Minimalism of Star Trek...

POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 21:58
VIEWED: 4857
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CHRISISALL

Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:15 PM

A must read for ST fans interested in the visual experience of TOS.

http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/68/68startrek.php

Now I also realize why TOS Enterprise is my favourite, it's not that it was the first, it's that it was part of the Minimalist style of the show! Clean lines, no ultra/over-textured hulls...
Wow, we REALLY lost something in the subsequent movies & series when Minimalist gave way to the busy-techie visual nonsense IMO.
Thank GOD(DESS) for Mike Okuda keeping with that Minimalist feel in the new FX for TOS' "special editions"!!
And too bad JJ Abrams did not set out to recapture that feel for his new movie (apart from costumes, which I felt were REALLY REALLY nice in that way!).

60's Trek was ONE OF A KIND.

The laughing Chrisisall

ANTHONYT

Thursday, June 17, 2010 12:43 AM

Hello Chris,

My favorite Trek ships were the movie versions (1-6) with their textured, detailed hulls. I also liked the functional appearance of several of the bridges.

The TNG bridges sometimes pleased me and sometimes displeased me. Carpeting made sense from a 'what if I fall down' perspective, but it made the bridge look like a Cruiseliner rather than a government vessel. Forcing Worf to stand all day while others got to sit down also didn't make sense. I liked the re-configurable touch-screens, but was always dismayed on the infrequent closeups when the arrangement of 'buttons' made no sense. This was no worse than the TOS bridge consoles, of course, where the folks operating them seemed to have an eidetic memory for what all those buttons did.

The new movie bridge was awful. Too bright. Too many lights (I felt hot looking at the screen) and too glassy. A little more contrast would be nice. I did like the window viewscreen, though. I also liked the industrial look of the engine room, though I didn't like the lack of identifiable parts.

I think my tastes lie somewhere past minimalism and more towards functionalism. ;-)

--Anthony

CHRISISALL

Thursday, June 17, 2010 1:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by ANTHONYT:
Hello Chris,

My favorite Trek ships were the movie versions (1-6) with their textured, detailed hulls.
I think my tastes lie somewhere past minimalism and more towards functionalism. ;-)

Tony, have you SEEN the original Trek eps with the new FX??? Enterprise is GORGEOUS! No need at all for redesign!

The laughing Chrisisall

ANTHONYT

Thursday, June 17, 2010 1:24 AM

Hello,

I've seen a couple of the re-fx'ed episodes. As well as that DS9 Trouble with Tribbles episode. The original ship looks as grand as can be.

Still, I liked the first movie redesign a lot. It really does look to me like a better ship.

I'm sorry, Chris.

--Anthony

"On this matter, make no mistake. I want you to go fuck yourself long and hard, as well as anyone who agrees with you. I got no use for you." --Auraptor

"This vile and revolting malice - this is their true colors, always has been, you're just seeing it without the mask of justifications and excuses they hide it behind, is all. Make sure to remember it once they put the mask back on." --Fremdfirma

CHRISISALL

Thursday, June 17, 2010 1:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:

I'm sorry, Chris.

My phaser is set on kill.....

The laughing Chrisisall

ANTHONYT

Thursday, June 17, 2010 1:52 AM

Hello,

I knew I'd wind up on your list after the disparaging comments I made about hand phasers. ;-)

--Anthony

Due to the use of Naomi 3.3.2 Beta web filtering, the following people may need to private-message me if they wish to contact me: Auraptor, Kaneman, Piratenews, Wulfenstar. I apologize for the inconvenience.

CHRISISALL

Thursday, June 17, 2010 2:00 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:
Hello,

I knew I'd wind up on your list after the disparaging comments I made about hand phasers. ;-)

Why you- I oughta...

The laughing Chrisisall

LWAVES

Thursday, June 17, 2010 10:04 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:
Hello,

I knew I'd wind up on your list after the disparaging comments I made about hand phasers. ;-)

Why you- I oughta...

The laughing Chrisisall

There's a particular rock formation being set up right now for the fight of the....err....minute. Phasers not allowed but ripped shirts are obligatory.

The minimalist look of TOS was always one of my biggest problems (among many) with Enterprise (the series). For a show supposedly set before TOS it was just way too advanced looking, it didn't fit - but then what did. They could have at least attempted to make it look a bit more like TOS in both the interior and exterior of the ship. I understand they didn't want to give it a 60's look but it ended up looking more advanced than some of future set shows.

"The greatest invention ever is not the wheel. It's the second wheel." - Rich Hall

CHRISISALL

Thursday, June 17, 2010 5:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lwaves:

The minimalist look of TOS was always one of my biggest problems (among many) with Enterprise (the series).

Same here.

The laughing Chrisisall

OLDGUY

Thursday, June 17, 2010 5:49 PM

uh.. Chris... I think it was called "budget" (grin).
poor guys had to reuse props so many times it was almost fun trying to spot a component from one epi to the next....I guess that was part of what made trekin fun cause you could pretty much replicate most things at home with a pajama tshirt, some glitter for logo letter, your mom's old blender and the pilot lights off your dad's old fender amp...and you were all set to play capn Kirk in your basement.

but yeah..Trek shows n movies all at least seemed to create ships that "made sense"....unlike Starwars where we see 3 mile long ship bellies in the opening scene and you're trying to figure out what possible use all those "things" sticking out could be for.

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