Brand New Babylon 5 directed-to-DVD: The lost Tales

10 years. 10 years since the world changed, 10 years I changed. It been like I never left the place. Babylon 5 is the place of begining and ending. I wonder what this will be........~ narrated by John Sheridan, President of ISA.

I preordered this item on Amazon.com months ago and got it in early August. I planned to post my thought after I wacthed it immediately, but I decided to settle my feeling for a while. In this DVD, there are two short stories in parallel, setting in 10 years after the founding of Interstellar Alliance(aka ISA). The first is to deal that Colonel Lockley, commander of Babylon 5 spacestation, encounters a supernatural cricis and the second is about a decision that President Sheridan has to made to prevent the doom of Earth on his way to Babylon 5 to attend the ceremony of 10 years anniversary of ISA. Comparing with the other Babylon 5 TV movies, the last tales doesn't present an action-exiting storyline to catch my eyes due to the finite budget?! maybe........I thought.........I am not sure.

The first story involves two elements: a powerful allien race trapped on Earh or on a poor man and a dialectic usually used in Catholicism. I am familiar with the first element because this material is hot in lots of sci-fi works, especialy in Star Trek and its spin-off series. Therefore, I feel that this story has no innovation and creation......it is a normal sci-fi episode.......I watched a similar work that J. Micheal Straczynski (aka JMS), the creator of Babylon 5, made 10 years ago. Yap! The River of Souls I mention. However, I can not understand the relation betweeen the allien trapped on Earth and so-callled the Catholicism dialectic. On the finale, Lockley told the alien trapped on a man that you can not escape from Earth and walk among the sky because you do not believe the heaven and stars. And guess what? She convinces the alien not to interfere the poor guy whom he/she trepped on. It's so amazong.......! All right! I feel that this one is so~~~~~~~~~~ boring.

The second story is quit simple: onece again, Galen, a member of Technomagic, first appearing on the fifth TV movie of Babylon 5, A Call to Arms, appears and wants Sheridan to kill a key Centauri person if necessary to prevent the doom of Earth. On this episode, JMS uses Adolf Hitler as an example to be a comparison with that Centauri person. It's interesting. JMS tries to tell us - If we took care of Adolf Hitler when he was young, he would not launch the world war II. I do not agree this viewpoint because the reasons caused the WW II are too many. Can we prevent WW II by taking care of young Adolf Hitler? I don't think so. Well! Sheridan makes his own decision but Gaken does not satisfy. And..........the end of the last tales. Actually, the story tells us that a small error may be a big trouble in the future if we do not care about that.

Well! I'd like to say that the Lost Tales presents the quility visoul effect in 3D computer graphic model, such Babylon 5 station, New York city in late of 23 centoury, space ships, and a scence of battlefield between Earth and Centauri. but gives us a normal story telling. If there is another Lost Tales DVD concerning Micheal Garibaldi ans Lando Mollari, JMS has to do more his best to show that he is capable of making an epic, a classical Sci-fi work, Babylon 5.

空姐二部曲

過舊曆年前後看了兩部日劇：Attention Please(甜心空姐或是空姐特訓班，官網在此http://www.fujitv.co.jp/AP/index2.html）和叫我CA（CAとお呼びっ！官網在此http://www.ntv.co.jp/CA/）。這兩劇都是去年的戲，照例，我依然慢了半拍，那些日劇通大概都已經準時收視完畢了＠＠。其中，CA乃英吉利語Cabin Attendant的縮寫，日本人稱空服員為CA，很少說客艙乘務員。就像這裡老愛說空姐空少之類的，卻沒有用較中性的空服員是一樣的道理。

