The Difference in Quality???

[Kio]

I dont think it suffered from cartoonish phaser beams...i think it is all part of the charm of TOS.

TOS wouldn't be the same with the cartoonish phaser beams and spaceships that look like they're dangling from strings. It matches the walls that wobble, the groovy 60's space costumes, the over-acting, and all the garish colors. The kitchiness of TOS really appeals to me.

 

[Michael]

But I do believe that younger viewers expect a higher level of visual realism and quality these days in order to fully accept and appreciate the stories that are being told ...

So you seriously think the old effects distract younger viewers from the story but the 60s costumes, 60s hairdos, 60s sets, 60s music etc. don't?

As to Shatner's book...I just re-listened to an abridged audio version on my ipod that I downloaded from itunes last month. I remember hearing that the first effects they got back from the company were so bad they were unusable, and the ones that they eventually went with were considered only barely acceptable, but considering that time had run out and the money was gone...that was it. Again...I might be wrong, but that's what I took from it. Given more time and money I know for sure they could have shot and composited better space shots.

Well, I'm not sure either, but I skimmed through the first couple of chapters again some minutes ago and can't find one paragraph where they say they were dissatisfied with the effects. There is a section in the book where they talk about the problems of the effects company finishing the opening sequence on time. But again, they fixed it and were satisfied. They even say that the effects were some of the best of that time. So I'm really confused where you are getting this from. But alas, I could be wrong, too.

Aww, she's very cute.

 

[Rabittooth]

...So you seriously think the old effects distract younger viewers from the story but the 60s costumes, 60s hairdos, 60s sets, 60s music etc. don't?

Ultimately I do. It even happens to me at times. Sometimes I'm watching a modern production and everything is looking good, I'm absorbed in the action, and all of a sudden one crappy effect pops up and I find myself saying. "Oh...look at the model badly blue screened." Or "Hey...why the heck is Luke's lightsaber green instead of blue in this particular scene and not following the motion of the handle?"
Maybe it's because I was involved in Make-up and special effects as well as early computer effects for video when I was younger. I see these things and they stand out. If I'm noticing them, I'm out of the story, even for a second.
I think younger viewers instinctual see things that don't visually jibe because they're accustomed to better. Truthfully it's not much of a problem for me, but my point is I really do think the remastered prints and the new effects are an improvement.
As to the costumes and hairdos etc, I don't think that's a problem. Styles come back. I've got the same longish hairstyle again this year that I had back in the 80's cause it's back and I always liked my hair longer. Besides...the 60's material in the production is almost certainly part of the charm and magic of TOS. Don't get me wrong...I'm not for a complete change at all. I'm just interested in a raise in the visual quality. I really think that if the producers could have done what is accomplished now with the remastered editions that they would have.

-Rabittooth

 

[Jeri]

I'm still watching the Season 1 HD set, and it's wonderful. Yesterday, we got an email from Amazon offering all their customers who bought an HD player a $50 coupon for a Blu-Ray player.

So now I'm wondering how long it is going to take Trek to come out with a Blu-Ray set. Do you think they would start with Season 1 again? I'm getting antsy to see the other two seasons in high definition.

 

[ancient]

I agree that the original effects were not going to fly in HD. The live-action footage looks great, but the effects would be jarring to anyone not used to them. The same washed-out fly-by with half the nacelles missing was reused again and again, along with that exact same 'turning shot'. I really think that the effects are really supposed to suppliment the action, not take away from it. So I'm cool with redoing them in HD.

Having said that, the CGI has been a bit underwhelming at times, and the colors were screwed up a lot in the beginning. Not just the horrible looking fruit-loop nacelle caps, but the hull color. The deflector area seemed to wash out into all-grey for a while. Finally, the blacks were not really that, well, black. Maybe it's just the screencaps, but if you look at the comparison shots over at Trekmovie, the original shots have black shadows. The new shots have grey shadows and space itself looks grey!

 

[Therin of Andor]

I think altering Star Trek to try to make it conform to new technologies is offensive ...

How did you feel about Data playing Sherlock Holmes on the holodeck?

If the holodeck becomes a reality for us, wouldn't you like to walk through an actual episode of TOS?

 

[DevilintheDark]

Well if holodecks become real ill assume star ships will too and then i can just check out the real deal right?

 

[Maurice]

TOS wouldn't be the same with the cartoonish phaser beams and spaceships that look like they're dangling from strings.

The only ship that ever looked like it was wobbling on strong was the rocking shuttlecraft. The rest sometimes looked like 40th generation mattes, but the ships never really looked like they were on wires (as did the ships in Lost in Space).

 

[payndz201]

The only ship that ever looked like it was wobbling on strong was the rocking shuttlecraft. The rest sometimes looked like 40th generation mattes, but the ships never really looked like they were on wires (as did the ships in Lost in Space).

I never understood where the "the ships were dangling on wires LOL!" idea came from with TOS, because they weren't - they were on solid pole mounts just like the models in Star Wars a decade later. (In the Cinefex article on Galaxy Quest, it says ILM originally tracked in fake wires holding up the ship in the 'TV' shots of the Protector, and the director told them they'd gone too far and to take them out.)

Now Doctor Who, Space: 1999 or Blake's 7, on the other hand...