Included on the new Comic-Con schedule for later this month is a panel just for Star Trek Remastered on HD DVD. The schedule does not list any of the TOS-R producers, and TrekMovie.com has confirmed that the Okudas and Dave Rossi cannot make it. However the panel does include Billy Blackburn [pictured] who appeared in 61 TOS episodes without any lines (as Mr. Hadley). Why? Because Blackburn carried a camera and got a lot of great shots around the TOS set. Some of this footage was seen in the ITV "After They Were Famous" episode on Trek (available on YouTube). The panel info for the TOS-R DVD says the disks will contain this "never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes 8mm footage."
The inclusion of the Blackburn footage is very welcome news and shows that CBS is taking these DVDs seriously. We have also previously reported that there will be other special features including a ‘pop up trivia’ kind of thing for many episodes. Of course this means that many Trekkies will have to ‘tripple dip’ on their TOS DVDs…but these are to be the first ones in HD.
Also attending the panel will be some execs from CBS as well as Rod Roddenberry. TrekMovie.com will of course also be there!
The TOS-R HD/DVD Season 1 Combo Set is due out in November/December of this Year (US, Japan…and maybe Europe).
VOTE: Gonna buy it?
So have you made up your mind yet…going to buy the new set? vote in the latest poll (right column).
Wish I could attend
Interersting, Billy Blackburn was features in this weekend’s episode as the android (another no-speaking character). People how have seen the blooper real may remember him pealing off the latex rubber in sickbay.
BTW, could some one ask if/when there will be a Blu Ray release? Industry insiders don’t think HD DVD will last another year. Would hate to buy the set in an HD format that will soon go the way of Beta…
I guess the holdouts for more work on the Remastering will not be pleased. I am going to buy them never-the -less.
I wish I were able to attend, too. All the Trek panels and Babylon 5: The Lost Tales news happening right there. Unfortunately (fortunately?), I’ll be attending a computer convention in Las Vegas during that time.
I never realized that William Blackburn was in so many (61) episodes of TOS. It’s kind of funny and ironic that he never had a one word of dialogue with that many appearances.
Mike :o
He never said a word… and I think he was only referred to as “Mr. Hadley” in one episode, “A Piece of the Action”. He was the utility infielder of the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise nonetheless.
Here’s to you, William “Billy” Blackburn….
2.
I’m with you Tom. I won’t be investing in these sets because Blu-Ray looks like it will be the winner of the HD Wars.
I won’t be investing in them until I know all the episodes have been properly tweaked for release. I think they really nailed the lighting/look of the ship in Space Seed. If they can go back and get all the first season episodes up to that standard, I WILL gladly invest…otherwise. No way.
# 5. MichaelJohn
Have you heard his voice though? Very camp sounding.
It’s about time we has some commentarys on these episodes before the last of the cast shuffle off their mortal coils, and lets face it if they don’t record them now that’s it.
As much as I love what they are doing with the episode remasters, I WILL NOT buy the HD discs until they go back and tweak them further — especially the early episodes (replacing the original CGI model with the one they are using in the episodes now).
Everyone knows they are rushing to get these episodes out on a weekly basis. We’re all a bunch of fools if we buy these rushed episodes.
They’ll have to put in a little more time on these if they want my money. Things like the library screens in WNMHGB will have to be redone among other things here and there…but that BRACH’s Peppermint candy nacelle capped early CGI model will have to be GONE before I spend one red cent on the HD discs.
TTM
The Blackburn footage sounds VERY cool though…and why is it we are just now — years later– hearing about this? Why didn’t they put this stuff on the other sets??!!! Hmm? It’s not like that 8mm footage is going to look good on HD anyway!
Paramount has been sitting on this footage for YEARS and is just now dolling this out? Good god…what else are they sitting on? I am sure the REAL memory wall footage from ST:TMP and “Sulu’s Great Grandfather” footage from ST:IV will “miraculously” appear in the not-to-distant-future to milk even more money out of the fans.
This alone pisses me off to no end. I am all for free, er, enterprise…and the capitalist system, but this ripoff is just SOOOOOO obvious…it really pisses me off.
I am tired of being bilked. Time for Paramount to put out bigtime if they want any more dough from me…I won’t be bilked anymore!
