Remastered ‘Patterns Of Force’ Airs This Weekend May 19, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: TOS Remastered , trackback
A Federation historian breaks the prime directive and uses The Third Reich as a model for a an alien society…what could go wrong?
Although much fun can be had with the ‘Space Nazis’ this episode is one of the best explorations of the Trek’s Prime Directive. The TOSR team don’t have much to do. There are some matte lines to possibly clean up and a couple of ship and planet shots. The only new element will be a V-2 Rocket.
Plus for your amusement (and by request) some Patterns of Farce….
Bonus video…some (almost real) Space Nazis
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You vill en-JOY dis episode!!
So, any new changes expect in this ep? Or this a light effects ep?
im not big fan of this episode it has a season 2 pattern script to it and i dont think its was well written it dose have some fun bits but for me thats a about it. i dont know about anyone else but i cant stand tos or has even more tosr to me its star trek the following shows that followed fine but this set the stage
#3 steve
Eh?…
Interesting episode, but I agree with a previous poster a few threads back who wished that the uniforms had been given a DIFFERENT symbol design to the “swastika”, as it was only some of the “ideas” of a “The Third Reich” type society that the misguided “Historian” needed to try to replicate. Perhaps he wasn’t creative enough to come up with his own uniforms and designs…
By the way, I am only referring to my thoughts in the context of THIS STAR TREK EPISODE, and am NO WAY intending to infer or condone that I personally believe in ANY of “The Third Reich’s” ideas being acceptable in any manner or form! Whew, ya gotta really think about some things before you post on this site… :D
Ya don’t mess with the freakin’ prime directive, fer cryin’ out loud! John Gill was high on Saurian brandy! It’s just too bad Captain Tracy didn’t go after him with his phaser pack! Those damn Yangs! Whoops…wrong episode. Eeb plebnista.
I wonder if Morgan Woodward is retired from acting. Looking forward to his episodes. Just hope they don’t remaster Marianna Hill. What a babe.
Two Great Videos!
The First for Fun. The Community here asked for it and Got it. Thanks Anthony.
The Second I had not seen and found both Disturbing and Fascinating.
Nice work on the Kirk’s Heroes short.
Attention FishDS9 & steve623 (perhaps Steve Johnson & Josh T Kirk Esquire)
Plus WDKY-56 Lexington, Kentucky Viewers – -
1:00pm for our area today – - but NOT Next Weekend!!
Both NASCAR and FOX MLB will combine to bump “Shore Leave” off the schedule COMPLETELY!! As of this time TREK is not scheduled to be broadcast at ALL!!! Have yet to find out about the 4:00am Monday morning repeat slot.
Valora Noland as Daras (StarTrek.com misspells her last name “Norland”), “Patterns of Force” was her final appearance in TV. Her Last Film was “Up Your Teddy Bear” (1970) with fellow TREK Alumni Julie Newmar & Angelique Pettyjohn. In 1967 she appeared with John Wayne & Kirk Douglas in “The War Wagon” (as Kate Fletcher). However, I could not find out what has become of her since – - -
“Patterns of Force” is one of the “Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely” themed episodes – - not necessarily regarding Professor John Gill (David Brian), but the character of Melakon (Skip Homeier – aka Dr. Sevrin in “The Way to Eden”) for sure. The episode was famously filmed using the Paramount Lot Buildings and Offices (look for the “air conditioner” in the window). Military Students will note that the Nazi Uniforms used often do not match with the Rank spoken – - but of course this is Ekos, not Germany.
I didn’t like this episode very much, because I think it sanatizes what the Nazis did. Granted, for prime time TV, an in-depth look at Nazi Germany would be too graphic, but the three minute video about the real Nazis terrified me much more than the whole episode ever did.
#11 Crusade2267- “the three minute video about the real Nazis terrified me much more than the whole episode ever did.”
I want to second Crusade 2267’s statement. It was frightening.
Also, I forgot to add to #10 – “The War Wagon” also featured the Great Robert Walker, Jr. (Charles Evans from “Charlie X”). How could I forget. Now I’ll shut-up.
DeForest Kelly’s name is spelled wrong in the credits “DeForst”
GILL
Took lesson from Earth history.
KIRK
Why Nazi Germany? You studied history. You knew what the Nazis were.
GILL
Most efficient state … Earth ever knew.
This a fallacy on many levels. The Nazis had early success in the war, but that soon faded because of the all the inefficiencies. For instance, the genocide of the Jews diverted significant resources from the war (outside of being the most morally repugnant act in history). The massive building projects of no value to the country. Hitler’s management style of encouraging factions in the leadership and pitting them against one another. Evil yes, efficient hardly.
This episode might have stood out a little more if not for the other Earth themed planets — Gangsters, Romans, Greek Gods — that appeared in the Second Season.
