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SYNOPSIS
The three movies featuring the Enterprise-E appear in the format they always deserved: as episodes in an 8th season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, as if it had aired on premium cable following the finale of Deep Space 9.
Each episode lasts one hour. Tone and characterization attempts to hew more closely to the show, unnecessary subplots and characters have been dropped, and the franchise concludes on a significantly different note.
INTENTION
I wanted to create a more satisfying conclusion for the Star Trek: TNG characters and franchise than the movies originally offered. The TNG movies (even First Contact) never felt so much like movies as glorified episodes, and for fans like myself, disappointing episodes at that. However, beneath the many frustrating elements, each movie contained enough solid material for an hour-long story. I tried to bring out that story and to give our central characters the justice they were due.
RELEASE INFORMATION
Currently, the sole release is a DVD designed to feel like an extension of the existing STTNG DVDs for Seasons 1-7. A 720p release may be in the future.
Here's the current version of the DVD main menu, sans only the actual buttons:
And here's the title sequence:
And here is the delightful cover art by BionicBob, modeled after the art for the original box sets:
For some information on the guidelines used in creating the edits, click the spoiler tag.
For more details on the cutlist, click the following spoiler tag.
(The original "Work in Progress" thread follows below; this first post has been updated to reflect the edit in its finished state.)
The three movies featuring the Enterprise-E appear in the format they always deserved: as episodes in an 8th season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, as if it had aired on premium cable following the finale of Deep Space 9.
Each episode lasts one hour. Tone and characterization attempts to hew more closely to the show, unnecessary subplots and characters have been dropped, and the franchise concludes on a significantly different note.
INTENTION
I wanted to create a more satisfying conclusion for the Star Trek: TNG characters and franchise than the movies originally offered. The TNG movies (even First Contact) never felt so much like movies as glorified episodes, and for fans like myself, disappointing episodes at that. However, beneath the many frustrating elements, each movie contained enough solid material for an hour-long story. I tried to bring out that story and to give our central characters the justice they were due.
RELEASE INFORMATION
Currently, the sole release is a DVD designed to feel like an extension of the existing STTNG DVDs for Seasons 1-7. A 720p release may be in the future.
Here's the current version of the DVD main menu, sans only the actual buttons:
And here's the title sequence:
And here is the delightful cover art by BionicBob, modeled after the art for the original box sets:
For some information on the guidelines used in creating the edits, click the spoiler tag.
Each episode would need to last no more than one hour, excluding ending credits (which are longer than a TV episode would have but should not be touched).
Tone and characterization would attempt to remain more consistent to the TV series.
To this end, action sequences would be minimized and used only to further a story or character arc. Minimal extraneous set pieces remain. The Next Generation solves its problems with words or with cleverness more than fisticuffs and phasers.
Scenes or characters which do not move along the story or further a character arc would be removed, even if they work well in their own right.
Any indication that Data could remove or turn off his emotion chip would be excised. The later movies regressed rather than progressed his character; this edit aims to reverse that.
Data's death would be removed and replaced with a different resolution for Shinzon. Killing a main character can be an excellent storytelling decision, but not if it is handled as sloppily as in Nemesis.
Tone and characterization would attempt to remain more consistent to the TV series.
To this end, action sequences would be minimized and used only to further a story or character arc. Minimal extraneous set pieces remain. The Next Generation solves its problems with words or with cleverness more than fisticuffs and phasers.
Scenes or characters which do not move along the story or further a character arc would be removed, even if they work well in their own right.
Any indication that Data could remove or turn off his emotion chip would be excised. The later movies regressed rather than progressed his character; this edit aims to reverse that.
Data's death would be removed and replaced with a different resolution for Shinzon. Killing a main character can be an excellent storytelling decision, but not if it is handled as sloppily as in Nemesis.
For more details on the cutlist, click the following spoiler tag.
The number of cuts is outright massive. I will hit the main points here.
FIRST CONTACT / PHOENIX
Removed any trace of Starfleet ordering Picard away from the fight, thus moving us into the main plot significantly quicker
Inserted new intro sequence
Removed all dialogue and almost all shots of Lily throughout movie
Removed Data failing to understand emotional significance of touching the Phoenix, and instead made it a shared moment between Data and Picard.
Removed horror film sequence of minor characters discovering the Borg
Removed Picard revenge arc--some audiences like it, but it makes no difference to the plot outcomes!
Removed deflector dish subplot/video game action sequence
Trimmed Cochrane
Many small trims to move along pacing
INSURRECTION / HEART OF LIGHTNESS
Skipped lengthy "Welcome to the Shire" introduction sequence
Trimmed initial chase sequence to defer the revelation until the last moment that the rogue officer is Data
Inserted new intro sequence
Removed indication that Data's emotion chip could be removed
Removed screwball and physical humor
"A British Tar" remains, but some technobabble and other elements in the scene are trimmed for pacing
All scenes indicating a romance between Picard and the Ba'ku woman are cut
Significant amounts of action cut, starting with the first phaser battle after discovering the cloaked holodeck
The Ba'ku and Son'a being the same species has been cut
The detonation of the subspace weapon now destroys the Son'a ship, thus resolving the Enterprise's action sequence in far less time
Surface battles cut to absolute minimum to advance the plot
The Son'a first officer now turns coat based on his differences with Ru'afo without requiring convincing from Picard
The story resolves with Ru'afo and his crew on the holoship. This is the poetic justice that concludes the narrative, and Action Hero Picard on the extractor is wholly unnecessary.
