Assimilate this!
Audio:
With a slight improvement in the video presentation, here´s the kicker that should make fans delirious. The new English language DTS 5.1 audio track offers a highly noticeable difference over the Dolby Digital 5.1 track, which is more or less a holdover from the previous DVD. The richness of the DTS track provides a booming bass, a slightly expanded front sound field and forceful surround channels that makes the DD5.1 track sound almost "small" in comparison. Listening to Jerry Goldsmith's soaring musical score on the DTS track provides the audience with a remarkable and immersive orchestral experience like no other. Crank up the volume during the Borg cube battle sequence and you will know what I mean. Other audio options include English and French Dolby Surround 2.0.
Extras:
The bonus materials are spread out over both discs.
Disc 1:
There are three commentaries that accompany the first disc--two are audio commentaries and one is a text commentary. The first audio commentary is by director/actor Jonathan Frakes. Now, I was really excited going into this commentary track but unfortunately it barely lived up to my expectations. Instead of offering interesting behind-the-scenes information about the film, Frakes tries to sound funny by offering one-liners like, "Handsome guy" when a certain Commander Riker comes into a scene. However, not all of Frakes´ commentary is that bad, as he does go into some detail about certain elements of the show. The next commentary by screenwriters Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore is light years ahead of the first one, providing plenty of interesting details about the writing process and how the story evolved. The text commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda is overlaid on top of the Braga and Moore commentary track, so you can kill two birds with one stone by choosing the text commentary option on the menu screen.
Disc 2:
One word of advice before we begin: do not watch all the extras on Disc 2 in one sitting. It took me more than 3 hours to get through all of them and by the last half hour, I was already zoning out badly.
Divided into six main categories, the bonus material on Disc 2 is quite extensive and informative, leaving nothing out even for the most inquisitive Trek fans.
Production
- Making First Contact
This is a 20-minute feature that features interviews with producer Rick Berman, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart and the other cast members as they offer glowing reviews of Frakes´ first movie directorial debut. Having directed many episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager", Frakes seems like the logical choice to direct this movie. It also looks at the effectiveness of Alice Krige´s performance as the Borg Queen and also interviews with Alfre Woodard and James Cromwell about their roles.
- The Art of First Contact
Illustrator John Eaves introduces this 16-minute segment as it goes through the visual effects work done by Industrial Light and Magic (ILM). "First Contact" was the first Star Trek movie to undergo the transition between CG effects and the use of miniature models in depicting the starships onscreen. Eaves also talks about the design process of the spanking new Enterprise-E Sovereign-class starship with its sleeker nacelle design. Also touched upon are the designs of various Federation ships seen in the Borg battle scene, "Deep Space 9"´s Defiant ship, the design of the bulkhead for the Phoenix that was overlaid on top of a real decommissioned Titan nuclear missile and the unique shape of the Vulcan ship.
- The Story
Here Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore talk about the freedom of writing "First Contact" that did not come with the baggage of their previous writing effort, "Star Trek: Generations". Actually, most of the stuff covered here in this 15-minute segment can already be heard in Braga´s and Moore´s audio commentary.
- The Missile Silo
Herman Zimmerman, the chief production designer offers a historical overview of the decommissioned missile silo in Arizona that was used as the silo that held Cochrane´s ship, the Phoenix, in the film. The actual silo is now a museum dedicated to the cold war relic. Also covered are the issues faced by the crew in filming within the confined spaces of a real silo and the building of the cone section that was laid on top of the actual Titan missile.
- The Deflector Dish
This 10-minute segment offers some information from Eaves, Zimmerman and Berman as they talk about the large set that was built specifically for the deflector dish scene and also provides footages of the actual filming.
- From "A" To "E"
I had assumed that this section would discuss the evolution of the Enterprise ship as it goes through various incarnations. Instead, this brief 6-minute segment has Zimmerman talking only about the design of the new Enterprise-E--its new bridge, the 3-storey Engineering department and two separate versions of the sets, one that looks normal while the other, after Borg-ification.
Scene Deconstruction
- Borg Queen Assembly
John Knoll, the ILM visual effects supervisor takes us through how they shot the impressive sequence where the Borg Queen´s head and spine descends from the ceiling and is seamlessly joined to a torso. It includes storyboards and the various different shots compositing the effects.
- Escape Pod Launch
In this one, Alex Jaeger, the ILM visual art director explains how CG is utilized to create the effects of the escape pods jettisoning from Enterprise.
- Borg Queen´s Demise
John Knoll comes back to describe how ILM created the horrifying visual effects of the Borg Queen´s skin stripping off Alice Krige´s face.
The Star Trek Universe
- Jerry Goldsmith: A Tribute
The late Jerry Goldsmith, who passed away last year, is fondly remembered in this segment as a legendary Trek icon, having composed the many signature themes for Star Trek, including the easily identifiable Star Trek theme song, first heard in the original film. This feature appropriately ends with an impressive credit roll of all the films that Goldsmith had composed songs for.
