Where No Man Has Gone Before

My ESP Is Telling Me We Shouldn’t Go In There.

 

17)  “Where No Man Has Gone Before”  Original Airdate: (9/22/66)  Remaster Airdate: (1/20/07)

 

Evaluation:

As the pilot that sold the show, this episode contains many elements that appear to be out of place when juxtaposed with the rest of the series, i.e. different characters wearing different colored uniforms on a different bridge than the one we’re used to.  The special effects here also appear inconsistent, or less refined, than those used in later shows.  To whit, the CG Enterprise here was retrofitted to look like the model used in the original episode, which had antennae sticking out of the warp nacelles, a larger deflector dish and a taller bridge.  The opening shot features the Enterprise slowly moving toward the camera with the Milky Way’s cloud-like arm extending laterally behind the ship…the original shot merely depicted the ship moving along in deep space.  This shot earns the RM team extra credit because it honors the intentions of TOS show runners, who placed an image of our galaxy behind the ship in an unaired shot for this show.  It would’ve been nice if the RM team had streamlined the original rapid zoom out, which begins by focusing on a starfield and then quickly pulling back to reveal that same patch of space on a monitor in the rec room.  As is, this clunky shot looks badly dated when compared to the fluidity of contemporary camera movements.  A companion visual to the opening shot is used at the top of Act I, this time at a low angle vantage (the original show filmed the ship model moving from left to right in front of a static camera).  The silver and black undulations that occur when Kirk orders “screen on” haven’t been updated—this remains an odd and outmoded effect.  Next up, we’re treated to our first glimpse of the pink ribbon in space known as the Galactic Barrier (hereafter GB).  A thinner and sharper CG band of energy and matter has replaced the original rapidly flowing stream of pink.  The effects for this episode’s many GB shots have been touched up (with wisps of blue expanding above and below the horizontal pink line), but the color, size and shape remains consistent with the original GB.  The finest shot of the GB is when the Enterprise penetrates the outer edge of the barrier—there’s some minor motion as the ship tires to stabilize its attitude in the near-180 degree port/ventral pass. Once inside the GB, the viewscreen images are a far sight better than in the original show, especially the amber energy pulses.  Though the pyrotechnics used on the bridge’s exploding circuit panels were retained from the original episode, the visuals hold up pretty well.  However, the electro-shock field (rendered in photo negative with an animated white border and sprites) that envelops Mitchell and Dehner is a pivotal effect that should’ve been updated.  The shots of the Enterprise escaping the GB are finely executed, though they’re not quite as spectacular as the ingress scene.  The silver-eyed appearance of Mitchell and Dehner is effectively creepy, but one wonders if CGI could’ve been employed to make these scenes more up-to-date.  All of the on-screen documents viewed at Spock’s science station and on Mitchell’s monitor in sickbay were composed on a typewriter, so it goes without saying that these inserts should’ve been updated by the RM team’s resident graphics expert, Okuda.  The new Delta Vega, as seen from space and on the viewscreen, is virtually the same as the original except for a sharper rendering.  The biggest disappointments in this episode are: the unmodified (save for the slow-moving clouds in the sky) matte painting of the lithium cracking station, the faux landscape seen through the station’s window and the mountainous backdrop when the action goes afield (and why wasn’t morphing employed on the scene where Gary uses his powers to transform the barren landscape into a paradise?).  Regrettably, the force field FX where Gary tries to escape from the station’s brig, the phaser effects when Kirk fires the Phaser Rifle and the scenes where Mitchell and Dehner zap each other with bursts of energy, were all left untouched by the RM team.  When Kirk fires at the boulder that buries Mitchell, the original sound effect continued long after the weapon ceased firing.  The RM team wisely added a beam to the shot where the boulder falls, but the sound still continues for a few beats after the beam stops.  The shot of the ship breaking orbit is superb and the final shot is virtually a reverse of the opening shot, as the ship heads back toward its galaxy of origin.  Admittedly, updating the visual effects for this episode was an enormous undertaking and the RM team, with minor exceptions, acquitted itself well.

 

Money Shot:  The shot of the Enterprise entering “the Galactic Barrier” (add reverb for maximum effect).

