MovieChat Forums > Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) Discussion > Re-doing Armus in CGI

Re-doing Armus in CGI

posted 8 years ago by Angry_Dukat
12 replies | jump to latest

Would you be in favor of that? Ordinarily, I hate it when people go back to redo special effects, particularly because alot of the time it isn't really necessary *cough* George Lucas *cough* But as for Armus, I would like to see him as originally planned. Granted I understand it wasn't exactly possible to render him in CGI back then, especially with a TV episode budget. Then again, that's also why you shouldn't write a script that exceeds the capabilities of your special effects team. The costume looked dopey even in 1988. My dad watched it the night it first aired and he said Armus could have been straight out of a TOS episode with that costume. Except you would expect that in a low-budget sci-fi show from the 60s.

So if they decided to redo Armus as originally planned, I would not be against it. Heck, I wouldn't be against redoing the voice with someone who actually sounds menacing instead of a villain on a Saturday morning cartoon.

Why I no longer support the political left: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G4FpTvp0tgs

[–] WyldeGoose 8 years ago

No.

Armus was, for what the character was and how it was managed, fairly well done, and there's no need to make it into a CGI abomination when what they did worked just fine.

I have heard and read some discussions about making a "Remastered" version of TNG, and I think it's a generally bad idea. Not that the Remastered TOS wasn't good (in fact, it's one of my few examples of how redoing something with modern CGI and SFX can be done right), but with TNG I don't see the genuine need. I suppose they could spruce up the space scenes a bit, but I don't want that for the same reasons I have a lot of misgivings about what the Star Wars Special Editions did.

The Battle of Yavin in A New Hope bothers me. The folks at ILM who did the original version, with models and tedious shoots against both blue screen and out in the hot parking lot to get the sunlight on the Death Star trench model just right, put in a lot of work and love into what they were doing, only to have it pretty much erased by the Special Editions. Those guys won Oscars for their work, and I think it's a shame we generally don't get both the original unaltered version of A New Hope (formerly just called "Star Wars") for folks who haven't really seen that.

The same goes for the SFX productions of TNG. They worked hard to get that all done, and it shouldn't be altered for the sake of "updating" it for present-day viewers.

[–] Angry_Dukat 8 years ago

Well, I believe that making him look more real and changing the vocal performance to something more menacing would improve the effectiveness of the character and make his scenes more intense, and thus actually improve the episode's quality, if only a little bit.

Disagree on the Battle of Yavin. Sort of. I hated most of the changes Lucas made to the original films, but this is one exception. Comparing the original battle with the updated one, there were shots in the original version where the X-Wings movements looked slow and a bit jerky, which was fixed in the SE. The Death Star shockwave wasn't really necessary, but it looked cool. Other than that, I despise the changes.

Why do you feel the TOS changes are an example of it being done correctly?

Why I no longer support the political left: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G4FpTvp0tgs

[–] WyldeGoose 8 years ago

Why do you feel the TOS changes are an example of it being done correctly?

For one, you can still see the way the show was originally made (not everywhere, but it's out there - I was able to find TOS on DVD in its original form); unlike George Lucas' attempts to erase the original versions of the original trilogy, which was for awhile rather hard to find. To this day, I may never get rid of my DVD players for fear we may never get the originals to download or to stream.

The main issue comes down to necessity. I just don't think the Special Editions were really necessary for what they replaced. TOS was necessary, because the SFX guys were working on a TV show with a much more meager budget and a short time to do it all, and it's clear that if they had the kind of time and budget they wanted they'd have made something better, even without the kind of computer technology that would be available for Return of the Jedi.

Perhaps the Battle of Yavin sequence was a poor example of what I mean. Take the entry of Luke, Ben, and the droids into Mos Eisley. I didn't mind seeing spacecraft flying in and out of the city, but all the other things, from the animals running around, and the droids and womp rats all playing around, detracted from the scene considerably. You're busy just trying to take it all in while the stormtroopers are holding up Luke's speeder that it detracts from the tension that supposed to build up in the scene. If George had remastered TOS, you might see more of that kind of thing in similar scenes, such as when Kirk, Spock, and the others beam down to the planet in TOS A Taste of Armageddon, which featured a remastered outdoor city-scape; he'd have put in more people, possibly robots and vehicles all moving around, cluttering the scene. If he had handled this direction, he would've detracted the purpose of the scene, which was to demonstrate a bit of a tranquil but controlled society on Eminiar VII, which was to further demonstrate the problem that these people are fighting a "war" but not suffering the direct consequences of what a real war is about.

[–] foebane72 8 years ago

To this day, I may never get rid of my DVD players for fear we may never get the originals to download or to stream.

Are you talking about the Star Wars OOT on DVD? You can ditch the DVD players, you know - Blu-ray players also play DVDs, or don't you know that? Plus, they will upscale them!

Why are you here if you haven't seen the movie yet?

[–] Nakitaakita-1 8 years ago

Okay WTF!!!!
I just watched a little of the "1st" Star Wars on Saturday!
Okay, I know I am a bad Sci fy geek, as I have NEVER watched The "1st" Star Wars all the way through.
But as we watched it, I was amazed at the effects of like some big animals out in front of the 'bar' when Luke and Obi-Wan go into the city, so that was not in the original movie?????

Because you'd be in jail

[–] cjh8504 8 years ago

Not the CGI ones.

RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time. RIP Matt Roberts. You were great.

[–] eyeguy72 8 years ago

I didn't mind Armus' appearance. Even now.

There are a few others I'd rather see "CGImproved".

The giant jellyfish from Encounter at Farpoint.

Worf's childhood pet targ.

The parasites from Conspiracy.

The Funnels™ game from The Game episode could be improved bigtime.

Various lifeforms from various episodes that were only represented as being a simple ball of light.

Anya, the allasomorph (giant raging googly-eyed creature), from The Dauphin.

[–] cjh8504 8 years ago

Didn't they remaster TNG already? Isn't everything updated on the blurays?

RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time. RIP Matt Roberts. You were great.

[–] foebane72 8 years ago

Worf's childhood pet targ.

Wasn't that just a pig or a boar with bits stuck on? How would CGI improve that??

Why are you here if you haven't seen the movie yet?

[–] Nakitaakita-1 8 years ago

I think it looked okay.
I don't think it needs to be redone.
The new GCI crap is just stupid.
Hopefully soon, everyone will be over CGI and we might get back to movies and shows with plots and themes.
If that happens, I might watch TV again.😀 Yeah!
Because you'd be in jail

[–] eyeguy72 8 years ago



[–] cjh8504 8 years ago

I second that emotion, Eye.

RIP Gene Wilder. One of the funniest people of all time. RIP Matt Roberts. You were great.