Rating: Summary: Fascinating! Review: "Mind Meld" is a fascinating glimpse into the lives of two iconic actors who starred in the immensely popular Star Trek! For those of us who grew up watching Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock this is a must see! The two actors meet at Leonard Nimoy's home and share their memories in his beautiful backyard..You immediately sense a bond between the two that you sense as a deep and meaningful friendship..sort of a brotherly love if you will..
Shatner sort of starts off interviewing Nimoy but contributes quite a bit of his own personal reflections and memories..
One of highlights of this program is how Shatner deals with the animosity and resentment of his former castmates..It's obvious that he is quite hurt by some of the criticisms but he creates a veneer of rationalizations to "protect" himself...a defense mechanism if you will...
But to Shatner's credit..he was the "star" of the show and his boundless energy and crafting of his character was most likely going to alienate others..as a comparison, we always heard stories of Barbara Streisand's tantrums on movie sets..but I guess in a sense, that's what drove these artists and made them great! What I found odd is that Shatner stated that he felt the Star Trek conventions fueled the other actor's egos and made them feel more "important than they were" in his words..I'm not sure about that..after reading George Takei and Nichelle Nichol's books I felt they respected Shatner for his obvious talents as an actor but they, as an ensemble of actors, felt that their talents were not appreciated...as George Takei put it..he felt he was "decoration" on the bridge half of the time..
In making Star Trek the classic show that it was, the contributions of Nimoy and Shatner were immense no doubt however, there was one point during the interview where I felt that Gene Roddenberry had an immense amount of control over the show when Shatner mentioned that for the first movie..he had a idea about a scene and he and Nimoy worked it out and presented it to Robert Wise the director and Wise told them to run it by Gene..since Gene had crafted the original story..however..when it came time to do so..Shatner kind of felt intimidated...
This is a wonderful interview in that it humanizes the two actors and gives you quite a bit of insight into the pressures and stresses of making a hit TV show..that it's not all glitz and glamour but a lot of hard work! In the end you really respect these guys for their dedication to their characters and their openness about issues that they dealt with..
A definite must see for diehard fans of TOS and the 6 movies!!
Rating: Summary: Great DVD!!! Review: For a true Star Trek fan this DVD is a fantastic way to spend a mere 75 minutes of your time. I thought I followed Star Trek pretty well, however, I did not know that Leonard Nimoy had gone through an alcohol problem. I wasn't truely aware that he'd seemingly had a lot of anger and confidence problems during those early years. William Shatner seemed like he was talking but more or less leading an interview with his friend. I personally do not believe that he didn't see or feel the animosity that the other cast members had for him. Overall though this is a very enlightening DVD and I recommend it to all Star Trek fans.
Rating: Summary: A great look at the two who made Star Trek! Review: For a true Star Trek fan this DVD is a fantastic way to spend a mere 75 minutes of your time. I thought I followed Star Trek pretty well, however, I did not know that Leonard Nimoy had gone through an alcohol problem. I wasn't truely aware that he'd seemingly had a lot of anger and confidence problems during those early years. William Shatner seemed like he was talking but more or less leading an interview with his friend. I personally do not believe that he didn't see or feel the animosity that the other cast members had for him. Overall though this is a very enlightening DVD and I recommend it to all Star Trek fans.
Rating: Summary: To Boldly Go To......Nimoy's Backyard Review: I received this little gem as a gift, and the thought of Leonard Nimoy & William Shatner sitting around a backyard and reminiscing about their days as Enterprise crew members seemed a bit odd to shell out money for. Really, unless you were a true hard-core fan who'd have spent money for an hour of these two guys talking?However, it really is a genuine surprise as you see these Sci Fi legends talk and act like two normal everyday guys. Granted, there are some canned questions and talking points they hit upon which no doubt were pre-determined, but the casualness and what appears to be pure honesty is not only surprisingly refreshing, but soon you get the feeling that Nimoy and Shatner really are best friends and you forget you're actually watching this as a spectator because you really get interested in what they have to say. The legendary egotism of Shatner does not appear to be warranted here and if this truly is a representation of Shatner as a person, then many claims towards him are easily debunked as jealousy from the media and other cast members. He touches on this briefly and I found myself sympathetic of his feelings as how he feels about the claims of other cast members. But the whole interview between them does not always revolve around Star Trek. They touch on their personal lives including their children, their marriages, personal problems and triumphs off camera. Also they discuss their battles and interactions with the studio execs, the public, the media, and their own dreams and aspiration both prior to Star Trek, and now after. Definitely something to learn about both actors are revealed here that one would never read in the pages of Starlog, or seen at a convention. While most of the interview takes place in Leonard Nimoy's backyard, they do manage to spend about 5 minutes or so in Nimoy's personal study/office in his home. Kinda cool to see what's on his walls, and what he collects. There isn't much to offer on the DVD itself: There is chapter selection, an annoying commercial to buy other bio-documentaries, and a 'making-of' featurette, and standard actor biographies. The only thing really missing is the fact that DeForest Kelly passed before this was made, for this DVD would be that much better if he was included. However, both Nimoy and Shatner do touch on Kelly, and pay a really nice homage to Bones. The reason I gave it three stars is the lack of extra content. There could have easily been a nice photo gallery, an extended interview or a wider range of topics, outtakes from other Nimoy & Shatner projects, maybe even some home movies thrown in for fun.
