Easily the most sci-fi and largest in scope of the 13 big-screen voyages of various starships Enterprise, Star Trek: The Motion Picture was born over the course of the decade between the 1969 cancellation of The Oriiginal Series and its release, and is the direct result of the fans' passions that kept the concept alive.
Flash forward 43 years (a time span that boggles the mind of anyone who was there for its original release), and the late Robert Wise's director's edition has been brought to his most pristine state. Comments producer David C. Fein, "I couldn't be prouder and more thrilled to have completed the film in 4K. Paramount offered unprecedented access to the original elements and excedptional support, and the results are stunning. Utilizing the latest discoveries and innovations of modern film production, The Director's Edition delivers so much more today than was previously possible. It's an adventure you'll never forget."
Meticulously assembled and restored by Fein with preservationist Mike Matessino, both of whom originally collaborated with Wise, the film has been prepared for presentation in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision™ high dynamic range (HDR) and a new powerful and immersive Dolby Atmos® soundtrack. Fein and Matessino assembled a team of special effects experts, led by returning visual effects supervisor Daren Dochterman, and utilized the extensive resources in the Paramount Archives to recreate the effects not just in HD, but in Ultra HD. After more than six months of painstaking work, the updated movie looks and sounds better than ever while staying true to Wise’s original intention.
Here's the official synopsis of the film: "The U.S.S. Enterprise boldly debuted on the big screen with the cast of the original Star Trek series, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and James Doohan. Meticulously restored and remastered, with enhanced visual effects and state-of-the-art sound, this definitive vision of director Robert Wise has been optimized for a new generation of fans. When an unidentified alien intruder destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Admiral James T. Kirk (Shatner) returns to the helm of a newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command and confront an alien spacecraft of enormous power heading toward Earth."
Look for Star Trek: The Motion Picture — The Director's Edition to reach the big screen as part of Fathom Events on May 22 and May 25, with tickets going on sale April 8.