Dark Star

( 2 )

Overview

The directorial debut of horrormeister John Carpenter comes in the way of Dark Star a parody of Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, 2001--A Space Odyssey. The story follows four hippyish techno-nerds in their mission through deep space to destroy planets and ward off boredom and loneliness as they attempt to hold on to what little they can remember of Earth. When their weapons system malfunctions, they are forced to deal with a "smart" bomb trapped in the launching mechanism, and the acting captain must debate ...
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Overview

The directorial debut of horrormeister John Carpenter comes in the way of Dark Star a parody of Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, 2001--A Space Odyssey. The story follows four hippyish techno-nerds in their mission through deep space to destroy planets and ward off boredom and loneliness as they attempt to hold on to what little they can remember of Earth. When their weapons system malfunctions, they are forced to deal with a "smart" bomb trapped in the launching mechanism, and the acting captain must debate phenomenology with the device in order to dissuade it from destroying them all. The film also features an imaginative and amusing struggle between one crew member and an inflatable alien he attempts to keep as a pet, a long reflection on the virtues of surfing, a series of personality struggles, and a cryogenically-frozen captain whose brain is preserved on computer for the purpose of consultation.
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide
As the directorial debut of John Carpenter, Dark Star has achieved a degree of cult status over the years. It's no masterpiece by any stretch and the acting, dialogue, and pace are a bit stale, but this spacey 1974 parody of Stanley Kubrick's classics, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Dr. Strangelove, is intriguing in that it features many of the elements that became staples of Carpenter films: a simple but effective score, anti-establishment sentiments, blue-collar characters, and a downbeat ending. Taking inspiration from 1958's It! The Terror from Beyond Space, Carpenter began the film while attending USC in 1970 and later expanded it to feature length. He was assisted significantly by future screenwriter Dan O'Bannon (who later wrote the very similar Alien), whose multiple credits on the film include a starring role. One scene featuring O'Bannon's character Pinback playing a game in which he stabs an ice pick between his fingers was later used by James Cameron in Aliens. O'Bannon's most impressive contribution to the film, however, were his special effects, which are startling for a film with such a low budget.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 6/25/2002
  • UPC: 089859103032
  • Original Release: 1974

    • Rating:

  • Source: VCI VIDEO
  • Format: VHS

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Brian Narelle Doolittle
Andreijah Pahich Talby
Carl Duniholm
Dan O'Bannon Pinback
Pahici-Cal Kunholme
Joe Saunders Powell
Miles Watkins Mission Control
Technical Credits
John Carpenter Director, Score Composer, Executive Producer, Original Story, Producer, Screenwriter
Ron Cobb Special Effects
Bob Greenberg Special Effects
Jack H. Harris Executive Producer, Producer
Gregory Jein Special Effects
J. Stein Kaplan Associate Producer, Asst. Director, Producer
Nina Kleinberg Sound/Sound Designer
Douglas H. Knapp Cinematographer
Dan O'Bannon Editor, Original Story, Production Designer, Screenwriter, Set Decoration/Design, Special Effects
Bill Taylor Special Effects
Harry Walton Special Effects
John Wash Special Effects
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 2 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(1)

4 Star

(1)

3 Star

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2 Star

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Sort by: Showing all of 2 Customer Reviews

  • Posted November 30, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    I didn't find it a mere satire of 2001, but having a life of its

    I didn't find it a mere satire of 2001, but having a life of its own. There is no Space Child and weird after-discussions of giggling aliens heard off camera, wrinkled astronaut eating formal dinner in a French bedroom,,, We all know that actually showing any alien is laughable--it's either CGI or a guy in a rubber suit. Weather balloon will do. As with DOCTOR STRANGELOVE, we see how close WE are to having OUR rideable robotic H-bombs get into a nasty argument with US. One can try to make a parallel list of scenes with this and 2001, but that would be a waste of time. Let the characters talk and act, even when they are literally frozen. Icy Fun!!!!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    This movie is very real

    I first saw this movie while serving in the US Navy in Japan. As we were forward deployed we would be out at sea for over a month at a time and away form port for 3 month (followed by a 2-3 weeks replenishment and then back out to sea). I, and the crew, sat there one night and watched our lives being played out in this movie. While to many this is a funnny, yet dark, movie, to me it is what people go through who are trapped in a situation that isolates them from life. Was Mr. Carpenter having fun with 2001? I think it is in there. I see it more as the struggles of person against person not man against machine. he is showing that as a person is more isloated form life that the inner person comes out - and sometimes that inner child/person needs some help. This movie is about doing your duty and still getting the short end of the deal. Do I know Mr. Carpenter? No, i have never met him. However, I have a cousin who went to school with him.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Sort by: Showing all of 2 Customer Reviews