Product Description
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 05/23/2000 Run time: 100 minutes Rating: Nr
Product Details
- #60649 in DVD
- Brand: Paramount
- Released on: 2000-05-23
- Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
- Subtitled in:
English
- Running time: 100 minutes
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Volume 12 in the classic Star Trek series on DVD begins with "Space Seed," which introduced Khan Noonien Singh (a viperlike Ricardo Montalban) to Trek lore. The trouble begins when Kirk & crew discovers a derelict ship and its crew of 70 supermen aboard, all in suspended animation. Led by Khan, these strange people turn out to be the product of genetic experimentation in the 1990s and instigators of a so-called Eugenics War, i.e., the Third World War on Earth often mentioned on various Trek programs. Though displaced from his more violent time and place, Khan quickly overcomes his disorientation and shifts into conqueror mode, quickly overtaking the Enterprise with the aid of a comely Federation historian who is swooning at his feet. As any Trek fan knows, "Space Seed" inspired Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, regarded by many as the best of the Trek feature films.
"A Taste of Armageddon" is one of classic Trek's occasional, obvious metaphors for the absurdity of the then-cold war between East and West. Gene Lyons stars as a Federation ambassador named Fox, who boards the Enterprise to reach the planet Eminiar VII, where he hopes to negotiate a peace treaty with the inhabitants. Instead the crew of the Enterprise gets caught in the middle of an interplanetary war between Eminiar and neighboring planet Vendikar. The twist is that the war is being fought on computers, and compliant residents of those "destroyed" areas obediently report to disintegration chambers, where their "virtual" death is made literal. When the Enterprise is "hit" in one of these simulations, both the warlords of Eminiar VII and Ambassador Fox fully expect Capt. Kirk & crew to report to the disintegration center. The feisty Kirk has other plans, of course. And while the madness of this controlled armageddon makes a suitably surreal satire of the arms race in the 1960s, the story also evoked the endless, daily reports of body counts during the Vietnam war, with no resolution in sight. Aside from its parable aspect, however, the episode gave Kirk one of his earliest and most compelling scenes of Kirkian preachiness in a bold monologue about peace, reportedly written and rewritten numerous times by series producer and indispensable creative hand, Gene L. Coon. --Tom Keogh
Rating: 
-
Kirk takes on people who think there are really smart
People who think they are too smart for their own good provide the common denominator for the pair of episodes here on Volume 12 of the Star Trek DVD Series. One of the fun things about science fiction is that you can take things to their logical albeit extreme conclusions. That is what the Enterprise encounters on Eminiar VII in "A Taste of Armageddon," a planet that has been at war for five centuries but which fails to show the usual signs of destruction. This is because they have been fighting the war with computers; after such an attack Anan 7, leader of the High Council announces that half a million people were "killed," and now have to report to disintegration chambers. Unfortunately the Enterprise, which was warned not to approach the planet, has also been destroyed and Kirk's crew needs to beam down for disintegration. Of course, Kirk takes exception to this request and decides to remind these people of the true face of war. As far fetched as this idea might be, you have to remember the idea of the Neutron Bomb, which would kill the people but leave the buildings, a weapon that was ironically considered by some to be more "humane" than your traditional nuclear device. Kirk's efforts to restore sanity are hampered by the presence of Federation Ambassador Fox, who wants to stick to the traditional diplomatic approaches despite the fact nobody on the planet is impressed at all by such delicacies. "A Taste of Armageddon" is another, albeit minor example, of Captain Kirk versus the Super Computer plotline that was so prominent in Star Trek's first season.
Probably no episode of Star Trek has gained in prominence more than "Space Seed," which was due, of course, to the release of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." Ricardo Montalban turns in a powerful performance as Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically bred superman from the late 20th century on Earth. The Enterprise discovers Khan and dozens of his followers in suspended animation when they find the Botany Bay adrift in space. The charismatic Khan seduces Marla McGivers (who may well be the only ship's historian ever seen on a starship) and with her help revives his crew, who immediately take over the Enterprise. You would think these people who be daunted by 200 years of scientific and technological advances, but Kirk lends a helping hand by giving Khan all the technical manuals he would need. Montalban's performance is what makes "Space Speed" a standout episode, proving that there is not much more impressive in the world than good diction and a neat accent. He might be having his biggest battles in this episode with Kirk, but the scene where Khan threatens McCoy provide one of Bones' finest moments. However, I have to think in the future the Enterprise will do without a ship's historian and just use the computer to find out about the past.
