Star Trek TOS enters the digital age with new CGI makeover!... by chrisisall

OTHER SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

Star Trek TOS enters the digital age with new CGI makeover!...

POSTED BY: CHRISISALL
UPDATED: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 19:16
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Wednesday, September 6, 2006 9:34 AM

http://www.trektoday.com/news/020906_01.shtml

Essentially, CGI will replace the 'cheese'.
How do you feel about it?
Is it a face lift, or vandalism of classic 60's TV?

I for one, am drooling....

Pon Farr Chrisisall

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Wednesday, September 6, 2006 10:29 AM

CHRISISALL

I thought Browncoats would be all over this one....

Live long and re-do Chrisisall

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Wednesday, September 6, 2006 11:01 AM

SIMONWHO

Nah; a sci-fi show originally in standard definition being upgraded to HD? We did that already...

Actually I'm really looking forward to this as I've not really seen the classic series so this is the perfect excuse.

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Wednesday, September 6, 2006 3:04 PM

CHRISISALL

The original film elements are getting a new transfer before the addition of the new CGI.
It WILL blow us away...

Technobabble Chrisisall

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Friday, September 8, 2006 7:15 AM

CYBERSNARK

Here's hoping, but this idea's been kicking around for a while now. Hopefully it won't turn into a Star Wars retcon thing. (Kirk shot first!!)

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 7:27 AM

CHRISISALL

No big changes promised, but I heard a rumour that new music is being considered, if that's the case, they can kiss me goodbye.
But officially, this seems to be just a rumour.
Take a look at the digital Enterprise on the left here:
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/23775.html
Only two pics and small, but it'll give ya an idea...

Going where no Chrisisall has gone before

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Friday, September 8, 2006 8:03 AM

DERANGEDMILK

Having found that article myself just yesterday, everyone should know that if you clck on the picture of Kirk over on the left its actually a short video on what they're doing. It says exactly what they're doing to the music and I have no problem with it. These aren't the evil revisionist editings of a crazy George Lucas. I think its very cool stuff and completely within the spirit of the original show.
As a trekkie, I was stoked. Plus it'll jive more with the season finale of Enterprise where they have a montage of all the enterprises. Kirk's was all redone and fancied up. :-)
-e

"Storms getting worse."
"We'll pass through it soon enough."

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Friday, September 8, 2006 8:08 AM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Is it a face lift, or vandalism of classic 60's TV?

My vote? Vandalism. Redoing effects that aren't that bad in the first place (and way state of the art at the time) is bad enough but, "rerecording the theme music with new vocals" (emphasis mine) is just evil and wrong.

Best get a move on with completing my dvd purchases on this before the "improvement."

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

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Friday, September 8, 2006 8:36 AM

REGINAROADIE

I've already bought the entire series on DVD (been to busy to actually look at them), so at least I'll have the originals.

But I have to say that I'm actually a bit stoked. Like I saw this side by side comparison of the original with the revised fx, and I have to admit that I was pretty impressed. Like I heard that they were being incredibly precise with their revised fx to match the original, down to the placement of the stars that were whizzing by.

What I'm concerned about is being able to see it on basic cable so that I wouldn't have to buy the whole series AGAIN on DVD to see their revisions.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"There's only one "Return" ok, and it ain't "of the King", it's "of the Jedi."

"Maybe we should start calling your friend 'Padme' because he loves 'Mannequin Skywalker' so much, Right? (imitating robot) Danger...danger...my name is Anakin...my shitty acting is ruining saga."

Excerpt of internet teaser for CLERKS 2.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 8:42 AM

STORYMARK

Quote:
Originally posted by daveshayne:
Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Is it a face lift, or vandalism of classic 60's TV?

My vote? Vandalism. Redoing effects that aren't that bad in the first place (and way state of the art at the time) is bad enough but, "rerecording the theme music with new vocals" (emphasis mine) is just evil and wrong.

