Babylon 5 Question: Why was the Vorlon Suit so badly done?

[BMalion]

@Reverse

The Kosh suit was one of the most interesting and alien looking alien in the whole series.

Another pretty good one was the drakh that visited Delenn’s White Star. It had a really interesting shadowing effect going on with its movements.

Loved both.

[silenus]

B5 has nothing on Star Trek when it comes to reused props.

[Amateur_Barbarian]

@silenus

B5 has nothing on Star Trek when it comes to reused props.

I own a major prop from the B5 pilot that was re-dressed at least twice for use in the series. Even after many years, I still can’t decide whether to restore it to original look or preserve its (clumsy) changes.

When I asked, JMS suggested burning it instead. It was a hasty design he hated.

[Miss_Mapp]

I always thought he looked more like a jukebox.

[Amateur_Barbarian]

@Miss_Mapp

I always thought he looked more like a jukebox.

I just scared by dog by doing an extended impression of Kosh saying “Rock-Ola” and “Wurlitzer”…

[Miller]

@silenus

B5 has nothing on Star Trek when it comes to reused props.

They missed my favorite one, from Wrath of Khan: the research station the Khan steals the Genesis device from is a set from the first film, flipped upside down.

[Ambrosio_Spinola]

The Vorlons treat all the younger races with something between amused indifference and outright contempt, so it’s pretty reasonable that their encounter suits are something that they just threw together over an afternoon. It may be a rare example of Vorlon humor, albeit at our expense. (That this goes neatly with the general low-budget production values of B5 is a happy coincidence, right?)

There’s that episode set 1 million years in the future where humans have become energy monsters and use Vorlon-like encounter suits then, so they finally got the joke. Although the human encounter suits have two eyes, if I remember right.

[aceplace57]

I need to rewatch the series. It’s been about 10 years since I’ve seen it on tv.

I liked most of the series except the last season. They really should have ended it after the shadow war ended. I was a little disappointed with what happened to the regular characters in the last season.

[N9IWP]

@Amateur_Barbarian

I own a major prop from the B5 pilot that was re-dressed at least twice for use in the series. Even after many years, I still can’t decide whether to restore it to original look or preserve its (clumsy) changes.

When I asked, JMS suggested burning it instead. It was a hasty design he hated.

Do tell!

Brian

[gnoitall]

@aceplace57

I know that suit was a big problem for the other actors. They taught us in acting how important it is to make a connection with the other person in the scene. You have to listen and really get into the moment. I only took a few theater classes but even an experienced actor depends on working off the other actor. You got to have that energy for the scene to work.

You actually hit the mark and didn’t even realize it.

You don’t “make a connection” to a Vorlon. You come to it and receive either direct orders or incomprehensible advice.

If a Vorlon gives you direct orders, that’s all the relating you need. Step off and obey. Order must be preserved.

And if you got bizarre and inexplicable stuff about three-edged swords… think of it as an intelligence test.

Vorlons aren’t human. They’re not humanoid. They’re not even entirely corporeal. They’re as close to God as the B5 universe gets (on the Army of Light side).

They present as “angels” outside of their encounter suits for very specific and intentional reasons.

The “costume” works perfectly. Your expectations are what’s at fault.

[KneadToKnow]

@Miller

They missed my favorite one, from Wrath of Khan: the research station the Khan steals the Genesis device from is a set from the first film, flipped upside down.

Nitpick: it’s a model from the first film, not a set.

Orbital office complex from ST:TMP

Regula I

[Amateur_Barbarian]

@Amateur_Barbarian

I own a major prop from the B5 pilot that was re-dressed at least twice for use in the series. Even after many years, I still can’t decide whether to restore it to original look or preserve its (clumsy) changes.

When I asked, JMS suggested burning it instead. It was a hasty design he hated.

@N9IWP

Do tell!

Well, frag it. There’s a fairly famous publicity photo of Sinclair and Garibaldi from the pilot, in battle gear, each holding a rifle. Black and white, dramatically posed against some structural elements. I don’t have quick access to the book with the photo in it and if it’s out there on the webz ten minutes of searching has failed to turn it up.

Anyway, I own the “surfboard” rifle used by Sinclair when he and Garibaldi go after the Minbari spy. I was outbid on its mate a few years later (actually, I had technical problems with the online auction and failed to stay connected long enough to make a winning bid).

[aceplace57]

B5 must have set a record for real life cast deaths. Nearly all the main actors are gone. No chance of any reunion movies with this cast. Bruce Boxleitner, Mira Furlan, and Pat Tallman are the main ones still alive.

[silenus]

“Nearly all?” We’ve lost O’Hare, Katsulas, Conaway and Biggs.

AFAIK, Boxleitner, Christian, Mumy, Tallman, Carter, Furst, Jurasik, Doyle, Furlan, Thompson, Scoggins and Willerth are all still with us.

[TBG]

@aceplace57

I know that suit was a big problem for the other actors. They taught us in acting how important it is to make a connection with the other person in the scene. You have to listen and really get into the moment. I only took a few theater classes but even an experienced actor depends on working off the other actor. You got to have that energy for the scene to work.

It’s like doing a scene with a coat rack. There’s this big blob of fabric with a painted bed pan for a helmet. I feel sorry for Bruce Boxleitner and Mira Furlan trying to do scenes with that thing. I recall any scenes with Kosh always fell pretty flat.

The Vorlons became very important in the series. Kosh deserved a better Fx job.

Is doing a scene with a coat rack better or worse than doing a scene with a tennis ball glued to a long stick? Because that’s how a lot of acting in effects heavy stuff gets done in the CGI era.

[Kamino_Neko]

@aceplace57

Nearly all the main actors are gone.

Not even close.

Jeff Conaway, Richard Biggs, Andreas Katsulas, and Michael O’Hare are dead.

All the main women are still alive, as are Bruce Boxlietner, Peter Jurasik, Jerry Doyle, Bill Mumy, Stephen Furst, Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh’s voice), and Jason Carter (though I was actually surprised to find he was still alive…I was sure I’d heard he’d passed…but he’s in 2 movies this year, so I guess not).

[Mahaloth]

@Amateur_Barbarian

Anyway, I own the “surfboard” rifle used by Sinclair when he and Garibaldi go after the Minbari spy. I was outbid on its mate a few years later (actually, I had technical problems with the online auction and failed to stay connected long enough to make a winning bid).

Post a picture! That’s awesome! If you need advice on a website, use Imgur for a quick photo upload.

[Chimera]

@Kamino_Neko

All the main women are still alive, as are Bruce Boxlietner, Peter Jurasik, Jerry Doyle, Bill Mumy, Stephen Furst, Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh’s voice), and Jason Carter (though I was actually surprised to find he was still alive…I was sure I’d heard he’d passed…but he’s in 2 movies this year, so I guess not).

Per my comment above, Claudia and Patricia recently posted a lot of reunion photos on their FB pages.

[aceplace57]

I thought Peter Jurasik and Jerry Doyle had died too. Glad they are still with us.