Regardless of my "rank" I might have been around the universe (and internet) a time or twelve. Perhaps you should set your sensors to sarcasm Admiral.
"Remastered"
- Thread starter dmcco01
- Start date
Regardless of my "rank" I might have been around the universe (and internet) a time or twelve. Perhaps you should set your sensors to sarcasm Admiral.
I must admit that Remastered looks MUCH better now, on a newer and bigger TV. I used to complain about the newer effects.
My complaints now are about stupid creative choices. A new Re-remastering needs to be done (inevitable someday, but preferably while I'm alive), where clumsy, awkward CGI replacements for original, inspired TOS designs are replaced with digitally enhanced and renovated version of the original design choices. Several ep's are practically sabotaged by the bad redesigns. Mostly these are phenomena in space. Sometimes the dramatic angles at which the Enterprise goes past the viewer need replacing. Mostly though, it's not the Enterprise. One glaring example-- the moment at which the Ent actually enters the space amoeba...
My complaints now are about stupid creative choices. A new Re-remastering needs to be done (inevitable someday, but preferably while I'm alive), where clumsy, awkward CGI replacements for original, inspired TOS designs are replaced with digitally enhanced and renovated version of the original design choices. Several ep's are practically sabotaged by the bad redesigns. Mostly these are phenomena in space. Sometimes the dramatic angles at which the Enterprise goes past the viewer need replacing. Mostly though, it's not the Enterprise. One glaring example-- the moment at which the Ent actually enters the space amoeba...
No doubt repeating what many people have said many times (I'm new here obviously), but whereas I'm mostly indifferent to most of the new shots (some I can appreciate), I can't stand the replacement shots of the Enterprise. They looks cartoon-ish, contrasted to beautiful, elegant model shots like those of Space Seed, for example. I wish they simply would have cleaned up the originals where needed without replacing them entirely; e.g., not only fix the disappearing end of the right warp engine but "fixing" those shots which still used, in later episodes and the opening credits, the early WNMHGB-style Enterprise, or replacing cheap-looking BIC lighter-abused AMT model kits (in the case of hastily-assembled unpainted model kits with poorly-positioned warp engines, I'd prefer CGI, cartoon-ish as it might be). That would have been a good use of digital artifice.
p.s. can I watch the remastered versions? Sure, am watching them now on Netflix as they're convenient, and though I grimace from time to time, there's not too much gnashing of teeth. But if I want to return to the magic time when I first say Star Trek as a nine year old boy in the mid-'70s, I'll get out the original issue DVDs. Just like I get out my Star wars VHS tape if I want to see the real thing.
p.p.s. returning to the Space Seed example, how can anyone compare the old and new and not concede that in the case of the later original fx shots, the CGI is a huge step backwards?
http://trekmovie.com/2006/11/19/space-seed-remastered-fx-video/
Apologies for re-covering ground that's certainly been covered before, but I've finite time on this earth so am not inclined to research past posts.
http://trekmovie.com/2006/11/19/space-seed-remastered-fx-video/
Apologies for re-covering ground that's certainly been covered before, but I've finite time on this earth so am not inclined to research past posts.
I still love them. I am an Special Effects junkie...I like what they did. It was an update but still in context to the tone of the rest of the show.
The new CGI is grittier and more detailed. A large improvement in my book. The old is too clean and sterile.
"...more detailed." Botany Bay, sure, but comparing the Space Seed shots of the Enterprise, I don't see an increase in detail in the CGI. Close ups maybe, but that kind of detail wasn't part of the show's appeal, for me at least. And I never thought the Enterprise ever looked sterile. I mean, compared to what, The Nostromo? Not compared to actual space hardware, which looks very clean, as one would expect.
My thought is simply that the 11 ft model is so beautiful, it's a shame it wasn't preserved in the remastering. Fix inconsistencies (like the continued use of early Enterprise shots -- apart from The Cage and WNMHGB, make all Enterprise shots consistent with the last model), replace the lesser models with better representations, clean up planet shots where helpful, etc. Maybe, as others have said, this middle approach will be tackled at some point. I'd buy a set.
My thought is simply that the 11 ft model is so beautiful, it's a shame it wasn't preserved in the remastering. Fix inconsistencies (like the continued use of early Enterprise shots -- apart from The Cage and WNMHGB, make all Enterprise shots consistent with the last model), replace the lesser models with better representations, clean up planet shots where helpful, etc. Maybe, as others have said, this middle approach will be tackled at some point. I'd buy a set.
