Star Trek: the corbomite maneuver, vfx reel

[creamyapanties]

The problem with some of you "fans", is that most of you lack the technical knowledge to realize that when you render film to an all-digital format, like the "Star Trek" series, in this case, a series where the special effects were added post production and in-camera, you have to remaster the FX as well to avoid the appearance of obvious matte lines, stage wiring, ect. It's not just a matter of trying to make them updated and "cooler looking"; it's a necessity when doing digital remastering.

[Mozart1220]

Why not just accept the originals and move on?

[Gorandius1256]

So is this what a Weighted Companion Cube will be like in the 23rd Century?

[gandy74]

Let's face it...these "updated" CGI effects look just as crappy as the originals...if you can't make it look convincing don't even bother.

[lonstar70]

Why no sound?

[supressorgrid]

Attack of the Gay Borg!

[supressorgrid]

Rubic's Cube attacks!

[epaniccia11]

I prefer the original effects. However, I have no problem with the fact that these were done, because, unlike the original 'Star Wars' films, they're making these *and* the original versions available side-by-side on the new Blu-Ray sets.

Updating things to meet current standards is fine, it's when you start pretending the originals didn't exist that you're insulting those who worked on and those who enjoyed watching the original versions. CBS is, thankfully, respecting the fans in this case.

[TheCastellan]

Lucas needs to take a page from CBS's book. :)

[FLAME4564]

christ sakes u people dont realise how much of an embarassment u are to the old trekkie generation ok seriously the fact that the cartoony effects are better than these decently remasterd effects is a fucking lie ok anyone that wants re runs of those old outdated effects i say wake up and smell the future stuff like this wont last forever mind u and we all have to learn to enjoy the rest of it while it still lasts.

[RichardEllisxyz]

Did anyone notice the "cube" is rotating counterclockwise (when viewed from above....then in another scene it is rotating the opposite direction??????? Check it out~ OOoppps....

[supertamal2000]

this is all an error, its just the old directX 3d test screen.... man, they used windows in these ships D:

[chrisman737]

I am sure someone worked very hard on these effects, but I still say they LOOK computer generated. The old effects looked old (and yes,I know they look even worse if "blown up" to HD, which is why they re-did them) but with the original FX the Enterprise looked like a real ship - a solid object, not something drawn. I have a feeling I will go ahead and buy the originals on DVD before they become extinct. These effects are just plain yucky.

[Perion]

one thing I noticed, from 2:30 on to 2:50, it's hard to tell wiether or not the sphere thing is getting bigger or if they are just getting closer. one thing that always bothered me about Star Trek was how you saw the stars move around and some being noticably closer than others, as if the ship was passing by hundreds of tiny speck like Miniature "stars" as it flew along,

[Perion]

the galaxy is just that big, and the stars are just that far away.

[chrisman737]

Perion, yes, very true about the stars. Funny how some of the stars moved very fast and seemed so very close to the Enterprise. I kind of liked the effect, actually, though it was a bit strange, and not really what it would look like in outer space.

[Holmes245]

The original FX made the Enterprise look like a real ship? In what way? Most often it's blotchy, at times dark and fading in and out, the Enterprise is transparent at times in some of the episodes. We all love the originals, but I can't say the originals look better. In the remastered, Balok's ship's lights reflect off the Enterprise. Not so in the originals. Sorry, no contest. The remastered effects do a lot for the episodes.

[chrisman737]

Well, I think you make some very good points. But I believe my difficulty is that the new CGI effects look CGI. There is no question in my mind whatsoever that the CGI effects looks animated -- like a cartoon. Not all the original effects in ST succeed, but the ship, more often than not, looks like a solid 3-dimensional object (because it is...(a model)). Also, I am used to the original FX - I've been watching them for about 35 years now.

[Renshen1957]

The original FX have their plus and minuses. In most cases the original Enterprise 11 foot model looks better than the CGI. CGI could have been added to enhance certain aspects of the Old model (lights, small details, clean up some of the Blue screen problems). Yes the Constellation looks somewhat better than the AMT model in Doomsday machine, however, some of the drama (Constellation starting to move) and continuity (distance on attack) was lost with the CGI.

[FLAME4564]

idiot this is a fucking sci fi series not a fucking cheap cartoonish thing ok im sorry but these effects have done a lot to give this series the must needed sizzzle it deserves and anyone that dosent agree with me well then i say learn to embrace change!.

[chrisman737]

Say what you will, but these newer CG effects look very CG -- that is, drawn in a computer and not real. Even parts (though not all) of Star Wars Episodes 1-3 suffer from too much reliance on CG.

[fuzzywzhe]

I raelly don't see the point of remastering other than to get people who have already purchased DVDs to purchase them again. It's nto really that much of an improvement, if it's an improvement at all.

[Holmes245]

Really? I think the remastered make it look much more realistic. The point of remastering isn't to make people who bought the first ones to buy it again. People have to admit that the CG looks better. It has to. When I watched this episode tonight on a rental DVD, I got online to look at the remastered and I was blown away by how much more realistic Balok's ship looks in the remastered. If they could have made the special FX look like this back then, they would have, no contest.

[fuzzywzhe]

> Really? I think the remastered make it look

> much more realistic.

I have seen better CGI graphics in video games.

