After contacting Norman Spinrad to talk about his "The Doomsday Machine" he was inspired to do a video on the history of the project. Spinrad talks about how the Decker role was intented for a different actor, how William Shatner himself made some changes to the script and why the planet killer wasn’t exactly as he intended.
Kirk and crew find a weapon of mass destruction, and an unshaven superior officer obsessed with taking it down. Preview | Ep. Info | Show times A classic if there ever was one. CBS have been working on this for months with over 100 new effects shots, you will see… Lots of shots of the Enterprise including multiple shots of weapons firing A seriously messed up USS Constellation A big scary planet killer A shuttle and shuttle bay and all of the above from some new angles
Some have noted that CBS’s new CGI Doomsday machine doesn’t have that partially translucent look of the original. Well their reasoning is simple, it was never supposed to have it. Mike Okuda tells TrekMovie.com that he talked to the the original writer for the episode Norman Spinrad about this issue. According to Mike, here is what Spinrad had to say: It was a glitch, not at all intentional. The FX was really primitive, simple blue screen stuff, which is why you can also see fringes around a lot of spaceships and so forth against star backgrounds.
Our cup overfloweth with imagery from this weekend’s Remastered Doomsday. CBS have sent TrekMovie.com a couple of exclusive shots.
2007 is the 20th Anniversary of Star Trek The Next Generation, and IDW is planning to celebrate by setting their first Star Trek comic in Jean Luc Picard’s time. IDW is the latest inheritor of the Star Trek comics license (after being owned by both DC and Marvel over the years). The six issue series titled "The Space Between" spans the TNG era, with the first issue taking place in season 1 and the second during season 5. IDW have assigned an experienced team with writer David Tischman and Casey Maloney doing the artwork. Considering that IDW has experience with comics based on media items (such as Transformers and 24) it is no surprise that fans should be hopeful for the future of Trek comics. TrekMovie.com got a chance to speak to IDW editor Dan Taylor and see the first two issues and we like what we are seeing (and hearing).
StarTrek.com have put up a preview for this weekend’s highly anticipated "Doomsday Machine" Remastered. Oh my god oh my god oh my god… click image to play in WMP or Click Here for QT …and check out the images from Doomsday, UPDATE: and now more images
UPDATE: CBS have sent over larger versions of the photos…clicky to embiggify them.
Here is another ShatnerVision (filmed yesterday) where Bill talks about the latest Trek XI rumors and his connection to Trek…using a colorful analogy. Shatner Talks About the Latest Star Trek XI Rumor
For the last two reviews I’ve written for the site I deliberately took on Trek outings that I feel are a little undervalued by the community—not so here. Dorothy Fontana’s “Journey to Babel” is an acknowledged Trek classic and would be even if it had only conjured up Spock’s parents, Sarek and Amanda, in the flesh. But “Babel” offers much more than that—it’s a solid look at the Vulcan family relationship (albeit one somewhat disrupted by the presence of a human parent in the mix), an exciting tale of political intrigue, and an Agatha Christie-type murder mystery that also boasts satisfying action both onboard the Enterprise and in outer space.
A favorite episode gets a proper CGI upgrade…
Kirk takes ill and Spock takes command, but he has to deal wtih bickering diplomats, attacking Orions and a nagging mother. Preview | Ep. Info | Show times This history-laden episode introduces Sarek, Andorians and Tellarites to the Trek universe. There are a good number of effects shots, expect new effects for… Planet Vulcan Shuttles and Shuttle bay A brand new design for the Orion ship Many shots of the Enterprise, including firing phasers and photons
StarTrek.com have put up a new interview with the Trek Remastered producers Dave Rossi, Denise Okuda and Mike Okuda. Here are some highlights The "Doomsday" planet killer will ‘honor the original concept’, but have a new ‘cool animation effect’ The Machine doesn’t have "bristling weapons” (desired by original writer that didn’t end up in original design) because they don’t want to "stray too far from the familiar elements" Many changes in the project can’t be made due to time, such as ( Kirk’s tombstone ‘T’ and Gary Mitchell’s screens) Hope to change all chronometer shots to match new one in "The Naked Time” Impulse engines not always glowing is due to only showing them glow them when Enterprise is ‘stepping on the gas’ Think Gene Roddenberry and Matt Jeffries would like the project The Ent may fire red phasers if they have to match live action shots (like in "Who Mourns For Adonais?”)
