TOS ‘Cheesy’ Special Effects

[M'Sharak]

The only effect that didn't work for me as a kid were the Catspaw puppets with their clearly visible strings XD

Which were not visible at all on even the largest TVs in use at the time of original broadcast, nor were they visible in reruns for years afterward. I can't recall anyone even mentioning visible strings until the late 1990s, when DVDs became the preferred medium for series sets.

 

[scotpens]

Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001 had unbelievable special effects for the year 1968, but that was part of its’ $10.5 million budget.

As well as its two-years-plus production schedule.

Just as kind of an aside, but the remastered Doomsday Machine looks like one of those Bugle potato chips.

That was the first thing the original Doomsday Machine reminded me of.

 

[publiusr]

The first time I saw the Klingon Battlecruiser on the Enterprise viewscreen during S3 I was just totally amazed.

I’ve never seen anything like it before or since.

 

[Noname Given]

The only effect that didn't work for me as a kid were the Catspaw puppets with their clearly visible strings XD

You mean their alien extra sensory organs?

 

[Noname Given]

As well as its two-years-plus production schedule.


That was the first thing the original Doomsday Machine reminded me of.

Yeah, even as a kid - the original Doomsday machine reminded me of this:

 

[publiusr]

The remaster looks a bit like a Basking Shark in profile.

You know, when they rot they look like long neck Star destroyers in lochs

 

[Commishsleer]

Exactly.

The effects shots on Blakes 7 look terrible now, but back when it was made they were...terrible !

I have to agree especially the space shots, and the explosions and the shaky sets well everything but you know its still had great style.
I was watching "Plato's Stepchildren" and I thought the effects were good there and in 'The Changeling". Actually many of the effects are pretty good in Star Trek. Its just the really bad ones we remember.

 

[Relayer1]

Anybody noticed how good Space 1999 still looks ?

Shame about the plots. Should've given Gerry Anderson the Blakes 7 script...

 

[Maurice]

Anybody noticed how good Space 1999 still looks ?

Shame about the plots. Should've given Gerry Anderson the Blakes 7 script...

Space:1999 did a clever cheat for the majority of their space shots in that they would mask off the entire frame except for where an Eagle or whatever would fly through, rewind the film, mask over that previously exposed part of the frame and reveal another, film that, and repeat until they filmed all the elements they needed for a shot. The upside was 1st generation quality. The downside was the ships couldn't pass in front of anything, including stars, or they'd show through.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Shatner labeled TOS Special Effects/Post Production (Not Remastered) as ‘cheesy’ in one of his books. Compared to today’s state of the art CGI, they do show some limitations. However, for the years TOS was produced and the budget constraints imposed, I am still impressed by the magic that was achieved. Your thoughts?

It's all part of the charm.

The 2002 PS2 graphics they added to TOS-R take away that charm, IMHO.

 

[Timo]

For the most part, the TOS space effects are an epic fail: they don't create the illusion of things happening, but are just filler or abstract cues to mark the spot where I'm supposed to imagine that I actually see things happening. Basically comparable to being forced to make the wooshing sounds oneself when piloting the scale model across the room by hand.

It's not as if TNG did much better, though: it's still plastic models flying past brightly colored not-planets. And much of the storytelling and acting and stage construction is of the "here I'm supposed to imagine" type, too, nothing wrong with that. It's just that this all is categorically different from what I'd count as "convincing" visual illusions or storytelling twists, stuff that puts me in the middle of what is happening almost without suspension-of-disbelief effort. And that this latter category can be found in modern Trek, at least in places.

Whether some visual trick is the best for its day or not is sorta irrelevant and uninteresting, except for the very viewpoint of effects techniques. Or comparative analysis or whatever.

But as said, part of the charm! Although IMHO TOS-R doesn't really detract from that, or add to that.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Neopeius]

Yeah, even as a kid - the original Doomsday machine reminded me of this:

"Speaking bluntly, Commodore, we should call Star Fleet for reinforcements and commence a joint operation. This whole situation could go to pot very quickly."

 

[Neopeius]

For the most part, the TOS space effects are an epic fail: they don't create the illusion of things happening, but are just filler or abstract cues to mark the spot where I'm supposed to imagine that I actually see things happening.

Yes. The effects in TOS absolutely fail to capture what a starship actually looks like in space. They actually have three nacelles. Complete failure.

 

[pfontaine2]

I really don’t see any thin black strings attached to those lame looking aliens.

The special effects department sure pinched pennies on those shots.

Strangely, this one shot is one of my favorites from the series. Sure these were simple marionette-style puppets but I thought they looked fantastic and amazingly alien and I don't remember ever seeing strings when I was watching Star Trek on TV when it was first being syndicated in the early 1970s. The reveal that the two main villains of the episode were in fact these little creatures is a great Sci-Fi ending to a wonderful "Halloween-themed" episode.

 

[Commishsleer]

Strangely, this one shot is one of my favorites from the series. Sure these were simple marionette-style puppets but I thought they looked fantastic and amazingly alien and I don't remember ever seeing strings when I was watching Star Trek on TV when it was first being syndicated in the early 1970s. The reveal that the two main villains of the episode were in fact these little creatures is a great Sci-Fi ending to a wonderful "Halloween-themed" episode.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this. LOL

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Space:1999 did a clever cheat for the majority of their space shots in that they would mask off the entire frame except for where an Eagle or whatever would fly through, rewind the film, mask over that previously exposed part of the frame and reveal another, film that, and repeat until they filmed all the elements they needed for a shot. The upside was 1st generation quality. The downside was the ships couldn't pass in front of anything, including stars, or they'd show through.

Moonraker (1979) used the same technique for its big finale at the villain's space station. There were a lot of components in the shot, with U.S. Air Force Space Shuttles mounting an attack.

I heard they had to rewind that one precious roll of film so many times, they were terrified it would come out with a scratch on it. And if that had happened, there was no time for a do-over. The movie would just have to end without the epic battle being seen. Maybe James Bond would hear a play-by-play over the military radio describing the battle.

 

[Noname Given]

"Speaking bluntly, Commodore, we should call Star Fleet for reinforcements and commence a joint operation. This whole situation could go to pot very quickly."

Your post is dope.

 

[Vger23]

I never felt like the TOS effects were "cheesy." I certainly feel as though they are from a dated era, and done on a television budget, but for what they were at the time, I think they were really well done and it is clear that a lot of care and effort went into producing them.

I like watching the remasters, just because it gives episodes I've seen 30 times a different "look," but nothing compares to the original visual effects. They are classic.

 

[Spock's Barber]

I never felt like the TOS effects were "cheesy." I certainly feel as though they are from a dated era, and done on a television budget, but for what they were at the time, I think they were really well done and it is clear that a lot of care and effort went into producing them.

I like watching the remasters, just because it gives episodes I've seen 30 times a different "look," but nothing compares to the original visual effects. They are classic.

One of my family members was watching a remastered TOS episode with me. Her comment was something to the effect of, “It looks like cartoon space ships.”

 

[Timo]

Yes. The effects in TOS absolutely fail to capture what a starship actually looks like in space. They actually have three nacelles. Complete failure.

I wouldn't sweat the starship part. Getting at least some sort of an impression that the action was actually taking place in space would be the place to start.

Except, of course, when you're having an adventure in a space anomaly. Those TOS had down pat!

Timo Saloniemi