White Dwarf (1995) (TV)

Director:

Peter Markle

Writer:

Bruce Wagner (writer)

Release Date:

23 May 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

In a distant future New York medical student Driscoll Rampart accomplishes his internship at Rusta,...

Plot Keywords:

Future | Medical | Planet | Medical Student | Dark vs Light

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Paul Winfield	...	Dr. Akada
Neal McDonough	...	Dr. Driscoll Rampart
Ele Keats	...	Princess Ariel
Giuseppe Andrews	...	Never the Shifter / Doug (as Joey Andrews)
Tara Graham	...	XaXa, Younger Twin
Beverley Mitchell	...	XuXu, Older Twin
Roy Brocksmith	...	Guv'ner Twist
CCH Pounder	...	Nurse Shabana, Light Side Clinic
Michael McGrady	...	Lt. Strake
Katy Boyer	...	Lady X, the Immortal Prisoner
Robert Cornthwaite	...	King Joist of the Dark Side
John Dennis Johnston	...	Morgus, Osh's Assistant
Ralph Drischell	...	Dr. Gulpha, King Joist's Advisor
Marsha Dietlein	...	Emma
James Morrison	...	Peter

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Company:

American Zoetrope

Quotes:

All: "Two great ladies will catch your fall, they are the ones who catch us all. Their children kept them far apart; the Lady Light, the Lady Dark. Dark broken, light storm, dead spoken, dreams torn... and we will bring you home."

Kurosawa meets Babylon 5

As many have already commented, this film comes across as a pilot. I have it on good authority that the reason for this is that it WAS a pilot that was never picked up. That is why so much is not really explained or delved into... its job was to establish things to be explored in the series that never was. What many people miss is that White Dwarf, for all of its fascinating sci-fi ideas and set-ups, is actually a re-make of Akira Kurosawa's classic film "Red Beard". Many people I know who love Kurosawa's movies don't even know that one but it is worth seeking out. Unlike many of the other samurai films, it is not about warriors but about doctors at a remote hospital in medieval Japan. The always outstanding Tishiro Mifune plays Red Beard, an iconoclastic doctor who refuses to play political games that would elevate him to the serving at the Royal Court preferring, instead, to remain at his "out in the sticks" hospital caring for the people of his village who need him. Into his world enters a young doctor who wants to do his time so he can then take a prestigious position as one of the Emperor's physicians. The plots of Red Beard and White Dwarf are identical... it is only the settings that are different. Watch them both back to back and you will gain a new appreciation of White Dwarf.