Rating: Summary: Great interviews. Great DVD. So/So extras. Review: It made more sense for Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner to do the interviews on a one to one basis. It made for better conversation and the brief trip through Nimoy's home was great because it showed how much Star Trek has touched upon both their lives. The interviews do reveal some behind the scenes information on the making of some of the original series episodes and how each actor approached the filming of each show on a weekly basis. The extras on the DVD are abit so/so. The making of feature is good, so are the actors bio page. But there are advertisements for other DVDs that Creative Light Entertainment has done, and these are mostly low budget, unimpressive films. But that;s the only negative here, in a mostly good DVD.
Rating: Summary: Great interviews. Great DVD. So/So extras. Review: It made more sense for Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner to do the interviews on a one to one basis. It made for better conversation and the brief trip through Nimoy's home was great because it showed how much Star Trek has touched upon both their lives. The interviews do reveal some behind the scenes information on the making of some of the original series episodes and how each actor approached the filming of each show on a weekly basis. The extras on the DVD are abit so/so. The making of feature is good, so are the actors bio page. But there are advertisements for other DVDs that Creative Light Entertainment has done, and these are mostly low budget, unimpressive films. But that;s the only negative here, in a mostly good DVD.
Rating: Summary: Spock & Kirk together again. Review: Leonard Nimoy & William Shatner chat about how Star Trek effected their lives on & off the set along with other tidbits about the series that are...as Spock would say, "Fascinating"
Rating: Summary: Nimoy & Shatner Review: Nimoy and Shatner, sitting around and discussing their careers and mutual friendship. At first, one might think that this disc would be a boring, PC rehash of info all Trek fans have heard about a million times over. No so! The actors discuss personal issues both on set and off, failed marriages, alcoholism, and other events they were affected by both during Trek and post-Trek. Much of the discussion is about things even the most hard-core fans had never known about until now. Even the rest of the famous sci-fi cast comes in for scrutiny, as the two Titans of Trek discuss why they aren't close to the supporting cast. Shatner and Nimoy candidly talk about the animosity from the other actors, animosity that Shatner finds himself puzzled by. But it doesn't stop there. They also talk about their different acting approaches; Nimoy, consumed by character, Shatner, turning character on and off like a switch. I found this a particularly interesting insight into the two men, and the characters they played. Nimoy really does embody some of the Spock intellect, artistry, professionalism, and inner turmoil. Shatner really does embody a Kirk-like energy and zest for life, almost gung ho in his attempt to have it all. Nimoy at peace with himself, Shatner still reaching for the brass ring. One annoying curiosity is that, although dedicated to him at the end, there is little or no discussion about the late DeForest Kelley. A similar annoyance was pervasive in Shatner's recent Trek book, "Get a Life!", which supposedly covered Trek conventions and the cast's reaction to them. Kelley's views were noticably absent. It could be that the men wanted to focus on their personal relationship here, or that they weren't all that close to the late actor. What they do say about the third corner of the famous Trek Triad of Kirk, Spock and McCoy is very interesting, but still, I have to wonder why Kelley wasn't just a little bit more prominent in proceedings. If the film fails, it fails only in that it is all too short. There just seemed to be so much that could still be said, still be revealed about both Trek, the actors, the classic cast, and how Nimoy and Shatner really feel about the New Treks. Perhaps a sequel or limited series of these type of discussions would be a possibility. However, this is a rare glimpse at the two actors and their relationship, a private glimpse into that which we, the audience and fans, are intruders into. As such, we should be grateful for this interesting peek we are allowed at the two stars of "Star Trek".
Rating: Summary: Mind Meld: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime Review: This candid interview between William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy is a necessity for all star trek fans! In this one-on-one documentary, the two legends reveal the struggles and adventures they have experienced as a result of their work on Star Trek. The two share their demons and hardships in this beatifully shot production. The film takes place in Nimoy's home, which is adorned with rare personal photographs and star trek memorabilia - WOW! Most of all they reveal their incredible bond and the friendship that they have shared over the years.
Rating: Summary: Shallow Shatner Review: This DVD of discussions between William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy is an eccellent companion for the Star Trek DVDs,but is spoiled by one bit of Shatner Shallowness. During a meaningful 75 minute conversation about their lives,careers,the series,Nimoy's alcoholism and Shatner's loss of his wife,we have to put up with William Shatner having the gall to say that he didn't understand the support cast's resentment of him and worse still,having the nerve to call them childish. This is the same William Shatner that admitted in his book "Star Trek Memories" that he did wrong to Nichelle Nichols and now he reverses that admittion.He also held up filming of the Khitomer scene in Star Trek:The Undiscovered Country because he wanted to be the centre of the scene,despite the director explaining to him that the scene had already been planned out.This was the last filmed scene of the original cast's 25 year Star Trek film careers together and Shatner spoiled it by going on strike and held up production.There are many other examples of his self-centered behaviour. It's a pity because the rest of the 75 minute discussion is good,although there isn't much information of the making of Star Trek, but there are some good photos and and we get to go inside Leonard Nimoy's beautiful home and see some of his Star Trek collection in a corner of his home.A list of their film and television careers would have been nice though and should have been included. The DVD also has two Easter eggs featuring a hidden conversation(go down from 1 to 4 then right and click on 8 twice) and a photo on set of Bill and Leonard with their shirts off(go to biographies and click on creative media slogan),plus a making of extra.
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