The OFFICIAL STNG Next Level Bluray watch and review thread

Discussion in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' started by RAMA, Jan 28, 2012.

  1. Dac

    Dac Commodore Commodore

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  2. beamMe

    beamMe Commodore

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    You must have very good eyes, since the escape pods hardly stand out, colour-wise, on the four-footer.
    And, checking, screencaps and youtube, I can't make them them out at all in that shot.
     
  3. Trekker4747

    Trekker4747 Boldly going... Premium Member

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  4. Borjis

    Borjis Commodore Commodore

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    WOW!

    Encounter at farpoint is SO much more watchable now that it's been properly color corrected.

    I was one that never bought Season 1 on DVD because I didn't like how it looked and having more than a few dud episodes. I will be getting the blu-ray for sure!

    The enterprise 6 footer looks amazing! during the saucer sep you can see a bit of grime on the model from the rear neck view medium shot as well as the aft torpedo firing shot...awesome!!!

    One thing I'm looking forward to like many others are the new details.

    I was just watching Sins of the father and noticed for the first time, when they all sit down to eat, Kern picks up a rosebud, plucks and eats one of the petals!! Almost blew my coffee all over the living room I laughed so hard.

    something I don't care for are the "rainbow" stretch stars during the coming out of warp shots.
    they just look odd and think they would look better white, but oh well. I always thought it was composite video noise that caused it on the dvd and broadcasts...just a small nitpick.

    and speaking of composite video noise, it's nice to see the deflector dish sharp and clean without any of that fuzz.
     
  5. beamMe

    beamMe Commodore

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  6. JarodRussell

    JarodRussell Vice Admiral Admiral

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  7. davejames

    davejames Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Finally saw Sins, and I was really impressed with the job they did on that missing footage. The definition obviously wasn't there, but they got the colors to look just as bold and vibrant as in the surrounding footage.

    Hell, if DS9 even looked that good on my TV, I'd be happy.
     
  8. Dac

    Dac Commodore Commodore

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  9. Trekker4747

    Trekker4747 Boldly going... Premium Member

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    Awesome!

    Thanks, as I said that's one of my more favorite shots of the ship.
     
  10. NewHorizon

    NewHorizon Captain Captain

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    I actually don't have a huge problem with that CGI model in The Inner Light, other than they really need to work on the lighting in order to make the ship look more like a physical thing.

    One thing that immediately makes it look somewhat off is the overly bright blue light around the outer deflector. It's not like that on the physical ship.

    Other than that, it's actually the best CGI model of the 6ft Enterprise that I have ever seen. If they can nail down a few issues that are making the textures look artificial, I would not bat an eye at them 'tastefully' recompositing the existing filmed elements with it in place of the 4 footer.
     
  11. davejames

    davejames Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Yeah I don't think the deflector dish was ever meant to be quite as bright as the warp engines.
     
  12. Ryann866

    Ryann866 Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Just watched Farpoint and half of Sins of the Father. And, like everyone else, I'm blown away by the colors and clarity of the restoration. It is like watching a totally new show in a way.

    The effects (except for that "energy beam" shot and the opening of SotF) are remarkable and a testament to the work of the crews that built those models and the geniuses who shot them. It's another example proving where CGI just doesn't hold up when compared to actual photography.

    Like the Star Wars films where I can watch the first three films and not be thrown out by the model work, and yet the FX in the special editions and the prequels all look dated and obtuse after only a few years.

    Seeing TNG restored, I actually prefer the sharper, more bold look of Farpoint and the first season when compared to the muted lighting of the later seasons... I don't know, in HD something about it just looks slicker and more feature film like. That being said, Farpoint still reeks of 80's cinematography with the odd camera angles and moves.

    The main thing that stood out for me though (besides noticing that Troi, Picard, Tasha, and Beverly all seem to have been directed to become teary-eyed during their impassioned dialogue at one point or another during the episode) is how fresh the actual Farpoint story seems today.

    Yes, some of it is executed poorly and the characterizations are typical of any cast trying to find their legs, but what I'm talking about is the story itself.

    The concept and ideas behind it - putting humans on trial for the crimes of their civilization and a people who capture a space creature and force it into slavery are so "high-sci-fi" -- a kind of simple, yet evocative storytelling that doesn't really come around too often today.

    This pilot, for all it's surface flaws, is effectively a perfect example of what Star Trek is - and why Trek has always stood alone in the type of stories only it can do well. The storytelling is straightforward and so earnest... and yet you buy into it because it is all so believable - the writing isn't cynical and it doesn't try to outsmart you or wink at you with gloss or pop culture references like so much of today's "important" sci-f does.

    This particular episode is so Roddenberry. Which is why, watching in through now, it reminded me of TMP. And while it's certainly not the most exciting or engaging of Trek episodes, it has that air of trying to push the limit of what we can imagine -- while at the same time making a not so subtle statement about humanity. There is a sense of wonder to it all - and the characters portray that without any cynicism.

    So much entertainment today (especially modern sci-fi) pretends to be important when it's really just clever plotting wrapped up in style and a cool factor. And while some of the best stuff today takes their cues from more character based episodic drama, there is a serious lack of shows that stretch the boundaries of big ideas.

    It's interesting to take a new look at this old show and be reminded again why Trek, when done right, has such staying power.

    And a nice touch that they credited DeForest Kelley. I remember watching this scene when it first aired in 87 in my parents bedroom, being pulled out of the giddy awe of seeing a new shot of the Excelsior model to utter speechlessness when McCoy appeared.

    Those pre-internet days where you could actually be surprised are really missed...
     
  13. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

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    What is it with the criticism of the energy beam shot?? I always loved that angle of the Enterprise...here and in Code of Honor. It's actually improved from the original shot by light years...look at the still on the thread for Christ sake! Rant over.

    RAMA
     
  14. JJohnson

    JJohnson Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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  15. Ryann866

    Ryann866 Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I thought the still looked great but when I saw it in the actual show it just looked very cut and paste. Maybe it was the moving stars... similar reaction to the Bop shot in SotF. Kind of a photoshop vibe that didn't match the other effects.

    Not a big deal though, it didn't "ruin" the show for me.
     
  16. davejames

    davejames Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Yeah Farpoint definitely looks more cinematic, but I was still blown away by how sharp and colorful Sins of the Father looked as well. And with the better styling and costumes from that season, it makes the show suddenly look a lot more modern as well.

    Other than the 4:3 format, there's hardly any hint that this is an episode that aired 22 years ago.

    Yeah it's a solid story idea, I think the problem is the episode was just too preoccupied with having to introduce all the new characters to really do it justice. Q's trial and the Farpoint mystery almost feel like an afterthought at times.
     
  17. trekker670

    trekker670 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    It kind of was. It was "hey we need to make an hour show into 2 hours; what else can we add?"
     
  18. JarodRussell

    JarodRussell Vice Admiral Admiral

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    ?

    What else is there left if you take out Q's trial and the Farpoint mystery?
     
  19. gaghyogi49

    gaghyogi49 Commander Red Shirt

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    Geordi explaining to Beverly why he refuses eye surgery.
    Data explaining to Riker what it's like to be an android.
    Wesley talking about his father's death.
    Picard and Crusher rekindling their friendship.
    Imzadi.
    "I'm a Klingon warrior".
    Tasha losing it.

    So: all that character exposition that sometimes comes at weird places in the middle of the real action... ;-)
     
  20. Asbo Zaprudder

    Asbo Zaprudder Admiral Admiral

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    Also Bones' cameo.