Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (1999) (TV)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Michael Vejar

Writers:

J. Michael Straczynski (creator)
J. Michael Straczynski (written by)

Release Date:

3 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Allies of the Shadows seek revenge against humanity. This movie sets up the series, "Crusade," the sequel to "Babylon 5."

Plot Keywords:

Sequel | Alien | Futuristic | Space | Alien Technology

Cast

Bruce Boxleitner	...	John J. Sheridan
Jerry Doyle	...	Michael Garibaldi
Jeff Conaway	...	Zack Allen
Carrie Dobro	...	Dureena Nafeel
Peter Woodward	...	Galen
Tony Todd	...	Leonard Anderson
Tracy Scoggins	...	Capt. Elizabeth Lochley
Tony Maggio	...	Drake
Michael Harris	...	Bishop
Scott MacDonald	...	First Officer
Wayne Alexander	...	Drakh
Carlos Bernard	...	Communications
Burt Bulos	...	Navigation
Ron Campbell	...	Drazi
David Coburn	...	Minbari Ranger
Matt Gallini	...	Rolf
Valeria Ghiran	...	ISN Reporter
Marjean Holden	...	Earthforce Navigator
Endre Hules	...	Yuri
Tim O'Hare	...	First Mage
Tom Ramirez	...	Second Mage
LaRita Shelby	...	Lynne Anderson (as LaRita Shelby-Mullen)
Kayla Spell	...	Sarah Anderson

Directed by
Michael Vejar

Writing credits
J. Michael Straczynski		(creator)
J. Michael Straczynski		(written by)

Produced by
Skip Beaudine	....	co-producer
John Copeland	....	producer
Douglas Netter	....	executive producer
Susan Norkin	....	associate producer
J. Michael Straczynski	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Evan H. Chen

Cinematography by
John C. Flinn III

Film Editing by
Skip Robinson

Casting by
Fern Champion
Mark Paladini

Production Design by
John Iacovelli

Art Direction by
Mark-Louis Walters

Set Decoration by
Jason Howard

Costume Design by
Tina Jones		(as Tina Haatainen Jones)

Makeup Department
Gabriel De Cunto	....	special makeup effects artist
Glen Eisner	....	makeup effects sculptor
Jeffrey S. Farley	....	makeup effects supervisor (as Jeff Farley)
Kim M. Ferry	....	key hair stylist
Mark Garbarino	....	makeup effects supervisor
Jerry Gergely	....	special makeup effects artist
Tegan Taylor	....	hair stylist
Tegan Taylor	....	makeup artist
John Vulich	....	makeup effects creator
John Wheaton	....	makeup effects sculptor
Cinzia Zanetti	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Skip Beaudine	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Fudge	....	second second assistant director
David McWhirter	....	second assistant director
Douglas E. Wise	....	first assistant director (as Doug Wise)

Art Department
Doreen Austria	....	graphic artist
Cathy Coultas	....	graphic artist
Dark Hoffman	....	property master
Curtis Laseter	....	construction coordinator
Matthew W. Plummer	....	scenic artist (as Matthew Plummer)
Jerome Johnson	....	props (uncredited)
Garry McEvoy	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Harry Cohen	....	sound designer
Paul Curtis	....	dialogue editor
Elisabeth Flaum	....	sound effects editor
Marshall Garlington	....	sound re-recording mixer
Laura Kamper	....	sound effects editor (as Laura Pratt)
Don H. Matthews	....	sound mixer
Michael Payne	....	sound supervisor (as Mike Payne)
Juan Peralta	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennis C. Salcedo	....	boom operator
John C. Stuver	....	dialogue editor
Ken Teaney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tim Walston	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Michael Del Genio	....	special effects supervisor (as Mike Del Genio)
Jaroslava Fernandez	....	special effects
Alan McFarland	....	special effects electronics (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Kim Anderson	....	compositor (as Kim Hoven Anderson)
Bill Arbanas	....	computer graphics animator
Larry W. Bowman	....	computer graphics animator
Ken Busick	....	compositor
Timothy M. Earls	....	visual effects art director
Tim Everitt	....	computer graphics animator
Edward Helmers	....	computer graphics animator
Jim Hoffman	....	computer graphics animator
Rich Jeffreys III	....	computer graphics animator
Steve R. Moore	....	visual effects supervisor (as Steve R. Moore)
H.W. Parker	....	computer graphics animator
Andrew Romine	....	computer graphics animator

