Hell, the laserdiscs are made in "Hi-Fi" they could have sourced those. The blu rays actually got the mono mix for that episode right, but they kept the substituted music for the surround mix.
The DVDs, as much as I love them, had some glitches. Cues replaced on "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", "The Menagerie" and "The Deadly Years." Cues dropped and replaced with alternate takes on "The Doomsday Machine" and the end of a scene lopped in "The Tholian Web." The electric violin theme added onto too many episodes but never restored to the end credits. I would have understood just adding sound effects to make it more appealing to viewers with good sound systems, but a little more care was needed. Some of these issues ("The Tholian Web" scene) were fixed in the season sets, but with the return to airdate order, the electric violin theme became inconsistent (because it wasn't on the first 13 freaking filmed episodes).
Yet, for all that, I prefer these prints to the blu rays. The colors are less garish, there aren't effects glitches (no seamless branching) and it feels more like how a 60's show should look now. Also, 576i resolution was as far as the 60's effects could be stretched before collapsing totally. HD does the effects no favors which is why they made the CGI stuff to begin with. You can also JUST make out Shatner's toupee and Spock's ear seams. HD makes them obvious. As one reviewer had pointed out, Star Trek was never meant to be seen in HD (or 4K as some fans have been clamoring for).
It's just unfortunate that anyone who wants to watch the original effects on DVD has to seek out the 2004 sets. That was the last time the originals were on DVD. And for everyone who feels the DVDs are worthless, they go for a good amount on eBay.
That was not the post I intended to write, but my fingers and brain wouldn't stop. It's off topic, but it's my topic so I forgive myself.
I am, however, revisiting these unfavorite episodes on DVD. So, I guess it kinda fits. Ish.
The DVDs, as much as I love them, had some glitches. Cues replaced on "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", "The Menagerie" and "The Deadly Years." Cues dropped and replaced with alternate takes on "The Doomsday Machine" and the end of a scene lopped in "The Tholian Web." The electric violin theme added onto too many episodes but never restored to the end credits. I would have understood just adding sound effects to make it more appealing to viewers with good sound systems, but a little more care was needed. Some of these issues ("The Tholian Web" scene) were fixed in the season sets, but with the return to airdate order, the electric violin theme became inconsistent (because it wasn't on the first 13 freaking filmed episodes).
Yet, for all that, I prefer these prints to the blu rays. The colors are less garish, there aren't effects glitches (no seamless branching) and it feels more like how a 60's show should look now. Also, 576i resolution was as far as the 60's effects could be stretched before collapsing totally. HD does the effects no favors which is why they made the CGI stuff to begin with. You can also JUST make out Shatner's toupee and Spock's ear seams. HD makes them obvious. As one reviewer had pointed out, Star Trek was never meant to be seen in HD (or 4K as some fans have been clamoring for).
It's just unfortunate that anyone who wants to watch the original effects on DVD has to seek out the 2004 sets. That was the last time the originals were on DVD. And for everyone who feels the DVDs are worthless, they go for a good amount on eBay.
That was not the post I intended to write, but my fingers and brain wouldn't stop. It's off topic, but it's my topic so I forgive myself.
I am, however, revisiting these unfavorite episodes on DVD. So, I guess it kinda fits. Ish.
)
(Plus, the various pieces of equipment that occasionally populate the lab set are so cool.) Obviously the decision to dress the Vians' lab as a void was a budgetary one, but I think it adds to the unsettling nature of the first half. The late John Erman's direction amplifies that, too; for example, the startling re-entry of the Vians about midway through the episode, accompanied by a distorted closeup.