SPOCK
Your uniform, Captain.
KIRK
It’s a shame yours isn’t as attractive. Gestapo, huh?
SPOCK
Quite correct. You should make a very convincing Nazi.
The look on Kirk’s face was priceless….
I think this space bomber documentary is just one of many nazi-super-weapon-stories … good enough for a creepy documentary evening … but far away from reality.
Maybe I should take it more humorous, but all this pseudo documentaries which try to make a better drama than an informative program are enervating.
#3 Steve-
In my opinion
TOS was the best of all the Star Treks ( although season three was pretty much a stinker). It was what it was for when it was produced and it spawned 41 years of sequels, one crappy prequel, not to mention 6 movies with all the original cast members. The actors payed their parts off of each other well and had a chemistry that none of the following shows had. The special effects for excellent for the time period and in some cases ground breaking. Even today there are shots that CBS-D can’t match.
I do find that most people who watched TOS while it originally aired or after it was canceled, in syndication before TNG, like TOS better than the rest of the shows.
Although TNG, DS9, et al were entertaining shows, they just didn’t have the same energy and excitement that was produced by TOS. I love watching TOS reruns where I channel surf over the other series reruns.
Of course, this is only my personal opinion.
Wow…great thread!!!
First, loved the Kirk’s Heros vid! Funny!!!
Second, I had no idea that the Nazis were planning a space bomber like that. Say what you will about the Nazis, but the Germans are very intelligent and inventive people. Without Germany, we would not have had Werner Von Braun or the technology to go to the moon. At least not in the timeframe that we did.
TTM
Thank goodness physical technology was 20-30 years behind the Nazi’s theoretical abilities or we might be living in a very different world right now. And ALL of Star Trek might have looked like this episode…
” … Julie Newmar & Angelique Pettyjohn”
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrowl! now that’s a nice combination!
thanks, as always, Greg, for keeping everybody on the same page. I’m pretty bummed about Shore Leave!
17,18 .The Nazis were on the cusp of delveloping a nuclear device and were perfecting the means to deliver it.Must be by the grace of God that this didn’t come about.Many of the scientists who were employed in the nazi war effort were hired by NASA for our own space program ( which is not to say these men were Nazis).I can’t help but shudder at the prospect of a nuclear Islamic facist group aquiring this power.
The Germans are responsible for any foray by man into space. Both we and the Commies captured as many German scientists as we could as the war was ending. Although the Commies got into space first , it was merited out that our German scientists (and American ambition) were better . After all we got Werner Von Braun who deserves a Star Trek Starship to be named after him. And the rest is / was history. There are numerous wonderful specials on the National Geographic channel (SpaceRace) and the history channel. Watch it it is both fasinating and scarry as hell. The Russian regard for human life was woeful. The German’s were closer to a space plane than anyone may have ever thought but they had abandoned their heavy water/ atomic ambitions by 1944 because they didn’t have the recources and felt a viable weapon was too many years away. Know your history little boys and girls it can be both fun and enlightening especially WWII history.
#20. I find something very odd about saying that it is by the grace of God that [the Germans didn’t develop the nuclear bomb. Do you think about what you write? What kind of a graceful God would allow tens of millions to perish in a war, and then suddenly “mercifully” prevent a few more million from dying? And what kind of a delusional person would thank him for it?
#17 True.
By the grace of God it didn’t happen that way. We would likely all be speaking German now had history taken a different course.
#22 Gah…hate to get into religious discourse, but I will just say this and be done: The Bible is replete with stories of man turning it’s back on God and bad things happening. It’s all about consequences.
The good thing is, evil did not triumph during WW2.
TTM
DOH!!! I mentioned #17 above when I mean to mention #20. My bad.
And yes, Islamism is a kind of Nazism. There was a documentary I saw on The History Channel that even showed a direct link.
Even this thread has more substance than the episode “Patterns of Force.” This is a Trek “almost” good episode. While “Bread and Circuses” did a good job of asking “what if?” regarding the Romans, this episode just takes in-stock uniforms and in-stock cliches and trots them in front of the cameras. Instead of showing realistic blood and consequences, we get poorly-written monologues to sub for a decade of unspeakable depravity. Oh, and we get Skip Homier’s “Gosh, being gut-shot sure do hurt” expression at the end. Some day, someone may do a space Nazi story that doesn’t stink. But, the problem always comes down to this: The Nazis did evil first and better. They’ve left tough jack-boots to fill.
I am watching the episode now – -
The planet Zeon has a ring around it as the Enterprise passes on its way to Ekos.
The missile attack is destroyed in a white flash and viewed from a behind the saucer section a POV which CBS Digital has used a lot lately.
Those looking for a New V2 Rocket Launch – - forget it. It’s edited out.
