I know that "Balance of Terror" was being remastered and I've seen some of the original and remastered images compared. Which I don't like by the way. I was wondering in "Balance of Terror" and "Errand of Mercy" the episode dialogue specifies that phasers are being fired. Yet in both episodes, what is generally considered a photon torpedo optical effect is used. Are they going to go back and replace those photon torpedos with phaser shots? For "Balance of Terror" that would be quite a job.
I believe BoT is the only remastered episode I've watched. It looks great. However, I do not believe the photon torpedo effect was changed. I'll watch it again tonight and let you know. I can download the remastered versions in HD from XBox Live at about $2.50 a pop. So far, this was the only one I've bought. It looks fantastic though. The uniforms look so much more crisp and vibrant. The girl Kirk is performing the wedding ceremony for in the beginning of this episode is so pretty!!
I believe they stayed with the established FX...which had the phasers pulsing rather than continuous fire, that season. Just a guess...
Which makes sense, sort of, if you want to lay down a phaser barrage pattern in an attempt to hit a cloaked target. Instead of continuous fire (beams), they send out 'pulses' of phaser energy, constantly changing the targetting coordinates. I know its a stretch. Those are photon torpedoes coming out, not phasers. Whaddyagonnado?
I've seen some of the remastered shots and think they make the ship look too dark and frankly fake looking. The darker look to the ship makes it look plasticly.
I'm biased. I freely admit I like the "glowing" Enterprise from the original series. But be honest. Even the Enterprise-D was more brightly lit than the remastered Enterprise is.
Yeah, once TMP established the ship lit itself with running lights, all bets should've been off for being able to see the ship better.
The company that did the FX for Enterprise should have done the Trek remastered stuff. Let's face the cold truth- CBS Digital isn't up to the task. Whether you blame time, money, talent, or a combination of all 3, nothing they've done looks nearly as good as the Defiant in In a Mirror Darkly. In fact, most of it looks like a poorly made fan effort.
Except for the Constellation in "The Doomsday Machine". I think it was a plastic model. Which explains why it vibrated when heading toward the planet killer. Incidentally, I think "The Doomsday Machine" is one episode that might benefit alot from the remastering. As long as the ship still glows that is. And yes, the Defiant that appeared in Enterprise was much better done than the remastering work I've seen.
I believe "The Doomsday Machine" is in fact the very next episode coming up. I'm very much looking forward to it.
I bow to experience. However, I've yet to see a "remastered" epsiode that I didn't think was improved.
My big problem with 'remastered' is the way the eps are getting cut to pieces on network TV now with all the commercials.
That's why I buy them to watch. No commercials, no cutting. Just Star Trek TOS:Remastered in 720p HD. It looks so good.
I believe that it's been stated that in the remastered episodes, if there were effects "mistakes" like the one you mentioned, they'd keep them in the episode. I know that it was that way in "Balance of Terror." I don't think they've redone "Errand of Mercy" yet. They did "Where No Man Has Gone Before" this weekend - I thought it looked absolutely gorgeous.
I watched one finally. Couldn't really see much difference. It's been cleaned up, the colors are crisper and the space scenes are somewhat improved I think. But it's been so long since I saw the original so it's a little hard to tell. I was, let's say it this way, less than blown away. I wouldn't want to hear what the 'fans' said if they had made more 'changes'. Mass suicide? I'm rather sure they didn't do it so sensitively because they can't afford it or something, they do it like that because the 'fans' would all get a collective seizure and explode. Just look at what the Warsies say about Lucas' SE (which I personally don't find that bad, probably because I never really loved those movies). I'm not entirely sure we won't see a surprise during the marketing phase of the next film. It's logical, ain't it. Remember your favorite crew with the effects of the 21st century. Buy now
However, in "Arena" they did change an effects "mistake". By changing the colors of the phaser effect and moving the phaser emitters down lower on the saucer underside to make them consistent with later episodes.
[action=Kyle]shrugs.[/action] Oh well. To me, it's not really the effects that matter. It's the story. I just don't mind some eye candy here and there, so a misplaced phaser beam that is the wrong color doesn't really bug me. I think you take this far too seriously, my good man. It's obvious from the sheer number of oddities that they didn't back in the day.
Fuckin-A it did! I'm completely sold on the remastering effort. I've been watching these religiously. Looking forward to The Doomsday Machine and The Ultimate Computer.
