Interview with actress Ellen Dubin.

The very lovely Ellen

My article this week features a talented and gorgeous cult figure in the Sci-Fi world. No, that's not a description of me - though you would of course be forgiven for making that quite understandable assumption.  After all, I have previously been called something of a cult. Well at least I think that's what they said......

It would be safe to say that my previous post featuring an interview with the legend and all-round good egg that is Bill Oberst Jr. was something of a major success. Not only did I manage to successfully include a number of sentences in my writing that were almost correct in both grammar and spelling (I said, almost), but far more importantly in my shallow and superficial world the piece has been incredibly popular in terms of blog views. In fact in just over a week, nearly a thousand views have been recorded, making it the most popular post for quite some time.

Now for a change I'm not deluding myself. I know that the response was partly due to the fan-base that Bill has and also because of the new Sci-fi series that he will soon be appearing in - Starfall. However, my reader knows me well enough by now to realise that of course I'll take success in any way I can find it, even if it is by proxy and by hanging on to the coat tails of others.

The direct feedback to me has also been nice to receive - some of it has even been complimentary. The best one came from a co-star of Bill's from the Starfall series, the very lovely actress Ellen Dubin, who said my piece was wonderful (oh yes she did!)......that was her big mistake. Because not only did I respond back and thank her for her remarks, but I also managed to sit her down and undergo another of the legendary Fifth Dimension interviews in the process. This wasn't as easy a task as you would first think, because I just happened to be a fan of series that she appeared in some years ago, the weird and wonderful Lexx, and to be honest, I quite fancied that pants of her character, the dastardly cannibal queen Giggerota the Wicked.

So not only did I have to act all cool and professional-like (I know, there's a first time for everything) when discussing the questions, I also had to curtail my natural sassy (some may say inappropriate) remarks. For instance, when a talented and gorgeous actress responds to ones requests for photos etc for inclusion in my article and asked quite harmlessly and legitimately whether I wanted more head and body shots - well I had to hold back my usual type of innuendo-ridden response. Blimey, it's difficult being all professional-like.

I do want to say very sincerely that Ellen has been quite wonderfully gracious in her time and efforts in dealing with my questions and requests. In fact, without hopefully sounding overly sycophantic, I would go as far as saying that she has gone far and beyond being helpful in providing time, photo's and information. What a fab gal.

Anyhoo, with any further ado.....here's some bio on the fabulous Ellen Dubin.

The very lovely Ellen again - one cannot have too much of a good thing :-)

Ellen is a Gemini Award nominated actress for her series regular role Jeri Slate in the Leo Award winning supernatural drama THE COLLECTOR (which just aired on Chiller TV in the US and Space in Canada, and has aired in 65 countries), Ellen is also a cult figure in the sci-fi world for playing the wild alien cannibal Giggerota the Wicked in the international cult hit LEXX. She has the distinction of doing all four seasons and playing four different characters in this very popular show. Ellen played the first female Pope in sci-fi history in LEXX. 

She recently wrapped two sci fi pilots  NOBILITY with the legendary Walter Koenig, Doug Jones, Cas Anwar, James Kyson , Christopher Judge, Torri Higginson and Adrienne Wilkinson. The other pilot STARFALL, she worked with Andrew Jackson and Damien Puckler in Reno, Nevada. Both roles are very unique and intriguing!

She also enjoyed working on two recent film roles playing a nerdy shy wallflower in BIG FAT STONE with Academy Award nominated Robert Loggia, Tony Nardi and Margot Kidder which won many awards including Best Picture at the Action on Film Festival in Pasadena and NO DEPOSIT where she played a foul mouthed alcoholic woman opposite Art Hindle, Peter Coyote, Doris Roberts and Eric Roberts.

Her comedy zombie film DEAD BEFORE DAWN 3D with Devon Bostick and Christopher Lloyd opened at the Grauman’s Theater in Los Angeles and across the United States. The zomedy won the Perron Crystal Award for Live Action 3D Film from the prestigious International 3D Stereo Media Summit and Film Festival. DBD was nominated for five Canadian Comedy Awards.

In NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, the multi award winning Sundance Film Festival favorite and one of the most iconic film comedies of all time, Ellen plays the Tupperware-loving mom of Napoleon’s potential prom date.  

Her affinity for the unusual has also lead her to starring roles in THE LISTENER, THE DEAD ZONE, EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT, BLOOD TIES, MUTANT X, A WRINKLE IN TIME and HIGHLANDER: THE RAVEN where she is the only female to have a broad-to-broad broadsword fight in that shows' history.

She is also the go-to-girl for a host of movies on the Lifetime Network. She stars in THE WIVES HE FORGOT opposite Molly Ringwald, LIES AND DECEPTION with Madchen Amick and SECOND CHANCES with Melissa George, all airing now on LIFETIME. Her Hallmark Hall Of Fame Presents/ CBS Emmy nominated movie of the week THE LOIS WILSON story (opposite Winona Ryder) is among her favorites. 

Ellen voiced many characters in Time Magazine’s #1 PC video game of 2012 GUILD WARS 2 and Ultimate Game of the Year ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM. She also was thrilled to lend her voice to DEFENSE GRID:2, WORLD OF WARCRAFT and MURDERED:SOUL SUSPECT.  She is the voice of the highly acclaimed Disneyland attraction THE WORLD OF COLOR and  WORLD OF COLOR:WINTER DREAMS and the new promo trailer for SCREAMRIDE coming out next year.

Ellen is honored to be the spokesperson for the Make A Wish Foundation in Toronto and Central Ontario, volunteers at the Los Angeles Mission.

THE INTERVIEW BIT

Giggy on a slab is fab.....

Q) Ok, first things first, I need to be honest. I was trying to act all cool-like when we first talked about doing an interview, but I distinctly remember the part you played in the fabulous Lexx. What are your memories of playing the very sexy Giggerota the Wicked?

ED) I love how “cool” you acted and am thrilled you remember Giggy The Wicked. I devoured every moment playing that role. It was my first major introduction to the sci fi genre as an actress and what an awesome beginning. It was so satisfying creating a character from the ground up playing a ballsy, no holds barred character. Giggerota said whatever was on her mind and I loved how I was able to toy with everyone and have my way with them. Loved playing the humor of this role. And thanks for noticing that Giggy was “very sexy” – I called myself the sexy comic relief. The gals playing Zev/ Xev (Eva Habermann and Xenia Seeberg) were the true sexy leads. But lots of people got a real rise out of Giggerota’s unique character. I miss Lexx - the fantastic locations Germany, Halifax and Thailand and the wonderful cast and crew. One of the best experiences of my career! 

Q) Did you get to keep the rubber suit?! :-)

ED) Here is a little secret that not too many people know. There were two suits. It was a grotesque brilliant costume design – I wore the skin and head of a man I ate – the head was dangling at the back of the costume! That was the crazy wacky world of Lexx. In one scene, Giggerota emerges like a creature from the Black Lagoon out of the water. Well, the rubber latex was so heavily weighed down with water, it started to crumble and that was the end of suit one. Also the first suit was so heavy and didn’t breathe. That they had to cut slits in the knees and elbows so I could move. The rubber suit added weight to me – it bulked me up by about 15 pounds. So every time people would see me in person, they would say : “Oh, you are much thinner in person”! Also, no one wanted to eat lunch with me, because it smelled of rubber latex. After the water scene, that suit was thrown in the garbage.

The second unitard was much lighter and made of more durable, flexible buckskin suede and was more body hugging. I was able to move more freely in it and everyone ate lunch with me. Smelled much better!

I don’t have the suit. No. But I do have some of the Pope stuff I wore in Season 4. I played the only female Pope in Sci-fi history in a brilliant episode called APOCALEXX NOW.

Being fab on a slab with the inimitable Barry Bostwick

Q) Can you believe it's over 13 years since Lexx finished??!! Why do think it still has much affection for fans ?

ED) Wow, time flies when you are having fun!

Here’s the thing. Even if someone didn’t like LEXX, they would never forget it. It was so different! Plot lines that were so off beat and characters that were unforgettable in a very unusual world.

Lexx was way ahead of it time. So many shows after LEXX used elements from the show. I really believe Paul Donovan who created it was so clever- the storylines appealed to kids because there were some funny characters visually but it had a lot of story lines that had double entendre- it was sexy, intelligent and really wacky. There were lots of references to politics and religion as well.  It was funny, daring, wild and wacky.

Fans loved Giggerota because I was the only recurring character that was in all four seasons and also I would die and come back as another character with the same traits as Giggerota.  How brilliant is that. Fans got a kick out of that. They embraced the weirdness of the show. Brilliant concept!!!  Makes me smile everytime I think of it. Fans love to watch it again and new fans are enjoying discovering it for the first time!