 

Wish List:  Better FX on all energy fields that envelop Mitchell and Dehner and updated mattes on Delta Vega.

 

Remaster Grade:  A-

 

Screencaps:

 

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For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky

Watch Out, You’ve Got a Giant Kidney Stone on Your Tail!

 

18)  “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky”  Original Airdate: (11/08/68)  Remaster Airdate: (1/27/07)

 

Evaluation:

The RM team shows up big in the opening shot—six metallic, diamond shaped missiles with blue contrails shift in formation as they’re propelled through space toward their target…the Enterprise.  Next, the missiles appear at long range on the ship’s viewscreen, which is a corner cutting tactic since we’d like to see the warheads at a closer range (as would the crew, presumably).  Shots of the Enterprise firing on and destroying the missiles are vastly improved from the original show—the ship takes out all six missiles with a sustained phaser barrage.  The resultant blue-tinged, cloud-like fulmination is nothing short of spectacular (the original effect simply used a flash of white light to depict the explosion).  The shots of the Enterprise veering to starboard in the teaser and approaching the asteroid (in a beautiful, near-180 degree pan-and-follow) in Act I are both well executed.  The standout shot in the RM episode positions the Enterprise in the foreground with the newly rendered asteroid rapidly approaching from the rear…the only downside to this visual is that it, along with many of the asteroid shots in this episode, is reused with abandon in order to keep costs down.  Unfortunately, this ad nauseam repetition of asteroid shots afflicts the original and RM versions of this episode.  Normally I would recommend the inclusion of a new matte painting for any planetary surface/sky; however, this is the one instance where the stark, cycloramic wall makes perfect sense since the Fabrini are, in fact, living inside a hollowed out ship/asteroid, dubbed Yonada.  The nadir of this episode, old and new, involves all of the visuals inside the Oracle’s chamber.  The energy blast/force field that emanates from the Oracle (which features an animated border with sparkles of energy surrounding a pulsing, photo-negative image of the Enterprise officers) remains unaltered and is a grossly outdated visual.  The other effect inside the Oracle’s temple is the heating elements, which, when activated, threaten to turn our heroes into crispy critters.  The original effect, which used red lighting and a rippling effect in front of the lens to signify heat, was decent for its time but still could’ve used another wave of the RM magic wand.  The visuals involving the instrument of obedience, which appear as a red dot on the temple, have been touched up a bit, but nothing major.  The only other noteworthy shot in the episode is the superb low angle, long take of the Enterprise in a parallel course with Yonada.   Even though this is a sterling effort by the RM team, a handful of effects still appear a bit hollow.

 

Money Shot:  The Enterprise outpacing the asteroid or the “parallel course” shot of the ship alongside Yonada, reader’s choice.

 

Wish List:  Better FX on all of the visuals inside the Oracle’s chamber and less repetition of the asteroid shots.

 

Remaster Grade:  A-

 

Screencaps:

 

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Journey to Babel

Drat!  I Knew I Should’ve Taken Extra Target Practice Last Week.

 

19)  “Journey to Babel”  Original Airdate: (11/17/67)  Remaster Airdate: (02/03/07)

 

Evaluation:

