Synopsis:

When Star Trek The Motion Picture debuted in 1979, what we were seeing was the re-envisioned pilot episode of a T.V. series named Star Trek Phase II. A brief footnote in Star Trek history, the series was cancelled with only 2 weeks to go to the start of production. Following the unprecedented success of Star Wars, Paramount then developed the pilot story, “In Thy Image”, into what we now know as Star trek The Motion Picture. Presented here as a Fanedit, Star Trek The Motion Picture has been re-edited into the style of a two-part Star Trek episode. A look at what “In Thy Image” might have looked like had it been made.

Intentions:

When Star Trek The Motion Picture debuted in 1979, what we were seeing was the re-envisioned pilot episode of a T.V. series named Star Trek Phase II. A brief footnote in Star Trek history, the series was cancelled with only 2 weeks to go to the start of production. Following the unprecedented success of Star Wars, Paramount then developed the pilot story, “In Thy Image”, into what we now know as Star trek The Motion Picture. Presented here as a Fanedit, Star Trek The Motion Picture has been re-edited into the style of a two-part Star Trek episode. A look at what “In Thy Image” might have looked like had it been made.

Change List:

- Added: An introduction to Star Trek Phase II, and Star Trek style titles & end credits” specially created for this edit. - Added: 1970's style Paramount/Gulf & Western logo. - Cut: Star Trek The Motion Picture’s opening titles ... as previously mentioned, these have been replaced with new opening titles more in keeping with a Star Trek TV episode. - Moved: The Klingon/V’Ger & Epsilon Station scenes now become the traditional Star Trek pre-title teaser. - Cut: The meeting between Kirk and Sonak at Starfleet Headquarters ... This is a lovely sequence, and a good first look at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco. But it was necessary to cut this scene, not only to help cut time, but It was necessary to cut the character of Sonak out of the movie all together (see below). - Moved: Kirk arriving on the orbiting office complex, and his subsequent inspection of the Enterprise. - Cut: The chaos on the bridge as Kirk arrives on the turbolift ... I never felt this was right. These are professional Starfleet crewmembers, they shouldn’t be shouting and in a state of uproar. - Moved: Spock on Vulcan. - Cut: The transporter accident ... Again, I never felt this was right for Star Trek, it is quite gruesome and I don’t feel it belongs. It is because I had decided to cut this, that it was necessary to cut Sonak out of the movie as this accident involves him. - Cut: Ilia’s miraculous healing of Chekov’s injury ... it was never explained why Ilia could do this, and I always thought it looked a bit odd, and so it was cut for timing purposes. - Cut: Approximately half of the V’Ger cloud flythrough ... for timing purposes. - Cut: Approximately half the V’Ger spacecraft flyover ... for timing purposes. - Cut: Some bridge scenes and exterior shots just after the Enterprise has been pulled inside the V’Ger spacecraft ... for timing purposes. - Cut: The Enterprise recreation room scene with Decker and the 'Ilia' probe ... for timing purposes. - Moved: Spock sneaking into the airlock room and neck pinching the crew member there. - Moved: Ilia’s quarters scene. - Cut: Star Trek The Motion Picture’s end credits (including the “and the human adventure is just beginning” caption) ... as previously mentioned, these have been replaced with new end credits more in keeping with a Star Trek TV episode. - Numerous other small cuts and edits for pacing and timing purposes. It would be interesting to point out here that I had also planned on cutting out all the bitterness and rivalry between Kirk and Decker. This didn’t work out because I found that after I had tried to cut the first scene between them in engineering (the argument between them when Decker finds out that Kirk is taking command), there was no suitable following scene that introduced Decker in the right way. Also had this cut been made, Ilia’s wonderment at Decker only being first officer doesn’t appear to make much sense.

Additional Notes:

-

Other Sources:

Special Thanks: