Revisiting the Babylon 5 movies...

[Warped9]

I've seen each of the B5 films only once, when they were originally aired. "The Gathering" pilot is an exception where I saw it quite sometime after being introduced to the series and I had missed it initially.

Yesterday I picked up the movie collection, all five TV films in one package, to complete my B5 dvd collection.

The films are: The Gathering, In The Beginning, Thirdspace, The River Of Souls and A Call To Arms. Today I've just finished watching The Gathering.

This isn't quite the same pilot I remember. The pilot I recall had many familiar elements yet it also had quite a few rough spots. There were subtle differences in the Earth Alliance uniform (which one could rationalize as periodic modification in uniform design). The more drastic differences are in some of the alien makeup appearances, most notably the Minbari and Narn looks. This more than anything I find a bit jarring as I tried to reconcile the familiar character voices with the different appearances.

The other difference (as explained by JMS in a short feature commentary) is that this version of The Gathering is a re-edited cut with footage put back in that was initially deleted. The result is it still doesn't feel like the familiar B5 series, but it's closer and the story seems to move along more smoothly.

I find some of the acting a little stiff while I think Michael O'Hare comes off better than remembered. I find some of the writing awkward as well.

I'd hazard to say you really don't need to see The Gathering before starting into the series with Season 1, but it does lay a fair amount of groundwork for what's to come although much of which is reiterated in the first season itself.

My biggest surprise was seeing the actor who later portrays Mr. Morden as one of the station's C&C crew with a speaking role to boot. I also swear I saw Lou Welsh alongside Garibaldi in one scene. (-:

My biggest beef with The Gathering is its pacing. I just find it too slow.

Next up is In The Beginning.

 

[Kegg]

No Legend of the Rangers or The Lost Tales, eh?

In the Beginning is really the only Babylon 5 movie I'd go out and defend. But candidly it is simply one of the best things the franchise ever did, and on my rewatch of the franchise it still held up surprisingly well; though I had my issues with it as well (mostly, the new details added to the Earth-Minbari war in the film often seem a trifle extraneous, it's at its best when covering ground we already know).

That it has one of Londo Mollari's best speeches doesn't hurt. That's one of my very favourite Babylon 5 moments.

Stuff like this makes the whole series worth it.

 

[Lindley]

So I take it you've already got Legend of the Rangers and The Lost Tales?

 

[John Clark]

That it has one of Londo Mollari's best speeches doesn't hurt. That's one of my very favourite Babylon 5 moments.

Stuff like this makes the whole series worth it.

I loved the background music in that part too.

I found something to enjoy in almost all the movies. In the Beginning had to be my favourite of all of them though.

 

[shivkala]

There's no denying that In the Beginning is epic and wonderful, but I also really liked A Call to Arms, though one could conceivably consider it a pilot for Crusade. It was, in my opinion, the second best TNT movie (damning with faint praise, I know).

Thirdspace was defined by the fact that even the characters decided to never speak of it again.

 

[Warped9]

I've just finished watching In The Beginning. In its own way it works better as a pilot for the series except that I think it offers up too many spoilers for the seasons that aired before the movie was made. Because of that I'd recommend not watching ITB until you've watched at least the first three seasons of the series. That said ITB can serve as a good introduction to the B5 universe if someone is contemplating getting into the series.

ITB certainly feels more familiar as a B5 story. It feels like an extended episode yet well done. Of course there are details to it that make The Gathering seem inconsistent with the rest in terms of costume design (EA uniforms) and Narn and Minbari makeup.

Whereas I'd give The Gathering a 3 out of 5 I'd give In The Beginning a 4.5

Note: I will eventually get Crusade and The Lost Tales, but what I rember of Legend Of The Rangers I'll pass.

 

[shivkala]

I always felt that In the Beginning was a nice "gift" to fans who've stuck with the show. It definately works better having seen the first four seasons (especially season four's "Atonement") than it would going into the show cold.

 

[Kegg]

I can't blame you for skipping Legend of the Rangers, but I for one don't consider it much worse then say, River of Souls... but then, what does that say what I think of River of Souls?

I loved the background music in that part too.

Also a rare time I can cite a really nice, even poetic, CGI visual: The starfuries balletically weaving towards their doom.

In the Beginning might work better knowing the series, but it also works far better as an introduction then The Gathering. It was the first B5 thing I saw, and basically is why I could tolerate the long dark of the first season, pretty much.

There's no denying that In the Beginning is epic and wonderful, but I also really liked A Call to Arms, though one could conceivably consider it a pilot for Crusade. It was, in my opinion, the second best TNT movie (damning with faint praise, I know).

I sort of liked how DnD it was (the mage, the rogue, the quest, oh my); but I'd be lying if I said I liked it all that much. Really, after In the Beginning I can give the movies a pass. There are things I liked about The Lost Tales and The Gathering, but that's about it.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

Yes, "In the Beginning" is the best of the bunch, followed by "A Call to Arms".

"The Gathering" and "Thirdspace" are kind of average.

"The River of Souls", "The Legend of the Rangers", and "The Lost Tales" suck.

 

[Warped9]

I'm about halfway or so through Thirdspace (had to break for dinner) and so far I think it's not bad. Of course it feels authentically B5 with its story set between the end of the Shadow war and before the campaign to retake Earth.

So far the only thing I thought out of place was Zack's confession of his feelings to Lyta all the while she doesn't hear a word.

It feels like authentic B5 yet in an odd way it's also like a Trek story rather than B5, probably because of the angle of exploring something unknown.

