Original Star Trek: Doomsday Machine

[Joe Siegler]

This weekend marks the arrival of the classic Star Trek episode "The Doomsday Machine" (http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/episode/68730.html) into the remastered special effects series that Paramount has been releasing since last fall. If you don't know what they're doing, go read this page on startrek.com (http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/TOS/article/28095.html) - there's lots of info on what's going on there.

And before you guys mouth off about "Ah, it's just George Lucas" again, don't. It's nothing like that. This is a respectful update of the old sfx for a couple of reasons. One, most of 'em haven't held up well since 40 years ago, and second, they've remastered all this stuff for a High Def DVD release as well, so you can't use the old crappy sfx. I've grown up with these episodes, I know 'em like the back of my hand. This is very well done, keeps the feel of the original, yet manages to modernize the sfx in a way that they don't seem like there's 40 years of difference between the live action and the sfx.

Fan Version Stuff:

There is an official version being done by Paramount/CBS that will air this weekend on TV. There is also a "fan" version. This one is done by a guy who pitched the idea of updated SFX to Paramount some years ago, but was turned down. He kept working on it, and produced what's available via the links here. You can download the fan version here (http://betafive.com/wordpress/?cat=6).

Here was his first attempt in 2001 (http://www.betafive.com/TREKENHANCED/First%20Attempt.html).

Here's his proof of concept from 2003 (http://www.betafive.com/TREKENHANCED/VFXonly.html).

Official Version Stuff:

The official version looks seriously badass. There's pictures of the official version here (http://trekmovie.com/2007/02/06/first-images-from-doomsday/) and here (http://trekmovie.com/2007/02/08/more-images-from-doomsday-machine-remastered/).

There's also a trailer available here. And finally, there's a section on startrek.com where they show you the sfx from these newly created episodes vs what they used to look like 40 years ago side by side. Check that out here (http://www.startrek.com/custom/include/feature/bst/tos-enhanced/tos-035/pop.html).

In the meantime, here's one triple comparison. It's the wrecked "USS Constellation" from this episode both in it's original form, the Fan version, and the official update.

Original Constellation from 1967:

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3094/constellationoriginalff9.jpg

Fan Version Update from 2007:

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/6375/constellationfanir2.jpg

Official Paramount Update from 2007:

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/4892/constellationupdatedwy1.jpg

[Joe Siegler]

Comparison of the mouth of the Doomsday Machine itself:

Original version from 1967:

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/7050/doomsdayoriginalyu7.jpg

Fan Update from 2007:

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/4527/doomsdayfanwe6.jpg

Official Paramount Update from 2007:

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/6440/doomsdayupdatedsf6.jpg

[Mariamus]

looks pretty badass :D

[Wamplet]

Normally I am against such meddling, but the end result doesn't seem too different, so I approve.

[Dave-ros]

Looks good :D

[Alexander]

Yeah, looks great... But too bad I can't see it in germany. :(

[Nacho]

Jesus! Does anyone know if they will be releasing these new version on DVD?

[Altered Reality]

They totally raped the show. It was fine the way it was before, now it's just stupid SFX shit for retards made by retards. CGI sucks ass with a straw. And Han shot first.

HA HA! I hope you didn't really believe I was serious! I was just clowning around wearing the Real_Fan_With_A_Real_Pole_In_The_Ass(tm) hat :D

[motionblur]

Ha... ha .... nevermind.


On topic. Looks cool. Never been much of a classic ST fan, but this looks pretty cool. After all I *am* a graphics and Special Effects fan ;)

[Kalki]

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/6440/doomsdayupdatedsf6.jpg

Seriously hardcore and from one of the most memorable episodes ever. I wouldn't mind having a larger version of that as my desktop wallpaper.

[Nessus]

I don't know I kind of like the originals, even in the pics. I think I really need to see it all in motion. As long as you still have the option to watch the original I'm all for it.

[Joe Siegler]

Jesus! Does anyone know if they will be releasing these new version on DVD?

