“Bones, there’s a thing out there.”

Perfection in sound and vision looks like this.

If you don’t get goosebumps over hearing Jerry Goldsmith’s epic preamble in the fully restored Director’s Cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture then you ARE dead, son. D. E. A. D. There is a MIGHT and a FURY to that sequence, which is then followed by his glorious Main Titles Theme as the credits roll in director Robert Wise’s science fiction epic . . . AND THEN the Klingon Battle theme!! Holy crap. Now, Goldsmith might have been influenced by Vaughan Williams - specifically the Third movement of Williams's Fourth Symphony - but it matters little when his bombastic compositions are matched with the striking upgrade in the visuals thanks to the work of everyone involved in this release.

Truth be told, Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director’s Cut, now fully restored and remastered, is like nothing previously seen. This is, to be quite honest, a whole new experience for me. I know every scene and can quote it as if it is poetry (it is), yet it is breathtakingly new in EVERY DAMN SCENE.

But, since this is the REMASTERED and RESTORED Director’s Cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture - the one we have all been jonesing for - we have to give credit where it is due and, simply put, the newly restored, definitive version of the first big-screen adventure, which is presented in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision and HDR-10, as well as Dolby Atmos, is a DAMN FINE way to celebrate the beauty of Star Trek. This release also includes access to a Digital copy of the film, complete with new and legacy bonus content.

Originally released in 1979, Robert Wise’s film successfully took Trek off the small screen and set the original cast on an adventure which would span SIX more films. Wise’s film might have been rushed to release with unfortunate cuts and incomplete effects but that didn’t stop Star Trek: The Motion Picture from being the fourth highest grossing film of the year, as well as earning Academy Award nominations for Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction, and Best Music, Original Score for that year.

But just as Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) takes over the command of the U.S.S. Enterprise from Captain Will Dekker (Stephen Collins), we must replace all copies of The Motion Picture with this Ultra 4K release. No questions about it, this is superior in every way to any other version of the movie.

Now, those with only a casual interest in the franchise will probably shake their heads at my calling Star Trek: The Motion Picture not just a classic film, but a TRUE Science Fiction epic. There is no flaw in its function. True fans know it and feel it as the grand spectacle that TMP is - now fully restored and remastered in 4K thanks to producer David C. Fein with post-production supervisor Mike Matessino, both of whom originally collaborated with Wise in 2001 for the DVD Director’s Cut release of the film - washes over the screen.

Gloriously enough, this new 4K scan leaves me completely breathless with great jaw-dropping sequences which feel more engaging and more intimate than ever before. It’s dialogue-heavy and full of BIG IDEAS which continue to inspire the viewer as the classic crew of the newly refitted Enterprise faces down a powerful alien cloud known as V'Ger that is on a path toward Earth and is destroying everything standing in its way.

The “why” is pure poetry as Shatner, Leonard Nimoy as Spock, DeForest Kelley as Leonard McCoy, James Doohan as Montgomery Scott, George Takei as Hikaru Sulu Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov, Nichelle Nichols as Uhura come face to face with humankind’s own invention. All it wants - like all of us - is to meet its creator and share its knowledge.

What’s the harm in that? Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director’s Cut has the answer and every minute wasted in your delay of purchasing this EPIC 4K release is another minute that the creature comes barrelling closer to earth.

Warp your way to that course correction immediately.

Home Video Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Available on Blu-ray - September 6, 2022
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1; German: Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1; French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Discs: 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: Region free

Director Robert Wise’s definitive vision—eagerly anticipated by STAR TREK fans for over two decades—is now meticulously restored and remastered in 4K Ultra HD with HDR-10 and Dolby Vision for optimal picture and Dolby Atmos for immersive sound. This must-have release features a bonus Blu-ray disc with hours of new and legacy special features, including extensive behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes, and more. The adventure begins when an unidentified alien intruder destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers. Captain James T. Kirk boldly returns to the helm of a newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command. This bold adventure launched one of the longest running movie franchises of all time and features the cast of the original STAR TREK series, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and James Doohan.

Video:

Paramount’s 4K restoration is fantastic in giving the film a clean look without sacrificing too much of the grain. The contrast and colors are restored to extenuate the muted color palette of the film, and the sparkles and other mystical elements really seem to pop out wonderfully. Overall, this is probably a perfect transfer and the best version of the film we will ever see. The organic depth of color leaves the previous blu ray releases in the dust. From opening to ending, the darks throughout these four films are inky black and the vibrant colors pop off the screen. There are almost imperceptible shots that are a touch on the soft side, and the optical effects stand out more so at this resolution, but this is completely faithful to the source, organic even, and the finest these films have ever looked.

Audio:

The new Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mixes are also another massive upgrade over the previous release. With new overhead channels mixed in, a robust soundscape awaits your ears. Again, the start of these films waste no time in showing you the difference aurally as well as visually.

Supplements:

Commentary:

• There is a NEW commentary with David C. Fein, Mike Matessino, and Daren R. Dochterman, plus previous commentaries with Robert Wise, Douglas Trumbull, John Dykstra, Jerry Goldsmith, and Stephen Collins​. There is also a text commentary from Michael and Denise Okuda which fans will appreciate.

Special Features:

This 3-disc set includes the Director's Cut on 4K Ultra-HD and Blu-ray and also includes a bonus Blu-ray disc filled with new and legacy special features.

• The Human Adventure - An all-new 8-part documentary detailing how the Director’s Edition came to life
• Preparing the Future - How the remastering began
• A Wise Choice - The storied history of Robert Wise
• Refitting the Enterprise - How the Enterprise design shaped future federation starships
• Sounding Off – Exploring new dimensions of sound in Dolby Atmos
• V’ger - The conception and restoration of an iconic alien antagonist
• Return to Tomorrow - Reaching an already high bar with new CGI effects
• A Grand Theme - Behind the iconic, influential music score that shaped the franchise’s future The Grand Vision - The legacy and evolving reputation of this classic movie
• Deleted Scenes - NEW!
• Effects Tests - NEW!
• Costume Tests - NEW!
• Computer Display Graphics - NEW!
• Additional legacy bonus content

	Movie
	Video
	Audio
	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: G.
Runtime: 143 mins
Director: Robert Wise
Writer: Harold Livingston
Cast: William Shatner; Leonard Nimoy; DeForest Kelley
Genre: Adventure | Sci-fi
Tagline: There is no comparison.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Enterprise, what we got back didn't live long... fortunately."
Theatrical Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date: December 8, 1979
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: September 6, 2022.
Synopsis: When an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it.