Babylon 5: In the Beginning (1998) (TV)

Director:

Michael Vejar

Writers:

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

Release Date:

4 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Emperor Londo Mollari tells the story of the Earth-Minbari war that almost destroyed Humanity and later inspired its last best hope for peace.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Future | Sequel | 23rd Century | Alien Invasion

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Bruce Boxleitner	...	John J. Sheridan (also archive footage)
Mira Furlan	...	Delenn (also archive footage)
Richard Biggs	...	Stephen Franklin, M.D.
Andreas Katsulas	...	G'Kar
Peter Jurasik	...	Londo Mollari
Theodore Bikel	...	Lenonn
Reiner Schöne	...	Dukhat (also archive footage) (as Reiner Schone)
Michael O'Hare	...	Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey Sinclair (archive footage)
Robin Atkin Downes	...	Morann
J. Patrick McCormack	...	General Lefcourt
Tricia O'Neil	...	Earth Alliance President
Robin Sachs	...	Coplann
James Patrick Stuart	...	Presidential Aide
Jason Ross-Azikiwe	...	Captain Sterns (as Jason Azikiwe)
Yasemin Baytok	...	Centauri Woman
Kristin Birch	...	Woman 1
Justin Carroll	...	Lexington Communications Officer
Ardwight Chamberlain	...	Kosh / Ulkesh (voice)
Jacob Chase	...	Luc Deradi
Tim Colceri	...	Captain Jankowski
Timothy Davis-Reed	...	Man 1
Pancho Demmings	...	Alpha 7
Steven Ford	...	Prometheus First Officer
Mio R. Jakula	...	Ganya Ivanov (Eagle 7)
Nick Jameson	...	Minbari Pilot
Mike Kennedy	...	General Fontaine
Erica Mer	...	Lyssa Deradi
Mark Rafael Truitt	...	Minbari Warrior
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Claudia Christian	...	Susan Ivanova (uncredited)
Trevor Coppola	...	Minbari Tourist (uncredited)
Annett Culp	...	Minbari (uncredited)
Lane Davies	...	Callier (uncredited)
Steven St. Croix	...	Earthforce Pilot (uncredited)
Jeffrey Willerth	...	Ambassador Kosh (uncredited)
Justin Williams	...	Bill Mitchell (archive footage) (uncredited)
Michael York	...	David 'Arthur' McIntyre (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Vejar

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

Produced by
John Copeland	....	producer
Douglas Netter	....	executive producer
Susan Norkin	....	associate producer
J. Michael Straczynski	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christopher Franke

Cinematography by
John C. Flinn III

Film Editing by
Skip Robinson

Casting by
Fern Champion
Mark Paladini
Mary Jo Slater

Production Design by
John Iacovelli

Art Direction by
Mark Walters		(as Mark-Louis Walters)

Set Decoration by
Jason Howard

Costume Design by
Ann Bruice		(as Ann Bruice Aling)

Makeup Department
Manny Case	....	special makeup effects artist
Gabriel De Cunto	....	special makeup effects artist
Jeffrey S. Farley	....	makeup effects supervisor (as Jeff Farley)
Kim M. Ferry	....	hair stylist
Kim M. Ferry	....	makeup artist
Mark Garbarino	....	makeup effects supervisor
Jerry Gergely	....	special makeup effects artist
John Vulich	....	makeup effects creator
John Wheaton	....	makeup effects sculptor
Barbara Wilder	....	key hair stylist (as Barbara Wilder Pearlman)
Cinzia Zanetti	....	key makeup artist
Jason Barnett	....	special effects makeup artist: Optic Nerve Studios (uncredited)
Michael S. Pack	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Ron Pipes	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Skip Beaudine	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alisa Matlovsky	....	second second assistant director
David McWhirter	....	second assistant director
Douglas E. Wise	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Dark Hoffman	....	property master
Alan Kobayashi	....	graphic designer
Curtis Laseter	....	construction coordinator (as Curtis Lasetter)
Matthew W. Plummer	....	scenic artist (as Matthew Plummer)
Jerome Johnson	....	props (uncredited)
Garry McEvoy	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Larry Benjamin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Harry Cohen	....	sound designer
Elisabeth Flaum	....	sound effects editor
Don H. Matthews	....	sound mixer
Michael Payne	....	sound supervisor (as Mike Payne)
Zeke Salas	....	sound re-recording mixer
Liz Sroka	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeffrey R. Whitcher	....	sound effects editor (as Jeff Whitcher)

