Live from London: Star Trek and Director’s Cuts.

As Star Trek fans, we know there may be more to a story than what we see on screen. We pore over deleted scenes, read novelizations and comic books, listen to behind-the-scenes stories, and scour unrealized versions of shooting scripts—all to find subtle nuances of character and plot as we imagine how things might have been. But what does it mean when the creator themselves decides that the original cut isn’t final?

Three of the six movies featuring the crew of the original Enterprise 1701 now exist in multiple versions, creating a dilemma for the most devoted audiences. Is it better to experience them as originally released, or should we trust that those who take the time to tweak them have the right to say which version is final?

In this episode of Primitive Culture, recorded live at the Prince Charles Cinema in London ahead of the UK premiere of the extended director’s cut of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, hosts Duncan Barrett and Tony Black are joined by Clara Cook and Tony Robinson to discuss the director’s cut phenomenon and how it affects the relationship between a film and its audience. In addition to the changes made to the 1982 classic, we consider the alternate versions of The Motion Picture and The Undiscovered Country—along with other films—and debate which Star Trek movies might benefit the most from another go-around.

Chapters Intro (00:00:00) A Special Message from Nicholas Meyer (00:02:45) Star Trek: The Motion Picture (00:08:27) For Better or Worse? (00:12:56) How Long Is a Piece of String? (00:21:25) Blade Runner (00:25:25) Beyond the Farthest Shot (00:29:44) Final Thoughts (00:50:28)

Hosts Duncan Barrett and Tony Black

Guests Clara Cook and Tony Robinson

Production Tony Black (Editor) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Amy Neslon (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)