Comments on: See Remastered “The Menagerie” On The Big Screen!

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:48:11 +0000

I saw it Nov 13.
Things I noticed: When we first saw Pike, Spock requested a private conversation. During that, I was surprised to notice for the first time that Pike actually had a tear in his eye as he insisted (as best he could via lights and beeps) that Spock not do as he was planning. Later when we saw the first contact video as Pikes landing party beamed down, I remembered one of the noteworthy effects on this alien world was a strange Lily that vibrated with an alien whine. When the landing party touched the stems, the sound changed (in the original TV version). For some reason, in this updated version the sound hardly changed at all. I view this bit of technical trivia as diminishing the memory of the original presentation, a mistake made by those doing the restoration. I also found it amusing when Number One (played by Majel Rodenbury) was described by the Talosian Keeper as “computer like” since she also played the AI voice of the computer in many Star Trek episodes.

Was the perceived value “worth” it? I have mixed feelings.
While the restoration was good, I still came away with the nagging feeling that I had just paid $12.50 a seat to attend a big infomercial. You see, the underlying thread before and after was a sales pitch for the dual sided HD/DVD release of the remastered digitized collection of the original series. Season One soon to be on-sale with Season Two soon to follow. Should I have paid more than the going rate for a new release feature film just to see this commercial pitch? I feel less than satisfied. Perhaps if the showing had included some special commemorative gifts for the audience, maybe if they randomly gave out a few gift vouchers for the HD/DVD collection, or even just an “x” dollars off coupon–something–perhaps I would have felt like I had made a better investment. If a similar
future presentation arises, I will probably skip it. The choice is yours…

By: Carl LaFong

Carl LaFong — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 21:56:40 +0000

Seems that Fathom has added an extra showing for November 15th.

By: Commodore Z

Commodore Z — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 04:12:09 +0000

Indeed it is my money. And I’m spending some of it to see “The Menagerie” remastered in HD on November 13.

By: Marvin the Martian

Marvin the Martian — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:11:57 +0000

#118– Hey, it’s your money. If seeing Star Trek on a big screen, regardless of how lousy the projection may be, is good enough for you, then by all means, go and have a great time.

It’s just supremely ironic that the CBS-D team gets labasted so often in here for poor digital effects rendering, even though most of us only see it in non-HD broadcasts, or worse yet, YouTube flash video, and yet, some have the nerve to demand higher quality work when they’ve never seen it in its proper HD format. Yet, when Fathom has been roundly criticized in all quarters by numerous people for their shoddy screenings of other films, the likelihood of a poor HD experience is dismissed out of hand because “it’s Star Trek on the big screen!”

Um… okay. Like I said, it’s your money.

By: Olympus1979

Olympus1979 — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:51:48 +0000

#112, fans like me could care less about some DLP system. Getting to see Star Trek TOS on the big screen is good enough!!!

By: Olympus1979

Olympus1979 — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:48:50 +0000

I started watching Star Trek back in 1991, around the time STVI came out. I watched Star Trek TOS movies and Star Trek Next Gen on TV, but I was never as into Next Gen and so I have never seen any Star Trek movie in the theatre.

Finally, that will change with this event! I am so happy that my very first Trek movie experience will be with TOS, and not a TOS movie, but the original series show!!! I couldnt ask for more. It wouldnt have felt right if my first Trek film featured a new TOS crew, now I get to see the old crew before the new movie comes out next year!!! outstanding paramount, and thank you!!!

By: John Kirk

John Kirk — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:51:10 +0000

One can only hope they did something special, like re-edit the Cage footage not seen in the Menagerie BACK INTO THE EPISODE, so we see the full Pike experience within the Menagerie!!!

By: Thomas Jensen

Thomas Jensen — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:20:24 +0000

#95 You said it all. I felt the same thing seeing TMP. One reason why I hope they use the original Enterprise in it’s originality in the new movie. Sure, more detail, if we see it 20 feet away, but from a distance, I’d like to see the series ship, not something different. Unless of course, it’s a reboot, then the rules change for everything.

By: Matt Wright

Matt Wright — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 03:30:16 +0000

#112 — Yeah I knew it was that, I’ve been seeing adverts for various Fathom events before the previews at my movie theater for a while now. Yeah it’s hardly spectacular, but it ain’t terrible either.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 02:59:02 +0000

Too bad this is on a Tuesday. I have to work. Why does everything happen on week nights? WHY?

When I got this story in my email I was excited, then crushed as usual. Sick of this.