Comments on: Review: “City On The Edge Of Forever” Remastered [w/ new pics & vids]

By: Dennis Bailey

Dennis Bailey — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 21:16:21 +0000

Revisiting this preparatory to writing another review, I noticed that I made a big error – I meant to describe the Guardian’s Planet as rotating at something like three hundred miles a *minute* not three hundred miles an *hour* – the latter would be on the slow side.

By: jon

jon — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 01:01:40 +0000

Nice snapshot of Mc Coy.I especially like the glint of light off that one tooth.

By: DB

DB — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 18:46:18 +0000

See, I don’t think that the CBS Digital effect looks very much like that at all. It’s much brighter — far too luminous compared to windows, the saucer domes and so forth — too color-saturated and the blades are too distinct. The whole thing looks more like cell animation than any kind of real lighting effect.

Rob Bonchune’s effect for the Defiant in “In A Mirror, Darkly” was vastly superior.

By: Kipp

Kipp — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 18:10:04 +0000

By the way, have we see a view of the Enterprise underside yet? Does the CGI-generated Enterprise faithfully include the square-shaped red marking under the shuttlecraft bay? See http://www.retroweb.com/trek/trektv9a.jpg which is from The Alternative Factor (the only time this angle of the Enterprise was ever seen)

By: Kipp

Kipp — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 18:07:09 +0000

I agree that the nacelle complaints are unjustified. To me, they got the color and the effect just right. (see http://www.retroweb.com/trek/trektv8a.jpg for comparison)

If I had to complain, It would be that the inset spherical end caps (aft) on the nacelles are slightly too small, and they are not reflective as were the originals (see http://www.retroweb.com/trek/trektv2a.jpg )

If the links above don’t work, copy and paste them into a new browser instance, and they should work.

By: bdrcarter

bdrcarter — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 14:41:32 +0000

OK…so back to the Remastered reviews. The more I watch of the new, old episodes, the more disappointed I become. I had high expectations after seeing the work by Daren Dochterman and Eden FX that cropped up shortly before Remastered premiered. CBS/Paramount missed a big opportunity by passing on those guys! I think the vision of their proposals was the right balance of respect for the original work and the possibilities of CGI. I wonder what Daren would have done with the decaying orbit in The Naked Now? At least one exterior shot of the ship heating up in the atmosphere, maybe? What could the Guardian’s planet have looked like with a pan of the ruins on the surface? There was plenty of time to have a Kirk POV shot in the horta’s nest that paid off the horror of millions of broken eggs instead of a small handful. These are a few examples of missed chances to expand on the original vision of Star Trek with today’s technology without changing a beat of the storytelling. And the shots that have been recreated don’t seem fully realized. I don’t expect to see rivets on the ship’s hull but where is the added depth we were hoping for? The closing shot of the Enterprise in The Naked Now looks like a plastic model kit. How about some subtle enhancements, like illumination from the impulse engines? I’m also surprised they haven’t tried to enhance some of the other opticals. I assumed (incorrectely) that they would update the hand phaser effects. So far, the cartoony and inconsistent effects of the 60’s live on. (I’m glad they added a beam to Scotty’s phaser as he was cutting into the bulkhead..but where was the sound effect?) I do think the new planet visuals are amazing and there have been a few nice surprises, like the exterior of the science station in The Naked Time, the close ups on Spock’s tricorder and the matte work for the mining facility in Devil in the Dark. (The opening shot with the digital guard seemlessly walking into the next shot in the cave?…Brilliant!) Unfortunately, that’s the kind of work I was expecting to see all the time, so I can’t help but feel disappointed. I think it’s time for a visit to trekenhanced.com to see what could have been. I hope someone at CBS gives it another look too.

(BTW, totally agree on TMP being underrated and that Generations was so bad that it singlehandedly started the decline of the franchise.)

By: mike g.

mike g. — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 14:05:10 +0000

I am with those of you who feel “City” was the best episode of Star Trek. The original teleplay was even better than the filmed version, but the core and heart of the story still came through. I’ve always felt Harlan Ellison is one of the finest writers around, and he always managed to get a bum deal from non-creative executive-types. Now, this is a great segue into TMP, because Ellison had pitched an idea for that film, which many of you may already know. Essentially, it was another idea where Kirk had to make a decision- did he have the right to wipe out an entire species in order to save humanity? Making choices, making difficult decisions — this is the kind of story-telling which made for great tv-film, yet we rarely ever saw, especially in those later versions of Star Trek.
That said, I do enjoy ST-TMP, especially the revamped director’s cut. Just goes to show how some very subtle things can make a huge difference in the big picture. What I appreciate about that film is its attempt to convey realism, and a sense of exploring the unknown. Every other Trek film – good or bad – was just a popcorn film.
My hopes for the new Trek film is that it rise above popcorn mentality, and give us something of real substance… the kind of substance we got to see in “City”.

By: Duane Boda

Duane Boda — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 12:03:15 +0000

Their was one book that was for sale at one time that showed the story boards – outlines and concepts of Star Trek TMP and even the 2nd series that never seen light of day on Tv….has anyone seen this book too?
It was very good in the ideas that it had and master illustrations. I do believe if I remember correctly reading that many of the concepts that they had were never realized simple due to lack of money (primarily) and time.
They showed the sickbay – a revamped bridge and much more. I know that many of you have seen the Enterprise as they envisioned it. The lower
back half was flat and looked like a aircraft carrier – etc. Well….anyhow!

By: Josh

Josh — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 08:19:08 +0000

I must admit, I like and prefer the “The Motion Picture” Klingons to any incarnation we have seen, they truly looked alien with their swarthed hairstyles, and white contact lenses.

Every single time I see the first Klingon bridge view with that slow zoom on Mark Lenard and that Officer walks up to his shoulder, it literally looks and feels completely alien, with the subtle smoke, red lights, and awesome costumes and makeup.
It just has alien submarine written all over it.

But of course, it’s short lived as they get annihilated like *******.
Oh, and they run too, how often do you hear or see of Klingons RUNNING?

By: Josh

Josh — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 08:13:43 +0000

Matt don’t forget that guy with that floating slab of carbonite in the day-glow blue hallway that Kirk rushes past!

He was doing something , but the question is, what WAS that guy doing and where was he going with that thing anyway??

How about the dockworkers waving as the Enterprise departed? ;)