BABYLON 5: THE LOST TALES

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BABYLON 5: THE LOST TALES

April 3rd 2010 18:15

Category: Videos

Created by J Michael Straczynski
Director: J Michael Straczynski
Written by: J Michael Straczynski
Producer: Sara (Samm) Barnes
Starring; Bruce Boxleitner (President John Sheridan), Tracey Scoggins (Colonel Locksley), Peter Woodward (Galen), Alan Scarfe, Bruce Ramsay, Kegan Macintosh & Teryl Rothery
Produced by: Warner Brothers
Released by: Warner Brothers Entertainment
Running Time: 69 minutes Rating: PG

This particular gem I managed to find on the shelf at the local video store at the same time I picked up the movie Whiteout. Now I have been a big fan of the original television series when it first aired on Australian television oh so many years ago at a fairly reasonable time as well – 7.30 pm on a Saturday night if memory serves me correctly, ah what wonderful halcyon days. This was a time of unparalleled excellence in regards to the showing of a science fiction show at a prime time slot, although unfortunately it didn’t last, another network bought the rights and then proceeded to consign the series to an ungodly hour as was its wont with any sci fi shows it got its greedy grubby little hands on . When the show was first aired I can remember a good friend of my Julian telling me that a lot of the special effects were done on Amiga computers – this was back in the day when the Amiga PC was all the rage. I still have my original Amiga gather dust somewhere…

So just what exactly is Babylon 5: The Lost Tales all about? What has the eternal emerald gaze of the Green Lantern discovered in being cast upon this particular work? Patience dear audience, patience is what I counsel as I suspect there are those of you out there who never before heard of the series that spawned this particular feature and thus would be floundering if I just jumped strait into things. The original Babylon 5 was a series that was centred on an unfolding story that involved a space station out in an area of space situated between the various territories carved out by numerous interstellar powers and dominions. The rationale behind building this particular station was too promote a degree of harmony and peace between rival states and regimes – sort of like an interstellar UN. That was the goal and rationale, but like so many things in life it didn’t turn out the way it was initially hoped.

Instead Babylon 5 went from being a means of promoting better relations between various species, to the last best hope against an encroaching darkness of epic proportions, to the stronghold of those fighting against the oppression of a tyrannical Earth and finally the bastion of a new interstellar alliance that would hopefully bring in a golden age for all concerned. Quite an achievement for a single space station, still over five seasons worth of television viewing the unfolding drama that occurred was fantastic, tight, taut and immensely entertaining. J Michael Straczynski certainly demonstrated his immense skills and talents in creating, often directing and writing the episodes for this series and he has been aided by a superb cast of actors who have breathed life into his creation.
If the series has ever had a central theme that can easily be elucidated it would seem to be that in spite of any darkness or despair in life these things can be overcome. It won’t necessarily be an easy thing but it doesn’t mean that there is no hope, no possibility for the light at the end of the metaphorical tunnel to become day. It’s so rare to find uplifting shows that the uplifting quality to their drama isn’t promoting some kind of obscure agenda and Babylon 5 has been such a show and continues to be such a show. But getting down from my soapbox I have no doubt that you want to know just what is going on story wise here, otherwise what would be the point of this review in the first place.
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales is broken into two parts, or one could say two episodes, the first one focused around the character of Colonel Locksley and the second centred on President John Sheridan. Each story has within it the focus of a moral dilemma, both of which concern matters of faith and morality and both of them focused on a key character whose emergence onto the scene has the potential for dramatic, catastrophic consequences. In the story featuring Colonel Locksley she is confronted with a member of station staff, who after returning from a holiday on Earth has come back to the station possessed – literally. We are talking about the genuine deal here, demonic possession although this particular kind doesn’t’ involve head spinning and projective vomit. It does involve bending the laws of physics though in a rather spectacular manner. Of course when she is confronted with the conundrum the good colonel turns to the faith to handle this matter or at least give her some kind of advice.
The second part of this DVD involves President Sheridan making a return to the station he once commanded as part of a ten year anniversary celebration of the foundation of the Interstellar Alliance. He is in a somewhat reflective mood, pondering on events and no doubt engaging in some fond reminiscing. All this starts to go pear shaped when en route to Babylon 5 from Minbar he receives a visitation from the enigmatic techno mage Galen ably played by Peter Woodward. He presents the president with an ethical dilemma, one of the guests he is about to take to the anniversary celebrations has the potential to become a tyrant on an epic scale, someone who in thirty years time will rain down technological hellfire and damnation upon the surface of the Earth. It seems that one way of preventing this catastrophe would be to kill this individual before he can become the tyrant of the future, the blight upon the galaxy bringing forth terror and carnage. It’s the old ethical dilemma of the death of one preventing the death of billions if not trillions but then what price morality? What price conscience?
When the dust finally settled I found that I had enjoyed watching this feature, it was pure pleasure on a level that I have not felt for some time. If like me you’re a fan of Babylon 5 then you have to see if your local video shop has a copy of this DVD, if you’re not a fan still give this a go, I think you’ll find it interesting and entertaining and perhaps you might be interested in watching more of the show. Definitely worth giving a go.

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