menuBarBack
Beam Up News | Join | Your Account
Home
Advanced Search
boxBottom
Opinion Poll
News Story

Features

TrekWeb Launches Internet Campaign to Restore William Shatner's Star Trek V The Final Frontier for New Blu-Ray Release

Features

By GustavoLeao / 10:05, 5 June 2010 / General Star Trek

Star Trek V The Final Frontier remains to many Trek fans the movie franchise's 'disappointing failure'. But as originnally imagined and filmed by director William Shatner, The Final Frontier was to be one of the most visually exciting Trek movies yet. But the unexpected substandard special effects delivered by the FX company 'Bran Ferren And Associates' and a shrinking budget left many of the most exciting and filmed sequences of the movie unrealized and in the cutting room floor. So this is the case of the original filmed ending, abandoned due to the lack of budget and the unconvicing FX.

Originally, after the discovery that the "Sha Ka Ree alien" is not God, Sybok leaps against him, and both of them dissapear within the shaft of light as fire fills the sky. Kirk orders the Enterprise to fire and the torpedo explodes the 'God Altar' creating a huge crater. As Kirk, Spock and McCoy make a run for it, they begin hearing a horrible shrieking sound, that turns to be numerous living rockmen creatures spewing from the torpedo crater (when the final cost of the rockman costume was calculated, the production was limited to a single creature, and when the single creature did not look convincing on film, it was cut from the film completely - see an image of the test footage for the Rockman creature above).

Once the trio are inside the Copernicus shuttlecraft, Spock is unable to take off as the rockmen have arrived and torn apart the thruster units. Cut to the Enterprise, as Mr. Scotty beams Spock and McCoy on board, but when he activates the transporter for Kirk, he beams aboard a rockman who has grabbed the captain's communicator. Freaking, Scotty pick ups a hand phaser and destroys the creature, but by doing so, he also accidentally destroys the transporter console - there is no way to bring Kirk up. (When the Rockman was cut from the movie, this scene was later re-shot and re-edit in post production to include the attack of the klingons on the Enterprise and the destruction of the transporter by a photon torperdo. Also, the destruction of the shuttle by the rockman and Kirk fight with him was replaced by a badly edited scene of Kirk running from the 'God-head' beams).

Back on the planet, Kirk is being pursued by the rockmen. He fleeclimbs a small mountain and reaches the top. Armed with a hand phaser, he shoots at many creatures as he can, but their number are legion and the phaser fire only makes them hotter and smoking.

Then, the Bird-of-Prey decloacks, the machine gun phaser weapon lowers into frame and fires multiple shots at the rockman and blows it apart. Kirk stares at the ship and begins firing the hand phasers at the vessel, but is transported aboard. The rest of the film plays out as did in the final version, but this was certainly a more exciting finale to such an intense build-up.

"I look at Star Trek V with mixed emotions" screenwriter David Loughery told journalist Edward Gross in 1990. "The FX turned to out to be very disappointing, and this was a movie that we really needed them to put us over the top story-wise. Especially at the climax with the horde of rock gargolyes. You don't ever like to say that because you don't want to think that a movie is dependent on special FX. Certainly, Star Trek is the kind of thing where the FX play less of a role than the characters and the story, but I think that the story we were telling this time, at least at the movie's end, very much needed unique and convincing special FX to make those story points work. Those FX don't quite deliver, and in some cases, it looked a little shoddy and ludicrous".

So, though the 'God Altar' set was constructed as planned, the visual effects that were to take place whitin it to pay off much of what had been set up in the script remained unrealized, due to Bran Ferren's flawed special effects.

With the sucess of Special Editions on DVD and the popularity of the format, plus the success of the reworking and upgrading the FX for the Star Trek The Motion Picture Director's Edition DVD and the TOS remastered episodes, we at TrekWeb think it's time for Paramount and William Shatner to revisit Star Trek V The Final Frontier and restore many of the film's lost sequences with the use of state-of-the-art CGI effects (which can not only create the legion of rock gargolyes and the fire on Sha Ka Ree's sky, but correct the poorly lit and matted FX sequences, especially Kirk's fall from El Capitan and the Enterprise warp effect and battle scenes) thus giving the troubled production the rewarding place its deserves in the Trek franchise.

To achieve our goal, TrekWeb is launching a Internet campaign to make Paramount and CBS aware of the fan base desire to see a remastered and restored version of Star Trek V on DVD and Blu-Ray, a Director's Edition similar to Robert Wise's re-cut of Star TreK The Motion Picture and Richard Donner's version of Superman II, two projects brought to life due to internet campaigns.

