Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)A lot of people i know who are not aware that this film was originally released in 1975 fault it for being derivative, when, actually, if anything, the shoe is on the other foot.
Dan O'Bannon's special effects sequences are incredible, especially since the entire budget for the whole film wouldn't buy coffee for an effects house working on teevee commercials today; i am especially taken with the utterly convincing planet-buster bombs made from an HO-scale piggyback trailer turned upside down with engine parts from a 1/25th scale model car attached (if you look closely on a good copy you can still read the logo of the car manufacturer on the valve cover used as part of the bomb's drive mechanism).
So many great lines and sequences in this film -- Pinback and the beachball and the elevator may exceed the Maximum Allowable Funny Quotient for a minor film, and Doolittle's conversation with the bomb (capable of destroying an entire planet) that plans to detonate right alongside the ship, as he leads it into beginning philosophy and convinces it that maybe it *didn't* really hear the "go" code...
The theme song, "Benson Arizona", one of the more warped contry songs one will ever hear, is a hoot; the original is by Carpenter and a lyricist whose name i have lost, and SF fans have been adding verses to it for years.
Watch for the "THX-1138" gag -- for many years (if not still) the only time the *whole* title has been used in a film reference.
O'Bannon worked on special effects on the first "Star Wars" film, and basically borrowed his own "computer search of the blueprints" sequence from "Dark Star" for that film.
The basic design of the "Dark Star" itself is by Ron Cobb, background astronomical paintings by Jim Danforth, and the design of the crew's spacesuits is determined by the fact that they used a commercially-available toy spaceman for effects shots.
As an example of the sort of audience this film appeals to -- it was briefly released theatrrically in the latter Seventies; a frind here in Atlanta went to see a matinee, and realised that the only other people in the dark with him were Joey Ramone and his girlfriend.
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DARK STAR was originally intended to be a 68 minute film. JackHarris, the Hollywood producer, convinced the filmmakers to shoot 15minutes of extra footage and he released the expanded version theatricallyin 1975 through Bryanston Pictures. In 1983, DARK STAR was re- issued tohome video as a "Special Edition," created under the supervision andauthorization of the filmmakers. This special version, featuring a newtechnically superior video transfer, had been edited by the filmmakersthough, virtually removing all the extra footage. Now, once again for allDARK STAR purest, here is the full length theatrical release version,painstakingly restored, and sporting a new Dolby Digital Hi-Fi stereo soundtrack. Enjoy! In the mid twenty-first century, mankind has reached a pointin its technological advances to enable colonization of the far reaches ofthe universe. DARK STAR is a futuristic scout ship traveling far in advanceof colony ships. Armed with Exponential Thermosteller Bombs, it prowls theunstable planets. But there is one obstacle that its crew members did notcount on -- one of the ship's thinking and talking bombs is lodged in thebay, threatening to destroy the entire ship and crew! Bonus Features: Contains 2 Versions: Longer Theatrical & Original Shorter Version|Trailer| Scene Selection| Actor Bios| Remixed 5.1 Track. Specs: DVD5; Dolby Digital 5.1; 83 minutes; Color; 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - G;Year - 1974; SRP - $9.99.
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