STAR TREK VI: THE
UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
(Special Edition)
In
my mind STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY ($20) and STAR
TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN are continually vying for the position of
best Trek adventure featuring the original cast. The strength of both
these films emanates from the well-written screenplays of director
Nicholas Meyer, who obviously understood the importance of memorable
villains, which is key to each film’s success. Christopher Plummer’s
General Chang, like Ricardo Montalban’s Khan, are intelligent and
complex villains, whose strong performances are built upon the florid
dialogue that each quotes from great literary works. In addition to the
terrific villains, Meyer’s screenplays have added a great deal of
embellishments to the established Trek characters- thus allowing them to
evolve beyond the constraints of their initial conceptions and enhancing
the mythology of the entire Trek universe.
While
the plot of STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY was designed as
an allegory for the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the film unfolds
more like a political thriller, with a touch of a who-done-it
thrown in for good measure. STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
opens with the destruction of Praxis, a Klingon moon that happens to be
one of the key energy production facilities for the entire empire. Months
pass, when next we learn that an overture has been made towards a peace
treaty between the Klingon Empire and The United Federation of Planets.
Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy), following in the ambassadorial footsteps of
his father, has volunteer Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and the
Enterprise for a diplomatic mission to escort Klingon Chancellor Gorkon
(David Warner) to Earth for peace talks.
Unfortunately,
there is an incident during the voyage back to Earth, in which Gorkon is
assassinated. This leads to the arrest of Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy
(DeForest Kelley), who are quickly whisked off into the heart of the
Klingon Empire to stand trial for the assassination. This leaves Spock and
the crew of the Enterprise to quickly discover the identity of the true
assassins, before Kirk and McCoy meet an unfortunate end, while imprisoned
on the harsh penal asteroid Rura Pente. The cast of STAR TREK VI: THE
UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY also features James Doohan, Walter Koenig,
Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Kim Cattrall, Mark Lenard, Grace Lee
Whitney, Brock Peters, Kurtwood Smith, Rosanna DeSoto, Iman, John Schuck,
Michael Dorn, W. Morgan Sheppard, Christian Slater and Rene Auberjonois.
Paramount
Home Entertainment has made STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
available on DVD in a 2.0:1 wide screen presentation that has been
enhanced for playback on 16:9 displays. It should be noted that STAR
TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY was shot if the Super35 process and
that there were 35mm (2.35:1) and 70mm (2.20:1) release prints of the
film. This presentation would seem to be fairly close to the general look
of the 70mm prints, with a bit more visual information unmasked at the
bottom of the Super35 frame (based upon the position of the burned-in
subtitles that appear on the film elements). Compositionally, the 2.0:1
framing looks very good, with no discernable cropping to the left/right
edges of the frame.
As
for the transfer itself, it is absolutely terrific- easily besting the
previously rehashed Laserdisc master by a very wide margin. The image
appears sharper and better defined than it has in the past, and the
picture holds up exceedingly well in comparison to newer films coming to
DVD. Colors appear quite vibrant and are rendered with excellent
stability, including the warmer, more difficult to reproduce hues.
Additionally, flesh tones come across in a very appealing manner, thus
enhancing Hiro Narita’s very fine looking cinematography. Blacks are
very deep, whites are crisp and the image produces very smooth contrast,
in addition to very good shadow detail. Film grain is fairly minimal- far
less than what I remember seeing in an original 70mm theatrical print.
Additionally, the element used for the transfer is very clean, displaying
only the most minor of blemishes. Digital compression artifacts are always
well concealed.
For
a 1991 film release, STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
features a very good Dolby Digital 5.1 channel soundtrack. Although a few
test prints of STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY were released
in Dolby Digital in 1991, the sound design doesn’t take the same
aggressive advantage of the format that newer films do. Still, this is an
excellent mix from that transitional period, sounding very full-bodied and
completely enveloping. There is plenty of fully integrated surround
activity, which brings all of the acoustical environments to vibrant life-
the sounds on the Enterprise’s bridge are especially well done. The
forward soundstage is broad, plus the evocative score by Cliff Eidelman
has a terrific spatial quality and musical presence. The bass channel is
fairly deep and effective, but not quite so much as newer soundtracks.
Dialogue is very cleanly rendered, with excellent intelligibility. English
and French 2.0 surround tracks are also encoded onto the DVD, as are
English subtitles.
Computer
animation and sound serve to enhance the DVD's very nicely designed
interactive menus. Through the menus, one has access to standard scene
selection and set up features, as well as the fine array of supplements,
which have been spread across both discs of the set. Disc one begins with
a running audio commentary featuring Nicholas Meyer and co-writer Denny
Martin Flinn. This is another excellent commentary track filled with
insight and production detail, making it a must listen for any Trek fan.
Disc one also features a text commentary on a subtitle channel by Michael
and Denise Okuda, authors of The Star Trek Encyclopedia. The
text stream is filled with Trek trivia and other interesting bits of
information, including pointing out differences in this particular cut of the
film.
