Reviews Of Trek Remastered Mixed

Today TrekMovie.com ran our first review of Trek Remastered from Daren Dochterman and it was decidedly mixed, summing the first episode up as a missed opportunity. More reviews are coming in and it appears Daren is not alone. 

On one hand, the transfers of the original episodes look absolutely gorgeous. The vibrant color, the fine detail, the light texture of the print grain… it’s just exceptional. The new HD transfers offer really a great looking image. On the other hand, the new CG effects aren’t nearly what I’d hoped they’d be.    – Bill Hunt, Digital Bits

A few of the FX seemed appropriately organic, while others screamed out tacky CGI that didn’t integrate with either the feel of the show, or other newly rendered effects…. all in all, a mixed bag thus far.    – Merrick of Aint It Cool News

but it isnt all ‘mixed’…

what they’ve done here is so faithful, that there’s nothing that any Star Trek fan can do but stand up and applaud.    – Josh Tyler, Cinemablend

Tyler’s point on faithfulness has been picked up both here and across the web. Almost everyone can now see the what CBS meant when the said that they aren’t changing anything. Now many fans are wondering if this slavishness has gone too far. An example of that thinking can be seen in the TrekBBS threads:This is weak and  Is Trek Remastered Being Too Respectful?

TrekMovie.com will be picking up on this theme in the coming days, but for now (like with many things about Trek) there is no consensus on Trek Remastered except maybe hope that it can be even better as time goes on. One more thing, TrekMovie.com has recently registered the domain TrekRemastered.com…which for now goes to the Remastered subsite on TrekMovie.com. We may do more with it in the future

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As I said in another post,

Damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.

At least people are talking Star Trek again, so in terms of viability, the new program is a success.

And, let\’s face it … there\’s something to be said if people are watching STAR TREK at BARS at 2 AM.

I think it was a beautiful job … can\’t wait to see them uncut in HD …

Hey boys over there…i’m from germany and i’m a big fan of the original star trek series….i have to wait a long time (i think 6 oder 12 months) until i can see one of these episodes in german TV.

Is there any possibility for me to watch these episodes?!

Thanks!

My feeling after watching the first two shows fits in pretty much with what was said by others. In the attempt to remain faithfull, I feel they remained TOO faithfull. Duplicating the exact same shots was not really what I imagined. I was thinking the establishing shots would have more movement to them. Like they did with the estab. shots from the DS9 “Trials and Tribbleations” episode.

I am glad they didn’t touch the transporter effect. I felt that was good in the first place. And I felt there was no real need to alter the Romulan plasma weapon as it looked good as well. What would have been nice is instead of cutting to yet another viewscreen shot, have an exterior shot showing a flyby of the E followed by the plasma weapon or something like that. But alas, an opportunity wasted.

OK I watched it a second time last night to finalize my opinion. (Well, part of it, as here in New York City, the GENIOUS who works overnights WNBC-TV Channel 4 decided to start this important television event 48 minutes EARLY, but I digress…) Let me start by saying I am a 39 year old Star Trek fan since birth (according to my mother – I don’t remember but she says I have always been this way). (And no, I do not still live with my mother, but with my wife and kids in our own house) My favorite Star Trek is “Star Trek” No colon, no subtitle. I prefer the Original Series and the Animated Series to any of the movies or spin-off series. That being said, I was mostly disappointed with this first effort. Watching New Voyages and Daren’s “Doomsday Machine Enhanced” clip got me excited to see some Computer Generated 23rd Century action, but what we got was a very respectful, yet uninspired, show. What I liked: I love the remastering, and am more than a little pissed Paramount didn’t do this for the DVD sets they charged $125+ for: the live action scenes are simply gorgeous (even on SD). With the exception of the nacelle caps, the Enterprise fly-bys are nice. The underside and side views of the Romulan BoP are gorgeous as well. I also prefer the slow dissolve of the cloaking effect which they thankfully preserved from the original series. I know I am a total geek, but I love the bumpers that ran during the commercial breaks. I can only imagine what the new opening credits look like from watching those. What I did not like: “Balance Of Terror” has a number of continuity issues, which I thought would finally be corrected with this release. Fine – the episode is what it is. The nacelle caps – there has been more than enough said about those: the third Season exterior shots from 1969 look better than 2006’s broadcast last weekend. The starfields – I expected exciting, modern-looking backgrounds, and saw only sparce black and white starfields. Visually uninteresting, and just doesn’t “go” with the accurate-looking planets we will be seeing. I was looking forward to seeing the Enterprise get nuked (a nuclear explosion, followed by the Enterprise getting blasted across space), but we saw a computer generated re-creation of the “Enterprise model dangling on a string”. The overhead view of the Romulan BoP with its silvery sheen and hull plating – why ? It doesn’t look “cool” and certainly doesn’t match anything else seen in the episode. It looked horribly out of place as did the shot of the BoP’s bow as seen on the viewscreen. It looked like the silly Romulan ships from “Enterprise”. I only hope that Mr Okuda and Co are reading what the fans think, so they can address our issues (i.e. nacelle caps, etc) I cannot wait to see the Constellation. February cannot come fast enough. I hope that by then, Mr. Okuda and his gang will be less respectful and more interesting in their CGI rendering of our favorite starships. I really want to see more than Constitution Class starships. I need to see a Saladin in action. Please, Mr Okuda? I would like to finally see a Gorn ship and an Orion ship. If they really have to, I won’t mind Klingon ships in Errand of Mercy, Trouble with Tribbles, and Friday’s Child (just not silvery like the Rom BoP we just saw and certainly NOT all “Asteked up” like we saw in Trials and Tribblations) I really really really want to see an ISS Enterprise that is way overdone with Mirror Universe insignia and colors – it is the Mirror Universe for God’s sake – look at how the uniforms and the interior were redesigned for that episode – certainly the ship’s exterior would be equally over-decorated! !! I don’t understand what people have against the “Barrel Rolls” type action – I love those scenes in New Voyages, and want to see that level of action in MY Star Trek. I have all three seasons on DVD in their (mostly) original form (and will air on TV probably forever) – they are not going anywhere – let’s go nuts with the CGI mayhem ! ! ! I can’t help but notice that “Enterprise Incident” is not on any list of upcoming Remastered episodes. Interesting: are they waiting to get our feedback before deciding whether or not to change the Romulan Battlecruisers to another design ? I for one, do NOT want to see anything other than D7 Battlecruisers in that episode. I will even go one step further into blasphemy territory and ask for a Bird of Prey to be painted on the underside of… Read more »

