The Enterprise meets another superbeing…but this one is a real snappy dresser.
It seems that the TOS-R team like to put shows up with some kind of pattern. For a while it was all the parallel Earth stories. This week we have the Enterprise meeting a childish superbeing with an unhealthy fascination with famales who ends up being scolded by superbeing parents. It is like the same music as Charlie X but with different lyrics. For the CBS-D team there are anumber of Enterprise shots and a new planet to create. If they had the time maybe they created a new matte painting for Trelaine’s castle (like they did for "Catspaw").
The Squire does Vegas!
Did you know that the Squire of Gothos went on to have a successful career in Vegas?
ok so maybe it wasn’t him, but it makes you wonder why Trek just didn’t go for it and cast Liberace. Just two months after "The Squire of Gothos" aired, Liberace appeared on Batman…click to see him in action.
I always felt that William Campbell was doing his best Liberace impersonation as Trelane. Who knows, maybe they wanted Liberace but couldn’t get him because he was set to guest star on Batman.
And, no, I’m not going to say it. I don’t have to. I don’t need to. I don’t want to.
Aw hell. First!
Though he played trash, L was actually quite an accomplished pianist. Back on message
I like how ultimately Kirk realizes he is dealing with a child mentality, and much like Vejur, begins treating the Squire as such.
N.O. means no little advanced species type boy.
Did Liberace dress like that in the 1960s. I recall his program to have him in a regular TUX with piano and candelabra…his outlandish clothing was, in my understanding, a 70s thing (A fashion disease to which even Elvis and Roy Orbison also suffered)
But I could be wrong…please educate me otherwise if I am incorrect.
http://outergalaxylounge.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/liberace_smokin_hot_pants.jpg
5. Al – July 21, 2007
Oh My God!!! I could have lived a better like without seeing that.
*** ATTENTION ORBITALIC ***
Just in case you miss it, I left a message for you on post #28 on the previous thread.
ORBITALIC
The message will tell you what recent topic thread I used to FINALLY type up my own imaginary TOS-era Movie intro. that I had in my head in response to your atmosperic prologue. I’ve gone a little further in that I’ve written to the point that we get to meet BOTH young Spock and young Kirk, while still incorporating BOTH older Spock and older Kirk. ;)
Whew…I need a to find a quiet corner to lie down now…
Stanky
You might just enjoy what I’ve written too Stanky. Just close your eyes at the bits that say “new actors” though…
Looking forward to your thoughts on the actual casting of this thing eventually. ;)
#5:
At least we haven’t seen Takei dressed like that yet. That’s something to be thankful for.
#10 Ron
You can have my quiet corner when I’m done with it…
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this before, but I have a question about the remastered titles.
Why was the flight angle of the Enterprise not corrected? I always found the angle at which the Enterprise “whooses” by in the opening titles to be off. As photograped, she seems to be flying with her nose slightly down, and not flying “true” to her horizontal lines. Almost like an accelerating helicopter. Her ass is trying to outrun her nose. I haven’t seen anyone else mention this, but I may have missed the comments early in the rematered run.
She should fly by parallel to camera, and be shot finishing the flyby from very very slightly below, so we look up at her (conveys size). She is shot this way in mid episode often.
Anyone else notice this? Buehler?
Andrew J. Robinson, the accomplished actor and acting instructor who played Garak on DS9 also played Liberace in a film about the flamboyant artist. Just some info for anyone keeping notes at home.
Re: 6. MY EYES! LOL :)
Damn should have been 5.! Thanks Al. ;)
Re 12-
Well, if I recall correctly, when CBS-D started this project, they were emphatic about replicating the original effects (probably out of fear of fan backlash) and that’s when they were doing the opening credits. Since then they’ve relaxed a bit, but I don’t think they’ve gone back to do redo the credits, have they?
I know what you mean about the odd flight angle. Technically I suppose she could be in any angle necessary, but on first impression it looks odd, and kind of detracts from the visual impression of hurtling speed.
re: 9 Cervantes
As for the eventual casting, they will do what they do.
A. I oppose any recasting-Would rather see Star Trek on permanent hiatus than have fake Kirks and whatnot.
B. I don’t even know any current actors since I hardly ever watch anything made in the past 15 or more years.
C. I wish they would announce their foolish details so I could get really ticked off and not have to spend so many hours each week reading this site. (Apologies to Xai – I realize I am not waiting to see with an open mind, but then you wouldn’t expect that by now, would you, Mr. X?)
re: 9 Cervantes
As for the eventual casting, they will do what they do.
