Since when has TAS been in HD? I just got Netflix, and I was shocked to see TAS listed with both seasons. I immediately had a marathon and watched the best episodes. The big question is, it's in 5.1 surround sound. It's 1080p. Why the heck is it not on BluRay? (also, happy birthday to TAS)
Yeah - you can see all the smudges but the really stands out. It looks great. It would really hold up if they "remastered" it. But if they do an "as is" release, I would certainly pick it up.
As blasphemous as this may sound it could be something to see TAS re-animated. I don't mean with cgi a la Star Wars: Clone Wars. I mean very much in the original style with proper fluid animation where characters and ships and things actual move properly and with far, far fewer static shots. A lot of TAS as is comes off as something like a comic book with sound because there's so little actual.movement. Oh, and correct the pink Kzinti ships and pink suits.
And the Orions (OREIONS) and how they look nothing like we've seen (to be fair, we never saw male orions, really, in TOS)
No, I wouldn't want it restconned just because of what came later. And I wish they hadn't done that shit in TOS-R--- I can't stand those Tholian ships.
That's largely what I would like to see. Animation still isn't exactly cheap or quick, but with a good studio backing the project they could make something a lot more impressive. And the static-ness of so many shots is very offputting. What I find hilarious is the far more limited range of stock footage of the Enterprise than the live action series had.
Regarding the subject of limited animation in HD, I'm reminded of an episode of FAMILY GUY that mocked the art gallery scene in FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF. The camera alternately showed Stewie's face and a French Impressionist painting. The shots of each kept getting closer and closer. More and more detail emerged in the painting, while Stewies' face was revealed to contain less and less. The animation art is utterly smooth and featureless. It was a brilliant and self-deprecating commentary on the quality of TV.
I would love to see a new Trek animated series done with current animation technology. I could also go with reanimating the original, as long as the originals were included as well, like the TOS blue rays did.
Meh... I'd rather get have new stories. I'd like the next Trek TV series to be animated, but with imaginative stories and decent animation. The reality of TV time and budget constraints would by necessity mean stylized characters, but as long as they didn't exaggerate proportions too much, I think they could get away with it.
But the point of discussion isn't whether there should be a new series (there should), but whether the original TAS should/could be remastered and/or enhanced.
Seriously, it's not worth it. Most of the stories are not that good, the voice acting is bland, and the music is mind-numbingly repetitive. Why waste the effort instead of just making something new?
Even though TAS is releasable in HD right now (because it's on film), I'd be all for trying to clean it up a bit, if for no other reason than to fix some of the more glaring errors like people's uniforms being the wrong color sometimes, the pasty white skin, the pink Klingons, etc. (yes, I know this was because Hal Sutherland was colorblind) and at least trying to fix that thing in the opening credits where the Enterprise is flying SIDEWAYS . But I'd be even MORE in favor of a full-out CGI remake of the entire series, but keeping the existing voices.
To which my answer was no. Then I followed that up with what I would rather see, which you were free to either read or ignore. Wasn't Scotty accidentally given a mustache in one scene?
Eeyup. They even turned Uhura "white" in one or two shots. Koloth briefly appeared "in front" of the bridge viewscreen instead of "upon" it, similar issue with the turbo-lift doors. M'Ress was given Uhura's boobs in a shot and they were never consistant with her nose; more often than not, the entire bridge of her nose was painted black instead of just the "pad", making her look like an anorexic koala. Of course, they were insanely rushed as Filmation was not given the same amount of prep time several other new animated series were afforded. Frankly, it's amazing it was as cohesive as it was. Sincerely, Bill