http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/23775.html

Interesting news... I've heard that they are remastering the original Star Trek TV show in HD for syndication and future HD-DVD/Blu-ray release...

But what I *didn't* know was they are going to "enhance" the old episodes with new CGI effects.

Uh...hello? George Lucas anyone?

Just because Lucas can do it with his Star Wars movies, Paramount figures they can go ahead and redo the old show..

I don't like it already. There are gonna be some upset Star Trek fans..

Remaster/clean up in HD: Yes.
Redo effects: NO!



*edit for spelling.

As long as they keep the originals available I dont really care.

I am more interested in the rumor that Nimoy and Shatner may appear in the new Star Trek movie. The only way I would go to a theater is to see them together probably for the last time.

The originals are still available, so it's not that big of a deal. I can appreciate the remastering, but the fx and cgi? There really wasn't all that much in the original episodes as I recall. An ocassional shot of the ship orbiting the planet. The transporter effect, and the phaser blasts... beyond that, it was mostly costumes and rubber makeup. The big thing was always the story element, the sociological aspect of the story line. I can't see where there is a lot of room for more CGI.

Maybe the HD stuff is better? VHS playback s_cks. I just watched a "Kirk" movie.

I'd love the other shows in HD, but TOS? I mean thats what makes it so good, the cheesiness of the effects! I'd buy the Voyager/DS9/TNG episodes in a heartbeat if they were a reasonable price on bluray!

I've just watched the first three Star Trek movies again, and it was fun. After watching. After watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture I watched the documentaries on the second disk of the "Directors Edition." Much to my amazement, they added CGI effects to this movie also - just like George Lucas. I suppose it's a tribute to them that I didn't notice during the movie itself (or maybe it's just a comment on how unobservant I've become). The production team said they went to a lot of effort to make the CGI match the style of the original movie. Robert Wise supervised the work.

Anyway, it really surprised me because I wasn't aware this had been done for the DVD.

They're also re-recording the music and sound effects.

I think this is completely unnecessary.

Where's the widescreen? The show is NOT availible in widescreen.

I've got all the Star Trek movies on VHS 4:3. Works for me.

This past weekend, I went to Christie's here in NYC to view the "40 Years of Star Trek" collection [the auction starts today.]

It's quite a collection of costumes and props from the new shows and movies, but practically nothing from the original show.

There are a few things I wonder why anyone would really buy... like a sick bay bed. [not from the original show.]

The one item that I would want to buy, if I were Paul Allen or Bill Gates, is the model of the Enterprise used in Star Trek the motion picture...all the way to the last original Star Trek VI. They just redetailed the lettering from NCC-1701 to A. The Enterprise is awesome looking...it's size of a dinner table.

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LOTDETAIL.ASP?sid=&intObjectID=4780563

For film makers and special effects/props guy...it's amazing and magical how this stuff looks like on film...but in person you are sometimes let down--such as the painted insignia badges that worn by the next generation crew. I also liked how plywood could be painted and dressed to look like rusted steel as seen in the Klingon ships from the movies.

Better register quick if you want to bid!

That'd be some dinner table -- it's 11 feet long!

The one item that I would want to buy, if I were Paul Allen or Bill Gates, is the model of the Enterprise used in Star Trek the motion picture

Very interesting, too bad I've already got a big balance on my Amex card this month ;-) Watch the features on the director's cut DVD. Douglas Trumbull complains that the Enterprise model was too small, making it difficult to get the shots he wanted.

I had the great good fortune of visiting the Smithonian Air and Space exhibit when they did the Star Trek tour... back in... 92 or '93 I think. You got to stand on the transporter deck, and they played that weird beam-up effect. Wild. Also had a lot of original costumes, props. Most of the main deck. Pretty good stuff, but yeah, really cheezy close up.

Somewhere I saw the CGI crew talking about this... they said that they are really staying within the original aesthetic. The quote was "You won't see the Enterprise doing barrel rolls." They also rerecorded all the music from the original score, and retimed the original film.

On the other note, Shatner has said there is no truth to the rumour that he is involved in the next movie... not that he wouldn't like to be, but he hasn't been asked (yet).

Douglas Trumbull complains that the Enterprise model was too small, making it difficult to get the shots he wanted.

I remember seeing "Star Trek The Motion Picture" on the big screen when it came out in 1979(?)-- it was and still is, a very memorable experience.

I had only experienced the original tv show in reruns as a kid and was really excited about a film version.

From the heroic opening musical theme by Jerry Goldsmith to my favorite moment in the film, the first time the audience sees the Enterprise in drydock--the first film is great--despite the flaws.

Seeing the Enterprise "life size" and with human beings for scale...I finally got a sense of the size of the ship. I, as kid, felt like I was actually in space. It was magical for me.

Nowadays, I see some 2001: A Space Odyssey influences[Spocks journey into V'Ger---hey wait-a-minute---Superman:The Movie also had a 2001 inspired sequence] which was kind of "boring" but still, the first film was good stuff.

It's funny though[and has been mentioned before] CGI spaceships don't seem real to me but the Enterprise in the movies feels real.

From the heroic opening musical theme by Jerry Goldsmith

Goldsmith talks about this in one of the DVD features. They have an excerpt from his first recording of part of the score, and it sounded pretty good. He said he was pleased with it, but the first time Robert Wise heard it he said, "it sounds like a naval battle". Goldsmith was disappointed so he asked the producer what he thought. "It sounds like a wagon train rolling across the desert."

Later Wise spoke with Goldsmith and told him the thing the movie really needed was some kind of a theme. That led to the birth of the familiar music we now know.

And I think this has been covered here before, but worth pointing out that Roddenberry wrote lyrics for the original Alexander Courage theme (even though they were never used), in order to justify taking a share in the music credits and thus a share in the residuals. Courage never forgave him for that, and soon left the series in protest. This is why there's so much recycled music in the second and third seasons. As a big fan of both Roddenberry and Alexander Courage (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006021/), I wish they could have amicably resolved this matter so we could have enjoyed more of AC's talent. This has always been one of my favorite "what if.." ponderings about TOS.

Note: edited to fix my blunder of confusing Courage with Goldsmith. Thank you, Jubal 28!

EDIT: No longer necessary!

Of course! Alexander Courage! *slapping forehead*

That's what I get for not having that second cup of coffee. I'm so embarrassed, I'm going back to edit that dang post. Thanks for the correction, David!

No fair! Moderators get to look smarter by editing their old posts! :)

Well you can too.

Either way, it's better than them looking smarter by editing your old posts :).

I watched an eposide on G4 network that had the ship going back in time. they replaced the spinning dials on the clock with new CG LCD numbers.

I watched an eposide on G4 network that had the ship going back in time. they replaced the spinning dials on the clock with new CG LCD numbers.

See . . . that's just wrong.

See, with stuff like that, I don't have a problem with, although its pretty unneccessary. I was watching Blade Runner the other day, movie like that definately need a technology update on computer monitors and such. The thing that makes these movies/ shows classic is the dialog, acting, and story. These three pieces are not being modified, the things they are changing keeps Star Trek TOS from becoming just another one of those "cheesy science-fiction shows/movies" that even our generation to some extent and most definately future generations who didnt grow up with them will just watch to laugh at, not taking it seriously or as the classic it is.

I think TONS of movies and old tv shows could benefit from the slight overhaul they've given TOS. Its almost like a directors cut of a movie (not as modified as Star Wars, which was a little much in my opinion) so whats everyone so upset about?

I was watching Blade Runner the other day, movie like that definately need a technology update on computer monitors and such.

I really have to disagree with you there. I think the way the future is portrayed always tells us a lot about the period in which the film was made. If you want more modern technology in Blade Runner, then remake the whole thing.

Terry Gilliam has done some brilliant things with retro-future technology in Brazil and Twelve Monkeys for example. And the interesting thing is that this grew out of their budget reality, because they realized they couldn't afford to build new futuristic props for the movie so they went the junk sculpture route instead and I think it works very well.

I love watching those sci fi movies, like Alien for example, where they have to go into a special room and hunt and peck on a big clunky keyboard and read the computer's response on a low resolution ASCII screen. I also think it's fun that you can never portray a computer without having it make all kinds of clicks and clacks and beeps as it "thinks" about what you're typing into it.

And I'm very impressed by CGI, but have to agree that a big model of a spaceship does look more "real." The last Star Wars movie looked like a cartoon to me...

There was a lot of hooting and hollering when Lucas changed “Star Wars.”

There was a great hue and cry when Spielberg changed “E.T.”.

But at least Lucas and Spielberg could say they were changing their own movies.

With this “Star Trek” project, others are presuming to change someone else’s art.

Remember when Ted Turner arrogated unto himself the task of colorizing old black and white movies? That didn’t go over well.

And this is an example of the same thing. There’s no need to update “Star Trek.” It’s an artifact of its time – and of its budget.

We wouldn’t presume to repaint a Degas, would we?

I'm a fan, but watching re-runs here in the UK of the origina series, I could do some work in my studio here - most of the opticals, especially the star fields and matt shots afre pretty crude. some of the enterprise moving in space shots shudder and jerk. most effects shots have a quality difference very apparent when the optical starts and finishes, these shots could easily be put right and I don't think this destroys anything - after all, if the technology had been available they would have used it then. The current quality makes the use of doubles very obvious, something I didn't notice back when I was a kid!

What I really hate is watching the re-runs on TV Saturdays because all the good parts have been removed. No more Captain Kirk re-runs for me on Saturdays. It stinks.

OK, now that I've watched one . . .

I'm still against it in principle. But the worse sin is that the new CGI footage clashes with the original footage. It's mismatched. It draws attention to itself. It's clearly from a different era.

The interesting thing about all of these re-do's is that we are bringing them up to our current level of technology, but what will happen in 20 years when we may have a whole new set of interfaces? Will the LCD numbers that replaced the spinning clock be replaced again with a heads-up 3D display (or whatever)? The parallel I draw is from my own house--when I bought it, it was a '30's bungalow that had been expanded in the 70's; I'm sure at the time the add-on seemed very contemporary but by the time I bought it, both halves seemed really out-of-date and mismatched. Will we view these episodes (and Episodes 4-6 of the Star Wars trilogy) in the same way?

Charles, you definately have a good point, and I'm begining to change my mind on how I feel about the whole thing. I watched some "older" movies with CG in them such as The Mummy, Dragonheart, and some other movies from that period of time when CG was just becoming what it is today. After seeing these movies now, the models look relatively crude and the lighting and textures off somewhat. In even 10 years will such highly acclaimed CG work even such as Golem/Smeagol from Lord of the Rings look outdated and cheesy?

Probably, but perhaps because it's not in 3D or Feel-o-vision or something like that!!

And I think this has been covered here before, but worth pointing out that Roddenberry wrote lyrics for the original Alexander Courage theme (even though they were never used)

I'm surprised and embarrassed to say that I remember most of these lyrics from being a Trek fan as a teenager. I wil thus give it a try, at the expense of any degree of cool I may have gained since those pimply days. And I absolutely swear I didn't look these up on the internet, this is from memory from 25 years ago.

Beyond the rim of the starlight,
My love is wandering in starflight,
I know he'll find in ***** reaches,
Love, strange love a star woman teaches.
I know his journey ends never,
His star trek will go on forever
But **** *****wanders that starry sea,
Remember, remember me.

Few holes in there. OK, now I'm going to look it up and see how I did.

Wow. Not bad. Other than "star-clustered reaches" and "but tell him while he wanders", dead-on. Now I would like to flush the cache of brain cells that stored that useful information, and use it to remember the daily location of my car keys, sunglasses etc.

That theme song would be to die for if Shatner and Nimoy sang it dont you think? ;)

I like watching how predictions of the future came true or not.
Metropolis had tv screens.
Robocop had cd videos.

One of the Planet of the Apes movies had a cordless phone.

Lost in Space had wireless headsets.

Farenheit 451 had interactive tv.

My cell phone looks exactly like a Star trek communicator!

Farenheit 451 had interactive tv.

Also notice that the TV's in Farenheit 451 are all widescreen flat-panels :-)