STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN [1982 / 2016] [Limited Edition 50th Anniversary SteelBook] [Blu-ray] [UK Release] At the End of the Universe, Lies the Beginning of Vengeance! Revenge is a Dish that is Best Served Cold!
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the first broadcast of a STAR TREK episode in 1966, this SteelBook features art based on the original theatrical poster, plus commemorative 50th Anniversary logo. One of the most celebrated and essential chapters in STAR TREK lore, ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ is now presented in this spectacular Director’s Cut from legendary filmmaker Nicholas Meyer. On routine training manoeuvres, Admiral James T. Kirk seems resigned that this may be the last space mission of his career. But Khan is back, with a vengeance. Aided by his exiled band of genetic supermen, Khan [Ricardo Montalban] brilliant renegade of 20th century Earth and has raided Space Station Regula One, stolen a top secret device called “Project Genesis” in order to wrested control of another Federation Starship, and now schemes to set a most deadly trap for his old enemy Admiral James T. Kirk . . . with the threat of a universal Armageddon!
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1983 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: Win: Saturn Award for Best Actor for William Shatner. Win: Saturn Award for Best Director for Nicholas Meyer. Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film. Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for Walter Koenig. Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for Kirstie Alley. Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Writing for Jack B. Sowards. Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Costumes for Robert Fletcher. Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Make-Up for James Lee McCoy and Werner Keppler. 1983 Hugo Awards: Nominated: Best Dramatic Presentation for Harve Bennett (story), Jack B. Sowards (story/screenplay), Nicholas Meyer (screenplay/director) and Samuel A. Peeples (story). 2010 International Film Music Critics Award: Nominated: Best New Release or Re-Release of an Existing Score for James Horner (music) and Lukas Kendall (album producer).
FILM FACT No.2: Leonard Nimoy’s “Live Long and Prosper” hand gesture came from the actor’s Jewish background. As a child, he saw Jewish holy men use the gestures during a religious ceremony.
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Bibi Besch, Merritt Butrick, Paul Winfield, Kirstie Alley, Ricardo Montalban, Ike Eisenmann, John Vargas, John Winston, Paul Kent, Nicholas Guest, Russell Takaki, Kevin Rodney Sullivan, Joel Marston, Teresa E. Victor, Dianne Harper, David Ruprecht, Marcy Vosburgh, Laura Banks (uncredited), Steve Bond (uncredited), Brett Baxter Clark (uncredited), Tim Culbertson (uncredited), John Gibson (uncredited), James Horner (uncredited), Dennis Landry (uncredited), Cristian Letelier (uncredited), Jeff McBride (uncredited), Roger Menache (uncredited), Nanci Rogers (uncredited), Judson Scott (uncredited), Deney Terrio (uncredited) and Philip Weyland (uncredited)
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Producers: Harve Bennett, Robert Sallin and William F. Phillips
Screenplay: Gene Roddenberry (television series STAR TREK), Harve Bennett (story), Jack B. Sowards (story/screenplay), Nicholas Meyer (screenplay) (uncredited) and Samuel A. Peeples (story) (uncredited)
Composer: James Horner
Cinematography: Gayne Rescher, A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (Panavision)
Audio: English: 7.1 Dolby TrueHD
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
French: 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Spanish: 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Português: 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Português
Running Time: 116 minutes and 113 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Paramount Pictures UK
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: As its title suggests, ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ has a much stronger plot than its predecessor Sci-Fi film. That helps, but it's not the only improvement. This film also has the gamesmanship that the first one lacked, a quality that helped win the STAR TREK television series and its amazingly devoted Trekkie fans. Maybe it's just that there are more and brighter blinking lights on the control panels of the Starship U.S.S. Enterprise this time, or that the costumes are so much cleverer, or that the special effects are so good they don't call undue attention to themselves. Perhaps it's the directorial switch from director Robert Wise with the first STAR TREK film to the brilliant director Nicholas Meyer has brought the material more pep and a breath of fresh air. In any case, this time something has mostly assuredly got it right, but despite this I still loved the first STAR TREK film.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” reads Admiral James T. Kirk [William Shatner] from the book “A Tale of Two Cities” that Spock [Leonard Nimoy] gives as a birthday gift. How appropriate that Dr. McCoy [DeForest Kelley] gives Admiral James T. Kirk a pair of antique reading glasses. Both gifts sends Admiral James T. Kirk into a ruminative state, forcing him to consider his life, his age and impending death, and how he wants to continue go on living. Fortunately, ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN,’ which as we all know is widely regarded as the best of the entire STAR TREK film franchise, allows Admiral James T. Kirk to work out his existential crisis. This thoughtful and exciting picture from 1982 happily revitalises the STAR TREK spirit established originally by Gene Roddenberry’s pivotal science fiction television series, emphasizing the undertone space-buccaneer themes to create a full-fledged swashbuckler in the stars. Incorporating adventure and humour, and stressing the character dynamics that would accompany future films, for loyalists of the Starship U.S.S. Enterprise’s original crew, this sequel is the bible against which all other STAR TREK films would be judged by.
