Star Trek films on DVD

I actually held out on buying Trek DVDs until a couple of years ago when I found nearly all of the special edition DVDs on sale for $5 each at WalMart.

Above: ST:TMP Director's Edition, released in November 2001 and features various changes (improvements!) supervised by director Robert Wise including a new cut and new special FX.

Above: ST:TWOK Director's Edition, which features a few minor tweaks versus the theatrical release and previously-released DVD. Released in August 2002.

Above: ST:TSFS Special Collector's Edition, released in October 2002.

Above: ST:TVH Special Collector's Edition, released in March 2003.

Above: ST:TFF Special Collector's Edition, released in October 2003.

Above: ST:TUC Special Collector's Edition, released in January 2004.

Above: ST:Generations Special Collector's Edition, released in September 2004.

Above: Star Trek: First Contact Special Collector's Edition, released in March 2005.

Above: ST:Insurrection Special Collector's Edition, released in June 2005.

Above: ST:Nemesis. Strangely, I think this was the ONLY Star Trek movie I owned on DVD for several years. This is the original 1-disc release from May 2003.

The Star Trek Encyclopedia

Another 90s purchase was The Star Trek Encyclopedia, compiled by Michael Okuda, Denise Okuda, and Debbie Mirek.

This tome has also been issued in three editions to date; my copy is from the first edition, which was published in April 1994 and covers TOS, 6 seasons of TNG, 1 season of DS9, and the first 6 Trek films. My copy is from the first printing.

ST:TVH Comic Book Adaptation

DC released the comic book adaptation of The Voyage Home, as they had done for the third Trek film.

ST:TVH Poster Magazine

Once again I picked up Starlog's Official Poster Magazine for the latest Star Trek film.

ST:TVH Soundtrack

Leonard Rosenman scored the fourth Trek film. At the time he was already a seasoned veteran with over 30 years of film scoring experience. He had written music for films such as Rebel Without a Cause, two of the Planet of the Apes films, Barry Lyndon (for which he won 1 of his 2 Oscars), and the 1978 animated Lord of the Rings. My collection includes Rosenman's Star Trek IV score on vinyl.

ST:TVH Novelization

Vonda N. McIntyre penned her third straight Star Trek movie novelization with The Voyage Home. It was published in December 1986 and my copy is from the first printing.

ST:TVH Theatrical Release

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was released on the 26th of November 1986. I had started my post-secondary education at the University of Waterloo in September of '86, so if memory serves I saw this one with a few university buddies at a theater in Waterloo. I don't recall if we went opening night, but we may have.


This fourth film was received very well at the tim, with most reviewers and much of the general public enjoying the lighter approach used in the film.



The fourth movie also received a lot of press at the time, due in large part to its success but also due to the fact that its was Star Trek's 20th anniversary and due to the recent announcement of a new TV series, The Next Generation, that would feature a new crew.

Starlog Poster Magazine

I picked up the Winter 1986 issue of the Starlog Poster Magazine. Along with a poster of the Trek triumvirate from Star Trek IV, the issue also had a few interviews with Trek stars. Now, I wonder if that Tom Cruise poster is kicking around my basement somewhere...

Official Fan Club Magazine

I own one issue of the Star Trek The Official Fan Club magazine, issue #52 from late 1986. Among the articles was an update on Star Trek IV given by Leonard Nimoy shortly before its release.

Anticipating The Voyage Home

The third Star Trek film was still in theatres when I first began to hear word on the fourth film in the series. My diary entries end during the Spring of 1985, but before then I did record some of the information I learned about the film:

29June1984: "Yesterday I bought The Best of Trek #7 which reports that work (pre-production, to be sure) has already begun on Star Trek IV."

24August1984: "I picked up the September issue of Starlog today. Also in Starlog is confirmation that Star Trek IV is "on the drawing boards" though writer, director, and producer haven't been made official. Nimoy is a possibility for director, however."

17October1984: "Over the past few weeks...I bought...the November review issue of Starlog. Also in this issue was notice of the fact that Leonard Nimoy will direct the next Star Trek film with Harve Bennett as producer. Though the two will play a big role in the storyline, they will be looking for a Hollywood screenwriter to pen the actual script. Paramount is hoping for a Christmas '85 release though that will likely be pushed back to the Summer of 1986. Still, it is good to know that a new film is on the way."

29January1985: "Today I learned that all of Star Trek IV's contractual problems have been ironed aout. Shatner and Nimoy are slated to star, with the "rest of the cast" along as well. Production is scheduled to begin in Fall '85. If past experience holds true again, the movie should be out the in the Summer of '86. Now I'm waiting for Star Trek II on TV, Star Trek III on video cassette, and Star Trek IV in the theatres."

5February1985: "ST IV has been in the news a lot of late. All reports point to a Fall start in principle photography, with all the cast returning. Specifically, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, Uhura & Chekov. I've not heard anything about the Saavik situation or any new cast members."