Space, the Silent Frontier...

[LMFAOschwarz]

Have you ever taken the occasion to watch Star Trek with the sound off? I've done that a few times while in bed, to provide a quiet, mildly distracting environment for dozing off.

Trouble is, I actually found it too interesting for that! Just watching the actors and their mannerisms alone could be fascinating. Things I'd never noticed before would pop into obvious view when not at least partly distracted from by dialogue and sounds. other times it's set details which intrigue.

Any observations on your part?

 

[Melakon]

When I bought my first VCR around 1983, it was primarily to tape Star Trek off the local station every day. I'd usually pause it at act breaks to thin out the commercials. Then I'd just watch that episode over and over, replaying scenes, doing slow motion studies, and looking at everything-- actors, lighting, camera movement, sets, props, stage effects, and of course all those Enterprise beauty shots. One time, I watched Joe Tormolen's big suicide scene with Sulu and Riley in "The Naked Time" repeatedly, spending 20 minutes studying the 2 minute scene. Though I'll admit to be under the influence of a controlled substance at the time.

I still over-analyze scenes today, and I tend to do it the most with Star Trek and The Three Stooges (with and without controlled substances). Walking scenes, fights and big stunts, stage business, facial expressions, and subtle eye movements especially can be quite interesting sometimes.

Watch "A Taste of Armageddon" where Anan 7 leads Kirk into a trap with two waiting guards who overpower him. There are some different angles cut in, but in the master shot for the fight scene, it's all Shatner fighting for about 40 seconds.

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

I watched Joe Tormolen's big suicide scene with Sulu and Riley in "The Naked Time" repeatedly, spending 20 minutes studying the 2 minute scene. Though I'll admit to be under the influence of a controlled substance at the time.

Yeah, a little inspiration never hurts!

and subtle eye movements especially can be quite interesting sometimes.

I definitely have noticed some of those, too! Like Kirk's facial reactions in The Naked Time during the Sulu-with-sword scene on the bridge, the "Sulu, put that--put that thing away" part. Shatner gets a lot of reaction packed into blocking that sword tip with his hand...which I never noticed until the slow motion watch. Originally I set out to check out the bent sword tip!

Another is Shatner's great, puzzled, uncomprehending wince and a "What?!" at Spock's "Insufficient mass." sensor reading in Balance of Terror. Kirk had no idea what Spock was implying...and his face showed it!

 

[publiusr]

Great avatar by the way.

Mostly, I just freezed on the ship shots.