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  After the Enterprise enters the amoeba, the original kaleidoscopic effect has been replaced by a sea of deep red with bright red clusters and contrails.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:

 

Original                                                                              Remastered

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

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