Damned highway robbers!
Look at Blackburn in that picture up there! He looks like he’s laughing at us! Like he’s saying “Heheh…SUCK-ERRRRRRS!!!!”.
Screw that! You’re not getting MY money Paramount!
Paramount hasn’t been sitting on this stuff, it’s this guy’s 8mm home movies. Blame him, he’s the one that has finally decide to put them up for grabs. I, for one, couldn’t be more grateful. (waiting on Blue-Ray though)
You mean to tell me Paramount didn’t know about this footage? OH COME ON!!! What a joke!
They are milking the fans.
But not this one.
Why didn’t they release this for, hmmm…letsee….
1.) The VHS releases?
2.) The Laserdisc releases?
3.) ANY of the previous DVD releases?
Answer: They suck…and they are milking the fans.
Sorry…can’t get all my thoughts into one post!
The fact that Rossi and the Okudas are not showing up is very telling! It shows they don’t want to face the tough questions! Questions like: “Are you going to go back and fix things like the early CGI Enterprise in the season 1 eps? Are you going to fix the tombstone and library screens in WNMHGB?”
Answer: A resounding NO!
So, that’s my answer to Paramount on buying these… a resounding NO!
Of COURSE they are milking the fans. That’s their job. As long as they offer things that I think are worth it (like remastered episodes in HD with new effects and 8mm home movies), I’ll be in line, credit card in hand.
Yes, thanks for encouraging them to milk us even MORE!
We’ll never get all the stuff that’s out there because sheeple like you keep buying all these lame releases.
And this…is a work unfinished in my opinion! So, you will be buying an expensive “rough cut” of all this shit…not me. LOL!!! Not me…not this time Paramount! Do you HEAR ME??!!!
LOL!! Seriously.
Not this time.
THHE trekmaster,…isn’t it remotely possible that Rossi and the Okudas have other prior plans? This isn’t a conspiracy…
We have one poor working stiff that got some work on the show 40 years ago, carried around a 8mm camera, took some home movies. He stuffed em in a shoe box and probably moved to England (seeing as how the British special is where this footage first surfaced just a couple years ago) . Exactly how and why should, or would Paramount even know about this guy’s home movies? The wouldn’t. And they didn’t. Until now. I’ve owned Trek on VHS, laserdisc, beta, and DVD….and as soon as these bad boys hit the shelves on Blue Ray discs I’ll be first in line to snatch em up……again.
Meh, they might have other plans…who knows? I am sure having to answer to the fans for a “rough cut” of their work is still something they do not desire. Hell, I wouldn’t want to show my face at the con if I knew these episodes were going to be rushed out as-is on HD DVD!
I am sure they want their best work going out there. And let’s face it…Brach’s Peppermint candy-prise is NOT their best work.
As for conspiracies…the conspiracy is to get your money and give you next to nothing for it! There is so much good shit out there they could be putting on these discs…and they could give it all to us at once…but rather than doing that (the right thing to do, BTW) they have decided to milk the fans.
And it’s just not right.
More fans like me should stand up to this shit…damn, everytime I see that pic of Blackburn it looks like he’s laughing a me/us…calling us suckers!
It ain’t bloody right!
Jonboc, they are preying on your fandom.
Come on…don’t be so naieve…nobody just goes “Oh yeah! Eureka! I just found some historically significant behind the scenes Trek footage in my shoebox! Gee, do you think anyone would want to see this?”
Please.
The trekmaster you are going over line….plus you are spamming
and Rossi may actually show up he is working his schedule, the Okudas have a conflict. As for why not in the past, because the other dvd had plenty already.
you can have your own opinion, but not your own facts
Doesn’t “spamming” mean to sell something online via unwanted emails? I am not doing that. I’m just stating my opinion…and responding to others.
Geez.
And what about the blooper reels? I have copies on VHS that I picked up at a con in the 80’s and they look terrible. They are obviously multigenerational copies and the original transfer was no doubt done outside the studio. What happened to the originals? What about those deleted scenes that are featured over on http://www.startrekhistory.com/restoration/index.html
I have to agree with THEETrekMaster – I really want to see these DVDs but not if they are going to be released on HD-DVD rather then bluray and not if they don’t go back and fix at least the older CGI model.
