B5 Movies Box Set opinions? (1 Viewer)

[Michael Sliger]

was probably more of a real event to me than to those who watched Season 2 in its initial airing.

 

[Chris Roberts]

Particularly if I was watching the show for the first time on DVD and due to the way its hyped (i.e. "details throughout the first season mean something later") I would never forget what Kosh said. Maybe that's just me though.
I have seen both versions and they aren't even that different. I always thought the re-edit was unnecessary.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

In the original many of the characters that are dropped are given characteristics that were later applied in the actual show. JMS didn't want to repeat himself with 2 people illegally using the hydroponics bay, etc.

 

[George_W_K]

Well, I just finished watching The Gathering with the commentary on and I have to say that the picture is 95% than the original two movie DVD. Only a couple of scenes look like they weren't touched, for whatever reasons. Overall, I am happy so far. The commentary was terrific. There was some interesting things talked about, and a little bit of humor too.

I listened to a little bit of the DD soundtrack and it didn't really sound all that different than the Pro-Logic of the original DVD, as far as I can recall. Maybe I was just expecting more.

I am glad I bought the set so far. I haven't seen three of the last four movies yet, so hopefully I'll enjoy them. I'm sure I will, though.

 

[nolesrule]

I finished going through the set, and all the commentaries are excellent. The disc 5 featurette was a short and is really more of a fluff piece. I enjoyed all 5 films.

As for the Gathering, I've seen both versions. I still have the original on VHS from the Columbia House VHS partial-release of the series. It is the only pre-recorded VHS tape that I still own. I need to transfer it to DVD before the tape deteriorates so I don't lose it.

The two versions of the Gathering are miles apart. Pacing, characterizations and fludity of plot are much improved in the recut. In addition, the Stuart Copeland score is replaced by a much more appropriate B5-esque Christopher Franke score.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Except that the scene where we find out the X.O. was growing coffee in hydroponics was omitted from the original cut and restored in the re-edit. So "not repeating himself" obviously isn't the reason for that change. (And, of course, at the time the original cut was assembled JMS didn't know that he would have a different character and actor as second in command in the series. So that also couldn't be the reason he cut the coffee business from the original edit.)

Regards,

Joe

 

[Jason_V]

I've only been able to sit through Thirdsapce and RoS once each...and that was their initial broadcast. They're slow, pedantic and not terribly interesting to me. I think they're the main reasons I haven't gotten this set yet.

 

[Ric Easton]

I do think that "The Legend of the Rangers" should have been included in the set. Since a series was never developed, it would have been a nice addition to the B5 movie collection.

Ric

 

[George_W_K]

Well, yee haw! My disc 2 is scratched. I survived the loose disc syndrome for the first five sets, but not this time. I made it to an hour and 14 minutes until In The Beginning wouldn't play anymore. So, I switched to my old flipper and lo and behold the picture on the new disc is tons better. However, the sound was a little bit better on the flipper. Maybe because the Pro-Logic II soundtrack had more surround action than the new DD is why I am getting that impression. Anyone else compare these? Anyway, even with the improved video, I feel this release was just an afterthought.

Joe D.:

Are you sure the coffee part wasn't in the original cut? I thought I remember that from the original airing. My mind is probably playing tricks on me.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Or maybe mine is. Since I've never seen the original cut I'm going by my recollection of discussions from around the time the re-edit debuted, especially some of JMS's post and a scene-by-scene comparison that one fan posted on the 'net. I'm pretty sure the contraband coffee scene was one of the "character moments" that was mentioned as being cut by the original director and restored in the recut.

The Lurker's Guide to "Babylon 5", for instance, in discussing plot points and other features in TG, flags items that are unique to the special edition (or which appear only in the original) The plot threads of the doctor's stim use and the XO's illicit coffee plant (which were both transferred to the characters who replaced them) are marked "special edition".

BTW, another fairly big difference between the two is Tamlyn Tomita's entire performance. A WB exec (now mercifully no longer with the studio) decided that the character came off "too strong" and insisted that the actress loop all of her dialogue to "soften" the performance. When the movie first aired she came in for a lot of criticism for a wimpy and just somewhat "odd" and flat performance. (Because looped dialogue almost always sounds odd and flat.) When they recut the film all of the previously omitted scenes had her original dialogue tracks recorded "on the day" because they had been cut before she did any looping. JMS and company located the original sound stems for the rest of her scenes are restored her original performance to the re-edited film.

Regards,

Joe

 

[David Williams]

edited - rehash of what Joe said in the above post. :b

New material:

I'd bet a nickel that the Legend of the Rangers movie is being saved to help fill out the Crusade set.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

LOL, David! Apparently great minds do think alike. And your location, ...certain reaches of John Adams' mind..., certainly proves that you have a great mind. ("Oh Abagail, Abagail. I have such a desire to knock heads together...")



Regards,

Joe

 

[TheLongshot]

Well, the new cut is improved solely by removing the "alien zoo" and the cone of silence. That was a bunch of cheese that never should have been there in the first place.

Jason

 

[Sam Favate]

Just got mine yesterday and haven't watched any of it yet, but I am pleased to say that for the first time ordering a B5 set (and I ordered all five seasons) by mail, I got a set with no floaters and no scratched discs!

 

[Scott-L]

I think I've got the weirdest flaw so far. My booklet is cut wrong! Instead of it being cut vertically as it should have been, the cut starts at the top and then goes diagonally down and finishes near the middle in the bottom. Someone at QA was asleep at the wheel on this one. Overall, A nice addition to the TV series sets (once I swap out my defective one of course).

 

[MarkHarrison]

I'll take that bet. It would be far more out of place on the Crusade set than the movie set. Unless they label it Babylon 5: Miscellaneous. In fact I'll see your nickle and raise you a dime.

 

[Sam Favate]

Any word on the Crusade box and when we can expect it? I wonder if it will come in the same kind of box package with a big "B5" on the spine?

 

[todd s]

Ric,

Are you planning to make a case for the B5 movie set that matches your season covers??

 

[DaveGTP]

I'm too broke to get the movie box set :frowning: Closing on our house purchase on Sep 3rd. Need the money. I might still find a way to squeeze it into the budget in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Ric Easton]

Yep, give it a week or two. I'm waiting for some ship renders from a friend.

Ric