...or Felix the Kzin, or whatever you're calling yourself these days...
While I was scanning the alien pics from my TMP trading cards, I also took the time to scan some pics of an interesting Enterprise model. While many of the cards showed the regular refit Enterprise we all know & love, there were some photos of another, similar model, but with several small differences. I believe that this model was built from the previous SFX company that TMP was originally going to use, but then was discarded when they switched companies halfway through filming. What do you think?
As you can see, the bridge, ventral saucer dome, torpedo launchers, hull plating, paint scheme, and other small details are different from the usual Connie. The most interesting thing about this model, however, is that the nacelles glow purple, just like 24th century ships to come...
Posted by USSMillennium74754 (Member # 822) on :
Actually, I believe it's the same model, since the construction blueprints of the TMP ship look exactly the same. The last minute details, like the sensor dome and restructured bridge module, were added later by Doug Trumbull's VFX people after Robert Abel and Associates was fired. The Art of Star Trek has a huge-ass view of the back of the model in this configuration, with blue nacelles and rounded bridge module and all.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
I love that picture from the rear of the TMP Enterprise. What's that? It's not the real thing?
Bwah!
I really do love that pic - you can see all the beautiful detail of the hull plating - even on the nacelles you can see the hull panelling.
Posted by USSMillennium74754 (Member # 822) on :
Well, yes and no. It is, for all intents and purposes, the same model that was used in the film. The detailing is just a wee bit different.
I do have to admit that particular pic is pretty awesome, though.
Posted by Dax (Member # 191) on :
It is indeed an awesome photo -- I feel ashamed that I never noticed the different detail before. It's certainly some interesting news. It explains the different look of the Enterprise in the production sketches (like the drydock scene sketch) too.
Posted by Felix the Kzin (Member # 646) on :
It's interesting to see pictures of this less-detailed Enterprise, photographs of which were used in numerous publicity materials prior to the release of TMP. IIRC, wasn't this the "variant" that fandom assigned the designation Tikopai-class to?
Perhaps you should send them to Model Citizen. There's a note about this version on the site here, but there's only one picture.
But, just out of curiosity, why is this thread "for me"? Just because I was talking about variants of the Constitution-class? Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
I remember reading somewhere that one or two shots of the unmodified model shot by Robert Abel made it into the movie. It can be identified by the smaller sensor array on the ventral primary hull. Makes it canon, I guess!
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
And by now it may have been replaced by the cgi model... which makes it revised canon. Only way to tell is for someone who has the VHS tape to go through the movie and look carefully at all the shots of the ship. Then report the sightings here and have someone go through the same scenes on the DVD to see if they were replaced or kept intact.
Posted by USSMillennium74754 (Member # 822) on :
Yep, this is the ship we SOTSF freaks call Tikopai class... the only major difference is that the Tikopai has a shuttlebay/hangar elevator on the aft dorsal saucer, between the officers' lounge and the impulse engine.
quote:Originally posted by Masao: I remember reading somewhere that one or two shots of the unmodified model shot by Robert Abel made it into the movie. It can be identified by the smaller sensor array on the ventral primary hull. Makes it canon, I guess!
Never heard about that one... I don't think it could have been any of the tiny V'Ger interior shots because IIRC Abel had nothing to do with those. Of course, you'd have to then make the matte painting of the Enterprise from the non-DE "canon" as well, not to mention the scaffolding airlock... Posted by MrNeutron (Member # 524) on :
quote:Originally posted by Masao: I remember reading somewhere that one or two shots of the unmodified model shot by Robert Abel made it into the movie. It can be identified by the smaller sensor array on the ventral primary hull. Makes it canon, I guess!
I find that pretty hard to believe. I know the film pretty well, and I've never noticed any place where the ship doesn't look like the Trumbull and co. version.
I also know exactly which shots are CGIed in the DE. Next time I watch the film I'll gave it the evil eye for any discrepancies in the ship's detailing, but I suspect I won't find them.
Posted by Felix the Kzin (Member # 646) on :
quote:Originally posted by MrNeutron: I also know exactly which shots are CGIed in the DE.
Aren't there only like three? An exterior shot outside the V'Ger cloud, a shot of the ship inside at the maw and the plasma-energy probe approaching, and the ship heading for (and "docked" at) the V'Ger brain-island? Or are there more? (There might be another I'm not remembering, but...)
EDIT: Incidentally, I was thinking only of shots of the Enterprise that were CG. That is what you were referring to, correct? I know there were other shots done as well, like Vulcan and San Francisco.
Posted by USSMillennium74754 (Member # 822) on :
There's also the (very blurry) shot of the Enterprise dropping out of warp after the wormhole's destruction.
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
plus a whole new shot of the E moving through a newly rendered V-Ger chamber.
Posted by Felix the Kzin (Member # 646) on :
quote:Originally posted by Reverend: plus a whole new shot of the E moving through a newly rendered V-Ger chamber.
That's the one I was talking about when I said "approaching the brain-island"...
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
Oh right, I thought you ment that bit when the bridge...thing materialised.
Posted by Felix the Kzin (Member # 646) on :
quote:Originally posted by Reverend: Oh right, I thought you ment that bit when the bridge...thing materialised.
That was what I meant when I said "docked at the V'Ger brain-island"...
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