The Rubindium Crystal Beam is Redone for the Jailbreak.
#21 Lord Garth is correct. Space Race was very educational.
25:
Calling the Islamic faith a kind of Nazism is an insult to over a billion people. Be careful in what you post!
That said, the space bomber story has been around for a while and is quite frightening. Development and deploment of the plane would have bested anything the Allies had in terms of aircraft at the time. World War II could have ended very differently.
Meant to say “Development and deployment…”
Off to get some coffee!
Okay, enough with the political CRAP, let’s get back to the merits of the episode. Nobody has mentioned Patrick Horgan who played Chairman Eneg, probably because he didn’t have a big part. I saw him perform the lead in a Sherlock Holmes play back in the late 1970’s, and I’ll tell you, Mr. Horgan was brilliant in the role. Funny how some actors, who can be extremely talented in live stage performances, are often relegated to “bit” parts on television!
Episode has finished here – - at the end, CBS Digital does a Nice job on the planet Ekos and once more you can see Zeon with a Ring around it as the Enterprise departs.
For those interested, I highly recommend seeing ‘Space Race’ or simply browsing around the website (which has lots of images and short videos). I hope you find it enlightening.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/spacerace/?fs=www9.nationalgeographic.com#
The very modest changes this week were all improvements, but having not seen this show in a long time, I came to two conclusions – (1) the syndication cuts were really noticable, and (2) despite the iconic and memorable image or Kirk, Spock & McCoy dressed as Nazis, this really isn’t a very good show. The “Zeon”, “Issak” and “Abram” references are really hamfisted (as if the rest of the show is subtle) but that ending is incredibly pat ending begs all belief. “Thank you for saving us from our own horrible instincts. Now leave imediately so that we may make everything wonderful on our own.” Ummm … okay … well, if you insist and since we have just enough time for a freeze-frame laugh on the bridge before the show’s over …
and sorry for all those typos. i am duly embarrassed.
and # 28, there is a difference between what has been termed “Islamism” or “Islamic fascism” and the Islamic faith. Not the same, just as there is a difference between what has been termed “Zionism” and the Jewish faith.
#32 steve623 – “but that ending is incredibly pat ending begs all belief.”
It is fast isn’t it? Kinda like ‘we need 20 more minutes’ of show but don’t have it.
I’ll let you know Steve when I find out more about next weekend’s “Shore Leave” – - if anything. Yell if you hear first.
#22 Sceptic.I respect your opinon, but.I’m not delusional.It’s a common expression.Referring to the state of this fallen world where people have free will to do good or bad things until things come to completion.I don’t want to take this off on a tangent,though ,this is a Trek fan site
Nice job Anthony! The shot of him climbing out of the tunnel is my favorite, it’s so close to Clarey coming up from under the doghouse. Well done!
Yeah…not a very good episode. I like the second season sense of fun but that really turns this into a poor man’s Mission: Impossible episode; for me “Bread and Circuses” is the best “alternate Earth” episode–great writing, a great villain (plus a strong compromised officer in Merrick), strong character moments, and some terrific social commentary.
I didn’t think this episode was much of an “exploration of the Prime Directive” – it was really one of those “Don’t shave the cat, kids” morals.
IOW, what Gill was doing was – as Anthony notes – so self-evidently a bad idea that no appeal to any principle more innovative or complex than “don’t do dumb shit” is necessary in order for the story to be told exactly as it is.
^34 Jon,
There are certain people in the world with a bog, God-shaped hole in their soul. Ummm, excuse me, parietal lobe.
:-)
What I find most intersting about this story is that it predated the coining of the term “Holocaust” as applied to Jews in Germany by several years. As it was produced by men who actually fought the Second World War, it carries some amount of weight as they know better than Johnny-Come-Latelies who and what they were fighitng. There was no stigma associated with it, as is the case today, and it was a fit and proper subject for rational analysis of both good and bad elements. Just like any other historical event.
Contrast that with today when we are constantly told to walk on tippie-toe over Jewish, Moslem, whatever “minority” concern and yet the majority culture is held to the “Stiff Upper Lip” standard. This is somewhat ironically best illustrated by Scotty’s famous, “We’re big enough to take a few insults, laddy”. The English Empire is long gone but its descendants are still treated as inhuman objects fit only for ridicule. This is of course true for most of the combatant peoples of WW2.
Ironic, when you think of it. and a subject worthy of a science fiction treatment! Call it, “The Whipping Boy”.
(And before someone gets her panties all in a bunch, the term dates to the days of royalty when the heir apparent would have a “whipping boy” to take his punishment “in lieu”, it being illegal to harm the sovereign to be.)
The DASA (DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG) spaceplane, had it been built, would have been called the Sanger.