This is way more then a double dip for me. Forgetting the audio tapes I made of the episodes in the 70’s, I bought the 1st round on VHS, the 2nd round on LVD, the 3rd round on the 2fer DVDs and the 4th round on the boxed sets. At least on the last set I knew about the boxes coming out before most of the public did and auctioned off the 2fers on eBay a few months before they were released and was able to score the 3 boxes at wholesale from a dealer friend. Still, it is a lot of $$ for the same product and this time the product must be compelling and complete. If Paramount does come through with the “right stuff” on the right format, I will dip one last time, but that is it. NO MORE!!!!!!!!! I’m not going to be their human ATM again.
One last thing – issue the episodes in production order – NOT THE ORIGINAL AIRDATE – when played back to back they flow much better that way and don’t put The Cage on after Turnabout Intruder – you know it’s ready now – has to be, the Menagerie is finished so where is the Cage? It is episode no. 1, not no. 80 or 99 or whatever number it happens to have at the moment.
Michael, so true…where are the blooper reels? I guess those will make it on release ten or something. “Human ATM”…heheheheheh!!! Funny stuff!
Only thing I have to say is if they released on big “in your face” killer release with finished FX and great extras (and no, Anthony…not those little made up for DVD release documentaries they put on those discs but rather really rare and vintage stuff like the Blackburn movies) I would buy them in a heartbeat.
In fact, I would probably be ok with paying a little more just go get it ALL.
How many of you agree on that?
TTM
On the point of getting screwed…
It takes 2 willing partners to have sex – normally that is. If either is unwilling then it is rape. What does that make us then???
Better yet, what does that make Paramount?????
You’re right. The Okudas and Rossi don’t wish to take the fall for this.
#27 TTM
Count me one of them. I’ll vote with my wallet and I vote no. I want a definitive release. If they can’t do it this time then screw them.
Michael, man…great point on the cut scenes! Heck, I know Curt over there at Star Trek History…now THAT’s the man who should be putting together the extras on these discs! That guy knows his stuff. And that’s the kind of material I would shell out the big dinero for…along with more polished remastered eps of course.
These releases on Blu-ray — released as true, definitive, archive-quality sets could be something really spectacular. As someone else pointed out in an earlier post — why can’t we get commentaries? Commentaries would be nice too…and those could be done by writers, cameramen, etc…not just the actors. I mean, damn…even my Land of the Lost discs have commentary! LOL
Oh crap ROTFLMAO!! I thought I was the only one that bought the Land of the Lost set.
I’m excited about the remastered DVD’S.. but I won’t be buying them if they don’t replace the CGI Enterprise from the first few episodes. That version didn’t work, and that is why they replaced it later on. If they can’t go back and fix what they knew wasn’t working, why should I spend my money on it?
#31 I’m a Land of the Lost fan from when it originally aired, so naturally, I grabbed the DVDs…lol
I don’t think a few CGI shots is worth the investment. Some of what they took out was good. And I’m not totally convinced by the computer model and a slavish devotion to “reality”, ie. dim space, carbon copy planets, bullet holes, recognizable V-2’s attacking the ship instead of generic light blobs, et. al. at the expense of entertainment. That said, there work is very good, but they are not able to create the same cohesive effect as the talented art directors, modelers and Roddenberry himself did on site, together, when all this was a TV job they made a living with. An opinion.
This makes me happy that I got an HD-DVD player a little while back. Now I just want to know when Paramount plans on bringing some of the Trek movies to HD-DVD like they have promised in the past.
I also wonder if they plan on putting some extra features on the HD set that won’t be on the DVD set, kind of like what Universal is doing with the DVD/HD-DVD release of Heroes.
You want to know how this release is going to go? I offer up as evidence The Cage as your blueprint. 1st it comes out in hybrid Menagerie (color) and Roddenberry personal print (B&W) complete with mismatched audio tracks. They (Roddenberry himself) say the missing parts in color are gone forever. Then they colorize the old B&W parts and leave the mismatched soundtrack. Finally a full color copy is found – it’s amazing!
BTW: You want a great movie? I’d be a Pig In $hit if they remade the Cage. Next to Doomsday, it is by far my most favorite episode and really would make a great film.
