Babylon 5: The Lost Tales - To Live and Die in Starlight

Updated
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales - To Live and Die in Starlight
Faneditor Name:
Franchise:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
2002
Original Running Time:
88
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
57
Time Cut:
29
Brief Synopsis:
Here is G'Kar's last tale. His performance is thoroughly enjoyable. As always. Originally much in Legend of the Rangers detracted from G'Kar's adventure. Not anymore. Now you can enjoy your favorite Narn in a solid story of exploration, intrigue, and humor.
Intention:
Legend of the Rangers: To Live and Die in Starlight was a TV movie intended as the pilot for a new TV series, which was never made. The characters that would've been the regulars in the series get lots of screen time, lots of opportunity for the viewer to become emotionally invested in them. The investment in the new characters had no pay-off because the series was never made, making this movie an orphan in the B5 universe.
To Live and Die in Starlight is refocused as an episode in the Lost Tales series. G'Kar takes on a mission to help the Rangers investigate an agressive unknown race. They are the main protagonists, while the new Rangers are mostly relegated from "individuals" to "crew".
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Special Thanks:
Thank you, fellow B5 fans, for your input: Gelflinghand, TM2YC, memoryblau, Zarius.
Release Information:
Digital
Special Features
DVD (PAL 16:9 anamorphic)
Stereo
English subtitles
Cuts and Additions:
- Cut opening scene where Martell keeps the crew alive.
- Cut Kendo practice. No more bickering between Martell and Tannier.
- Minimal crop to a few scenes where an overscan white line showed.
- Removed much of the repetitive exposition that the Liandra is a damaged ship.
- Cut the naming of names ceremony. Fun idea, but it took too long, sounded like an opening session of D&D newbies, and we're just not that interested in the individual crew members anymore.
- Cut inside the weapons control chamber. All of it. No more floating tantrum.
- Cut the mines attack on the Liandra. It's an interesting new weapon but it made the battle drag on too long, and after cutting the weapons chamber shots there weren't enough cutaway shots left to keep this flowing seamlessly.
- Trimmed Kafta's confession. No more fist-fight, less droning on-and-on about how great the Hand is.
- Shifted G'Kar with holo-cloak G'Kar to later in the story, where it fits more logically.
- Lots and lots of small trims for pacing.
Cover art by lapis molari (DOWNLOAD HERE)
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Alternate Cover art by lapis molari (DOWNLOAD HERE)
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Alternate Cover art by lapis molari (DOWNLOAD HERE)
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User reviews

4 reviews
Overall rating
 
9.5
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.5(4)
Audio Editing
 
9.3(4)
Visual Editing
 
9.5(4)
Narrative
 
9.5(4)
Enjoyment
 
9.5(4)
Overall rating
 
8.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
8.0
Audio Editing
 
8.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
A very enjoyable cut of a previously mediocre B5 story.

The original suffered greatly from introducing everyone in anticipation of a series and by jettisoning most of that, save for David's story, and tiny touches elsewhere, you end up with a story that is actually more B5 than the original. Greater proportion of Gkar to the overall story helps continuity with the rest of the series, and frankly I didn't need to know everyone's name and/or backstory, except as it related to the plot (the Covert Intelligence op being the most necessary). Thank goodness for the elimination of the ridiculous weapons scenes.

Given the source material,l I found the audio and visual quality and editing just fine. The "commercial jumps" were occasionally noticeable in the absence of an audio bumper, but you could barely notice any edits. The "Lost Tales" shoehorning also works well. One would wish WB would do something similar officially.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
M
2 reviews
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Overall rating
 
9.2
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
9.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
A well-done edit. The Lost Tales titles slotted in very nicely. It is still clearly a story of the Liandra crew, with G'Kar in a glorified cameo, but G'Kar being in a greater percentage of the story has to be an improvement! The editing generally felt pretty seamless. Aside from the launch of the Liandra coming across as awkwardly rushed, it didn't feel like anything was missing. Having to lose Sarah's reaction to the discovery at the jumpgate was unfortunate, but the cut worked well enough, and was a small price to pay for getting rid of the weapons chamber. I'm not convinced that the new placement of the changeling net scene was a good idea, but it was executed successfully. Overall, a more enjoyable experience than the original.
G
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Very enjoyable edit.
Nothing cut was missed narrative wise, and proves the core idea for a new series had potential as I think this pilot edit plays stronger than THE GATHERING pilot movie. Though at the same time, much like Martel pulling the same trick twice, this feels like JMS doing the same thing again... except this was his third time at bat. Small bag of tricks indeed.
As a new chapter in the LOST TALES, this edit works wonderfully and is nice send off for G'Kar.
Thumbs Up! :)
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
One of the last B5 projects to come out of the franchise, Legend of the Rangers in it's original form is a crammed product with some truly unnecessary sequences, but here all of that is stripped back and we get a tidy little adventure. I didn't notice anything missing and the story breezed past. The use of the Lost Tales intro makes it a fine companion piece and extension to the short-lived anthology that signalled the end of B5 as a continuing franchise, and gives G'Kar one last dignified turn, and how appropriate that we end our journey "out there" than with B5's most poetic character. A fine watch for B5 fans.
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