Sr Lieutenant Shingh- ah desperately trying to erase 

her internet search history....

Q) Tell us about the character you play in Starfall?

ED) I love this character on Starfall. I play Sr Lieutenant Shingh- ah. Shingh-ah is of the Selsky race who have been scattered and hunted nearly to extinction. My character is hiding a deep dark secret and will one day be forced to choose between loyalty to her crewmates and her people. The arc of the character is wonderful. That’s all I can say right now!

Q) What, if anything, will set Starfall apart from other Sci-Fi shows? 

ED) John Ellis has created an amazing world for our characters that no one else has every done. Yes we are part of a crew of a space ship called the Ardri Jennet and many wonderful Sci fi shows have their base on a ship but the character’s back stories are so fascinating and so different than any other thing I have seen in this genre. I wish I could be a little more specific but you will have to wait till the pilot to see it. It was shot in Reno, Nevada.

Q) I interviewed your Starfall co-star, Bill Oberst Jr. recently. I know that he comes across as being a nice guy & Gentleman - but you can now dish the dirt. He's a trial to work with isn't he? ;-)

ED) Alas, never got to work with the amazing Bill Oberst Jr, We didn’t have any scenes together. But was a huge fan before. And here is the “dirt” I heard, everyone loved working with him! Ha, no trial, I am sure!! Hope when the show goes, we can have scenes together!

Ellen as as Colonel Theia with Adrienne Wilkinson and Darren Jacobs 

Q) Another Sci-Fi show I know you’re involved in is the upcoming 'Nobility'. I've heard it dubbed “The Office” meets "Firefly", which sounds intriguing. Can you elaborate?

ED) It is a fascinating show. Made even better by this amazing cast. NOBILITY has a lot of comedic elements like “The Office” and “Firefly”.

NOBILITY ‘s crew has faults and quirks especially the characters played by Walter Koenig, James Kyson and Doug Jones. My character Colonel Theia is a very elegant, commanding person who is a member of a very intelligent race called The Eujins. The Eujins come aboard the Nobility s ship to teach human beings some valuable lessons. Again, that is all I can say at this moment! E J de la Pena has created a fascinating new world in this compelling sci fi pilot. Stay tuned!

Q) There are one or two other fellow 'big-hitters' in Nobility, I believe - A certain Mr Walter Koenig (some Star Trek thing), James Kyson (Heroes), Doug Jones (Hellboy) and Christopher Judge (Stargate SG1). Have you shared scenes with any of these guys & what was the experience like?

ED) Ha, this is a sci fi fan’s dream cast!

Sadly, I didn’t work with any of these wonderful men. Not yet, anyway!
I did work with the fabulous Cas Anwar (Assassin’s Creed and the new sci fi show The Expanse) ,Adrienne Wilkinson (Xena: Warrior Princess)  upcoming British actor Darren Jacobs and the wonderful Torri Higginson (Stargate Atlantis). We had great chemistry working together.

I did get to hang with all of them at San Diego Comic Con (except Walter) and they were a blast. Had a great time greeting fans with these awesome quick witted, fun men. Loved doing panels with these guys. The audience at SDCC just ate it up.

One of Ellen's many characters from ELDER SCROLLS V:SKYRIM

 - sent to her by a fan

Q) You've voiced numerous characters in a number of video games, such as GUILD WARS 2 and ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM. How enjoyable is this kind of acting as opposed to 'regular' acting?

 ED) I find voice over acting freeing. It is so rewarding working on these wonderful games. And the best voice over actors are well-rounded well trained actors. Video games are so sophisticated now- fans are very savvy in this genre- that the acting has to be first rate. That is why so many great video game producers hire a lot of us who have strong theater backgrounds- we are able to speak the language, summon up emotions at the drop of the hat and are able to go from comedy to drama in a flash. I also love not being cast for my look or my age. I have a great time creating these unbelievable worlds with just the use of my voice. Special thanks to my LA Voice team at VOX Inc. for encouraging me in this genre. 

Q) I also hear that you're the voice of the Disneyland attraction THE WORLD OF COLOR - how crazy is that? Have you been to it and heard yourself?

