TOS

No Picture

Review, TOS Remastered | October 31, 2006 | By: Jason Lee 21 comments so far

Review of Catspaw Remastered

Kirk and the gang find a planet where an alien odd couple has set up their own private house of horrors complete with spectral witches, a sinister castle, a black cat and zombified landing party members. All of this seems to be an elaborate ruse to discourage uninvited guests and/or evaluate their worthiness as a species, etc, etc. It’s a rare, Halloween themed episode of Star Trek with some fun and memorable moments, but mostly you’ll go home with a bag full of cheese instead of candy. With the new remastered ‘Catspaw’ you get more castle, more cat and no strings attached.

No Picture

Shatner | October 29, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 13 comments so far

Shatner To Set New Standard Of Cheesiness

Details on the new Shatner hosted game show ‘Show Me The Money’ are starting to come out, and it sounds pretty cheesy. Variety reports… After answering a trivia question, a contestant will choose one of 13 dancers, each of whom has a scroll with a dollar figure to be added to or subtracted from the player’s winnings. Contestants must answer at least six questions. ABC is calling the hoofers the "Million Dollar Dancers" and says they’ll always be "ready to break into any style of dance, while audacious master of ceremonies William Shatner spontaneously boogies with the beauties onstage."

No Picture

TOS Remastered | October 28, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 46 comments so far

Today Is Catspaw Remastered Day

The Enterprise and her crew are held captive by some spoooooky aliens Video preview / Local Station & Showtimes / More at Memory Alpha This rare ‘themed’ episode is yet another one with few opportunities for new CGI crew. We already know there is a new matte painting for the castle. In addition keep your eye out for… new planet and Enterprise in orbit shots new witches maybe? maybe some new magic flashes? …and for the aliens…no strings attached! so what did you think of Catspaw Remastered

No Picture

Interview, TOS Remastered, Uncategorized | October 25, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 55 comments so far

CBS Is Future Proofing Original ‘Star Trek’

According David La Fountaine, exec-producer on Trek Remastered and Exec VP at CBS Paramount, there there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the Star Trek Remastered project. As everyone knows, each week the CBS digital team send out a new digitally remastered CGI-enhanced version of the Star Trek: Original Series for broadcast syndication. La Fountaine tells TrekMovie.com that what we are seeing is only one of the many different versions of each episode that the team is making. The first version they make an unedited or ‘network’ version without any CGI enhancements but with all the digital remastering from the original source. Then they make the CGI enhanced version of the full length version, and then edit it down for syndication. This means that some of the new CGI effects being done are not being seen in the syndicated versions. Plus all 3 versions are being done in both High Definition and Standard Definition. In addition all the new CGI space shots and matte paintings are being done in 16:9 wide-screen, so every time you see a new shot in Trek Remastered there is a bigger HD version waiting in the wings. 

No Picture

Review, TOS Remastered | October 24, 2006 | By: Jason Lee 35 comments so far

Review of Arena Remastered

When I was about six my father sat me down to watch a show with a guy in a yellow and black uniform fighting it out in the desert with a big, ugly, green skinned lizard. He told me it was called ‘Star Trek’ and I was hooked. I voraciously devoured every episode and, in through my formative years, the show and its characters became a central part of my worldview. My childhood hero was Captain James T. Kirk, and few episodes of the original series epitomized who and what he was better than my first episode: “Arena,”  Now the Remastered version brings back all those memories and created some brand new ones…if you are looking close enough.

No Picture

TOS Remastered | October 21, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 40 comments so far

Today is Arena Remastered Day

Kirk goes mano-a-clawo when he faces a Gorn Captain Video preview / Local Station & Showtimes / More at Memory Alpha This classic episode gives the CGI crew at CBS a bit more to work with. There is a lot of action both in space and on the ground. Possible areas for improvement: some new Enterprise shots, including at high warp new planet(s) new Cestus III landscape phaser effects…and the first photon torpedoes a very hard to see Gorn ship …and a Gorn that blinks   StarTrek.com has posted some preview pics…

No Picture

Interview, TOS Remastered, Uncategorized | October 18, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 104 comments so far

Producer: Trek Remastered Is Getting A New Enterprise

TrekMovie got some time with Trek Remastered Producer David Rossi to talk about how the project is going and where they are going next. Like any Trek endeavor, the CGI-enhanced Trek Remastered project has spawned much discussion. In general the show has been well received. The re-recorded theme and the digital transfers get a lot of praise. Much of the CGI work like the new matte paintings and planets have gone over quite well, and some of the live action touches have been pleasant surprises.  However, much discussion has focused on how CBS have been digitally recreating Kirk’s classic Enterprise. Many seem to feel that the team have not got it quite right yet, but what may surprise the critics is that the producers at CBS agree. "It is not that we are unhappy with the work, but it is not yet the Enterprise as we want to see it" says Dave Rossi, going on "we want it to be there as much as everybody else does." And this is not just talk; the team has a plan…and a new model.

