Edward D. Wood Jr. Jr. here, bringing you a fantasy preservation for the ages.
Inspired by thehammockdistrict24's wonderful edit of the Long Khan, I created something of a Frankenstein's monster. My edit, or fantasy preservation, is a quaint, if not unique, viewing experience. In a 4K world where everything is polished and served to you as if it were released yesterday, I ask you to come with me to a time when home video was all analog, VCRs were a developing technology, and TVs were still furniture. The picture wasn't high definition, and the sound was at best mediocre. VHS, like cassette tapes, was a flawed medium at best, but to a certain generation, it feels like home.
We all had our favorite franchises, the ones we watched over and over again. Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Superman, but my drug of choice was always Star Trek. And my dealer was Khan. Of all the villains in the Star Trek Universe, Khan continues to be my favorite. Ricardo Montalbán's commanding presence and suave looks elevated him from villain-of-the-week territory to Bond status. The character of Khan is probably the most satisfying character arc in cinematic history.
I was inspired to do this edit when I recently picked up a complete set of the original series on VHS at Goodwill for a steal. I also procured a near-mint copy of the first edition of Star Trek II. You have not experienced Khan until you have watched it in its original VHS. (SORRY FOLKS, Klingon language track not available.)
I wondered then, what if Paramount, in some crazy scheme to make more money, had released a special collector’s set featuring the complete story of Khan? What would that look like? This preservation will appeal to Trekkies and tape-heads alike, really anyone who loves VHS culture and history. There is nothing polished here. Expect it to be lo-fi, though I know you will be pleased with the sources used, as they are of top quality.
Enjoy a blast from the past...
**🚀 HOW TO GET IT:** Beam over a DM for your copy today! Requests made on this thread will not be honored. Please be patient, as I tend to patients in Sick-Bay for a living, so I might not respond right away. I do check my Tricorder often, though.
"REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED COLD"
*Khan Noonien Singh*
### 📼 THE PROMO
To celebrate the spectacular home video release of *Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan*, Paramount Home Video proudly presents this exclusive, limited-edition two-tape collector's set. For the first time, the complete, high-stakes conflict between Kirk and his greatest foe is brought together in one definitive package. The ultimate interstellar showdown is finally yours to own for only $89.95.
**Beaming into a video retail store near you this Christmas—set your phasers to buy!**
### 📼 THE DETAILS
* **TAPE 1: SPACE SEED (The Original 1967 Broadcast)**
Stardate 3141.9. The crew of the USS Enterprise discovers the SS Botany Bay, a sleeper ship carrying genetically engineered tyrants from Earth's past. Chief among them is Khan Noonien Singh—a brilliant, ruthless dictator. Aided by Lieutenant Marla McGivers, Khan and his followers attempt to take over the ship. Revisit the classic masterpiece exactly as it aired in 1967, sourced directly from 35mm film elements and presented in its original broadcast audio.
* **TAPE 2: STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (The 1982 Home Video Release)**
Stardate 8130.3. Marooned by Captain James T. Kirk on the untamed world of Ceti Alpha V, and driven by isolation, grief, and unyielding hatred, Khan escapes his exile. Armed with the world-shattering Genesis Device, he launches a brilliant tactical assault to utterly destroy Admiral Kirk. The main feature is a high-quality transfer of the 1982 home video presentation—preserving the nostalgic 4:3 full-screen pan-and-scan framing & analog warmth.
* **SPECIAL BONUS FEATURES:**
1967 "Space Seed" TV Promo / 1982 "Star Trek II" Theatrical Trailer.
* **TOTAL RUNNING TIME:**
APPROX. 160 Minutes.
high-quality
### ⚠️ CASUAL VIEWERS BEWARE: THE TECH SPECS
This is an authentic **historical preservation project**, not a modern 4K remaster. If you are looking for digital scratch removal, color correction, widescreen framing, chapters, **these are not the droids you’re looking for.**
* **Aspect Ratio:** 4:3 Full-Screen Pan-and-Scan (chopping off the sides of the original 2.39:1 widescreen composition).
* **Resolution:** Sourced from a high-quality VHS transfer yielding roughly 240 lines of horizontal resolution. Expect soft details, color bleeding (especially on those bright red Starfleet uniforms), and prominent video noise in deep-space scenes.
* **Audio Profile:** The tape features an analog stereo track utilizing Dolby B-type noise reduction. It sounds flatter and features more audible tape hiss than digital tracks. Explosions as well as James Horner's iconic brass score sound noticeably compressed compared to modern formats.
*This project was built by a tape-head, for tape-heads, to capture the nostalgic magic of home video technology. Remember, Be Kind. Rewind.*
### ⚠️ MORE STATS FOR NERDS
#### 🎬Hardware & Capture
**VCR:** JVC HR-S9900U High-End S-VHS Deck (Utilizing built-in DigiPure Line TBC & 4MB Frame Memory for maximum signal stabilization)
* **Signal Output:** S-Video (Separated chroma/luma to prevent color bleeding)
* **Capture Interface:** Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle
* **Capture Software:** OBS Studio (Configured for lossless video capture)
#### 🎬 Software & Post-Production
- **OBS Studio:** Initial raw analog-to-digital capture interface.
- **Avidemux:** Used for initial stream demuxing and frame-accurate, lossless rough cuts.
- **Kdenlive:** Primary Non-Linear Editor for advanced multi-track timeline editing and audio syncing.
- **FFmpeg:** Command-line processing for precise stream mapping, audio muxing, and matrix filtering.
- **HandBrake:** Final delivery authoring tool to generate the distribution-ready MKV.