Mind Meld - Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime [DVD]

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".

I received this little gem as a gift, and the thought of Leonard Nimoy & William Shatner sitting around a backyard and reminiscing about their days as Enterprise crew members seemed a bit odd to shell out money for. Really, unless you were a true hard-core fan who'd have spent money for an hour of these two guys talking?

However, it really is a genuine surprise as you see these Sci Fi legends talk and act like two normal everyday guys. Granted, there are some canned questions and talking points they hit upon which no doubt were pre-determined, but the casualness and what appears to be pure honesty is not only surprisingly refreshing, but soon you get the feeling that Nimoy and Shatner really are best friends and you forget you're actually watching this as a spectator because you really get interested in what they have to say.

The legendary egotism of Shatner does not appear to be warranted here and if this truly is a representation of Shatner as a person, then many claims towards him are easily debunked as jealousy from the media and other cast members. He touches on this briefly and I found myself sympathetic of his feelings as how he feels about the claims of other cast members.

But the whole interview between them does not always revolve around Star Trek. They touch on their personal lives including their children, their marriages, personal problems and triumphs off camera. Also they discuss their battles and interactions with the studio execs, the public, the media, and their own dreams and aspiration both prior to Star Trek, and now after.

Definitely something to learn about both actors are revealed here that one would never read in the pages of Starlog, or seen at a convention.

While most of the interview takes place in Leonard Nimoy's backyard, they do manage to spend about 5 minutes or so in Nimoy's personal study/office in his home. Kinda cool to see what's on his walls, and what he collects.

There isn't much to offer on the DVD itself: There is chapter selection, an annoying commercial to buy other bio-documentaries, and a 'making-of' featurette, and standard actor biographies.

The only thing really missing is the fact that DeForest Kelly passed before this was made, for this DVD would be that much better if he was included. However, both Nimoy and Shatner do touch on Kelly, and pay a really nice homage to Bones.

The reason I gave it three stars is the lack of extra content. There could have easily been a nice photo gallery, an extended interview or a wider range of topics, outtakes from other Nimoy & Shatner projects, maybe even some home movies thrown in for fun.

"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!!