doubleofive said:

I'm 26, the only way I would have seen the theatrical cut is with the new Blu-ray

Where are you getting that idea? The theatrical version was released on DVD many times before the blu-ray and on other formats. The only original ST film not to be released in its theatrical form before the blu-rays came out was STVI.

I know what you mean about making do during childhood though. I read novelisations of most of the OS series episodes before I saw them, as we never had much money to buy films. I even read the novelisation of the Wrath of Khan before I saw the film.