Best get a move on with completing my dvd purchases on this before the "improvement."

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

How is this evil? You may think the existing effects are fine, but many find them extremely cheesy and dated. And apparently, they look much much worse in HD, as the higher resolution brings out all the flaws.

And in terms of keeping the series alive for new generation, the enhanced effects will go a looong way toward making the show paletable for the next generation (pun intended).

No changes are being made to the shots, just re-doing them in a way that makes them look cleaner.

And what's the big deal with re-recording the theme. It'll be the exact same arrangement, but in stereo as opposed to mono used in the original.

What I find ironic, is that this 40-year old show will soon be available in all-HD, but Next Gen, DS9 and Voyager, which were done with much more current technology, will not and probably will never be, since they were edited on SD video, instead of film like TOS.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Friday, September 8, 2006 9:08 AM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
How is this evil?

They are altering a work of art (however flawed it may or may not be) in a substantial and to my mind pointless way. They should leave the originals alone and go piss on Enterprise if they feel the need to go improving something.

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

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Friday, September 8, 2006 9:35 AM

CITIZEN

It's been discussed at great length by people at scifi-meshes. seems the general consensus is that it's a bad idea (that coming from people doing their own digital remakes, wierd

). Personally I couldn't care less, ST TOS just isn't that important to me.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Friday, September 8, 2006 9:37 AM

SAMWIBATT

I'll have to see what they've done before I decide whether I'm fur it or agin it. But I'm leery of it; "improvements" to things are subjective and I often don't like changes made to stuff in order to update it.

The sort of thing I wonder about is, e.g., will the new sparkly CGI sit weirdly alongside the acting, the sets, etc.?

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Friday, September 8, 2006 9:40 AM

STORYMARK

Quote:
Originally posted by daveshayne:
Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
How is this evil?

They are altering a work of art (however flawed it may or may not be) in a substantial and to my mind pointless way. They should leave the originals alone and go piss on Enterprise if they feel the need to go improving something.

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

But it's not really altering it in a substantial (or to many, pointless) way. Same shots, dame designs. Same angles, composition, length ect. They've even said they're keeping the star patterns in the backgrounds exactly the same. And they not pulling the old versions, as Lucas did. They will still be aired, and be available on DVD.

So really, if you hate it so much, you can just pretend it didn't happen.

But this is the first time in a loooooooooong time the general Scifi audience (not hard-core Trekkers) has been excited, or even interested in TOS, so I see it as a very good thing.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Friday, September 8, 2006 9:42 AM

CHRISISALL

Quote:
Originally posted by citizen:
Personally I couldn't care less, ST TOS just isn't that important to me.

Well, young man, let's see what you say after yo feast your eyes on the finished product, see, you're the target audience- those yet not in love with it...

Spockisall

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Friday, September 8, 2006 1:05 PM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
But it's not really altering it in a substantial (or to many, pointless) way.

I stand by my statement. They are substituting new footage in a significant portion of the work to fix percieved problems in the artistic presentation. It's akin to going through the worlds museums and repainting all the Van Goughs because the brush strokes could have been better. In the same way those brush strokes are important to the art as a whole the original effects of Star Trek are an important part of the art of the show.

And for what? So the tiny minority of people who own HD TVs can say they have seen a decheesed version of Trek. And how will the effects be less cheesy if they aren't altering the way they look? Any alterations made will be either pointless if they change nothing or a diservice to the original art if they do.

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 3:03 PM

SIMONWHO

The original series exists in a pristine format on DVD, looking as good as it ever could.

This is just an alternative and one that'll probably work on me. But given that the original is there and intact, I can't see it as the cultural vandalism you're making it sound like.

Cutting up the original Star Wars negative to make the special edition... they ought to crucify Lucas for that. Utterly shameful.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 4:02 PM

MISSTRESSAHARA

Talk about milking a dead cow. The franchise is close to death, they haven't come up with one good orginal idea (Enterprise?) but they still want the money this cash cow creates so they go back to the original and screw around with it. The way I see it they may be trying to update it to the point where it doesn't seem so outdated that the go-se that is Enterprise will look more relavent and older than the original, despite the fact.... no, I won't go into the problems of Enterprise, I don't have that time.

