opinion about Star Trek TOS bluray

[Zombie_61]

One other element that I think CBS deserves a bit of credit for is their reaction to criticism. When "Balance of Terror" first debuted, it was met with lukewarm reception...Thankfully CBS listened to the criticisms and not only created a brand new Enterprise model...

According to an online article I read some years ago (while the final episodes were still being remastered, I think) CBS reponded to the initial criticisms by providing better computer equipment for the effects team to work with. It was much faster and had a lot more memory, which allowed the effects team to add considerably more detail than they had previously.

...Another problem is what I call "showing off", the need for some CGI artists to make their work stand out...I see this in some CGI characters too, moving around in an awkward fashion. In TPM, when they were going over the battle plan, the human characters are just standing and looking at the hologram of the palace. But Boss Nass is rocking around like he has Parkinson's or something...

As I understand it, the "unnecessary" movement is often thought to be necessary for CG characters in order to make them look less computer generated; i.e., if they're standing perfectly still they look less realistic. That same thought process is the reason the actors portraying apes in the original Planet of the Apes movies were always moving their faces even if they had no lines--it was believed the makeups would look too mask-like if they hadn't.

 

[NormanF]

I watched "space seed" and then went right to "Wrath of Kahn" (hadn't seen either in years). I think the updated effects in TOS helped the story "flow" into the movie, the uniforms had changed over 15yrs but the look of the phaser blasts etc were pretty similar, some of the TOS space shots looked better :lol
I noticed, watching TOS in HD for the 1st time you can really pick out the stunt men, check out the "cage match" with Kahn and Kirk at the end of Space seed :lol
Ricardo vs The Shat in an MMA cage fight? Welcome to Fantasy Island :thumbsup

I've been watching this on Netflix and had to fight to keep from laughing at some of the stunt work. I also like seeing some things on the edge of the screen like a boom mic shadow. Definitely a difference between a 24" or whatever size was popular analog tv and a 40" HD.

As for the effects in general some look good but other look cheesy. I really dislike some of the ship changes. Netflix does not have the option to choose between classic and HD.

 

[Jeyl]

I think the worst episode to showcase the new visual effects is without a doubt "Elaan of Troyius". One of my favorite starship designs, the Klingon D7, looks absolutely terrible in the new remastered shots and this episode was one of the last to be remastered.

CBS did a pretty decent job with the D7 in previous episodes when the model itself never existed. They incorporated the ship into "Errand of Mercy", "Trouble with Tribbles" and "Friday's Child" even though all of those instances the ship was seen from a great distance. Because of that the team didn't have to spend that much time on the ship's detail. Unfortunately when we get to "Elaan of Troyius", an episode that even in it's original form has many detailed shots of the D7, they didn't give the D7 a proper retouching. Just look at this one shot of the D7's rear area.

The curved areas aren't even smooth! And if you look at some of the other areas of the ship, you'll notice that they have the same exact texture everywhere else. The same thing applies to the big area where the D7's neck is connected to.

If you were to compare the D7 next to the Enterprise, it'd be like comparing Star Trek game models that are two console generations apart. The D7's polygon count is so low that nothing is really smooth. Even the D7's warp engines shows straight lines along it's supposed rounded surface. It's just bad.

 

[Zombie_61]

...Even the D7's warp engines shows straight lines along it's supposed rounded surface...

If you're referring to that vertical "seam" on the leading edge of the engine, that was also visible on the original filming model:

Other than that, you're absolutely right. I don't know if that surface detail was put there intentionally and is supposed to represent separate panels that comprised the D7's hull (like the "Aztec" design on the Refit Enterprise), or if the remastering team didn't have the time to render the ship properly, or...well, you name it. Regardless of the reason(s) it looks amateurish and sloppy.

 

[Jeyl]

If you're referring to that vertical "seam" on the leading edge of the engine, that was also visible on the original filming model:

Oh, no. I know that's supposed to be there. The line I'm referring to is a horizontal reflective point that makes the cruiser literally look like a cheap plastic toy with the connecting seams clearly visible.

 

[Zombie_61]

Oh, no. I know that's supposed to be there. The line I'm referring to is a horizontal reflective point that makes the cruiser literally look like a cheap plastic toy with the connecting seams clearly visible.

Okay, just checking. As I wrote above, I agree with you--it just looks bad.