No Picture

Review, TOS Remastered | October 17, 2006 | By: Jason Lee 25 comments so far

Review of I,Mudd Remastered

Harcourt Fenton Mudd appeared in only two Original Series episodes and one episode of the Animated Series, but he is probably one of the best remembered and best loved supporting characters Star Trek has ever had. Harry Mudd was the prototypical rogue and scoundrel, a petty thief, an outrageous liar and a brazen conman with a rap sheet as long as Kirk’s service record. He was a walking, talking, conniving refutation of Roddenberry’s whole concept of “evolved” human beings, and all the more interesting for it, if you ask me.

No Picture

TOS Remastered | October 16, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 60 comments so far

1st Week of TOSR Ratings Delayed, 2nd & 3rd Week About Same As Enterprise [updated & corrected]

In its third week in syndication, Trek Remastered scored a 1.3 1.2 rating with the episode ‘Naked Time’ . This rating is exactly almost the same as the 1.3 rating Enterprise got in its 3rd week of national syndication a year earlier with ‘Borderland’. It is also below the average rating Enterprise got in its first year. The Remastered version of the Original Series with new CGI effects was seen as a way to improve things for CBS after Enterprise didn’t catch on in syndication. There isn’t enough data yet to declare TOSR a success or failure, but one would imagine CBS was hoping for a higher rating.

No Picture

TOS Remastered | October 14, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 22 comments so far

Today is I,Mudd Remastered Day

The Enterprise gets taken over by an android controlled by the infamous Harry Mudd Video preview / Local Station & Showtimes / More at Memory Alpha This lighthearted episode is the first 2nd season episode, so listen for the different theme with the new soprano vocalist (read more about her here). This is one of the ‘easier’ episodes that CBS seems to be packing into their first couple of months and there really aren’t many opportunities for new effects. Expect the usual ship flyby and a new planets (there are rumors of an added ring to the android planet), other possibilities include: ‘overload danger’ indicator inner workings of the ‘Norman’ android extra android duplicates TrekMovie will have screenshots up late Saturday or Sunday, and a review by Monday UPDATE: Screenshots and Audio from I’Mudd Remastered so what did you think of I,Mudd Remastered? 

No Picture

Interview, Music, TOS Remastered | October 13, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 11 comments so far

Redone Theme For Trek Remastered In Good Hands

Although the new CGI effects get most of the attention for Trek Remastered, CBS also gave the show’s opening music new life. The classic theme written by Alexander Courage was re-recorded in digital stereo and most agree that it is pitch perfect. That is thanks to the people involved, starting with the man tasked with the job Greg Smith. Smith is a Trek music veteran who began working on Trek back in the early 90s . He worked on DS9, VOY and ENT as an orchestrator for composer Jay Chattaway and even composed a few episodes himself.  "I tried to remember how many Trek music sessions I worked on and I lost count," Smith tells TrekMovie. Star Trek up until Enterprise was one of the few shows that still used full orchestral scores. "For music, Trek always had the highest production values," says Smith, and Trek Remastered wasn’t going to be the exception.

City on the Edge of Forever

Review, TOS Remastered, Uncategorized | October 12, 2006 | By: Dennis Russell Bailey 39 comments so far

Review: “City On The Edge Of Forever” Remastered [w/ new pics & vids]

Captain Kirk Meets The No-Win Scenario The Enterprise crew discovers an alien time machine on an uncharted, lifeless world.  In a fit of drug-induced paranoia (it’s an accident, kids  — I can’t stress this enough; don’t do drugs, stay in school), “Bones” McCoy leaps back into 1930s New York and alters history such that the “Star Trek universe” never happens.  Kirk and Spock go back in time themselves in order to fix history; in a twist familiar to anyone who has read much of Harlan Ellison’s work, a blameless young woman who loves the protagonist has to be killed in order to make Everything Okay Again.

No Picture

Abrams, Shatner | October 8, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 72 comments so far

Shatner Says He Would Play Kirk Again – Calls Abrams ‘The Perfect Person’ –

In the November Starlog Magazine William Shatner says that is willing to play Kirk again ‘if the opportunity were right’. Since Shatner recently played Kirk to hawk DirecTV one would imagine that ‘opportunity’ = large sums of cash. The last thing we heard from Shatner was his rapid backpedalling on stating he and Trek XI produder JJ Abrams were meeting. That was when Shatner issued his odd "there’s gas and in this case, the gas is coming from JJ Abrams" comment. In Starlog the Shat has only praise for Abrams: I think he’s the right guy…He’s the perfect person: He’s an aficionado and a brilliant storyteller and film-maker. If anyone can find the essence of ‘Star Trek’ and bring it up to date, he’s the man

