Star Trek Remastered - Season 1

With the release of J.J. Abrams new Star Trek Movie, I might as well take a look at the Remastered DVD release of the Original First Season of the TV Series created by Gene Roddenberry.

THE PACKAGING

The packaging is something interesting. Having seen the original releases on DVD of the Original series to Enterprise, the packaging with this has improved greatly. Intead of a cardboard covering that is prone to falling apart and a plastic shell that is also badly put together, You get a metal tin that covers the large case that holds the 8 DVDs.

The Original DVD Packaging

THE EPISODES

The Episodes are the first sign of improvement. The Original footage shot in the 1960's is clear and crisp, compared to the slightly fuzzy-round the edges that were making the rounds before the episodes were remastered.

The improvements of the remastering effort now reveals that Spock has slightly green skin, something I couldn't even see before.

THE REPLACEMENT EFFECTS

The New shots of the U.S.S. Enterprise shooting through space are definatly an improvement upon the original. There are times where the effect shot does not look as if it belongs in the episode. It stands out too much when most of the other replacements still sit within the episode.

For example, the episode, Tomorrow is Yesterday, where the Enterprise is shot back to 1969, the shots of the Enterprise in the skies of Earth look brilliant, while in a later scene where they have to slingshot around the sun, the wall of light doesn't look as if it belongs, the textures on the sun stand out. While I can't currently think of a way to improve upon what they have done. To me it just stands out rather badly. It is still an improvment upon the original.

SPECIAL FEATURES

As with the HD-DVD release of the remastered episodes, it contains similar special features with the newer features included on the Blu-Ray release. I haven't had the chance to watch them all but I will say they are an improvement upon the original DVD release.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

While this Remastered set is overall an improvement on the Original DVD release. It would do better to have both the Original episodes remastered to the quality of these. I haven't seen the Blu-Ray release and I do not know if the original episodes get the same treatment as the Doctor Who releases where they do their best to keep the episode in the best quality possible.

I give this DVD release a 8 out of 10. A good set but not quite there.

DVD Case image provided from TV Shows on DVD.com
Episode Images from Trek Movie.com
Star Trek belongs to CBS and Paramount Pictures

(This post will be edited later with more images)

Star Trek

What can I say about the New Star Trek movie other than it was fantastic. It was the best thing I have seen in ages. I'd have a more detailed review but I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone. Just go and see it. What are you doing sitting there? Go on. It's on at the cinema right now.

My Reviews - Doctor Who - Season 1 Episode 1

It all seems so legendary now doesn't it. The Police Box in the Junk Yard, the Theme Tune and as a character from the new series once said, “The Sound of the Universe” or the Police Box taking off to places and times unknown.

But reminiscing about the past is just one of the reasons why I'm doing this and I'll start of by saying that starting at the beginning is a good idea. SO, lets start of a series of Reviews about Classic Doctor Who.

So, let's begin with Part One, which was called An Unearthly Child. It begins well with a question why is there a Police Box sitting in I. M. Foreman's Junk Yard and what's the humming. Now for audiences of the early 21^st Century would probably wonder what's a police box before the return of the series but none the less it's a good lead in to...

Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright. The two school teachers that decided that there's something wrong with Susan Foreman and want to know what. Nowadays they'd probably be arrested for following school children, teachers or no but still they follow her.

When I watched the scenes when Ian and Barbara talk about Susan, I really felt for Susan and thought they were picking at something that could just be because Susan's a really intelligent student. Anyway moving on, the two wonder if they're doing the right thing but go into Foreman's Junk Yard and have a nose about, discovering the Police Box.

As they look for Susan they're discovered by An Old Man who berates them for doing what they're doing (Quite rightfully too), The Old Man tries to fob them off and slip into the Police Box yet as he tries to stop them from digging in too far Susan opens the Door to see if her Grandfather is outside.

The Teachers get in and we get our first look at the TARDIS. According to the people that made the show, they didn't like the sets but since they were on a tight budget they stuck with them and the style survived for the next twenty-six years.

The Doctor, Susan's Grandfather and the Old Man from the Junk Yard makes a rather quick choice of forcing the Teachers to be stuck in the TARDIS when they could have easily been aloud to leave. I mean before Doctor Who would anyone have believed a large room fitting into a rather small box?

Anyway a quick de-materialisation, argument, and explaining what TARDIS is (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) the trip of a life time begins for the first time.

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I'll edit this post later and add Parts 2 - 4