Star Trek: The Motion Picture • Original vs Director's Edition • Comparison 

The added effects are nice, but i like the look and color grading of the 1979 version a lot better.

My goodness, those Enterprise refit model shots! That’s the closest thing to being in the room with the model! 😍

Watched the new version at the theater the other night and absolutely loved it. So glad to finally see STTMP on the big screen.

Saw director's cut in theater with 11 year old son. We both liked it. It's a good movie.

I enjoyed watching the original version, but I think this is the one instance where the "special edition" treatment was actually necessary in order to complete the film. In the documentary, they explained that their philosophy for the project was to only do what could have been done in 1979, and that is why the new material doesn't really look too out of place. They also simply focused on completing the shots that had already been planned. They didn't add any kind of new goofiness or switch dialogue around (throwing shade at Uncle George there).

Saw the new Directors cut a few years ago at the cinema. Loved to added effects & extra scenes. To finally have a clear picture of the ship V’ger was built around was satisfying AF after all these years.

I don't see how this is much of an improvement.

_This_ is how you add things. You do not make them look so different they do not belong, you add what _belongs_ visually and clean up what NEEDED to be cleaned up.

I like the color and sharpness of the old 79 version more especially the interior scenes but the FX shots of V'ger and added exterior shots are a great improvement.

God I hope they let William Shatner do a DC of 5 with as much CGI as he wants before he leaves. They owe it to the universe.

One of the best sci-films that has aged very well. Several different themes of meaning reverie from Roddenberry and crew...

Just got the complete adventure set watching the 4K director's version now the updated effects are great! Jerry Goldsmith's fantastic score sounds even better too!

I like that a lot of the VFX shots have been modified to improve context and continuity. Showing something approaching the ship from the outside instead of just a glowing ball on the viewscreen getting brighter, for example.

The 1979 cut certainly looks lighter and has a sharper image.

I knew Robert Wise was unhappy with the initial release because it was so rushed. I'm glad he got to re-release it, but it's also important to preserve the original release as well. If you can't see the theatrical release, you really can't experience what it was like to see initially.

I liked it better when you never got a clear view of what V'Ger actually looked like. Made it seem more otherworldly. Now it just looks like yet another ship, just really big..

Why did they have to mess around with the color grading? The 1979 remastered print looks light years better than the updated 2022 clips. All except for the VFX.

Some of the 1979 footage looks a lot better than the 2022 version.

If they'd just left the original red alert alarm sound in the new 4K Directors cut it would have been so much better. The revised alarm sound for the Directors Cut of the film just drains so much of the tension away.

Beautiful work. But because I'm a Trekkie... gotta say; third CGI stab at this and we still haven't fixed the fact the exterior air-tram hanger in no way matches its interior, gang? I mean, c'mon, team; AND especially with the added cut-out in the top right-corner! 😈🖖

Oh movie refit Enterprise, how much do I love thee?

The Airtram passing the Golden Gate Bridge is an obvious huge improvement on the original, and so is the matte painting behind the lobby at Starfleet headquarters. But the actual Airtram landing looks better in the original. The Director’s edition actually looks more fake and completely CGI.

I'm just glad they made the saucer less bulbous in the 2022 version, and it looks even worse when it's side by side with the new version. The newer one looks like the Enterprise.

Saw this on Paramount plus. Was fun to see the new stuff.

Seriously?? In 90% of these scenes, the new version looks darker and has less definition…

There are several lines of dialog and scenes that were added added, especially when Kirk first boards Enterprise. The original edition was notorious for its Spartan dialog. These few lines/scenes really deepen the story and character development.

They just keep doing everything they can to try and make this movie better

It seems like the 1979 version is sharper.

Like so many things, they're so busy trying to "fix" it they also I think damage it. I actually think Chekov saying "we're out of it" is a good way to put a bow on that moment, though I do agree with cutting out some of the bouncing after the wormhole is destroyed. Some of the new exterior shots are nice, though I can't help thinking that the "newness" of them take away from the sense of awe or "oh crap" the original offered. Like the orbs around Earth... it's just not as impressive somehow. I'm not sure why.

All violet blueish colors gone to cian tones... Wicky... And the V'Ger "road" looks better in the original.

Honestly the 2011 Directors Edition on DVD is the best version of this movie. The 2022 version is a close second place.

I just saw the 2022 version at the theater and I must say I was disappointed at the lack of clarity in many of the shots. After reading about all the work they did to the film, especially on exterior shots of the Enterprise, I expected it to be 4K sharp. When Scotty takes Kirk up to the Enterprise in the beginning and they work their way around to the front of the ship, I really expected it to look like new, but the whole scene was actually kind of fuzzy. Oh well.

As a kid, in the theater I recall the film being lighter as in the '79 footage. But I still want every bit of footage possible. Plus there are scenes in the novel not in the movie.