#38: As is customary for you, you’re repeating second-hand stuff that’s not true. The term “holocaust” was first used to describe Hitler’s attempted extermination of the European Jews during World War II itself; it was used increasingly widely after that, until whoever told you that it wasn’t coined until after the 1960s heard it and wrongly assumed that because they hadn’t encountered it before it was new.
I certainly agree with you that people who lived through events are better situated to comment accurately upon them than “Johnny-Come-Latelies” who only uncritically repeat fantasies they’ve been told by their elders. Since your railings against modernity so frequently fall into the second category – as your assertions about history do in this case – it’s to be hoped that you’ll bear this in mind from now on.
Seems like alot of folks here didn’t care much for this episode, but I’ve always liked it and found it’s premis quite disturbing and creepy.
Imagine a modern country today with a leader that is really no more than a “doped up” puppet, brought out of the closet once a week to make a speech for propaganda purposes! Maybe far fetched, but still plausable…
The sets and costumes in this episode looked great too. Maybe not the best TOS episode, but quite entertaining.
Mike :o
Dennis,you ‘re kinda splitting hairs.To my recollection.The general public didn’t start using the word”holocaust’to describe the atrocities in WW2 until late in the seventies perhaps due to media exposure that didn’t exist prior.I have no doubt some people called it” the holocaust “in certain circles beforehand but if you would have referrred to it simply as “The holocaust” in the 70’s most people wouldn’t understand the reference.They did alot of really heart rendering TV specials to increase public awareness back then.Now the word “holocaust” and those events are inseparable.
that video reminds me that im jealous of the hogans heroes dvds because they have the cbs into to them, i wish shows on dvd would have the original bumpers
“Imagine a modern country today with a leader that is really no more than a “doped up” puppet, brought out of the closet once a week to make a speech for propaganda purposes! ”
I don’t have to imagine, I remember the Reagan era….
Okay. Cheap shot but how can you resist a set up like that!
It was a cheap shot.No bearing in reality.Back to Trek.
I by no means stand by Wikipedia as an unimpeachable source… but… it indicates that common useage of The Holocaust to refer to the attempted genocide of the Jews in Europe began in the 1950’s. I think I agree with this estimate, since the descriptions of the Nazi death camps were so veiled in popular culture until the 1960’s. By the time of “Patterns of Force,” there were far more graphic depictions. But, there were many more sanitized versions as well. Mostly, you don’t get hit in the face with the bulldozers clearing cadaverous death camp victims and dumping them into mass graves… until much later. As far as prime time, in your face, can’t turn away… I’ll give that award to 1978’s ‘Holocaust’ on NBC. I joke about this episode looking like Hogan’s Heroes. Think how great an impact it might have had if they had dared to put some of that stock footage right in the middle of this trite dance. Wow. That would have been truly another important gem in the Trek crown.
#44 Actually Leonid Brezhnev would be a better analogy.
For those old enough to remember him, his last years as the Soviet Premier were very strange and bizarre. He was so old, sick and feeble that you rarely saw him except on tightly choreographed events. When you did he could barely walk and speak, and they used to put so much make up on the old man. He looked like the walking dead!
There was no way that old man was still running the Soviet Union! Like this Trek episode, it seemed like his handlers pumped him full of drugs a few times a year so he could make his public appearances and give the allusion that he was still in charge.
Maybe real life mimics Trek sometimes. Creepy!
Mike :o
#25 If the SHOE fits. And if you don’t like it, what do want to do about it? Hmm? I would tell you that to your face. The MODERN ACTIONS of a growing segment of Islam IS akin to Nazism. And the documentary (not produced by ME by the way) illustrated it clearly.
No one ever said ALL of Islam is akin to Nazism, but enough of it IS to put a bad taste in my mouth…and to put me on my guard with them. If they don’t like it, bring it!
And if you don’t like facts too bad for you. You’re welcome to try to change my mind. Flames and personal attacks won’t do that though. Only hardcore information facts and a change in behavior of Muslims worldwide can do that.
I won’t hold my breath for the change of behavior.
TTM
The Antipodal Bomber was an interesting idea, but certainly couldn’t have been built with the technology of the time. The materials science simply didn’t exist at the time to build it. Thermal control would have been a nightmare in the 1940s… starting with that 1,000 mph trip down the launch rail at sea level. The X-15, fifteen years later, was pretty close to the extreme edge of what a winged spaceplane could do at that time, and that was with 15 years more experience. X-15 only went to Mach 6.5 and did it at altitude where the air is very thin. Antipodal Bomber would have needed around Mach 20. The Shuttle needed all new technology for thermal control, and that was 30 years later. Those straight wings would have been a structural, aerodynamic, and thermal challenge (X-15 used small, thin wings, Shuttle used a delta wing to solve this problem.) Also, that rocket sled with dozens of V-2 rocket engines… what a plumbing nightmare! The Russians tried something like that with their N-1 superrocket in the late 1960s (20 years later with their own captured Germans helping) and failed miserably. All these are things the U.S. and Russia learned independently over the next 20-30 years of trial and error, using both captured German engineers and data, and a lot of home-grown technology. It is inconceivable that Nazi Germany could have done it in much less time.