ED) I was so thrilled to be the voice of THE WORLD OF COLOR and THE WORLD OF COLOR: WINTER DREAMS. To be a part of Disneyland’s California Adventure Park was such a fabulous coup for me. I loved recording at the spectacular Walt Disney Imagineering Studios in Glendale and to hear the beautiful London Symphony Orchestra and the Nashville Choir complimenting my voice in the finished product, just made my heart sing. Amazing! Have not heard it in person. But have heard snippets of it online that fans have sent to me.  It is one of those spine tingling voiceovers! WOW! Loved being a part of the Disney theme park world. Brings out the kid in me! I am so grateful to Brian Nefsky for casting me. 

Q) Have you ever worked over here in the UK?

ED) I haven’t yet! But I am dying to. I have a wonderful fan base there.

So many astounding shows come out of the UK as well. The UK has an amazing talent pool.  If you have something, let me know. LOL!

Ellen & James Kyson (Heroes) doing their thing at San Diego Comic Con

Q) Aberdeen (my local city in Scotland) is hosting it's very first Comicon in 2015. Do you attend fan conventions? What are your experiences? (We fans can be quite obsessive!)

ED) I LOVE CONS!

Can I say that loud enough? Fan reactions are one of the best reasons to be an actor. When you can make a fan laugh or move a fan by your work, it is so rewarding.

I did a panel this past year at Wondercon and also at San Diego Comic Con and was part of the Nobility booth. I have never seen such a crowd of fanatic fantastic fans in my life.

The costumes, the passion. their dedication to this genre is beyond fabulous!

There is no better fan then the sci fi fan. When someone knows every line of dialogue you have ever said and designs a costume (that can take a year to make from scratch) in the exact image of your character, it is wild and fabulous.
I love it!

I want to come to Aberdeen! This sounds like a good one!

The link link for the Suspense Radio Show

www.bluehoursproductions.com

Q) What does the future hold for Ellen Dubin?

ED) My motto is to enjoy every moment of every day and appreciate the little things in life. I will continue to work on the video game ELDER SCROLLS ONLINE content with my wonderful director Rene Veilleux. 

I just finished an amazing radio show called SUSPENSE for producer John Alsedek and Dana Perry-Hayes which is a throwback to those old style radio programs – Really fun melodramatic meaty material. Hopefully that will air soon. I played opposite my NOBILITY co – star Adrienne Wilkinson.

I have a promo trailer coming out for a wonderful game published by Microsoft Studios for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 called SCREAMRIDE – so listen for that.  

My film BIG FAT STONE – a heist film just played Action on Film festival in Los Angeles  won many awards including  best film .  And another film I did NO DEPOSIT will be released next year as well as a pilot for a new sitcom called LA TRATTORIA with the amazing Doris Roberts. All these projects were so rewarding to work on with the very talented Frank D’Angelo at the helm.

I hope to continue my work with Make A Wish in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

And look for the best chocolate éclairs everywhere I go!

Once again I would like to say a big thank you to Ellen for being so generous in her time. I'm sure you'll agree that not only is she a fine actress and all-round good egg but she has a rather fine line in humour.

So go and give her Facebook fan page a like at   www.facebook.com/EllenDubinActor?fref=ts

Ellen can be followed on that Twitter thingy via @EllenDubinActor 

You can access Ellen's website at www.ellendubin.com 

Her IMDB page can be found at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0239294/?ref_=nv_sr_1

The website for the Nobility series can be located HERE

The website for Starfall can be found RIGHT HERE

Starfall TV series & interview with actor, Bill Oberst Jr.

Some crazy fool asked me the other day if I liked Star Trek. I know, I know. Now before you go asking just what kind of batshit crazy question that was, I must add that the person who asked it doesn't know me overly well. In fact they probably have little clue that I spend many of waking hours forcing my own particular brand of self-indulgent ramblings here on this blog to the world and that the words 'Star' and 'Trek' have been known to appear on occasion. Well I suppose that ignorance is bliss., some of you would undoubtedly say that the person in question is lucky to be oblivious to my musings. You may well be correct. After I had stopped smiling for a moment at his question, I tried to regain my usual professional and friendly composure. "Of course I love Star Trek" I replied. That final sentence was my one main mistake.