Rating: -
some of the hidden secrets in space seed episode
Right after Kirk beams over and Bones finds that Soon Noonian Khan's live capsule is shorting out please watch two people very carefully. Number one watch Captain Kirk as he tries his best to break open the capsule but only succeeds in knocking his phaser off his belt! Number 2 please then note good ol Dr. McCoy as he gently kicks the loose phaser under the capsule with his right boot and lef! Oh well so much for modern times eh?
Rating: -
This is a taste of the BEST Original episode ever made!
A Taste of Armageddon is quite possibly the best Star Trek Episode Ever!!! James Kirk is in prime form, single handedly taking care of buisness withot a ship or a phazer. Spock is out of control. He's blowing up everything in sight. And Oh Scotty is carrying out General Order 24? This episode is my favorite and great to watch even if you're not a star trek Fan.
Rating: -
Armegeddon & Khan!
"A Taste of Armegeddon" is a very well written episode about 2 planets that are fighting a war with computers with real casualties. "Space Seed" See the TOS episode that inspired "Star Trek II"
Rating: -
Two good episodes, a rare find.
You are guaranteed two good episodes when you purchase this DVD. "A Taste of Armageddon" involves a fascinating concept where two rival planets fight their wars using computers. I won't give away how casualties are counted. You might question if Kirk and crew break the Prime Directive, but it won't be the first time. As for "Space Seed", do I really have to tell you why this is a great episode? Genetically engineered humans? How far are we from that now?
Rating: -
Great episodes! Get this DVD for Khan's debut!
If you love Star Trek, you should buy this DVD, which has 2 great episodes of the original Star Trek! I got it just to get Khan's character debut, and if you plan to get 'Star Trek 2:The Wrath Of Khan', this DVD will be VERY IMPORTANT for you! The digital remastering is great, and I am glad that 2 episodes are on 1 disc! The action, suspense, great acting, and 60's Star Trek flavor are all great!
Rating: 
-
Even better now than then!
The first episode, A taste of Armagedeon, was very powerful considering the Vietnam war in the 60's. Historically, the political issues being presented were wonderful! While part of the episode, in a simplified view, seemed like a sophisticated game of Battleship™, the message behind the show was powerful. The second episode, Space Seed, is perhaps even more chilling today than it was 30 years ago. With the genetic revolution within reach, this "Eugenics War" and the sophisticated Khan are more real now than then. Kudos to Roddenberry for having that foresight. The episode allows the viewer to see a different side of the coin of the genetic revoultion. Bottom line, with the superb audio and video transfers, the disc is a must have!
Rating: -
Two classic episodes
One of the real treats about Parmount releasing two episodes of Star Trek per DVD is that the entire series was so good you're guaranteed of at least getting one good episode. But on rare occasion, the unthinkable happens--you get not only two good episodes, but two GREAT episodes on one offering. Such is the case with this Trek DVD.
Both episodes are classics and they both look stunning being remastered.
Of course, Space Seed is probably the most famous episode on the set, namely because it features the first appearance of Khan. The episode itself is what classic Trek is all about--suspense, drama, great characters, well-written dialogue and some nice action. Ricardo Montelban delivers a great performance as the arrogant, superman Khan and Shanter plays off him point for point. And, of course, this episode features one of the all-time great Star Trek bloopers of all time (watch DeForest Kelly's reaction very closely when Khan is first coming out of stasis and Shanter knocks his prop off his belt). Space Seed is simply marvelous--one of the top ten episodes of all time.
Ranking right up there with it is the superb and underrated A Taste of Armageddon. Kirk and company are sent to make contact with a society that fights their war by computers with "casualties" being tallied and herded into disentegration chambers. No sooner have Kirk and Spock beamed down then the Enterprise is declared a war casualty, a set of events that does not agree with Kirk. Kirk must then spend the rest of the episode upping the stakes to save his ship and to stop the war. (Prime directive you ask? We don't need to steeenkin' prime directive!) It's an episode that features the theme of Kirk vs. computer (though not as much as Return of the Archons or the Ultimate Computer) and it also features the recurring theme that if you rank above Kirk most chances are you're either an idiot or gone mad. In this case, it's the Federation ambassador who can't see beyond his limited range and almost gets red-shirted for it. It's a great episode that is still exciting and entertaining to watch today and is certainly looks spectacular on DVD.
These are two superb episodes...and they've never looked better. Episodes like these are why classic Trek has endured to this day. And like great wine, it gets better and better with age.
Rating: -
Video Transfer is excellent, Great 5.1 Dolby Audio
One of the greatest episodes. The video and audio transfer were excellent.
Click here for comments posted by our customers
Apparel-Sitemap 