The word is that Season 1 will be out on HD DVD (and Blu Ray too I think) before the end of 2007. In fact, the High Def release was part of the reason all this was done. You can't use the old prints on an HD master, so they went back and remastered all the video, did some serious cleanup on dirt, scratches, things like that. Then they updated the SFX. The stated goal from the people doing this is "not to have the Enterprise doing barrel rolls", but to freshen it up, while maintaining the spirit and look of the original, but not looking as shabby as 40 year old sfx look.

And Doomsday was seriously good. The only thing that sucked was the fact that these are syndicated. Which means there's massive cuts. The versions in 1967 were 51 minutes, when you only had 9 minutes of commercial time per hour. 2007 syndication means 41 minutes per episode, so 10 minutes were cut, which is a full 1/5 of the episode. It still worked, but the edits were quite harsh in places where you know the full episode by heart. :)

And yes Kalki, I wish they'd have a wallpaper sized version of that, too.

[Nessus]

The versions in 1967 were 51 minutes, when you only had 9 minutes of commercial time per hour. 2007 syndication means 41 minutes per episode, so 10 minutes were cut, which is a full 1/5 of the episode.
too.


That's a lot of time. Did they not have access to the original full length? Seems odd to go all that way and not do the full episode, do you know what the rationale was for that? Back in the 80's I used to watch them at 1:00AM, I always assumed those were full length.

[Joe Siegler]

You're not getting it. They remastered the full 51 minute versions.

The cuts are SYNDICATION CUTS. They have nothing to do with the remastering procedure.

These are two totally separate issues.

Back in the 80's I used to watch them at 1:00AM, I always assumed those were full length.

They're not. Unless a ST:TOS episode is in a timeslot that is longer than an hour, it's edited. G4 was running some on Saturday mornings there for awhile in a timeslot of 1:15, so you'd get the full version.

[Joe Siegler]

I'm such a fanboy. I've watched this episode about half a dozen times now since it first aired in Dallas at 9PM Sunday night. :)

[DOSGuy]

The word is that Season 1 will be out on HD DVD (and Blu Ray too I think) before the end of 2007.

Finally a reason to get an HD/Blu-Ray player!

And Doomsday was seriously good. The only thing that sucked was the fact that these are syndicated. Which means there's massive cuts. The versions in 1967 were 51 minutes, when you only had 9 minutes of commercial time per hour. 2007 syndication means 41 minutes per episode, so 10 minutes were cut, which is a full 1/5 of the episode. It still worked, but the edits were quite harsh in places where you know the full episode by heart. :)

In Canada the CRTC limits the number of minutes of advertising per hour, which means that we get longer episodes than the United States. I used to watch The Simpsons on FOX, but now that they show it on Teletoon (a Canadian station), every time I watch an episode, I recognize a scene I've never seen before! It's often just a few seconds of dialog, and tends to be some of the funniest stuff, but it's cut because it can be removed without damaging continuity. During the final episode of Seinfeld, Global did "on the street interviews" with Seinfeld fans during commercial breaks to use up the extra minutes when NBC was showing advertisements, but Canadian stations weren't allowed to. They were almost as annoying as commercials would have been.

Anyway, I'm seriously surprised that American audiences put up with that crap. If there's one thing that we North Americans like, it's television! Tell your Congressman that people in Canada are getting several extra minutes of each television show that American networks are cutting in order to show commercials! Ask him if it's fair that Americans don't get to fully enjoy their own television shows while a bunch of foreigners buy the syndication rights for less money than it would cost to produce their own TV shows and get to watch the whole episode! Call it "Televisiongate" and demand answers! If the networks say that they need the extra advertising time for revenues, explain the concept of supply vs. demand: less advertising time means that you can charge more money per commercial.

You deserve to see a full episode of Star Trek, my friends. You invented it, you went to the Moon, and you can't see the whole show, but I can! Do it for Gene Roddenberry. Do it for Neil Armstrong. Do it for Uncle Sam.

[Joe Siegler]

That's a bit silly. It's about money. Idealism like that has no place in a money driven business.