Special Effects by
Dayton Osmond	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Ken Busick	....	compositor
Eric Chauvin	....	matte artist
Tim Everitt	....	computer graphics animator
Tim Everitt	....	computer graphics designer
Phillip Giles	....	compositor
Tom Helmers	....	computer graphics animator
Tom Helmers	....	computer graphics designer
Harry Hendrickson	....	computer graphics animator
Harry Hendrickson	....	computer graphics designer
Rich Jeffreys III	....	computer graphics animator
Rich Jeffreys III	....	computer graphics designer
Geoffrey Mark	....	computer graphics animator
Geoffrey Mark	....	computer graphics designer
Jeff Montray	....	computer graphics animator
Jeff Montray	....	computer graphics designer
Don Neudecker	....	computer graphics animator
Don Neudecker	....	computer graphics designer
Josh Prikryl	....	computer graphics animator
Josh Prikryl	....	computer graphics designer

Stunts
Kerry Rossall	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Blair	....	key grip (as Robert D. Blair)
Peter B. Kowalski	....	camera operator
Charles Lantz	....	best boy grip (as Charles S. Lantz Jr.)
John Smith	....	gaffer (as "The" John Smith)
Wally Sweeterman	....	first assistant camera
Carlos M. Torres	....	best boy electric

Animation Department
Shant Jordan	....	senior animator
Patrick Perez	....	senior animator

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

Editorial Department
Kathie Burr	....	first assistant editor
John Burrus	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Christopher Franke	....	musician

Other crew
Timothy M. Earls	....	concept designer
Harlan Ellison	....	conceptual consultant
Heidi Erl	....	production coordinator
Tracie Esparza	....	assistant to executive producer
Kenneth Gilbert	....	script supervisor (as Ken Gilbert)
Jonathan Gording	....	special effect contact lens consultant
Karen Harrell	....	assistant to executive producer
Carol Henry	....	script coordinator
Joanne Higgins	....	assistant to executive producer
Mike Hoover	....	production accountant
Luc Mayrand	....	concept designer
Larry Stanton	....	systems engineer
Jeffrey Willerth	....	associate to producer
Jaroslava Fernandez	....	special effects contact lenses (uncredited)
Celeste Healy	....	production coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Babylonian Productions
• Turner Network Television (TNT)

Distributors

• Audio Visual Enterprises (1998) (Greece) (VHS)
• Chum Television
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Turner Network Television (TNT)
• Warner Bros.
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2000) (2001) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Netter Digital Animation
• Optic Nerve Studios (makeup effects)
• Ultimate Effects

Other Companies

• Oberman, Tivoli & Miller  production accounting services
• Optic Nerve Studios  makeup effects

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Germany:6 | Iceland:LH | UK:PG | USA:Unrated | Netherlands:6

Company:

Babylonian Productions

Trivia:

According to the novelization, Jankowski later committed suicide. He left a note which said only, "On my head,". He meant that he foresaw his mistake being the reason for humanity's extermination.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the "ambush" scene, a Star Fury and a Dreadnaught suddenly disappear as the jump point opens on a heavy cruiser

Quotes:

[first lines]
Delenn:It is said that in every age, there is one singular event that forever changes the world around us. A nexus, if you will.
G'Kar:It is said that the future is always born in pain. The history of war is the history of pain. If we are wise what is born of that pain matures into the promise of a better world. Because we learn that we can no longer afford the mistakes of the past.

Movie Connections:

Features "Babylon 5: War Without End: Part Two (#3.17)" (1996)

A good movie that adds important detail missing from the series

As with most TV movies that are effectively a story arc, "In the Beginning" is only attractive to fans of the series. But for these people, this movie adds critical background information only hinted at in the series, and as well, casts one of the significant characters of the show into a different light. Now we can see a little of why the first four Babylon stations were destroyed, and how Sinclair and then Sheridan were fated to be the keystones in the development of Earth-Mimbari relations.

Finally the linked histories of Delenn, Sincliar and Sheridan that are alluded to throughout the series are explained, revealing some of the deep background created by J. Michael Straczynski that helped add to the series strength. The acting is well crafted, highlighting the depth of skills in their craft of the major cast. What I found particularly intriguing was the manner in which Straczynski rounded out the character of Llando by having him slightly distort the historical events covered in the series (only apparent to someone who had paid particular attention to the original TV screening).