> The point of remastering isn't to make

> people who bought the first ones to buy it

> again. People have to admit that the CG

> looks better. It has to.

But it doesn't.

Babylon5 had better CGI, and it was done on an AMIGA with a video toaster. The Amiga was a computer that topped out at 20 Mhz - if memory serves.

It's a sloppy, cheap, CGI job, made to make sales.

[Renshen1957]

I agree, instead of going to the original prints and doing clean up, the Remastered CGI effects Gimmick was used. Why? Because George Lucas made a bundle when he re-released re master versions of Star Wars Trilogy. Viamcom studios thought, hey, we can do that, too, sell the DVDs to everyone who purchased the VHS tapes and we can do it cheaply and make that much more money. With all the Computer processing power available they could have done better. Re do the music so we can have 5.1.

[fuzzywzhe]

I think some nerd out to sit down, and redo the effects themselves. In fact, I thikn it would be fun to ENTIRELY redesign the ships, and the shots. Would be intresting to make the Enterprise a large rotating cylinder which would explain gravity.

And it would drive the purists nuts, but the hard science people like me would love it. All 2 of us.

[2Scribble]

LMAO! And so it all comes down to the EVILS of George Lucas! *shakes head*

Sorry folks, these 'll never be movie-level graphics - no Star Trek Graphics were ever that high - but its far preferable to the original cartooney prints taken of the Constitution model and then grafted onto some moving film.

Considering how much time and money went into this project I'm with L. Nimoy and D. Kelly in saying that this is an awesome undertaking and a good way to live up to what was lacking in the TOS

[Renshen1957]

There is another reason to add CGI, a new product was made, ergo an extension of copyrights and a delay of Star Trek falling into Public domain.

Part of the charm of TOS (and Dr Who for that matter) are the low budget sets, special effects used in the series and the creativity in their use to augment our suspension of disbelief.

What carried TOS when money was short was the high caliber performances of the actors themselves. Especially in the 3rd season when the scripts went downhill.

[Renshen1957]

After 2001 had its successful run in the theaters, all the fans were hoping for a Star Trek Movie with the money behind it.

What we eventually got was a Paramounts attempt to recoup money lost on a new TV ST from its failed attempt to make a 4th network; a recycled script (Changeling) with basic GR plot devices; man or machine finds "God" and discovers "God" is something other than the Divine. The special effects were lovely, but FX are the frosting of a cake.

[FLAME4564]

2Scribble how dare u bring George Lucas into this ok this has nothing to do with fucking star wars lol and hell how dare u say that these effects dont give it a much needed sizzle lol.

these new effects make it worth watching and more realistic so i say shut the hell up.

[2Scribble]

Interesting... especially since I was saying that this show didn't NEED to live up to 'fucking star wars'

Not to mention I was saying that people expected this to BE like 'fucking star wars' and were pissed off because it wasn't - my point was that it COULDN'T be and that even considering Star Wars as something to hold this show to is stupid...

Oh, and no, I won't shut the hell up ;)

[TheCastellan]

@2Scribble

~Gives you a cookie~ :3 Thanks.

[jupitr2]

For what it's worth, I think that after seeing these new sfx that I actually prefer the look of the original effects (for THIS episode). The only real improvement was seeing a modern chronograph clock counting down. Also, aren't the phasers supposed to emanate from the glow dome on the bottom? They seem to be shooting from the rim above. Other than that, it's not that great. Thnx for the post!

[ske5721]

Ted Cassidy's (Lurch) voice over makes this episode what it is.

[TheCastellan]

And that Balock puppet freaked the hell out of me as a kid. He looks sort of like a "gray", does he not? :)

[mavericstud1]

I think only sfx was changed.The Balok dummy is like the actors unchanged.Still the star ships look great redone-so don't complain.The SS Fasarius looks now like a huge,alien star ship,not a ball blown up against the USS Enterprise.

[eagle219406]

I don't know about any of you but I couldn't see the difference with the Balok Dummy.  Not that I was supposed to see any, it was supposed to look fake because it was a dummy in the show.

[guylookin4fun06]

sux without sound

[smbcomix]

Hey, you can download this puppy with one of those online YouTube converters and add your own music and effects with iMovie or Windows Movie Maker.

[freoninferno]

there is no sound because these are the actual vfx reels done by cbsd contracted by the studio to do the assigned VISUAL work. it is not their job to splice it with the other footage and do the foley work. cbsd is concerned only with visual. for cgi it isn't too bad. to do it right you have to unplug the computer buy some lights cameras and actually build the actual objects you film. not video. it is so like paramount to take the tacky way out.

[van76]

This and Doomsday Machine have the most remastered fx.

[Thedesertcoyote]

It's the rubik's cubik from HELL!

[van76]

That epcot-looking ship could even take out a Borg ship.

[van76]

I'm glad that they're recreating the shots and angles

with CGI. The colored cube's lights reflecting on the

Enterprise was excellent. It added more depth.

[msuma]

...and looked just like one of windows screensavers.

[qarlo999]

Nice. Liked the addition of the reflection of the lights from colored space bouy onto the Enterprise. And nice detail added to the spaceship designed like a ball of light bulbs.

[TheCastellan]

I love the faceted domes on the Fesarius.

[spideytube]

oh yeah the "no sound" rule

[mojah99]

Trek rules!