Comments on: Trek Producer Defends Star Trek Remastered [updated w/ video]

By: An olde timey fan

An olde timey fan — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 18:47:15 +0000

I have a hard time understanding the mentality that holds the classic special effects “distracting”. I suppose it’s part of the Nintendo generation — but what would such people do at a theater production of any kind?

Sadly, this reflects a general dumbing-down of the culture, one that places superficialities ahead of meat. The stories Trek told were the important piece; the effects were merely an aid.

However, if that’s what it takes to reach an attention-deficit audience, I suppose it is better than seeing Trek enter the dustbin of history.

But as for me, I think the later Trek spinoffs, with their “modern” effects, were largely forgettable, often insulting, frequently purile.

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:03:11 +0000

What CBS/Paramount needs to do is announce — and announce SOON — that the un-altered TOS will also be available in the next-gen DVD formats of Blu-Ray and HD-DVD alongside the remastered version. As Roddenberry Jr says, as long as we have a choice, that’s all we ask. Lucas didn’t give us a choice for years (and even then the original films are being released in a half-assed manner) . From what I hear the new discs should have plenty of room for both versions.

What I want to hear are comments from original directors and SFX people from TOS. What do they think about their work being erased for the benefit of today’s 10 year olds? (Am I the only one who caught the confirmation that Paramount is doing this for the kids and not for the people who have supported Trek for the last 40 years?)

By: Anthony Pascale

Anthony Pascale — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 00:40:21 +0000

bear in mind that when people appear on these shows they are asked to take a certain position. I know Jeff and he actually is ok with the show but has some reservations. He was just playing ‘devils advocate’

By: deck68

deck68 — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 00:18:02 +0000

That Bond person sure was cynical! He seemed more interested in the old Trek’s place in history rather than the experience of watching and enjoying the show. It was hard to believe he was also arguing that new effects would be distracting, when the existing old effects suffer from that very problem (being distracting because they look so bad).

Bring on the new effects. And put the old version of the show on display at the Smithsonian so Bond can still watch it.

By: Shatmandu

Shatmandu — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 19:30:34 +0000

Mr. Roddenberry has always seemed to me to have a good head on his shoulders. His “So long as the viewers had a choice,” comment is spot-on. I’m glad he’s a supporter.

*Anything* that gets Star Trek on peoples’ minds is good, in my opinion.

Joe, excited

By: Glenrider

Glenrider — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:34:20 +0000

I realize that, but the way the Internet fans are these days … usually they will pick up on the project before the first FX is even storyboarded.

By: samwiseb

samwiseb — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:18:56 +0000

Well they’ve only just begun the fx work, and right now they probably have a couple episodes in the can. That’s how.

By: Glenrider

Glenrider — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 12:21:55 +0000

I caught this debate yesterday and was pleased that Eugene Roddenberry Jr. endorsed it. “So long as the viewers had a choice”, he stated. Which is fine, if you object to the enhanced version — don’t watch it. I am very much a “purist” myself and I have no problem with it. After following Daren Dochterman and his work on ST:TMP plus the ‘Doomsday Machine’ work on YouTube (see trekenhanced.com) I felt it was a matter of time. I just didn’t expect it so soon. In this age of discovering secrets long before their official release, how was this project kept under wraps for so long without being found out?