Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
|
List Price: Our Price: $14.87 You Save: $10.11 (40%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $9.03 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
Movie Review: Challenging, intelligent, a delight to see
Summary: 5 Stars
Before I review of J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5: The Lost Tales recently released directly to DVD, I want to say a word about Babylon 5 (B-5). Yes, I am a fan. I started watching at the prompting of a co-worker who has since moved on to bigger and better things in the service of our country. I watched, and I was intrigued. My first impression was not entirely positive. I thought that it was sci-fi on the cheap, and knee-jerk reaction to Star Trek: Deep Space 9, a show I was back then getting into, Trekkie that I was and continue to be. Some of the wardrobe and the makeup seemed to me exaggerated and ridiculous. This Londo Mollari character, for example, seemed to me out of the court of Louis XIV and this notion of a "republic" led by a monarchic emperor seemed to me contradictory. Yet...there was something about it...and it was the story.
Like Mr. Straczynski has said many times before, B-5 has a beginning, a middle point, and an end. It was a story meant to be told in 5 years. What a story it was. I think it was one of the most intelligent sci-fi shows ever made. Nothing was lost in the dialogue and the characters, they were human, even the aliens, each one extraordinarily gifted and profoundly flawed. They all meshed together and each character grew from their mutual interactions and it was a joy to see.
B-5 was a morality tale, a fight of darkness against the light, of good versus evil; even those who represented evil had a dark aura and those who stood for evil and conflict were able to make a plausible argument for the morality of their actions.
B-5 was deeply spiritual too. A strange work, deeply respectful of all religions and spiritualities, but particularly of Catholicism; a work that has come out from a declared atheist. Straczynski treats religion in general, and Catholicism in particular, with the utmost respect. Several B-5 episodes have a clear Catholic subtheme, for in B-5's universe, the Church survives and still has something to say, unlike in Star Trek and other shows, where religion has been subsumed into a vague mysticism tinged with "spirituality," the thing Hollywood wants us to swallow in order to grow from "superstition" and "fundamentalism" into the light of "tolerance" and "openness." Phoey! I thank God - because there is a God - for Straczynski, a living example proving than an atheist doesn't have to be a sophomoric, pompous jerk towards religion and believing people, that at least one can treat the subject with respect. Eat that, Dawkins, Harris, et al.
In many instances, Catholics have been heroes in B-5, always portrayed in a most positive light, unafraid to face the deep of questions posed by a Universe that is very, very big. Catholic allusions are also galore. Which takes us to these two episodes bundled in this Babylon 5: The Lost Tales DVD. Once again, good faces evil.
The stories are set ten years before the series finale. In the first episode, Over Here, Colonel Lockley, B-5's commanding officer, sends for a Catholic priest to face a a new evil at the station, the kind that only a Catholic priest is qualified to face. What will that be? I can tell you, but then I would spoil it. I will say this: the story resonated with allusions to C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy.
In the second story, Over There, John Sheridan, former B-5 commander and President of the Interstellar Alliance (I.A.), heads to B-5 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the I.A. But then Galen, the technomage, shows him a future in which Earth is destroyed by a sneak Centauri attack, led by a future Emperor who is now Sheridan's own guest. The young man is untested, and he could go either way: he could become a genocidal sociopath but he also shows a surprising openness to good and kindness. What will Sheridan do?
Let me finish by saying this: I love Star Trek, and I own some of the movies, and at least one of the "fan continuum" DVDs. But I own the entire B-5 series, the made-for-tv movies and now this one. I find them intelligent, challenging, and delight to watch. If you haven't seen the B-5 series, that's OK, you don't have in order to understand what's going in Babylon 5: The Lost Tales. Buy them, and get your friends to watch them. You won't be disappointed. And I hope that there is more to come from the mind of J. Michael Straczynski and the Babylon 5 universe.
Movie Review: And so it begins (again!)
Summary: 5 Stars
Quite possibly the most concrete sci-fi TV series of all time is back! This is very exciting for Babylon 5 (B5) fans! If you are new to the series, please check the existing universe of B5 DVDs here at Amazon. Some of the spotlight reviews provide a list of the order in which to start watching.
This is the first in a proposed series of anthology format direct-to-DVD releases. The DVD contains two interwoven stories featuring three B5 universe regulars (Sheridan, Lockley and techno-mage Galen (of Crusade)) and some new characters, including a Centauri Prince.
This had a (working) title of "Voices in the Dark", but I don't see it mentioned on the DVD box cover.
Originally JMS was planning three stories but the two stories ended up getting bigger, so the third story (involving Girabaldi) was postponed for a future release.
Needless to say the decision on how many additional Babylon 5 DVDs to make and how frequently to make them will be partly affected by the sales of this one. So you know what to do, buy early and buy often ;-)
Update 6/1: The official babylon5 website has posted a trailer (yes a trailer!) and two director's blogs under "The Lost Tales movie" segment... The trailer starts quietly but explodes halfway :)
The DVD
=======
Ergonomics: The DVD is easy to slip in and out of the case. It comes out real easy, no need to flex or put pressure on the DVD like some dvd cases have
When you put the dvd in the dvd player and do nothing, playback starts with a two-minute promo for the direct to DVD animated release "Superman Doomsday".
