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A new JMS message and hint 4/29
- Thread starter Jan
- Start date
A_M_Swallow
Regular
"Racing the Night". When power was transferred from the engines the Excalibur would lurch forward and continue accelerating towards the planet until the tractor beam was destroyed. After destruction inertia would make the Excalibur continue moving towards the planet, with only a small acceleration due to gravity. There will be a race to get the engines back on line before they crashing into the planet. This is mostly a problem with the CGI and will not have appeared in the script.
"The Path of Sorrows". Maybe they went round a few times.
"The Needs of Earth". I cannot remember what they were doing at the time. Spaceships have no problem flying backwards. If they are in orbit they have to maintain speed.
KoshFan
Regular
Maybe this is the best indication that we need more B5 material; we're all sitting around nitpicking.
CE, some good insights about the difference between the small screen and the big. I think a satisfactory director could be found, although I doubt the name will be well-known.
About technical glitches: KoshN, your point about the Excalibur's lack of a speed change could easily be an effects glitch. I haven't seen the episode for myself, but I've noted many times going through B5 itself that sometimes the cast will be saying one thing and the visual shots will be showing another. Classic example: in "Signs and Portents" Sinclair repeatedly gives orders to the StarFuries outside, orders that make sense, but then we cut to an CGI bit of the StarFuries doing something else entirely.
Edit: I see Andrew beat me to it on the CGI issue.
CE, some good insights about the difference between the small screen and the big. I think a satisfactory director could be found, although I doubt the name will be well-known.
About technical glitches: KoshN, your point about the Excalibur's lack of a speed change could easily be an effects glitch. I haven't seen the episode for myself, but I've noted many times going through B5 itself that sometimes the cast will be saying one thing and the visual shots will be showing another. Classic example: in "Signs and Portents" Sinclair repeatedly gives orders to the StarFuries outside, orders that make sense, but then we cut to an CGI bit of the StarFuries doing something else entirely.
Edit: I see Andrew beat me to it on the CGI issue.
Jan
Regular
Wrong. You might not have liked Rangers but other people did. Some liked some parts, others liked different parts. Bottom line is that 'sucked' is your opinion *only* and not a qualitative measurement.
On occasion, JMS has produced something not to my taste. Mostly he far surpasses my hopes so I'll continue to give whatever project he's on my attention and not presume to judge it before it comes out.
Jan
Elenopa
Regular
I agree with you that what does and doesn't 'suck' is very much personal opinion.
I seem to be in the minority in liking 'Grail', 'River of Souls' and 'Grey 17 is Missing' (although that last is a major Marcus episode
). Also I don't particlualy like 'Thirdspace' but that is mainly because it doesn't tie into the fourth season when it is supposed to take place.Just ask your average Trek fan how much he enjoyed Voyager.
Other people liked New Coke, parachute pants and Jherri curls too.
Actually, it's my opinion and it was the consensus of most reviews as well. Other than Ant's lukewarm thumbs-up, I can't even recall a positive Rangers review.
When did I prejudge this new JMS project?
tlsmith1963
Regular
I liked it, too. It definitely wasn't JMS' best, but I'd rather watch Rangers over the latest Trek series or film any day. Plus, Rangers had G'Kar in it. Anything with G'Kar in it is fine with me!
Tammy
Colonyearth:
I am by no means a film expert but as I understand it the LOTR films are presented in a Panavision 2.40:1 aspect ratio.
There is very little difference in size between the 2.35:1 and 2.40:1 aspect ratios and that difference is made smaller because the projected theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 Cinemascope films is closer to 2.40:1 due to matting.
It is therefore logical to assume that the two aspect ratios are used somewhat interchangeably.
I am by no means a film expert but as I understand it the LOTR films are presented in a Panavision 2.40:1 aspect ratio.
There is very little difference in size between the 2.35:1 and 2.40:1 aspect ratios and that difference is made smaller because the projected theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 Cinemascope films is closer to 2.40:1 due to matting.
It is therefore logical to assume that the two aspect ratios are used somewhat interchangeably.
Jade Jaguar
Regular
Well, my ref. book shows Panavision at 2.35:1, and Ultra Panavision at 2.75:1. There is a Super Panavision as well, I think, but I'm not at home to check its aspect ratio. So, I checked the IMDb, and it makes no mention of Panavision for LOTR. It says Arriflex Lenses, not Panavision, and Super 35, 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Here's the link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120737/technical
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120737/technical
KoshN
Super Moderator
"To Live and Die in Starlight" High Points:
<ul type="square">[*] David Martel/Dulann banter
[*] Dulann
[*] "Oh, with you, every day's a good day to die."
