Product Details

• Actors: Jeffrey Hunter, Susan Oliver, Leonard Nimoy, Majel Barrett, John Hoyt
• Directors: Robert Butler
• Writers: Gene Roddenberry
• Producers: Byron Haskin, Gene Roddenberry, Robert H. Justman
• Format: Color, Closed-captioned, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Paramount
• VHS Release Date: April 15, 1994
• Run Time: 64 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300213056
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,542 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #87 in	Video > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Star Trek
  #94 in	Video > Classics > Classic TV

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

Watching "The Cage" is like visiting some parallel universe. That's the Star Trek theme song, and there's the Enterprise, and that's Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock... but wait--he's smiling and firing weapons. And who are the rest of these duds manning the controls? If this were any other series pilot, it would probably be laughed out of the galaxy with its wooden acting, silly costumes, and cheesy special effects. But this was Star Trek's dry run, and so it is a must-own collectible for every Trekker, as well as instructive viewing for anyone interested in the evolution of a TV show. Now, there are some who staunchly believe that Jeffrey Hunter's Christopher Pike was the Enterprise's best captain. Pike doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his leadership abilities; reflecting on a recent devastating battle, he anguishes, "I should have smelled trouble when I saw the swords and the armor." He is also "tired of being responsible for 203 lives" and is considering resigning his Starfleet commission. But Pike is roused from his ennui after the Enterprise answers a distress call on the planet Talos IV, and he is imprisoned by super-intelligent aliens with the telepathic power to manipulate memories. Susan Oliver guest-stars as Vina, whom the aliens select as Eve to his Adam. The lackluster (and virtually all-white) crew includes Marjel Barrett as a somber Number One and John Hoyt as Dr. Boyce, who dispenses martinis as well as advice. This episode never aired, but some scenes were used in the two-part original series episode The Menagerie. --Donald Liebenson

From the Back Cover

A real collector's item! Star Trek's unaired pilot stars Jeffrey Hunter as captain of the Enterprise. "The Cage" was reconstructed with black and white footage from Gene Roddenberry's workprint and color footage from "The Menagerie."

TREK TRIVIA
Peter Duryea (Jose Tyler) is the son of '50s Western superstar Dan Duryea.
Majel Barrett (Number One) appeared in the original Star Trek series as Nurse Chapel, in the Star Trek films as Dr. Chapel, and in The Next Generation series as Lwaxana Troi. She was also the voice of the Enterprise computer in both TV series. Majel is the widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars There's a better version available!, February 25, 1999

By A Customer

Be advised, there are two versions of this video available, and this is not the one to buy. Paramount released this under the assumption that the only extant print of the original pilot was in black and white, and they combined it with the color footage used in The Menagerie. A few years later, a color print surfaced and was released. For some reason, Paramount continues to market them both. Amazon has the full-color version available, its ASIN is B000003K1B. Also, the black and white/color version is Volume 1 of the original video series; and the full color is Volume 99. So to get the most out of the amazing dancing green babe, buy the color one!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A GREAT STORY!!!, September 14, 1998

By	Ale (Montevideo, Uruguay) - See all my reviews

I've bought this video from Amazon, and I can tell you it's great! It's the un-aired, pilot episode of "Star Trek: The Original Series", with an introduction and conclusion by creator Gene Goddemberry. This episode was the one that was created to show how the product was, but it seems that the company didn't liked it (don't be surprised, Superman was rejected at the beginning too) and the episode was never aired on TV. During the episode, it switches from Black and White to Color and vice-versa several times, and so we can contrast how the episode was originally from Gene Goddemberry and a more appropriate version of the episode. The plot: The Enterprise has found some survivors of a previous crash of another starship, and comes to the rescue. But it was just an illusion created by some ultra-intelligent aliens who wanted to make tests on the captain, and some others things I won't tell you so I don't spoil the fun... Just don't think that this episode can be dull just for being old, it's a great episode. However, they could have switched from B&W to Colors less times and make the ending a little better, but anyway, it's a great episode. If you're a Star Trek fan, you just can't miss this one... END

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The real original Star Trek, September 22, 2002

By	Bruce Gray "gurpsgm" (Shenandoah Valley, VA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Those who are expecting the usual Kirk, Spock, and McCoy will be strangely surprised by this pilot episode for classic Star Trek.

Featuring Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Pike, this episode really began what was to become the phenomenon of Star Trek. Gene Roddenberry asked the networks if they wanted a "Wagon Train to the Stars". When he got the go-ahead from NBC, he made this episode to show execs what he had to offer. It's almost a wonder that a second pilot ever got made. Gene was not afraid of taking chances - he had a woman as second in command ("Number One") and a multi-ethnic crew far before the term "politically correct" ever was even heard of. NBC execs wanted Gene to get rid of the female second in command and "do something about those ears", and Gene responded with the second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before". Star Trek, to my knowledge, is the only show that has ever been granted a second chance like that.

This episode is worth watching. Gene filmed both an introduction to the episode and an epilogue after the episode that really add to your understanding of what makes this episode stand out. Some people say Jeffrey Hunter was kind of wooden, but I enjoyed his sense of wonder, as was evidenced by the very short scene on the planet where he discovers the "singing plants". Spock is completely out of what was to become his character - he even shouts "The Women!" when the Talosians only allow the two females from the Enterprise to beam down to Pike's location. And Dr Piper has a few things in common with McCoy - he even deals out the occasional medical martini. Some of these characters will undergo further development later.

But it's the story that stands out. Although by SF standards, the "Adam and Eve" plot is trite and overused, the fresher spin on it provided by the Talosians with their great mental powers allow it to not be as stale. Their ability to make people believe their fantasies are real really make the show. Anyone who isn't a little turned on by the Green Orion Slave girl dance is brain dead. And there's even some back story to characters we will never see again with Pike's horse and his memories of another battle on another world.

This episode will eventually be cut up and reused in the only classic Trek two-parter, "Menagerie", but I'd recommend this VHS and DVD not only to classic Trek lovers (who will =have= to have it to complete their collections) but to general SF fans - it's fun to see where a classic show actually begins.