Babylon
5: The Complete Series
(1993 - 1998/Warner Blu-ray Set)/Lycan
Colony
(2006/Visual Vengeance)/Wrong
Reasons
(2022/both MVD Blu-rays)
Picture:
B-/C+/B+ Sound: B-/C+/B+ Extras: C/B/B Main Programs:
B-/C-/C+
Babylon
5: The Complete Series
(1993 - 1998) was a surprise hit that marked a transitional period
for science fiction in space TV series, when they got made, and still
has a following to this day. Though it did not do much more to me
than Star
Trek
and the first season of Space:
1999
had pulled off, the idea of the title locale as a 'good ship' single
space station versus the five hostile 'federations' has its
possibilities and uses.
I
was impressed the show was a hit and lasted five seasons at the time,
but it did and having Bill Mumy (Lost
In Space)
was good luck that did not hurt. Maybe it had the room for more
anger than its predecessors and the show is on the cold and robotic
side, but that can be a good thing when you look at wishy washy space
operas and bad science fiction, so I give fans points on that one.
However,
I have looked at the show on and off since its debut and I just could
not get into it, but admit it is at least consistent in what it does
and I at least understand its success. It helps that it was a
somewhat independent production, though it was never too distinct, so
those interested should start at the beginning with the first disc of
this set. As for fans, save any changes to the shows if any, they
have likely already ordered this set.
Now
for playback performance. The 1080p 1.33 X 1 digital High Definition
image includes plenty of upscaling, despite the fact the show was
shot on 35mm Eastman Kodak EXR 500T 5296 color negative film, a solid
film stock in its time used on films like Terminator
2,
Jurassic
Park,
Coppola's Dracula,
Basic
Instinct,
the original Point
Break,
Die
Hard 2
and original Interview
With The Vampire.
This series is so plastered with pre-perfected CGI visual effects,
it is like watching older analog videotape. Finished on much older
D2 450i, professional videotape, that is one of the causes.
That
was and would have been acceptable to audiences at the time the way
low-def series in the genre were accepted over the years like Doctor
Who,
The
Starlost,
Sapphire
& Steel
or Blake's
7
among the classic space-based TV series produced mostly and/or
totally on analog videotape of the day or a little earlier. That
also means it was too expensive for Warner or anyone to try and
upgrade all those effects for this show versus the likes of Star
Trek: The Next Generation,
whose use of CGI was more limited, making it easier to upgrade that
show for Blu-ray, along with some other earlier Trek
revival shows finished on analog or low-def digital back in the day.
Show
at the time like Space
Rangers,
Lexx,
Farscape
and Earth:
The Final Conflict
were produced at the time in a similar way, but note none of them
have the Babylon
5
look. Between limited budgets and how new such production means
were, you can see why we got the results we got. Even early X-Files
episodes have the same means and sometimes, look.
The
result for Babylon
5 is
a show that shows its age, but like those older classics noted above,
lands up having its own special look that no show before or after has
and cheers to the producers and makers for retaining that look as in
all the revivals. That is not an easy thing to do, though the
original Twilight
Zone
produced a few black and white videotaped episodes that managed to
imitate the brilliant, unique, post-Noir look of the rest of the
35mm-shot black and white series. Thus, this is the best we can
expect, but all the shows are on the soft side throughout, though it
sometimes is a little better than the upscaling of PAL videotape on
color Doctor
Who
episodes of the 1970s, but not by much.
As
for sound, the show is on a long list of tens of thousands of TV
shows that were broadcast in stereo, but has Dolby Pro Logic
surrounds, though it is in a sad minority of those who actually have
that fact in their end credits. The older DVD set's lossy Dolby
Digital 5.1 mixes came from these matrixed surrounds and it sounds
like those soundmasters are repeated here. They sound a little weak
as a result and the show will never get any kind of Dolby Atmos/DTS:
X 12-track treatment, but likely sounds as good as it ever will here.
The combinations are an improvement over the very old DVD sets, but
I could not find out by the posting of this review if the episodes
here are the broadcast originals
or the strange DVD versions that featured some re-recorded narration
for some odd reason and alternate theme song openings for certain
episodes. We'll see what fans say soon.
Extras
are few, do not include the three 1998 TV movies, the 1999 TV movie A
Call To Arms,
2002 TV movie The
Legend of the Rangers: To Live and Die in Starlight
or 2007 Lost
Tales
TV mini-series, offers nothing new either, but include The
Gathering,
the telefilm that launched the series (in a very soft 1.78 X 1
presentation) on the bonus disc instead of on Disc One and a preview
trailer for the new 2023 The
Road Home
animated feature film, which you can read more about in our coverage
of the 4K edition at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/16332/Babylon+5:+The+Road+Home+4K
So
the franchise hangs in there, which is great for fans, but this show
is not for everyone, though as compared to the endless Star
Trek
spinoffs or demise of Doctor
Who,
its holding its own well enough.