- The Legacy of Zefram Cochrane
James Cromwell talks about the importance of Zefram Cochrane, the character that he plays in this film, in the context of the Star Trek universe. Cromwell also reminisces about his first appearance on a Next Generation episode titled "The Hunted".
- First Contact: The Possibilities
This segment discusses the prospect of the existence of extra terrestrials and of making first contact. It explores the search for intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, talking to people from SETI and The Planetary Society.
The Borg Collective
- Unimatrix One
This feature explores the history and the birth of the Borg as told by the various TNG crew, including Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes. They all talk about how the Borg figures so importantly in "First Contact" and also Picard´s motivations and fears after having been assimilated before by the Borg.
- The Queen
Alice Krige takes center stage on this one as she talks about her fortunate experience to have been given the chance to play the Borg Queen. Krige also outlines many of the Queen´s sinister and alluring traits.
- Design Matrix
This section deals specifically with the new and improved look of the Borg, making them look more menacing than the ones from television series, the specific look of the Borg Queen and the design of the Borg Cube and the mini Borg sphere.
Archives
- Storyboards
In "Storyboards", we are given the chance to flip through the storyboard drawings of a few of the scenes from the film. Those scenes are: "1930´s Nightclub", "Hull Battle", "Hull Battle Alternate Shots", "Worf vs. The Borg Alternate Shots"
- Photo Gallery
This is a collection of production photos.
Trailers
There are three trailers in this section: Teaser Trailer and Theatrical Trailer of the film and the Borg Invasion trailer for the Star Trek Experience ride in Las Vegas.
Packaging:
The new "Star Trek: First Contact" SCE 2-DVD set is packaged in the familiar gray background that is the hallmark of previous Star Trek SCE´s.
Film Value:
I admit that it has been a while since I last popped in my old DVD copy of "First Contact". Watching the new version for this review, I find myself utterly blown away by how fresh the story had stayed after all these years. It made me remember why I became such a big fan of Star Trek in the first place, laughing at all the TNG insider jokes; finding myself inspired by Picard´s resoluteness and Data´s naïve sensibilities; Riker´s incessant flirting with Counselor Troi; Worf´s warrior mentality and much more. If there is one thing that I can always count on is a Star Trek film to bring back all the nostalgia of having a good time at the movies. In that respect, "Star Trek: First Contact" certainly tops my Trek movie list.
With a slight improvement in the video presentation, here´s the kicker that should make fans delirious. The new English language DTS 5.1 audio track offers a highly noticeable difference over the Dolby Digital 5.1 track, which is more or less a holdover from the previous DVD. The richness of the DTS track provides a booming bass, a slightly expanded front sound field and forceful surround channels that makes the DD5.1 track sound almost "small" in comparison. Listening to Jerry Goldsmith's soaring musical score on the DTS track provides the audience with a remarkable and immersive orchestral experience like no other. Crank up the volume during the Borg cube battle sequence and you will know what I mean. Other audio options include English and French Dolby Surround 2.0.
Extras:
The bonus materials are spread out over both discs.
Disc 1:
There are three commentaries that accompany the first disc--two are audio commentaries and one is a text commentary. The first audio commentary is by director/actor Jonathan Frakes. Now, I was really excited going into this commentary track but unfortunately it barely lived up to my expectations. Instead of offering interesting behind-the-scenes information about the film, Frakes tries to sound funny by offering one-liners like, "Handsome guy" when a certain Commander Riker comes into a scene. However, not all of Frakes´ commentary is that bad, as he does go into some detail about certain elements of the show. The next commentary by screenwriters Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore is light years ahead of the first one, providing plenty of interesting details about the writing process and how the story evolved. The text commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda is overlaid on top of the Braga and Moore commentary track, so you can kill two birds with one stone by choosing the text commentary option on the menu screen.
Disc 2:
One word of advice before we begin: do not watch all the extras on Disc 2 in one sitting. It took me more than 3 hours to get through all of them and by the last half hour, I was already zoning out badly.
Divided into six main categories, the bonus material on Disc 2 is quite extensive and informative, leaving nothing out even for the most inquisitive Trek fans.
Production
- Making First Contact
This is a 20-minute feature that features interviews with producer Rick Berman, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart and the other cast members as they offer glowing reviews of Frakes´ first movie directorial debut. Having directed many episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager", Frakes seems like the logical choice to direct this movie. It also looks at the effectiveness of Alice Krige´s performance as the Borg Queen and also interviews with Alfre Woodard and James Cromwell about their roles.
