Star Trek fans rejoice! Paramount has finally answered our prayers, and delivered us the first Star Trek DVD to truly avail itself to the DVD format. In the process, we have been given the Director’s Edition of one of the first films in the franchise--Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Director Robert Wise (The Day the Earth Stood Still), due to time constraints, was never allowed to finish the film, so, for 22 years, it went incomplete, and it showed in areas. Now, thanks to modern CGI (computer generated imagery) Wise was finally able to return to the film and make it the way he wanted it. The original print has been digitally restored, and many FX shots have been updated. The Vulcan scene at the beginning benefits from this treatment, as do many of the shots involving V’ger. Unlike the Star Wars: Special Editions, the updates go beyond merely inserting a CGI scene here and there. Many have complained about the film’s slow and meandering pace, so Wise went through and edited out superfluous scenes that bogged the original movie down. Although the film could have benefited from slightly more editing, it now proceeds at a much better pace.

Despite all the changes, the film’s story remains the same: a gigantic cloud has just destroyed three Klingon cruisers and a Federation starbase, and is now on a direct course for Earth. James T. Kirk (William Shatner), now an admiral, takes command of the U.S.S. Enterprise and races to meet the mysterious cloud, and try to unravel its purpose. The film asks important questions about life and existence, and is by and far the most original of the Star Trek films.

Living up to the moniker “Fully Loaded DVD,” this two-disc set comes jam packed with all sorts of goodies, and is the first Trek DVD to do so. Disc One contains the wide screen edition of the film, as well as audio commentary from Wise and others associated with the film’s making. In addition, there is text commentary from Michael Okuda, the author of the Star Trek Encyclopedia.

Disc Two contains three documentaries: one on the aborted Star Trek: Phase II series, from which The Motion Picture grew out of; the second is on the making of the original 1979 edition; and the third (and by far the best) details the process Wise and associates undertook to restore the film. There are three trailers, eight television commercials and a promotional spot for Enterprise. The scenes that were redone for this Director’s Edition can be seen in their original form, as are the eight deleted scenes from the 1983 TV edition. Disc Two also contains storyboard archives.

Paramount has finally answered the fan’s prayers and delivered the first, truly impressive Star Trek DVD. The Director’s Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture will be the first in a series of Special Edition Star Trek DVDs. The Wrath of Khan will be available next year, and the first four seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation will appear in box sets throughout next year as well.