For I had made a mistake of gargantuan rookie proportions, I had fallen into his cunning trap - not only was he a Trekkie/Trekker, he was a hardcore Trekkie/Trekker. The thing is, I do love Star Trek - I grew up with the original series, adored the film spin-offs (I know I'm not being original, but The Wrath of Khan is sheer perfection) and also loved TNG, DS9 and Voyager. Alas Enterprise was complete pants, sorry, but it was. However, like some of the people around the  Star Trek, and indeed the Star Wars universe, some of the fans scare me - big time. There is absolutely nothing in wrong adoring whatever aspect of ones nerdy and geeky world you choose, but there is a fine line in here. In other words, we all have an opinion so stop taking your viewpoint so damn seriously - it's not a competition to be the best fan, you know!

So the look of disdain and derision on the face of my questioner was plain to see when I mentioned that I didn't actually have a preference for my particular favourite phaser, or even possess an in-depth knowledge of the operational specs of the Enterprise. 

Great Red Fist of the Ardi Jennet 

Don't get me wrong, I am in no way mocking ones obsessions, it's just that occasionally, some things seem to bring out the worst aspects of fan dome in many of us. This is particularly so when it comes to science fiction TV it seems.

So when I began to hear some months ago that a proposd new and fresh Sci-Fi series, Starfall, was in production, I was caught in something of a quandary. On the one hand, it was about time that a vibrant new show hit the scene, which is a genuinely exciting thing. On the other hand however, my hardcore obsessive friend had also heard of the series too and was already something of an expert. Oh well.

What actually sealed the deal in terms of my interest for the series was that one of the principle characters in the show features an old friend of The fifth Dimension. The good friend in question is a certain icon of contemporary horror, Bill Oberst Jr. I was lucky enough to chat with Bill earlier this year at the time of the release of Werewolf Rising on DVD, in which, well quite frankly, he stole the show in his role of a very very bad man with certain Wolf-like tendencies. If you want to read that piece, well you could do no wrong in visiting http://stuart66.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/werewolf-rising-dvd-release-interview.html. When I found out that Bill would be appearing in the new Sci-fi show I thought it only right and proper that I pester and stalk him until he finally relented and talked to me again. 

But before I divulge to you another in the fab (some, well me, would say classic) series of Fifth Dimension interviews, let me pass on to you good people some information from the people behind the legend that could become Starfall.

The Ardri Jennet - sorry hardcore fans, I don't have the ship's specs....

" The 150 years since the galaxy first knocked on Humanity's door was marked by a Solar System-wide civil war and nearly a century of human enslavement. Then came “emancipation,” heralding in a new era where human beings would be accepted as equal members of the galactic community.

It hasn't quite worked out that way.

Aboard the frigate Ardri Jennet, Lieutenant-Captain Will Hunter and his flawed, secretive crew—working for the same people who once promised, but failed to protect Humanity—now struggle against prejudice and bigotry in a galaxy that views humans as backward and barbaric. Certainly not equal.

And a new threat will rise, one that challenges ethics, skews allegiances, overturns priorities. Hunter and his Jennies will battle external foes and intimate betrayals in their determination to do the right thing in a galaxy gone morally grey. And suddenly lethal.

This is STARFALL."

Blimey, sounds good, eh?

The Kickstarter campaign, to gain extra funds for the post-production of the already completed pilot and the airing of the series in 2015, has recently ended. Work is now well under way to bring this new series to the public. I for one cannot wait.

THE INTERVIEW BIT WITH BILL OBERST Jr.

For this who don't know much about Bill (shame on you) - here is a little taster 'borrowed' from his Wikepedia page. 

"Known for his work in horror and cult films, his career includes projects in film, television and one-man-show theater performances.^[2] He first received recognition for his portrayals of icon and humorist Lewis Grizzard as performed in theatrical tours across the Southern United States.^[3] 

His role as the creepy 'Facebook Stalker' in the online interactive video film Take This Lollipop, which uses the Facebook Connect application to bring viewers themselves into the film through use of their own pictures and messages from Facebook,^[4][5][6] brought him widespread attention after the project received multiple Webby Awards nominations,^[7] three awards at SXSW,^[8] and a 2012 Daytime Emmy award".

For a more detailed biography of Bill's career, visit his IMDB page at     http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2454994/

Q) First of all, Bill, many thanks for talking to The Fifth Dimension again. What have you been up to since we last spoke at the DVD release of Werewolf Rising?

A) Stuart, thank you for the chance to connect with you and Fifth Dimension readers again! Since we last spoke I've been working; did 10 feature films this year and guested on CBS's CRIMINAL MINDS. I am driven to work, a gift from my retail dad, I think. He had a store that we kids all worked in and his motto was "If you got time to lean, you got time to clean." So we learned to keep busy. To this day I have respect for work and loathing for laziness. 

