TOS-Remastered: a waste of time

[Neutral Zone]

I like the remastered version, they did a reasonably good job and you have to admit that the series look better for the clean up. The original set up was good in its time and I enjoyed it like most of my age, and as already said it intended to get the younger fans on board.

They will probably remaster ST XI in the future and we will probably have the same debate on that one.

[ST-One]

Neutral Zone wrote:

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They will probably remaster ST XI in the future and we will probably have the same debate on that one.

No, no they really won't.
Simply because the VFX-shots in Star Trek ('09 film) don't drop in picture-quality like they did in Star Trek (TOS).

[Grant]

The genesis cave matte sucked from day one in 1982.

The 'castle' matte from the cage was great from day one (and that's why they didn't alter much at all)

When FX or mattes are made has no bearing on wether they will ever seem like they need an upgrade----the quality does have a bearing.

Many of the changes in TOS are very well done and will never need to upgraded on a quality basis.

The degraded reuse & repetitive nature of the original mattes/FX from TOS made the new FX deisrable---not that they looked awful.

The original Fx of TOS were not replaced because they were 'of their time' and therefore no longer watchable and the new FX will never be replaced for that reason either.

The new FX greatly enhance my enjoyment of the series and make each episode more unique and less generic.

Being slavishly devoted to the original handfull of Enterprise shots is like saying how much you love that same lame shot of Sulu glancing back toward Kirk. One, two or three times is okay after the 30th time it's just annoying.

And besides ALL the original shots of the Ent were recreated for the remastered and are not lost when you watch that version.

[RandyS]

I have both versions on regular DVD and recently watched all of the remastered episodes from beginning to end. I don't hate the remastered versions, but prefer the originals I grew up with.

[MANT!]

Frankly on my HDTV, the original effects were often jarring..the obvious grain of the reused shots REALLY shows up..

On my HDTV I prefer the remastered..

BTW Mike Okuda (if I remember correctly) stated that they almost included a TOS-ified Miranda in the Ultimate Computer but decided not to due to script lines in the episode referring to "starships" and with the TOS Enterprise's plaque reading "Starship Class" they decided to leave well enough alone..and kept only the "Connies" as part of the fleet.

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/me...ion_plaque.jpg

[Captain Robert April]

The second they decided to remaster TOS for high def, redoing the visual effects shots was a given. The original effects shots often times don't fully hold up under a standard def tv (which is almost twice the resolution of a high end set back in the 60's), there's no way they can hold up on an HDTV.

The only solution was CGI, both from a time and money perspective, and because of the simple fact that the original effects element shots, i.e., the footage of the models on the effects stage, starfield shots, etc., have almost certainly all been destroyed by now (that being said, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if startrekhistory.com comes up with a few feet of footage, but the point remains). And, sorry, but there is no way that they're gonna drag the original model out of the Smithsonian and reshoot all those effects scenes.

[milo bloom]

KingDaniel wrote:

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It’s *far* too slavish to the original.

Sometime after these had been announced but before they had aired, I attended a Star Trek convention in the Chicago suburbs where the guy in charge (the name escapes me at the moment) spoke to us and some of the first words out of his mouth, and I'm dead serious, were "this is not Greedo shoots first". At that point he had won me over, the rest was just gravy.

Try thinking about it in that perspective, it was never meant to be all flash and no substance, it was merely meant to make the FX work less jarring for modern audiences in syndication.

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Nerdius Maximus wrote:

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And anyone who just can't get into or watch classic Trek because of it's "Cheesy" effects is too superficial to understand what Star Trek is all about in the first place.

That's hardly true; there's certainly no evidence that Trek fans are smarter or more discerning than people who don't like it.

The need for new effects was driven by the demands of high definiton TV; the original effects were simply inadequate. C'est la guerre.

[Penhall99]

I think the project was handled well, over all. Would you really wanna see George Lucas-style CGI stuff in there?

I think with the early episodes the TOS remastered team worked on stuck too close to the original shots (Balance of Terror is a good example) but after a few episodes they changed things up and did a great job.

It isn't perfect, but I think its cool. And they have BOTH versions on the blu-ray set, so there should be no complaints.

[Yeoman Randi]

RandyS wrote:

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I have both versions on regular DVD and recently watched all of the remastered episodes from beginning to end. I don't hate the remastered versions, but prefer the originals I grew up with.

I certainly don't hate them either. And i do feel they did an excellent job on them. I also like that the new effects may help attract newer, younger fans, which is always a good thing. I do enjoy toggling back and forth between original and new. I enjoyed the 'animation' they added to matt shots too. But like you Randy, i think i prefer the originals because it was what i grew up with. I think it's a win/win any way you put it.

[bbailey861]

I have a perfectly good 32" CRT Sony Wega and was hesitiating to upgrade to HDTV - always thinking that if I wait a little longer I can get it cheaper still. Specifically because of ST XI, my wife, God bless her, recently bought me a 47" HDTV with instructions from everyone in the family not to go rush out and buy a Blu-ray and/or ST XI (can anyone say Ho, Ho, Ho). I absolutley intend on buying the complete TOS in Blu-ray so I can enjoy it (including the remastered effects) in HD. Besides that, my oldest daughter (almost 30) has already called dibs on the DVD set I already have. I'm happy to give them up so my granddaughter, Lily, can be properly exposed to the old gang. The CRT has been relegated to the basement rec room.

[Nerdius Maximus]

Dennis wrote:

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That's hardly true; there's certainly no evidence that Trek fans are smarter or more discerning than people who don't like it.

No, not anymore.

[Nerdius Maximus]

ST-One wrote:

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No, no they really won't.
Simply because the VFX-shots in Star Trek ('09 film) don't drop in picture-quality like they did in Star Trek (TOS).

Also because it will have been long forgotten by the general public.

[jefferiestubes8]

I agree with Dennis and Penhall99.

I guess it was inevitiable that someone would start a thread of disliking the visual effects of TOS-R.

Some of these same thoughts that are mentioned have already come up in the "remaster TNG? " thread and that hasn't even got a greenlight to happen yet... At least people are discussing all the potential issues before that project even begins. TOS effects were minimal compared to how many were done for TNG...(and would have to be recreated.)

I am still amazed Paramount/CBS was able put out a 6th version of TOS that some fans have already purchased on 3 other formats! (VHS, Laserdisc, DVD) but this will be the definitive version that will last another 100 years not necessarily on that physical BR format but in HD.

[ST-One]

Nerdius Maximus wrote:

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No, not anymore.

Nerdius Maximus wrote:

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Also because it will have been long forgotten by the general public.

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