Does anyone find Star Trek II-V very (aesthetically) dated?

[JonnyQuest037]

Since Nimoy had only directed TV before TSFS, maybe he was just used to doing the quick, flat lighting setups. IIRC, the sequences of Genesis breaking up were filmed late in the schedule, so maybe Nimoy realized that he could do more elaborate lighting setups by that point in the filming.

 

[Armus]

Hairstyles aside, The 80s Star Trek movies do look more dated than say 2001 or Star Trek:TMP because more care and thought went into the aesthetics of the latter. The Enterprise, the muted colors, the functional uniforms of TMP give a sense of verisimilitude. The Napoleonic uniforms of the 80s Star Trek movies just look too dressy. I like the red and black look but the uniforms should have been more functional.

 

[Damian]

Is it dated. Yes and no. It does look a bit 80ish but then fashion is cyclical. Who's to say all that won't be fashionable in the late 23rd century? I just figure it's a product of it's time though and just go with it. It's hard to imagine the future.

TMP was my favorite Star Trek film (really, I mean it), part of it was the pure sci-fi story. But part of it was the refitted Enterprise. It really had a futuristic feel to it that I thought holds up. It's bright, it's futuristic and feels larger then life.

When Nick Meyer came into the picture he wanted more realism on the sets. They're darker, more claustrophobic (amazing considering it's the SAME sets a lot of times). And I know what he was trying to accomplish, and it worked with the theming of TWOK. But it lost some of that futuristic element to it--which I think may have caused it to loose it's charm as the years go by. TSFS brought some of that back, the sets were brighter again. TVH probably looks the most dated because most of it takes place in 1986. It's probably a good thing the 1980's were back again in the 2280's because Kirk and co. were able to fit right in .

 

[XCV330]

Hairstyles aside, The 80s Star Trek movies do look more dated than say 2001 or Star Trek:TMP because more care and thought went into the aesthetics of the latter. The Enterprise, the muted colors, the functional uniforms of TMP give a sense of verisimilitude. The Napoleonic uniforms of the 80s Star Trek movies just look too dressy. I like the red and black look but the uniforms should have been more functional.

The TMP uniforms are about the most dated of any of them, in my opinion. They look uncomfortable, do not give dignity to the office and belong in some sort of figure skating disco wonderland. The maroon uniforms at least do look military.

As far as practical, about the only practical uniforms in trek are the ENT era jumpsuits and the TOS overalls.

 

[Tosk]

Everything old is new again.

Everything old is new again.

You can say that again.

 

[Armus]

The TMP uniforms are about the most dated of any of them, in my opinion. They look uncomfortable, do not give dignity to the office and belong in some sort of figure skating disco wonderland. The maroon uniforms at least do look military.

As far as practical, about the only practical uniforms in trek are the ENT era jumpsuits and the TOS overalls.

The TMP uniforms are very 70's but atleast they were a sincere 1970's view of the 23rd century. Kirk's admiral jumpsuit looked believable enough to be resurrected in JJ Abrams Star Trek movies. The maroon uniforms of the 80's could work as dress uniforms but they seem neither futuristic nor functional. I agree that the Enterprise uniforms were very practical as everyday wear.

 

[XCV330]

The TMP uniforms are very 70's but atleast they were a sincere 1970's view of the 23rd century. Kirk's admiral jumpsuit looked believable enough to be resurrected in JJ Abrams Star Trek movies. The maroon uniforms of the 80's could work as dress uniforms but they seem neither futuristic nor functional. I agree that the Enterprise uniforms were very practical as everyday wear.

I do like the admiral uniform in TMP. When STC brought the TMP uniforms back again in their final episode it shows again just how much better looking that one is than the others.

 

[PureCrimson]

Not at all. The look for the movies is the most iconic and timeless Trek there is. I think there's a reason that uniform was in almost every Star Trek medium for nearly 20 years.

(Example, every time there was a ship from the 'past' in any Next Gen franchise, even as little back as the Enterprise C, they still had those uniforms).

 

[2takesfrakes]

Does anyone find Star Trek II-V very (aesthetically) dated?

The datedness of ALL of TOS Trek movies must be overlooked and accepted to be enjoyed. It's not something that can go unnoticed, by any stretch of the imagination. But the one thing TOS does great in the movies and even better during the series is escapism. When I watch anything TOS ... I believe ... because no matter how ridiculous anything appears, or how cheap, or patently fake, for that matter ... the genuine desire to entertain is such that it's flattering, actually. I get more than my few bucks worth -- I am utterly engaged by the divertissement.