No, Antipodal Bomber would not have worked, much less “changed the outcome of the war.”
Re: #33 – thanks for making sense out of that mess i wrote, Greg! lol
Do I have to say it…corny editing yet again. Loved the quick cut to the closet beam down of McCoy. There’s many other dumb ones, but gads, get a different editng company. AND…..if you see this mrregular….what is up with KXVO now, showing “Space Seed” as the “repeat from last week” episode? Someone there is smoking some mighty strong stuff.
#43 Paul…. And with that I wish that the NBC Peacock Logo would precede each episode’s teaser.
That would really set a mood.
(I’m just a dumb googler, not a student of history.)
The word “Shoa”/”Shoah” (and “Hurban”/”Khurban”)
were variously translated since the 1940s as e.g.
“Catastrophe”, “Disaster”, “Genocide”, “Holocaust” …
See article: http://snipurl.com/1l9ic
(esp. the last 3 paragraphs on the page.)
As a trivial coincidence, one of those words (”disaster”)
occurs in this episode, when Gill speaks of the
“… very brink of disaster.”
“Sign ze paypers, old man.”
“I cannot sign the papers.”
“UN VY CANNOT YOU SIGN ZE PAYPERS!?!.”
“Because you have broken both of my hands.”
Cheech Y Chong
36. Jeff Bond
Just read your story in the “Constellations” 40th anniversary anthology. Great stuff. Your take on the Tholians would make a great episode. I thought Commodore Merrill was gonna be a pain in the ass from the start, but he redeemed himself. Keep up the good work. I can just hear Shatner delivering the dialogue you wrote!! “The…Outsiders…can bring…knowledge…to the Assembly!”
re: 52. Thomas Jensen – May 19, 2007
” #43 Paul…. And with that I wish that the NBC Peacock Logo would precede each episode’s teaser. ”
That would be great. I really like how they include the cbs one on my hogan’s heroes discs….
#49
Of course, there was also the series of lifting body designs (M2-F2 — popularized in genre, HL-10, and X-24A and X-24B, tested out at Edwards), as well as the aptly-named (unfortunately) Dyna-Soar (later, X-20) program in the late 50s/early 60s that attempted to pick up with the earlier research to develop a delta-winged re-usable manned orbiter that would be boosted into orbit using a (generally) off-the-shelf booster.
The ME-262, however, could have made a huge difference if A.H. hadn’t given conflicting orders about what mission it should fill, and the resultant delays in settling in on its use as an interceptor against the B-17/-24 missions late in the war — since even the “Jugs”, and later Mustangs, couldn’t out-perform it in flight.
So, about the actual episode; I was more amazed by the quality of the print that I saw. I think my local CW station has finally upgraded to HD capability. Not that what I saw was HD, as I believe it’s till SD. But the image quality was higher.
What struck me was I could actually see the colors that so many commented on when this started. Nimoy’s make-up really stood out against human flesh colors. The costume colors really stood out too. The hats were different colors from the uniforms.
I enjoyed the new CGI planets and final fly-by at the end as the Enterprise leaves the two planets. Looked great!
Sorry to see all the great lines cut out.
57…
The lifting bodies were essentially a sidetrack that led nowhere. Controllability problems were their primary nemesis throughout their careers, and Shuttle ended up as a hybrid delta-wing/lifting body design as a result. X-20 Dyna-Soar is a more interesting possibility, although it did require a new launcher (it quickly outgrew Titan I and then even outgrew Titan II, forcing development of the Titan III, which later was put to use launching spy satellites. And Dyna-Soar, had it continued, wouldn’t have flown until the mid-1960s when Titan III made its maiden flight. That was 20 years after Antipodal Bomber, 20 years of rocket development and X-plane research. Germany would have had to duplicate most of that. They would have had a few years head start, but Antipodal Bomber would still have been at least 15 years in the future.
Thank you for the informative dose of reality Thorny. I love a lot of the History channel docs but with so many sensationalized “re-enactments” and the slick, what-if style graphics seen above, real history is sometimes obscured.
Anthony, I thought you weren’t going to allow postings like # 48 on here anymore? Enough with the hate-mongering, let’s stick to Trek issues!
Nice new ruby lazer effect.
Crisp vibrant remastered print
New entering sytem shot looked beautiful but again the movement problem rears it’s ugly head, yikes!!!