Stunts
Kerry Rossall	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter B. Kowalski	....	camera operator (as Peter Kowalski)
Charles Lantz	....	dolly grip (as Charles S. Lantz Jr.)
Mike McEveety	....	first assistant camera
Chris Nagle	....	key grip
Nathaniel Roberts	....	best boy electric
John Schultz	....	best boy grip
Carlos M. Torres	....	gaffer (as Carlos Torres)

Animation Department
Tom Helmers	....	supervising animator
Harry Hendrickson	....	supervising animator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kim M. Holly	....	costume supervisor
Linda Huse	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
John Burrus	....	first assistant editor
Pam Oseransky	....	post-production coordinator
Maritza Suarez	....	apprentice editor
Jennifer Vejar	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Fiona Avery	....	reference editor
Harlan Ellison	....	conceptual consultant
Tracie Esparza	....	assistant to executive producer
Jonathan Gording	....	special effect contact lens consultant
Karen Harrell	....	assistant to executive producer
Celeste Healy	....	production coordinator
Joanne Higgins	....	assistant to executive producer
Mike Hoover	....	production accountant
Kate Lewis	....	script supervisor
Luc Mayrand	....	concept designer
Larry Stanton	....	systems engineer
Barbara Wilder	....	department head for hair (as Barbara Wilder Pearlman)
Jeffrey Willerth	....	associate to producer
Tracy Yates	....	script coordinator
Jaroslava Fernandez	....	special effects contact lenses (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Babylonian Productions
• Turner Network Television (TNT)

Distributors

• Chum Television
• Turner Network Television (TNT)
• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Netter Digital Entertainment
• Optic Nerve Studios (make-up effects)

Other Companies

• Oberman, Tivoli & Miller  production accounting services

Also Known As:

A Call to Arms

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:6 | Australia:PG

Company:

Babylonian Productions

Trivia:

In the original storyline, there was a subplot in which Drake's plans to marry the love of his life are thwarted when someone else proposes to the woman first.

Goofs:

Continuity: The ship's badge of the EAS Charon is clearly seen in the background of a few scenes, which displays a "K" (it's model series letter). In addition, an identical "K" upper left arm patch can be seen on several crew members uniforms, but when the Charon is seen crossing the screen in one scene, her model series letter clearly displays a "C" on the forward hull.

Quotes:

[first lines]
ISN Reporter: Meanwhile, on Earth and Minbar, preparations continue for next month's celebration marking the fifth anniversary of the Interstellar Alliance. Aside from one brief conflict with the Centauri Republic early in its first year ISA President John Sheridan has delivered on his promise to maintain peace among all its member worlds...

Movie Connections:

Followed by Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers: To Live and Die in Starlight (2002) (TV)

It's a shame, but after this great start it all kinda fizzled after this film ended

This made for TV movie was actually made to set the stage for a Babylon 5 spin off series, CRUSADE. In this movie, a huge showdown with the evil minions of the Shadows (the Drakh) is about to occur with the Earth. However, no one is aware of this and the only clues to the impending holocaust are weird dreams and visions that are experienced by Sheridan and two others who he has never met. One is the captain of an Earthforce ship, the other is an annoying and difficult to like alien named Dureena. Dureena is a thief "with an attitude" (quite the cliché) and I never warmed to her character in this movie or on the nine episodes she was in on the show CRUSADE. In addition to these characters, Galen (a reappearing character on CRUSADE) also makes his first appearance. Unlike Dureena, his character did improve over time--so the idiots producing CRUSADE decided to take him off the show. In fact, after this excellent movie with an excellent premise, it seemed like TNT (who produced the series) did everything they could do to kill it, such as moving the show about, alienating the head writer and not bothering to publicize it. It's a shame--in seeing this movie, you have a good idea of what COULD have been had the series continued receiving network support.

Overall, this movie is quite watchable and exciting, but many of the familiar characters (Delenn, Londo, Vir, others) are absent. Plus I don't know if I am being too picky, but during the big battle with the Drakh, things seemed to really drag and take forever--this part could have been tightened up a bit and would have resulted in a higher score.