Long rumored to exist - but rarely seen - the newly unearthed STAR TREK alternate pilot episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before" is released to consumers for the first time ever and now available on Blu-ray. "When we first discovered the original film print existed, we jumped at the chance to give STAR TREK fans the opportunity to add this never aired pilot to their collections," said Ken Ross, executive vice president and general manager of CBS Home Entertainment. "It will be a real treat for fans to see and hear how it all could have begun."

Origins
A film collector in Germany acquired the unique print several years ago and recently brought it to the attention of CBS Home Entertainment and its distributor Paramount Home Entertainment.
The physical 35mm film print was transferred to HD video by Magic Picture Home Entertainment GmbH before it was transported to the United States this past September.

Restoration
As the next step, the Digital Restoration Department at CBS spent hours carefully color-correcting the video and carrying out a frame-by-frame dirt removal process in an effort to provide fans with the best picture quality possible.

The Pilot
Presented in three parts with 1970s-style act breaks, the alternative pilot offers an entirely different version of Captain James T. Kirk's opening monologue, music that contrasts from the famous opening theme and an extended action sequence.

After the first pilot, "The Cage," was turned down by NBC for being "too cerebral," NBC commissioned an unprecedented second pilot and selected "Where No Man Has Gone Before" as it captured the sense of adventure and action that the network visualized for the series. Significantly, it was also the first episode featuring Captain James T. Kirk, a move that would set the precedent for the series and its counterparts. This version of "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was completed in 1965 and features archived footage that was not included in the pilot episode ultimately broadcasted. Never-before-aired, this newly recovered version is believed to be what was originally screened for NBC, and the basis for their decision to broadcast STAR TREK®.

This original version of the seminal series' pilot episode is the centerpiece of the STAR TREK®: THE ORIGINAL SERIES SEASON THREE Blu-ray release, available December 15 from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment for the suggested retail price of $118.99 US and $136.99 CAN. Premiering in 1966, STAR TREK®: THE ORIGINAL SERIES aired for three seasons and launched a worldwide phenomenon for numerous television series and feature films that continues today. The series starred William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig.

CBS Home Entertainment manages the worldwide DVD and Blu-ray businesses for the CBS Corporation across all lines of content including current hits and classic series from the vast CBS library, as well as new releases from Showtime Video. CBS Home Entertainment products are released on the CBS DVD and CBS Blu-ray labels.

Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. PHE is responsible for the worldwide sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties including: Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Studios, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS, PBS and Hasbro and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment.

Star Trek: The Original Series Season Three Blu-ray
Street Date: December 15, 2009
Pricing: $118.99 US/ $136.99 CAN
Catalog #: 074354
Runtime: 22 Hrs., 31 Min.
U.S. Rating: NR
Canadian Rating: G