Moving
on to disc two, we find the main body of the supplemental programming. The
Perils Of Peacemaking is a twenty-six minute program that looks at
the STAR TREK VI story and the real world historic events that
influenced it. The Stories From Star Trek VI section
includes It Started With A Story, Prejudice, Director
Nicholas Meyer, Shakespeare & General Chang, Bringing
It To Life and Farewell & Goodbye. It
Started With A Story runs nine minutes and examines the
development of the screen story. Prejudice is a five-minute
look at that distasteful flaw that exists in sentient beings- even in Gene
Roddenberry’s idealized future. Director Nicholas Meyer
runs six minutes and features cast & crew talking about working with
the director. Shakespeare & General Chang features
Christopher Plummer in a five-minute program, in which he gets to discuss
his delight in playing this particular villain. Bringing It To Life
is a twenty-three minute program that focuses primarily on the film’s
production design and music. Farewell & Goodbye is a
seven-minute look at the last hurrah for the original cast and the final
day of shooting.
Under
the section entitled The Star Trek Universe, one will find Conversations
With Nicholas Meyer, Klingons: Conjuring The Legend,
Federation Operatives, Penny’s Toy Box and Together
Again. Conversations With Nicholas Meyer is a
nine-minute interview in which Meyer discusses moviemaking and his
association with the Trek movie franchise. Klingons: Conjuring The
Legend clocks in at twenty minutes and examines the evolution of
the Federation adversaries, from the days of the original television
series to the present. Federation Operatives runs five
minutes and looks at some of the STAR TREK VI actors, who have
played other roles in the Trek universe. Penny’s Toy Box
is a six-minute look at some of the props from the film. Together
Again features William Shatner and Christopher Plummer in a
five-minute program that allows them to reflect on working together in the
early stages of their careers and again on STAR TREK VI.
Also
included on disc two is DeForest Kelley: A Tribute. This
thirteen-minute program looks back on Kelley’s long acting career and
features interviews with fellow actors and the crewmembers that worked
with him on STAR TREK. All of the program’s participants get to
share their remembrances of the man who brought Dr. Leonard
"Bones" McCoy to such vivid life. Coming from the time of the
film’s theatrical release are the Original Interviews,
each of which are several minutes long and feature cast members William
Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols,
George Takei, Walter Koenig and Iman. Closing out the supplements is a
theatrical teaser, theatrical trailer, a production gallery and a 1991
Convention Presentation by Nicholas Meyer.
As
I stated above, I think that STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
is in a photo finish for the coveted position of being the best Trek movie
featuring the original cast. As for Paramount’s DVD, it really looks and
sounds terrific, plus it offer fans a very solid supplemental section. If
you are a Trek fan then the DVD is a must have, and if you are not, this
release is still very highly recommended.
In
my mind STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY ($20) and STAR
TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN are continually vying for the position of
best Trek adventure featuring the original cast. The strength of both
these films emanates from the well-written screenplays of director
Nicholas Meyer, who obviously understood the importance of memorable
villains, which is key to each film’s success. Christopher Plummer’s
General Chang, like Ricardo Montalban’s Khan, are intelligent and
complex villains, whose strong performances are built upon the florid
dialogue that each quotes from great literary works. In addition to the
terrific villains, Meyer’s screenplays have added a great deal of
embellishments to the established Trek characters- thus allowing them to
evolve beyond the constraints of their initial conceptions and enhancing
the mythology of the entire Trek universe.
While
the plot of STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY was designed as
an allegory for the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the film unfolds
more like a political thriller, with a touch of a who-done-it
thrown in for good measure. STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
opens with the destruction of Praxis, a Klingon moon that happens to be
one of the key energy production facilities for the entire empire. Months
pass, when next we learn that an overture has been made towards a peace
treaty between the Klingon Empire and The United Federation of Planets.
Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy), following in the ambassadorial footsteps of
his father, has volunteer Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and the
Enterprise for a diplomatic mission to escort Klingon Chancellor Gorkon
(David Warner) to Earth for peace talks.
Unfortunately,
there is an incident during the voyage back to Earth, in which Gorkon is
assassinated. This leads to the arrest of Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy
(DeForest Kelley), who are quickly whisked off into the heart of the
Klingon Empire to stand trial for the assassination. This leaves Spock and
the crew of the Enterprise to quickly discover the identity of the true
assassins, before Kirk and McCoy meet an unfortunate end, while imprisoned
on the harsh penal asteroid Rura Pente. The cast of STAR TREK VI: THE
UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY also features James Doohan, Walter Koenig,
Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Kim Cattrall, Mark Lenard, Grace Lee
Whitney, Brock Peters, Kurtwood Smith, Rosanna DeSoto, Iman, John Schuck,
Michael Dorn, W. Morgan Sheppard, Christian Slater and Rene Auberjonois.
Paramount
Home Entertainment has made STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
available on DVD in a 2.0:1 wide screen presentation that has been
enhanced for playback on 16:9 displays. It should be noted that STAR
TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY was shot if the Super35 process and
that there were 35mm (2.35:1) and 70mm (2.20:1) release prints of the
film. This presentation would seem to be fairly close to the general look
of the 70mm prints, with a bit more visual information unmasked at the
bottom of the Super35 frame (based upon the position of the burned-in
subtitles that appear on the film elements). Compositionally, the 2.0:1
framing looks very good, with no discernable cropping to the left/right
edges of the frame.
