Star Trek Gets Upgraded

Scifi.com ^ | 09/01/06

[KevinDavis]

The original 1960s Star Trek series will receive a high-tech makeover and return to broadcast syndication for the first time in 16 years, with digitally remastered episodes, Paramount announced. In honor of the show's 40th anniversary, CBS Domestic Television is releasing all 79 episodes with new special effects and music on 200 stations, beginning Sept. 16. The first batch of episodes will be chosen from a list of fan favorites.

The original special effects will be replaced with computer-generated images, including the exterior of the Starship Enterprise, based on the exact measurements of the original model, now resting in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The main title sequence will also be redone with new effects and a new digital stereo soundtrack re-recorded by an orchestra and a female singer. William Shatner's classic original recording of the 38-word "Space, the final frontier ..." monologue has been remastered and continues to open each episode.

All of the space scenes, alien landscapes and ships—including the Romulan Bird of Prey and Klingon Battle Cruisers—will be updated as well. The remastered episodes have been converted from the original film into a high-definition format, which gives viewers a clearer, crisper, more vibrant picture, even when viewed in standard definition.

[KevinDavis]

[big'ol_freeper]

Phasers on stun(ned)!

[trashcanbred]

While I think a digital remaster is a cool idea, I am not sure making CGI starships is something I really care to see.

[Wormwood]

Well, the original series DVDs will be around forever, as will the reruns.

This is a pretty cool promotion that I am eagerly looking forward to.

[Uriah_lost]

Will it be the original "no man has gone before" or the PC'ized "no one has gone before"? That will be the telltale for me.

[Darkwolf377]

I didn't care for anything except the original series, so I will enjoy checking these out. Haven't seen the original shows in over a decade--I hope they don't ruin the cool matte paintings of the planet surfaces. Whenever I'd watch some of the new incarnations, the planets all looked like very professional CGI--and very bland, as if the same person designed every city in the universe. Not an ounce of "sense of wonder" in those. Compare the very few cities we saw in the original show--each one I can still remember. The spaceship shots could use this kind of refurbishing, so I think this is a good thing, though I'm usually an old stick in the mud for this kind of thing.

[Valpal1]

William Shatner's classic original recording of the 38-word "Space, the final frontier ..." monologue has been remastered and continues to open each episode.

[Uriah_lost]

Yeah, and Greedo shot first. I'm just a bit skeptical that way....

[marajade]

Can't wait to get that HD DVD player and the OS. I'm hoping they also do the same for TNG and DS9.

[marajade]

Haven't you heard? The OT DVD SW coming out on 9/12 will fix that.

[Smedley]

Will it be the original "no man has gone before" or the PC'ized "no one has gone before"? That will be the telltale for me.

Amen - and bring on the green animal women!

[bmwcyle]

Kirks girlfriends are not as green any more.

[Eccl 10:2]

Loved the line at his roast:

"Speaking of Shatner, Betty White just Shatner pants."

[NCC-1701]

I am a Star Trek purist. While I love The Original Star Trek, I h ave always wondered how it would look with some modern day technology upgrades. The answer to that question is about to be answered. I hope they haven't hoked up the Enterprise NCC-1701 in such a way as to make it look like a video game spaceship. Still. I'm going to watch it anyway. A trip through the Star Trek galaxy needs to be taken every now and then. And with the upgrades mentioned, it'll be quite a journey. Look for this to come to other series if the new Trek is successful.

Ahead Warp Factor 8, photon torpedoes armed, and phasers set on kill. Live long and prosper everyone.

[Question_Assumptions]

More proof that the original Star Trek is still what people think of when they think of Star Trek. The original series managed to maintain a moderate if not conservative tone despite Gene Roddenberry's liberal attitudes because of the limitations placed on his vision by the time it was made. That allowed the original series to address issues like racism, warfare, and so forth without turning into liberal mush and without Captain Kirk surrendering to every enemy they encountered.

There are plenty of solidly conservative messages in the original series including pro-life ("Friday's Child", "Devil in the Dark"), anti-Hippy ("Way to Eden"), wisdom of adulthood over childhood ("Miri", "And the Children Shall Lead", "Charlie X"), good intentions not excusing horrific acts ("The Conscience of the King"), pro-intervention (at the time, in Vietnam) ("A Private Little War"), anti-communist ("Return of the Archons", "The Apple"), as well as the patriotism in "The Omega Glory". Even episodes that dealt with classic liberal issues had a conservative spin such as racism ("Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" -- the racial hatred was mutual and mutually self-destructive) and upper class oppression ("The Cloud Minders" -- highly critical of terrorism) approached the issues in a way a conservative could appreciate.

[hsalaw]

Fun!

[af_vet_rr]

The remastered episodes have been converted from the original film into a high-definition format, which gives viewers a clearer, crisper, more vibrant picture, even when viewed in standard definition.

I'm assuming these are like Hogan's Heroes, Charlies' Angles, etc., that were shot with actual movie film and not the stuff they were using for some TV shows - I've seen both of those shows in HD, and it's pretty amazing how sharp they look.

That said, do you think they will edit out this little..."blooper" (from wikipedia: "Interestingly, the female Romulan Commander wears an extremely short miniskirt uniform. During the scene where she attempts to seduce Spock, the Romulan Commander gets up from her couch to change outfits. As she stands up, the back of her skirt rides up a bit, exposing her panties."):

[MamaTexan]

LOL!

We were watching some original Trek yesterday and remarked how great it would be if the special effects weren't quite so...cheesy.

I then had to explain to the girls that WAS high-tech when it was made, which they thought was hilariously funny.

***

The newer shows have definitely spoiled us with all that computer-generated eye candy.

:-)

[12th_Monkey]

Cool, but isn't this like colorizing a classic B&W movie?