No Picture

TOS Remastered | October 7, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 37 comments so far

Today is City On The Edge Of Forever Remastered Day

Kirk and Spock go back in time to save McCoy. Video preview / Local Station & Showtimes / More at Memory Alpha This episode was written by Harlan Ellison and is often considered one of the best of the series. However there doesn’t seem much for CBS to play with for new CGI effects. We do know that there will be a new Guardian Planet, other possible things that might get a CGI upgrade the Guardian of Forever (the glow talk effect and/or the images seen in it) Guadian planet ‘set’ Spock’s tricorder display an enhanced Joan Collins? TrekMovie will have screenshots up tonight, and a review by tomorrow. so what did you think of City on The Edge Of Forever Remastered?   

No Picture

Feature Films (TMP-NEM), Shatner, Uncategorized | October 6, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 35 comments so far

Shatner Plays Kirk Again For Commercial…Plus Hosting New Gameshow

In the last week a new DirecTV commercial has shown up that features William Shatner playing a movie era Captain Kirk. The commercial is part of DirectTV’s new ‘fourth wall’ campaign were they show scenes from popular films re-edited to have some of the actors talk to camera about the clairty of DirectTV. Previuos commercials featured Vern Troyer from ‘Austin Powers’ and Ben Stein in ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’. The new Trek commercial uses footage from Star Trek VI. Walter Koenig and Leonard Nimoy are also featured, but it appears their footage is taken from the original film. And here it is… download wmv

No Picture

TOS Remastered | October 1, 2006 | By: Matt Wright 23 comments so far

The Naked Time Remastered Review

Watching Trek Remastered these past few weeks has been a real joy. It is at first a little odd to think that I would derive such pleasure from it — I’ve seen every episode of the original series many many times. Yet knowing that I am watching it on broadcast TV, not cable, not on DVD, means something. Watching it on broadcast TV is different. It takes me back to watching the syndicated repeats of TOS in the late 80’s and early 90’s that were on every weekend thanks to my local Fox station. I’ve had great fun watching these old friends restored and enhanced. Even though I know the stories by heart watching for the revised effects and seeing the sets, actors, and props in renewed detail is exciting.  

No Picture

TOS Remastered | September 30, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 50 comments so far

Today is Naked Time Remastered Day

The Enterprise crew catch a virus that removes their inhibitions. Video preview / Local Station & Showtimes / More at Memory Alpha TrekMovie will have screenshots up tonight, and a review by tomorrow. What to keep an eye out for beyond the usual establishing shots of the ship: early shot of Psi 2000 mountains and clouds multiple viewscreen shots of planet Psi 2000 coming in and out of view as it shrinks Fixing the missing phaser beam ‘goof’ of Scotty cutting through the wall into engineering new ‘timewarp’ effect …and of course Spock totally losing it NOTE: The episode guide has been updated…next week’s episode will be ‘City on the Edge of Forever’ and not ‘The Managerie Part I’ so what did you think of Naked Time Remastered?   

No Picture

CBS/Paramount, Feature Films (TMP-NEM), TOS Remastered, Uncategorized | September 26, 2006 | By: Anthony Pascale 28 comments so far

HDNet Not Interested in Trek Remastered, Is Interested in Trek Movies

A week ago HDNet began showing Star Trek: Enterprise in HD. This makes it the sole source for any Star Trek TV in HD, as the new Trek Remastered is not being broadcast in HD (story).  Since they currently have a monopoly on Trek in HD, TrekMovie.com contacted HDNet to see what is next and owner Mark Cuban himself answered our questions about the future of Trek on HDNet. Cuban tells TrekMovie.com that HDNet has spoken to CBS Paramount about the new Star Trek Remastered in HD but they are not interested in the show presently. Cuban did say he was open to HD version of other Trek series (like TNG) in HD if they become available, telling TrekMovie.com "It depends on the response to this series. If we find a lot of people are subscribing to HDNet to see Enterprise, we will of course look for more." But for the 10 Trek feature films in HD, Cuban is ready to go, telling TrekMovie "we are in discussions about them." Cuban and HDNet did not give any further details on when we might see the feature films in HD and our sources within Paramount and CBS are still trying to figure out where in the vast former Viacom empire deals with HDNet are struck.

No Picture

Review, TOS Remastered | September 26, 2006 | By: Jason Lee 4 comments so far

Review of Devil in the Dark Remastered

As a kid, Devil in the Dark was always one of my favorite episodes because it’s just about the closest thing Star Trek has ever done to a bona fide monster movie. It’s also one of the cheesier episodes in terms of paper mache rocks and tunnels, melodramatic performances and a monster that looks like an unholy union between a shag carpet and a giant pan pizza. It’s essentially a bottle show and most of it takes place down on the planet, but there are a few unique opportunities for updated visual effects.