 

[Pemmer Harge]

The Gathering isn't great as a pilot. I've only seen the original cut - one of the things I most remember is the cheesy music. Thank heavens they hired Christopher Franke for the series proper.

In the Beginning is much better. Indeed, it's a damn good TV film. I must say I'm in the camp that says it shouldn't be watched until at least after Season 4 - for one thing, the Londo scenes will mean a lot more if you've seen the series beforehand.

The others, I haven't seen yet, but I do now own a box set with Thirdspace, River of Souls and A Call to Arms, largely because I want to see Thirdspace, but I imagine I'll watch the others eventually.

 

[Kegg]

I like the Lovecraftian vibe of Thirdspace, but I do also feel that - even in spite of the inspiration lifted from that classic writer - the whole story treads a little too close to the Shadow mythology for comfort, particularly with their backstory regarding the Vorlons.

It's another ancient darkness better left unknown and forgotten; if not exactly 'Shadows Mark II lol' that is the Hand from Legend of the Rangers; it's definitely sorta similar.

That said, definitely one of the better films, got some nice atmospheric material, the only major flaws are evident in the final act (cf: Sheridan saves the universe!)

 

[OmahaStar]

So far the only thing I thought out of place was Zack's confession of his feelings to Lyta all the while she doesn't hear a word.

Yeah. Not naming names, but someone thought the script was too long, so stuff was cut. Then during filming, that same someone frantically went to jms and said "We're gonna be short, we need more!" ... jms wrote that scene, it was given to the actors (Jeff and Pat) to memorize overnight, and they filmed it the next day. It had to be much easier for Pat to memorize, since during the whole scene, she's just repeating what Zach/Jeff is saying, a few beats later.

 

[Warped9]

Okay, just finished Thirdspace. It's okay as more straight up adventure with an eerie mood to it. But we don't really learn much and it doesn't really add anything to the overall story arc that is the five seasons of the series.

I thought it was funny how Sheridan was jetpacking through all these combating ships and never even had one close call of being hit by debris or stray weapons fire.

And I felt it all wrapped up a bit too quickly.

I'd give a 3.5 out of 5.

 

[Warped9]

I've heard of people criticizing The River Of Souls, but I actually rather liked it. Like Thirdspace it feels like a protracted episode, but I thought it was done a bit better. And I appreciated some of the humour. My one criticism is that it felt underpopulated so to speak. Unlike during the series the station didn't feel as full of people with extras in public places and walking through the background. It gave Lochley a little more focus unlike her presence in the fifth season.

Like Thirdspace this is pretty much a standalone story with little relevance to the "big" story of B5. Still, it is a welcome story from a time after Sheridan and other main characters have left the station. It's also interesting that like in Thirdspace it's about a race that considered itself infallible leaving a mistake for someone else to clean up.

I'd rate it a little higher than Thirdspace with a 4 out of 5.

 

[Kegg]

On the subject of the River of Souls, but in general, it bugs me when JMS has characters belonging to a vaguely amorphous organization populated by prissy people who refer to it as 'their Order', as if order with a capital O explains the whole thing. The Technomages, the Soul Hunters, the Holy Grail seekers, call it an Order and the institutional problems just vanish in the wind... and he just really seems to like jumping on that bandwagon. Order this, order that. Being a sage means belonging to Fransican Lite and taking portentously.

But seriously, what are the Soul Hunters? Is this entire species dedicated to soul hunting? Can only this species be dedicated to soul hunting? Or are there others of this species and we just see the racially-exclusive members of this Order? Feh.

One of the many good calls of In the Beginning was just plain skipping the Soul Hunters trying to steal Dukhat's soul because, quite candidly, they were never a great idea. There's a gem of a good sci-fi story in this film somewhere, but the writing, acting and pacing doesn't quite get it there... and the whole holodeck subplot - as racy as it might have thought itself - felt like a tame, defanged episode of Lexx.

 

[Warped9]

Having just finished watching A Call To Arms I still think it the best of the B5 movies. It's fine as a standalone story and good as a series pilot for Crusade. It's ironic that The Gathering was a mediocre pilot that launched a great series while A Call To Arms is quite a good pilot that launched a stumbling short lived series.

My one real criticism is the film's music. I missed Christopher Franke's scoring. The music in A Call To Arms left me unmoved for the most part. It just came across as mostly techno noise.

I'd like to have seen some of the other series characters (I miss Ivanova), but otherwise I quite like this film even if it isn't perfect. As such I give it an even rating as In The Beginning of 4.5 even though I like A Call To Arms a bit better.

 

[Mal]

Note: I will eventually get Crusade and The Lost Tales, but what I rember of Legend Of The Rangers I'll pass.

for now, you can watch The Lost Tales online, for FREE!

 

[Warped9]

It's ironic that The Gathering was a mediocre pilot that launched a great series while A Call To Arms is quite a good pilot that launched a stumbling short lived series.

Thinking about this further A Call To Arms could be thought of as not really a proper pilot. Yes, the scenario for Crusade is set up at the end, but Dureena and Galen are the only returning characters. Oh, the actress who played the helmsman on the Excalibur would return (I believe) as the new ship's doctor, Dr. Chambers.

One of the other things I like about A Call To Arms and Crusade's concept as well as some of its execution is it felt like something of an update of Star Trek's kind of space adventure.

 

[Pingfah]

I can't blame you for skipping Legend of the Rangers, but I for one don't consider it much worse then say, River of Souls... but then, what does that say what I think of River of Souls?

At least River of Souls didn't have that weird floating in space virtual combat machine, that was hands down one of the silliest and worst executed concepts I have seen in B5.