Blu-ray Review: What We Left Behind: Looking Back At Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

While folks are getting excited about the upcoming Star Trek: Picard series, a new documentary gives us an opportunity to take another look at an earlier series. What We Left Behind: Looking Back At Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which was co-directed by Ira Steven Behr, showrunner for Deep Space Nine, presents a wonderful and enjoyable look at what was the most distinct and unusual of all the Star Trek series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which ran for seven seasons in the 1990s. Unlike Star Trek: The Next Generation, which took me a few seasons to appreciate, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine excited me right from the start. Partly that was because of its cast, which included Avery Brooks (known for his character Hawk from Spencer: For Hire and its spinoff, A Man Called Hawk) and René Auberjonois (known at that time for his work on Benson, but whom I especially loved in the films M.A.S.H. and Where The Buffalo Roam). But the show also had a different feel from the other Star Trek series. I maintained then, as now, that Deep Space Nine had some of the absolute best Star Trek episodes, and really only faltered when it stepped onto the Holodeck (which I still consider the most pointless and horrible contrivance in the Star Trek universe). This series featured the most well developed and intriguing characters, as well as continuing story lines, both of which added to the show’s appeal.

This documentary itself has quite a different vibe from most documentaries. It actually opens with a goofy jazz song about Deep Space Nine, and then a few words from Andy Robinson (who played Garak on the show), reminding us that “Memory can be faulty, and emotion often obscures clarity.” Certainly an unusual opening for a documentary. The film then gets into the criticism of the show, with several of the actors reading critiques from Star Trek fans, some of them rather cruel. People were upset back then that the show wasn’t about exploration, as the other series were, and also because of the show’s darker tone. But the characters too were criticized. Ira Steven Behr mentions how the criticism hurt the actors at the time. Most of the cast, including those with supporting roles, are interviewed in this film. Avery Brooks, Alexander Siddig, Nana Visitor, Armin Shimerman, Terry Farrell, René Auberjonois, Colm Meaney, Michael Dorn, Andy Robinson, Wallace Shawn, Cirroc Lofton, Casey Biggs, Penny Johnson Jerald and Bill Mumy are among the actors interviewed. They present lots of cool anecdotes, such as about rehearsals at Armin Shimerman’s home, and about Avery Brooks (I particularly love that bit about his changing of his delivery of “old man” when referring to Dax), and about the makeup. René Auberjonois (who payed Odo) says, “It was an intensely uncomfortable makeup to wear.” Andy Robinson mentions being claustrophobic and how the wig made him feel “sealed in.” The actors also talk about the long days, and Wallace Shawn even recounts a time when he fell asleep on camera.

Key crew members are interviewed also, including writers, directors, producers, production designers and makeup supervisors. Michael Okuda (scenic art supervisor) reveals that the original design for the space station “was largely based on an oil rig, with some terracing from a shopping mall.” Interestingly, a key part of this documentary is the writing of the first episode of a hypothetical Season 8, where the writers discuss what has happened to each of the main characters. At first I thought the writers sitting around talking about a potential episode was a bit silly. But I seriously got into the tale they were telling, as if I were watching the episode. I started guessing what they might come up with, what direction the story might take. And then the damn thing ends in a cliffhanger. Okay, guys, call me and tell me about the hypothetical second episode of Season 8 please. This component is yet another that makes this an unusual documentary.

We also hear from the fans, who talk about the show’s strong female characters. The series’ continuing story lines are also addressed, something which at the time was unusual. Then each episode of a show was a self-contained story. The documentary doesn’t get into detail on too many specific episodes, but it does touch upon the episode “Far Beyond The Stars,” and so rightly draws the connection to the racism prevalent in our nation today, racism of our president and his followers, racism that seems to grow more pronounced every week. The documentary also discusses how the series was able to deal with other political and social issues, such as the cost of war. The documentary ends as it began, with a song about Deep Space Nine. The documentary’s title, by the way, is a reference to the series’ final episode, “What You Leave Behind.”

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains several special features, including a short introduction to the bonus material by Ira Steven Behre, about why certain things were cut. “A Brief History Of Deep Space Nine” is about the idea behind the show, with a bit about casting and the story line. There are also a lot of deleted scenes, including material on specific episodes and moments from the show (I love the anecdote about the argument between Avery and René, and of course the bit about the tribbles episode), and about key production positions, and about some of the makeup for the show. Many of these deleted scenes include interviews with cast members. In one of my favorite deleted scenes, Armin Shimerman and Max Grodenchik talk about their auditions. The deleted scenes total approximately forty-eight minutes.

The special features also include a discussion by the documentary’s producers led by Ira Behre, in which they talk about the film and in particular the HD aspect of it with regards to footage from the original program. Those taking part are David Zappone, Luke Snailham, Kai De Mello-Folsom and Joseph Kornbrodt. This is approximately fifteen minutes. Also included is more footage with fans of the show, as well as a short piece on the 2017 Variety photo shoot with the cast, and the documentary’s trailer.

What We Left Behind: Looking Back At Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was directed by Ira Steven Behre and David Zappone, and is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 6, 2019 through Shout! Factory.

Blu-ray/DVD Review: The New York Ripper

The early part of the 1980s was such a great time for horror and thriller movies, and thus for horror movie fans. I wasn’t yet allowed to see those movies in the theaters, but thanks to my grandparents and home video, my appetite for these films was sated on a regular basis. And now seems the perfect time to revisit Lucio Fulci’s The New York Ripper. After all, our country has in many ways turned repulsive, and reality and the future are looking grim, so this film perhaps more than ever seems to reflect our society, or at least our feelings about it. And besides, it is now available uncut and uncensored in a new 4K restoration, and looks incredible. Apparently, quite a bit of the film was cut before, for IMDB lists the movie as being 85 minutes, and in this set it is 93 minutes. The new 3-disc Limited Edition release includes the film on Blu-ray and on DVD, with plenty of bonus material (which is on both discs, by the way). The third disc is a CD of the soundtrack. Also included is a booklet with a piece by Travis Crawford on the film.

