Betcha didn’t know this guy is Ron Howard’s (Richie Cunningham’s) real life little brother.Betcha.

betcha, everyone knows that . betcha

Betcha I do. Look at the many Ron Howard films and spot his bro. Clint Howard is quite a cult actor with many out there. Also their father has been quite busy through the years. I believe he was even in Babylon 5.

Hilarious! I wrote an earlier post about the Shatner roast, you must have read my mind!

Mike

Freakin Hilarius!!!
I love it!!

ok guys just a little joke…enjoy the real preview

Good to see the preview guy is back from vacation.

Can’t wait

A few observations (on the real preview):

1. Was the spinning cube a new effect? Looks very similar to the original version.

2. Were those orange status bars on the bridge display new? I don’t remember those in the original. Nice.

3. Looks like we’ll get to see a clearer version of the bridge dome zoom-in from The Menagerie, only with the Kirk-era Enterprise model and without dipping into the bridge itself. Nice, since “Corbomite” originally started with the reused “Cage” footage.

Can’t wait.

Odd choice of lines for the promo —

ANNOUNCER GUY: “In a deadly game of chess …”

KIRK: “Poker, Mr. Spock.”

It almost sounds like Kirk is correcting the announcer guy.

“2. Were those orange status bars on the bridge display new? I don’t remember those in the original. Nice.”

Not believe it or not they were original.

Yeah…..and of course Clint Howard was actually a side-show attraction
(of sorts) to that big brute of a bear on the series Gentle Ben. Now…..that would of been the icing on the cake if he somehow could have tied into that series too toward the end….sort of like….maybe saying: Here I come Ben!
But all in all this was excellent….I had heard of it but missed it when it was on Tv so much Thanks to whoever was thoughtful enough to post here for us all.

That roast was pretty funny. The Betty White stuff was outrageous.

Seeing the effects in action (yes, it’s a preview, I know) convinces me even more that watching this episode is gonna be a real treat. I can’t wait!!!

The preview contains a version of the saucer close-up from the Cage using the series-model Enterprise swapped for the pilot model. Ah, the beauty of computers, check a box for which Enterprise you want before rendering.

The Fesarius is a lot more persuasive in “action” than in the still released yesterday. This should be very nice.

Looks really good. The cube effect looks just like the original. The guages were in the originals, but they didn’t move as smooth as the ones in thre preview.

Ted Cassidy should have been a semi-regular in some way, shape, or form throughout the duration of the series.

The voice of the Gorn, the voice of Belok’s alter-ego, and finally the android Ruk,

the man was born for science fiction.

^^^^^^

Little factoid for the crew-

Ted Cassidy also performed Bigfoot in a later episode of the Six Million Dollar man. Andre the Giant performed Bigfoot initially.

God the 70’s were awesome.

Ted Cassidy was online to be a regular in GR’s next SF series Genesis II ( or was it the do-over Planet Earth?) But it did not sell.

BUT –

Will they fix the part when Balok is counting down the minutes until destruction?

Sulu tells Kirk there’s one minute left (or something), he looks at the screen, and then Sulu says, “I knew he would.”

The assumption being that Balok was also supposed to announce that there was one minute left, but the line was never put in.

Is there a way to fix that?

Yeah. I was wondering if they would do that. I presume they will. Either they could use a similar voice/effect or re-construct the sentence out of the existing recorded material.

If memory serves, Cassidy did -not- do the Gorn voice.

OFF TOPIC

God bless you all.

I am gone.

MichaelT

Dude, are you deliberately anal or what?

It seems every other post you are trying to bait someone.

We get it, you have Josh envy. Let it go.

Cassidy was the Gorn Voice… he drank a lot of milk that day to make his voice all throaty, but it was him. (lol)

I must say that the fesarius looks pretty darn good in the preview… I think the still that came out yesterday was a bit TOO detailed and CG looking… but this looks quite nice.

Josh…calling the kettle black are we?

you continue to try my patience….stop making things so personal. This site isnt about one upmanship, you cannont ‘win’ some kind of debating contest here. Differing opinions is fine but, but stop the attacks or it is bansville for you

oh and Daren…I told you you would like it. I knew you would come around

…now about Star Trek VI…..

Well Anthony if you were to bother going through some topics and reading my posts as opposed to the heavy handed uneven distribution of personal “corrections” on forum etiquette among posters, you would see my posts are on the subject at hand and not even addressing any individual member UNTIL baited into doing so, so no, I don’t particularly call that calling the kettle black at all.

For example, there is a post in another topic reffering to me as an attention whore, yet MichaelIT shows up in this topic for NO other reason than to say it’s off topic, and he is leaving. Yet, IM an attention whore?

You aren’t the only one who’s patience is wearing thin, as opposed to hypocrisy in moderating the forums, where are the personal singling out retributions towards the other inflammatory posts?
I’m curious where they are exactly?
Where is the post for MichaelT correcting him for reffering to me as an “attention whore” attempting to bait me?