Q) You're well known as a stalwart of the contemporary horror genre, so what attracted you to a Sci-Fi project?

A) I'm a huge sci-fi buff - I just never get to do it! The Trekkie in me did back flips when John Ellis and Tyler Bourns invited me on board for STARFALL. I am attracted to the thought that humanity will make it out into space one day (or, for that matter, that humanity will make it at all.)  

Bill, suitably rocking the space uniform.

Q) Tell us a little of your role in Starfall & how it fits into the overall plot.

A) I play Hanso Baash, Chief Engineer of the ship Ardri Jennet. STARFALL is set in a universe dominated by aliens who consider humans barbaric; a species fit only for slavery. Hanso is also non-human but his race is entirely dominated by the females of his species. For a male to do anything besides take care of the family nest is viewed with suspicion. Hanso's native culture is like America in the 1950's but with the gender roles reversed. So even though he is a whiz of an engineer, he has an inferiority complex and no self-confidence. 

Q) In my opinion, we've been crying out for a genuinely strong character driven science fiction show. Will this be it?

A) Stuart, if the show gets picked up and funded; if STARFALL is given a chance; I believe the answer is yes. If I didn't believe that I wouldn't be there. Like any actor, I do a lot of work just to pay the bills, but when it comes to sci-fi, I want to be a part of something superior; something that excels.

Q) Have there been any specific challenges for you so far peculiar to this role?

A) Yes. Because Hanso's culture is female-dominated and because he has chosen to leave that culture for a chance at a career, he is very much alone. That, plus his built-in low self-esteem, make playing him a balancing act. He has to be both competent and unsure; good at his job but bad at believing in himself.

Hero poses r us.

Q) I think it's fair to say that Sci-Fi fans can sometimes be a little 'passionate' when it comes to series such as this. Are you prepared for the possibility of that happening if the series really takes off?! :-)

A) Oh my Lord, yes! You are talking to a man who has stood in line at conventions waiting to meet my favorite actors; a man who knows dialogue from his favorite sci-fi movies and episodes by heart; a man who, when he met the art department head of WRATH OF KHAN, held the poor man hostage asking about sets, props and whether that was Ricardo Montalbán's real chest (it was.) I understand the passion. That's the fun of it! 

Q) When can we expect to see Starfall?

A) John Ellis and Tyler Bourns know the ins and outs of that. I hope in 2015. Actors don't know much of anything, you know, we just get the call when the time comes. 

I've seen this episode & he frightened the s**t out of me.....

Q) What career plans next for Bill Oberst Jr.?

A) I've got 5 feature films to shoot in 2015 so far. CBS recently named my CRIMINAL MINDS character one of the 14 Most Notorious Serial Killers in the show's 10-year history, so I am openly salivating for a chance to return to the show. My current feature film release is the the arthouse horror film COYOTEand my next feature release is the Civil War-era drama THE RETRIEVAL. Meanwhile I am touring with a one-man stage show of the Torah/Biblical book of Genesis and hoping to play Lon Chaney in a film project (I've heard from two writers working on screenplays with Chaney as a character since being presented the Lon Chaney Award in San Diego this fall.

Q) Finally, what are your plans for the New Year?

A) I'm a pretty boring and conservative guy, Stuart. I like to go to bed early on New Year's Eve and get up early for a good workout before dawn on New Year's Day. Then I am ready to roll. In a business with a 98% unemployment rate, I had better stay on my toes. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, in my couple of years as an intrepid, and dare I say it, magnificent blogger, I've had the pleasure to meet and talk to a whole heap of great of people, the vast majority of whom have been perfectly approachable. I really don't want to sound overly sycophantic, but Bill Oberst Jr. is up there as one of the nicest and most genuine of people you could ever wish to meet. Bugger, he's talented and decent, how bloody annoying! At least I'm halfway there myself ;-)

For a little taste of what is hopefully to come from Starfall, here is a nice teaser trailer.

As soon as I get my hands on any preview material for the upcoming series then I pass on the details to you good people. My sources (in others words, reading their Facebook page) tell me that, in order to make sure the post-production is well and truly nailed, the web series is being anticipated for a mid-2015 release.

