Synopsis:

To save the Future, Kirk and the valiant crew of the Enterprise must travel to the Past! Star Trek IV The One With The Whales is a very fun movie. I have often viewed it as "The Trouble With Tribbles" entry in the TOS Movies. A nice blend of humour, character beats and messaging. However, if there is one thing that bugs me about the movie is when smart characters are purposely written dumb just to sell a joke. Whether it is the crew's first bumbling moments on the streets of San Francisco or Chekov's interrogation, I can not help but grimace as our heroes are turned into buffoons. This fan edit intends to mitigate as much of the idiocy as possible while still retaining the fun flavour of the film. Of course not everything can be cut, as some things are just too integrated in the narrative to cleanly removed -- such as Spock's over use of colourful metaphors. There will also be trims/cuts for pacing and the removal of unnecessary repetitive dialogue or unneeded subplots.

Intentions:

I love Star Trek. But I also prefer a more tonally balanced Star Trek. Where the Universe and Characters stay within and maintain a plausible reality. For me, The Voyage Home often crosses the acceptable reality line for me. I want to laugh with my heroes, not at them. So this is my attempt to bring film more in line with the other films in the TOS franchise.

Change List:

-SWAPPED OUT the Main Title music with Leonard Rosenman's Alternate Main Title which features the Alexander Courage theme and a much more ominous set up for the Probe --NEW title card "STAR TREK VOYAGE TO YESTERDAY" --ADDED Ron Jones to the opening credits --CUT Klingon Ambassador scene --ADDED a subtle camera push-in shot of Kirk while Saavik tells him about David's death --CUT Spock apologizing for misplacing his uniform --CUT McCoy line after Spock receiving distress calls --CUT Kirk & McCoy hallway scene where McCoy summarizes the plot for the audience --CUT the psychedelic time travel dream sequence --TRIM landing in the park --CUT Kirk telling the crew to break up, they look like a cadet review --CUT what is exact change? --CUT Uhura & Chekov asking where Almeda is --TRIM Kirk & Spock's bus ride --CUT Dr. Taylor's conversation with supervisor --TRIM Kirk & Taylor running up the stairs to the outside whale pool --BROKE Scotty & McCoy scene into two parts, moved first part up to before Chekov & Uhura find the Enterprise --CUT after Dr. Taylor's line "Do you like Italian?" --CUT Scotty talking to the computer and created a pull out shot for a better transition to Scotty working on the computer --REARRANGED slightly the Ship CIC Cmdr Rogerson scenes so he gives the Intruder order right after Uhura beams out. --ADDED some tension music after Cmder Rogerson gives the Intruder order and while Chekov is trying to contact Scotty --CUT Chekov's interrogation scene --CHANGE rescored Chekov's shipboard chase --TRIM Dr. Taylor's arrival and departure from Cetacean Institue --CUT Dr. Taylor's confrontation with supervisor after Whales are gone --CUT McCoy kidney pills/grew a new kidney --ADDED music to McCoy saving Chekov --CUT the hospital chase --TRIM take off from the park --TRIMS as the Bird of Prey races to save the George & Gracie --TRIM shots of the whalers turning/spinning the helm, since the background is not changing but the wide shot the ship has moved --ADDED a subtle camera push-in shot of Spock after McCoy tells him nobody is perfect. --TRIMS "they are heading towards the bridge" --TRIMS during whale/probe talk

Other Sources:

Music by Ron Jones from the Next Generation episode "The Naked Now".