Some episodes work so much better with the new effects, but only those which relied on them for the story. There aren't many of those, but mostly Doomsday Machine, Tomorrow is Yesterday (the slingshot effect and 1701 in the atmosphere re-done shots are ejaculatingly good), and any episode with space combat or globs of light instead of a model. Episodes where the only effects are the Enterprise beauty shots, those don't really benefit. Bad matte paintings are nicely replaced and so on.
But sometimes the new shows don't capture the same energy and rhythm, even when the original show used yet another stock shot of the Enterprise turning left. To have a sped up stock shot replaced by a slower, lumbering CGI shot may be technically superior, but it sucks the energy out of the scene for me (just me, mind you).
I agree, in HD, the change from the live action shots to the original effects can be jarring, especially some of the weaker shots. But it's also jarring going from the same live action footage to many of the super-duper sharp and clean CGI. It's actually less of a contrast on a smaller, tube set. The difference in medium is pretty evident, but the work is mosty quite good. The Enterprise Incident is fantastic. Actually, it's not so much the CGI itself as the composition or re-composition of some shots. Elaan of Troyius was a cut and past job in the 60's, but it was well edited and pretty damned good (and showed off the clearest first generation Klingon D-7 effects shorts). The CGI renderings are not as crisply edited and lost (again) energy. The matte shots, like Flint's castle, are just too freaking "Naboo" to me and far outside what seems right for the show. Good effects are one thing, but to switch from crappy soundstage planet cyclorama to a super-crisp CGI building is just as distracting as using the Rigel 7 painting again.
I said this in another thread, but I'm good with fixing the model shots, the ship effects. But when they alter the live action to a great degree, I really don't like it. The scene of Kirk, Spock, and two security guys firing in the corridor during "Wink of an Eye" is a good example of going overboard. The original scene went: firing phasters into camera, screen fills with green dancing energy; shot of Scalosian machine (dancing energy overlay); back to the guys as the phasers cut off. The point of the scene is to stun anyone in the corridor, because Scalosian weapons were fired at the guards. The enhanced version has them start firing, individual beams come out; still picture is shown with the arms of each person manipulated to look like they're moving them around as the beams hit a FORCE FIELD, and this goes on until the beams cut off. I can see they wanted to do something to get rid of the clip of the machine, since it's in the next room and is misplaced. But the problem is, they weren't being held back by a force field, the Scalosians fired weapons. Kirk and co. were doing a wide-field stun, but it doesn't come across. So, in this case (one of a few in the enhanced series), they misunderstood the point of the shot and created a discrepancy. And the effect looks more laughable than a misplaced clip of the next room. Thing like this keep me from embracing the effort wholeheartedly. I wind up appreciating individual episodes instead of the enhancement of the series as a whole.
I would have loved to just have them "fix" the shots; making them look as close to the 60's shots as possible, just able to stand up to the digital displays. Just spruce everything up, like the Hoth snow battle in Empire Strikes Back.
However, I'm thrilled they kept both versions for the Blu-Rays
I might just be more forgiving than most people, but while I've always acknowledged the wonky AMT kit was pretty poor, it never pulled me out of the episode. Even as a kid. I knew that was the best they could do. All my life (I'm 42), never had an issue with the effects, even when I upgraded to a 52 inch HDTV.
So, while I appreciate some of the enhancements, particularly on TDM, I always enjoy watching the old effects. I often watch old PRINTS of the show, and I almost always watch the Blu-Rays with the mono sound - even the enhanced episodes. While I like many of the new effects, but I can't stand the new sound effects and music screw ups. Personally, I prefer any version that gets me as close to the original episode broadcasts as possible. This is why I'll always have my VHS and laserdisc sets and at least one crappy, 30 year old tube TV set in my house.
But sometimes the new shows don't capture the same energy and rhythm, even when the original show used yet another stock shot of the Enterprise turning left. To have a sped up stock shot replaced by a slower, lumbering CGI shot may be technically superior, but it sucks the energy out of the scene for me (just me, mind you).
I agree, in HD, the change from the live action shots to the original effects can be jarring, especially some of the weaker shots. But it's also jarring going from the same live action footage to many of the super-duper sharp and clean CGI. It's actually less of a contrast on a smaller, tube set. The difference in medium is pretty evident, but the work is mosty quite good. The Enterprise Incident is fantastic. Actually, it's not so much the CGI itself as the composition or re-composition of some shots. Elaan of Troyius was a cut and past job in the 60's, but it was well edited and pretty damned good (and showed off the clearest first generation Klingon D-7 effects shorts). The CGI renderings are not as crisply edited and lost (again) energy. The matte shots, like Flint's castle, are just too freaking "Naboo" to me and far outside what seems right for the show. Good effects are one thing, but to switch from crappy soundstage planet cyclorama to a super-crisp CGI building is just as distracting as using the Rigel 7 painting again.
I said this in another thread, but I'm good with fixing the model shots, the ship effects. But when they alter the live action to a great degree, I really don't like it. The scene of Kirk, Spock, and two security guys firing in the corridor during "Wink of an Eye" is a good example of going overboard. The original scene went: firing phasters into camera, screen fills with green dancing energy; shot of Scalosian machine (dancing energy overlay); back to the guys as the phasers cut off. The point of the scene is to stun anyone in the corridor, because Scalosian weapons were fired at the guards. The enhanced version has them start firing, individual beams come out; still picture is shown with the arms of each person manipulated to look like they're moving them around as the beams hit a FORCE FIELD, and this goes on until the beams cut off. I can see they wanted to do something to get rid of the clip of the machine, since it's in the next room and is misplaced. But the problem is, they weren't being held back by a force field, the Scalosians fired weapons. Kirk and co. were doing a wide-field stun, but it doesn't come across. So, in this case (one of a few in the enhanced series), they misunderstood the point of the shot and created a discrepancy. And the effect looks more laughable than a misplaced clip of the next room. Thing like this keep me from embracing the effort wholeheartedly. I wind up appreciating individual episodes instead of the enhancement of the series as a whole.
I would have loved to just have them "fix" the shots; making them look as close to the 60's shots as possible, just able to stand up to the digital displays. Just spruce everything up, like the Hoth snow battle in Empire Strikes Back.
However, I'm thrilled they kept both versions for the Blu-Rays
I might just be more forgiving than most people, but while I've always acknowledged the wonky AMT kit was pretty poor, it never pulled me out of the episode. Even as a kid. I knew that was the best they could do. All my life (I'm 42), never had an issue with the effects, even when I upgraded to a 52 inch HDTV.
So, while I appreciate some of the enhancements, particularly on TDM, I always enjoy watching the old effects. I often watch old PRINTS of the show, and I almost always watch the Blu-Rays with the mono sound - even the enhanced episodes. While I like many of the new effects, but I can't stand the new sound effects and music screw ups. Personally, I prefer any version that gets me as close to the original episode broadcasts as possible. This is why I'll always have my VHS and laserdisc sets and at least one crappy, 30 year old tube TV set in my house.