Stock footage and more stock footage!!!!!!!! Looks great but is officially overplayed, lets do something new
WW II Aviation, especially German still awes the sh*t out of me. JU-88 scarry as hell to this day. Have a picture of A P-51 MUSTANG ON MY WALL. lOVED BUILDING p-40 WARHAWK MODELS AS A KID.
Agree with THEETrekMaster and loved the Reagan Era, we had a president we trusted could protect us at night from the Commie menace. We were a happy and proud country, we had a new Trek , Star Wars and or Indiana Jones Movie to look forward to every couple years. We knew who the bad guys were and they lived in actual countries with actual borders. We ended Stalinist Communism. Great time to be a kid I would give anything to have those times back.
#59
A design that was a hybrid of what the USAF wanted and what NASA wanted. Something about “a horse” and “designed by committee” comes to mind.
Exactly, X-20 had the materials science issue, and the ‘mission’ issue (McN wasn’t convinced about what good it did — echoing some of the later complaints about the S/S program, which was also somewhat of a project in search of a mission).
There’s some family history related to the Dyna-Soar program (and Project Mercury)… that’s how I know about it.
That Bomber looks the shiz biz
Jiminy, but I do love the techie aviation themes bouncing around here. That’s the uber-geek stuff I crave. Couple extra thoughts. The antipodal had absolutely nothing to deliver, no threat at all in terms of bombs. The stuff about radioactive snow is pretty hysterical, like that would have been a threat to the US??!?? (Kinda reminds me of when Dr. Evil comes up with the idea of punching a hole in the “ozone” and everyone will get skin cancer. ok, next bright idea?!). The germans were nowhere near getting nukes (they tried for a while), as is very very well documented by historians. And even if they had something big and scary to drop, they had no targeting capability — drop a bomb from 100,000 feet at Mach 10? Aim for NY and it hits greenland instead? Again, not a very frightening threat that would alter the course of the war.
Still, that history channel animation was kick-ass.
Stalin starved 8 million people to death in the Ukraine. Mao killed 60-62 million Chinese. Yes, the 6 million Jews killed by Hitler and the Nazis was horrible, but it was not the most morally repugnant act in history as someone said. Mao outdid Hitler ten-fold.
Throughout history, totalitarians of all forms – communists, socialists, nazis, fascists, dictators, etc., have been responsible for millions of murders. As terrible as Nazism was, it’s been dead for 60 years. The communists survive to this day, and continue the murders of those in bondage under them. Learn from the holocaust, but don’t ignore it’s bigger brother.
According to the Trekkieguy (Jeff) at trekkieguy.com, this episode was never dubbed in German or aired in that country. Hmmm…
Since the topic is “Patterns of Force”, I did not reference other grotesque acts of inhumanity such as the agricultural collectivism of Stalin or the People’s Revolution of Mao ( I could have been saving that one for the Omega Glory). Nazism is not dead unfortunately. However, your points are well taken.
#42: “Dennis,you ‘re kinda splitting hairs.”
I’m not, really. I’m addressing a know-it-all who habitually lectures other people authoritatively on subjects he knows nothing about, who specifically said that the term was not *coined* until after “Star Trek.”
That’s flat-out wrong, as usual, and no hair splitting about it.
Loved the new stuff in this one, but as I’ve always said, the FX is just icing on an already delicious cake. Shatner as Kirk and Nimoy as Spock are what makes this show tick. Witness the great scene where Spock is standing on Kirk’s back to aim at the lock. The chemistry of Shatner/Nimoy strikes again. The exhange between them, along their expressions and reactions are at the very core of Star Trek’s popularity and that will be very difficult if not impossible to capture with with new blood. To those that say anyone can simply step into the role of Kirk and Spock…that it’s all about the characters, not the actors, watch this…then watch Kirk talk to Spock about “biology” in Amok Time. Watch Spock comment on Kirk’s ability to drive a car in A Piece of the Action, ….watch Kirk and Spock discuss his love of italian food in Trek 4. Yes, anyone can step into the roles…but not just anyone can make it work. Wish it was that simple, but it’s not.
Well said, #70.
Well said, #70.
Well said, #70.
Let’s see, seven times three makes twenty-one, right?
70. jonboc
“If it’s not on the page, it’s not on the stage” may be true…but Shatner and NImoy’s chemistry is magic that transcends the written word.
I’m sorry to say, Wernher von Braun WAS a Nazi. He was a member of NDSAP and SS! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun).
In his V-2 rocket factories KZ-prisoners were forced to work. As noted in the mentioned Wikipedia-entry “More people died building the V-2 rockets than were killed by it as a weapon.”
OK, he was a genius. He made it possible (with many others) that mankind reached space. But he was, at some point in his life, a reckless opportunist.