Picard gazes at the restored peace of the Ba'ku before departing rather than at a love interest.
NEMESIS / ROMULUS & REMUS
B-4 and all plots or scenes related to him have been cut.
After the cold open on Romulus and new intro sequence, we cut directly to Picard being contacted by Janeway.
Picard's mockery of Worf's discomfort with Betazed wedding customs has been cut, but a heavily edited version of the scene remains to foreshadow Riker and Troi's wedding.
Shinzon's request to touch Troi's hair is cut.
Thaleron radiation no longer dissolves biological matter on a subatomic level, because this makes no sense. Crusher just tells us it's Very Bad.
When Data and LaForge discover the source of the computer intrusion, Data beams on a covert op to the Scimitar. This is achieved by an extreme crop of his disguised trip to the Scimitar in the original. Thus he is on the ship to rescue Picard. (As a sidebar, the implication is that the standard issue Federation uniform for covert ops is an orange jumpsuit.)
The rape scene is made much shorter and is (hopefully) no longer outright offensive and exploitative. Picard also no longer asks Troi to endure more of these attacks (ugh!)--he just says he still needs her on duty.
The entire ramming scene and latter action sequences of the movie have been cut. Troi's ploy to locate Shinzon's viceroy with telepathy is now the decisive means by which the Enterprise destroys the Scimitar.
Thus, the movie closes on Riker and Troi's wedding (which, like most of the movie, has many small trims). In closing, we hear Data singing as we see a family growing up and parting ways.
FIRST CONTACT / PHOENIX
Removed any trace of Starfleet ordering Picard away from the fight, thus moving us into the main plot significantly quicker
Inserted new intro sequence
Removed all dialogue and almost all shots of Lily throughout movie
Removed Data failing to understand emotional significance of touching the Phoenix, and instead made it a shared moment between Data and Picard.
Removed horror film sequence of minor characters discovering the Borg
Removed Picard revenge arc--some audiences like it, but it makes no difference to the plot outcomes!
Removed deflector dish subplot/video game action sequence
Trimmed Cochrane
Many small trims to move along pacing
INSURRECTION / HEART OF LIGHTNESS
Skipped lengthy "Welcome to the Shire" introduction sequence
Trimmed initial chase sequence to defer the revelation until the last moment that the rogue officer is Data
Inserted new intro sequence
Removed indication that Data's emotion chip could be removed
Removed screwball and physical humor
"A British Tar" remains, but some technobabble and other elements in the scene are trimmed for pacing
All scenes indicating a romance between Picard and the Ba'ku woman are cut
Significant amounts of action cut, starting with the first phaser battle after discovering the cloaked holodeck
The Ba'ku and Son'a being the same species has been cut
The detonation of the subspace weapon now destroys the Son'a ship, thus resolving the Enterprise's action sequence in far less time
Surface battles cut to absolute minimum to advance the plot
The Son'a first officer now turns coat based on his differences with Ru'afo without requiring convincing from Picard
The story resolves with Ru'afo and his crew on the holoship. This is the poetic justice that concludes the narrative, and Action Hero Picard on the extractor is wholly unnecessary.
Picard gazes at the restored peace of the Ba'ku before departing rather than at a love interest.
NEMESIS / ROMULUS & REMUS
B-4 and all plots or scenes related to him have been cut.
After the cold open on Romulus and new intro sequence, we cut directly to Picard being contacted by Janeway.
Picard's mockery of Worf's discomfort with Betazed wedding customs has been cut, but a heavily edited version of the scene remains to foreshadow Riker and Troi's wedding.
Shinzon's request to touch Troi's hair is cut.
Thaleron radiation no longer dissolves biological matter on a subatomic level, because this makes no sense. Crusher just tells us it's Very Bad.
When Data and LaForge discover the source of the computer intrusion, Data beams on a covert op to the Scimitar. This is achieved by an extreme crop of his disguised trip to the Scimitar in the original. Thus he is on the ship to rescue Picard. (As a sidebar, the implication is that the standard issue Federation uniform for covert ops is an orange jumpsuit.)
The rape scene is made much shorter and is (hopefully) no longer outright offensive and exploitative. Picard also no longer asks Troi to endure more of these attacks (ugh!)--he just says he still needs her on duty.
The entire ramming scene and latter action sequences of the movie have been cut. Troi's ploy to locate Shinzon's viceroy with telepathy is now the decisive means by which the Enterprise destroys the Scimitar.
Thus, the movie closes on Riker and Troi's wedding (which, like most of the movie, has many small trims). In closing, we hear Data singing as we see a family growing up and parting ways.
(The original "Work in Progress" thread follows below; this first post has been updated to reflect the edit in its finished state.)