2:03 Hooray! I get it they had certain limitations during the original production. But I was often puzzled to how the Enterprise suddenly goes from flying horizontally past the V'Ger craft from above to suddenly descended and facing the front section of the V'Ger craft in about 5 seconds. Even in the 2001 release of the Director's Edition, which still used the old shot.

This newly enhanced CGI is this 2022 version is amazing! To be honest, I was a bit weirded out when I was this scene on 3:57. The original looks a bit weird that the whole patterns surrounded the whole starship, so I'm glad that changed that in the newer version. It's slick!

Weird how the two versions alternate at being better.

Some of the changes are really.. strange.. I am glad they are offering the original cut, so we can have both.

I saw it in the theater when it first came out. I seem to recall there were some deleted scenes, with mr Spock, that were cut out of the original theatrical release; but were added back in subsequent video release. These deleted scenes added to the theme of the story. Added to Mr Spock’s development. And made it a better story.

4:30 I like how the stone bridge really looks matted-in during this sequence. Some of the new shots are too CGI-looking, but this really feels like a shot that could have been done in the 70s. The extra sparkles when V'Ger evolved also looked very period-appropriate.

Why is there high contast in the remastered?? the shadows seem more crushed. i'm a film colourist so am sensative to these things. Also there is a lot of hue changes which in places dont look right.

Huge thanks for this! The special effects are way better in the 2022 edition, however, the actual scenes of people on the bridge are horrible. Blurry, all pink and all the whites dull and just overall terrible. What the hell did they do to F it up like that?

I'm gonna be the controversial one here and say the new effects look really solid. Seems like they really made an attempt to do something that'd hold up under 4K HDR scrutiny but that was faithful to the original art direction and style.

4:03 If there's one objective improvement, it has to be this shot of the Enterprise saucer.

In my opinion the best part of the director’s cut is the audio.

Wow the 2022 version stepped it up even more since the last Director’s cut!

I feel like a better comparison would be the 2022 4K vs the 2001 Special Edition, just because in several cases, we’re seeing updated CGI enhancements of that Doecial Editiom, but comparing vs completely different shots from the theatrical cut.

Funny how both versions have their turn of looking better than the other

Excellent comparison, thank you very much for putting this together for everyone! :)

Why does the 1979 version have more clips and scenes that look more VIBRANT ?

1979 version for me... seems more "real" and moody. I generally think CGI ruins the authenticity of a movie though, so not surprised. Same with Star Wars.. I can't even watch the "remasterd" and newer movies (for the most part).

Just watched SLV ( with original effects ) on Bluray, for me that's the ultimate version 👌💯👌

I remenber Paramount Home Entertainment released VHS version with other scenes like, Kirk leaving Enterprise to rescue Spok. I supost Paramount lost this version along time ago...

I remember seeing this as a young teen when it came out, and I remember thinking there was a real lack of joy or levity, or whimsical moments. There wasn't any real comradery between the crew that I recall. It was like the characters had no personality anymore and they'd forgotten what made the show so much fun in the first place. Where's the light hearted moments, the teamwork the whimsical music. Can a directors cut give the movie all those things? I doubt it.

Am ambivalent about the colour grading they did. In some shots, Kirk,s shirt is bright white while in 1979, it isn't while in others, the 2022 version puts a blue ting on hiw shirt while the original was white. Trying t colour uniforms changes the original movie instead of more faithfully reproducing what the camera saw in 1979.

I wish they'd make up their bloody minds about colour grading. The original Trek from what I observe has generally had a pretty neutral palette so maybe that's the best choice (at least on the bridge of course). From what I can see here, but perhaps it's a problem of HDR convertion back to SDR on YT, it looks rather cold.

The color white is much more vibrant in the 1979 version.

I really don't like that they made the bridge sound like the Star Trek V/VI bridge. they are completely different and have different feels.

2:03 Enterprise goes drifting in the 2022 version.

The only change I firmly believed had to be made was fixing the birthday cake enterprise when they were starting to walk to V'Ger. How that got through is anyone's guess.

So from 0:23 to 0:27 Starfleet Headquarters changes location from the Presidio to Fort Point in between shots. The original also has better colour grading in the next scene of the landing bay and the pillars do not look as computer cartoonish.

Some of the weaker effects in the original (like the weirdly shaped saucer when they exit the ship) are definite improvements, while other "enhancements" were obviously rushed, sloppy and haphazard -- witness the appearance of people out of thin air at Starfleet HQ in the bottom left corner. But most disappointing of all to me is the darker, washed out filter they applied to the interior shots. It looks significantly worse than the original -- so much so that if one was shown only the interior shots I'd think the original was the remastered version.

For the most part, I like the original more

You forgot the improved scenes from Vulcan

Really enjoy the original effects more on this one Not enough remastering too amy creative decisions changed in the remaster

I remember a TOS shuttle on the upper right at Starfleet HQ in an earlier edition. It looks like they moved it behind a newer shuttle?

