posted
...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...
-------------------- "A film made in 2008 isn't going to look like a TV series from 1966 if it wants to make any money. As long as the characters act the same way, and the spirit of the story remains the same then it's "real" Star Trek. Everything else is window dressing." -StCoop
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
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.
Registered: May 2002
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posted
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
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?
Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
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!
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Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
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.
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Registered: Feb 2000
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posted
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...
Registered: May 2002
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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.
-------------------- "Well, I mean, it's generally understood that, of all of the people in the world, Mike Nelson is the best." -- ULTRA MAGNUS, steadfast in curmudgeon
Registered: Feb 2001
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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.
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Registered: Jun 2001
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