A. I oppose any recasting-Would rather see Star Trek on permanent hiatus than have fake Kirks and whatnot.
B. I don’t even know any current actors since I hardly ever watch anything made in the past 15 or more years.
C. I wish they would announce their foolish details so I could get really ticked off and not have to spend so many hours each week reading this site. (Apologies to Xai – I realize I am not waiting to see with an open mind, but then you wouldn’t expect that by now, would you, Mr. X?)
Oh, and Squire of Gothos used to be one of my favorites. Looking forward to viewing.
As we get older–as we all invariably do–it oftentimes becomes easy to dislike anything that is new, choosing instead to withdraw into that which is comfortable and familiar. But that can be taken too far, and when that’s the case it’s unhealthy.
It’s good to remind ourselves occasionally that just because something is _different_ doesn’t necessarily mean that it is _bad_ . One of Star Trek’s big messages, as I recall.
It’ll be interesting to see how they do the “Cat and mouse game” between Enterprise and Gothos…
The “cat and mouse game” was well done – similar to the original, still all POV from the Enterprise viewscreen, but improved over the original. Unfortunately other than the orbital and flyby shots, nothing else changed. No phaser enhancement when Trelane blasts the Salt Vampire statue, no castle matte, no enhancement of the lethal Gothos atmoshere, no extra sparkley zazz when Kirk shoots out Trelane’s mirror, nothing new as far as I could perceive on Trelane’s parents at the end. You do get to see the Enterprise flying into orbit around Beta Colony 5 or whatever it was called at the end of the show, which I don’t think you saw in the original version, but its just the ship pulling up around another almost-Earth planet. It was a very paint-by-numbers straight forward this week. Nothing to write home about.
Oh, and I wish my brother George was here.
#21 steve623 is on it.
Had hoped for a Hand Phaser enhancement also, but not to be. Even the second of Trelane’s Phaser blasts is edited OUT!
I will say that the description of “the stormy, little planet of Gothos” is enhanced with surface lightning. Flashes all about are visible even while Gothos is on collision course with the Enterprise. Also, nice to see the “rear view” through the Warp Nacelles as the ship attempts escape and to see the ship heading into Colony orbit in the last few frames of the episode too.
The real focus is of course the new vivid transfer and William Campbell’s performance [like last week’s Robert Walker (Jr.)] is compelling.
Plus, yet another great line that sticks with you through life – –
“I object to you. I object to intellect without discipline. I object to power without constructive purpose.”
#21 and #23
Thanks for the info. I just don’t understand why they can’t clean up and enhance the Phaser effects for every episode?? Very disappointing. They better fix the phaser effects in “Return if the Archons” and “Operation Annihilate!” They are some of the worst phaser effects ever in the series run. CBS – D please fix them!!!
Thanks for mentioning the Gothos lightning, Greg. I was going to and just plum forgot about it. It was eye catching but not distracting, and it did add some visual variety. A nice detail for CBS-D to pick up from the dialogue and then incorporate into the visuals.
Look at how they did original phaser effets here…
http://www.startrekhistory.com/restoration/SFX.html
I found this site last night, it sheds some insight into how these effects were originally made.
The CBS D crew seem worn out by the pace (as some of us feared would happen.) A once in a lifetime chance done too quick, under the gun and squandered?
re: 19 Sleeper
“It’s good to remind ourselves occasionally that just because something is _different_ doesn’t necessarily mean that it is _bad_ . One of Star Trek’s big messages, as I recall.”
That may be a message some people get from Star Trek, but conversely, just because something is new doesn’t necessarily mean that it is good, either.
Some things are just better off left alone.
But some of those phaser effects really could use a working over if possible. ;)
I think B&B missed the boat big time by not having William Cambell guest star on one of the newer Trek series as Q’s father. It would’ve been splendid!
Trelane is not a Q.
Trelane is not a Q.
Trelane is not a Q.
#22- “George!!!! That’s my brother, George!”
Hilarious! I got it, in a Looney Tunes sort of way!
I’m glad someone got it, before I had to infect the whole board with a wicked case of Rabbititis.
LOL-isn’t that Wabbititus????
If they’re gonna alter even one hand phaser shot in an episode, they should alter ALL of them. I hate how rushed this thing is. Its a missed opportunity. They arent getting the time they need to do everything they want, so they have to pick and choose shots. Its pretty crappy.
And I bet they wont even get a chance to redo the earlier episodes (Balance of Terror is crying out for another try).
doing the hand phaser FX over is more difficult because they have to rotoscop out the old phaser effect and add a new one over it, with live action around it. The team is working with the finished edited versions, they don’t have the pre-composited original negative.
35. dave mack – July 21, 2007
True, the only thing would be to “over write” the old beam with a new one that might not be pleasing to the eye.
