“Never give up, never surrender!” — these are the words of the intrepid captain of the spaceship Protector, Commander Peter Quincy Taggart, a rally cry to remind his crew that in the face of insurmountable odds, one does not quit. For the last 25 years, audiences who were first introduced to Taggart and, by extension, the actor who plays him, Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen), have quoted this line alongside many others. Now, the sci-fi dramedy Galaxy Quest from director Dean Parisot (Bill & Ted Face the Music) is given a brand-new edition for its 25th anniversary that includes a new steelbook, a 4K UHD remaster, and a brand-new featurette with Parisot. Join us, fair traveler, for an adventure unlike any other as the real and imaginary collide until we cannot tell which is which.
Tim Allen as Jason Nesmith in GALAXY QUEST. Photo Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
After making a massive splash with their television program Galaxy Quest in the 1980s, castmates Gwen DeMarco, Alexander Dane, Fred Kwan, Tommy Webber, and Jason Nesmith (Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Daryl Mitchell, and Allen, respectively) never quite escaped their roles and have been stuck doing fan conventions and taking odd promotional work to keep themselves afloat and in the public’s eye. Nesmith allows himself to be picked up by a man called Mathesar (Enrico Colantoni) asking for help, as Nesmith just assumes this is just another superfan offering a paying gig for him to reenact a Galaxy Quest fantasy. This couldn’t be further from the truth as Nesmith finds himself cosplaying as Commander Taggart, looping in his castmates so that they can attempt to prevent the extinction of an entire race against the malevolent General Roth’h’ar Sarris (Robin Sachs). Can these actors play their parts or will the truth destroy them all?
This film only grows better with age, and chances are that if you’re here, you agree. So let’s begin with what you want to know about this release: the bonus features, the remaster, and the packaging.
L-R: Missi Pyle as Laliari, Patrick Breen as Quellek, Enrico Colantoni as Mathesar, and Jed Rees as Teb in GALAXY QUEST. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
The included bonus features are a mix of old and new. As with prior releases, there’s “Never Give Up, Never Surrender: The Intrepid Crew of the NSEA Protector,” “By Grabthar’s Hammer, What Amazing Effects,” “Alien School: Creating the Thermian Race,” “Actors in Space,” a five-part “Historical Documents: The Story of Galaxy Quest,” and “Sigourney Weaver Raps” — plus deleted scenes and the theatrical trailer. All of these were included as far back as the DVD from 2009 and are kept intact here. What’s new is a near-20-minute featurette titled “Filmmaker Focus with director Dean Parisot” that is a talking head interview with Parisot in which he looks back on the film, his memories supported by still and video images from the set. According to EoM Editor Crystal Davidson (and avowed Galaxy Quest fan), there’s a mix of new and well-known information here, so mileage may vary about how much one may learn. It’s a well-made featurette and it certainly conveys Parisot’s fondness for making the film and supports the notion that Allen could’ve made a heck of a dramatic actor, had he ever made the attempt.
L-R: Sigourney Weaver as Gwen DeMarco, Alan Rickman as Alexander Dane, Tim Allen as Jason Nesmith, and Tony Shalhoub as Fred Kwan in GALAXY QUEST. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
The packaging is an amusing mix of expected and unexpected as the steelbook comes with a traditional slipcover more often used for standard releases. The front cover of the slipcover and steelbook are the same with the previously (and popularly used) image of the main cast presented on a tv screen from which the Protector flies out. The back of the slipcover just features the Protector in flight while the back of the steelbook features a collage of the Galaxy Quest tv cast in various positions and general cosmetic styles: Nesmith looks like the original 1980s Taggart, while Gwen, Alex, and Fred are fairly modern. Sam Rockwell’s Guy is added to the mix, alongside a larger version of the show logo and a smaller version of the Protector. The inside of the steelbook is decorated with the cute yet terrifying blue demons in the scene where they look down on an immobilized Nesmith before hitting him with a rock, an image that takes up both the left and right sides of the case. On the right is the sole 4K UHD disc in a clear plastic holder, with the left holding the slip that includes the digital edition code.
This brings us to the remaster itself, which is a mix of good and bad.