Okay, First… Did anyone else think John Gill’s speech while still drugged up sounded verbatim like any number of George Bush speeches? I kid not. And Kirk & Spock comment that it’s just comments strung together in a semi coherent fashion…
Second, Opening shot of the Enterprise…. (sorry guys, here it comes) I thought it was awful. To be fair, I ponied up some praise for what I thought was well done last week, but this shot, awful. Just awful.
This shot reminded me of the upper atmosphere shot in Tomorrow is Yesterday. The E looked like a toy being pulled on a string. Something is way off in my estimation of it.
Doug L.
Anhtony-Once again, #77 has to bring politics into the mix PLUS rip on CBS-D with no legitimate critique: “The E looked like a toy being pulled on a string.” I’m sick and tired of it. No real substance to what was really wrong, just another whiny rant. GADS!
re 78
uh, i never bring politics into it. Just thought there was a remarkable resemblance in speech writing skills. … and “toy being pulled on a string” IS a critique. I at least mentioned that I thought they did good work last week.
The only whining I hear seems to be coming from you. GADS!
DL
Just heard the good news that the missing space travelling ashes of James Doohan and the others with him have been found. :)
#70: Great post!
#77: Very true. There ae movement problems from time to time, which begs the question: where is the quality control at CBS digital? Come on, we are living in the tail end of nearly two decades of CG FX work, and shaky, video-gamey elements should not occur at any time.
Well, the Enterprise seemed to veer off in a different direction. Is that what you’re talking about? Doesn’t it do that in the opening credits sequence too? I haven’t heard anyone complaining about THAT.
Mmmm….where’s the screencaps and vids? I quit staying up to watch some of these, so I completely depend on Trekmovie for all the new effects for lame episodes with few FX.
TTM
82 Brother Kyle…. I think the veering off in the opening credits works because the speed at which the ship is traveling. It looks more like a supersonic jet banking to the left. The wobble problem seems to be occuring when they show the ship at low speeds. The thing that puzzles me is that they have nearly 30 years of excellent reference material in the form of the movies, spinoff series , heck even the Star Wars films that show proper fantasy starship movement.
#84:
I doesn’t look like it’s banking, it looks like it’s veering. A starship shouldn’t do that. If it looks like it’s flying straight then the flight of the ship past the camera should match. But it doesn’t.
I mean, I understand that they were trying to match the original version, but it bothers me every time I see it.
Eh…what IS proper fantasy starship movement? :) I actually like some of the zero g look CBSD has put into some of these shots–they give an impression of great speed but also minute course adjustments with some continuing momentum. I can see why it doesn’t work for some people but it doesn’t bother me. Jeff Nelson, thanks for reading my story. And yes, I prided myself on being able to get the “voices” of those characters.
After watching this episode the thing that stood out to me was the BLOOD makeup. Shatner’s whip marks might be the most blood ever shown on one person in a Sixties TV show. I remember watching the old episodes having read that Spock had green blood and always wondering where the heck the green blood was–it always wound up looking blue, gray or (in “Man Trap”) like pea soup. But it’s certainly green here!
#77
I am loath to bring politics into this forum, but comparing Gill’s drugged speech to Bush’s speeches is pretty weak….I am not a Bush fan or a fan of either the Democrats or the Rebulicans (we need a 3rd party!), but pretty much all political speeches these days by any and all politicians sound this way :) !
Every speech by anyone in power always sounds canned and overly pre-prepared to pander to whatever demographic said politician thinks will vote for him/her. Actually doing the job they were elected to do (i.e. governing) rather than campaigning constantly would sure be a nice change of pace ;) …
Singling out Bush is totally unfair, IMO…
#48
Please know that you are not alone…I agree completely with you
To keep this to a Trek thread…I have always felt that radical Islam is akin to the Borg. With the Borg, you either submit to assimilation or you die. With radical Islam, you either submit (to be converted) or you die.
It really is that simple…
And please note that I said “radical Islam” and not all of Islam. But sadly, the radicals are very clearly in control of this religion and until the moderates stand up for themselves and bring about a much needed reformation, those of us of other faiths and other ways of life will need to stay on our guard…
Come of Bond.. Jeff Bond. You don’t think that after 30 years of brilliant Space effect laden movies that there is/ has been a sort of standard as to what Starships are supposed to move like. To me this is a recent phenomona with their work, it certainly wasn’t apparent in Doomsday, Tribbles, Corbomite, Space Seed, ect. Go back and watch the E zoom into orbit around K-7 and watch the latest efforts. Something is definately amiss.
#87-Agreed!
#70-Amen!
#79-CBS-D’s effects are not done with a toy on a ball of string, so please explain technically what you thought was wrong rather than saying something so whiny. Plus, you fell for my trap. I did the same thing to you, called you a whiner without anything to really back it up. JUST LIKE you called CBS-D’s work “a toy” pulled by a string. Explain how to make it better, please.