"For The World Is Hollow and I Have Touched The Sky" is a rather typical 3rd season Star Trek episodes. The story generally can take place on a soundstage and is mostly character driven. The first point is simply a function of lower budgets of Trek’s last year and is one of the main complaints for Season 3. Therefore the lower budgets relied more on the the story to carry the load and "For the World is Hollow" does try to put some of the elements together for an interesting mission. There is the impending peril of the asteroid ship Yonada smashing into a densely inhabited planet, McCoy’s terminal illness, and of course, a computer for Kirk to disable.
In the latest ‘ShatnerVision’, the original Captain Kirk again talks about the dilemma of the how to make Star Trek XI work with two captains Kirk. He also reiterates the point that he and Leonard Nimoy should be in the film to ensure its success. Shatner Talks Star Trek XI
CBS have released some images for this weekend’s "Journey To Babel". Get a closer look at the shuttlebay (and Gailileo and Columbus) as well as that Orion Ship. UPDATE: CBS have sent over some larger versions of the images put up earlier…plus an exclusive image for TrekMovie.com of the Galileo with Planet Vulcan in the background
TV Star, Movie Star, Singer, Pitchman, and now inspiration for Ballet…William Shatner does it all. The Milwaukee Ballet has announced it will premiere "Common People" a ballet choreographed to the Shatner’s recent album ‘Has Been’. The dance will be one of three parts of “Premieres of Passionate Dance" being performed this Valentines Day weekend (February 15–18). In a WKTI radio interview Shatner was quite enthusiastic about the event, saying "I have a life long devotion – more than an interest, less than an obsession, with the ballet and to have this happen to me is so exciting." Shatner said that he would try to make it to Milwaukee to see the ballet if he can fit it between shootings of his show Boston Legal.
A bit late, but as usual here are the new and old shots for The World is Hollow… A big thanks goes out Rick Kelvington for getting these screecaptures since my local broadcaster changed the schedule without notice. And as usual thanks to Joe for the video clip of the new CGI.
George Takei seems to be getting more and more work lately; tonight he will be guest starring in NBC Heroes. This bit of stunt casting is getting the show and Takei a lot of publicity. In a TV Guide Interview Takei talked about what it was like to be in demand again Oooooh, and it’s sooooo wonderful! Who knew this would be happening 40 years after Star Trek? It’s good to feel hot. In another interview with the Philadelphia Daily News Takei was asked about Star Trek XI, and he responded in classic fashion:
The Enterprise finds a giant asteroid generation ship headed towards a planet…and McCoy finds a girlfriend. Preview | Ep. Info | Show times This McCoy centric 3rd Season episode is probably not Trek’s best effort, but it does have the longest title. For the Remastered team there isn’t a lot to work with, but you can look forward to… New missiles A big new Yonada Asteroid Various shots of the Enterprise, including one firing phasers Possibly some new effects for the Oracle Zap
TrekMovie.com has finally got a copy of the offiical release for TOS-R coming to HD DVD, announced recently at CES. It states that season one of the ‘Remastered’ Star Trek: The Original Series will be released on combo DVD/HD-DVD disks by the fourth quarter of 2007 in the USA and Japan. Note that this is the actual 29 episodes of the first season of TOS and not the first season of Trek Remastered in syndication which is airing out of order. This release is sooner than originally planned and TrekMovie.com has been told that CBS are ‘accelerating’ their production schedule to ensure they have completed all of season 1 this year. However even though they will be producing these extra season one shows this year, the 2007 syndicated airing schedule will remain unchanged. In the official release Ken Ross, EVP of CBS Home Entertainment states "as we take this initial step into the high definition DVD market, it is only fitting that Star Trek is the first property that we chose to release.”
