a completely different movie on Disc 2 is one thing, but to print the words over the picture upside down is just plain ridiculous! Even the interactive motion menus (which I always look forward to seeing) were a let down this time around. The one on Disc 2 seems to be incomplete, basically taking you on the exact same journey regardless of the selection made. It is ashamed that such a wonderful DVD full of great special features was sloppily packaged in such a rush to get it out on store shelves!

Overall, this is the best Trek DVD to be released to date. I recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in the franchise. Hopefully, the future releases will continue to either maintain and/or improve upon this level of quality, as well as avoiding any further un-needed packaging mistakes!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Atrocious packaging
Review: Many others have written about the Film and extras itself so I will leave that to them.

Paramount really dropped the ball on this one. The DVD are arranged in such a way that at least one of them could very easily get scratched. On top of that for whatever reason they decided not to includea booklet like they did with all the other Star Trek Special Edition series.

I am really disapointed with Paramount over this. I am very lucky my copy did not arive damaged.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Underrated and one of the best science fiction films yet
Review: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country has probably the best plot of all the Star Trek films. It was criticized at the time for seeming to copy the real life fall of the Soviet Union. However, the intention was only to link events of the end of the original series to Star Trek: The Next Generation. The film is full of suspense and the cast at some of their best performances. I first watched this movie just out of boredom, but was pleasantly surprised. It made this former Star Trek hater into an instant fan.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: At Last! An unembarrassed concession to the franchise!
Review: And that's exactly what this movie, for I hesitate to honor it by calling it a film, is.

I grew up on Star Trek, racing home from school to ensure I got my homework done so I could watch the reruns uninterrupted. I grasped the concepts and the allegories presented in each story and it made me think about another kind of world. Perhaps a better one.

The Motion Pictures were slow at first; ST:TMP was ethereal and intellectual. ST:TWOK was Shoot 'em up bang bang. The series caught it's stride with ST:TSFP, combining emotionalism, intellect, and action in a mixture thoroughly enjoyable to both Trekkies and Non-Trekkies alike.

Then, as did the television series, it began to stumble and fall. ST:TFF was reminiscent of a third season episode as Paramount was getting ready to close up shop on the series, and Gene Roddenberry was getting out while the getting was good. An absurd story and poor special effects combined to make a film that was almost painful to watch.

The Undiscovered Country is a thinly disguised rehashing of the Cold War using the imminent collapse of the Klingon Empire due to an industrial accident on the Homeworld's moon as it's impetus. Kirk, et al are given as a fig leaf as envoys to diplomatically solve the problem.

The assassination of the Klingon leader Gorkon, who is offering peace during this mission, and the ensuing Klingon Kangaroo Court places Kirk and McCoy on a Penal Colony asteroid, convicted of murder.

When it is finally established that Klingon Military, led by General Chang is at the heart of the conspiracy to prevent a peaceful solution between the Federation and the Klingons by assassinating first Gorkon, then in a failed attempt, the president of the Federation, there is an inevitable final battle between Kirk and Chang. With just as inevitable results.

While the television series often did the same, specifically regarding Viet Nam and the Cold War of almost forty years ago, it did so with a great deal more tact, and much more creative writing.

The Undiscovered Country doesn't have those qualities. It is preachy and strident. The actors and actresses speak and behave far out of character, i.e., Spock's mind assault on his lieutenant, and their strongly hinted at affair, or Scotty's comment regarding "that Klingon b***h".

This is a movie that tries to use special effects to compensate for poor writing, worse gags for cheap laughs, and a total lack of regard for well established and well known characters.

No, this is not Star Trek at it's best, or even, in my opinion, Star Trek at all. It is the final wringing of the now only damp towel of the franchise, to get those last few drops of cash from it before the original crew was too old to make any more movies.

I stopped collecting at The Voyage Home. Don't waste your money, or, more importantly, your time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: the BEST with Kirk as captain...
Review: by far the best of the original Star Trek movies. Kirk still makes me cringe a bit as a captain - however, the excitement of the movie itself takes over...the Clingons are ultimate - KaPlah!!!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great film, good features, ludicrous packaging
Review: I agree with other reviewers regarding the quality control of this DVD packaging. No printed insert, the absurd second-disc label -- what were they thinking? A picture of a different Enterprise? From a DIFFERENT MOVIE? Printed UPSIDE DOWN? Are you KIDDING? Didn't they think that we STAR TREK fans, the most nit-picky, obsessive, detail-oriented folks on the planet, would notice? (Maybe they thought we'd see it as the Excelsior and not notice the difference. Yeah, right. On a related note, the picture of spacedock on the first disc looks like it's from "Star Trek III"). And for some reason, mine came in a WHITE case, which looks a little ridiculous lined up with all the other ST: TOS movies I have (all but V, of course) in black cases. Ugh. Shame on Paramount.

To answer another reviewer's question, the film was shot in Super 35, hence the 16:9 aspect ratio here adding info on the top and bottom, not cutting off at the sides, so rest easy.

Oh, the movie and DVD program are great.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Nice
Review: I bought this to complete my set of the Special Edition DVDs. At first, I was a little bummed at the lack of any kind of booklet or documentation or the upside down Enterprise on the Disc 2 label.

Then I watched the movie with the audio & text commentaries on. Great picture, pretty entertaining commentaries, although not as informative as TMP or TWOK.

The other extras sealed the deal. Next to TMP, this is the 2nd best of the lot. And the booklets they've been putting in these have gone downhill since the first one, it was just a matter of time. I hear they're releasing Generations without a case.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Stop tricking us into windescreen!
Review: The picture is nice and crispy and the extras are good. Nice tribute to late Deforest Kelly. Unfortunately the 2,35:1 picture is not 2,35:1 but 1,85:1. Can anyone explain why? Maybe they opened up the matte 'cause it was shot in Super 35. Is that it? They are not cutting anythong on the sides, right?

Victor from Portugal


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