It is the 23rd century and Admiral James T. Kirk is feeling old; the prospect of accompanying his old ship the Starship U.S.S. Enterprise, which is now a Starfleet Academy training ship on a two-week cadet cruise, is not making him feel any younger. But the training cruise becomes a deadly serious mission when Khan appears after years of exile and holding the power of creation itself...
It’s an idea touched on many times during the film’s first act, as Admiral James T. Kirk oversees a training simulation gone awry and then hands the captain’s chair to Lieutenant Saavik, a Vulcan who is expected guide the Starship U.S.S. Enterprise through a three-week training voyage with her new crew. Admiral James T. Kirk is accompanied by Spock, Dr. McCoy, Uhura, Scotty, and Sulu, and when his old nemesis Khan makes his entrance, Admiral James T. Kirk is forced to assume command of the ship and rely on some help from his old crew and friends to save the day.
Admiral James T. Kirk is also forced to deal with the appearance of his son, David, who has been working on a secret project called the “Project Genesis” device with his mother, Dr. Carol Marcus, Admiral James T. Kirk’s ex-lover. In the meantime Khan has stolen the “Project Genesis” device and commandeered the “Reliant,” a ship where Chekov, another of Admiral James T. Kirk’s old crew members, has been serving as a science officer. Khan takes Chekhov and another “Reliant” crew member along for the ride, and the story becomes an intense battle between the two Starfleet ships during acts two and three. As Nicholas Meyer notes in the new interview, he saw the climactic battle inside a nebula as something akin to duelling naval subs during World War II.
‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ has been released on Blu-ray before, but now Paramount Pictures UK has brought out this beautiful exclusive Limited Edition 50th Anniversary SteelBook as part of a collection of the Ten STAR TREK Sci-Fi films, and the video quality has been vastly improved over the previous Blu-ray releases, and this Blu-ray disc also features the high-definition release of Nicholas Meyer’s Director’s Cut, which was previously available only on an inferior DVD. While the four minutes of footage added to ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ is a vast improvement, which of course gives you a much more insight into a few things, such as establishing a dead crew member as Scotty’s nephew. If you are paying close attention, you’ll probably notice that two lines of dialogue were actually removed from the earlier version of the Director’s Cut which was released in 2002, at Nicholas Meyer’s behest. It’s an exchange in which Admiral James T. Kirk tells Spock that David is Admiral James T. Kirk’s son, to which the half-Vulcan replies, “Fascinating,” which of course us the audience already knew this information, so slightly confused why Nicholas Meyer wanted this deleted.
With an original film score by the brilliant composer James Horner and an impressive array of visual effects showcasing what sort of eye popping things can be done entirely with models, and ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ is a visual and aural feast. Phasers flash throughout the cosmos and torpedoes flare in what can only be described as the ultimate duel of wits and intelligence. James Horner’s film music score is totally awesome and dramatic with just the right touch of lightness necessary for any humorous twitches involving pointed ears that might pop up here and there.
In addition to bringing back Ricardo Montalban's over the top Khan, which is a great fun performance to watch, principally because it's so camp, ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ introduces three significant new characters. The first is Saavik [Kirstie Alley], the sexy, half-Vulcan protégé of Mr. Spock. Then there are a couple of figures from Admiral James T. Kirk's past, a son he did not know about and an ex-lover.
‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ is a top-notch, fast-paced adventure that can be enjoyed equally by fans of the series and those who have never seen an episode. There are several tense, well-executed battle sequences that feature impressive special effects and a soaring score by James Horner. The ending, which I won't reveal, which all STAR TREK fans already knows it by now, is very tender and poignant, proof that STAR TREK can still touch the heart. ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ shows the potential inherent in the STAR TREK franchise concept as applied to the big screen. It's unfortunate that none of the other films in this long-running series have come close to the level achieved by this marvellous example of brilliant entertainment.
‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ has never been so alive or looks as good as it is here in the capable hands of director Nicholas Meyer. Gene Roddenberry’s vision has never been so clear, so gripping, so mind blowing, truly cinematic experience. ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ is a Sci-Fi film that transcends it’s genre, it’s format, it’s STAR TREK fan base to really get inside the hearts and heads of people across all barriers the world over. This is the way to make STAR TREK films look so RIGHT and even today the folks at Paramount Pictures are today trying to slowly help to recapture the magic of the original Sci-Fi films and of course you now have a new set of audiences. At the centre of the most successful Science Fiction franchise in history is the Starship U.S.S. Enterprise and her noble crew. At the centre of this Sci-Fi film, to STAR TREK film Trekkie fan’s it is a universe that is one fantastic experience called ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ which will also be loved by another set of new audiences to enjoy and preserved on this new remastered Blu-ray discs. ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ takes a natural progression forward, easing the viewer into the filmic medium by embracing the sheer entertainment value of Gene Roddenberry’s original creation. Doubtless this is why so many Trekkies ignore the existence of STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE’ altogether and why many of the subsequent entries in the STAR TREK series naturally became films worthy of cinematic merit. ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ does something that Sci-Fi films based on television shows have tried to do, but have often failed to accomplish, whereas the STAR TREK Sci-Fi film elevates the material from TV to film with appropriate gravitas. Nicholas Meyer embraces the show’s mildly campy quality at times, but he also elevates the material for later films to build upon to great effect.
Blu-ray Image Quality – Paramount Pictures UK has pulled out all the stops and brought us this 50th Anniversary Blu-ray release with two versions of the film and delivered a new and stunning "digitally remastered" 1080p transfer, which you would think it was a new film that is outstanding with the quality and an equally impressive 2.35:1 Panavision aspect ratio that holds up very well. Trouble now is that you see Spock and Khan’s heavy make-up, which adds to the realistic image we view and gives a very filmic look. Surrounding textures don't really leap off the screen, but general definition is solid. Surface details around the different ships, whether it is the worn and battered derelict Botany Bay or the cleaner pre-attack lines and surface areas on the Reliant and Enterprise, almost always satisfy. Little touches on the button clusters on consoles or less immediately obvious, but very much appreciated, details like surface scuffs, and material details on the silver plates seen at the beginning of a scene in which Admiral James T. Kirk and Saavik discuss her regulation hairstyle and the Kobayashi Maru test, are very impressive. Colours are particularly punchy, but there is certainly a broad consistency to them. The primary colours come from the red Starfleet uniforms and the deep blues and purples within the Mutara Nebula. The blue text of the opening credits is gorgeous, with good defining vibrancy. For fun, try and find the curvature of the planetarium ceiling onto which the star field was projected and filmed. Black levels are excellent, yielding positive depth and shadow detail. Details are maybe a hair sharper across the board. Again, those red Starfleet tops are amongst the best example with a finer, though by no means intricate, appearance, improving on a comparatively smoother look on the old image on the earlier video releases. By the way, the intimate Vulcan talk between Saavik and Spock is the only subtitles you get to see in the film and they are very clear white lettering. So overall this is a massive improvement on all levels and well done Paramount Pictures UK.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Paramount Pictures UK has pulled out all the stops and brought us the 50th Anniversary Blu-ray release with and amazing 7.1 Dolby TrueHD Surround that really enhances the audio experience, as the soundtrack is very solid. The opening theme sounds of James Horner’s score are very clear and truly effective to really enhance the film and really set the scene for the rest of the film you are about to experience. The music score has good stereo separation and the sense of musical instruments stand out for me. Dialogue is also very good via the front speakers and you can really hear all the words. Surround usage is limited, especially during the massive battle action scenes, especially with the explosions on the ships and seem to me remixed more aggressively. Phaser and transporter effects sound really crisp and clear, and certain high-pitched sounds are well delivered. The sound design makes very effective use of silence in the final battle scene. Fidelity is really great for a 1982 Sci-Fi film remastered, and sounds even better than when the first film when it was released. So once again, thank you Paramount Pictures UK for a really professional job.