I like the new “cat and mouse” sequence — the new FX really add a lot to the sequence. I do think that the first shot of Gothos wobbled a little bit too much, but overall it was a very nice addition.
I like that there’s new things being added to match the dialogue of the episode. Like seeing lightning flashes from orbit to match Trelane’s comment about Gothos being a “stormy” planet. And the addition of the planet Beta VI, to match Kirk’s orders for Sulu to prepare to orbit Beta VI.
This was also done in last week’s “Charlie X”, when the ship Antares was added to match the dialogue.
The “Cat and mouse” was great!!
Everyone’s said everything. Dang, I musta been out living a life instead of blabbing in here.
Liked the lightning and loved the cat and mouse with the planet. Also appreciated the suprise appearance at the end of Colony 6. (Never really gave that poor colony much thought before. Glad they got their meds.)
I remember seeing this episode in black and white a few times. The ‘outdoor’ scenes are very dark, especially the treetop shot of mom and dad. This remasastered version is much easier to view.
They should have given Campbell more to do in Tribbles. Trelane is a tough act to follow.
Oh, and I don’t see anyone in here arguing over the “900 years ago/Alexander Hamilton” cunundrum?? My take on that is that Trelane moves his planet around, that ‘reading’ was taken when he was 400 lightyears from Earth. Or, Roddenberry was being an ass and wouldn’t tell the early writers what year it was. (“I’m gonna lock you up for 200 years! That oughta be just about right” is also off by a century if it’s 2263.)
The green cyc on Trelane’s planet looks exactly like a…green cyc.
Couldn’t CBS-D had done anything with this???Looked really campy. I know what a cyc is from working in tv production in college.
Otherwise the SFX were really cool-the planet was MUCH improved this time, with lightning visible from orbit and the chase scenes with the planet were really nice too.
The “chasing Gothos” scene was well done. I almost got dizzy at the spinning-around scene as it kept up with thm.
Missed it! My local station keeps moving it and the Program Guides for my DVR was wrong. Look forward to the SPF reel and the new DVD’s.
There was a weird edit on the one I saw. It occured after the door to castle closes. When we got back it went:
Exterior of the castle
Trelane playing the harpsichord
Kirk and Sulu frozen
Back to Trelane (“I must say…”)
It was kind of weird because it seems like he was adressing the audience instead of the landing party. I wished an insert of the party was included.
#44-Another strange thing the editing company did. And, it is true, what some people have said about the editing company and that they edited these back before the new effects. I saw the UN-remastered “The Squire of Gothos” a day or two before on TV Land. EXACT same cuts as in the remastered version AND the same edit of the exterior of the castle reappearing while he played the harpsichord. Fascinating!
I liked how you some occasional lightning effects over Gothos. I’ve seen video taken by satellites and the space of storms over our planet and it’s a match!
Trelane’s parents no real need to put new FX there. Fine just the way it is/was.
Thankfully no Q flashes when he does his thing and the viewscreen shots whilst Gothos was in pursuit of the big E were fantastic!
-cs™
#35 dave mack & #36 Major Joe Ely Carrales, CAP
This has been discussed at length on previous threads here, but the fact is that in CERTAIN episodes where CBS Digital has ADDED ON TOP of an existing burned-in handphaser beam effect, and they HAVE, it has been a HUGE improvement. Unfortunately, they are NOT doing this right across all of the episodes, and therefore I for one would rather that they had just left the original simple phaser effects alone, for consistancy’s sake, if they are not getting the chance to do them all in a regimental way. Adding an inner core and a slight outer hazing would have looked great in many instances, similar to the successful ones that the team have pulled off. They really stand out from all the others now. I don’t like ripping on the team, as they are doing some fine work in other areas generally, but this was an aspect that I was really looking forward to when this project was first announced…
#40:
Jeager says Gothos is 900 light years (a measure of distance) from Earth. Kirk then says Trelane is looking at Earth 900 years past. Obviously these aren’t the same thing, so I’ve always considered Kirk’s comment just a misstatement of the earlier distance comment.
#47- I basically agree, but in the end I’m kind of happy to see those particular phaser fx untouched. I’m not a fan of what they did in Friday’s Child- the all-red disintegration. The shock of seeing an object glow with green energy and vanish upon being hit by a phaser beam in these eps remains simply “classic,” and shouldn’t be TNG-ified, IMHO.
48: If Trelane was observing Earth using light, then, yes, what he would be seeing would be 900 years old. Although you’re right in saying that 900 light years is a measure of distance, there’s a one-to-one relationship when you’re talking about how long it takes light to travel that distance.