[Commando Nukem]

Man, From Journey To Babel, Arena, Space Seed to THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE. They totally showed us How awesome original Trek can be when you take it as a serious medium, and not as some "CHEESEY 1960s aesthetic.". Brilliant work, brilliant artists. I love how they reflected the glow of the machine onto Deckers face. That was a nice touch, and the way the shuttle craft is flown has a little character in it (desperation.). :D

Constellation Forever. William Windom = Awesome in this. These visuals really gave the Doomsday machine a lot of great scale, gave us more starfleet dynamics, and Thank the LORD they did not make these things fly like jetplanes... Unlike other projects I've seen.

"Matt, Wheres your crew?"
"On the third planet."
"Matt... Matt, there is no third planet."
"...Don't you think I know that!? There WAS, but not anymore!"

[Joe Siegler]

My favorite line was lost in the syndication edits. That's Kirk's "Mr Spock, I order you to relieve Commodore Decker on my personal authority as Captain of the Enterprise". Hoping the full uncut version turns up on Xbox Live soon. Some of the uncut remasters are there already (as HD versions).

[Marcos_Edson]

My favorite line was lost in the syndication edits. That's Kirk's "Mr Spock, I order you to relieve Commodore Decker on my personal authority as Captain of the Enterprise".

You gotta be kidding! :insomnia: How exactly that scene ended up, then? :(

[wayskobfssae]

That's a bit silly. It's about money. Idealism like that has no place in a money driven business.

Very sad how much of a critical hit all of the "motion" medias have taken by that kind of crap. There's hardly anyone left who cares about making ART.

[Joe Siegler]

You gotta be kidding! :insomnia: How exactly that scene ended up, then? :(

There's still a line from Kirk about "Relieve Commodre Decker, that's a direct order". Spock does, we get the Decker line about "I don't recognize your authority to relieve me". Spock replies with the bit about "You can file a formal complaint assuming we survive to reach a starbase". A whole lot of dialogue is skipped (the entire sequence about Vulcans bluffing), and we go to "Mr. Spock, the bridge is yours". Decker essentially "gives up".

That's why I detest TOS syndication. Too much lost.

If you had never seen it, it probably wouldn't be too bad, but I know Doomsday so well, I can recite the entire thing.

[Marcos_Edson]

If you had never seen it, it probably wouldn't be too bad, but I know Doomsday so well, I can recite the entire thing.

Yeah, I know the feeling... :) While I don't have such a good memory for all the details of a movie or series in the normal day-by-day, if I see them again I will certainly notice if something is missing... and many times it seems to be some cool, even if little, moment... :dopefish:

[DOSGuy]

That's a bit silly. It's about money. Idealism like that has no place in a money driven business.

That's why I detest TOS syndication. Too much lost.

I see powerful lobbies gain momentum in Congress. The key is to appeal to each Congressman and each voter. For the pro-family types, tell them that the increased advertising time is bad for our kids. For the patriotic types, tell them that it's unfair that Americans can't enjoy the fruit of the labor while foreigners can. For the big business shills, tell them that people "detest TOS syndication" and are increasingly turning to YouTube and BitTorrent to watch television, damaging advertisers' return on investment and threatening the television industry. Tell them that an industry-wide limit on advertising minutes per hour retains a level playing field, but reduces the supply while increasing the demand, allowing higher rates to be charged per advertisement, and increasing network profits. Frankly, it's a bit hard to see a downside, and there are so many positive issues to appeal to a wide variety of political agendas and voter demographics. The almighty buck is built right into the argument. Tell them that the plan makes money! Excessive advertising is driving away viewers and creating a huge market for piracy. Nobody likes piracy, right? If the music industry could learn their lesson and adapt to customer demands for legal song downloads, why can't the television industry adapt to viewer demands for uncut episodes? The industry that doesn't adapt, dies. Get the ball rolling and people will talk. Talking turns into demanding, and then it becomes a choice between giving people what they want, or gradually losing their business.

[Joe Siegler]

Dude, calm down. It's just a TV show. It's not THAT big a deal.

[Commando Nukem]

There are always Dvds too, then theres no worries about the damn TeeVee. :)