It seems while reveling in your newfound fame and prominence you may have perhaps neglected the concept of FAIRNESS.

Don’t let success get to your head.

If I’m to be smacked on the hand for misbehaving like a 4 year old I think the least you could do is do the same for others.

If you want this site to be successful and not have the reputation of Trekweb , I would suggest a SERIOUS re-evaluation of how business is conducted here on the forums.

Why is MichaelT leaving? I hope this question doesn’t open a can of worms, I must have missed something?????

Oh no!!! Anthony, I love your site. No baiting, just stating that I love it the way it is.

And to MichaelT the discussion is NOT off topic.

Ted Cassidy provided the voice of Balok’s alien visage, in the episode The “Corbomite Maneuver,” which just happens to be the TOPIC of this forum.

ety3

Is there a way to fix that?

Actually Balok saying “You now have one minute!” is heard in the original episode preview. They may be able to take it and insewrt into the episode soundtrack.

#33 –

I am hopeful that they could reconstruct it.

But I wouldn’t be surprised if the moment is lost due to syndication time cuts.

wasn’t the vulcan on enterprise named jolene balock??? hmmm weird coincidence or….

(just kidding) - Doug

Haven’t peeked at the site in a while… I’m confused as hell.

Site’s goin’ down hoax?

Josh getting banned for… I cannot figure it out. Especially after reading the one of the best debate and discussion threads over on “Happy Star Tre VI Day” between Josh, darendoc, Adam Cohen, et al.?

Scratchin’ my head?

One of my abolute favorite episodes.

I can watch it again and again.

-csâ„¢

Can’t wait for this one. The Fesarius looks fantastic and the zoom in shot of the E with the “series” model is the best I’ve seen from the CBS folks.

When the Enterprise blows up the “Cube” the original shot of the E firing it’s phasers was a unique one that was never seen again. It also happened to be the best one of the whole series IMO and I’m sorry to see it go. However, it looks like the CBS-D team kept faithfull to the short Phaser bursts and sound effects that were in the original shot so hopefully it’s as effective as the one used in 1966.

Regardless, I think this will be CBS-Digital’s best work to date.

I wish they would consider fixing some of the more faded bridge viewscreen. Even if it was with just another still image. I dont think all of them would need doing on every episode but just on some of the epsiodes were the view screens are more faded.

From the preview it seems there are quite a few faded view screen that could do with a touch up. I am aware its not something that would probably fit in to their time frame as they only have a week to work on each episode but I am hopeing this is one of the things they will go back and look at when they have more time.

I expect in the new Trek movie they will be moving. I just think it would really add something to the set of the bridge if they could make them look more functional somehow. Maybe every now and again have the image change or like I said before maybe just a nice colourful still. I know in some epsiodes there are some nice images in the view screens and I feel those images really add some depth to the set of the bridge.

The Fesarius does indeed look fantastic and thats just from the low res U-Tube vid. Just image it on a HD TV, I bet it would look awesome!
CBS are doing a great Job. I am always looking forward to what they will do next. Great work!!!

This was one of my favorite episodes. When Trek first came out I couldn’t watch the end because the false image of Balock spooked me at the end credits.

Can someone suggest where I could get that false Balock picture in a higher res for my computer desktop?

MichaelT, I’d wish you’d stay, but thanks for introducing me to this site.

Have any novels or other Trek lore ever elaborated on the First Federation?

One of Shatner’s books mentioned it I think, but nothing elaborate.

#36, Herbert…. welcome back to earth….

#44. Orbitalic

Thanks… I think?

Shatner’s novel dealt in depth with Balok’s ship, in fact explored it and showed why the Mirror Kirk wanted to get aboard so badly. It was quite interesting.

#46, Diabolik…Thanks for finding that… I’d didn’t recall that detail.

O

Hey, I was watching Corbomite tonight on G4 and I heard Balock’s line “You are being taken under our power to your destination” and recognized it in a song I’ve got by DJ Skillspinz. I never recognized it before. I just added it to my website. There’s links to the song in iTunes if you want to buy it. Here’s the link to the sample of balock from the song. http://www.startrekkie.com/exclusives/BalokSkillspinzSample.mp3

As I read these important views I’m humbled by the realities involved in trying to reach a diverse audience. As an older TOS viewer and self-professed curmudgeon, one of the satisfactions I draw from repeated viewings is comfort, so I appreciate the view that ‘upgrading’ this place of special memories and feelings is a serious matter.
Yet it’s precisely because I reside in the camp that values the storyline that I have always cringed at the distracting, poor quality of TOS special effects, especially when I have invited friends to a first-time viewing. Inevitably (along with enduring the 60’s male-centered dialog), contemporary audiences can’t be expected to suspend disbelief and ‘get into the story’ as they witness for example:

The creaking of the plywood floor on the bridge; the half croissant Doomsday Machine; echoes reverberating (from the sound stage ceilings) in outdoor planet surface scenes; the Children of Vol’s hairdos; the shuttles & alien ships; and so on. Such issues are not what I—a staunch Original Series Trek fan—term “part of the charm” of TOS.

