Babylon 5 - DVD Movie Collection thread

[Dr Maturin]

Good speculation, JDM. And don't forget the rumored novels. Imagine the politcal thrillers we could have on our hands.

[CRONAN]

Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino
, that Byron was (by design) rather full of himself and annoying...........

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I completely disagree with you on this point. Unless you have a post from jms himself saying his character was, from day one, always meant to be 'rather full of himself and annoying', then there is absolutely no basis for the assertion whatsoever.

Personally, I found Byrons character to be rather insightful, with a strong personality and admirable leadership qualities. Of course, that is only my opinion, and by no means a fact.

[WalkingEagle]

Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino
Well, I'm burning through the set. I recently restarted watching the series in chronological order again ("A Voice in the Wilderness" in S1, which I interupted to check out the movies), so I'm well up on ItB and TG. I went straight to the commentaries on that one. Then I skipped to The River of Souls sort of on the theory that you should eat your broccoli first and get it out of the way, so you'll enjoy your entree and desert more. (Although nowadays I'm quite fond of broccoli.) Anyway, when it debuted I didn't like the film, and have never really watched it since. I thought it the poorest of the lot, and if I happened to stumble across it in progress I might leave it on as "background music" (and to wait for the holo-Lochley scenes to come on) but didn't pay it much attention.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. It is really a much better film than I remembered. Martin Sheen's performance seems much less mannered and odd to me now, especially once his character starts to get a handle on English, I enjoyed the humor and the whole thing seemed better paced. I liked it even better when I watched it again tonight, this time with the subtitles and the commentary track. I'm really looking forward to Thirdspace now, since I had previously ranked that much better than TRoS but behind A Call to Arms.

Regards,

Joe

LMAO!!!

You are about to fry all your synapses! I spent sunday watching all the movies. I LOVE THEM!!! Then just like you I went back to my box sets of the seasons. MY GOD THE SERIES WAS GREAT!!! After seeing the movies I now see the series in a different light.

THANK YOU JMS!!!

[WalkingEagle]

Originally posted by NotKosh
Watching A Call To Arms I had forgotten the initial newscast. It puts the Telepath "Crisis" as ending recently by 2278. To me that would mean around 6 months...

That newscast was also cut off. She was about to mention the name of someone... could that someone have been Bester?

[Leto II]

Er...no, that wouldn't be Bester.

He's a wanted war criminal by the time of "A Call to Arms," and given what's said about his deeds in the war from the third "Psi Corps" novel, I highly doubt anyone in EarthGov'd be erecting a monument to him anytime soon.

[Laiden]

Crusade

I listened (bits and pieces) of the Call to Arms Commentary, and heard a little bit more about the Crusade Series.

JMS said that the Excalibur would have found a cure by the middle of the second season and that there would be larger things going on that the series would go another direction and that it would also be a 5 season series. Knowing that makes me wish that the series continued . . . I thought after hearing that, "I would have liked to see that."

[WalkingEagle]

Originally posted by Leto II
Er...no, that wouldn't be Bester.

He's a wanted war criminal by the time of "A Call to Arms," and given what's said about his deeds in the war from the third "Psi Corps" novel, I highly doubt anyone in EarthGov'd be erecting a monument to him anytime soon.

So who was she going to say before it was cut off?

Also in CALL TO ARMS there is an error at the end when Sheridan says that there are races as old as the Shadows who may have a cure for the plague. All the "first ones" have gone from the universe with Lorien.

[Jan]

Originally posted by WalkingEagle
So who was she going to say before it was cut off?

If there's a finish to that sentence, it's only in JMS' mind. The script cuts off at the word 'including'.

Also in CALL TO ARMS there is an error at the end when Sheridan says that there are races as old as the Shadows who may have a cure for the plague. All the "first ones" have gone from the universe with Lorien.

He's speaking in past tense; "We know there were other races as old as the Shadows...One of them must have found a cure. " My thinking is that he was setting up the archeological nature of Crusade.

Jan

[Joseph DeMartino]

I'm reasonably sure that the name that gets lost in the static in that ISN broadcast is Lyta's.

And Jan is right - JMS most certainly didn't make a mistake. Sheridan speculates that the Shadows must have used such plagues in the past, and that some of the First Ones must have developed a cure for them. His idea is to explore their abandoned homeworlds and colonies for clues to such things, not to walk up to them and ask. He knows that they're gone.