[*] Na'Feel (although I do wish JMS hadn't named her so closely to Dureena Nafeel.)
[*] Firell ( What is it with all the "L-ending" names in this pilot? Sheesh!
)[/list]
IMHO, "To Live and Die in Starlight" made The River of Souls look good.
General comment about the tube speed (referring to the Excalibur's transit system in Crusade.) and how long our characters spend conversing in the tube:
I guess the tube travels at whatever speed is necessary for our characters to complete their conversations, and that's just fine. After all, the ship travels at the speed of the plot, which is again A-OK. It's just that when JMS brings in a hard number, it gets me calculating. As a Vorlon/Engineer, I like to bring Order from Chaos, and solve problems and equations. If JMS doesn't give me any numbers to put in my equations (or less than enough numbers to solve), I'm happy. If he gives me numbers and they fit, I'm happy. It's when he gives me numbers and the equations don't balance out, that he gives me a headache.
So we'll fudge this one as a combination of acceleration/deceleration time and "tube moving at the speed of plot."colonyearth
Regular
I'm going to try to touch on several points here and not write another novel as I did yesterday.
First of all...there are two formats, I say again, in standard use today...1.85:1 and 2.35:1. Yes, there is a "wider" format 2.75:1 that is really not in use any longer. Most theatres have standardized to screen the two afore mentioned aspect ratios, so no one shoots in anything else. The projected ratio may often times be more like 2.40:1, but the ratio on the image itself is really 2.35:1.
Please end this portion of the argument as it is really irrelevent. TMoS is either going to be in "Flat" or "Scope." Period. JMS has hinted that it will be in Scope. I hope it is as it will give B5 a large, epic feel and appearance.
I didn't mean to attack people who didn't like LoTR. I had problems with portions of it myself, but I still thought it was good and a great beginning to something I knew JMS would deliver on if it were made into a series. I know pilots are rarely the best intication of how good a series can be as actors are still searching for their characters and such. Once they've been on for while, everyone begins to find their place and begin to build.
As for the bullet car...my statement there was that, though we were told it could travel that fast, that doesn't mean it always traveled that fast. On a short hop, why would it need to? People tell me they're engineers...well, my father is an incredible engineer who just happens to be working on building the first US maglev...in fact he's the one of the designers and the project manager. He also built and was instrumental it the design of the world's largest submarine cavitation channel testing facility, which is ironically locationed here in Memphis. It pumps over a million gallons of water a minute and the propeller and motor (which is two stories tall) don't make a single sound doing it. You can stand next to the motor and not be able to tell it's running. It is truly an engineering marvel. So, I do know some things about the technical. And there was at least one conversation that lasted a while where they were talking about going around and around.
I believe it was KoshN who said the car moves at the speed of the plot. This is what I was referring to when I said that, in the end, it didn't matter if something was technically slightly off if the story and plot are good. Every story, film, series or otherwise, occasionally pushes that willing suspension of disbelief in order to tell a better story. Sometimes it does blow up in the storyteller's face. One such film for me is "Temple of Doom." Now I'm a huge Spielberg fan, but that film pushes my ability to suspend my disbelief a bit too far. So, yes, I can criticize and have problems with filmmakers and writers that I adore. It's just that, while there have been moments or the occasional idea that I didn't think were as good as others, JMS hasn't really done anything that has caused me to loose faith in him yet.
Perhaps, I can sense his feelings on the TV movies and how tired and burnt out he was on CRUSADE and all the issues that were going on there, and how he was feeling with LoTR. While I know JMS loves the B5 universe, I get the feeling LoTR wasn't what he really wanted to do next...and perhaps that carried over somewhat. I don't know...but I do know this...if it had made it to series, JMS would've delivered one hell of series to us. I do not get the impression JMS has it in him to let us down. Everything he does, he's truly trying to please us. And that is something terribly missing in other such examples mentioned here: GL, and that destroyer of passion, Rick Berman. They don't really care what their fans feel or think. They're in it for what they want and for the money alone. While JMS has his own vision and will be true to that...he loves and respects his fans and truly desires to deliver for them.