So, if you are interested in seeing a remastered and restored version of Star Trek V The Final Frontier, you can write and call

CBS - 7800 Beverly Blvd. - Los Angeles, California, - U.S.A., 90036 (Phone 213-852-2345)...or... 51 West 52nd Street, - New York, N.Y. 10019 - E-Mail...audsvcs@cbs.com

Paramount Pictures Corporation - 5555 Melrose Ave. - Los Angeles, California, - U.S.A., 90038

We are in the process of contacting Mr Shatner for his approval and support of the campaign.We need your help to make this project possible. Please write to the studio and spread the word about the campaign.

Any questions and concerns, please email me at gl2000@uol.com.br

Stay tuned for further reports on the campaign.



More Top StoriesComments
May 25Roberto Orci on Star Trek XIII and His Love for the Franchise - Part 2
2
May 25Moviefone Reunites Editors from Various Star Trek Websites to Discuss Star Trek XIII, Including TrekWeb's Gustavo Leao
2
May 25Roberto Orci on Spock/Uhura Romance and Developing the New Villain of Star Trek Into Darkness -Part 12
May 259-Page Preview for Star Trek After Darkness Issue 1 Comic Book0
May 24Star Trek Into Darkness Blu-Ray German and UK Box Art0
Story Archives...Browse:   

Talkback

28 comments Post New | Help
View:

I'm in | Report this post to moderator
By: 8of5 (Odo's file, contact) @ 00:12:02 on Jun 08, 2010

Got my support. I agree with another commenter that suggested a facebook grup might help. And just to note, when I tired the email address doesn't seem to work.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
CBS Email Updated by GustavoLeao @ 02:49:20 on Jun 08

I'm in | Report this post to moderator
By: 8of5 (Odo's file, contact) @ 00:11:55 on Jun 08, 2010

Got my support. I agree with another commenter that suggested a facebook grup might help. And just to note, when I tired the email address doesn't seem to work.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote

Yes | Report this post to moderator
By: Kirk Unit (Odo's file, contact) @ 19:19:29 on Jun 07, 2010

I'd buy that DVD for $20.

--------

"I would be happy for Star Trek to come along decades later with a new group of minds. I'd love someone to say, 'Besides this one, Gene Roddenberry's was nothing!'" - Gene Roddenberry



"...I think it would be wonderful years from now to see Star Trek come back with an equally talented new cast playing Spock and Kirk and Bones and Scotty and all the rest, as they say tomorrow's things to tomorrow's generations..." - Gene Roddenberry


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote

Excellent Plan | Report this post to moderator
By: zak (Odo's file, contact) @ 06:33:54 on Jun 07, 2010

An excellent idea and plan. I hope this succeeds and I'll definitely plan to write and support. Having that film restored as it should be would be incredible.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote

If you want it, it's worth it! | Report this post to moderator
By: Ek Balam (Odo's file, contact) @ 13:25:36 on Jun 06, 2010

Gustavo, I haven't posted to Trekweb in a number of years. You sir, have brought me back. I'm all on board with this campaign and will spread the word on other message boards that I frequent.

This is an terrific thing and I truly hope it succeeds. I would suggest perhaps posting a template letter that someone can print, sign, and mail in. Probably one thing that will keep most from doing it is just finding the time. If the letter is already done for them, they may just do it...even the naysayers may get involved.

--------

"That's the thing about faith. If you don't have it you can't understand it. And if you do, no explanation is necessary." -Kira Nerys


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: If you want it, it's worth it! by RobertB @ 18:57:44 on Jun 07
Thank you so much, everybody by GustavoLeao @ 14:11:36 on Jun 06
    RE: Thank you so much, everybody by Spaceball One @ 17:50:09 on Jun 06

Not worth it | Report this post to moderator
By: TrippingOverGod (Odo's file, contact) @ 13:03:35 on Jun 06, 2010

Its not just the awful effects that make this a bad movie, its just an awful story with an awful script, full of cringe-worthy scenes. It's just a pathetic excuse for a film, especially coming off the back of Voyage Home.

