Returning to "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"

When Star Trek: Discovery premiered two seasons ago, fans were divided in their opinions regarding the show’s darker interpretation of Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic vision of the future. But Discovery wasn’t the first attempt by the franchise to present a different vision of the Trek universe. When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine premiered in 1994, some long-time Trek fans initially didn’t know what to make of the show. Star Trek (at least up to that time) had been about starship crews going out into the universe and exploring new worlds, often coming into conflict with enemies like the Romulans and the Borg. Deep Space Nine was set on a space station, located near a stable wormhole, rather than aboard a starship. The cast was diverse, and the storylines were less about straightforward heroics, often sketching characters and situations with various shades of grey. In its later seasons, an ongoing storyline detailed the Federation’s war with a new threat called The Dominion, and showed how that conflict affected the show's characters. While some fans were slow to embrace Deep Space Nine, there was no denying the show contained some of the strongest acting, writing and direction of any iteration of Star Trek up to that point. The series has become a favorite among fans and critics, many of whom now consider it one of the best of the Trek spinoffs.

Ira Steven Behr, who was a writer, producer and  showrunner for the series, spearheaded the production of a crowd-funded documentary about the legacy and impact of the show. What We Left Behind: Looking Back At Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2019), premiered in theaters last summer with a series of special screenings, and is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. The documentary is a comprehensive look at the history of Deep Space Nine, and features in-depth interviews with the cast and crew of the series. The cast share their honest feelings about how the show was initially perceived as the also-ran of the franchise. It wasn’t until home video and streaming releases of the series allowed viewers to binge- watch the episodes in larger batches, that a wider audience began to appreciate the show’s well-crafted storytelling. The interviews are compelling and insightful. The comments seen in the film are refreshingly honest, a far cry from the pleasant chatter usually seen in studio produced documentaries. Terry Farrell, who played Lieutenant Dax, and left the show after Season 6, is particularly frank about her acrimonious exit from the series. What becomes crystal clear from watching the film is these actors still have great affection for one another, and are proud of what they accomplished during their time on the series.

The history of the show’s conception and production is covered in detail by Behr and the writers, including Ronald Moore (who went on to create the re-booted version of Battlestar Galactica) and Rene Echevarria. The concept of serialized storytelling in a genre series was relatively new at that time, and Deep Space Nine was pioneering in that regard. Classic episodes like “In The Pale Moonlight” and “Far Beyond The Stars” are discussed, as well as the reaction to the addition of Michael Dorn as Worf, a character from Star Trek: The Next Generation, who joined the cast in the fourth season of the series. Behr is also honest about his assessment of where the show succeeded in exploring controversial social, political and religious issues, and where it could have done more in that regard. There’s also a tantalizing look (using animation) at the writers ideas of what might have been explored story wise had the series gone on to an eighth season. It’s like being invited to a writers roundtable discussion. Also included is a look at a clip from the show remastered in high-definition, which Behr hopes will spark a true HD release of the series.

What We Left Behind is clearly a labor of love for everyone involved, and this talented group of actors are still quite passionate in their feelings about the series. Sadly, both Rene Auberjonois (who played Odo) and Aron Eisenberg, (who played Nog), have passed away since the documentary was produced, though they both have touching moments in the film. Like some of the other Star Trek spinoffs, Deep Space Nine had a bit of a rocky start, but once it settled into its groove, it spun a rich tapestry that I think holds up well to this day. It’s my personal favorite of the modern Star Trek series. This is a heartfelt, well-produced tribute to a groundbreaking entry in the Trek canon.  Co-directed by Ira Steven Behr with David Zappone (who also worked on the well-received The Captains documentaries), What We Left Behind is one of the best Trek centered retrospectives released thus far. If you’re a Trek fan, or even a casual viewer of the series, this enthralling and perceptive documentary is worth a look. What We Left Behind is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Shout Factory home video at www.shoutfactory.com. Here’s a link to the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4LPDX6uqSM.

Ishiro Honda's Fascinating "Life in Film"

Director Ishiro Honda was instrumental in the creation of some of the most iconic movie monsters of all time, including Godzilla, Mothra and Rodan. But the life of this extraordinary man encompasses much more than just kaiju movies. In Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, From Godzilla to Kurosawa, authors Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski offer us an insightful look at the life of this talented filmmaker. Honda was the son of a Buddhist monk who had a lifelong love of movies. He enrolled in film studies programs, and ended up working at PCL, a company that would later become Toho, the studio where he spent most of his career. His trajectory was derailed by military service, and the authors takes us through his harrowing experiences as a soldier during World War II. After his return from the war, Honda would return to filmmaking, making movies in a variety of genres, including documentaries, romantic tales, crime dramas, comedies, and military-themed epics.