A generous amount of FX fixes were required to modernize the visuals in “Babel” and, fortunately, the RM team was up to the challenge.  First up is the excellent starboard pass of the Enterprise in orbit of Vulcan—the desert world now has a large polar ice cap in its northern hemisphere.  Question: if Vulcan is as hot as we’re led to believe, wouldn’t its polar caps have long since melted?  So then, despite the fact that it makes a striking visual, isn’t a continent sized arctic zone on the desert world a bit, well…illogical?  The new shuttlecraft landing shots are truly stunning.  The original show featured shots of a shuttlecraft cruising in space, landing on the hangar deck with empty space in the background and closing clamshell doors behind it, and rotating 180 degrees on a circular recessed turntable that functions like a gigantic Lazy Susan.  The RM shots reveal a more realistic shuttle landing with Vulcan in the background and the nose of the shuttlecraft Columbus visible to the right of the screen.  The revolving dais shot features better markings on the floor of the hangar deck, a high angle vantage of the Columbus and visible people standing inside the observation galleries above the shuttles.  The shot of the Enterprise leaving Vulcan is similar to other “breaking orbit” shots we’ve seen in the RM series, except this time the ship peels off to starboard instead of heading straight out into space.  In the RM “Arena” the team animated several blinks for the formerly lidless Gorn.  Although a completely different ocular challenge, why didn’t the RM team give the Tellarites  more realistic eyes (i.e., CG animate humanoid eyes in order to remain consistent with the species’ later appearances in the TV and movie series’)?  As is, the Tellarites’ recessed eyes inside the mask are embarrassingly arcane.  The bulk of the FX shots in the episode involve the Orion ship.  In the original episode, the alacritous Orion vessel was purposely left indistinct due to budgetary constraints…just a tiny, orange-tinged spinning star.  When headed straight toward the Enterprise, the RM Orion craft is a rapidly spinning ring with what appear to be four engines and a central fuselage inside its circumference.  The vessel’s design is effective since we only get to see it for a few seconds at a time, but the downside here is the repetition of shots where the Orion craft conducts strafing runs on alternating sides of the Enterprise (plus, we never get to see any of the enemy ship’s salvos).  By updating the phaser beam and photon torpedo effects, the RM team has added urgency and zest to the space battle sequences.  Speaking of phasers, this episode’s FX gold star goes to the shot where phasers track, and never quite catch up to, the speedy Orion ship.  The climactic shots of phaser beams slicing into the Orion ship and separating the still-spinning disc from the disbursing flotsam are brilliantly conceived and executed visuals.  Moments later, the Orion ship explodes on the ship’s main viewer, effectively replacing the crude pyrotechnics of the original with a CG eruption of blue, pink and white matter.  Not quite the spectacle of the Death Star exploding, but it works well enough for the small screen.  Sadly, we never get to see planet Babel, but just remember, it’s not the destination that’s important…it’s the journey.

 

Money Shot:  The Enterprise’s phasers tracking behind the speedy, shifty Orion craft.

 

Wish List:  Less repetition of the Orion vessel’s strafing runs and the addition of humanoid eyes for the Tellarites.

 

Remaster Grade:  A

 

Screencaps:

 

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The Doomsday Machine

The Constellation Has Seen Better Days. But Don’t Worry, The Ship Will Have Its Revenge.

 

20)  “The Doomsday Machine”  Original Airdate: (10/20/67)  Remaster Airdate: (02/10/07)

 

Evaluation:

