TV Guide is reporting that the rumors on the internet of late that Gene Roddenberry’s STAR TREK: The Original Series (TOS) would be getting an update with CGI enhancements has now been placed in the official column. Here is what they had to say:
Exclusive! “New” Star Trek Is Set on Stunning
Star Trek purists, take a deep breath! On Sept. 16, the iconic ‘60s series will return to syndication for the first time since 1990, but with a startling difference: All 79 episodes are being digitally remastered with computer-generated effects not possible when Gene Roddenberry created the show 40 years ago. The news could cause Roddenberry loyalists to have a collective cow, but the longtime Trek staffers in charge of the makeover say they’re honoring the late maestro’s vision, not changing it.
“We’re taking great pains to respect the integrity and style of the original,” says Michael Okuda, who spent 18 years as a scenic-art supervisor on Star Trek films and spin-offs. “Our goal is to always ask ourselves: What would Roddenberry have done with today’s technology?” Okuda’s teammates on the two-year project are his wife, Denise Okuda, with whom he’s authored several Trek reference books, and 14-year Trek production vet David Rossi.
The upgraded episodes — to be shown out of order and one per week — will kick off with “Balance of Terror,” a big fan favorite “that gives us a chance to really show off the ‘new’ Enterprise,” says Okuda. “The exterior of the ship now has depth and detail, and it will fly more dynamically.” Painted backdrops will also be brought to life: Once-empty star bases will have CGI people milling about, while static alien landscapes have been given slow-moving clouds and shimmering water. Okuda notes that a view of Earth in the 1966 episode “Miri” has been “replaced with a more accurate image, now that we’ve gone into deep space and looked back at ourselves.”
Trek’s opening theme is also getting an overhaul: The music has been re-recorded in stereo, and a new singer has been hired to wail those famous but wordless vocals. And goofs will be corrected: In “The Naked Time,” there was no beam coming out of Scotty’s phaser when he tried to cut through the bulkhead outside Engineering. Now there is.
The “new” Trek debuts Sept. 16. Check the TVGuide.com listings when the date nears for times and channels.
I think I’m split 50/50 on this.
Part of me is excited to see what it’ll look like.
The other part is thinking “Who hired George Lucas?”
So…I’m filled with dreadful excitement I guess. ^_^
There was a video test leaked to youtube a few months ago. It shows some of the new effects. They look great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9XHmj-dPEY
Did they take away the phazers and put flashlights in people’s hands?
That youtube clips is not from the official project.
(ripped from thedigitalbits.com):
Those of you who are interested in what the newly-enhanced Star Trek episodes MIGHT look like, will be interested to check out the Trek Enhanced website, created by CG artist Daren Dochterman. Daren was one of the talented people who worked on the new effects for the Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Special Collector’s Edition DVD release a few years ago. Sadly, Daren is NOT involved in CBS’ new effort to upgrade The Original Series (he has a statement up on his website to that effect)… and we think that’s too bad given how awesome the enhanced clips that he created look (from the episode The Doomsday Machine). In any case, his site is well worth checking out.