Star Trek: Requiem For Methuselah - The Ryetalyn Cut

Featured
Updated
startrekryetalyn_front
Faneditor Name:
Original Movie Title:
Franchise:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
1969
Original Running Time:
50
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
43
Time Cut:
7
Subtitles Available?
Brief Synopsis:
Requiem For Methuselah with less of the out-of-character Kirk.
Intention:
This late season three entry is not considered the best amongst the fans. Apart from other plot holes, the biggest gripe is Kirk so quickly falling in love with Rayna, particularly at the expense of his dying crew in orbit. This edit attempts to cut back as much of Kirk's out-of-character behaviour, in an attempt to try and re-frame the story to that which better aligns with the captain we all know and love.
Special Thanks:
Bionicbob and Dwight Fry for kindly previewing, particularly as the episode is Bionicbob's least favourite (!)
Release Information:
Digital
Cuts and Additions:
Major cuts:

* After Flint asks our heroes what pleasure they would like to partake in, chess, billiards, conversation... We cut immediately to McCoy following M4 into the lab. "Why not all three." from Kirk to Rayna, has been cut.

* The middle section of the waltz has been removed.

* When Kirk moves in to touch Rayna's shoulders in the lab, we cut straight to M4's hostile entrance, after which we end the act.

* We cut from the lab to the exterior shot in Act III earlier, removing Rayna's touching of lips in confusion, since now this does not occur.

*Flint and Kirk's banter about test of power/physical battle, and Flint calling Kirk childish.

*Kirk's comments and anger regarding Flint's treatment of Rayna, are cut. As is Spock's suggestion to pay less attention to Rayna.

*Kirk's line, "what hold does he have over her?"

* When Rayna says goodbye to Kirk, he does not respond that he doesn't want to say goodbye. Instead, he goes straight to kissing Rayna. However, we cut to Flint after this, removing the huge embrace altogether.

*Spock and McCoy's brief exchange in the lab, and Kirk's desparation for Rayna to come with him, are cut. Instead we cut straight to Spock picking up tricorder readings. As such, Kirk entering the lab, and McCoy saying Flint lied, are gone.

*The end of Act Three cuts out Kirk's final reaction, and fades instead on another Rayna model.

*Kirk becomes angry at one point during the conversation revealing Flint's immortality and Rayna's android status. This has been removed.

*Kirk calling out Flint for using him, getting gushy and announcing he loves Rayna, has been cut.

*Flint no longer cries "no" as he starts the fight with Kirk.

*Kirk and Spock no longer have an exchange during the fight. Now, the fight is all on Flint's anger, not Kirk's.

*The fight has also been significantly reduced.

*Kirk's "come with me" and Flint's "stay" have been cut.

*Spock's line "She could not bear to hurt either of you", has been cut.

*"If only I could forget" is cut.

*The episode ends after McCoy's love triangle comment, with Spock responding "indeed", taken from earlier in the scene. McCoy then exits the captain's cabin and we no longer have the invasive mind wipe. To reflect this change in dynamic, I use closing music from Mudd's Women and Charlie X.

User reviews

2 reviews
Overall rating
 
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0(2)
Audio Editing
 
10.0(2)
Visual Editing
 
10.0(2)
Narrative
 
9.5(2)
Enjoyment
 
9.5(2)
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
I will be blunt:
I utterly and completely LOATHE the third season episode Requiem for Methuselah!
I absolutely HATE how Kirk is written in this episode.

So Warlord has accomplished something I thought was impossible.
He made this episode watchable for me.
Kirk's interest in Rayna is now more restrained, more empathic and flirtatious, rather than lustful and inappropriate.
Kirk does still feels slightly out of character and the fight at the end between him and Flint is now a bit forced but still within the realm of 60s melodrama.

Very good cut and audio work by Warlord.
Definitely worth checking out if you are a TOS fan.

Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 2 0
Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Oh, Requiem for Methuselah. Maybe the most divisive episode of the original series (only The Omega Glory would challenge that). Some people will have it as their favorite (The Warlord), some will have it as the opposite (Bionic Bob). For me, it's mid-tier. It has a solid plot going for it, but highly illogical (see what I did there) character behavior on Kirk's part going against it. Well, detractors will likely be much more satisfied with this recut. It fixes Kirk's arc as much as it can be fixed: he still devotes a bit too much effort to flirt with Rayna while his crew is dying, but once he realizes what's going on with Rayna and Flint, his actions make much more sense and are much more humane as opposed to being an entitled lovesick puppy like in the original. The title is accurate: the recut acts very much like Ryetalyn on the plot's "illness".

Technically, it's flawless all around, perfect audio, video, and editing. The only thing that doesn't completely satisfy me is that it uses the CGI FX version of the episode as a basis (I still abhor those), but the reasons for this were explained to me and I can live with it. Despite this, it's great enough to become my preferred version of the episode. Another winner!
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 2 0