If anything they should never release it again and pretend it never happened, renumbering all the films so that the latest Star Trek is actually the 10th. Final Frontier can be like a bonus feature on a supplementary disc with a commentary track that's just everyone involved in giving this abortion of a film a release instead of just shit-canning it from the off saying "I'm sorry" over and over again.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote

ain't gonna happen | Report this post to moderator
By: Cylykon (Odo's file, contact) @ 01:20:46 on Jun 06, 2010

the cretinous chimps at paramount are extraordinarily cheap bastards. they gotta figure that such a project would be throwing good money after bad and that they would never recoup what it would cost to fix it.

that's also why we'll never have remastered hd tng or ds9... because the cheap bastards did the fx on tape instead of film.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote

Well | Report this post to moderator
By: Bean (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 20:28:01 on Jun 05, 2010

If I thought it had any chance of succeeding, I'd be ALL OVER THIS. But the fact of the matter is that Viacom has no interest, nor any real need to invest money in this project.

The movie sells on DVD for the simple fact that fans want to own the entire collection.

Buffing it up and redoing the effects is sure to get some return, but not enough to justify the expense.

With all that being said, good on you for trying Gustavo.

--------

"The idea of doing an impression of William Shatner… it would have no shot at succeeding. The character is Jim Kirk, not William Shatner." - Chris Pine


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote

ST TMP needs to be first | Report this post to moderator
By: BrainAndBrainWhatIsBrain (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 16:52:32 on Jun 05, 2010

The Robert Wise Directors Edition of The Motion Picture needs to be completed for Blu-Ray and HD first. This shouldn't be hard- since it was done so recently and all digitally, the workflows should just need to be rerun in HD - the same way that they very quickly and cheaply turned ToyStory 1 and 2 in to 3d and HD.

ST5 needs more work than just the pure CGI. I disagree that you need excellent effects to get the movie to work, you need adequate effects that don't remove all believability from the story. The turbolift rocket boots sequence should be reworked, as should the cliff fall - and then the rockmen need to come back in.

--------

Image


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote

Yeah why not | Report this post to moderator
By: VoR (Odo's file, contact) @ 13:05:13 on Jun 05, 2010

But it's not just the ending that needs the new effects. All of the visual effects in the film are pretty much crap. It would be nice to see Shatner's vision realized finally...

Trek V does feel like a real film that was mismanaged and robbed, in contrast to the TNG films that never really felt like theater-worthy events. If Donner was able to get another crack at Superman II, I say let Shatner fix Final Frontier.

--------

Flavius: What do you call those?

Spock: I call them ears.

Flavius: Are you trying to be funny?

Spock: Never.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: Yeah why not by Muldfeld @ 00:32:56 on Jun 06
RE: Yeah why not by GustavoLeao @ 13:30:06 on Jun 05
    Donner's Superman II by VoR @ 14:16:56 on Jun 05
       RE: Donner's Superman II by Spaceball One @ 14:39:18 on Jun 05
          RE: Donner's Superman II by VoR @ 19:44:05 on Jun 05
       RE: Donner's Superman II by GustavoLeao @ 14:26:30 on Jun 05
          RE: Donner's Superman II by VoR @ 19:44:52 on Jun 05

My support | Report this post to moderator
By: GreginWA (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 13:04:05 on Jun 05, 2010

You've got my vote on this! Any time to see the original cast given some due attention is time well spent!


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: My support by GustavoLeao @ 14:21:54 on Jun 05
    RE: My support by NCC-1701 @ 14:48:37 on Jun 05

Expecting the worst... | Report this post to moderator
By: Spaceball One (Odo's file, contact) @ 11:29:43 on Jun 05, 2010

I would love to see this film get a more proper "remastered" director's cut, but I expect it's one of those things that's just going to remain a "what if" for us fanboys.

--------

"You're clearly delusional when it comes to Abrams."- StillKirok, failing to grasp the concept of irony.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
RE: Expecting the worst... by NCC-1701 @ 12:13:32 on Jun 05
RE: Expecting the worst... by GustavoLeao @ 11:44:20 on Jun 05

Yip | Report this post to moderator
By: NCC-1701 (Odo's file, contact) @ 10:50:09 on Jun 05, 2010

Just do it. Drop in the ocean for Viacom.


Reply
Reply
Quote
Quote
Promenade










TrekWeb Merchants
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.ca
Amazon.de
Barnes & Noble

Get Firefox!
Privacy Policy | About Us | Legal Notice | Contact Us |
This website is not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with CBS Studios Inc. or the "Star Trek" franchise.
The STAR TREK trademarks and logos are owned by CBS Studios Inc.
© 1996-2012 TrekWeb.com and Steve Krutzler. All rights reserved.