Streaming TOS with the ORIGINAL 1960s visual effects?

[Admiral Archer]

I have just got done watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture (the director's cut, ironically LOL) that I had purchased digitally on Amazon Prime Video, when I was taken to a freebee streaming episode of TOS, specifically "The Cage". Here's the cool part: it said "remastered" at the top of the screen, but the effects were still from the original 1960s version of the episode. I'm a TOS purist in that I think the remastered version of the show is cheap and not very well done, feeling like dated 2000s revisionist history. When I went to Paramount Plus to resubscribe (I had unsubscribed a few months ago, and Amazon said they were airing episodes direct from Paramount Plus) I restarted "The Cage" and, much to my frustration, the digital 2000s effects had replaced the 1960s version once again. My question is this: does Amazon offer the original, unedited versions of any other episodes? Was it just a fluke that I saw "The Cage" in it's original 1960s glory on Amazon? Is EVERYTHING on the internet streaming of Star Trek TOS from the remastered cuts? Any info is helpful. Thanks!

 

[JoseNoodles]

Funny, I couldn't find The Cage on Paramount Plus a while back, remastered or otherwise.

 

[BillJ]

Everything I’ve seen, is that only the remastered versions are available streaming. I believe you can buy episodes with the original effects on Amazon, for a couple bucks a pop.

 

[Orac]

First time I watched through on Netflix every episode had the replacement effects, except for the episode Obsession which had the original effects. On a later rewatch The Cage had the original effects but all others had the replacements.

NB: All my DVD's still have the original effects and are the same everytime I watch them.

 

[BillJ]

First time I watched through on Netflix every episode had the replacement effects, except for the episode Obsession which had the original effects. On a later rewatch The Cage had the original effects but all others had the replacements.

NB: All my DVD's still have the original effects and are the same everytime I watch them.

I figured at some point, that the episodes with original effects would be replaced by the remasters, both on streaming and OTA. Which was why I went ahead and bought the show on Blu-ray as it came out.

 

[Admiral Archer]

Everything I’ve seen, is that only the remastered versions are available streaming. I believe you can buy episodes with the original effects on Amazon, for a couple bucks a pop.

If that's true, it's ridiculous. Paying extra just to see the episodes the way they were originally seen and loved is just stupid, and reeks of Star Wars Special Edition-type revisionist history.

 

[BillJ]

If that's true, it's ridiculous. Paying extra just to see the episodes the way they were originally seen and loved is just stupid, and reeks of Star Wars Special Edition-type revisionist history.

Discs are relatively inexpensive. If you want those original effects, I would suggest picking up either the DVD or Blu-ray sets.

 

[Warped9]

“Remastered” essentially means cleaned up. Yes, the TOS episodes, with original fx, were indeed remastered when they were released for DVD in the clamshell case editions.

They were remastered again when the fx were redone with cgi for the BluRay release.

 

[drt]

“Remastered” essentially means cleaned up. Yes, the TOS episodes, with original fx, were indeed remastered when they were released for DVD in the clamshell case editions.

They were remastered again when the fx were redone with cgi for the BluRay release.

Yeah, they cleaned up the original effects the best they could and they look great on BluRay.

 

[Warped9]

Back then I thought TOS looked great on those DVDs.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

The br version boxset allows you to pick between original and cgi versions of each episide, whereas streaming services can't do this little trick, oh and of course the br versions also offers mono sound option of the original.

 

[Ssosmcin]

of course the br versions also offers mono sound option of the original.

Welllllll, yes and no.

(groans from the members who have known me long enough)

A lot of the first season episodes have the original mono track, but other than Amok Time, no episode in the last two years has it. The simplest way to know is, if you hear the exterior engine rumble in ANY episode in the last two seasons, it's wrong.

Also, episodes like The Naked Time had no rumble but now it's there and obnoxiously loud on the "mono" BD release.

I've posted long and often about this, but the closest to the orignal mix (and it's still not 100%) are the VHS/Laserdiscs. And the 5 volume plus Space Seed VHS tapes of the early 80's.

We have - never - had the correct night of original broadcast sound mix in any complete release of the series.

As for the original FX on BD, there are some errors in a few episodes.

The DVDs have the original effects with no transition glitches and we even get the two original broadcast opening credits for The Man Trap and Charlie X - and only on the DVDs. Plus the third season DVDs have the original Paramount logo.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

^^^Well as long as you found versions you are happy with, but i went from the old CIC vhs video collection to dvd collection to Blu tay collection, and i am just happy i went from having to have a entire wall cupbard for the CHS collection, to just 1 Blr Ray box, technology working at last.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

^^^Well as long as you found versions you are happy with, but i went from the old CIC vhs video collection to dvd collection to Blu tay collection, and i am just happy i went from having to have a entire wall cupbard for the CHS collection, to just 1 Blr Ray box, technology working at last.

Yeah, and it's not just the shelf space. The VHS release circa 1988 might have cost $32 an episode, adjusted into today's money. Nowadays if you get the Blu-ray box, it could be something like $0.75 an episode, while the vastly sharper picture and extra features are free.

When the issue is framed like that, I can forgive myself for not buying the complete series on tape, but not owning a complete BD or DVD set would be an act of wild insanity.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Hey however you watch and enjoy is all good. I was just sayin we don't have the true mono sound. Or even a true representation of what the series was like back during the NBC run. Something I hope we do get before my last days on this plane of existence, because it deserves it. Star Trek truly does deserve the Twilight Zone treatment.

 

[BillJ]

Since I was born in 1971, unfortunately I’ll likely never see the episodes as originally presented.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Yeah, and it's not just the shelf space. The VHS release circa 1988 might have cost $32 an episode, adjusted into today's money. Nowadays if you get the Blu-ray box, it could be something like $0.75 an episode, while the vastly sharper picture and extra features are free.

When the issue is framed like that, I can forgive myself for not buying the complete series on tape, but not owning a complete BD or DVD set would be an act of wild insanity.

Tell me about it, i bought each 2 episode tape as it was released from day one here in the UK, same with TNG, i just do not bother adding it up as not to upset myself. lol

 

[Ssosmcin]

Since I was born in 1971, unfortunately I’ll likely never see the episodes as originally presented.

Well, I was born in 1967 and The Twilight Zone Blu Ray releases are - from what I understand - network accurate for the most part. It's possible, if someone decides to release it that way. However, I doubt it will ever happen. CBS/Paramount is content to keep repressing the same blu rays in every repackaging, right down to the previews for the 2009 movie.

 

[HGN2001]

Amazon Prime has the original TOS effects.

Paramount+ (and others) has the remastered effects.

Since I was born in 1971, unfortunately I’ll likely never see the episodes as originally presented.

Heh! Can anyone envision CBS putting out discs of TOS with the NBC Peacock intact - the way it appeared on network TV!?

 

[BillJ]

Amazon Prime has the original TOS effects.

Is that part of the Prime Video package, or something you have to purchase?