No rock men.
TMP-DE fully restored in 4K…it’s about time!
- Thread starter Warped9
- Start date
One missed opportunity in TMP DE: that moment when the poor guy in the spacesuit is trying to outrun V’Ger’s digitisation of Epsilon 9….I wish they’d dubbed him muttering “shit shit shit shit shit shit!!” I’m kidding, but I always found that moment unintentionally funny and in my head that’s what he’s saying. I’m a bad person, I know.
I haven't had a chance to watch the entire 4K TMP-DE on Paramount+ yet. I've just skimmed certain parts. Overall, though, it looks fantastic.
The only beef I've had so far -- and I know this is minor -- is the final shot where the Enterprise is getting ready to go to warp. In the new sound mix, they have made the sounds of the Enterprise almost overwhelm Goldsmith's score. Except for the warp jump itself, this scene has always mostly played as music only, without sound effects, and I like that better. I know it was because TMP was rushed, but I've always liked the fact that the music took the place of sound effects in many places. I think this scene's sound mix was better as it was.
But, as I say, that's a minor issue.
The only beef I've had so far -- and I know this is minor -- is the final shot where the Enterprise is getting ready to go to warp. In the new sound mix, they have made the sounds of the Enterprise almost overwhelm Goldsmith's score. Except for the warp jump itself, this scene has always mostly played as music only, without sound effects, and I like that better. I know it was because TMP was rushed, but I've always liked the fact that the music took the place of sound effects in many places. I think this scene's sound mix was better as it was.
But, as I say, that's a minor issue.
I thought the warp effect and the music was balanced just right. But if you are used to growing up with music only, then it’s understandable that it would feel intrusive.
What could be done on a modest budget that would improve the film for you? Is it just a general VFX replacement?
Can anyone in Canada confirm TMP DE 4k is on the Canadian Paramount plus?
I believe someone in the comment section over at Trek Movie claimed this . Don't want to shell out 10 bucks or whatever it is just to find out it's not there (I don't believe I qualify for a free period because I canceled in the last 12 months)
I believe someone in the comment section over at Trek Movie claimed this . Don't want to shell out 10 bucks or whatever it is just to find out it's not there (I don't believe I qualify for a free period because I canceled in the last 12 months)
Depending on the timing they sometimes do free trials.
In the early 80s, I wrote a fun fanfic about that character. I never finished polishing it. It is in a drawer somewhere.
The most rousing endorsement I can imagine for this Director's Edition: my wife did not fall asleep, only to wake up and complain, "Jeez, they're still flying over this stupid thing?"
On the contrary. She spent most of the time in rapt attention. The pacing, sound, and visuals, you name it, are so superior to the original theatrical mess. Did they fix everything? No. But they fixed enough to make the film thoroughly enjoyable.
On the contrary. She spent most of the time in rapt attention. The pacing, sound, and visuals, you name it, are so superior to the original theatrical mess. Did they fix everything? No. But they fixed enough to make the film thoroughly enjoyable.
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It would be ironic if the issues were left in the film due to external pressures to hit the release date
I was watching this last night and the issues are minor and are only distracting for a few seconds of the run time. To be honest the only slightly iffy bit I can remember is the rotoscoping in the observation room, and that only really look sub-par because the rest of the film is flawless.
Of the many versions of this film that have been released over the years, this has to be the definitive version of TMP now!
Every time I watch that scene in the future that is going to be the soundtrack in my head...
I think the main reason why the lounge sequence looks cruddy is that they clearly didn't have the original photography to use. They're stuck with the '70s era compositing, and then adding even more roto, feathering the edges on the original image. Trimming on top of trimming. It could definitely be improved, but maybe the time or money just wasn't available. Ten bucks says a fan does it better in the next few months.
The 70's compositing didn't look too bad in that sequence in the original movie. I think its more that they've taken out the whole back wall of the set and replaced it with a new background (rotoscoping around the people and the chairs). Its an ambitious scene to tackle like that. To my eyes it works for the most part, its only when the actors move quickly it starts to look a little flawed.
It wasn't great, Kirk loses the front of his face when he walks in front of the window. It's partially hidden because he's striding across the screen, but the limitations of the time are evident. It's just that the old version only had them in front of the screen in small sections, not the whole wall as you say. But they've feathered the edges of the entire roto'd area for consistency, so any footage where the original work was "flawed" becomes only moreso.
I wonder if frame by frame manual compositing with the TC would look better. I dare say there would be colour correcting problems if you just target the offending frames.
The colour of the Briefing Lounge scene was always rather weird. The scene in the US VHS is almost b/w, from memory. Even my Australasian PAL Beta, which had glorious colour throughout (when compared to the flat, bland US version) had a strange mismatch with its Briefing Lounge. It didn't annoy me so much in the cinema throughout 1980, but once it got to home video it just... failed.
So I actually didn't mind the 2001 DVD DE attempt, not this current 4K DE.