從前，對於空姐的印象是：好漂亮，能吸引眾人的目光，可以天天出國呢！！不過，因為這兩年工作之故，三不五時飛往高雄，加上去年在國外因一點故障在飛機上耽擱數小時之久，讓我有更多的時間觀察空姐的工作，也漸漸發現在光鮮的外表下，骨子裡可是件不容易的事情。加上這兩年男性空服員比例增加快速，所以，在用語上也改成較沒有爭議的空服員。不過，既然今天談的事有關女性空服員的日劇，就還是沿用空姐一詞吧。
Attention Please是去年富士電視台的春季檔日劇，由上戶彩掛頭牌，佐以相武紗季、笛木優子和上原美佐等眾家美女，加上小日向文世與井上順等日劇常客演員送上一則有關女孩們通過重重訓練關卡從而飛向天際的故事。而叫我CA則是日本電視台的夏季鉅獻，由觀月亞里莎率領香里奈等眾家美眉，加上澤村一樹與谷原章介兩大帥哥共譜空姐的異想世界。可惜的是，由於叫我CA的播映時間在Attentiion Please之後，以致於相類似的題材無法吸引觀眾的注目，導致叫我CA的平均收視率只有Attention Please的一半；但是，收視率低可不代表叫我CA不好看。
雖然兩劇的重點都是空姐，也都是由漫畫所改編，但是，基本調性上還是有些差異在。Attention Please由於有Japanese Airlines（JAL）的全力支援，所以該劇特強調空服員的養成和所應具備的基本態度與知識，藉由美笑洋子（上戶彩飾演）的誇張搞笑和反省思索讓觀眾見識到空服員是一個高度嚴肅且專業的職務，並非只是一般人眼裡在空中端茶的女侍。反觀叫我CA，除了呈現進入空服員職場後的無奈並反映出日本現今約聘人員的工作現象外，其實還加入挺多一般人對於空姐的浮面觀點，例如喜歡聯誼、高收入代表、喜歡多金帥哥、把空服員當釣凱子的利器等等，算是兼顧世俗與職場觀點。但是，這兩部戲還是有許多雷同之處，比方說姊妹淘之間的情誼（美笑洋子-若村彌生-關山有紀；山田紗依-田中惠-菊池優花）、曖昧不明的感情關係（洋子或彌生與中原翔太；紗依和機長高岡真）、空服員的基本素養論戰等。
從兩劇的女演員陣容來看，很難說誰比較豪華，但就畫面的呈現上來說，叫我CA可就略勝一籌，我看光是香里奈（飾演萬人迷的菊池優花）一人大概就可以打死一票Attention Please裡面的空服員訓練生演員。可是，就播出後的效應上來說，Attention Please可就比較吃香了，因為裡面飾演若村彌生的相武紗季可被JAL選為機身的塗裝廣告（雖然我一直想不通為何不是上戶彩）。
Attention Please算是我第一部觀賞上戶彩的戲， 之前也曾聽聞她的網球甜心與女排No.1，可就是沒興趣瞧上一眼。大概是因為空姐的題材罷？！我倒是本本分份的把它全部看完，發現其實上戶彩的演技還不賴，人長的甜甜的卻挺會搞笑的，表情很豐富，看起來，我可以考慮看看她的戲了。至於叫我CA可不是我第一部觀賞觀月亞里莎的戲了，雖然我一直很主觀的認為仲間由紀惠在詮釋少根筋美女和喜劇的表現上達出神入化之境，但看過本劇一後，我只能說：脫線傻大姊一角非觀月莫屬。山田紗依這角色，要危險姊姊的伊東美笑來演可就怪怪的，仲間由紀惠來的話可就完全走味。
雖然這兩部戲難分優劣，我個人倒是覺得可以將他們做一種橫向觀賞，如果你之前看過松島菜菜子的大和拜金女，那不妨也順便把這兩部給一併觀賞，這樣，你會發現世俗的觀點和職場的觀點到底有多大的差異性。而下回你再有機會見到這群漂亮的空姐時，你會或多或少產生些許敬意或願意重新評估對空姐的看法，那也就不枉費看電視了。
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延伸閱讀：機長！我有問題（http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010347669）
既然你對空服員的職業屬性有些許瞭解，那何妨再瞭解一些帥氣機長的職場狀況？如果你是美國西南航空的粉絲，那還是別看這本書好了（基本上，本書作者很喜歡吐西南航空的槽）

校（笑）園漫畫大王

左邊這傢伙叫大阪，是這部四格漫畫的要角之一。其實她原來不叫大阪，因為她來自大阪，就被同班的阿智(也是要角啦)擅自強行把大阪當成她的外號。久之，大家也就忘記她原來的本名。至於她的本名被遺忘到啥程度呢？重新分班的時候，分班名單上沒有她的姓名，只剩下"大阪"。說真的，其實我現在談這個作品已經遲了整整兩年，要不是因為正好看見Cartoon Network的播出，果人還真不知有這麼好笑的作品。這部作品真正讓果人產生往下看的動力，就是大阪這個角色--說話慢吞吞的，結尾不時嗯呀啊的，說出來的話往往使人意料不到的完全沒有邏輯可言，但整部作品有許多的笑點全是出自大阪的"話"。
由於動畫作品的吸引，果人禁不住想要一窥原作漫畫是否也是如此？入手之後，發現一個比較悲慘的盲點：經過動畫活靈活現的摧殘之後，居然覺得原作有那麼一點失色的感覺。幸運的是，這種感覺在看完第一冊半本時已經消失無蹤的→真的很好笑，尤其是大阪的部份。漫畫和動畫都是以高中三年的時間來刻畫主角們的生活，而動畫版最讓人佩服的是將原本的四格漫畫重新打散，缺又不失原作故事內容與笑點的狀況下化為足以讓人狂笑半小時的劇集。且在不影響的情況下，增刪原有的笑點(通常狀況是增多刪少)。總而言之，這部作品不論是原版的四格漫畫或是現正熱映的動畫版本都算是無俚頭搞笑的上乘之作，讓人狂笑的威力比起傻瓜青蛙是有過之而無不及。啥！你不知道傻瓜青蛙是誰？那你真的粉久沒看電視了。還是，果人太閒啦？

In Memory of Andreas Katsulas

Note: The left photo was from Andreas Katsulas' official website. Shot between scenes.