There is one audio track in english and subtitles in english. No other options.
Voices in the Dark
You can watch the two stories together or you can watch them separately. The separate titles are "Over Here" for the B5 story and "Over There" for the Sheridan story.
I don't want to spoil the story or the plot or anything like that but the things I liked:
* nicely done in-movie tributes to G'Kar and Dr Franklin (Beyond the Rim)
* It was so nice to have brand new B5 universe stories!
* A lot of subtle things in the movie were a treat for B5 fans. This shows that special attention was paid to make this true to the B5 spirit, and not yet another shoot'em up in space. Also I appreciated that it did not have the traditional tv/movie mentality of saving-the-world in the last 30 seconds of the show.
* Nice views of B5, and some nice ship views (but never enough!)
* The first story (Lockley/B5) was a bit over the top at times, and Lockley talked a bit too much at times. Not that I am complaining, I'm just pointing it out :)
* The closing lines at the end of the movie could have an additional meaning: you could read into them that they are also talking about future of dvd releases - perhaps :)
Bonus Features
1) Beyond the Rim Memorials for Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar) and Richard Biggs (Stephen), duration: 13 minutes
2) Fireside Chats: JMS answers fan questions on camera (almost 19 minutes)
3) JMS Diaries, production diaries (with some funny moments (eg sock puppets instead of actors)), 21 minutes long
4) Interviews with JMS and the three stars of the dvd (Sheridan, Lockley and Galen), duration: 17 1/2 minutes.
*) Total of bonus features: Around 80 minutes long
Why buy it?
If you are a hardcore B5 fan (and you know who you are), this supports B5 in a way that encourages the masters of the universe to fund JMS for more and more B5 universe projects!
When looking at the price please keep in mind that this is a direct to DVD release, with no TV/cable revenue and no theatrical release revenue. Viewers like us can make a difference by buying it!
Movie Review: Proof That the Story really Matters - B5 is Back
Summary: 5 Stars
It's like finally going home!
I loved how the beginning starts so sad.. so sad.. that a friend told me he turned it off before the beginning credits finished.
But THEN! that's when it all begins.. JMS grabs the calendar and rolls back the years like on the old Star Ship Enterprise Chronometers.. faster and faster into the past.. the visuals are stunning!
Buried like treasure.. into the past the real stories begin.. and with a hint that perhaps the past isn't really as buried as we thought.. and "There are Ways.." in which what was may never be? A hint perhaps that the End of the B5 station was not as certain as it seemed? or seems?
It had a feeling like JMS was exploring possibilities.. how do you march forward when two of the brilliant cast members have passed on? He did it.. he really did..
Make no mistake this isn't like Legend of the Rangers, or Crusade.. this is 100 percent Christopher Franke charged all original Babylon 5 with updated visuals.
Perhaps the eyes of some of the reviews have aged but the FX serve the story, not the other way round. And even then its remarkable how well the new visuals dovetail with the originals.
Can't rate the open credits.. "After" the destruction of the B5 station end the beginning..of the Beginning! you'll be pleasantly surprised.. the End is only where it all starts. All we need is Zathras throwing the switch.. and hang on.
I don't know about anyone else but more than a heart string got tugged when there was Kosh once again.. a future storyline? I can't wait.. can't wait.
The stories.. well the first is so good.. you have to watch it again and again.. layer upon layer of meaning.. just like the originals! The dialog will knock your socks off. Was it Shakesphere.. "More in Heaven and Earth than imagined in your Philosophy?" Apparently JMS found room for both!
The first story will be relevant a year from now or 100 years or more.
The second story was classic Babylon 5, a bit more traditional, easier to grasp.. I lost myself feeling as if it were 1997 all over again and we were still puzzling over the motivations of the shadows.
As for the casting, very well done, of the first guests the delivery of the dialog was immensely important, and the gentlemen did it justice. It was beneficial to constrain the casting to a single recognizable original cast member and use the new.. use the unfamilar so you didn't know where the story was going.. would they survive the episode?
As for the second.. I like the updated Centauri look.. quite menacing.. and Galen was just a joy.. played purely borderline evil. I don't know how JMS does it.. is Galen good, bad, malevolent, or just plain insane?
When the curtain fell.. and the lights came up.. I was left feeling genuinely satisfied.. this was "True" "Real" "Genuine" Babylon 5..
I loved Crusade, and liked Legend of the Rangers.. but they strayed.. they went in new directions defiantly.. Babylon 5 still had stories to be told.. and this just slid right into that space. It's well coordinated and orchestrated.
Someday.. maybe.. Crusade will be completed in a fashion similar to this.. but this is Babylon 5.. its the real deal.
