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HTF HD-DVD Review: Star Trek: The Original Series Season One (1 Viewer)

Mike Frezon

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I'm intrigued by how so many of the Trek fans here are okay with the new CGI in these shows...as opposed to the Star Wars fans who scream bloody murder whenever Lucas changes a hair on Chewbacca in the OT.

Wonder why the difference in perspective?
 

Nelson Au

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Mike-

When the changes were first announced, I was pretty skeptical and amazed that they were putting the effort to do this. At the same time, some CGI samples of the Enterprises fully rendered were also released at the time.

Speaking for myself, initially, I didn't thiink it was a very good idea. But the released CGI images of the ship were well done. So I became excited by the idea. I also knew that Daren Dochterman had tried this many years ago, and Paramount didn't want to do it. I knew advances in CGI would make this a pretty easy thing to do well. So I had an open mind.

A week later, I actually saw the trailers and promotional videos for the first time at one of the big Star Trek 40th Anniversary conventions and it really looked great. Knowing the people involved and producing the project had the correct perspective and respect for the show, I felt they were onto something. They were very clear, they only would do the ship shots, some matte paintings and minor live action tweaks and no changes to the stories. The new effects only augmented the story telling visually. So I was okay with it from that perspective.

I know some people didn't thing it was necessary. The big thing that also got me excited was the remastering of the film elements and the transfer to hi-def. So that's my perspective as a Trek fan.
 

GregK

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Along with Nelson's comments, another big difference is Paramount has already released very nice looking DVD versions of the Original Series. Compare this to Lucas deciding years ago his revamped Star-Wars trilogy was now the only version worth seeing. When he finally yielded and released the original trilogy (unaltered) on DVD, he used video masters that were almost 15 years old, and were also not 16x9 enhanced. I might enjoy some of the Star-Wars tweaks a little more if I felt like it wasn't being shoved down my throat as the only viewing option.

If there is one constant with Paramount, it is they are always finding new ways of milking it's Star-Trek franchise. I'm sure we'll eventually see the original effects again in later releases, as alternate versions or via seamless branching. The same goes for the remastered editions that have been cropped for widescreen, but have not been shown yet here in the States.

Remember.. If Paramount can make an extra buck or two... ;)
 

Lou Sytsma

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Easy - the effects work done on the Star Trek episodes stand outside any of the live action segments and do not affect those sections. So the story is never affected. Also the effects added enhance and/or support the story.

The Lucas Initiative - changes plot and character points often in a detrimental manner.
 

John H Ross

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Except this isn't true. There are changes to matte paintings too. And some scenes have new characters added (usually extra Starfleet personnel standing around or whatever).

PLUS the legendary main title music has been re-recorded for no apparent reason whatsoever. Is NOTHING sacred?!

These new episodes are NOT classic Star Trek. So that's why I passed.

I love it when people - including Mike Okuda in a recent interview - say that changing the effects doesn't change the story, and it's the story that holds each episode together (which is true of course). Well if the effects are so incidental why the hell change them at all? The stories have gotten along just fine for 40 years and they will continue to do so.

If they REALLY wanted to show off their CG toys they should have presented the effects as optional branches, similiar to how the Doctor Who restoration team presents the updated effects on the Who releases.

Whatever. We all know the real reason why this was done - to try and encourage the Playstation generation to take classic Trek seriously in preparation for the release of Star Trek XI. And it worked, people are lapping them up! Gotta love the Paramount marketing machine! :-/
 

Paul_Scott

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The new tweaks are generally good, but the show really needs more of them
...Far More!
for example:
when the characters are having a conference to discuss strategy or a new ominous plot development, there should be objects floating around in the background. It could be just stuff like a mobile recording computer. But anything that can call attention to itself and away from the characters and wht they are talking about.
also- Shots of the ship should be extended 15 or 20 seconds so that we can have a long wicked cool fly-by. The camera should move aggressively too- a lot of banking and rolling and weaving up and over the nacels. This can be bridged over with a longer music cue before we cut to the inevitable "Captains Log, Stardate..."
We also need to have new alien creatures, in starfleet uniforms, added to backgrounds on the ship.
And the sets need to be augmented. The way it is, there are just too many shots of people standing around talking to each other against a drab, functional backdrop. There should be blinking lights and moniters and gadgets added to the walls...stuff flashing and beeping in 5.1 True HD. Otherwise your just stuck listening and watching these characters talk on and on to each other. eecch.

