 | |
List Price: $84.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 3310
Released: November 18, 2008 |
| Our Price: $66.21 |
| Used Price: $49.90 |
|
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Genre: Television: Series
Rating: NR
Release Date: 18-NOV-2008
Media Type: DVD
Description of Star Trek: The Original Series - Season Three (Remastered Edition):
Saved from the brink of cancellation by its loyal fanbase, Star Trek's third and final season rewarded them with a number of memorable episodes. Tight budgets and slipping creative control, however, made it the series' most uneven season, though it did have some of the coolest episode titles ("For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky," "Is There in Truth No Beauty," "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"). Some of the best moments involved a gunfight at the OK Corral ("Spectre of the Gun"), a knock-down drag-out sword battle with the Klingons aboard the Enterprise ("Day of the Dove"), the ship getting caught in an ever-tightening spacial net ("The Tholian Web"), TV's first interracial kiss ("Plato's Stepchildren," and it should be easy to guess who participated), Sulu taking command ("The Savage Curtain"), and Kirk's switching bodies with an ex-love interest ("Turnabout Intruder").
The 2008 DVD set benefits from the same remastering given to the other two seasons, though only the first was released in high definition (the now-defunct HD DVD format). Still, the episodes are substantially cleaned up to the point where they look quite good, rather than jarringly fuzzy to the modern viewer. And there are some new visual effects that are well-done, and obtrusive only to the strictest fans. Compare, for example, the dramatic close-up of the green-glowing U.S.S. Defiant in "The Tholian Web" with the original effect, which had the ship floating in a green haze. New bonus features are 11 more minutes of rare footage from extra Billy Blackburn; "Collectible Trek," a 14-minute discussion of rare Trek items, filmed in 2004 with the rest of the bonus content but not included on the previous DVD set; and the newly filmed "Captain's Log: Bob Justman," an affectionate nine-minute tribute to the series producer. Otherwise, the set retains almost all the special features from the 2004 set, including the features on Walter Koenig, George Takei, and James Doohan (who died the following year), plus the two versions of the series pilot, "The Cage," a restored color version and the original, never-aired version that alternates between color and black and white. Starring Jeffery Hunter as Captain Pike, Leonard Nimoy as a relatively emotional Spock, and Majel Barrett (the future Nurse Chapel and Mrs. Gene Roddenberry) as a frosty Number One, this pilot was rejected, but a second was commissioned, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," now considered the "official" beginning of the series. But "The Cage" is very recognizably Star Trek with its far-out concepts (telepathic aliens collecting species samples), sexy humanoid women, character development, and of course cheesy costumes and special effects. Footage was later reused in the season 1 two-parter, "The Menagerie." --David Horiuchi
Star Trek: The Original Series - Season Three (Remastered Edition) Reviews:
Great upgrade from Original release 
2009-09-25 - I did own the original 2004 release (all three seasons) and had sold them a few years ago. I was excited to see the release of the standard DVD remastered versions and they do not dissapoint for the most part. The recreations are very good and fit nicely in to the episodes. They episodes still have a "modern" feel, but do retain almost all of the original charm. I think the planet and ship digitizations are right on the mark. I do have an up converting DVD player and the quality of the remastering most definately is noticed. Some people have complained about the new theme music and/or the new digital additions, but I have no issues. I really think EVERY Star Trek fan needs to have these versions. Also, they are in 1:33 format as the original productions and while some have criticized that as well, I also see no issues. The Uniforms and all scenes are sharper and the sound is fantastic. I do have two criticisms that prevent 5 stars. There is NO english subtitles and MOST OF ALL, there is NO printing of the disks, just left alone with no data except for season and disk information. It would have been excellent had Paramount/CBS spend a few more cents per disk to print logos, episode information etc. I did end up printing my own labels, and is the only way to view the episodes on each disk. This is incredible that they were so cheap!
The Original STAR TREK 
2009-09-23 - This is the true classic of TV science fiction, from back when Gene Roddenberry was the creative genius and Bill Shatner was a boy who'd made his mark with Yul Brynner in The Brothers Karamazov. What's not to love? And the seller gave me great, speedy service in the bargain. I love it!
Star Trek season 2 DVD set 
2009-09-03 - I have always wanted to see all the episodes of Star Trek, uncut and no commercials. What a treat.
Excellent, but hold everyting... 
2009-08-12 - This is TOS (The Original Series) Season 3 remastered in SD(standard digital), with enhanced graphics, effects, and I think the audio is sharper as well.
Purists often consider this kind of thing sacrilege, but I think it adds dramatic value in this case, and I have seen both the 2004 'vintage' episodes and the remastered versions here.
We are taken deeper into the Roddenberry original vision by the amazing abilities of what can only be ardent fans who's carers in post editing were likely spawned by watching TOS as kids or teens in the late 60's & 70's. Think Trekie Convention to the power of ten. Those kinds of people are passionate when it comes the care and feeding of TOS.
Everything is sharper, the class M planets don't all look like Jupiter from space; there's subtle color grading; and the Enterprise fly by's look absolutely fantastic on my 42" LCD screen. Did I mention the special features and interviews? Well, any fan would not want to miss them.
But wait! Hold everything! TOS Season 1 is now out in 'HD' which means the TOS 2& 3 cant be far behind. Myself, I'm going to wait for the HD versions.
Live long and prosper TOS.
The underrated 3rd season! 
2009-07-14 - I will say this time and time again, Star Trek's 3rd season is so underrated!, one of the reasons being, back when they originally aired, they were moved to a different timeslot, and the weekly episodes days were changed.
And that is a shame, because there are some true gems here, the only episode that I never liked was "Elaan of Troyius" (I still don't like it today, the worst episode of The Original Series), but thats 1 episode out of 80 that I didn't like, damn good.
Standout episodes? All except that one for me, but some are better than others of course, here are my top fives from season 3:
Wink of an Eye
The Tholian Web
The Savage Curtain
For The World Is Hollow and I Have Touched The Sky
The Enterprise Incident.
If you are an old Trek fan, you cannot go wrong with this season...but any old Trek fan should already know.
The re-mastered effects are great by the way!