As
for the transfer itself, it is absolutely terrific- easily besting the
previously rehashed Laserdisc master by a very wide margin. The image
appears sharper and better defined than it has in the past, and the
picture holds up exceedingly well in comparison to newer films coming to
DVD. Colors appear quite vibrant and are rendered with excellent
stability, including the warmer, more difficult to reproduce hues.
Additionally, flesh tones come across in a very appealing manner, thus
enhancing Hiro Narita’s very fine looking cinematography. Blacks are
very deep, whites are crisp and the image produces very smooth contrast,
in addition to very good shadow detail. Film grain is fairly minimal- far
less than what I remember seeing in an original 70mm theatrical print.
Additionally, the element used for the transfer is very clean, displaying
only the most minor of blemishes. Digital compression artifacts are always
well concealed.
For
a 1991 film release, STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
features a very good Dolby Digital 5.1 channel soundtrack. Although a few
test prints of STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY were released
in Dolby Digital in 1991, the sound design doesn’t take the same
aggressive advantage of the format that newer films do. Still, this is an
excellent mix from that transitional period, sounding very full-bodied and
completely enveloping. There is plenty of fully integrated surround
activity, which brings all of the acoustical environments to vibrant life-
the sounds on the Enterprise’s bridge are especially well done. The
forward soundstage is broad, plus the evocative score by Cliff Eidelman
has a terrific spatial quality and musical presence. The bass channel is
fairly deep and effective, but not quite so much as newer soundtracks.
Dialogue is very cleanly rendered, with excellent intelligibility. English
and French 2.0 surround tracks are also encoded onto the DVD, as are
English subtitles.
Computer
animation and sound serve to enhance the DVD's very nicely designed
interactive menus. Through the menus, one has access to standard scene
selection and set up features, as well as the fine array of supplements,
which have been spread across both discs of the set. Disc one begins with
a running audio commentary featuring Nicholas Meyer and co-writer Denny
Martin Flinn. This is another excellent commentary track filled with
insight and production detail, making it a must listen for any Trek fan.
Disc one also features a text commentary on a subtitle channel by Michael
and Denise Okuda, authors of The Star Trek Encyclopedia. The
text stream is filled with Trek trivia and other interesting bits of
information, including pointing out differences in this particular cut of the
film.
Moving
on to disc two, we find the main body of the supplemental programming. The
Perils Of Peacemaking is a twenty-six minute program that looks at
the STAR TREK VI story and the real world historic events that
influenced it. The Stories From Star Trek VI section
includes It Started With A Story, Prejudice, Director
Nicholas Meyer, Shakespeare & General Chang, Bringing
It To Life and Farewell & Goodbye. It
Started With A Story runs nine minutes and examines the
development of the screen story. Prejudice is a five-minute
look at that distasteful flaw that exists in sentient beings- even in Gene
Roddenberry’s idealized future. Director Nicholas Meyer
runs six minutes and features cast & crew talking about working with
the director. Shakespeare & General Chang features
Christopher Plummer in a five-minute program, in which he gets to discuss
his delight in playing this particular villain. Bringing It To Life
is a twenty-three minute program that focuses primarily on the film’s
production design and music. Farewell & Goodbye is a
seven-minute look at the last hurrah for the original cast and the final
day of shooting.
Under
the section entitled The Star Trek Universe, one will find Conversations
With Nicholas Meyer, Klingons: Conjuring The Legend,
Federation Operatives, Penny’s Toy Box and Together
Again. Conversations With Nicholas Meyer is a
nine-minute interview in which Meyer discusses moviemaking and his
association with the Trek movie franchise. Klingons: Conjuring The
Legend clocks in at twenty minutes and examines the evolution of
the Federation adversaries, from the days of the original television
series to the present. Federation Operatives runs five
minutes and looks at some of the STAR TREK VI actors, who have
played other roles in the Trek universe. Penny’s Toy Box
is a six-minute look at some of the props from the film. Together
Again features William Shatner and Christopher Plummer in a
five-minute program that allows them to reflect on working together in the
early stages of their careers and again on STAR TREK VI.
Also
included on disc two is DeForest Kelley: A Tribute. This
thirteen-minute program looks back on Kelley’s long acting career and
features interviews with fellow actors and the crewmembers that worked
with him on STAR TREK. All of the program’s participants get to
share their remembrances of the man who brought Dr. Leonard
"Bones" McCoy to such vivid life. Coming from the time of the
film’s theatrical release are the Original Interviews,
each of which are several minutes long and feature cast members William
Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols,
George Takei, Walter Koenig and Iman. Closing out the supplements is a
theatrical teaser, theatrical trailer, a production gallery and a 1991
Convention Presentation by Nicholas Meyer.
As
I stated above, I think that STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
is in a photo finish for the coveted position of being the best Trek movie
featuring the original cast. As for Paramount’s DVD, it really looks and
sounds terrific, plus it offer fans a very solid supplemental section. If
you are a Trek fan then the DVD is a must have, and if you are not, this
release is still very highly recommended.
