BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

[bada]

Behold An Awesome Pitch Reel For A Restored/Special Edition Version Of The Classic BATTLESTAR GALACTICA!! New FX!?!?

Published at: Nov. 19, 2014, 10:46 a.m. CST by merrick



Over the years, I’ve written extensively here on the site about my love of the original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA television series. Having recently revisited it via THIS German Region B Blu-ray issuance (which is fantastic, by the way), I remain amazed by the number of chances the show took in terms of its approaches to faith (or the questioning there of), its handling of grief and loss, and illustrating the effects of war and adversity on not only adults - but children (notably Noah Hathaway’s Boxey). The show impressively nailed its thematics of religion vs pragmatism, military vs government, the haves vs the have nots, father vs son, and suggested a far bigger and bolder universe than its first season - and its considerably less visionary follow-up GALACTICA 1980 - had a chance to fully explore.

Thus, I strongly assert that - despite its many shortcomings and frustrating elements - the ‘classic’ BATTLESTAR GALACTICA never got its due. It never found the innate corporate support of fan traction that so dramatically characterizes STAR TREK, and was roundly overshadowed by Ron Moore’s 2004 reinvention of the concept. Yet, somehow, the original series abides.

As such, the content of Siress Belloby’s recent e-mail to me quickly caught me attention, and got my Geekly juices flowing something fierce.

Embedded below is a test reel - a demo reel - a proposal reel - for a restoration of the original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. Belloby indicated that we should think of this proposal along the lines of the recent restoration of STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES. I.e. visual restoration, new effects work, etc.

One interesting (and tragic) element of the original BATTLESTAR is that simple, raw production limitations frequently prohibited the series from fully realizing many sequences. Thus, the delivery of fresh effects was often minimum, and stock footage frequently ruled the day. The use of stock footage is not terribly uncommon (Nicholas Meyer reused some shots from the first STAR TREK film in WRATH OF KHAN, for example). But when one sees the same ships flying in the same formation…or fighting the same battles….week after week, such slights of hand becomes pretty wobbly - and the sequences they’re employed within feel less fresh than they should.

Presumably, a restored classic BSG would finally, at long last, resolve such discrepancies and produce full-on sequences where…before…stock footage was deployed. You see a little of this in the clip below.

Also, I love the editorial tempo of this sequence, and the furious motions of the fighter craft involved in this reel. The nature/range of motion here…and the collateral effects it has on this sequence’s pace…is hugely impressive.

Below: a clip from THE LIVING LEGEND PART I. An episode in which the crew of Galactica discovers they are not the last Battlestar. There is another - the Pegasus - commanded by the incendiary Commander Cain (Lloyd Bridges). Cain leads a combined wing of Galactica / Pegasus fighter craft to intercept enemy Cylon tankers. The results aren’t what many of the pilots expect…

[We’ve had some embed issues here on the site this morning. If for some reason the embed above doesn’t play, you can also find it HERE.]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2alcb ... shortfilms

To be clear, this is a proposal currently being put forth to The Powers That Be. A restoration of the original Galactica series is not official and may never be so, and this reel is a tool to convince - not officially sanctioned at this point in time.

This is, however, a sampling of what we might expect should the Gods shine upon whomever is putting this together. My personal thinking is: if this is what these folks can do with no budget and on their spare time, bankroll ‘them and let them at it! And then, just maybe, folks will be better able to see the original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA for all that it truly was, and can still be again. What better way to honor the recent passing of GALACTICA creator Glen A. Larson than allowing one of his most enduring creations to shine more brightly than ever before?

[tommymtcom]

One of my coworkers is always blathering about this show. Is it any good?

[E.H. Ruddock]

The original was. But you are too young to remember that one

[epilogue]

The reboot was one of the best TV shows of all time.

I never saw the original.

[Alex]

is this the show where the angel saves everybody at the end?

[tommymtcom]

The reboot was one of the best TV shows of all time.

Hmm, maybe I should give it a shot. Is it good from the first season or does it take a while to get rolling? I am not very patient with TV shows.

[E.H. Ruddock]

is this the show where the angel saves everybody at the end?

No that was LOST

[bada]

Can you enjoy Star Trek TOS? If yes then try if no then pass.

[Alex]

is this the show where the angel saves everybody at the end?

No that was LOST

i am RM's smoke monster

[E.H. Ruddock]

is this the show where the angel saves everybody at the end?

No that was LOST

i am RM's smoke monster

I am either Ben or that funny asian guy.

[Alex]

is this the show where the angel saves everybody at the end?

No that was LOST

i am RM's smoke monster

I am either Ben or that funny asian guy.

if you're ben, and bear with me here, then that means i am ultimately going to appear to you as a second account, one that you find familiar and trust, and manipulate you into killing my brother/rival. i guess lenny better watch out.

[CopperTom]

I'm in the middle of rewatching the reimagined version. I'm on Flight of the Phoenix. The series is still so good. It's holding up well 10 years since it started.

[epilogue]

The reboot was one of the best TV shows of all time.

Hmm, maybe I should give it a shot. Is it good from the first season or does it take a while to get rolling? I am not very patient with TV shows.

It's outstanding out of the box. Some people think it loses a bit by the final season. And the finale specifically is super divisive. But you'll love the pilot.

[epilogue]

is this the show where the angel saves everybody at the end?

No that was LOST

Oh, honey...

[EJ]

The reboot was one of the best TV shows of all time.

Hmm, maybe I should give it a shot. Is it good from the first season or does it take a while to get rolling? I am not very patient with TV shows.

It's outstanding out of the box. Some people think it loses a bit by the final season. And the finale specifically is super divisive. But you'll love the pilot.

Agreed, the pilot is excellent. And, the first three seasons are really good. I haven't been able to finish the 4th yet.

[tommymtcom]

The reboot was one of the best TV shows of all time.

Hmm, maybe I should give it a shot. Is it good from the first season or does it take a while to get rolling? I am not very patient with TV shows.

It's outstanding out of the box. Some people think it loses a bit by the final season. And the finale specifically is super divisive. But you'll love the pilot.

I will give it a shot this weekend then. Thanks.

[McParadigm]

The only thing that bothered me about the last season and change was the pacing. It felt like there were long periods of stretching without purpose, and then things would happen so fast they almost felt inorganic to the characters.

But it might not play out that way, if you're watching it after the fact. Battlestar got to where it invested way too much effort in side stories like Razor, and ultimately ended up taking a six or seven month break right in the middle of its final season. Man, is that a shitty way to end a show.

Spoiler: show

Regarding the ending, there had been so much toying with perception and reality during the course of that show that I actually really liked it.

Spoiler: show

The mostly bittersweet victory, the pieces left unexplained, all of it...right up until they fast forwarded a billion years to overexplain and overstate.

[malice]

sorry remod, I think the original was crap, even for its time. The remake was great for a year or so but turned bad quickly after that.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I actually really liked it.

Does not compute

[McParadigm]

Maybe "kinda" is a better word. But.