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Star Trek: The Original Series gets the remastering treatment complete with new CGI effects for a new ten-disc box set.

Created by former Policeman Gene Roddenberry and starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelly, Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan and George Takei the original series of Star Trek spawned a global 'enterprise' that made a small '60s US television series into one of the most successful entertainments franchises of all time. Despite the series' cancellation after three years - and 79 episodes - Roddenberry's 'wagon train to the stars', telling the adventures of a starship crew out on the frontier of human exploration went onto gain legions of fans, spawn ten blockbuster 'Trek feature films and generate five more 'spin-off' television series.

Pictured (right): Fellow officers. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy as the central players: Kirk and Spock - Captain and First Officer, in a first-class ensemble cast on Star Trek season one.

Now Paramount Home Entertainment invites you to experience Star Trek: The Original Series as never before - with the releases of the legendary first season for the first time ever in a massive remastered 'redux' edition ten-disc HD DVD/DVD collection.

With Hi-Definition (HD) DVD on one side of each disc and standard DVD on the other, the series has been meticulously remastered from the original camera negative and each classic episode is presented in pristine condition with state-of-the-art digital visual effects.

Iconic Imagery

The distinctive 1960s special effects have all been replaced with 21st century computer-generated imagery to give new depth and atmosphere to various elements including the main title sequence, the galaxy shots frequently seen from the Enterprise’s bridge, the battle scenes, planets and alien ships, some of the matte paintings used as backdrops for new worlds, as well as the Enterprise and other Starships, which have been replaced with new state-of-the-art CGI-created ships. This bit of revisionism brings the well-known effects of the original - often amounting to hand painted phaser beams and in-camera optical effects such as were possible on a televsion budget of the time - closer into line with the look of effects from the shows that followed the original 'Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Next Generation, Voyager and Enterprise.

Pictured (left): William Shatner in his most iconic role as Captain James T. Kirk - faces down against a strangely altered -and homicidal - fellow Star Fleet officer in the stunning 'second pilot' for the original 'Trek that introduced Kirk: Where No Man Has Gone Before.

The new computer-generated Enterprise is based on the exact measurements of the original model - which now resides in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The original theme tune by Emmy Award-winning composer Alexander Courage has been re-recorded in state-of-the-art digital stereo audio. A digitally remastered version of William Shatner’s classic original recording of the thirty-eight word 'Space, the final frontier, these are the voyages of the Starship (pause) Enterprise...' monologue continues to open each episode.

In addition, the extraordinary set features true high definition audio and exclusive HD DVD interactive features produced by New Wave Entertainment. Interactive menus and a 'Starfleet Access' interface allows viewers to activate icons which provide such features as 'Picture in Picture' video commentaries and an interactive tour of the starship Enterprise. Both the standard definition and high definition presentations also include rare on-set home movie footage, an inside perspective on what it took to transport 'Trek into the 21st century and much more.

Bonus features on the standard DVD side are as follows:

Spacelift: Transporting Trek into the 21st Century

The Birth of a Timeless Legacy

Reflections on Spock

Life Beyond Trek: William Shatner

To Boldly Go...Season One

Sci-Fi Visionaries

Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories

Kiss & Tell: Romance in the 24th Century

Trek Connections

Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier

Episode Preview Trailers

Perpetual Entertainment’s 'Star Trek Online' MMO Game Preview

Pictured (right): Spock takes his first command under pressure as a shuttle craft heads into danger during the tense episode The Galileo Seven.

Additional bonus features on the HD DVD side are as follows:

Starfleet Access – On-screen graphical interface allows viewers to access 'Picture in Picture' video commentaries, comparisons of remastered vs. original effects, encyclopedic information (science, life forms, technology), episode trivia and more on the episodes: Where No Man Has Gone Before, The Menagerie (Parts 1&2), Balance of Terror, The Galileo Seven, Space Seed and Errand of Mercy. From the stunning new visual effects to the exquisite sound, this documentary provides an in-depth exploration of the remastering of classic Star Trek episodes

Join crew member and 'extra-extraordinaire' Billy Blackburn as he shares his own behind-the-scenes home movie footage of life on the set of Star Trek

Interactive Enterprise Tour. Viewers will explore the Enterprise interior and exterior in detail as they pilot their own shuttlecraft in this spectacular 3D simulated feature

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1 Remastered is presented in the original aspect ratio (1.33:1) screen and the standard definition presentation includes Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround. HD DVD offers up to six times the picture resolution of standard DVD, with brighter, sharper and more vivid images and colour as well as incredible audio with support for Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby True HD.

For more information visit the offical websites:

www.startrekuk.co.uk

www.startrek.com

See also on Lifestyle:

Star Fleet Battles - Epic PC game of starship combat spanning four decades of Star Trekking.

Sim Yourself Into The Final Frontier - PC gamers should prepare to explore the Final Frontier with Bridge Commander.

A Generation's Nemesis - The crew of the USS Enterprise boldly go one final time in in Star Trek X: Nemesis.

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1 Remastered is available now as a ten-disc boxed set, from Paramount Home Entertainment.

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