- The Art of First Contact
Illustrator John Eaves introduces this 16-minute segment as it goes through the visual effects work done by Industrial Light and Magic (ILM). "First Contact" was the first Star Trek movie to undergo the transition between CG effects and the use of miniature models in depicting the starships onscreen. Eaves also talks about the design process of the spanking new Enterprise-E Sovereign-class starship with its sleeker nacelle design. Also touched upon are the designs of various Federation ships seen in the Borg battle scene, "Deep Space 9"´s Defiant ship, the design of the bulkhead for the Phoenix that was overlaid on top of a real decommissioned Titan nuclear missile and the unique shape of the Vulcan ship.
- The Story
Here Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore talk about the freedom of writing "First Contact" that did not come with the baggage of their previous writing effort, "Star Trek: Generations". Actually, most of the stuff covered here in this 15-minute segment can already be heard in Braga´s and Moore´s audio commentary.
- The Missile Silo
Herman Zimmerman, the chief production designer offers a historical overview of the decommissioned missile silo in Arizona that was used as the silo that held Cochrane´s ship, the Phoenix, in the film. The actual silo is now a museum dedicated to the cold war relic. Also covered are the issues faced by the crew in filming within the confined spaces of a real silo and the building of the cone section that was laid on top of the actual Titan missile.
- The Deflector Dish
This 10-minute segment offers some information from Eaves, Zimmerman and Berman as they talk about the large set that was built specifically for the deflector dish scene and also provides footages of the actual filming.
- From "A" To "E"
I had assumed that this section would discuss the evolution of the Enterprise ship as it goes through various incarnations. Instead, this brief 6-minute segment has Zimmerman talking only about the design of the new Enterprise-E--its new bridge, the 3-storey Engineering department and two separate versions of the sets, one that looks normal while the other, after Borg-ification.
Scene Deconstruction
- Borg Queen Assembly
John Knoll, the ILM visual effects supervisor takes us through how they shot the impressive sequence where the Borg Queen´s head and spine descends from the ceiling and is seamlessly joined to a torso. It includes storyboards and the various different shots compositing the effects.
- Escape Pod Launch
In this one, Alex Jaeger, the ILM visual art director explains how CG is utilized to create the effects of the escape pods jettisoning from Enterprise.
- Borg Queen´s Demise
John Knoll comes back to describe how ILM created the horrifying visual effects of the Borg Queen´s skin stripping off Alice Krige´s face.
The Star Trek Universe
- Jerry Goldsmith: A Tribute
The late Jerry Goldsmith, who passed away last year, is fondly remembered in this segment as a legendary Trek icon, having composed the many signature themes for Star Trek, including the easily identifiable Star Trek theme song, first heard in the original film. This feature appropriately ends with an impressive credit roll of all the films that Goldsmith had composed songs for.
- The Legacy of Zefram Cochrane
James Cromwell talks about the importance of Zefram Cochrane, the character that he plays in this film, in the context of the Star Trek universe. Cromwell also reminisces about his first appearance on a Next Generation episode titled "The Hunted".
- First Contact: The Possibilities
This segment discusses the prospect of the existence of extra terrestrials and of making first contact. It explores the search for intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, talking to people from SETI and The Planetary Society.
The Borg Collective
- Unimatrix One
This feature explores the history and the birth of the Borg as told by the various TNG crew, including Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes. They all talk about how the Borg figures so importantly in "First Contact" and also Picard´s motivations and fears after having been assimilated before by the Borg.
- The Queen
Alice Krige takes center stage on this one as she talks about her fortunate experience to have been given the chance to play the Borg Queen. Krige also outlines many of the Queen´s sinister and alluring traits.
- Design Matrix
This section deals specifically with the new and improved look of the Borg, making them look more menacing than the ones from television series, the specific look of the Borg Queen and the design of the Borg Cube and the mini Borg sphere.
Archives
- Storyboards
In "Storyboards", we are given the chance to flip through the storyboard drawings of a few of the scenes from the film. Those scenes are: "1930´s Nightclub", "Hull Battle", "Hull Battle Alternate Shots", "Worf vs. The Borg Alternate Shots"
- Photo Gallery
This is a collection of production photos.
Trailers
There are three trailers in this section: Teaser Trailer and Theatrical Trailer of the film and the Borg Invasion trailer for the Star Trek Experience ride in Las Vegas.
Packaging:
The new "Star Trek: First Contact" SCE 2-DVD set is packaged in the familiar gray background that is the hallmark of previous Star Trek SCE´s.
Film Value:
I admit that it has been a while since I last popped in my old DVD copy of "First Contact". Watching the new version for this review, I find myself utterly blown away by how fresh the story had stayed after all these years. It made me remember why I became such a big fan of Star Trek in the first place, laughing at all the TNG insider jokes; finding myself inspired by Picard´s resoluteness and Data´s naïve sensibilities; Riker´s incessant flirting with Counselor Troi; Worf´s warrior mentality and much more. If there is one thing that I can always count on is a Star Trek film to bring back all the nostalgia of having a good time at the movies. In that respect, "Star Trek: First Contact" certainly tops my Trek movie list.
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Average user rating (1-5):
[release]15003[/release]