Original Star Trek Series gets the "Star Wars" treatment

[Granite]

From SCIFIwire

Star Trek Gets Upgraded

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.

[j7wild]

if it's not broken, why fix it?

it's like colorizing classic black and white films like Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon!!

[Oldfart]

originally posted by j7wild
if it's not broken, why fix it?

Sort of my thoughts too, but still it may be interesting to see original episodes tarted up, as long as we still have the option of seeing them without make-up

[corfy]

My biggest problem with the original series is all of the fancy technology looks hokey. The big fancy computers look like painted cardboard boxes with Christmas lights, and so on. (A lot of that is due to the fact that they had an extremely small budget, and I understand that.) But I love the characters of the original series. That is one of the reasons why I am a huge fan of the novels... I'm not limited by the technology limitation in my imagination, and I get the same characters. And considering that the original versions of the TV series are available on DVD now, I am curious to see how they revamp the series. It could be a lot of fun. Or it could be equally hokey. Either way, I will reserve judgement until I actually see an episode.

[WorkShed]

Here's the CG-ed Enterprise...

[Oldfart]

What!!!! no meteorite damage?

[corfy]

OK, I'll bite... what meteorite?

[Kn'thrak]

from kryton

GOod movie. One of the reasons y i won't (never have) watch TOS is because it is very outdated CG use... especially the landscapes. The reason y i won't watch lost in space show either!

Good movie which just mite revive Trek to a new audience

[wirm]

I enjoyed the original series, and will look forward to seeing broadcasts of the new and improved CGI. Space battles are among my favorite things to watch in any TV series or movie

[WorkShed]

When and where will this start airing? I have a DVD-recorder and I want to know!!

[corfy]

It is supposed to be starting in Syndication on the 16th of this month, which means it could be on any time the station that chooses to air it wants it to be on.

Personally, I expect to see it on the old UPN channel (at lesat locally), since UPN and WB combined and moved to the former WB (not sure if that happened on every market or just the local market, but my guess is it will probably be on whichever channel that lost out on the CW). But that is just a theory. I could be wrong.

[wirm]

Seems more of a UPN-type show. To my knowledge, WB focuses more on attractive, young actors than science fiction.

[corfy]

I just looked... in Indianapolis, it is being broadcast on two stations, the former UPN station (I was right) and the CBS station (which makes sense now that I think about it). Both, unfortunately, are on in time slots where I will have to record them rather than watch them "live" (at least, I will be unable to watch the whole thing... might be able to watch part of it). One will be at midnight Saturday/Sunday, and one will be 11:35 p.m. Sunday.

[WorkShed]

http://www.startrek.com/videouploads...ering/300k.mov

Video look at new versions.

[Granite]

Thanks Workshed!

The new digital music recodings sound really great!