Disappointed in METV's Trek Remaster choice...

[Majere]

I have almost all of the them on Laserdisc. Think I'm missing 3 or 4 Laserdiscs in the set. I can always go back to those. Like I said I just love the fact that it can bring me back to more than 30 years ago every Saturday at dinner time

There's no need. The bluray set has the originals and the remastered together.

[knight errant00]

There's no need. The bluray set has the originals and the remastered together.

Not only that, but you can just hit a button while you're watching and switch between the original and remastered cuts almost instantly. It's actually pretty cool to jump from a revised scene back to the original or jump from a classic low-budget bit to the scene they would have shown had they the budget in the 60s -- like actually giving us a glimpse of the Klingon armada pummeling the Enterprise while Kirk and Spock are planetside in "Errand of Mercy".

But, yeah, the blu-ray set is great for having the facelift episodes while still preserving the originals.

[HardyGirl]

MeTV has been showing the remastered versions all along and I hate that. The exterior shots look too "new" b/c they're all redone w/ modern technology. And the episode "The Apple", those aliens are supposed to have orange skin, but the remastered version makes them look "normal" w/ regular skin tone. If MeTV is supposed to be all about the retro-ness, then showing remastered and changed stuff is stupid, b/c we're supposed to be embracing how things used to be, not the way they can be improved now. I'm glad I have my "Star Trek Special Edition" that I recorded from the Sci-Fi channel years ago.

[Majere]

MeTV has been showing the remastered versions all along and I hate that. The exterior shots look too "new" b/c they're all redone w/ modern technology. And the episode "The Apple", those aliens are supposed to have orange skin, but the remastered version makes them look "normal" w/ regular skin tone. If MeTV is supposed to be all about the retro-ness, then showing remastered and changed stuff is stupid, b/c we're supposed to be embracing how things used to be, not the way they can be improved now. I'm glad I have my "Star Trek Special Edition" that I recorded from the Sci-Fi channel years ago.

If you ever want to upgrade, the bluray sets have the original versions plus the remastered ones. TOS never looked better. You won't regret it.

[Apjac Corny]

I never really paid attention to Star Trek when it ran in re-runs in the 70's. But lately I have been catching it on Me-TV and find myself looking forward to it. I'm just thankful that somebody is airing it on a regular basis so it can be rediscovered by people like me who never gave it a chance. I found myself doing a double take at some of the shots of the Enterprise, I didn't realize that they were remastered. If the effects were that good back then, I might have stuck with it.

[MIB41]

I don't mind some of the spit and polishing that happened to TOS. It's kind of nice to see the ENTERPRISE in all her glory circling a planet that actually resembles a planet. Ditto with the larger establishing shots; it's good to see a more "realistic" planetscape or a city that's supposed to be bustling actually filled with people. I'll agree that whomever supervised the revised opening credits definitely needed to go back and re-record the "ah ahh ah ah ah ah ahhhh" vocals and turn them down an octave or two. And, if I get really nostalgic, I still have my original, untouched ST:TOS DVDs I can pop in. If memory serves, all this revamping/updating of the visual efx are a result of the DS9 episode "More Trouble, More Tribbles," in which we first saw a newly created CGI version of many of the classic elements. I remember being blown away when I saw that.

Well said. My sentiments exactly. I have the remastered series and it's nice to see everything register as it always did in my minds eye. I think for Trek especially, it allows the stories to breath for new generations without dated effects being a distraction. I think it has value.

[emeraldknight47]

Well said. My sentiments exactly. I have the remastered series and it's nice to see everything register as it always did in my minds eye. I think for Trek especially, it allows the stories to breath for new generations without dated effects being a distraction. I think it has value.

Agreed, old friend, and the value for me, as it should be for most TREK fans, is that Paramount/CBS, etc., DID learn from Lucas when he revamped the SW movies, only they revamped TOS the RIGHT way, using digital effects to bring more life not only to the beloved ENTERPRISE, but, as I mentioned earlier, to some of the planetscapes and other space-faring ships along with the many tussles the ENTERPRISE managed to get into with adversaries such as the Klingons, Romulans, Tholians, etc. They wisely left all the story components alone and did not alter any of the interactions between characters or randomly stick in digital versions of characters that weren't there in the first place.

[Mikey]

I never liked the CGI shots of the Enterprise because to me it looks like a cartoon.

I've heard the same thing from other viewers my age and older.

I think younger people don't see it that way, for some reason.

[SKotK]

Yes, I do think the Enterprise does look a little cartoony and find myself wishing it looked more like a really nice scale model. But otherwise, I think the changes made to Star Trek are quite enjoyable, and I'm currently working my way through the whole series again, this time with the new effects. And I'm really enjoying it.

As has been mentioned earlier, the reason I'm okay with Star Trek's changes is the fact that they haven't done away with the original versions. They are right there on the same blu-ray disc I own and accessible with the push of a button.

If George Lucas had done this with Star Wars (and THX-1138), there's be almost nobody left to complain. But instead he chose to bury history, and that...is why he failed. And now, unfortunately, it's too late for him to make good with the fans because it's out of his hands. Disney may yet fix things up someday by releasing the original versions, but Lucas lost his chance to redeem himself with the fans who felt betrayed.

--SKot

[Mikey]

Well, CGI effects evolve for the better just like old effects.

Compare the stop motion in King Kong to the stop motion in Jason and the Argonauts.

or, compare the bluescreening classic Star Trek (pre-new effects) to the gorgeous work done in Star Wars.

What i'm getting at is I think the remastered Treks are already outdated at 10 years old.

They either need to be remastered again or just go back to the original 60's effects.

[MIB41]

Agreed, old friend, and the value for me, as it should be for most TREK fans, is that Paramount/CBS, etc., DID learn from Lucas when he revamped the SW movies, only they revamped TOS the RIGHT way, using digital effects to bring more life not only to the beloved ENTERPRISE, but, as I mentioned earlier, to some of the planetscapes and other space-faring ships along with the many tussles the ENTERPRISE managed to get into with adversaries such as the Klingons, Romulans, Tholians, etc. They wisely left all the story components alone and did not alter any of the interactions between characters or randomly stick in digital versions of characters that weren't there in the first place.

Exactly. Had Lucas stayed out of tinkering with story points, he might have gotten a reasonable pass on the effects updates. It should also be noted that the Enterprise effect updates are intended to still have some 60's charm to them. I've always thought of those shots as a cleaner and better defined images that still match with the sensibilities of the sets and overall tech designs in the show. I think it's by far the smartest update I've seen to a vintage series.

[emeraldknight47]

Exactly. Had Lucas stayed out of tinkering with story points, he might have gotten a reasonable pass on the effects updates. It should also be noted that the Enterprise effect updates are intended to still have some 60's charm to them. I've always thought of those shots as a cleaner and better defined images that still match with the sensibilities of the sets and overall tech designs in the show. I think it's by far the smartest update I've seen to a vintage series.

Now----if only we could get a CG-enhanced original design Jupiter 2....

[Nostalgiabuff]

the real irony with Star Trek, is that even without the enhanced effects for the TOS, I find it less dated than the Next generation. the effects on TNG are just so dated and eighties to me that I can't even watch it anymore. TOS is just timeless

[PNGwynne]

Now----if only we could get a CG-enhanced original design Jupiter 2....

Nothing can help LIS; the cheese factor IS the show.

[Mikey]

^ So true

Putting CGI in LOS is like making a CGI George Reeves for flying scenes in The Adventures of Superman