Bester is still alive and well in 2266 and he has many in years in hiding and - after - ahead of him at this point.

Regards,

Joe

[WalkingEagle]

Originally posted by Jan
[B]If there's a finish to that sentence, it's only in JMS' mind. The script cuts off at the word 'including'.



He's speaking in past tense; "We know there were other races as old as the Shadows...One of them must have found a cure. " My thinking is that he was setting up the archeological nature of Crusade.

Jan

Interesting... an archeological dig. But that will in reality take a LONG TIME. But being that this is fiction JMS would have to come up with a storyline that will show that there is knowledge of a cure. The older races like the Minbari would have heard of something. Even the Narn would have heard something.

I've never seen the CRUSADES. When it comes out on DVD I will get it.

[WalkingEagle]

Lyta... that would be sad and a waste since she has all that added talent the Vorlons gave her. I liked her alot. Even when she went ballistic. Yes, it would all be in JMS' mind. And he's not talking. Since there is no mention of her or Bester, I wonder if she ever got rid of the block that Bester put in Garibaldi's mind. Also did she give her DNA to G'Kar. lol!!

Also would it be better to contact Draal on Epsilon III to find out if there is a cure? The problem with going to the planets of the old ones is that those planets have defenses. Sigma 957 is also off limits just like the Vorlon homeworld.

But there could be the worlds of those who supported the Vorlons and others. Great Questions. Exciting answers too.

[Jan]

Originally posted by WalkingEagle
Interesting... an archeological dig. But that will in reality take a LONG TIME. But being that this is fiction JMS would have to come up with a storyline that will show that there is knowledge of a cure. The older races like the Minbari would have heard of something. Even the Narn would have heard something.

I've never seen the CRUSADES. When it comes out on DVD I will get it.

Not just AN archeological dig, many - sort of. It's not much of a spoiler to tell you that what Sheridan said is what happened. The Rangers went out looking for clues and the Excalibur followed them up.

Minor nit: Crusade. No 's'.

Jan

[WalkingEagle]

Originally posted by Jan
Not just AN archeological dig, many - sort of. It's not much of a spoiler to tell you that what Sheridan said is what happened. The Rangers went out looking for clues and the Excalibur followed them up.

Minor nit: Crusade. No 's'.

Jan

I remember him saying that and that the Excalibur will come at the time of humanity's greatest need. Excalibur did indeed go out looking for help and with the hope of finding a cure. Obviously it was successful because SLEEPING IN LIGHT which takes place 20 years later proves it. Earth was alive and well.

btw, the pathos of the scene of the plague spreading throughout the atmosphere is quite memorable. Especially the look on Sheridan's face. I really enjoyed A CALL TO ARMS.

[AmyG]

Since there is no mention of her or Bester, I wonder if she ever got rid of the block that Bester put in Garibaldi's mind.

You might want to read the Psi Corp trilogy if you're interested to know about this...

btw, the pathos of the scene of the plague spreading throughout the atmosphere is quite memorable. Especially the look on Sheridan's face. I really enjoyed A CALL TO ARMS.

I think that was an incredibly effective scene, too. Attesting to the power of the imagery, I felt much the same watching the World Trade Center collapse on television back in September of 2001. A feeling of sick horror, and and the dull weight of inevitability.

Aisling

[snodman]

There actually is an Easter egg, sort of....

In the director's audio track from the first movie (the recut version of the pilot) JMS and the series' art director do the voice over. Near the end of the movie John Iacovelli mentions to JMS that three guys who were in the art department (and had worked on just about every other Sci Fi show as well since they were well known in the industry for building Sci Fi props) had placed a special prop in several episodes. The three guys were known as the Woodland Creatures, and were named Bear, Dragon and Dark (only one of those names is a nickname, by the way). Iacovelli noticed something sitting on a desk during a shot and asked what it was. The Woodland Creatures told him it was "the Thing". Supposedly, "the Thing" has appeared in almost every Sci Fi TV series. JMS was #1 VERY surprised and #2 VERY curious about "the Thing". Iacovelli never would tell JMS (on mike, at least) just what it was other than to say it is smaller than a bread box and larger than a Coke can. JMS refers to "the Thing" again in a post this week to the B5 newsgroup.