There can be no doubt that the highest degree of difficulty for any RM episode is “Doomsday.”  The sheer number of shots that needed to be replaced in this episode, coupled with the complexity of those shots and further compounded by budgetary constraints and rapid turnaround times, presented the RM team with the FX equivalent of the Kobayashi Maru scenario.  While some will argue that these new FX are subpar by today’s movie (or even TV) standards, updating this episode’s effects was a colossal challenge that should mitigate any negative criticism leveled at RM efforts here.  The first notable revision occurs in the teaser…the original see-through chunks of debris seen on the ship’s main viewer have been replaced by solid CG asteroids.  The next RM shot depicts the Enterprise negotiating its way through the debris field: this modification is eminently logical since the dialog preceding the shot indicates the recent destruction of the entire local solar system, which, naturally, would produce a massive amount of rubble.  The shots of the battle damaged Constellation in Act I are exceptionally well rendered and have replaced the inferior original shots, which were achieved by taking matches to a store-bought model kit of the Enterprise.  The RM team has provided us with gorgeous vantages of the battered Constellation: a high angle shot of the ship with debris floating over the top of the battle-scarred saucer, the Enterprise’s approach with the Constellation’s damaged nacelle prominently situated in the frame and the shot of the Constellation rotating along its ventral axis amid drifting flotsam.  The finest of these visuals is a close-up shot of the bridge that reveals exposed struts and girders inside the Constellation’s superstructure and also features a meteorite bouncing off the hull and shattering into tiny bits.  Simply superb!  In Act II, we get our first glimpse of the new, improved doomsday machine (hereafter, DM).  Replacing the original papier-mâché cornucopia in space, the DM is quite a bit darker now, consisting of a blue/gray burnished metallic hull with a pink maw and yellow center.  Act III initiates the space battles between the DM and two Starfleet ships.  Though the composition (angles and aspects) of the combat shots are consistently deft and dynamic, the quality of the shots widely varies…some are convincing while others have that obvious CG sheen about them.  Though there are far too many battle shots to comment on here, a few standouts include: the long shot of the Enterprise approaching the DM, the strafing runs the Enterprise conducts along the DM’s hull and the shot of the Enterprise pulling free from the DM’s tractor beam, as seen from the Constellation’s monitor.  Many of the shuttlecraft shots are disappointing: the erratic liftoff, which at first appears as if the craft will ram into the slowly opening clamshell doors, looks exceedingly schlocky.  The shuttle’s course correction as it leaves the Enterprise is also less than stellar, but the RM team redeems themselves with a finely composed shot of the shuttle executing a U-turn in space and heading toward the DM.  Updated visuals of the DM, as seen inside the shuttle’s windows, are a welcome change: the sequence of shots where the shuttle gradually approaches the DM’s gaping rictus is more incremental than the counterpart shots in the original show and features higher quality FX.  A new yellow starburst (which favors Sauron’s eye upon close inspection) emanates from the DM’s fiery bowels and bathes Decker in its coruscating light seconds before the commodore’s demise.  Several nifty shots of the Constellation shifting as it approaches the DM are followed by the spectacular destruction of the DM—the planet-killer spews blue plasma and then drifts downward, nose first (the original show featured a level and stationary DM).  “Doomsday” was a daunting task that, thanks to an enormous amount of RM elbow grease, was admirably accomplished.  Whether or not the RM artisans did justice to the visuals of this seminal TOS episode is a matter of opinion, but they certainly get an A for effort.

 

Money Shot:  The shot revealing the Constellation’s open wounds and the asteroid that shatters on impact against the ship’s still stout hull.

 

Wish List:  Refined shuttlecraft takeoff and another round of CG surgery for the space battles.

 

Remaster Grade:  A

 

Screencaps:

 

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Amok Time

Double Arches.  Wow, I Had No Idea There Was a Mickey D’s on Vulcan.  They Really Are Everywhere!

 

21)  “Amok Time”  Original Airdate: (9/15/67)  Remaster Airdate: (2/17/07)

 

Evaluation:

Theodore Sturgeon’s brilliant, Hugo Award nominated story certainly didn’t require any modifications, but the few RM shots here serve as intelligent and significant revisions to those featured in the original show.  Besides the beautifully rendered Vulcan (previously seen in the RM “Journey to Babel”), which now features a colossal ice cap blanketing its northern pole, a few shots of the Enterprise in orbit stand out among the standard fore/aft aspects of the ship.  In Act I there’s a superb extreme close-up flyby of the primary hull and starboard nacelle which is reminiscent of a shot in Star Trek II when the Enterprise eases into a slow orbit around the planetoid Regula.  At the outset of Act III, the Enterprise is shown in orbit around Vulcan and the front edge of the saucer is shrouded in darkness, uniformly matching the dark side of the planet.  It’s a really nice effect and one wonders why we don’t see this more often since half of every planet the Enterprise orbits (in systems with one sun) is under nighttime conditions.  So, for aesthetic purposes, the Enterprise only orbits the day side of planets?  The photo of T’Pring as a child, which formerly placed her in front of a solid backdrop, now features a background populated with a garden and buildings in a configuration reminiscent of those seen at T’Pol’s mother’s home in Star Trek: Enterprise.  The RM wow factor is ratcheted up to an all-time high when Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to Vulcan and cross over to the ceremonial meeting place.  The first shot, which tracks the silhouettes of three moving figures along an elevated arch walkway, dissolves into an extreme high angle shot of the tiny figures inching their way toward a circular arena which serves as an anchor point for two granite catwalks.  The topography here is heavily influenced by the Mount Seleya scenes in Star Trek III.  Another nice touch is the circular village of ShiKahr, first seen in TAS episode “Yesteryear,” dotting the plain far below the arena.  The breathtaking shot slowly zooms in on the open arena.  Though it’s a bit of a cheat, the same shot occurs near the end when Spock beams back to the ship, but in reverse.  However, we can forgive this redundancy since the latter scene adds a tiny shimmering effect inside the arena to represent Spock’s beam out.  It would’ve been nice if the RM team had added some clouds or birds to Vulcan’s solid orange sky, as seen from inside the arena.  Other than that minor gripe, the episode is near perfection in its RM brilliance.

