Dark Star
1974
The first film from John Carpenter is a hilarious romp in a not-so-glamourous spaceship into the outer reaches of space. A team of astronauts manning the beat-up spaceship Dark Star are on a mission across the universe to seek out and destroy unstable planets. The journey is wrought with mishaps and danger seems to come from .. Read more
| Starring | Brian Narelle, Dan O'Bannon, Dre Pahich, Cal Kuniholm |
|---|---|
| Director | John Carpenter |
| Genres | Comedy |
loading...
-
Critics' reviews (3)
View all -
Produced as a film project at the University of Southern California for just $60,000, this sly space parody begins as a satire on 2001: a Space Odyssey. However, it quickly moves into original territory as the cabin-fevered crew copes with an alien stowaway, a nagging computer, its late commander's cryogenically preserved brain and a thermo-nuclear device that's all set to explode. Witty, profound and cleverly scored by its producer/director John Carpenter, this cult favourite was co-written (with Carpenter) by cast member Dan O'Bannon, who later worked on Alien.
-
A semi-professional film which turned out to be one of the screen's neatest low-budget entries in the pulp science fiction genre. That doesn't make it wholly entertaining, but its credentials are impeccable.
-
Carpenter's fondly remembered first feature, which the director himself described as 'One big optical - Waiting for... read more on Time Out
-
Most helpful members' reviews (3)
View all -
23 out of 28 people found this review helpful
This film should be watched with caution.
It isn’t well made, well acted or well funded and if you think special effects are important then don’t watch this as, visually, it is extremely dated.
On the other hand it has a witty, wry, intelligent script – especially if you can appreciate or just cope with the ‘hippy’ mannerisms and speech. It asks perhaps the ultimate drop-out 70’s question of ‘what is the point?’ by placing the crew on a meaningless, endless mission, the crew each develop their own way of coping – one is dead (but still talking), another stares endlessly at the stars.
With a wink to 2001 and it's message of the dangers of technology it certainly has it's funny moments. Nowadays it’s really only for sci-fi buffs, film students or those who spent the 70’s in Southern California. -
13 out of 19 people found this review helpful
Sc-fi must!
This DVD is a must for all Sci Fi buffs - it is one of John Carpenter's
first films (prior to "Halloween" and "Assault on Precinct 13"). The film starts after the "Dark Star" has been out on a mission for 20 years. The mission is to blow up unstable planets to make way for colonisation. The four surviving (very hairy) crew members display increasingly psychotic behaviour as they struggle to convince an A.I. bomb not to explode in the bomb bay. Although the special effects are low budget, the beach ball alien must be seen to be believed. This is still a very worthwhile film. -
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful
A classic, but still disappointing
This has to be one of the classic sci-fi films ever, however as a special edition, I was disappointed.
As a great fan of this film, I have watched the DVD many times. The movie is dated by today’s standards and some of the acting is very hammed up, but it still has an appeal.
However, there is little to choose between the special edition and the standard. It has two versions of the movie, on disc, both cleaned up quite well considering their age. The original trailer is worth seeing; this hasn't been cleaned up at all but well worth the nostalgia element.
The only other features are a biography of the cast and the likes, and a photo gallery. I was hoping for more in the way of extras, interviews with the cast now, but quite frankly I was disappointed.
Excellent film, but not worth the 'collectors edition' title I'm afraid. -
Most recent members' reviews (2)
View all -
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
A classic
A must see for any uninitiated self-respecting sci-fi fan, hell, any fan of great cinema. A lesson on what can be achieved with a fabulous story and dialogue, dry humour, and a budget for the special effects and acting experience that wouldn't make a dent on the loose change of your back pocket. A real kick-ass to today's overbudgeted, overaction, underthought hollywood blockbusters. More please !!
-
13 out of 19 people found this review helpful
Sc-fi must!
This DVD is a must for all Sci Fi buffs - it is one of John Carpenter's
first films (prior to "Halloween" and "Assault on Precinct 13"). The film starts after the "Dark Star" has been out on a mission for 20 years. The mission is to blow up unstable planets to make way for colonisation. The four surviving (very hairy) crew members display increasingly psychotic behaviour as they struggle to convince an A.I. bomb not to explode in the bomb bay. Although the special effects are low budget, the beach ball alien must be seen to be believed. This is still a very worthwhile film.
-
23 out of 28 people found this review helpful
This film should be watched with caution.
It isn’t well made, well acted or well funded and if you think special effects are important then don’t watch this as, visually, it is extremely dated.
On the other hand it has a witty, wry, intelligent script – especially if you can appreciate or just cope with the ‘hippy’ mannerisms and speech. It asks perhaps the ultimate drop-out 70’s question of ‘what is the point?’ by placing the crew on a meaningless, endless mission, the crew each develop their own way of coping – one is dead (but still talking), another stares endlessly at the stars.
With a wink to 2001 and it's message of the dangers of technology it certainly has it's funny moments. Nowadays it’s really only for sci-fi buffs, film students or those who spent the 70’s in Southern California. -
13 out of 19 people found this review helpful
Sc-fi must!