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Director’s Cut and Theatrical Version of the Feature Film
Audio Commentary by Director Nicholas Meyer [Director’s Cut]: Here Nicholas Meyer introduces himself and states the obvious that you are watching ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ with him and informs us that since the age of five he has been writing from that early age and also informs us that he is foremost a storyteller first and a filmmaker second. Nicholas also informs us that he has written several novels, especially when the Writers Guild of America went on strike originally in 1972, and in that time he produced several screenplays. Nicholas also informs us how he eventually got to direct STAR TREK II and of course goes into great detail of how STAR TREK II evolved throughout the whole production, and especially how the Trekkie fans also got involved and of course were totally outraged at hearing at the end of the film that Spock dies, and Nicholas got so much abusive E-mails and correspondence. We also get tons of information about technical details about why certain shots were attained and why. Nicholas also gives great praise about the actor Ricardo Montalban and how professional he was in knowing his lines so perfectly. Even though Nicholas viewed some STAT TREK TV episode and the first STAR TREK film, but he felt most of it was very pompous and felt that because he was not a fan of STAR TREK, he felt his film should give a much more objective view of the STAR TREK lore and genre and also felt his film should have much more input of word play scenario. Because Nicholas was so dedicated in getting STAR TREK II right, that sometimes he never saw daylight, especially arriving at the studio before the sunrise and going home very late at night, plus always checking that days shooting and also going to the cutting room to make sure he was getting the results he wanted for STAR TREK II just right. Nicholas tells us that he had a big battle with the Paramount Pictures Executives in wanting to spend more money on the special effects, especially in the cave of the planetoid of “Regula,” as he felt it looked false, especially when the Executives turn round and complain it does not look real. On top of all that the Executives wanted Nicholas to shoot the film in 49 days, whereas Nicholas demanded that he would need at least 53 days to finish the film. So ends another interesting audio commentary and Nicholas Meyer hope you also enjoyed the audio journey with him viewing ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ and also says he really enjoyed making the film.
Audio Commentary by Director Nicholas Meyer and Manny Coto [Theatrical Version]: Just as we get past the Titles at the start of the film Manny Coto, who is an American writer, director and producer of films and television programmes introduces himself after Director Nicholas Meyer did his introduction and of course both of them are sitting in the viewing room watching and doing the audio commentary to STAR TREK II, which both proclaim is one of their favourite STAR TREK film. What inspired Nicholas Meyer to work on this film was seeing at the cinema ‘START TREK I: THE MOTION PICTURE,’ which despite getting loads of negative comments, but for both of them they really liked the film and thought the director Robert Wise did a brilliant job. Nicholas also heaps great praise on the very professional editing by William Paul Dornisch and tells us he was a really wonderful man who really knew his craft. This was a very enjoyable experience.
Special Feature: Text Commentary by Michael Okuda and Denise Lynn Okuda [Director’s Cut] Here you get to view a panel at the bottom of the screen describing lots of relevant and very informative information and especially relating different information about hidden aspects of what you view in the film that you night not of noticed. It is also very helpful that you have a choice of four languages, which are English, French, Spanish and Portuguêse. You also get lots of information on all technical aspects of how the special effects were produced and the information is so informative and fascinating. Denise Lynn Okuda is also co-authored of the 1996 Paperback “STAR TREK Chronology: The History of the Future.”
Special Feature: Library Computer [Theatrical Version] The Library Computer is an interactive experience that allows you to access information about People, Technology, Locations and more, at the moment each item appears in the film. Switch to Index Mode to scan the entire database and jumps directly to the items of interest. All content is divided into the following categories: Culture; Science & Medicine; Starfleet Ops; Miscellaneous; Life Forms; Planets & Location; People; Technology and Ships.
Special Feature: The Genesis Effect: Engineering ‘The Wrath of Khan’ [2016] [1080p] 1.78:1] [28:20] This newly-Produced documentary for the Blu-ray of ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN,’ where director Nicholas Meyer offers an in-depth exploration on the development, production, and release of the film as well as its impact and enduring legacy. Topics discussed include an overview of how the project came together, working with the stars, and on top of all that Nicholas Meyer claims that William Shatner had no ego but a lot of vanity, the themes of the film, but hated the script, and Gene Roddenberry's total displeasure with the movement towards militarism in the STAR TREK Sci-Fi film franchise. All in all this is a really wonderful insightful documentary.