 

Money Shot:  The extreme high angle shot of tiny CG Kirk, Spock and McCoy as they walk along a stone walkway toward a circular temple.

 

Wish List:  A few clouds/birds to break up the solid orange Vulcan sky.

 

Remaster Grade:  A+

 

Screencaps:

 

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The Paradise Syndrome

“The Empire Strikes Back” Called and it Wants its Asteroid Back.

 

22)  “The Paradise Syndrome”  Original Airdate: (10/4/68)  Remaster Airdate: (02/24/07)

 

Evaluation:

The majority of FX shots in this episode, in one way or another, center on the asteroid that’s hurdling toward Amerind (so dubbed in Margaret Armen’s script).  The exceptions are the standard shots of the Enterprise in and leaving orbit and when flashes of light and static discharges—unaltered from the original—zap Kirk, reducing the redoubtable captain to a lovesick amnesiac with a god complex.  The Achilles’ heel of the entire RM project has been the repetition of shots, and this episode is no exception (in fact, it might be the poster child for recycled visuals).  That’s not to say that the shots themselves are poor, because that certainly isn’t the case.  The near 180-degree pan of the Enterprise approaching the asteroid at high velocity is superb—a visual achievement the 60s FX team couldn’t have envisioned in their wildest dreams.  Another example of finely rendered RM FX is an aft/starboard perspective shot that glides along the secondary hull and leaves the ship behind as it pushes toward the rapidly advancing asteroid.  Three types of energy beams are fired at the asteroid: 1. Enterprise deflectors (which are red and emanate from the deflector dish), 2. Enterprise phasers (two parallel, blue beams) and 3. Preserver temple weapon (the pinnacle of the obelisk emits a reddish/yellow beam—the original was blue—which repels the asteroid).  Even though there’s a good deal of repetition, all of these shots are nicely done (phasers and deflectors create a reflective glow on the ship’s hull), as are the shots of the different types of beams impacting on the surface of the asteroid.  Though far from epic, the scene where the Enterprise looses propulsion is well executed: static sounds accompany the nacelles going dark.  Thanks to some memorable new FX, the RM team has done its part in salvaging this largely forgettable, highly improbable love story.

 

Money Shot:  The repulsor beam, emitting from the obelisk, impacts the craggy surface of the asteroid and thrusts it away from the planet.  Also, any of the shots with the Enterprise and new CG asteroid in the same frame.

 

Wish List:  Something more creative than a strobe light with accompanying animated static discharges when Kirk gets memory wiped and more angles/vantages of the asteroid with or without the Enterprise.

 

Remaster Grade:  B+

 

Screencaps:

 

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Wolf in the Fold

Any Idea Where We Should Beam Down? Perhaps That Large Cluster of Lights.

 

23)  “Wolf in the Fold”  Original Airdate: (12/22/67)  Remaster Airdate: (03/10/07)

 

Evaluation:

“The One with Jack the Ripper” had very few visual effects to begin with and required little effort to update.  The only shots that have received a RM upgrade feature the Enterprise in orbit around Argelius II, which has been transformed from a solid blue globe to a cloud covered shadow world with a cluster of lights to denote a major city…a superb addition.  The drawback here is that there’s some repetition of the fore and aft orbit shots later in the episode.  When the spirit of Redjac leaves Hengist and possesses the ship’s computer, the swirling image on the conference room viewer has the same kaleidoscopic visual as in the original show…a disappointment.  Though the RM changes to the original “Wolf” are sharp overall, they’re not nearly as incisive as a Rigelian knife.

 

Money Shot:  The Enterprise in orbit around the re-envisioned Argelius.

 

Wish List:  Less repetition of shots of the Enterprise in orbit of Argelius and a better graphic on the screen when Redjac possesses the computer.