Marta and I agree with Jon as well
#83:
Yeah, where are the screencaps? And I’m still waiting for the SFX Video for “Errand of Mercy”.
I agree that we’ve seen tons of spaceship shots over the years but I’m not averse to seeing the conventions played with. TOS and the Trek movies specialized in a lumbering approach that DOES work as far as showing the apparent mass of a giant spaceship, but except for the credit sequence shots we rarely were given a sensation of the incredible velocities these ships move at even at sublight speeds–that’s been left to all the space fighter shots from the Star Wars movies. So I have enjoyed shots in “Doomsday Machine” and other Remastered episodes where we get a greater sensation of distance and speed. It does not always work–the shot of the Enterprise peeling away from the Doomsday Machine after Decker’s strafing run is one example of that. But I have liked the look of some of the other ’small in the frame’ shots and I like that we can now seamlessly go from the ship filling the frame to it being a tiny object.
Jon, you have acquired a new “fan”. Your posts impress me.
TTM
Lord Garth Formerly of Izar:
“Come of Bond.. Jeff Bond. You don’t think that after 30 years of brilliant Space effect laden movies that there is/ has been a sort of standard as to what Starships are supposed to move like. To me this is a recent phenomona with their work, it certainly wasn’t apparent in Doomsday, Tribbles, Corbomite, Space Seed, ect. Go back and watch the E zoom into orbit around K-7 and watch the latest efforts. Something is definately amiss.”
CBS’ FX are substandard hackwork at best, when you compare the texture and movement of the Enterprise to ships in the Star Wars Prequels–the best recent history example of sci-fi spaceflight. For all of the Prequels issues with fake or apparent CG creatures and Clonetroopers, the ships were the one thing ILM delivered with unquestioned realism.
The new Enterprise & Klingon MODELS constructed for Deep Space Nine’s “Trials and Tribbleations” episode had a look and movement significantly more realistic than anything seen up to this point in the Remastered project….and how long has CG FX advanced since the year of that episode….
What is the excuse for models selling the FANTASY of 23rd century ships better than tools which are thought to be able to create anything…certainly something as routine as spaceships?
#94
Thanks.
Remember Kirk’s line (or was it cut for syndication?) in last week’s “Errand of Mercy” while attempting to convince the Organians about the dangers of the coming Klingon occupation? : “I’m a soldier, not a diplomat. I can only tell you the truth.”
Sadly, given the state of the world today and the very clearcut clash of civilazations that is ongoing, I think we need more soldiers for diplomats :) …
Hey, that’s it! Kirk for President!
Hell YEAH!!!! Right on, Jon! I am with you 100% — on all points!
Been thinking about the Kirk/Spock relationship for ST:XI. It may be more interesting if they DIDN’T get along- at first. Only toward the end of the film would they become friends, after solving a crisis together. That would shake things up a bit.
re 90…
Well Jim, I may have stumbled into your clever trap, but not being a cgi graphics whiz, you won’t get any sort of technical insight from me. I wasn’t the first to use the “toy on a string” description, but it did speak to me towards describing the awkwardness of the movement that bothers me.
If I see a similar movement next week, I’ll try to come up with a descriptive way to put it. Having said that, the next time somebody says CBS really outdid themselves, and everything looks fantastic as usual… I may need to request some more back up on whats so friggin good about it.
Moving on. dl
My last post was #45 there’s another “Jon” posting here.By coincidence,I agree with his posts.I don’t think anyone should shrink back from addressing islamic facists for the bullies they are.
Heh, well, then you are alright Jon #2…lol.
I guess I was addressing #88 and #96 — but anyone who agrees is alright with me!
#64 Flying Tigress:
FYI-an amazing book that discusses the Dyna-Soar program and other experimental aircraft is “Aurora: The Pentagon’s Secret Hypersonic Spyplane”. It’s a great read.
At least to me the cancellation of the Dyna-Soar program was a major step backwards in terms of reusable space vehicles. Now NASA wants to go back to the moon with Apollo-enhanced technology. I’m skeptical if this is the only way to go.
51 Jim J:
You said it. Sensless editing-how does it make sense to jump from the hallway to the closet?
And Space Seed being shown as the repeat from last week..hmmm, the master control room at KXVO is once again asleep at the wheel. Too bad.
On a lighthearted note, I couldn’t help noticing the extra playing the captured prisoner in the background at the end of Act 2, when they were in the cave. The guy had a handlebar moustache and long sideburns. He seemed to be somewhat out of place…
#100 Jon
2 “Jon”s on here? This could get very confusing very fast…
As the hooker said, “the last time I had to handle two Jons at the same time, I charged extra!”.
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Good one, #105!!!
By the way…”Jon” means ;God’s gracious gift.That’s the way I like to think of it.
Does anyone still have this Kirk’s Heroes video?