The team behind Starfall is such:

J.E. Ellis, creator, executive producer
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1522126

Christiaan Champagne, co-executive producer
http://www.chrischampagne.com

Les Zigomanis, creative consultant
http://www.leszig.com

Tyler Bourns, director, executive producer
www.imdb.com/name/nm2690458

Scott Nakada, production designer

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2414026

Richard Hescox, concept artist
www.krop.com/hescox

Petter Wahlback, composer
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3144514

The Facebook page for Starfall can be found RIGHT HERE

The Twitter link for Starfall can be found by searching for @StarfallTV

The Indie Go-Go link is https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/starfall

984: Prisoner of the Future - A film brought to you courtesy of the Movie & Music Network

984: Prisoner of the Future (1982)

Director: Tibor Takács

Cast: Stephen Markle, Michèle Chicoine, Don Francks

When it came to my current choice of movie to watch & review from the wonderfully subversive library of the Movie & Music Network, well it is safe to say that I almost stumbled upon the film in question quite by accident. If truth be told I was going to watch something else completely, the name of which shall remain nameless for now as it may well form part of a future article (anything to save me from extra work.....), but I changed my mind at the last moment (one of my many, many bad habits) and decided on something very different after an intriguing little title caught my eye.

I've always been something of a sucker (easy, don't make up your own jokes) for a good old story of 'man (or woman) against a totalitarian system' story. I suppose that the concept of being locked away for crime one not only didn't commit, but also being unaware exactly what that crime is, has long since been one of our deepest sociological and personal fears. In my case, being locked in a room and forced to listen 24/7 to the latest X-factor 'songs' with TV in the corner playing non-stop reality shows, would quite frankly be my actual top of personal list of ultimate dreaded fears.......but the being locked up thing while being innocent etc etc is pretty close.

So these fears very nicely influenced the film that caught my attention. In truth, it was the briefest of synopsis of a film that to be honest I had never heard of before - 984:Prisoner of the Future (1982). Just reading the following meant that the deal was sealed. 

"In a futuristic world, a man is taken prisoner and jailed for alleged crimes against the government.

Imprisoned without true cause, the man is tortured by a sadistic warden."

This theme (the crimes against the state, not X-Factor and reality TV hell) has long since been the staple of dystopic subject matter that has continued to enthral Science Fiction audiences to this day. From the likes of Franz Kafka's stunning book, The Trial, which tells the tale of Josef K, a man who is unexpectedly arrested and sent to trial by unnamed agents from an unnamed authority. The man is never given any indication (as neither are we) at any point during the story as to exactly what the crime is that he is accused of. Then of course we also have George Orwell's dystopian showpiece, Nineteen Eighty-Four, which is arguably the personification in literature and film of the power of an all-powerful authority over a society, and specifically, the individual.

Perhaps my personal favourite along this dystopian strand is the classic 1960's TV series, The Prisoner, which tells the story of an ex-Government agent who is imprisoned and interrogated for information (again, the subject of which he or the audience is never made aware of). The real genius of this series was to transform the 'interrogation facility' from a dark and bleak prison cell to a charmingly beautiful isolated seaside village, complete with a population comprising of strange enigmatic individuals (some of whom are 'enemies' of the state too - possibly) and life-size balloons that chase the Prisoner, who is now simply referred to by the state as 'Number six'.

"Excuse me sir, we have reason to believe you are an enemy of

our Orwellian dystopic dictatorship regime....."

984:Prisoner of the Future was originally a made-for-TV Canadian production. However, before I talk more about it let me say something from the very beginning, this film is no Nineteen Eighty-Four, nor is it close to the perfection of The Prisoner. However, it does have enough merits of his to warrant being regarded as an enjoyable, albeit flawed piece of work. 

It contains some of the familiar themes mentioned in the its illustrious predecessors, namely a man taken against against will by a powerful organisation who know little or nothing about the crimes he is accused of - and just as importantly, we are equally in the dark. That final factor will be more than enough to annoy some viewers who like their 'nice cosy character arcs and fully explained satisfying' endings. 

Indeed, one or two of the reviews I have seen about this move have made that very very criticism, the fact that 984:Prisoner of the Future leaves much of the mystery of the narrative unexplained seems to really, REALLY annoy some people. One particular reviewer's main rant about the film was this distinct lack of transparency in the plot and narrative and took a great deal of offence at the fact the proceedings weren't clearly explained to him. God give me strength! The fact that the irony of him wanting full and frank explanation of what was going on in a film that deals with a protagonist who has little or no idea of what is happening around him was well and truly lost on this one reviewer in particular.

