Movies - TV
Star Trek’s Blu-Ray Release Had Yvonne Craig Understandably Worried
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
In 2006, CBS undertook the task of remastering the original “Star Trek” series for release on Blu-ray and HD DVD. This project aimed to modernize the series in high definition.
“Star Trek,” crafted for late 1960s cathode-ray tube TVs, didn't foresee a clear digital image. Shoddy visuals were hidden in TV signal fuzz, and actors' flaws went unnoticed.
Yvonne Craig discussed this in “The Fifty-Year Mission: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek: The First 25 Years,” by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross.
Craig, known for her role as Marta in the 1969 episode “Whom Gods Destroy,” openly expressed her concerns about the clear visibility of her armpits in the Blu-ray and HD versions.
Marta, an Orion with green skin, had most of her body painted green, including under her arms. The makeup used at the time, unfortunately, made her underarms appear “mossier.”
Describing the filming experience as a nightmare, Craig stated, “When I raised my arms, I had what looked like Spanish moss in my pits.” Consequently, she started seeking opinions.
Craig found comfort in her mossy armpits as she inquired of the cameraman, asking, “Does this bother you?” He reassured her, saying, “No, it's too far away; they'll never see it.”
She found peace in knowing that the digital technicians working on the remastered versions had smoothed out her armpits, ensuring they wouldn't be noticeable on the final screen.