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Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home (Special Edition)

Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home (Special Edition)

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

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: "My Friends, We've Come Home..."
Review: Star Trek IV:TVH finds the crew of the late starship U.S.S. Enterprise in exile on the planet Vulcan, following the resurrection and rescue of Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy), in Star Trek III. Even as Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) and the others decide to head back to Earth, to face a Court Martial, following their actions in the previous film, the trial has already begun at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco. The proceedings are interupted when a mysterious alien probe threatens the entire planet, by draining power supplies and vaporizing the oceans, with its unreadable message. When the crew gets a comunication about the probe from Earth, Spock determines that in order to save humanity, they must take their captured Klingon vessel through a time warp. Traveling to the late 20th century is the only way that the future can surrvive.

While preparing Star Trek IV, director and series star Leonard Nimoy, along with producer/co writer Harve Bennett, decided to lighten things up a bit. The end result is a fun romp, that stays true to Trek, without becoming a parody of itself. At the same time, the message of the film stays intact, and comes through loud and clear. But at no time does the film get heavy handed or preachy. The film is able to rise above that, by using humor and the humanistic view of Trek to tell its tale. This is something the best episodes of the original series was known for as well. All of the major cast became important to plot and each one was given substantial screen time. The humor was stepped up a bit, but it came out of situations the chracters found themselves in, rather than anything forced. Aside from all the humor and the message, fans saw the return of Saavik (Robin Curtis), and Spock's parents, Sarek (the late Mark Lenard) and Amanda (Jane Wyatt) too While not as good as Trek II, the movie is a high point in the "classic" Trek film series.

I have to say, I was a bit more impressed with the extras from this 2 DVD set, over those that came wth The Search For Spock set. But I still have some issues Here's how it all breaks down as far as the bonus features are concerned.

Disc I-has the original theatrical version of the film.The audio commentary track by Nimoy and William Shatner is just OK. While its great to have them on the same track, I found myself wanting to hear more about the making of the film. There just wasn't enough of that here. While entertaining at times, I was hoping for a bit more film stuff, and less rambling by the 2 men. Once again Trek Encyclopedia authors Michael and Denise Okuda, provide a winning "Trektoid" filled text commentary that's interesting and fun.

Disc 2-is divided up into 5 sections. The Star Trek Universe featurettes are really the only mixed bag part of disc 2 Time Travel and the Language Of the Whales are OK and least can be connected to the film in some way. But A Vulcan Primer and Kirk's Women seem out of place and better suited on a DVD of original series episodes than on TVH set. Next up, The Production featurettes are informative and fun for sure, but I just wish we heard from other cast mebers besides Shatner, Nimoy and guest star Catherine Hicks. The Visual Effects featurettes were pretty cool (but could have really been combined) The Tribute to Trek Creator, the late Gene Roddenberry was an interview of his son "Rod". While the loving tribute to the late Mark Lenard featured his widow and their 2 children--really good stuff. Finally, The Archives, include production stills, storyboards, the theatrical trailer and original on set interviews, conducted while filming the movie, with Shatner, Nimoy, and the late great DeForest Kelly have an in the moment feel to them

As I said, another fine set that would have have gotten a five star rating save my stated concerns AND sadly, no Director's Cut or deleted scenes are present. I still recommend TVH, as a worthy DVD set for your collection, whether you like Sci-fi or not

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Star Trek IV Special Edition - It's ALL Here
Review: I actually just picked up this DVD today and can't say that I've had a chance to view it yet, but I was compelled to write this now to hopefully dispel what can only be considered a misguided rumor at this point - "stinky-but-nice" cites that this edition is 9 minutes shorter than the original; this isn't true, this edition does have a running time of 118 minutes, (I can say that I have seen an advance promo incorrectly stating the 109 minute figure).

For those of you who don't already know this, yes, Star Trek IV was the best of the movies with the original crew and this edition is loaded with bonus features - perhaps the most important being the addition of commentary from both Nimoy and Shatner.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Funny Trek, One of the best
Review: This movie was full of good humor and fun, with the Enterprise crew making the trip once again back through time. This time they end up in 1980's San Francisco, where endless laughs and misadventures await. Kirk and crew are in their prime, and this film is definitely one of the best of the six. The movie is great.

So is this DVD. The special features, interviews, commentaries, and interactive menu is well worth the purchase, and every Trek fan should get this one. I really like how the original Trek movies are getting reworked one by one into Special Edition DVD format, and the series hasn't let the fans down yet. Can't wait for the next two to come out, but pick this one up in the meantime. Lots of fun to be had!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: True Trek
Review: What starts out looking like the end of mankind turns light and whimsicle thanks to the cast and Leonard Nimoy's direction.
The crew travels back in time to present day Earth to find the key that will save the planet from a powerful alien presence that is threatening future Earth.
Nothing heavy here except for the key they're looking for and some Earth-shattering storms.
Even if you're not a big Star Trek fan, it's hard not to love this movie. The cast never takes itself seriously and looks like they're having a good time. No big space battles, but you wont care.
I bought the regular edition, but I'm selling it to buy this one which is cheaper and has more extras.(?)
Buy it, you'll love it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Star Trek IV, the "Special" Edition
Review: Why is the Special Edition 9 minutes SHORTER than the regular edition??? Don't special editions normally have EXTRA footage, not have footage cut out??? Maybe that is why the Special Edition is [less expensive] than the regular edition, they cut out the 9 most expensive minutes!