Special Feature: Production: Here you get a selection of five different features and they are as follows: 01. Captain’s Logo [2009] [1080p [1.78:1] [27:20] A very good special feature about the “Genesis Project” and the story behind it, and especially choosing the TV Episode 'Space Seed' as the basis of the plot. The director asserts emphatically that those were indeed Ricardo Montalban's real pecs. 02. Designing Khan [2009] [1080p [1.78:1] [23:55] This is a an in-depth look at the production and costume design, the efforts to differentiate the Reliant from the Starship U.S.S. Enterprise, and Nicholas Meyer's intent to bring a more nautical theme to the Sci-Fi film. 03. Original interviews with William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley and Ricardo Montalban [1982] [480i] [1.33:1] [10:57] This is a vintage promotional interviews and were shot in 1982 to promote ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ on its initial release. At the end you get some really nice black-and-white and colour promotional rare photographs. 04. Where No Man Has Gone Before: The Visual Effects of ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ [2009] [1080p [1.78:1] [18:15] Industrial Light & Magic staff discuss the use of early CGI, building the models, and the fun of blowing stuff up. 05. James Horner: Composing Genesis [2009] [1080p [1.78:1] [9:33] Here we have this brand new interview with the late great film music composer, who we get a very up close and personal interview about developing the musical themes and motifs for the scoring the STAR TREK film. At the start we get a surprising confession, that when he was asked to compose the music score James he did not know much about STAR TREK. But in the process he met Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams who help James out a great deal and saw how these masters of composed film music taught him that you have to match what you see on the screen. Despite being very short, it was still fascinating in hearing James Horner’s way of working to produce the composed music for STAR TREK II.
Special Feature: The STAR TREK Universe: Here you have three separate categories that have to be viewed separately and they are as follows: 01. Collecting STAR TREK’s Movie Relics [2009] [1080p] [1.78:1] [11:00] Here we get to meet several “Trekkie” nerd collectors who boastfully show off their favourite props and costumes, including some from the aborted “Phase II” project. We also get contributors from Alec Peters [C.E.O. Propworx] who talks about the 1,000’s of STAR TREK memorabilia that were auctioned by Christie’s Auction House. 02. A Novel Approach [2009] [1080p] [1.78:1] [28:56] Here we get to meet two more over the top so called "professional Trekkie" creepy and unsettling nerds, who shamelessly plug their lame “STAR TREK tie-in novels and they are Greg Cox who is an American writer of science fiction, including works that are media tie-ins and lives in Oxford, Pennsylvania and Julia Ecklar who is a John W. Campbell Award winning science fiction author including the novels Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis. 03. Starfleet Academy SCISEC Brief 002: Mystery behind Ceti Alpha VI [2009] [1080p] [1.78:1] [3:07] This is the second in a series of plot recaps hosted as though they were Starfleet instructional videos at the Starfleet Academy, Ex Astris, Scientia, San Francisco MMCLXI. In this episode, Starfleet Science Officer [Sarah Backhouse] from the 24th century briefing the audience from the Admiral James T. Kirk Lecture Hall at Starfleet Academy and the female host is basically giving us a Starfleet instructional video. In this video, an unnamed Starfleet Science Officer examines events that happened in ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ and particularly the damage to the planet Ceti Alpha VI.
Special Feature: Farewell: A Tribute to Ricardo Montalban [2009] [1080p] [1.78:1] [4:43] Here we get a very personal tribute to the actor Ricardo Montalban by writer/director Nicholas Meyer and delivers some really nice praise for the late actor. Nicholas Meyer also talks about the love of films in general and also seeing films of Ricardo Montalban in his different characters and also opposite his leading ladies like Lana Turner.
Special Feature: Storyboards [2002] [1080p] [1.78:1] You have thirteen separate categories that can only be viewed individually and they are as follows: Main Title Concept; Kobayashi Maru; CETI ALPHA V; Regula I; Chekov and Terrell find Khan; Admiral’s Inspection; Khan’s revenge; Kirk Strikes Back; Finding the Genesis cave; The Mutara Nebula; Sneak Attacks, Genesis and Honored Dead.
Theatrical Trailer [1982] [1080i] [1.78:1] [2:21] This is the original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN,’ that gives you a tantalising flavour of what to expect when you get to finally get to view this particular STAR TREK Sci-Fi film.
Finally, ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ is a really tremendous motion picture, a classic within the Science Fiction genre, and with the added bonus with this Exclusive UK Blu-ray release of having both the Director’s Cut at 116 minutes and the Theatrical Version at 113 minutes. Fans who haven’t upgraded to a high-definition version of ‘STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN’ will find this new 50th Anniversary SteelBook release a great excuse to do so. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