 

Remaster Grade:  A-

 

Screencaps:

 

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The Tholian Web

The Tholians Are Easily Startled But They’ll Soon Be Back, And In Greater Numbers.

 

24)  “The Tholian Web”  Original Airdate: (11/15/68)  Remaster Airdate: (03/31/07)

 

Evaluation:

The original version of this episode won the 1969 Emmy Award for outstanding achievement in visual effects, so why update the effects at all?  Well for one thing, an unaltered “Tholian” would stick out like a sore thumb amid the rest of the RM series, plus many of its once cutting edge visual effects look dated compared to modern CGI.  While some of the new effects, specifically the new Tholian vessel, still look substandard when measured against contemporary movie effects (or even high end TV effects), they’re still a substantial leap forward from the visuals in the original show.  When considering the difficulty level involved with replacing this episode’s dated special effects, on budget and on time, some of RM missteps here can be overlooked.  The RM show features several new shots of the Defiant, many of which are framed at different angles and all of which are sheathed in a greenish glow.  Though many of the vantages (chiefly a persistent ventral perspective) aren’t particularly flattering, the shimmering energy field is nicely done and is an appropriate enhancement to the original FX.  The effects of McCoy’s hand passing through the fallen crewman and medical table were groundbreaking during the 60s and stand up well, so kudos to the RM team for leaving these shots alone.  The splotchy effect used to portray the Defiant slipping through the weak fabric of space is well designed and deftly depicts the ship “phasing out” of our reality (the original episode simply showed the ship alternatively appearing and disappearing from view as if on a slow strobe setting).  The first sighting of the Tholian ship (at long range) isn’t that earth shattering, but later shots reveal the retention of the diamond-shaped vessel from the original show now with the addition of more surface definition and triangular sections of amber lighting at the ship’s rear.  The Tholian energy weapon, a spinning yellow beam, is a drastic upgrade from the original animated red energy field.  The bizarre image of Commander Loskene remains unaltered, which is a disappointment since one wonders what embellishments the RM team could’ve concocted with CGI technology at their fingertips.  Once the space battle begins in earnest, we’re treated to a nice shot of two blue phaser beams striking the Tholian ship’s forward shields which shimmer with a ruddy hue.  Finer still is the next shot: the Enterprise’s phasers penetrate Tholian shields and repel the enemy craft, which slowly begins turning cartwheels in space.  Save for its updated visual elements, the shot of the two Tholian vessels merging aft sections and commencing their web weaving is virtually identical to the one in the original show.  The webs themselves aren’t much of a departure from the original golden cords in space, but both clarity and color are sharper now.  The rest of the episode’s visual effects involve the webs, the three spaceships and Kirk in a space suit.  These composite shots (some of which required extensive rotoscoping) are extremely complex, particularly the ones involving Tholian ships in motion in front of and behind the Enterprise and of Kirk floating in front of the web.  Again, given the degree of difficulty, budgetary constraints and pressure packed deadlines, the RM team did significant, if not stellar, work on this episode.

 

Money Shot:  The Enterprise’s phasers send the Tholian ship spinning in space.

 

Wish List:  Less repetition of Defiant and Tholian ship shots and a CG overhaul for the Tholian commander.

 

Remaster Grade:  B+

 

Screencaps:

 

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The Immunity Syndrome

The Enterprise Embarks on a Fantastic Voyage Inside a Giant Space Amoeba.

 

 

25)  “The Immunity Syndrome”  Original Airdate: (01/19/68)  Remaster Airdate: (04/07/07)

 

Evaluation:

Since the bulk of the special effects in the original episode revolved around either the zone of darkness or the gigantic amoeba in space, the FX success of the episode largely hinged on these two visual elements.  The zone of darkness (which now features a different shape and slower rate of fluctuation when seen on the main viewer) was certainly the easier of the two to fix, so it should be no surprise that the shots of the Enterprise inside the sea of darkness turned out far better than those of the Enterprise outside or inside the amoeba.  Getting the lighting on the Enterprise just right was an exacting task and the RM team nailed it, finding the perfect balance of contrast and brightness to produce an eerie, moody effect as the Enterprise moves forward into the pitch black outer layer of the amoeba.  The amoeba itself has gone under the CG knife and the results here are a mixed bag.  At first glance, the RM amoeba appears much more impressive and streamlined than the original multicolored maelstrom.  After a second look, however, the close-up shots reveal a hardened mass for the “eye” of the amoeba, which seems out of place amid the fluid body of the amoeba.  Also, and I’m by no means a scientist, the viscous substance inside the amoeba moves more quickly than it should—the effect comes off shoddy looking.  After the Enterprise enters the amoeba, the original kaleidoscopic effect has been replaced by a sea of deep red with bright red clusters and contrails.  The visual resembles the interior of a nebula (i.e. Mutara) more than the innards of a colossal space amoeba.  Ultimately, I’m not sure the effect of the amoeba effects work any better here than in the original show, despite the CG gloss.  There are a few updated shots of the shuttlecraft, but most have been recycled or redressed from similar scenes in “Journey to Babel” and “The Doomsday Machine.”  Though many of these shots are a profound disappointment, the initial shot of the shuttle exiting the hangar with amoeba as a backdrop is quite nice.  Two shots of the Enterprise struggling against the gravitational forces inside the amoeba are too stiff and simply look hokey, especially the first high angle shot of the Enterprise amid the sea of red.  In the final analysis, the RM “Immunity” gets a B for effort.

 

Money Shot: The Enterprise inside the amoeba—a swirling vortex of red.

 

Wish List:  Less repetition of amoeba shots, actual reveals of the probes launched into the amoeba and better FX on the amoeba and the Enterprise trying to break free from it.

 

Remaster Grade:  B

 

Screencaps:

 

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And the Children Shall Lead

“I’m Melting, I’m Melting!” Meet the Wicked Witch’s Husband.

 

26)  “And the Children Shall Lead”  Original Airdate: (10/11/68)  Remaster Airdate: (04/14/07)

 

Evaluation:

Aside from an assortment of shots featuring the Enterprise in space or in orbit (or breaking orbit, i.e. the superb near 180 degree tracking shot) around the newly renovated Triacus, the two major areas that required an upgrade here were the swords on the viewscreen and the verdigris apparition known as Gorgon, The Friendly Angel (something about the way his name sounds belies the very notion of friend).  The intergalactic armory that Sulu sees on the main viewer—consisting of swords, stilettos, knives with curved handles, etc—was a decent effect in its time and has been left alone by the RM team (however, it would’ve been nice if the RM team had at least cleaned up the starfield to remain consistent with the sharper, smaller points of light seen in every other space shot in the episode).  Here’s my question: why don’t the weapons approach the ship point first instead of handle/hilt first?  Maybe it’s just me, but wouldn’t the illusion be even more fear-inducing with the business end of the knives hurdling toward the ship?  Just saying.  As for Gorgon, the malevolent spirit has been digitally remastered and is liberally dappled with green splotches and sparkles, essentially a second layer of CG paint slathered over the original effects.  Act V contains a series of unmodified shots in which the galactic Pied Piper gradually coalesces on the bridge…the effects are unrefined and simply look odd.  Why the slow transition?  It’s never taken that long for Gorgon to manifest himself earlier in the episode.  Arguably the best FX sequence in the original episode is when Gorgon’s face decomposes in a progression of seven shots.  Although the original visual elements haven’t been altered in any way (and mad props to TOS’s make-up department), the new shimmering effect and richer colors in the RM shots have made the original FX that much more believable and breathtaking.  One wonders if this face melting sequence helped to inspire the similar (conceptually, not graphically) sequence in Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).

 

Money Shot:  The newly shellacked sequence of shots comprising Gorgon’s facial decomposition.

 

Wish List:  Spruce up the cycloramic sky on Triacus, flip the assortment of knives to fly toward the ship point first, use morphing to smooth out the various stages of Gorgon’s deterioration (the eye match is off in the first shot) and add two CG crewmen floating in space after the flubbed beam job…just kidding about that last one, but it would be a pretty hilarious, if macabre, visual.

 

Remaster Grade:  A-

 

Screencaps:

 

Original                                                                             Remastered