• The new B5TV.COM is here. We've replaced our 16 year old software with flashy new XenForo install. Registration is open again. Password resets will work again. More info here.

WB flash B5 DVD ad, with some info about DVDextras

Lord Refa

Beyond the rim
I just got this from my favourite B5-news site, B5 Spoiler Junkies :

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Warner Home Video has a neat little Flash ad about the Season 1 set. Check it out here. (Big thanks to John Edwards!) [Mon Aug 12, 2002]

[/quote]

The flash ad has some info about the extras. We'll get 2 B5 documentories, and something they call a station tour.
I assume the Region 2 release has the same special features.
 
Is this a final list do you think?

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
YOU'LL JOURNEY THROUGH AN INTERSTELLAR ARRAY OF SPECIAL FEATURESTHAT WILL BLOW YOU AWAY!

- ALL-NEW DIGITAL WIDESCREEN TRANSFERS
- SOUNDTRACK REMASTERED IN DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1
- INTRODUCTION AND AUDIO COMMENTARY ON 2 KEY EPISODES BY SERIES CREATOR J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
- "BEHIND BABYLON 5" DOSSIER OF DOCUMENTARIES: "THE MAKING OF BABYLON 5" AND "BACK TO BABYLON 5"
- ENTER "THE WORLD OF BABYLON 5": TAKE A STATION TOUR AND EXPLORE THE HUMANS, ALIENS, POLITICAL SITUATIONS, SCIENTIFIC DATA TECH FILES, WEAPONRY AND HARDWARE OF THIS UNIQUE FUTURISTIC ERA
- INTERACTIVE MENUS

[/quote]

It looks as if this "Back to Babylon 5" is a new documentary whereas the "Making of Babylon 5" is an older one. I assume in "Back to" they will have the cast and crew interviews /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

And, errm, what does this mean?

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
WIDESCREEN VERSION PRESENTED IN A "MATTED" WIDESCREEN FORMAT PRESERVING A THEATRICAL EXHIBITION ASPECT RATIO. ENHANCED FOR WIDESCREEN TVS.DUAL-LAYER FORMAT

[/quote]

Also, the marketing looks VERY promising indeed. Even looks as if they will advertise on starwars.com!

Let's hope we'll get Season 2 /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
I assume in "Back to" they will have the cast and crew interviews

[/quote]

Completely forgot about those interviews, I don't think they're interesting anyway. It's likely, 'Back To B5' will be the cast and crew interviews, and that's it.
In that case we'll only get one documentary /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

BTW, does anyone know how to download the flash ad, I really like it.
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
And, errm, what does this mean?

Widescreen version presented in a "matted" widescreen format, preserving the theatrical aspect ratio. Enhanced for widescreen TVs. Dual-layer format.

[/quote]

That's WHV boilerplate, seen on many DVDs. What it means is that the person who wrote it can't express ideas very clearly. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif Usually a movie or show is described as being either "matted" widescreen (letterbox) or "enhanced for widescreen TVs" (anamorphic). Apparently WHV thinks this is too simple a system, and not 100% accurate. 2.35:1 films, since they are wider than a 1.77:1 wide TV screen, are "matted" (that is, they have "black bars") even when they are also enhanced for widescreen TVs. Which doesn't apply to B5 since its aspect ratio is 1.77:1 to begin with.

Dual-layer format

Just refers to the physical production of the disc. Data is on two-layers instead of one. That's what allows them to get four episodes on each single-sided disc. (And note, contrary to what some websites are saying, that the set is 6, not 5, discs.)

Other than that, very good news. And, er, "Return to Babylon 5" would count as a documentary, assuming that the interviews are interspersed with behnind the scenes footage, production stills and clips from episodes. Many documentaries largely consist of interview footage - but they still "count". As for "The Making of" - this may be an existing doc, such as the ones produced for The Sci-Fi Channel or TNT during S1 and S5 respectively, or something new. (JMS was skeptical about WHV's getting the TNT or Sci-Fi shows.)

They went with the broadcast order, rather than the "master list" order, so "TKO" still comes well before "Chrysalis", but this order does keep "A Voice in the Wilderness" Parts 1 & 2 on the same disc, which should make some people happy. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

All-in-all sounds very cool. I'm waiting to see more. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Regards,

Joe
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
As I said, Joe, I want to shake the copywriter.


[/quote]

Shake, hell. I say let's shoot him (or her.) /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Why is it that the scientifically illiterate always have to use the word "intergalactic" when describing anything having to do with space. Don't any of these folks own a dictionary?

Regards,

Joe
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Babylon 5 and The Making of Babylon 5 © 1993, 1994 PTN Consortium. Photography © 1993, 1994 Warner Bros. Television. Back to Babylon 5, Other Supplementary Material, Package Artwork, Design and Summary © 2002 Warner Home Video.

