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Review by Kathy Sullivan
TRAUMATURGE review The Federation's newest short video, Traumaturge, is set somewhere between "Timeflight" and "Arc of Infinity." The Fifth Doctor and Nyssa are in Chicago in November 1999, and the Doctor is attempting to explain the Christmas shopping season. Meanwhile, a strange man has been attempting to steal human dreams (with fatal results) and chooses Nyssa as his next victim. An undercover agent (who seems to be doing an excellent Vir from B5 impersonation) is also investigating the traumaturge, but will he finally agree to help the Doctor? This is an interesting story, although a bit low-key. It feels too short, but the sword-fight is fun and there's a satisfactory ending. Traumaturage's two parts only take up 32 minutes of the tape. The other 28 minutes consist of the Realitywarp trailer, bloopers and two Six Minute Movies. The Six Minute Movies are The X-Files meets the Sixth Doctor and all four main actors (I'm not counting the muffled "Mel") are very in character. Traumaturge was directed by Jennifer Adams Kelley. The screenplay is by Jennifer Adams Kelley, Steve Hill and Robert Warnock. Original music is by Robert Warnock. Costuming and special effects are well-done. Robert Warnock gives a very flat, almost emotionless, portrayal of the Fifth Doctor, with none of the usual breathless swings to the speeches that characterized that particular Doctor. (However, he's very good as Mulder in the two Six Minute Movies). Since Jennifer Adams Kelley is also portraying Nyssa with the Trakenite's normal detachment, it seems at first that neither of them care about the danger they're in. Although this 'stiffness' could be due to both trying to get the accent right, which they did for a good part of the time. Steve Hill as the traumaturge Plentitude, a collector of dreams, is very convincing (although there is one scene setting him up as a lousy cameraman). The cast also includes Kris Herzog as undercover Jacey Bacaron, Eric Prellwitz as a dream-image Adric, and Jeffrey Baker as a human victim. This is a good video with a well-plotted story, believable (although low-key) characterizations, good special effects and good original music. Recommended. -KS |
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