While talking to the Los Angeles New Times Wise spoke of his dissatisfaction as well as his newfound acceptance with the film, saying, "At the time I made it, I was pretty unhappy. There were some unfortunate things going on. We had problems with the script -- we were rewriting the script all the way through -- and I got along well with the actors, but it was not one of my happiest experiences, so I always had a bit of a downer on it. There were so many things taken out I don't think should have been taken out, so when I had a chance to go back belatedly and put some of those scenes back in, that made me much happier about the film. With all my other films, everything went fine -- I got my cut on them and got along with the studios. This is the only one I had this experience with."

Wise participated in the creation of the upcoming newly wrought version of the film, which uses newly created CG material as well as carefully recutting the film to bring in previous cut footage as well as snipping out redundant material. After finally seeing the new version, Wise said, "When I did West Side Story, we screened it for the cast and crew before we took it to the Midwest for a couple of sneak previews. I'll never forget, Sam Goldwyn and his wife were there, and Mrs. Goldwyn said to me after the showing, "The minute I sat down in the theater, I wasn't in that theater. I was in that film, all the way through it.' That's the greatest compliment you can pay any film. It grabs the audience from the very beginning and never lets them go. They forget they're looking at a film. That's what you try for. And I've finally done that with Star Trek."

(Thanks to Shawn Turpin and Okuda for the tips!)

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Here lies a toppled god,
His fall was not a small one.
We did but build his pedestal,
A narrow and a tall one.