 

[gottacook]

I think there's a reason that uniform was in almost every Star Trek medium for nearly 20 years. (Example, every time there was a ship from the 'past' in any Next Gen franchise, even as little back as the Enterprise C, they still had those uniforms).

This fact, of course, supports the idea that the time track established in TWoK -- wherein the Enterprise really is a used-up old ship, now used only for training, despite any incidental resemblance to the refitted ship of TMP -- is the real one, and by contrast the TMP time track is essentially a pocket universe with no sequels and no future. Specifically: No post-1979 official Trek production introduced a guest character from the past wearing a TMP-style uniform, whereas there were various appearances of an officer in a TWoK-style uniform (or a variation of it).

 

[STEPhon IT]

The TMP uniforms are very 70's but atleast they were a sincere 1970's view of the 23rd century. Kirk's admiral jumpsuit looked believable enough to be resurrected in JJ Abrams Star Trek movies. The maroon uniforms of the 80's could work as dress uniforms but they seem neither futuristic nor functional. I agree that the Enterprise uniforms were very practical as everyday wear.

TMP uniforms are an extension, and in fact an improvement from TOS; these uniforms were very practical and something I believe would be appropriate for extended missions in space. My only gripe from those outfits is the color schemes; not Star Trek at all, but more 2001: A Space Odyssey. I personally feel the only reason TWOK uniforms were popular was because the film was so dang good. I've tolerated the very boring color schemes from those uncomfortable turtleneck shirts too. It doesn't make any sense: white, teal green, scarlet, grey, and mustard???

There was a sense of laziness from TNG series when they would inappropriately bring characters from the TOS movie-verse into their universe. There should've been a sense of progression into those uniforms, but there isn't. Like the artistic nuance of production designs, ships, and wardrobe from DSC and ENT; they don't seem to fit at all with TOS.

Simply set the entire outfits from all of the incarnations of trek and you'll say, "What the f^ck had happened???"

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

But honestly, the Star Trek that looks the most dated to me today is TNG. It looks super 1980s, even as the show stretched into the early 1990s. TOS's style was generally more classic and timeless, but TNG looks very much of its time to me.

I agree. The later seasons look better than the early seasons, but the show looks very much like something made in those years. To me, DS9 has always seemed the most timeless of the series, probably because the series aged better than its counterparts. The early seasons look like TNG, but everything post-Season 3 looks great.

 

[danellis]

... Which is an idea I kind of liked and made me think we need a similar term for those 60's-80's (not sure when the cut off point would be, ....

Something with "resistor" in? I'm desperately trying to avoid saying "resistor-sista"!!!

dJE

 

[STEPhon IT]

Back on topic...

I don't think the producers of the TWOK film were thinking of other conditions the cast would be under. Just in a well air-conditioned set, but if they had a conceived thought the cast would have filming set in the desert or other hot and stuffy areas they would've jettisoned or rethink the idea of having those uniforms. GR and company thought this stuff through when he was working on TMP

 

[WarpFactorZ]

This fact, of course, supports the idea that the time track established in TWoK -- wherein the Enterprise really is a used-up old ship, now used only for training, despite any incidental resemblance to the refitted ship of TMP -- is the real one, and by contrast the TMP time track is essentially a pocket universe with no sequels and no future. Specifically: No post-1979 official Trek production introduced a guest character from the past wearing a TMP-style uniform, whereas there were various appearances of an officer in a TWoK-style uniform (or a variation of it).

If I recall correctly, the USS Bozeman was from the year 2278 -- only a few years post-TMP -- and the crew sported the red tunics. So either the TMP uniforms had the shortest run in history, or they never existed to begin with!

 

[danellis]

Back on topic...

I don't think the producers of the TWOK film were thinking of other conditions the cast would be under. Just in a well air-conditioned set, but if they had a conceived thought the cast would have filming set in the desert or other hot and stuffy areas they would've jettisoned or rethink the idea of having those uniforms. GR and company thought this stuff through when he was working on TMP

I've always figured they were made from super-futuristic materials that *looked* like wool but would remain cool in an at least reasonably warm material and warm in at least reasonably cool conditions. Whenever anything was *really* cold or *really* hot, they either had appropriate clothing (jackets in TWOK or desert gear in DS9) or some sort of comment on the conditions.

dJE

 

[Lord Garth]

If I recall correctly, the USS Bozeman was from the year 2278 -- only a few years post-TMP -- and the crew sported the red tunics. So either the TMP uniforms had the shortest run in history, or they never existed to begin with!