So I guesse it's only a matter of time before they digitally edit out all the hands on controls of the computers and CG some touch pads. And then they can do what they did for the tv version of The Birdcage and digitize pants on all the women, cause well before them the women wore full pant suits. And they can make Spocks lips fuller and pass him off as that female vulcans great grandson, make the sickbay bigger and CG better medical equipment, certainly cg a better looking Horta, make those flying puke things look better, re-do the entire episode with the salt creature pretending to be McCoys wife, and of course the ultimate, re-edit every episode and have Shatner's pauses and short talk string together into a cohesive whole (actually that I think might work)

Just sounds like people who are desperate to try to make cash out of something that should be, not laid to rest, but allowed a long vaction. And DVD? Of course it's going to be on DVD. It's what they're eventually aiming for.

Sorry Chris, it's an insult to me of a series that should'nt be touched. Like the orginal Star Wars. And to replace some of the old music with new? It's the music that partially makes the show so great. Especially Spocks theme.

I'll watch it if I'm flipping through channels and see it (but since I barely sit in front of the telly that's highly doubtful) Just have to wonder, do you think the Vulcans would consider it logical to touch something that's fine the way it is?

Executives going through the Ponn Farr isall.

If I'm a bitch, then life just got interesting

What's next? Re-mastering every Doctor Who ever made? Oy Vey.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 7:30 PM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by SimonWho:
The original series exists in a pristine format on DVD, looking as good as it ever could.

This is just an alternative and one that'll probably work on me. But given that the original is there and intact, I can't see it as the cultural vandalism you're making it sound like.

Well if they ever do actually manage the changeover to all digital broadcasting then the original versions will be displaced by the digital 'enhancements' barring the use of legacy equipment. But really that is a side issue as the alteration of the effects is in itself problematical. Destroying the context and integrity of the original work is not something that should ever be done lightly. Or at all except in certain rare instances such as creating another work of art. It's not fair to the creators of the original art nor to the viewers of that art to change it to fit passing fancies in aesthetics or technology.

Remake the episodes from scratch. OK. Use portions to create a new work - as in the DS9 Tribble episode. Also quite kosher. Pandering to the esthetic judgement of an amorphous mass of supposed detractors is not sufficient reason to alter a seminal work in TV science fiction.

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

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Monday, September 11, 2006 10:21 AM

CITIZEN

Thought this might interest, even if its just to hurl things at:
http://www.trekenhanced.com/

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

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Monday, September 11, 2006 11:09 AM

CHRISISALL

Quote:
Originally posted by citizen:
Thought this might interest, even if its just to hurl things at:
http://www.trekenhanced.com/

Thanks endlessly, Citizen!
That guy's an artist, and I LOVE what he did for TMP-I'm onboard totally with it now!!

All FXed Chrisisall

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Tuesday, September 12, 2006 10:44 AM

STORYMARK

Quote:
Originally posted by daveshayne:

Well if they ever do actually manage the changeover to all digital broadcasting then the original versions will be displaced by the digital 'enhancements' barring the use of legacy equipment.

Uh... when all broadcasts are switched to digital, that does not impede anyone from playing an older DVD. You're clearly misinformed about the technology. I can, and do watch standard def DVDs on a High-Def monitor.

Lighten up, or get your info straight.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Tuesday, September 12, 2006 7:16 PM

DAVESHAYNE

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
Uh... when all broadcasts are switched to digital, that does not impede anyone from playing an older DVD.

No but it will impede the ability of those who don't own the DVDs to experience the art as created. And when 5 or ten years down the road HD players/screens stop supporting the DVD/low-res standard those works will be efectively lost when the only version available is the "fixed" version.

David

"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de

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