[/quote]

If you look at those years, it seems as if The Making of Babylon 5 (1993 - 1994) is an old documentary and Back To Babylon 5 (2002) is a new one.

That sorts that out then /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

And thanks for the info Joe!
 
Duh, it's because "intragalactic" just sounds weird.
Can you just imagine that robot voice from the Beastie Boys' song repeating "Intragalactic planetary, planetary intragalactic..."?
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
If you look at those years, it seems as if The Making of Babylon 5 (1993 - 1994) is an old documentary

[/quote]

Ooh! I missed that. Yeah, that would make it the documentary special that originally aired on The Sci-Fi Channel when the series originally debuted. Apparently PTEN/WB produced it and still owns the rights, and they just licensed it to Sci-Fi for broadcast. JMS was under the impression that Sci-Fi owned it, and that Warner Home Video might not be able to get the rights (or be willing to pay for them. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif) I'm glad to hear it, because I've never seen this show, which is supposed to be good. Walter Koenig is the host, IIRC.

Maybe by S5 WHV will be able to talk TNT into licensing their doc. for the DVDs - unless, indeed, it turns out that Warner Bros. still owns that one as well.

Regards,

Joe
 
from www.jmsnews.com :
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />

The disk has an on-camera introduction by me (despite my warnings that this would undoubtedly drive down sales), a letter of introduction each by me and Doug Netter, and the half-hour piece features new interviews with Rick Biggs, Stephen Furst, me, Doug, efx maven Mitch Suskin, makeup whiz John Vulich, and others.

They're tentatively targeting next April for season 2, and the following November for season 3.

jms


[/quote]
 
Here's some new info from JMS, concerning the interview features, and also the projected release dates for Seasons 2 and 3:

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Subject: Re: DVD Flash!
From: Jms at B5
Date: 08/13/2002 12:46 AM
Forum: Usenet


--------------------
>I wonder if JMS can provide any further details, now that >this official spec sheet is out?
>

The disk has an on-camera introduction by me (despite my warnings that this would undoubtedly drive down sales), a letter of introduction each by me and Doug Netter, and the half-hour piece features new interviews with Rick Biggs,
Stephen Furst, me, Doug, efx maven Mitch Suskin, makeup whiz John Vulich, and others.

They're tentatively targeting next April for season 2, and the following November for season 3.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2002 by synthetic worlds, ltd.,
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
and don't send me story ideas)

[/quote]
 
That was JMS replying to a usenet message I posted earlier today. Here's part of my reply: /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
> The disk has an on-camera introduction by me (despite my warnings that this would undoubtedly drive down sales) <

I wouldn't worry about this. Since folks are forewarned they'll know to turn the brightness on their sets all the way down and just listen to the audio. <g>

[/quote]

Yes, my insurance is paid-up and I do have a current will. Why do you ask? /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

Regards,

Joe
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
I think I AM going to have to buy this thing after all.


[/quote]
Totally irrelevant, but just thought I'd share it ...

My wife never ceases to amaze me!

Given that we already have the entire series on VHS anyway, I was trying to find a way to approach the subject of getting the box set without getting the "Why would you possibly want that when we have it all on video and don't even own a DVD player yet?" response.

So, I mentioned in passing the other day that S1 was coming out on DVD soon, and she said (and I quote more or less word for word) ...

"Well, it's about time we got a DVD then isn't it, because I reckon Lord of the Rings will be much better on DVD than video as well!".

/forums/images/icons/grin.gif

Of course the fact that we will need a new TV into which to plug a DVD player is now the major sticking point but hey ... at least I'll be able to look at the box (if I can resist the temptation to use up one of my DVD drive's region changes).

/forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />

Why is it that the scientifically illiterate always have to use the word "intergalactic" when describing anything having to do with space. Don't any of these folks own a dictionary?


[/quote]

You know what else gets me pissed off, When these same people say something is "Lightyears ahead". A lightyear is a measure of distance! /forums/images/icons/mad.gif Whould you say that something is "Miles (or kilometers for some of you) ahead of our time" ? Of course not, that sounds stupid!
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
They're tentatively targeting next April for season 2, and the following November for season 3.

jms


[/quote]

Wow, it's going faster then I thought. Looks like I have to buy that widescreen TV sooner then I had planned. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
They're tentatively targeting next April for season 2, and the following November for season 3.

jms


[/quote]

*sings*

Oh!, this has made my... lightyear...

/forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif
 
Be still my heart.... calm down... breathe, breathe... oh god, it's actually happening! I'm am SO going to get the whole lot of them..... even if it means salads/sandwiches for lunch for the next six months. /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif
 
Back
Top