The shot, when V´ger fires the weapon, towards earth, looks much better in the original. And when they leave the Enterprice, it looks much worse now. I owned the old Director's Edition on DVD, and some of the new effects, blended better together (probably due to the much lower resolution), compared to this new version. They should have spent more time on this one. Some things looks pretty good, but others look like the work of amateurs. Sadly, this was probably the last chance, to create this version...

They also changed the transporter accident scene, I heard.

Actors skin tone and uniforms are better in the original. Also, the new version looks overall kinda dark.

This is the only Star Trek movie I haven't seen...and I have Paramount Plus. Gotta check this out finally.

Some of the changes as we get further on are terrible. It feels like I'm watching Star Wars Special Editions.

They George Lucased it 😱

Why is it that the original seemed better than the new Director's Cut??? Well, I'm glad I purchased the theatrical version...

I just pre-ordered ''THE COMPLETE ADVENTURE'' box set that has all 3 versions of the film. The Theatrical cut, TV cut and Director's Edition cut. In my opinion, the TV cut is the best because it gave more storytelling to the film. But i''ll always like the theatrical cut cause just like ''STAR WARS part 4'', it is the version people got used to more.

The '79 version has better color correction.

I preferred the Theatrical Version more depth effects weren’t overdone and the cuts were poor in parts the Transporter malfunction edit was poorly timed and a few others

One question: What are the differences between this director's editiona dnthe director's edition from 2001?

I wish they would have made Kirk and co a lot smaller as they were walking over the bow, on the outside of the Enterprises hull. The front of the ship looks like it has 7 decks, yet the away team look like they are the height of 3 decks, which in turn makes the Enterprise look tiny.

Nice video! But would want to see the improved (I hope) effects concerning the early ships that are "deleted" by V'ger.

You forgot the new Vulcan scenes and the first attack on the Enterprise.

1:57 - Wait... why does the Enterprise turn like that now? 8I

I remember years ago seeing it on tv. It had more the feel of a tv production and there were no audio or video effects on the bridge during the wormhole scene. Strange

Viewer off...VIEWER OFF!

Sometimes I have to look at which one is the new version as the director's edition seems to be off color grading wise.

Great vid. I understand there's now a better resolution for the Klingon cruiser early on in the film, but that's left out of this video?

This is totally wrong, the new version is much sharper. Here is looks all out f focus compared to the original, when in fact it's the other way around.

missed the Vulcan scene?

Great video thanks!

Thank you!!!

Sure. You can fix anything with CGI. But, CGI was in it's infancy in 1979. What we saw was hours of work by prop specialists. Very real detailed models painstakingly constructed by experts in the business. And the models had to conform to the standards of film making. Colors, finishes, size, lighting and so many other considerations. I'll just bet you that, with the software available today, a 14-year-old with a laptop could create dazzling visuals for this film. And when these upgrades become old in another 40 years, will they be upgraded again? Or will the film be forgotten even after all of the effort put into remastering it?

Now that I see the differences... I'm glad I have a copy of the original release on dvd. I don't like what they did really. Doesn't match with the original film hardly at all. lol. (Though the sort of explosion at the end kinda looked alright.)

Outside the ship stuff? Fantastic. But what's with the sharpness on all the actors faces being reduced? The compression/something's smushing all the detail out of the picture. Not sure about ALL the colour changes either, the engine room change looks better, but everywhere else it seems un-needed.

In a lot of these scenes 1979 looks a lot better. The new SFX are jarring in most cases and look too CGI.

So does the new, remastered theatrical cut retain the colors of the original release? I find that with a lot of these new 4k editions, they alter the colors far too much, leaving the film looking and feeling nothing like it did originally. There are now basically three options, the old blu-ray from I believe 2009, then a remastered in 4k theatrical cut from a year or two ago, and now this new director's cut, which I have no interest in, I just want the theatrical version, in as faithful a form as I can find it. I would also like the longer television version that was included with the limited edition box set, but it seems like Paramount decided to screw us here in the US, it was only released overseas as a normal blu-ray included with the set, so if you live here, and you're not set up for 4k yet, then you're out of luck being able to watch this version, and you're also out of luck if you try to get one from overseas now, even though they're region free, they're out of print now and scalpers are charging absurd prices as usual.

I don't really know what all The Complaints are about if you don't like the director's cut. Just get you a 1979 dvd 2 watch. For me, I like any digital enhancement of an older movie. Like the remastering of TOS.

Loved it. Cant wait gor 4k Bluray

I failed to mention that ''THE DIRECTOR'S EDITION'' has an ISOLATED SCORE feature.

I've just seen this in nanoseconds and the 1979ish version is exactly how I remember the film. The 22 version causes our brains to go into recording mode instead of looking mode. We know there different things added and changed.

I think they changed the red alert klaxon too, right? I prefer the old but probably because of nostalgia

The original version is so much better! I feel the 2022 version makes of V’ger feel smaller and less unfathomably inconceivable like I felt by the original V’ger.

técnicas de HDR e novas perspectivas de visão de câmera da outra vida ao clássico filme de Star Trek, nota 10 !