The good is plain to see and hear as the clarity of picture and sound is quickly evident. Keeping in mind that the only prior edition owned by EoM is the DVD purchased in Aug 2009 (receipt still inside it), a 4K UHD edition is a major leap in improved quality. It’s far easier to notice the varying shades of grey on Taggart’s uniform (adorned when he learns the truth), as well as the differing shades of red in DiMarco’s uniform and visible undergarment. Even the greens and browns of Sarris’s prosthetics are richer and less muddy, by comparison, making the fierce foe all the more terrifying. The sound isn’t exactly enveloping, but it’s cleaner and detailed where it counts, making the firing of weapons more dynamic and dialogue crisp and easy to follow.
4K UHD limited edition 25th anniversary steelbook of GALAXY QUEST. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
The bad, though, is entirely technical. Specifically, the bitrate on the film starts in the 40s when the initial video ratio matches that of early 1980s production of the in-film Galaxy Quest, shifts to the 40s-50s during the portion when we first meet the characters and all the action prior to Nesmith’s first return to Earth from the Protector, and then bouncing from 50s-70s once the ratio shift occurs as the universe opens before Nesmith and he flies home. It’s not noticeable on-screen with any sort of visible degradation in resolution, decay, or other lowering of quality, which is great for those who don’t check the technical side of things because they’re never going to know. The best guess is that the bitrate bouncing (which starts at the max end of a standard HD Blu-ray release and barely gets to the low end of a 4K UHD) is likely a result of cramming all of the bonus features onto the 4K UHD disc, rather than include a Blu-ray disc with the release like Sony did with their Body Double 4K UHD steelbook earlier this year. If this 4K UHD edition had kept all the prior bonus features on a Blu-ray and included it with this set, then only the filmmaker focus featurette would’ve shared space on the 4K UHD with the movie, giving the film more dataspace, resulting in a higher bitrate. Again, it’s not something that one is likely going to notice right off the bat, but it’s worth knowing as the presentation isn’t as impressive as it *could* be.
L-R: Robin Sachs as Sarris and Tim Allen as Jason Nesmith in GALAXY QUEST. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Even 25 years later, there’s always something to notice about Galaxy Quest. It had never occurred to me that exuberant Galaxy Quest fan Brandon (Justin Long) was asking an actor a technical question about the show that’s really more for the writers or showrunner (the people who are more likely to have the insight into the logic of the Protector). Similarly, it never occurred to Crystal that Fred was stoned *the entire time* as I always presumed, given his wild acceptance of everything and perpetual snacking. Made the reference to Fred as a “burnout” hit differently, as does seeing him attempting to pry open the red tin of butter cookies when we first meet modern Fred. Even as entertainment has leaned into meta-narratives for its storytelling, the script from David Howard (It’s a Jungle Out There) and Robert Gordon (Men in Black II), based on Howard’s story, still feels fresh and unique in the way that the balance between physical comedy and character pathos comes together like a tailored suit, fitting just so and never using any more or less fabric than it needs. Galaxy Quest could’ve easily been a satirical comedy or heavy sci-fi drama, yet the cast and script come together just so perfectly as to deliver laughs and tears in equal measure without sacrificing one over the other. If there’s ever a reason to be frustrated with the film, it’s that Gwen’s never allowed to say “fuck” when the scenario absolutely justifies the use. But that’s the rating system for you.
A scene from GALAXY QUEST. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
In the end, picking up the 4K UHD edition of Galaxy Quest comes down to a few factors: is it worth the cost? Is the remaster worth the watch? Are the bonus features adding enough to justify a new copy? The simple answer is, honestly, no. You can get the bulk of bonus features and a solid presentation with the Blu-ray edition at a lesser cost. But if you know this movie by heart, have never upgraded to Blu-ray, and/or are keen on the new featurette, then chances are you won’t be disappointed. If there’s one thing that courses through the heart of the film, it’s that fandom, when channeled for good, can turn an entire society around toward helping others and, through uplifting, make themselves and others better. If that’s you, frankly, you probably already pre-ordered your 4K copy. In that case, buckle up and rest assured that you’ll enjoy the ride once more.
Galaxy Quest Special Features:
- *NEW* Filmmaker Focus with director Dean Parisot (19:30)
- Historical Documents: The Story of Galaxy Quest (5-Parts)
- Never Give Up, Never Surrender: The Intrepid Crew of the NSEA Protector
- By Grabthar’s Hammer, What Amazing Effects
- Alien School: Creating the Thermian Race
- Actors in Space
- Sigourney Weaver Raps
- Deleted Scenes
- Theatrical Trailer
Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray steelbook and digital December 3rd, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Paramount Pictures Galaxy Quest webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Recommendation
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