In the opening scene, a dog fetching a stick returns to its owner with a severed hand. I love the push-in on the dog owner’s face, right up to his eyes, before the reveal of the hand. Then that gross hand remains on screen throughout the opening credits, preparing us for a film that will not shy away from gore. But there is also some humor, albeit dark, in the film’s first scenes, particularly in the character of the nosy landlady. It is from this character that we learn about the victim, which is a nice touch. I love that this is a big deal for her, but couldn’t possibly be more routine for the police. Then when a pretty woman rides her bicycle right into a parked car, she apologizes to the car’s occupant, saying “I was thinking of Boston.” I love that, being from Massachusetts myself and considering Boston to be a far superior city to New York. “You women should stay home where you belong,” the guy tells her. “You’re a menace to the public.” He sounds like a Republican. But on the ferry, she meets someone even worse. Interestingly, we get the scene from the killer’s perspective. I know that’s a way to avoid revealing who the killer is, but it has a strong effect on the viewer. Because as she is looking at us, we feel anxious, nervous for her, wishing we could urge her to get away, to get away from us. And her death is not quick. As I mentioned, this film does not shy away from gore. And it’s more powerful, because it’s more realistic and gritty.

The film includes a lot of great details that make the action, story and characters believable. For example, it is that tough misogynist that finds her body, and the detective investigating the case comments that the man was crying in the men’s room after finding her. And when the cop seeks the help of a psychological profiler, that expert immediately asks about getting paid, which just rings true. There is no altruism in the world of this film. After he agrees to help, he tells the cop in a rather pleasant voice “You let me have all the data and we wait for him to butcher another girl.” It’s a twisted world, and the killer seems just one element of it.

For me, the film gets even more intriguing when it gets to the theater with the live sex acts. For at this point, we think we are with the killer, and when he sees a woman, we assume she’s the next victim. But the film does something interesting here. It focuses on the woman, as she takes out a portable tape recorded to get an audio recording of the sex she is watching. She is not there just to be a victim, but rather has her own thing going on. When she begins to masturbate, we nearly forget the man is even there at all. To me, this woman is the most interesting character. We learn that she is married, and that her husband collects these tapes that she makes, an unusual marriage for sure. She puts herself in dangerous situations, like letting herself be tied to a bed by a stranger. And this time she may have picked the wrong stranger. That entire sequence is incredibly suspenseful, in part because her performance is so good.

The film is masterfully shot. I love the scene where the cops are going through the suspect’s apartment. We see everything from a cop’s perspective while we hear the woman who owns the place complaining about the tenant and about the police intrusion. It feels real and gritty. And even the gory moments are well framed. This is a movie that is definitely worth revisiting, particularly with this new uncut and restored edition. And it has a wonderfully depressing ending.

Special Features

This three-disc set contains a lot of bonus material. There is an audio commentary track by Troy Howarth, author of Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci And His Films. He offers plenty of information about the production of the film and those who worked on it, as well as about Italian cinema in general. He talks about Fulci’s appearance in the film, and about the various reactions to the movie, and its reputation.

There are also several interviews. The Art Of Killing is an interview with co-writer Dardano Sacchetti, conducted in Italian, with English subtitles. He talks about his working relationship with Fulci, and the process whereby he came to work on this particular project, and there is some humor to his perspective. He also mentions the influence that the Catholic Church has had on Italian cinema, which is interesting. Also interesting is that he doesn’t go see horror movies. This interview is approximately twenty-nine minutes. Three Fingers Of Violence is an interview with actor Howard Ross, conducted in Italian, with English subtitles. He tells some humorous anecdotes about shooting in New York, and also talks about holding his hand a certain way to create the three-fingered effect. This interview is approximately fifteen minutes. The Second Victim is an interview with actor Cinzia de Ponti, conducted in Italian, with English subtitles. She talks about her audition and her experience during the production. This interview is approximately twelve minutes. The Broken Bottle Murder is an interview with actor Zora Kerova, conducted in Italian, with English subtitles. She talks about shooting the sex scene, and about working with Lucio Fulci. This interview is approximately nine minutes. There is a second interview with Zora Kerova, this one from a decade ago. It is approximately nine and a half minutes. In this one too she talks about the sex scene, saying it was probably the most difficult scene she’s ever had to do. She also recounts anecdotes from other film sets.

The Beauty Killer is an interview with Stephen Trower, author of Beyond Terror: The Films Of Lucio Fulci. It’s called The Beauty Killer, because that was the original title of The New York Ripper. He gives a lot of information on the production of the film, including thoughts on the characters and on some of criticism of the film. This is approximately twenty-two and a half minutes, and is conducted in English. Paint Me Blood Red is an interview with poster artist Enzo Sciotti, conducted in Italian, presented with English subtitles. He discusses how he got into his career, and gives a bit of information on how he works, and tells some funny anecdotes about certain jobs. This interview is approximately seventeen minutes, and includes shots of several of the posters he created. There is also a short piece on the New York locations for the movie, and how they’ve changed. The special features also include the film’s trailer and a photo gallery of poster art and other promotional materials.

The set’s third disc, as I mentioned, is the film’s soundtrack, with music composed by Francesco De Masi. The disc contains seventy minutes of music, including some excellent pieces like “The Ripper” and “Suspense And Murder.” There is one song with vocals, “April Night,” which features some nice percussion.

This three-disc limited edition of The New York Ripper was released on June 25, 2019 through Blue Underground.