As I briefly mentioned earlier, this was originally made for television production and was slated to be the pilot for the following series. After literally a couple of moments of intense research I gave up trying to find out why the series was never commissioned. Perhaps the main reason was the slightly confusing story narrative that takes place, maybe it was monetary constraints (something which is more than apparent in certain parts of the feature), one day I may find out. 

The rumour that this is me after the Christmas celebrations

are yet to be confirmed......

One thing that I am sure of is that despite a number of glaring negatives (one of them though is incredibly entertaining), which I will mention later, 984:Prisoner of the Future is a surprisingly effective and convincing treatment of a study into how one individual can find himself in a insane nightmare of Kafka-esque proportions as reality becomes nothing more than battle against the madness of the oppressive system.

The performances throughout are generally excellent, with Don Francks obviously having a whale of a time in the meaty role of the sadistic and ever increasingly insane interrogator. The protagonist, Tom Weston, is also nicely played by Stephen Markle as he finds himself on a journey which begins initially with anger and bewilderment at his plight, but which gradually descends into psychological terror and impending madness. Perhaps the most interesting of the performances for me was that of Stan Wilson, who plays the enigmatic assistant to the warden. It's a nicely layered portrayal of a character who is far more complex than the brutish and sadistic officer that he first appears to be. One criticism than cannot be levelled at this film is the quality of acting.

I can imagine that some people would be put off by the often vague structure of plot and narrative that leaves the viewer from the very beginning to end asking far more questions than any answers would be given for. For example, we are never quite sure if Tom Weston is guilty of conspiring against 'The Movement'. The film features constant flashbacks to his 'normal' life when he was first approached by his influential friends to join with them in rebellion. Did he really refuse their advances? Or is he merely trying to convince himself in order to be better able to resist the ever more violent interrogation? I sincerely believe that the intention (just like in The Prisoner) was to leave the viewer with a sense of bewilderment at Weston's plight, in essence, trying to put us in the same shoes as this man who is no longer sure of what he knows or believes. 

This belief comes in part from the track record of 984:Prisoner of the Future's director, Tibor Takacs, who has a fine track record of productions such as; The Gate (1987), I, Madman (1989) plus episodes of Earth: Final Conflict and the rebooted Outer Limits from the 1990's. Believe me, this guy is no mug.

A prison robot guard - & yes, 
it is wearing roller skates....

For all the undoubted strengths of 984:Prisoner of the Future, it is undoubtably a flawed piece of work, particularly in terms of the film's budget, which quite frankly speaks volumes of a 'Please pick up this pilot for a full series and we'll be able to spend much more' approach.

The most obvious consequence of this is that the robot guards who are intended to invoke feelings of terror and instead invoke feelings of humour - but in a 'laughing at them' not 'with them' sort of way. It also doesn't help that the robot guards travel around the facility on skates......yes, my friends..... skates. Seriously people, you need to go to the Movie & Music Network right now if only to watch this version of 'sadistic robot guards on roller skates - it's fun for all the family!!'

However, these are but minor negatives for which is overall a considered and skillful take on man versus the power of authoritarian authority. Yes the production values may be lacking, and yes, the robot guards (on skates) may be a frightening as a cute puppy with a cute playtoy. Yes, the plot may be foggy and confusing in parts - If I was a betting man (which I'm not), I'm betting that the TV execs didn't have a clue what the heck they were looking at when first seeing this film back in 1982 . The men in suits must have wondered just what to make of this vision of dystopia, indeed it may have be just a little too far on the 'wrong' side of an unsettling and downbeat for their mainstream executive tastes.

However, what we have here is a relatively unknown film that deserves to have a much wider audience. I would dearly love to find out just what the makers of 984:Prisoner of the Future planned to to with the series after the events here, I think it may have been special.

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But hey - don't just take my word for it. Because thanks to the most wonderful people at the Movie & Music Network, you can watch 984: Prisoner of the Future - FOR FREE!

You don't need to subscribe to view it - but you never know, after having yourself a sneaky little peak the rest go the Library then it may well be a good idea to do so!

Click RIGHT HERE to watch the movie and let me know what you think!

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http://www.movieandmusicnetwork.com/content/w/984-prisoner-of-the-future-r?promocode=5THDIMENSION