[.ca] Mind Meld

From 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

Interesting conversation between best friends:
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). Moreover, while some fans may be disappointed to learn that the happy family on "Star Trek" didn't really get along all the time (which is hardly unknown in TV-land)... it only makes this evident and very real friendship between Shatner and Nimoy more poignant and interesting to watch.

Nimoy & Shatner:
Great & interesting discussion. Recommendable for all people interested in Star Trek.

Great interviews. Great DVD. So/So extras.:
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.

Great DVD!!!:
I loved hearing them talk openly about the old Trek days. Their friendship is very touching. I'd love to see more of these with other cast members as well as from other shows.

Excellent project with Nimoy and Shatner...:
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".