I think the color scheme was off regarding the original model. Although I do enjoy the remastered versions I am not without empathy in regards to the model. I do think it is sad that all the hard work the original special effects and modeling team was erased from the remastered versions. I am grateful the original model and special effects are still view-able on the Blue-Ray.
No, Sir! LOVE the remastered episodes!
I think the remastered versions hit when we were all starving for some classic Trek. I loved the episode of DS9, "Trials and Tribbilations" where Sisko and Dax go onto Kirk's Enterprise... THAT ENTERPRISE, and seeing the re-imaged version of it, in crisp, clear lines, really sparked the excitement when Paramount/CBS decided to give TOS the same treatment. The remastered version of "Amok Time" with the areal shot of the trio crossing the stone bridge to the combat area was superb. I'd like to think these are the tweaks that Roddenberry would have wanted in the 1960's if the technology was there.
Wow! I did not know that! Very cool that they actually took the time to make a model!!!
I couldn't take to the episodes where the camera flew around the nacelles before it zoomed off somewhere that or the screen showing the nacelles in front of a planet or a pursuing spacecraft!
JB
JB
I've never heard anyone refer to the fact that the remastering team took it upon themselves to make the nacelles thinner. It looks better in some shots, but in shots from in front of the ship looking back, the nacelles look ridiculously small. Anyway, it was presumptuous, as was making the ship not white...
I'm working my way through the remastered episodes -- for the first time -- on Netflix, to the chagrin of the rest of my family. Really late to the party I guess. Never realized I was so far behind the curve with my original DVD release versions.
To be fair, I can say that sometimes the new effects seem to me very good, and are arguably a welcome improvement, but there are still times where they are surprisingly "bad"/jarring, esp with many of the Enterprise shots. Not meaning to criticize the effort or execution, which was probably very good considering the restraints likely imposed by corporate bean counters, but rather the intended scope or approach of the effort. Who would've thunk that one of the most iconic models in the history of sci-fi needed to be replaced with a middling quality CGI model?
Would love it if someone had another go at the remastering sometime in the future, with the goal of simply cleaning up what was already there, rather then "re-imagining" it so as to make it supposedly more palatable for modern audiences, as if the heavy make-up applied to the characters, sets made up of brightly-painted plywood, theatrical acting, Western bar brawl fights, miniskirts, etc., will be made less silly (my modern sensibilities) by better detailed planet shots and a gray Enterprise (can't say it's more realistic, so I'm not sure what the intended effect was meant to be, except to default to a sensibility that presumes CGI is automatically preferable to modeling).
To be fair, I can say that sometimes the new effects seem to me very good, and are arguably a welcome improvement, but there are still times where they are surprisingly "bad"/jarring, esp with many of the Enterprise shots. Not meaning to criticize the effort or execution, which was probably very good considering the restraints likely imposed by corporate bean counters, but rather the intended scope or approach of the effort. Who would've thunk that one of the most iconic models in the history of sci-fi needed to be replaced with a middling quality CGI model?
Would love it if someone had another go at the remastering sometime in the future, with the goal of simply cleaning up what was already there, rather then "re-imagining" it so as to make it supposedly more palatable for modern audiences, as if the heavy make-up applied to the characters, sets made up of brightly-painted plywood, theatrical acting, Western bar brawl fights, miniskirts, etc., will be made less silly (my modern sensibilities) by better detailed planet shots and a gray Enterprise (can't say it's more realistic, so I'm not sure what the intended effect was meant to be, except to default to a sensibility that presumes CGI is automatically preferable to modeling).
My issue is with showing the ship from completely different angles, when there was an intended dramatic effect in the angles originally chosen. The appearance of the ship itself.... yes it's grey rather than white, the nacelles are a different width. When these were coming out, I was looking at these images on a cathode ray tube monitor and TV. They looked tacky, like something from a video game. Now, I'm watching again on a bigger flat screen TV and monitor, and the ship looks great. I'd never expect any image that looks bad to get better blown up larger... usually it's the reverse.
I like the new effects but I have feelings of nostalgia for the way the original episodes looked.
I never watched TOS on a regular basis until I bought the 50th anniversary set. Been watching the episodes in order and I was surprised to see the discs were set up to let you pick how to watch each episode: remastered or with original effects. Sometimes I'll switch to the old effects and compare the old and new. I can see how drastically different some of the changes are. While you can love them or hate them, its great that you can actually pick either version to watch. Unlike certain other scifi franchises and their home releases.... now with 20% more jar jar!
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