Five years isn't bad as far as Non-TWOK Starfleet Uniforms go.

 

[F. King Daniel]

If I recall correctly, the USS Bozeman was from the year 2278 -- only a few years post-TMP -- and the crew sported the red tunics. So either the TMP uniforms had the shortest run in history, or they never existed to begin with!

Maybe they were concurrent for awhile? Recent Treks have had a thing for different uniforms on different assignments.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

The only film that seems dated is TVH, mainly because they're in the 80s for most of it.

 

[Qonundrum]

Hmmm...

For ship models? Almost. 1701 TMP is a a glorious redesign that has withstood the test of time. TOS1701 is a trendsetter, but the 1950s curves on the hull date it. And yet, when 1701-D for TNG came out with all the windows and a convex saucer design instead of concave, that won me over despite the sleek, sharp look of 1701 TMP (and 1701-A).

1701D looks awesome on the big screen. A shame that the triple-nacelle dreadnought refit didn't make it to the big screen...

...but 1701-E is easily the best looking ship ever, merging 1701 TMP's sharp aesthetics with 1701-D's grander nuances. Despite the bizarre rehash of the 1701 shuttlecraft bay in the lower aft. And despite the TNG movies that use the 1701-E being less than rewatchable in my opinion

For sets? No way. Well, TMP's flickering monitors (a couple dozen rear projectors!) haven't fared well, but II-VI have a clean, militaristic look. Nice corridors as well.

TNG did re-use TMP corridor sets. And built their own (beige, of course.)

The 1701D bridge revamp in Generations looks great with the subdued lighting. Shame the follow-up movies would go back to beach blanketed lighting.

TSFS's Excelsior bridge looks bizarrely like one elongated wall, with neon green highlighting that hasn't dated well.

Why did FC have a hologramatic viewscreen appear on command, but in Ins and Nem the viewscreen reverted to a basic format?

For uniforms, easily:

TMP's pastel outfits, missing only comic bunny ears and a puffball cotton tail to really sell the effect as completely and as unintentionally as possible, are well-described. I agree with Armus above that Kirk's admiral outfit easily fares the best of them all - good style, great colors, did return for a new movie (loosely retailored and not for homage, certainly given TMP's reputation for its pajama partywear), shows off the least amount of "package padding", et cetera. But any of the other outfits? Like the beige suited dude on the bridge or Decker in Engineering or Rand and Uhura anywhere? Why not just invent "invisible uniforms" like what the Edo wore in TNG and be done with it?

II-VI also have a very stylish and big-screen and big-80s look, but "practical" just doesn't come to mind no matter what fabric type is used. No military in real life has ever had so much shoulder padding. Ever. Or maroon because, as we all know, the troops should never blend into any surroundings and the best color to ensure that is any hue of red... then again, TOS and JJVerse are trapped into branding though at least TOS came out when color TV was new and they wanted to show it just like most mid-60s TV shows had.

Generations does DS9.

FC-Nem set a new trend with functional looking outfits, even if they're largely black and gray. They've grown on me, though in the 1990s I felt they were just being lazy.

JJVerse - the Admiral outfit aside, they're just copying TOS-Technicolor as the color scheme is just iconic branding. I did like the revamps in "Beyond", didn't Spock wear a gray jumper with red highlights (as opposed to science blue?).

For stories?

TMP, and Ins, Nem, ST09, STID all are a little too derivative despite a number of scenes I liked. Especially STID as I liked it more than Ins, Nem, and ST09.

TVH is arguably even more dated, not because it's derivative of too much past already-done material but because it's taking place in the smack middle in the 1980s. Cars, product placement, donut shops, big hair, personal computers, it's all there...

TSFS is a runner-up with big-hair all over the place. I'm surprised nobody fainted due to the fumes from all the cans of hairspray... especially on the Genesis Planet once the pyrotechnics were ignited...

Fortunately, the 1990s in general having no style means there's not as much of the TNG movie crew that's going to look dated or locked to certain era. It's just universally bland. Not sure if that's better or worse. CFCs aside, of course...