Why do I rag B&B and GL? Well, they turned their backs on their fans, and they seriously let me down. While LoTR may not have been the best thing in the B5 universe, I wasn't totally offended or let down by it and I know JMS would've made it wonderous if he'd been given the chance. I can't say the same about the others mentioned.
A great point was made and that is that we should all be excited beyond belief and supporting JMS and spreading the word so TMoS is a huge success. Have faith in JMS, he knows what's riding on this and he knows how important this is to his fans. Let the universe attend to itself in that respect and let's look to the future and let our voices ring out: "Babylon 5 endures!" We, the fans, have made sure of that...contention is the past, the future is joined in joy that our beloved friends are returning to us once again.
Peace,
CE
PS: VL what did you mean by
? I'm confruuused. 
GeoKuutio
Regular
I agree with KoshN here. In lotr the story was poor, new "enemies" were poor, characters were average at best, jokes were "medicore" etc. It was a b-class scifi movie. You can watch it, but you don't remember anything about it afterwards. If I wouldn't have been a B5 fan myself, I would have forgotten lotr long time ago, because it doesn't add anything new, it's just too flat lined. It was average at best, nothing more. And the weapon control system sucked big time.
I apparently liked Rangers so much I'm writing a fanfic about it. (Oh, WAIT.. I wanted to make the damned thing better. )
(It's on a little bit of a hiatus until Antony gets around to posting the first revised chapter -- some of the revisions change what I would be writing now if I didn't make them...)
Can't wait for TMOS!!!
)(It's on a little bit of a hiatus until Antony gets around to posting the first revised chapter -- some of the revisions change what I would be writing now if I didn't make them...)
Can't wait for TMOS!!!
KoshN
Super Moderator
From The Path of Sorrows with bold indicating emphasis:
Matheson (to bullet car): Deck 14.
Matheson (to Galen, seated in bullet car): Flight deck's back that way. <indicates a direction>
<Galen continues to stare straight ahead, not looking at Matheson, not responding>
Matheson: I thought you said that you'd be leaving once we got what we came for.
Galen: Yes, ....I did.
Matheson: But, you're not leaving.
Galen: <looks at Matheson> No...I'm just here. We, all of us, have to be somewhere. This place seemed to be as good as any.
Matheson: You mean you've been riding around in here all night?
Galen: <indicates yes>
Matheson: You like going nowhere at 120 miles an hour?
Galen: Of course. That is man's natural condition. .... I was thinking about Matthew's reaction to the object we found. He seems...he seems quite drawn to it.
Matheson: He's curious. I think people like him are born to ask questions.
Galen: That implies a directed universe. There is no planning, no design to our lives.
Matheson: Odd. Given your profession, I figured you'd be the one person who'd believe otherwise.
<Galen gives Matheson an incredulous look, like he couldn't believe how Matheson could think that about him>
Galen: I think this is where I get off, metaphorically, metaphysically and literally. .... But do go on riding. Go around enough times and with any luck, you might come to the same conclusions I have. Good night. <Galen exits the car. Matheson continues on his way.>
Hardly a literal discussion of going around on many trips in the bullet car. It was just a saying, a figure of speech.
A continuation of Crusade was what he wanted to do next. The Sci-Fi Channel just wouldn't go for it without owning a piece of it, and Warner Brothers refused to sell them a piece of it.
A series that would have been a bridge to Crusade's timeframe and given him some ability to tie up some of the loose threads from Crusade.
I...H O P E...that one day, JMS is given the chance.
After seeing it once myself, if it's as good as In the Beginning, I plan on buying the tickets for family and friends, and taking them out to dinner afterwards.
For people that missed out on what all the cryptic hoopla JMS has been spreading is about,and everybody that has gone lost, ain-it-cool- news.com now has this nice summarisation of the story so far: click here
vacantlook
Super Moderator
I think Galen could have meant it to be both literal and figurative, especially since he did say: "I think this is where I get off, metaphorically, metaphysically and literally." If getting off could be both a metaphor and a literal sense, then so could the reference to the riding.
I totally agree, Rangers was not that bad. There was a writer/actor strike that they had to deal with. The overall story was good. It was also a pilot after all. I think it would had been a great story and a great leadin to Crusade... Think about In the Beginning; how many people just thought is was the greatest movie ever made...
A_M_Swallow
Regular
The above conversation would take about 20 seconds to say. Plenty of time to do that in a 70 second round trip.
