MovieChat Forums > Star Trek (1966) Discussion > Do any of you....

Do any of you....

posted 5 years ago by AmeriGirl26 (12299)
25 replies | jump to latest

Watch this show with friends or family and laugh at the cheesy special-effects? My dad and I do at times :D. While we love how the shows have been digitally re-mastered, a lot of the cheesy stuff was left in, giving us lots of opportunities to joke about it. We also laugh at all the common tropes the show has. Let's see...

-Dad likes to call the "Doomsday Machine" the "floating space log," complete with me imitating it's ridiculous firing sound (I still can't do it right, lol).
-Every time we see Kirk kissing a girl on the show, we say either "sluuuurrrp!" or we'll pitch our voices real high (like a bimbo) and dramatically exclaim "Oh, captain!"
- Let's not forget the flying "fried egg" aliens on that one planet
- or the giant cavemen aliens on Taurus IV
- or the silly, lunchbox shuttles that have no airlocks or seatbelts
- the Papier Mâché caves
- whenever I see the Gorn in that one episode, I'll actually say "The Gooooorrrrrnnn!" and then joke about how he stole his clothes from the Flintstones cartoon
- not to mention the Baskin Robbins purple suits some of the colonists we've seen wear on some planets
- for the Horta, we laugh and call it the giant, crawling, man-eating pizza
- and who can forget the question; "What is it?" Scotty: "It....it...it's green!"
- oh yeah! the elaborate toilet-plunger phaser rifle Kirk used in one episode!

[–] Frogarama (12942) 5 years ago

Ah, here's the other propaganda posting, hit-and-run coward who never returns to face "her" shame.

https://moviechat.org/nm0874339/Donald-Trump/5c89fcc556403a0ee6f45b90/Greenpeace-Founding-Member-The-Whole-Climate-Crisis-Is-Not-Only-Fake-News-Its-Fake-Science?reply=5c8a05fc56403a0ee6f45bac

The way you and the other lying propaganda tool post together (Satan2016), makes me wonder if you're not simply the same person. Do you agree with Satan that death threats are appropriate against Americans Judges?

[–] strntz (10816) 5 years ago

You're like a guy with bad BO. Even when someone goes to another room to get away from the smell, the smell follows you anyway... No one is interested in your politics here.

[–] Satan2016 (23351) 5 years ago

You've got to be the most pathetic stalker-troll on MC!

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

If the story is good enough the effects don't mean much. The effects driven sci-fi of today doesn't hold a candle to the paste and foam board storylines of ST:TOS.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (12299) 5 years ago

I've actually noticed that with memorable, low-budget films and tv shows. Because of the budget, they put more effort into story-telling than costumes and special-effects, and while it does look cheesy, people still remember the story for its charm.

[–] strntz (10816) 5 years ago

We always thought the Doomsday Machine looked more like a stuffed pepper.

The later revised version was much better.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (12299) 5 years ago

A stuffed pepper! xD That's a new one, lol.

[–] Wuchak (8110) 5 years ago

I've heard it referred to as a galactic joint.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (12299) 5 years ago

Dad's "floating space log" analogy was the funniest. And we're not talking a log like the kind fallen on the forest floor.

What's funny is, the original prop they used to make the Doomsday Machine was basically a wind sock dipped in concrete.

[–] PaladinNJ (20310) 5 years ago

I liked it. I'll take the prehistoric effects.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 5 years ago

I do get a laugh from many of the special effects but am still a die hard fan of TOS. When things get particularly low budget I often say "SCIENCE FICTION" with some emphasis out loud even if I am alone.
The episode that is nearly impossible to take seriously is the one with that warrior race that all dress in Easter colors and feathers.

[–] pluckytotheend (263) 5 years ago

ST:TOS had a tiny budget.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Actually it had one of the largest budgets of any television show of that time period.

[–] pluckytotheend (263) 5 years ago

Because of the customized and unconventional wardrobes, prosthetics, makeup, props, sets and special effects that Star Trek needed it probably did have a bigger but barely adequate budget.That money was miniscule when compared to the subsequent movies and television shows.

[–] Moonglum9 (10713) 5 years ago

and who can forget the question; "What is it?" Scotty: "It....it...it's green!"

Aaah, so that's where that came from in the TNG episode where Scotty was trapped in a transporter beam for 70 years. Data said that to him when he was giving him a bottle of some alcohol.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (12299) 5 years ago

Yes! It's a booze joke! lol xD

Apparently, the joke started when the Enterprise encountered a bunch of superior beings from the Andromeda galaxy, who had appeared in human form, and they were planning on using the Enterprise to invade Federation space. Kirk got this idea of his crew taking advantage of the human bodies the aliens were using. They apparently weren't aware of all the weaknesses that come with a human body.

So Scotty got to work boozing up one of these aliens, and apparently both of them had a high tolerance for alcohol (big surprise). They're breaking into the rarer stuff later on in the session, and Scotty pulls out a big bottle of this green substance. The alien asks him what it is, because he's been naming off all the alcoholic drinks they've had so far, and by then, Scotty is so pickled that all he can say is "It...it's green!"

Later on, in Next Generation, the joke was brought up again, this time with Data and an older Scotty, and it turned out to be Aldebaran Whiskey.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Aldebaran_whiskey

[–] Moonglum9 (10713) 5 years ago

One of these days, I'm going to have to rewatch the original series. It was well before my time, but I liked it as a kid watching in syndication and it inspired me to watch the newer Trek series' that came later. I've always been just a little hesitant because I'm worried that it'll be too cheesy and my memories of the show will become tainted.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 5 years ago

When you first feel repelled, set your jaw and stay in the fight. Even the cheesiest of TOS episodes will leave you pleased by the end. Then you've been immunized and the dated effects and occasional weak moment won't shake you. The important factor is that they take themselves seriously. It makes all the difference.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (12299) 5 years ago

Focus on the story, and the characters. Then the cheesy special-effects (even on the digitally remastered versions) won't be so bothersome. There are even some parts of the dialogue or action that could make you laugh ;).

[–] Moonglum9 (10713) 5 years ago

It will probably end up being how it was for me when I bought the DVD set of The Greatest American Hero. I loved the show as a little kid, but in rewatching it was pretty cheesy and cheap, but still ended up being enjoyable because of the chemistry between the actors, and the fact that one of the greatest characters ever created on TV was in it.

[–] snepts (11123) 5 years ago

These days it's hard to take TOS seriously, but that doesn't lessen the fun. I'm usually watching it by myself so I'm not going to get all Rocky Horror over it, but it is fun. I don't know all the episode titles, but I just saw one with Ted Cassidy. Funny, he's really tall, and in this episode they had all kinds of clothing and robes on him to make him look really big, then he gets knocked off. Kirk was trying to trick him, playing mental games since he couldn't overpower him. Some other guy zaps him then he and some woman embrace and one of them zaps them both. Not even a cloud of atoms left. Then Spock runs in, accomplishing nothing. Thanks for your help Spock !

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 5 years ago

That episode is called "What Little Girls are Made of" ... I think. I like the episode. However I remember that it is torture waiting on the chief scientist on the planet to make his point. He just keeps saying "I need time to explain to you" Well start explaining instead of repeating yourself!! There is also that embarrassing part where Kirk dislodges a stalactite with which to brain Lurch and it is entirely too phallic. So hilarious how Lurch manipulates Kirk like a rag doll.
The episode has the interesting subtext of weighing what eternal life is worth.