StarTrek.com have put up a preview for next weekend’s "Journey To Babel" Remastered. Check out the Enterprise’s new shuttle bay. click image to play in WMP or Click Here for QT Remember, this episode airs next weekend. This weekend is "For The World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky"
Here is a high res shot of the Yonada asteroid ship bearing down on the Big E The Remastered "For The World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" airs this weekend. StarTrek.com has also have a new desktop with this image as well. Click here for showtimes & locations. Click Here for video preview
One of the interweb’s most popular viral videos is of William Shatner singing Elton John’s classic ‘Rocket Man’ at an awards show from the 70s. Now in a new video, Bill talks about (and shows) this legendary performance
“If I Ruled The World…”The Enterprise, leaving the galaxy, discovers the scarred and blasted recorder marker of the only other ship to do so, the Valiant. Upon reviewing the Valiant’s tapes, Spock discovers that the ship hit some kind of “unknown force” and as a consequence of some (inaudible) events involving (tape damaged) and ESP and such that ship’s captain ordered his vessel destroyed. Captain Kirk decides to forge on ahead, reasoning that since other ships will someday explore this region it’s important for the Enterprise to leave behind its own scarred and blasted recorder marker to warn them off. Turns out there’s a big Energy Wall around our galaxy, despite the fact that the only thing more scientifically ridiculous would be a big Energy Wall around the heart of our galaxy imprisoning a demon that claims to be God. The barrier (now given the full CGI treatment) zaps a number of Kirk’s crew, most notably his pal Gary Mitchell and Dr. Elizabeth “Hotlips” Dehner.
Trek’s second pilot gets the CGI treatment, featuring a different Enterprise…
The Enterprise is endangered by Captain Kirk’s best friend when he is turned into a powerful being…and you know what they say about power corrupting. PreviewLocal Station & ShowtimesMore at Memory Alpha This is Star Trek’s second pilot (after the Cage) and the one that convinced NBC to pick up the show. This is the reason there are some differences between this episode and the rest of the series (both visually and with the cast). There are a number of effect shots for CBS to update with CGI…
In the latest issue of Star Trek Magazine, Brent Spiner (Data) talks about the last Trek movie, Star Trek Nemesis. Not only did Spiner star in Nemesis, but he co-wrote the story (along with screenwriter John Logan). Spiner on why the film failed We worked on the story with the intention of making it for the fans. With every Star Trek movie prior to that we tried to find a way to bridge the gap between the fans and the general public. Even reading the latest quotes from J.J. Abrams about the next movie, it makes sense for the movie to be as inclusive as possible. With Nemesis we said, ‘Forget that! Lets make a movie for the fans, because that’s the people who actually go to see the films.’ And what happened? They didn’t go! Usually the films opened big, even if they had a lot of competition, but Nemesis didn’t even do that. This was a message from the fans that they were done with us.
StarTrek.com have put up a preview for next weekend’s "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" Remastered. The preview features the new Yonada asteroid. click image to play in WMP or Click Here for QT Remember, this episode airs next weekend. This weekend is "Where No Man Has Gone Before"
It looks like 2007 may be the year we start seeing Star Trek on High Definition media. Both The Hollywood Reporter and Home Media Retailing quote CBS Home Entertainment head Ken Ross as saying that Star Trek: The Original Series is going to be released on DVD/HD-DVD Combo format at the end of 2007. "The reason we chose to do that is to give us the ability to make high-definition transfers of the show available to people who don’t yet have high-definition players," Ross says in the interview. However the same piece also notes that while a Blu-ray Disc release hasn’t yet been scheduled, CBS will support both formats like Paramount does. So, to cut through all the hype, this likely means that while the HD-DVD camp can probably accurately say that The Original Series will be an HD-DVD exclusive in 2007, the release almost certainly won’t happen until the very end of the year (simply due to the fact that it’s going to take that long to finish at least a season’s worth of remastered episodes) and a Blu-ray Disc release probably won’t be far behind. There is also movement on the movie side as well. Exepct to see at least one of the Trek films on HD-DVD by the end of the year, with Blu-ray likely to follow.
Imagine a race of aliens on a distant planet who exist in an accelerated state of being, moving so quickly in time that they are imperceptible to the ordinary world except for the insect-like buzzing of their sped-up voices. It’s an intriguing sci-fi concept with all sorts of dramatic and narrative possibilities, but the “Wink of an Eye” in this week’s Star Trek episode is from the writers to the audience telling them, “Yeah, we know this story makes no logical sense whatsoever but just ignore that and watch Captain Kirk bag another alien space babe."