So many stories left.. the Vorlons left behind.. Vir Cotto's reign.. Lennier's trials.. Marcus Cole.. Quantum space.. and.. if the past influences the future.. what happens when time travel into the past lets the past influence the future.. put it this way, if two particles can be quantum entangled across space.. could they be "across time" in both directions?
Oh.
Did I say I highly recommend this movie for B5 fans and people totally unfamilar with B5.. its a good movie and a great buy.
- JTW
Movie Review: Why This DVD makes up for 10 Years of Absence.
Summary: 5 Stars
10 years have passed since the end of Babylon 5 and we (fans) have been fortunate to get another taste of the B5 universe. I have seen a few bad reviews posted here and some of them were writen well before the DVD was even released. Some of the more recent bad reviews since are from a few who managed to see it before the official U.S. release. I have been fortunate to see it a few days early as well.
While I recongnize that everyone is entitled to their opinion, be very skeptical of anyone who claims to be a fan of the Babylon 5 universe and yet still manages to write a bad review of this DVD. Before or after they have seen it.
First of all, the creator (JMS) and the show itself are landmarks in acheivement. JMS wrote about 90% of the show's five seasons, while also managing to keep it on air against greedy network folks, and as I heard it, produced one of the only sci-fi shows to ever repeatedly price out at, or under, its alloted budget constraints. ALL of this and it is still one of the best sci-fi shows ever, both in characters and plot. Farscape faced similar challenges several years later. JMS arguably defeated his Star Trek competition through much better continuity, plot, character devolopment,and story arcs. I never found any continuity errors between the show's episodes or in any of the other B5 media (comics and books).
It it here where I offer my opinion in favor of this DVD.
Yes, it is shorter than two episodes are normally. Yes the production sets are a little spartan. And yes, the two episodes don't add much to the established story-arc.
My point? Who cares! Anyone who is a dedicated fan to Babylon 5 should know it was the story that keep fans returning, not the length or special effects. The story was what made this show great, and what makes this new DVD great.
This DVD shows that JMS can still write and produce a thought provoking and stellar story after all these years, on a budget. I actually think 95% of the sets in these two shows were blue screen and CGI. But hey, if he can come in under budget, that maximizes the studio's profit margin and he can make more stories if the DVD sales are sufficient. Meaning better chances for JMS to produce more DVD stories, some of which may be larger contributors to the established story-arc. Maybe even a new series or spin-off.
I know that it was tried before (Crusade and Legend of...), but the world's taste in entertainment has changed since then. Sci-fi is in the mainstream due to the Matrix Trilogy, Star Wars, all the comicbook movies, and various TV shows (Battlestar, Farscape) in the last decade. Babylon 5 is back, and the consumers are the voice of whether it stays. Buy the DVD.
I would like to see more, and will enjoy this DVD when mine comes. I hope you all enjoy this when you see it.
Movie Review: A step up from Legend of the Rangers
Summary: 5 Stars
Definitely a good B5 disk. The two stories are pretty short, but are good. They remind me of what a good Twilight Zone ep might be like if done now. I know that sounds weird when talking about Babylon 5, but the two stories had elements of the supernatural as well as psychological and philosophical aspects. These were the kinds of stories I would have liked to have seen in shows like the new Outer Limits or that new Masters of Science Fiction series. Oh yeah... it felt like the old Babylon 5 all over again.
The CG effects are definitely updated. The B5 station never looked so good. Same goes for a bunch of other standards like the Starfury, Centauri Cruiser and cargo shuttles. There is a lot of CG backdrops, but at the same time you did get a few live sets as well. All in all a very respectable showing for what it likely a small production budget.
You get three interview reels. The one with Bruce Boxlietner and JMS is kinda lame and doesn't give too much insight. The interview with Tracy Scroggins was great. It wasn't an interview at all. It was Tracy introducing the crew in a sweet and entertaining way. Reminds me of Claudia Christian's documentary they shown on TNT during the height of the B5 craze. The interview with Woodard and JMS was more informative than Bruce's and entertaining.
They have a tribute sort of interview with the cast for both Andreas and Richard that was pretty heartwarming for just being interviews. I even felt a little choked up listening. I miss those guys.
Production featurettes aren't bad, but I can't help but feel they ramble on. At least you get to see pieces of how the show was put together. These featurettes include some strange running gag about sock puppets... quaint.
Finally there is the fireside chats (okay... no cracks about the name) with JMS. He basically answers questions that were sent to him during production. They are short and kinda to the point. Better than the production shorts.
Oh yeah... for some reason there is this lengthy preview about an upcoming cartoon about the death of Superman. Interesting on its own, but feels way out of place.
This is definitely a DVD for Babylon 5 fans. If you're not familiar with the show I think you still may be able to enjoy these shorts... you just won't know the history behind much of the non-essential dialog.
So that's my impression. Definitely NOT like Legend of the Rangers (that was a very weak attempt). Definitely BACK to what B5 was good at. Go buy the disk already