Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Director's Edition

Director Robert Wise has never been a big sci-fi buff, so in 1978 when he was asked to helm a movie version of the Paramount hit TV series Star Trek, he had yet to see a single episode. After viewing a few, Wise admits he wasn't impressed. "Some were good and some were poor, but I was intrigued by the story of the movie." Without giving too much of that story away, Star Trek: The Motion Picture focuses on Captain James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) reassignment to a newly redesigned and super-souped-up U.S.S. Enterprise, for the purpose of confronting a death star that is making its way toward Earth. Wise now claims that while making the film he had neither the time nor the studio's financial support to make the film he envisioned, so, 22 years later, after having spent four months re-editing, enhancing the visual effects, and re-mixing the soundtrack, Wise (and Paramount) bow the director's original vision in a two-disc, feature-full, special edition, which includes a Wise film crew commentary, a text commentary by Trek-pert Michael Okuda, three new retrospective documentaries, 11 deleted scenes, etc. And Wise was right about the story, or should I say the ending, which is one of the cleverest twists I've yet seen in the genre. As for the long path to that ending, however, it's pretty much the standard TV series' mix of cardboard characterizations, insider humor, and capable, if less than compelling, performances. Nevertheless, the "Star Trek" fan base is large and loyal, and while I doubt this release will result in any new converts, this above average sci-fier will be in considerable demand. Recommended. [Note: Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Director's Edition is also available as part of the 10 film Star Trek: The Motion Pictures DVD Collection, but since it's the only one that contains special features and Paramount is rumored to be readying special editions of the others, you might want to wait and pick them up individually]. (S. C. Sickles)