BTW, they found the full color print of the Cage in the same shoebox as Blackburn’s 8mm films.
spamming is when you are trying to dominate a thread with multiple posts…when I posted that Trekmaster has posted 9 out of 22 posts or almost half…all essentially repeating the same thing over and over. That is spamming.
Extras? You want extras?
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=star+trek+blooper+reels
Sorry Anthony. I’ll lighten up.
I agree with brother Demode. Although I own both Formats. Toshiba’s HD DVD player and Sony’s newest bargain Blu-ray player. I will not buy the remastered set if they do not redo the earlier effects. Especially Balance of Terror!!
The inclusion of the Blackburn 8mm films is huge! I saw them on youtube and I was hoping this would be the case.
You guys are WAY too hard on Okuda and CBS digital Jesus Christ, it sounds like Klingons or something, and not even cool Klingons but the drama queen Next Gen/DS9 variety. Give these guys a break, just TOUCHING something with a history as rich as Trek is daunting enough without having every would be fan with a voice looking over your shoulder bitching about your every move.
It’s Star Trek. It’s wondrous. It will be fine. Now be good little programmed consumer capitalists and eat it up like you are supposed to. ;)
#38 Anthony
Yeah but if I posted a bunch of posts SUPPORTING the DVD release I’ll bet you wouldn’t have a problem with that now would you? ;-)
What it always comes down to on these online forums is saying the ever elusive “RIGHT things”…now doesn’t it?
Sorry my opinion doesn’t jibe with yours Anthony. As you can see, I am not alone.
#38 Anthony
Yeah but if I posted a bunch of posts SUPPORTING the DVD release I’ll bet you wouldn’t have a problem with that now would you? ;-)
What it always comes down to on these online forums is saying the ever elusive “RIGHT things”…now doesn’t it?
Sorry my opinion doesn’t jibe with yours Anthony. As you can see, I am not alone.
#42 Those films are on YouTube?! Damn…even less reason for me to buy the DVDs now! Wow…off to YouTube goes I…lol!
Nope, not gonna buy them. I see no reason to shell out money for a bunch of half done episodes on a format that will end up being the Betamax of the next generation of DVD players.
The whole project’s been rushed since it began. They rushed to the networks not giving them any time to find a desent time slot for them. They rushed to air them, giving them no time for advertising or publicity. They rushed from week to week to get these out, leaving us with half done episodes that mix old FX and new FX that don’t mesh together. Now they rush to get these on a new format while the format wars rage on.
Well I for one will not be rushing to the store to purchase these.
I already have the originals on standard DVD. That’ll be good enough for me until someone decides to go back and really spruce these up. This project should have been called “Star Trek Redone” not “Remastered.”
Geez, all this chatter about Paramount MILKing the fans and being SCREWed by them. Hmmm, a guy who MILKS things would be…A MILKMAN. And in the old days, what did the MILKMAN do on his deliveries? Why, he’d SCREW the housewives. Coincidence? I think not….I smell conspiracy!! Or, at least, a 2% chance there’s one! So, when a Paramount rep shows up at your door one beautiful bright morning, and he’s wearing a milkman’s outfit and carrying a boxset of Star Trek DVD’s, run for the hills!!!
Holy Fizzbin. This blog needs to be moderated. What a load of useless dribble that adds nothing to the discussion. I swear that people are replying to their OWN comments.
THEETrekMaster: Proper etiquette would be to state your opinion ONCE. Take the time to compose your thoughts, and then include them all in one comment. I for one do not enjoy reading the same post over and over again. My time is actually somewhat valuable to me and your glut of posts has been a waste of said time.
This is not an instant messaging service.
i’ll pick up the set when it hits Blu Ray(which, judging by the way Paramount has been releasing HD content, should be day and date with the HD-DVD release)….though I agree with some other posters….those shots of the Enterprise in some of the early episodes need to be fixed first. They looked bad enough in standard def.
…The Blackburn Super-8 films have been rumored for years, but to be honest I’m really surprised that he’s finally going to let them be shown. He’s always pretty much shunned the “Trekkies”, save for the rare con appearance. Still, it’ll be good to see these, especially if he was kind enough to have taken footage of the works behind the sets.