I would be hesitant to buy this until I found out what they cut out and why.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Crazy Shatner Commentary
Review: Who cares if it's the best Trek movie or not? If you've been watching the special features on the past three special edition DVDs, you know that the best part of them is Shatner's comments on the movies. He's a nutbar and immensely entertaining because of it. I can't wait to hear him on a commentary track for the whole movie. That's why I'm going to buy this thing. And that's why I can't wait for the special edition of the next one (IT'S THE ONE HE DIRECTED HIMSELF!!!). This is a must own for anyone with a morbid sense of humor and curiosity.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Absolute crud; the worst of the star trek movies
Review: Film reviewers often have one thing in common--stupid herd following. Witness their perennial crowing about this time travel debacle. As a Star Trek fan, I am horrified that they claim this as the best and most popular of the Trek films. First, real Trek fans hate this because: the time travel plot is mismanaged; the girl becomes the story's center, without actually being important, interesting, or intriguing ; the whale phenomenon is left unexplained--and whales are never the subject of communication issues or any other Star Trek movies; its basically a Greenpeace movie--and all the shallowness of a political trumpeting is included; and their have been numerous episodes of the series, both original and subsequent spinoff shows, that handle time travel much better. There was a reason Nimoy was taken off the director's chair after this. Shatner's later attempt, The Final Fronttier, is not bad, certainly not as horrible as this. Critics just want a reason to bash the Canadian and what better way than saying the two movies his work is sandwhiched between are much superior? The best of the Star Trek lot were II and VI. The End.

This movie has one funny line: Chekov, at the height of the cold war asking Americans in San Francisco: "Where are your nuclear vessiles [missles]?" I fell asleep after that. To rank the movies in order they are: II, VI, V, III, I, IV. Thank you, Roman numerals.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not the best
Review: Although I enjoy the culture-shock humor in this film, I think its reputation as the "best" of the original-cast movies is undeserved.

The whole plot set-up is one huge contrivance, a deus ex machina to get Kirk and crew out of the hot water they got themselves into in the third movie. The alien probe exists solely as a plot device, with no sensible motive and no explanation ever offered. The time-travel solution is a cheat -- if they can do it then, why not do it every time there is a serious threat? Spock could have taken the Enterprise around the nearest star in "Undiscovered Country" and prevented Kirk and McCoy's framing on assassination charges.

I will probably buy, or at least rent, the DVD because I do like the movie despite my criticisms, and I have found the extra features on the first three deluxe editions to be worth the time. But it's not the best Trek.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One Of The Best Trek Films Ever...Very Entertaining
Review: STAR TREK IV: The Voyage Home is considered one of the most entertaining Star Trek films of our time, and it's considered a success due in large part to Leonard Nimoy's directorial efforts and the great interaction between the cast members, especially Kirk and Spock...who, together, provide some funny moments.

We pick up where STAR TREK III left off, with Kirk and McCoy and Crew on the planet with the rejuvenated Spock ready to leave on the Klingon bird of prey. When they encounter a mysterious probe in their travels, they decipher it to realize that it is actually the song of a humpback whale. They travel back to Earth to San Francisco, where we have some of the greatest moments between Kirk and Spock as they travel in San Francisco in search of the woman who is trying to save the whales from being extinct. The crew of the Enterprise comes together to save the humpbacks and it brings some good action into the film, but this is more about the human interaction between the characters in the film, and not so much about the action. It's a refreshing approach, and it gives the film a lot of strength.

STAR TREK IV: The Voyage Home is a thoroughly enjoyable film from beginning to end, with a better premise and more enjoyable plot then the film to follow. Consider this: The Voyage Home is considered the best film in the Trek series, but I believe that honor goes to The Wrath of Khan. However, that doesn't mean Star Trek IV isn't as good; The Voyage Home is just as good a film, and makes for a wonderful addition to any Trekkie's film collection.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: NOT JUST ANOTHER DVD edition
Review: Star Trek IV the voyage home is my second favorite movie, Wrath of Khan is better. Then NEMESIS came out, now I know I need to treasure this masterpiece even more since Nemesis is a piece of crap.

FINALY this movie is on DVD for the first time in a 2 disc set with LOADS of features that top the first 3 movies put together,

Disc one is the usual stuff you expect in a STAR TREK DVD,
Audio Commentary by the director
Subtitle secrets by Michael Okuda
dual layer "SUPERBIT" format

too bad the movie only has 18 scene selections to choose from, for me its 20< or nuthin.


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