Set course for the off-licence

As you know, I have been trying out Blu-Ray discs now for a little while, and I have mentioned previously how the big advantage of blu-ray is that the production values (or lack thereof) become as much of a draw as the story. A few months on, it's clear that you have to be careful with blu-ray because not all transfers are the same. They all have improved picture and sound over DVDs, but the degree of improvement over an upscaled DVD is variable. Some are technically fantastic while others are a bit average. For example, the second attempt to produce a good transfer of T2 is due out soon, and that is supposed to be up to 40 per cent better according to some (optically speaking). Some of them also have a lot of what is supposed to be 'natural film grain' (ie they flicker in an annoying fashion in the odd scene or two) So beware.

Nevertheless, even the more average transfers produce some gems. I recently acquired 'The Wrath of Khan' on blu-ray which is over 25 years old, but still knocks spots off what passes for plots, cool dialogue, arch villains and twisty plot turns in most modern films. Altogether now: KHHHAAAAAANNNNNNN....

I digress. Anyway, without watching particularly closely, courtesy of blu-ray you can see a sign on the bridge in the opening simulator sequence which quite clearly says "NO SMOKING ON THE BRIDGE AT ANY TIME". Now I don't actually recall anyone lighting up in Star Trek, but I suppose it's possible Mr Sulu had a 20-a-day habit. On the other hand, the sign doesn't say "ON THE SET" so it doesn't look like a stage direction that was accidentially left up when the cameras were running.

So, what's the answer? Apparently, it's deliberate, because Nick Meyer (the director) liked to give the ST films he did a certain 'real life' grounding (er..). Frankly though, I don't care. I just love the fact that blu-ray allows me to watch films all over again and get something new out of them, even if it's idiotic things like this.

(By the way:

- you still can't tell whether Ricardo Montalban's chest is fake. Apparently it's not, but I remain to be convinced; and

- nice to see he still gets work off the back of the film, even if it is only evidenced by a sly reference to 'the death of his beloved wife' in a recent episode of 'Family Guy' where he played a talking cow.)