There are so many ways they can go. It's a good start but it still feels too much like the old show.
I know they are different properties, but they really should ring up George L and get some advice on how to really improve it.
Just my $.02

;)
 

Jim_K

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I don't think so. What you're describing is similar to the issue on The Dirty Dozen, right before a dissolve the image takes a nose dive.

What I'm seeing happens during the same scene and not before a dissolve for instance a talking head scene inside the medical lab:
Shot of Kirks head (no grain)
Shot of McCoys head (Heavy grain or noise in background)
Shot of Kirks head (no grain)
Shot of McCoys head (no grain)

It doesn't happen on a frequent or consistant basis either. I've only really noticed it 2 or 3 times for each episode.
 

John H Ross

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In the old days this sorta stuff just didn't matter. Hell, some shots are even back to front (you can tell because Kirk's insignia is on the wrong side of his uniform) because they realised during editing that the character was facing in the wrong direction. That didn't matter either. We just enjoyed the shows. If there's one thing classic Trek is, it's enjoyable.

Now it's all about technical accomplishment. It's a shame.
 

Jim_K

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Oh hush up now, the grownups are talking.

This is the High Def section of Home Theater Forum for chrissakes, we're supposed to be nitpicking these things to death. :laugh:

BTW - Standard Def is for pansies. :P
 

Lou Sytsma

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Wrong again. I, and other posters here, grew up with the original series.

I respect your viewpoint. Please don't belittle those of us who do not share yours.
 

John H Ross

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Oh don't get me wrong. I'm sure a lot of older fans love the changes too. But IMHO that's just a convenient side-effect. Paramount did this to boost interest for their new film, oh and maybe to "prepare" fans for the effects changes necessary to bring TNG/DS9/VOY into HD. Nothing more. I'm mean it's not like there were petitions DEMANDING these changes to be made, is it?

I'm off now to watch The Dambusters in colour! :)
 

Lou Sytsma

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oops double hit.

BTW The Menagerie on the disc looks much better than the theatrical presentation I saw.
 

Nelson Au

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I was going to post a reply to John, but I already gave my opinion on the other Star Trek thread to John's identical comments posted. Suffice it to say, the show is ready to entertain another few generations with a beautiful restoration of the film elements, irrespective of the new CGI.

John you're entitled to your opinion! I totally understand it and I agree to certain aspects. And I am more then willing to admit that I could be naive to think that this Remaster was originally done for posterity, then profits. Though it likely a delightful bonus for CBS/Paramount. More likely CBS at this point!

I agree Lou, I have not seen the entire Menagerie yet, but I did see the teaser and the first act and it's amazingly better! One thing I did look, probably too closely at is the rotoscoping work done around Pike's head and Kirk's head when they are in front of the windows. I can see an edge where they cut out the old footage. It's not obvious, nor distracting, just a curiousity for me. It works remarkably well!

I did see the documentary, Spacelift, on the remastering of the series. I thought that Roddenberry's son, "Rod", who did the intro at the Menagerie screenings was supposed to be on the DVD. I have not seen it yet, and expected it to be here, the contents of that documnentary are in this one. Still more extras to look at! Not that it's a big deal if his intro is not in the set, it's a curiousity because the theater I saw The Menagerie at didn't have the sound working for the first 1/3 of the doc.
 

Douglas Monce

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Okay there is another thing they would do, and I have no idea if this is what you are seeing either. They would sometimes change a medium shot into a close up by cropping the shot in the optical printer. Of course then it would get REALLY grainy because not only is it at least 2 generations away from the negative, but its also a blow up.

Again this may or may not be what you are seeing.

Doug
 

Douglas Monce

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To be perfectly honest I think the majority of the reason for the effects changes is because the original effects shots would have looked abysmal in HD. The original effects were a compromise even at the time. They frequently had to use stock effects shots from older episodes because they couldn't afford a new shot. Half the time the matte lines don't match up, and the grain is so large it looks like it was shot in super 8.

Of course another major motivation is they think these will sell. What better motivation could there be? Frankly I love the new effects and think they have been done with good taste for the most part. Its interesting to go back and look at the original versions for nostalgia sake, but I doubt that I will ever be watching them again other than just to compare.

Doug
 

Carter of Mars

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That's the line being used, but having recently seen The Menagerie on the big screen and the HD comparison between the original effect and the new CG effect, I can say that the original effect held up just fine with that level of scrutiny.
 

Douglas Monce

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Yes but once the show got into weekly production, they weren't nearly as careful with the effects shots as they were in the pilot episodes.

Doug
 

John H Ross

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I can well believe it!

And none of the reasons speculated at thus far explain why they re-recorded the title music...? Unnecessary tinkering of the first order.
 

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