Lycan
Colony
(2006) is a shot on video ultra low budget indie film that has shows
passion for the Werewolf horror genre and does what it can with the
limited resources that the filmmakers had to work with. The
relatively new cult film Blu-ray label, Visual Vengeance, does a good
job of making the film a noteworthy release with some funny bonus
stuff like a sticker set, an air freshener, and other goodies and a
considerable amount of extras for such a small film.
Being
an indie filmmaker myself, I can plainly see beyond the budget of
films like this because I know what a challenge it is to make
anything, especially a werewolf movie. That being said, Lycan
Colony
is a pretty fun film and has a pretty good soundtrack for a film of
its kind. But isn't a film to expect an abundance of gore and
interesting visual effects. In fact, the special effects are
probably one of the film's weakest points, especially with a teenage
werewolf that looks more like a puppy dog mask than actual werewolf.
Much can't be said for the acting either, which can be pretty cringe
as well. But the heart behind the project is what shines through for
me, and gives it some validity among its many flaws from a filmmaking
perspective.
Lycan
Colony
is presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with an MPEG-4
AVC codec, a fullscreen aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and an English PCM 2.0
Stereo stereo track. Of course, this film isn't going to score high
marks in terms of presentation because the source material was shot
on HD video from the early 2000s on a bare bones budget. That being
said, it looks and sounds as good as it can on this 1080p Blu-ray
release.
Special
Features:
Audio
Commentary with director Rob Roy
Audio
Commentary with Sam Panico of B&S About Movies and Bill Van Ryn
of Drive-In Asylum
New
2022 Interview with director Rob Roy
The
full Rifftrax version of Lycan Colony
Blooper
Reel
Lycan
Colony
Music Video
Original
Trailer
Visual
Vengeance Trailers
Four-page
liner notes / essay by Sam Panico
Collectible
Folded mini-poster
'Stick
your own'
VHS sticker set
Reversible
Blu-ray sleeve
Limited
Edition Slipcase - FIRST
PRESSING ONLY
and
Limited Edition 'New Hampshire Forest Scent' Air Freshener - FIRST
PRESSING ONLY
Lastly,
Kevin Smith co-stars and executive produces Josh Roush's Wrong
Reasons
(2022) which is an interesting indie film with a few recognizable
faces in it. Obviously this was a passion project for Smith to do on
the side with some of his longtime collaborators and worth checking
out if you're a fan of the filmmaker.
The
concept of the film is original and centers on a drugged out punk
rock singer (Liv Roush) whose rock star boyfriend takes advantage of
her in between heavy doses of heroin in their Los Angeles mansion,
and the once prized musician is now stuck in a destructive lifestyle.
One night a masked man abducts the girl while she is passed out on a
drug binge, drives her to a remote location, and chains her to a bed,
forcing her into sobriety over the course of days.
After
she gets her wits about her, the man explains his intention of saving
her by sobering her up, and getting her on a better life path in an
effort to discover her full potential as a musician. Her music
touched him and he feels that others will be affected if only she
could discover her value and self worth. Meanwhile, a corrupt
Detective (Ralph Garman) blackmails her boyfriend in an attempt to
feed the media and get his own slice of fame based on the hype of her
kidnapping. The film is entertaining despite its cast of mostly
unlikable characters.
The
screenplay is interesting and definitely has some themes that make
you think. Some of the dialogue is pretty heavy and a few scenes
definitely have that Kevin Smith-type feel in terms of monologues
where feelings are expressed heavily. I wouldn't say the film is a
classic by any stretch but its fine for what it is.
The
film also stars Daniel Roebuck, Kevin Smith, James Parks, Ralph
Garman, Harley Quinn Smith, and Teresa Ruiz.
Wrong
Reasons
is presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with an MPEG-4
AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.39:1 and a lossless,
English DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) + LPCM 2.0
Stereo soundtrack options. The film looks and sounds pretty good for
an indie on 1080p Blu-ray with no glaring issues.
Special
Features:
Introduction
by Kevin Smith
Feature
length audio commentary tracks with Director Josh Roush, Co-Producer
Matt Rowbottom, Composer Cam Mosavian and Star Liv Roush, plus
Director Josh Roush and Executive Producer Kevin Smith
Q
& A with Writer / Director Josh Roush, Producer / Star Live Roush
moderated by Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman
Deleted
Scenes & Outtakes
Original
Theatrical Trailer
Short
Film from Director Josh Roush: "Idiot
Cops"
and
Reversible Artwork.
-
Nicholas Sheffo (Babylon
5)
and James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/