This DVD is a must for all Sci Fi buffs - it is one of John Carpenter's
first films (prior to "Halloween" and "Assault on Precinct 13"). The film starts after the "Dark Star" has been out on a mission for 20 years. The mission is to blow up unstable planets to make way for colonisation. The four surviving (very hairy) crew members display increasingly psychotic behaviour as they struggle to convince an A.I. bomb not to explode in the bomb bay. Although the special effects are low budget, the beach ball alien must be seen to be believed. This is still a very worthwhile film. -
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful
A classic, but still disappointing
This has to be one of the classic sci-fi films ever, however as a special edition, I was disappointed.
As a great fan of this film, I have watched the DVD many times. The movie is dated by today’s standards and some of the acting is very hammed up, but it still has an appeal.
However, there is little to choose between the special edition and the standard. It has two versions of the movie, on disc, both cleaned up quite well considering their age. The original trailer is worth seeing; this hasn't been cleaned up at all but well worth the nostalgia element.
The only other features are a biography of the cast and the likes, and a photo gallery. I was hoping for more in the way of extras, interviews with the cast now, but quite frankly I was disappointed.
Excellent film, but not worth the 'collectors edition' title I'm afraid. -
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful
A work of genius
This is quite simply one of the finest films available - not to mention in my opinion possible the funniest thing Carpenter did!
It's not like some cheap "Spaceballs" type thing either. Genuinely funny - the philosophising with the bomb, "popping" the alien with a tranquiliser dart, and running out of toilet paper make this a must see. -
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful
Could Horrendous, Be Any Better?
This is the ultimate budgt sci-fi movie: I think the budget was ?4.76. If you like cheese, be prepared for a big slice. If you want great special effects, find something by George Lucas instead.
But if you enjoy watching 'films that have great one-liners, are probably best watched while you're suffering an attack of the Muchies, and just HAPPEN to be a cult classic because they're so awful'... then this one is for you.
The beach-ball alien is brilliant. (Yes, it's a beach ball. We all know it's a beach ball. But it's a well-rehearsed beach ball that really got into the part...)
Watch it? Order it twice - so that you can double-check how much grin factor you had, first time around. -
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Low budget Sci-fi at it's best
An excellent early John Carpenter film. Written by and starring the author of the Alien films, Dan O'Bannon.
The sets and effects may look like 'Blake 7' but this gives you the chance to concentrate on the actual story line and characters. Funny and poignant at the same time. The ending still stands out as one of the best. Red Dwarf fans will identify with many things that were taken from this film for the TV series.
The print used for the DVD transfer is in need of digital re-mastering, but that just adds to wonderful raw edge this film has. An unmissable film for all Sci-fi fans and fans of low budget quality. -
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Waiting for Godot in Space
This was John Carpenter's debut movie, expanded from a student project, and it shows. The sets and effects manage to be both endearingly naff and engagingly original ('Star Wars''s warp speed is pre-dated here and the alien beach ball is a work of genius).
Student humour prevails throughout (an existentialist conversation with a talking bomb?) and the film is genuinely funny (Dan O' Bannon in particular provides many of the best moments) and likeable with it's laidback sensibility. It may be very rough around the edges but it's got a lot more ideas and decent laughs than most (and has clearly been ripped off a lot since). -
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
A classic
A must see for any uninitiated self-respecting sci-fi fan, hell, any fan of great cinema. A lesson on what can be achieved with a fabulous story and dialogue, dry humour, and a budget for the special effects and acting experience that wouldn't make a dent on the loose change of your back pocket. A real kick-ass to today's overbudgeted, overaction, underthought hollywood blockbusters. More please !!
-
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Hilariously strange
What can I say - frozen captains, surfing astronauts, bearded planet destroyers, intelligent bombs that think they are God, philosophical discussions and beach ball aliens.
A homage to the way Sci-Fi films used to be made. Definitely recommended if you like a film that doesn't pretend to have any basis in reality but harks back to 2001. -
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Dark Humour
Don't expect superb special effects like in "Alien", expect more "Red Dwarf". And if you like that, then you will definitely love this.
A brilliant, funny, tongue in cheek comedy about a spaceship crew, sent into deepest deepest most monotonous parts of darkest space. Their job? To blow up unstable planets. The dullness and boredom of the unending blackness of space is only offset by the chirpy over-the-top gung-ho attitude of the AI bombs who are much too eager to explode themselves and the planets they are sent to destroy!
This is arguably my "favourite film".
Critics' reviews (3)
-
Produced as a film project at the University of Southern California for just $60,000, this sly space parody begins as a satire on 2001: a Space Odyssey. However, it quickly moves into original territory as the cabin-fevered crew copes with an alien stowaway, a nagging computer, its late commander's cryogenically preserved brain and a thermo-nuclear device that's all set to explode. Witty, profound and cleverly scored by its producer/director John Carpenter, this cult favourite was co-written (with Carpenter) by cast member Dan O'Bannon, who later worked on Alien.
-
A semi-professional film which turned out to be one of the screen's neatest low-budget entries in the pulp science fiction genre. That doesn't make it wholly entertaining, but its credentials are impeccable.
-
Carpenter's fondly remembered first feature, which the director himself described as 'One big optical - Waiting for... read more on Time Out
Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop
Related News & Features
Related user collection
Naive Film (14)
82.4% from 8 members
