M'ress appreciation thread

Discussion in 'Star Trek - The Original & Animated Series' started by Moodib, Sep 15, 2011.

  1. Forbin

    Forbin Admiral Admiral

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    Her cat-like grace?
     
  2. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Is Selma Blair that exceptionally graceful? I've only seen her in the HellBoy flicks (and that's only when they finally aired on commercial television). Maybe other movies which I have not seen showcased that aspect.

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  3. Forbin

    Forbin Admiral Admiral

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    I was being sufefci...fasceti... kidding. :)
     
  4. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    A Bill Theiss inspired "evening gown" for the sophisticated Caitian about town.

    [​IMG]

    One might reason a furred species would not care for restrictive garment that might mat the dense hair.

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  5. Kemaiku

    Kemaiku Admiral Admiral

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  6. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Not the most dynamic pose, but I wanted to showcase the ensemble and not obscure it. I particularly like the "wrap" because it looks like something Bill Theiss might have designed and fitted. Like several of his costumes, you wonder if (read: hope) it might dislodge itself.

    I didn't model the items, but I did play with "material nodes" to give them that distinctive TOS look. I call that glittery effect "Tholian shell".

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  7. Uxi

    Uxi Commander Red Shirt

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    anything to the rumor that Roddenberry asked Majel to play M'Ress in TMP?
     
  8. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Therin of Andor seems the expert on those matters. Hopefully he'll chime in with details.

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  9. Forbin

    Forbin Admiral Admiral

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    I dunno, I know a lot of guys who would count as "furred species" that still wear normal clothes. :)
     
  10. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    *Snicker!*

    More likely, because western society demands it.

    "D*mn, bud'! Cover that hairy back with somethin'! I'm about to lose my lunch! And let's not even get into the deal with that plumber's crack!" :wtf:

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  11. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    I've never been able to find the reference again, but I think it was a letter/memo from Gene to numerous Star Trek clubs during the early days of TMP, printed in my club's newsletter before I joined it (a friend used to have all the back issues).

    Gene was asked if Arex and M'Ress would be included in (what eventually became) TMP. He said Arex would be too hard to create in live-action, but he'd asked Majel to consider a dual role: Dr Chapel and M'Ress. Majel was quick to say no, due to the heavy makeup a live-action Caitian would require.
     
  12. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Does make one wonder who they might have attempted such a makeup in 1978-79 might have been achieved. Would they have attempted implanting hairs to make the face actually "furry" (as was done with the Sisters of Plenitude in Doctor Who), or would they have gone the more traditional route of "bare" foam latex appliences (like Oz's Cowardly Lion) merely "painted" to suggest fur? Given the odds such a character would have been little more than a "cameo", I suspect the latter.

    Oh, I nearly forgot Chewbacca possessed an actual "furry" face, and he was designed almost 5 years earlier. But I suspect the length of the hair fibers helped with the effect. If it were shorter, I wonder if it would have resulted in a phony, plush doll look? (Wasn't Chewy designed by Stewart Freeborn, the man who created the proto-homonids for "2001"?)

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  13. Forbin

    Forbin Admiral Admiral

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    I have a friend who frows hair so fast he has to shave twice a day, and to be presentable with a polo shirt with the neck open, he shaves around his neck and about 6" down his chest.
     
  14. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    Well, Paula Crist designed her own wolfish/feral makeup for her alien character, Worene, in TMP - she competed with Billy Van Zandt (in makeup created by Phillips and usually applied by Ve Neill) as the bridge's alien ensign - but Wise chose to place her in the rec deck scene. Crist based the makeup on a male version of her alien she had performed at SF conventions. The male version had long shaggy hair. Gene R personally invited Paula Crist, already a trained stuntwoman and actress, to perform her alien in TMP.

    [​IMG]
    Worene (center, front row) by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

    By the way, Fred Phillips worked on "Oz" as a much younger man.
     
  15. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    We know that the "Phase Two" fan project (and I use the word "fan" not to denegrate the efforts, but simply to avoid confusion with the aborted late 70s series attempt) will depict Arex (complete with third arm, yay!), but has the production considered slipping in a "cameo" of M'Ress as well? Or will that be an "easter egg" for a later episode? And, if they do, how might they attempt it? Makeup? Maybe puppetry for leg and/or tail shots? CGI? or a combination?

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  16. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Looks like Moodib's initial enthusiasm for this thread may have waned. Then again, he hasn't posted anywhere since October 17th. I thought maybe my unfamiliarity with Ms. Blair may have frustrated him.

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  17. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    [​IMG]

    Here's "ensign" M'Ress when she still served upon the USS Hood. Seems she's discovered a not so favorable reading upon her "trident" scanner.

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  18. Kemaiku

    Kemaiku Admiral Admiral

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    Heh, love the overalls.
     
  19. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Thanks! While not an exact match, I thought it looked close enough to the engineering "boiler suits" presented in the original series to do in a crunch. I also reasoned since she was doing maintenance type work in this render, she might want to have that overflowing "mane" of hers tied back.

    I had a bit of fun with the lights, placing one far up the Jefferies tube so that it shines an ovoid spot upon the deck and another placed just in front of the scanner/tool/whatever so that M'ress' face was illuminated. (It was somewhat in shadow without a "readout glow".)

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  20. Kemaiku

    Kemaiku Admiral Admiral

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    I caught the ponytale too, I always assumed Caitians tied the mane back into a braid a lot of the time.

    The boiler suit looks fine, its pretty close to the TOS ones, although it would probably be a different fit anyway to accomodate her leg angles.