Andreas Katsulas was famous for the role, Ambassador G'Kar from Narn, on a Sci-fi drama Babylon 5. According to TrekToday, he also acted several charactors on Star Trek : The Next Generation and its prequel series Enterprise. On Star Trek, he played Tomalok, the Romulan commander from "The Enemy", "The Defector", "Future Imperfect" and series finale "All Good Things..." He also played the Vissian captain in Enterprise's "Cogenitor." Frankly speaking, I have no impression about his performance on Star Trek. XD

It is a pity that he died this week of lung cancer. Andreas Katsulas is the second main actor as the fans know died in severed decease. The first is Richard Biggs, performed Dr. Stephen Franklin, who passed away on May 22, 2004. Though these two actor passed away, their excellent performance on Babylon 5 will be printed in fans' memory eternally.

電車男--還有誰適合演愛瑪仕小姐?

如果以電影版中谷美紀的形象出發，其實還有一票日本一線女星適合這種大姐姐型的角色，以下是果人不負責任的名單：

1.松隆子：沒意外的話，我覺得她的外型跟大姐姐沒兩樣
2.小西真奈美：同樣是長髮披肩的造型，唯一和中谷不同的是，小西在鏡頭上會比較cute吧？！
3.島谷瞳：看過她在我的蹺佳人裡的表現，以她的外型來說，飾演愛瑪仕小姐根本比她唱歌還容易
4.菅野美穗：跟中谷同等級的，愛瑪仕小姐給她演應該也不會引起太多意見才是
5.篠原涼子：她在鏡頭前可能會比小西真奈美還cute，這也是麻煩之一
6.中山美穗：如果你不考慮年紀的話，她在鏡頭前夢幻起來可不比伊東差；其實，她妹妹中山忍可能還更適合
7.水野美紀：給她演，應該很適合
8.稻森泉：雖然她不是一線的，但應該不輸中谷美紀吧
9.木村佳乃：很久沒看過她的戲了，雖然不太算一線女演員，雖然也不太有大姐姐味道，如果不想太夢幻的話，愛瑪仕小姐也挺適合她的
10.戶田菜穗：看過庶務二課的人應該都認識她(秘書課大姊頭，專和坪井千夏唱反調)，如果訴求愛瑪仕小姐是個比較成熟的角色，那非她莫屬了
11.長谷川京子：如果我是導演，大概會考慮她吧
12.仲間由紀惠：漂亮歸漂亮，要是演一演來個山美上身，那根本不用電車男出面了。其次，我還是覺得她去演喜劇(黑色幽默類的)比較適合啊！茶........

Commander Adama

All right! It's me again, Scifi nut and indulvidoul. Who is Commander Adama? He is the key role in Battlestar Galactica, a Sci-fi TV series in US. But..., which one is? Right or left? Both of them are. The left is Commander Adama, played by Edward James Olmos, in the reimagining Battlestar Galactica, aired on Scifi Channel now. The right, performed by Lorne Greene, died in 1987, is in the original series, aired in 1978. What's the difference between there two Adama? In the original series, Adama is the leader of Colony Caprica, a member of 12 coloniel council, and the C.O. of Battlestar Galactica. On the other hand, in the original series, Adama is a politician, also a military leader. In the reimagining version, he is just only a commanding officier of Battlestar Galactica. After Cylon destroyed the 12 colonies, Commander Adama leads the rag fleet in search of the 13th colony, call Earth. Although there are many differences between these two version of Adama, they are both the critical character in this TV series. Without Commader Adama, it is unbearable.

山口久美子vs山口久美子

根據漫畫Gokusen(中譯：極道鮮師)的作者表示，仲間由紀惠的扮相(右圖)不過比漫畫中的主角(左圖)來的漂亮。您以為如何？不過，漫畫的山口和劇中的山口可是有異曲同工之妙。說實話，仲間版的山美可比漫畫版的還又秀逗。

Keroro軍曹的傳說笑話

有一回半夜無意間看到的，超好笑的。請問：『最熱的島是哪個島？』............................................答案就是................透中島。

仲間由紀惠

嗯........知道她當然都是極道鮮師害的，後來聽同事說她其實是因為圈套才紅的，所以又回去找圈套來看，結果，就是她的戲能找到的幾乎都看了。

Battlestar Galactica

這兩張又是啥?左邊的是1978年版的Galactica，右邊的是2003年版的Galactica，至於哪一個造型比較好看？我的看法是，我比較喜歡2003年版的。至於啥是Battlestar Galactica？這大概只有像果人這種科幻影集瘋子才會知道。

Babylon 5 - Omega Class

這又是啥？這是果人在Babylon 5影集裡面最喜歡的太空船，也許火力和造型都不是頂好的，不過，她看起來挺酷的。其次，她的設計挺符合物理學的基本原理--用旋轉所產生的離心力來模擬重力，這可比時下其他知名的科幻影集都合理的多。

Babylon 5

這些鬼圖檔是啥？看起來像是DVD耶！沒辦法，誰叫果人是Babylon 5瘋子。唉................花了好多現大洋買一區DVD，這都該怪台視！