I am a 40 year old male, and am familiar with Star Trek the Original Series.

My Nephews are staying with me awhile and I decided to introduce them to a Sci-Fi Show I grew up with.

They watch Battlestar Galactica, Farscape, and Stargate. (12 and 14).

I thought an introduction to the new HD/CGI Star Trek was just the thing.

After we had watched the Balance of Terror, the boys had enjoyed the crew and their interactions, but when exciting parts came up such as (Firing the Phasers, & the Nuke Explosion). The correct word they used was “Weak”. What I saw as a good remake of the series, they saw it differently. To them the colors inside the ship where bright and cool, they noticed the ceiling lights on the bridge where even different colors, the ladies in skirts where nice, the Captain and Story where good, (who would win, who would lose.).

It was the Space scenes that where not to their liking. My Nephews have grown up on Space Scene Battles with effects of the hit, colors of explosion, and Space looking Bold and Vast in the Background. They wanted to see the Enterprise swing around and fire, they wanted the Romulan Warbird to come out of its Cloak in a “Cool” fashion. At the end of the show, they thought that is how I saw it back in the 70’s and that nothing changed.

They tell me the Story inside the ship would not be lost if the story outside the ship was brought to match it. They said it would make the overall show even better.

Well if the goal is to catch the next generation, I think the effects need to be better and more up to date with what is out their.

Maybe my Nephews have it right and that the Great Story with the Great Characters should not be afraid of Great effects.

Will they watch the next one with Uncle – Time will tell.

I know I will, but Star Trek cannot survive off of the old.

Signed
George P. Wansor
Las Vegas, NV.

Hello, my name is Scott and I’ve been a Star Trek addict for 31 years. (“Hi Scott!)

When the “surprise” announcement was made about the updated Trek effects, I was really jazzed. I’ve been annoying my Star Trek-tolerant best friend (he prefers that Star Wars thing) for several years with my idea to update the effects, graphics, matte paintings, etc.

Let me be clear: I. Love. Star Trek. It is hands-down my favorite TV show. For me, it transcends television. And while I watched all the movies and most of the spin-offs, for me Star Trek = Kirk, Spock, McCoy, velour, mini-skirts, bright colors, lush memorable music and yes, less than perfect visual effects. I totally respect and admire Matt Jeffries and the Anderson effects guys for what they did at the time. Stellar work.

Still, like the the above posters, I was completely underwhelmed by Rossi’s and the Okudas’ efforts. I understand their desire (fear?) about making these true and respectful to the original show. However, I think they should have pushed it further. Daren Dochterman gets it. His work is respectful, but it brings this great show into the 21st century with respect AND panache!

Here are my arguments for giving us … more. If this new version is meant to get old fans like me to watch these, and presumably buy them, again…well, a shot for shot recreation that’s a little cleaner (and as noted, often a little “videogamier”) isn’t going to get me to pony up for yet another DVD set. These new effects aren’t so exciting that they’re preferable to the original effects.

If they are meant to draw in a new generation of fans…the new effects are definitely not going to do that either. I’m not surprised by poster George Wansor’s nephews’ lukewarm reactions.