Then came a radioactive, fire-breathing creature named Gojira, a monster who brought Ishiro Honda his greatest success, and shaped the next phase of his career. The film, released in 1954, was conceived as a Japanese version of American monster movies like King Kong and The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. There was also a darker and anti-nuclear undercurrent to the film, in the wake of Japan's devastating experiences with the atomic bombs used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. Gojira became a world-wide success, and in the United States, where the film was re-edited with additional scenes featuring Raymond Burr, and re-titled Godzilla, King of the Monsters, it helped launch a monster movie phenomenon that continues to the present day. The book details Honda's work on the original series of Godzilla films, and the other science-fiction, horror and fantasy movies he made for Toho, such as The Mysterians, The H-Man, Atragon and Matango.

Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, From Godzilla to Kurosawa features in-depth looks at the making of films like Mothra, King Kong vs. Godzilla, and Destroy All Monsters, movies that captured the imaginations of viewers around the world. By all accounts, Honda was a dedicated, hard-working man, who took his craft seriously and was well-liked by his friends, family and co-workers. While he was somewhat conflicted by the direction in which these genre films took his career, he was always loyal to Toho, and the authors paint a three-dimensional portrait of this intelligent, compassionate and gifted filmmaker. The book gives us an engrossing look at the Japanese film industry, and details how the popularity of kaiju films began to wane in the 1970s, which led to the studio cutting budgets for later films in the Godzilla series, as well as other genre films. Honda's final Godzilla film, Terror of Mechagodzilla, was released in 1975.

That wasn't the end of Honda's journey. The next phase of his career was one of his most personally fulfilling experiences. He was a life-long friend of world-renowned filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, who had directed classics like Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress. The two men had come up through the ranks of Japanese cinema together, though their careers had taken them in different directions. Honda collaborated closely with Kurosawa on the last five films he directed, including Kagemusha and Dreams, serving as an assistant director. Honda's life story is a captivating and engrossing one, and Ryfle and Godziszewski do a masterful job of detailing the entire arc of his life and career. Both authors are experts in the kaiju genre, having written about it in previous books and also spoken about it in commentaries recorded for several kaiju DVD releases. Originally published in 2017, Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, From Godzilla to Kurosawa, which features a forward by Martin Scorsese, is a must read for kaiju fans and cinephiles who'd like to dive into a thoroughly researched and compelling biography of a brilliant and often underrated filmmaker.

Sense8: Mind-Bending, Emotional Drama

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to truly share the thoughts, feelings and even the talents of others? The Wachowskis, the siblings behind mind-bending science-fiction tales like The Matrix trilogy and Cloud Atlas, and J. Michael Straczynski, the creator of TV’s Babylon 5 and offbeat comic-book series such as Midnight Nation and Rising Stars, teamed up to offer their intriguing take on this idea in the thought-provoking Netflix series Sense8. The show follows the stories of eight people from around the world who discover they are psychically connected on both an emotional and physical level. They can access each other’s thoughts, skills and memories, and can communicate with each other on a level that goes far beyond empathy.

The disparate set of characters includes Will, a police officer in Chicago; Nomi, a San Francisco-based hacker and activist; Capheus, a bus driver in Nairobi, and Sun, the daughter of a businessman in Seoul, who moonlights as a kick-boxer in underground tournaments. The eight-member group becomes like a family, forming strong bonds and friendships with one another. Because they share their thoughts and experiences so intimately, the group helps one other with the challenges in their individual lives. They also try to discover the origin of their powerful connection. Our heroes learn they’re not the only ones with these powers. It turns out there are those who hunt down people like them, and the group may face an even greater threat than their own personal difficulties.

Sense8 is an intriguing and thought-provoking show. There are some terrific action-sequences, and the location shooting in places like Berlin, Iceland and London and other places around the world gives the series an epic, truly cinematic feel. If you’re a science-fiction fan, you’ll dig the unique blend of concepts and ideas; if you love conspiracy thrillers, there’s a lot for you to enjoy in the series as well. But the real heart of this series lies in the characters and their emotional journey. There are touching moments of love and joy, as well as heart-rending ones of anguish and loss, all delivered beautifully by the superb cast. The fine ensemble includes Jamie Clayton as Nomi, Brian J. Smith as Will and Doon Bae as Sun. The supporting cast includes Terence Mann, Daryl Hannah, Naveen Andrews of Lost, and Freema Agyeman of Dr. Who.

The show was well received by critics and fans, but was cancelled by Netflix after one season. The support of loyal fans helped convince the network to renew the show for a second year. While Netflix later decided not to continue the series beyond season two, the network did allow the show’s creators, cast and crew to wrap up the series with a movie-length finale in 2018. Sense8 is currently available for streaming on Netflix. There’s so much to watch out there these days, that I only caught up with the series recently, after reading about it in J. Michael Straczynski’s autobiography, Becoming Superman. I highly recommend Sense8. The series is a passionate, thrilling story about love, human connection and how our differences enrich us rather than divide us. Here are links to a pair of trailers for this amazing show. If you have Netflix, it's a series that's worth diving into and binge-watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKpKAlbJ7BQ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT-bpE9Tr8g.