Mind Meld - Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime

Starring:William Shatner, Billy West (II), Leonard Nimoy
Director: Peter Jaysen
Studio: Razor
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Tailored to the most hard-core Star Trek fans, Mind Meld gets you up close and personal with the stars of the original television series. Its premise? Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner sitting together and having a quiet, earthy chat about old times. There isn't much new information about the show--though old cast resentments are addressed--but viewers learn a great deal about the personal lives of everyone's favorite spacemen. The two discuss the pressures of filming a weekly show and the difficulties of maintaining one's dignity as an actor while wearing pointy ears. The personalities of both men shine through and it becomes obvious why they were cast as they were; Nimoy really is more thoughtful and reserved, while Shatner is extroverted and showy. The best part of Mind Meld is witnessing the genuine fondness the two men share for each other. It's clear that they really were (and are) best friends, even when the cameras stopped rolling. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

Insightful and entertaining discussion between Shatner and Nimoy.......2007-04-01

Two actors born 4 days and 250 miles apart boldly followed similar lifepaths and this DVD has them in a more or less spontaneous discussion mainly about TOS. They have the rapport of a 35 year friendship and discuss insights into their personal and professional lives before, during, and since TOS. You definitely come away with more respect for these two talented brilliant actors.

Worth Buying!.......2007-03-22

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy are the closest two friends can be, and this is really expressed in a great way in this interview/documentary. On this DVD, Leonard and Bill interview each other and ask sometimes hard questions and at other times make comments that have them rolling in laughter, and I laugh along with them. These two care about each other a lot and you can't help but walk away feeling good after watching the two get along so well. The entire interview is something that all fans of Star Trek need and would like to hear. They address feelings on death, life during and after Trek, and their personal lives besides Trek, whether they be good or bad memories. They also give a small tour of Leonard's house, which is where this film was made. Another cool thing about the interview is that it shows pictures of the two from the past, such as Nimoy getting his Spock make up on, while they are talking. If you love the original series, then you do need this DVD. I was hanging on every word the two said to each other, and it only being around 75 minutes long, I felt like it ended too soon and could have went on for much longer and wouldn't have lost it's touch.

Poignant intimate discussion about their personal lives during the making of the Original Series.......2006-04-03

This is a intimate conversation between William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy about Star Trek at Leonard Nimoy's beautiful house and garden. The discussion focus largely on their personal lives during the making of the original series giving one an insight into how Star Trek affected their relationship with their wives, children, writers, and co-stars. One really gets a sense of what it must have been like to have been involved in a TV series during the late fifties through the sixties.

There are some poignant moments when the two stars talk about alchohol/cigarette addictions, divorce, death of family members etc. These heartfelt moments are interspersed with Shatner's infectious sense of humour which makes this documentary throughly balanced yet enjoyable.

Furthermore, the interviews are supplemented with rare family photos which places these iconic actors refreshingly "outside" the Star Trek context which makes the Shatner and Nimoy more personable and ultimately more "real" as people.

Fascinating!.......2005-02-10

"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!!

Interesting conversation between best friends.......2003-12-18

Today after flipping on my TV, I was watching a bit of "A Wedding Story," the kind of "wedding porn" I normally shy away from, but found myself drawn into the lives of these two interesting people - a policewoman and firefighter from Quebec, who had married after meeting as athletic competitors.

Likewise, this is probably more of interest as "a slice of life" piece about working actors and fame, simply than just of interest to Star Trek fans. Frankly, Shatner and Nimoy - especially Nimoy - are just plain interesting people.

If you're interested in Hollywood, or acting, and what makes people in the entertainment business tick, *and* a Star Trek fan, you'll enjoy this. If you're a Star Trek fan who prefers schematics and is generally more interested in the "howsitdone" science of media science fiction, this might not keep your attention.

Having followed Star Trek for years, read Shatner and Chris Kreski's vastly entertaining books on the Star Trek phenom... as well as classics like "The World of Star Trek," this is entirely believable... and still has surprising insights. Nimoy is low-key and honest about how his drinking became a problem, even discussing the idea of "addictive personalities" in a way that does not cede his responsibility for his problems.

Kudos also to Shatner for frankly discussing the enmity of other cast members, and the insight about how Star Trek fandom may have pumped up the egos of other cast members. On the other hand, that doesn't completely invalidate comments by George Takei in his book (a real tear-jerker, especially as he writes about the experience of his immigrant family) or Walter Koenig in his bio. Koenig, interestingly, plays Bester on "Babylon 5" and is probably the only Star Trek regular, other than Shatner, to create a well-known character that leaves his Trek persona behind. Nimoy has left "Spock" behind through his prodigious directing and producing career, and only he and Shatner have escaped "Trek" to broader careers in their own right.

(So far, it looks like Trek:TNG alums Jonathon Frakes, LeVar Burton, and Denise Crosby are betting on the producing gig, taking a cue from Nimoy. It'll be interesting to see how actors from the other franchises handle their fame in the years ahead. It only proves the uniqueness of Nimoy and Shatner that such a DVD is out there and has an audience. Would TNG regs Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis, also reportedly best friends, be able to market a similar DVD?)

In response to another review disappointed on the lack of De Kelley information, De Kelley was close with both Shatner and Nimoy, but probably closest with his wife of over fifty years. Shatner and Nimoy, by contrast, became much closer friends after their divorces (which they discuss in this video, along with the death of Shatner's wife Nerrine). In fact, I cannot remember the last time I saw any leading man open up and talk about the painful nature of divorce in such detail. (Unbelievably, Jude Law got out of that discussion during an interview with Barbara Walters ... but no one can blame him for not wanting to discuss it).

Amazon.com

Description

Mind Meld: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime is an unprecedented 75-minute examination of the impact the Star Trek experience has had on the franchise's most celebrated participants: William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. These two stars have arguably embodied the brightest icons in the sci-fi universe; Shatner as passionate Captain James T. Kirk, and Nimoy as logical-minded, half Vulcan Mr. Spock. Now, in an unprecedented candid conversation at Nimoy's Beverly Hills home, these two icons of popular culture share with each other, and the viewers, the behind-the-scenes adventures of one of the greatest franchises in entertainment history.

They discuss:
The Phenomenon: How Star Trek meaningfully changed their careers, their very lives.
The Creative Battles: The pressures of making a landmark weekly series. The challenges of bringing back Star Trek as a movie franchise.
The Original Crew: Rivalries, jealousies and conflicts between the original cast and creators.
The Personal Impact: Pressures on their families and friends. Struggles with personal demons and addictions.
The Final Frontiers: Lives reviewed. Facing death. Remembering their Star Trek co-star DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy) and the legacies both men hope to leave behind.

Shot in beautiful high-definition video, this lush production features rare personal photographs that span the careers of the two men, as well as a visit into Nimoy's study filled with memorabilia of the incredible voyage they shared. Most of all, these two passionate actors reveal the incredible bond that was the cornerstone of their success; the trust, the friendship, and the ability to consistently challenge each other to boldly go where neither man has gone before. 75 minutes.

Customer Reviews:

Insightful and entertaining discussion between Shatner and Nimoy.......2007-04-01

Worth Buying!.......2007-03-22

Poignant intimate discussion about their personal lives during the making of the Original Series.......2006-04-03

Fascinating!.......2005-02-10

Interesting conversation between best friends.......2003-12-18

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