Another strong argument for pushing the new effects into new territory is that so much of what was done in the late 60s was based entirely on the limitations of the state of the art and budget, NOT some sacrosanct artistic vision. The reason you never saw the port side of the Enterprise was that the wiring for the lighting came out of the engineering hull on that side of the model! The reason they used the same stock shots was to save money, not because you couldn’t tell the story in any better way! I would say to the new guys, how can you possibly justify seeing really ANY stock shots anymore! (Well, except where the Enterprise is orbiting a planet…it’s hard to show that in an infinite number of ways).

Another point: sometimes the story telling in the original show was actually hampered by the poorly crafted and edited effects. Look at the time travel shots at the end of “Tomorrow is Yesterday.” That whole sequence needs a major overhaul — it’s ugly, confusing and laughable. If the new version merely copies what was done for that show…heaven help us. The drama in so many shows, like the starship battle sequence in “The Ultimate Computer,” could be so much more tragic, poignant, horrific if reimagined afresh.

And my final argument: Gene Roddenberry himself changed the look of the Klingons in The Motion Picture, stating that he was finally able to do what he’d wanted to do in the original series, but couldn’t afford to do. I don’t think Gene would mind making the ship exterior shots all they could be.

CBS/Paramount, Mr. and Mrs. Okuda, Mr. Rossi…please…we old fans have waited so many years to see things we never got to see (the Antares, the Orion ship the Gorn ship), or angles on that beautiful Matt Jeffries Enterprise design… my favorite part of “Star Trek-The Motion Picture” was that lengthy love-scene with the Enterprise in drydock. While I can understand and respect your approach, I must say to you, it’s okay to give us more! I’m still hungry for more. Please don’t be afraid to give us more!

That’s a good place to stop, but I have to mention one more thing: why in the world don’t they use time compression technology to get the whole, uncut episode to fit into the broadcast time period, so we don’t have to watch such terribly butchered versions? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, there is a technical way to imperceptibly get 52 minutes of show into 48 or 45 minutes. It’s been done with syndicated broadcasts of other shows from the 60s like The Man from UNCLE. Why not do this for the greatest TV show of all time, Star Trek?

Scott out.

My name is Mark McLaughlin, Gene Roddenberry was one of my Role Models. I became a Screenwriter because of him and George Lucas.
I have been a Star Trek Fan since I was 6 years old and I have seen
every single episode ever since and more than 100 times. I have
seen every single Trek film as well. My feeling on the Remastered
Trek is I am glad they were faithful to the Original but the F/X should
have been more exciting. Like the F/X for Star Trek-First Contact or
any of the Star Wars films. I hope the F/X will be finetuned before
the final release on HD-DVD/Blu-Ray. TV Land will always show
the Original versions but I want to see better F/X for the Remastered
editions. May Star Trek live for another 40 years…

Mark McLaughlin – marknetproductionsentrance.blogspot.com

stated on a previous thread

reflections on TOS Enhanced “Balance of Terror”

Good:
1) The Digital Transfers were top notch. Well worth the wait.
2)CGI Enterprise: Good work on keeping the original look and scale.
3) Sound remastering: Much better.

Bad:
1) Syndication cuts: These were godawful (but since the new DVD’s will be coming out, I can’t complain too much) and JARRING for even a person who hadn’t seen the episode (had a buddy go, “Did they make a bad cut somewhere? Did I miss something?”) Guy’s review your synidcation cuts if you are trying to push this remaster. Sheesh

Nits
1) ‘Bouncy’ Romulan ship: recheck when the Romulan first decloaks on it’s assault run against the asteroid. It’s like it crests a hill then drops. What was that?

2) Cloaking device: I dunno….the Romulan old school cloak looks weird.

Suggestion: Considering the shoestring budget of the original series, I think we can afford to fart up the backgrounds and various exterior shots of the original series a little bit.

If the Big E is around a planet that supposed to be technologically advanced or a major starbase, how about a few sattilites or ships in the background just to make the place look a little more busy. It won’t really detract from the story and might adda bit more depth to the show

The occasional different panning shot for the big E would hurt (passing and asteroid, the old girl tilting to port or starboard before openning up on an enemy duringa combat sequence isn’ta bad idea either).

For ‘The Ultimate Computer’ shot of the 4 other Connies baring down on the enterprise having them take a cheveron formation while on approach would be kinda cool. the box formation was rather silly looking. And I’d like to see those ships taking damage during the fight with M-5.

just my thoughts

^^^

or perhaps we can see something other than Constitution-Class starships in that ep ?

Maybe a Saladin-Class Destroyer ?????

That’s a good idea but I think as far as canon each ship was supposed to be a Constitution class-

Enterprise
Defiant
Congo
Constitution
Exeter
Republic
Intrepid
Farragut
Yorktown
Constellation
Lexington
Hood
Excalibur

For better or worse in the time of TOS this represented the bulk of “starfleet” , at least in terms of firepower and state of the art.

^^^

The Defiant was replaced with the Valiant if memory serves on the decal sheet of the of the old Enterprise model.

damn

I was hoping we’d get to see some Saladin and Ptolemy ships, but it seems all the ships seen throughout the series are/were Constitution class.