I did not see this in the thread and I apologize if it appears elsewhere.
I’ve not seen a preservation effort for the original Star Trek tv series.
So, Trek has been released on DVD and blu-ray. However, it’s been changed each time.
The DVD added a 5.1 soundtrack which included new sound effects like the rumble of the ship. There are also some other sound effects and music cues which were changed. A list (not created by me, but I compiled them) appears at the bottom.
The blu-ray release of the series contains a mono soundtrack, but I think few (if any) of these are original.
There is also some debate about early episodes and which had the “electric violin” music and which had the standard opening theme. It seems to have been tinkered with over the years in an effort at standardization.
There were early vhs releases which I’m told have original soundtracks or at least much closer to them. Also, the laserdiscs should be the same as the vhs releases.
Thanks.
Live long and prosper.
David
VHS: the first season opening theme was standardized so the electric violin theme was only heard in “Where No Man Has Gone Before.”
Gene Roddenberry’s up front “created by” credit for The Man Trap and Charlie X were moved to the end of the episodes (these may have been “first rerun” prints).
The sound mix was fiddled with here and there but for the most part, it was pretty faithfully reproduced to my knowledge (City on the Edge of Forever had very objectionable music replacement when they couldn’t secure the home video rights to “Good Night Sweetheart”). The Paramount Logo at the end of the 1968 episodes of the second season was replaced by the third season logo (exception being The Omega Glory, which retained it on the Columbia House VHS print only).
Depending on whether you got the Colombia House releases of the Paramount HV single episode tapes, some scenes were missing in a small # of episodes (Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, Requiem for Methuselah, All Our Yesterdays)
DVD: the sound mix was brutalized, adding the exterior engine rumble (which was phased out midway through the first season) to the entire series.
The Menagerie part 2 had some music cues replaced for whatever reason by rerecordings and cues from The Doomsday Machine (you can still hear this on the stereo track on the blu-rays).
Balance of Terror now has a photon torpedo sound effect over the shots of the “proximity blast” phasers, where they were originally silent.
The electric violin theme was restored to the opening credits of the first season, but on far too many episodes (including Balance of Terror and The Corbomite Maneuver which always had the cello theme). The end credits of the electric violin themed episodes still retain the cello version from their 80’s revisions.
Bluray:
The sound mix was screwed with again. The “original broadcast mono track” still is wrong, with the engine rumble prevalent and sometimes VERY LOUD in a few first season episodes, drowning out the captains log entries. The only accurate post first season episode appears to be Amok Time.
New sound effects overlay some scenes (Errand of Mercy and The Paradise Syndrome).
The new CGI opening theme is seen in one episode of the first season no matter which version you choose.
A Doomsday Machine cue replaces a Friday’s Child cue in The Deadly Years as Spock enters the turbolift, being told to conduct the hearing on Kirk.
Added phaser/photon sounds as the Romulans fire at the Enterprise, same episode.
Doomsday Machine and re-recorded Corbomite and Mudd’s Women music replace three opening music cues in The Menagerie, Part II. The opening teaser, (Corbomite re-recording), Act 1, (Doomsday Machine, original) and Act 2, (Mudd’s Women re-recording).
An added ‘sting’ from the Rigel Fortress music is laid onto the soundtrack as Pike first appears in the illusion. This wasn’t present on the original broadcast of The Menagerie.
The condensed Max’s Factor music as Vina is restored to beauty, has been re-edited to create a smoother transition, for the DVDs and beyond, of The Menagerie, Part II.
After the Memory Alpha technician dies, a freeze-frame replaces the original shot where it was evident the actress was still breathing in the Lights of Zetar.
The closing credits have two differing sets of background pictures for the Lights of Zetar.
Added sound effect as the satellites enter orbit in Operation: Annihilate.
Door effect added to obelisk lightening hitting Kirk
Friday’s Child dialogue improvement
Mirror, Mirror added sound to mirror transition
There were some changes made to the sound mix for these as well. The sound effect of the phaser rifle hitting the ground after Mitchell flings it from Kirk’s grasp in WNMHGB is all but inaudible.
The finale music in “The Man Trap” as the Salt Vampire dies is much lower than it used to be.
The Blu-ray (and newer DVD) versions of Tribbles (accidentally) has one of Spock’s lines muted. “He’ll do it.”