Granted, in one of Shatner’s books he made reference to crushing resource limitations that plagued TOS, resulting in compromises. (Interestingly, user reviews of the current TOS DVD release contain complaints of these versions lacking enhancements!)

As for the current enhancement project, I’m guessing that the original alien props will not be visually replaced and although less than thrilled about this, I understand the reasoning. So instead of entering into a “enhance” vs. “hands-off” discussion, I’d like to add to an existing third thread.
Tone down the most laughable visual elements while retaining the props’ overall, original appearance. Using the Horta example, the obvious, four human limbs moving under the prop are what make it so… well, difficult for viewers to suspend disbelief. So, digitally ‘copy and paste’ say, two of those intermittently bulging ‘hands’ or ‘feet’ onto two, additional areas of the prop in its movement shots, resulting in a less human-operated-looking, Horta featuring three limbs per flank.
Even in the days before the first “Star Wars” movie, I’ve always felt a large number of Trek TOS room sets seemed either too stark or contained distractingly gratuitous gadgets, controls, decorations, and so on. The effect of background and miscellaneous related visuals can be just as powerful as the more front-and-center aliens and space scenes. I hope the ideas behind the excellent Castle exterior enhancement in the updated “Cat’s Paw” carry over to future enhancements.
Before I list a few specific examples of things I hope to see enhanced, I have a general question. (Note: I’m not trying to start a thread here; I’m mildly curious). We’re all aware of the post-TOS Trek-based series and movies, as well as audiences’ expectations of special effects. Conversely, older TOS fans may remember the (small) handful of science fiction movies–released roughly around the time of TOS—that somehow used the technology of the day to astonishing effect (Remember “Silent Running”?). My point here is, would researching both period and post-TOS-related productions help the current enhancement team continue their good work at informing and thus capturing their intended ‘TOS vibe’ while using the enhancement ‘tools’ of the 21st century?
In any event, assuming the following has not already been addressed, here are a few specific issues I hope to see enhanced:
* Those darn, head-level, deep space pictures (mats?) around the interior bridge parameter. Suggestion: make them appear to be a battery of station-specific visual monitors (stylistically similar to McCoy’s vital signs displays in Sick Bay). At times these peripheral bridge viewers could display believable, non-distracting ‘Star Fleet’ screen savers. Or, the enhancement team might ‘copy and paste’ the same blinking lights, from the lower councils, over them.
*The Enterprise interior corridor scenes: enhance the corridor lengths so they appear to physically extend beyond the confines of the original stage sets
*Update the feigned robotic, ‘female Jack Web’ voice of the original series’ speaking computer. For example, use something similar to the voice samples we hear on computerized switchboards, telling us which button to press to connect us to our intended destination / department
*The absence of ‘night club’ music and any video scene-based entertainment for patrons in the bar set in “Trouble with Tribbles

* I like the enhancements done on the destroyed outpost on “Arena” but there is still too much empty, dull space in the opening outpost scene. Something like a bombed Shuttle port with a couple of destroyed Shuttles & charred service equipment would work.
*The same prop is used as: the Atavacron, M-5, and Gary Seven’s computer
* (Similar to the “Cat’s Paw” castle enhancement) an Acropolis - scale. elaborate Greek structure constituting Apollo’s abode would be welcome and the same again for the ruins set surrounding the Guardian of Forever
* visually enhance the artificial grass found in many episodes
* The Federation space suits and the Tholian Commander in “The Tholian Web”
* The “Providers” and their underground abode
* the Scalosian’s ‘freezer unit’–including the clothes dryer hose!
* As already mentioned in previous posts, in several episodes, human, guest actors’ facial alien make-up could use some digital help
* The Tantalus Field’s screen “button”
* Do something with all scenes that were merely colored negatives (i.e., the Oracle’s ‘punishment’ of Kirk and Spock committing sacrilege, and the “corridor” in “The Alternative Factor”
*The Romulans’ Cloaking Device
* The ‘antenna’ in “Shore Leave”
*Norman’s central control complex room
* Nomad
* Dr Adam’s treatment room
* Dr Corby’s Android mfg. room
*Vol
* The Malcot creature
* Flint’s M-4
* Stratus (Cloud City)
*tumbling or ejected debris ‘effects’ resulting from hand Phaser fire on structures or rocks.
* add some sparks to horta’s tunneling
*Enhance M-5’s voice so it’s less obviously James Doohan’s voice
* Please do something about “Gertrude” – one of Sulu’s ‘plants’ (the green glove prop)
…You get the idea
Hollywood projects intended for a mass audience have to be profitable yet despite my comments I’m confident that the current project will succeed without whoring Gene Roddenberry’s legacy. Assuming that top-floor bean counters will not be sending daily “deadline, deadline!” memos to the upgrade team, the project should be a success.
GRAtRez