Dark Star
August 25th 2008 23:52
It's a terrible movie, really, especially since sci-fi has been built, since then, on the shoulders of giants. Why, then, would Umbrella Entertainment release the movie this month in Australia?
The truth is that "Dark Star" has a massive cult following, as it was John Carpenter's film school project, picked up by a producer and given a theatrical release. Carpenters friend Dan O'Bannon, helped write the script and starred as one of the doomed astronauts.
The beauty of "Dark Star", then, is in the sheer originality of the production. It seems to parody Kubrick's "2001: Space Odyssey", but Carpenter and O'Bannon pumped so much work and love into this project that the final product is astounding.
Carpenter would go on to be one of the modern masters of horror; his sci-fi horror film, "The Thing", draws heavily from similar themes in "Dark Star", the isolation, the desperation and the will to survive.
Dan O'Bannon would later repackage the idea of an alien wreaking havoc on a spaceship as horror and write the screenplay for the seminal sci-fi film, "Alien". He would go on to work on "Star Wars", "Lifeforce", "The Return of the Living Dead" and "Total Recall".
In effect, "Dark Star" serves as the primordial soup from which the creative forces of Carpenter and O'Bannon sprung forth. It's a testament to the power of hard work and vision; though the special effects are clumsy, it's evident how many films would draw on a similar style later on.
Despite all the history attached to the film, and despite the fact that the movie borders on awful, there's still a lot to enjoy in "Dark Star", from the complete sense of alienation that the crew members experience, to the stubborn bomb that wants to explode, forcing the captain to spacewalk and engage in a quick philosophical debate, to convince it to shut itself off.
"Dark Star" is an absolute must-have for sci-fi/horror fans, who owe a debt of tribute to this insane production, made on shoestrings and banana peels, and it's a resounding, fascinating film. Give me a camera and a crew, and let me take a shot at science fiction...
I say: An incredible, momentous film for the sci-fi/horror genres, with "Dark Star" giving us our modern American masters.
See it for: Though it crawls at times, the sequence where Pinback is trapped in the elevator shaft - mesmerizing!
* this image is from this Spanish review
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Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
To be honest, I think the same holds true for a lot of Carpenter's films - things like Prince of Darkness and They Live, even Ghosts of Mars too.
Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
I'd also recommend The Fog, as another enjoyable b-grade effort, and the gory and hilariously over-the-top Vampires, with James Woods in one of his best ever roles!!
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Pinback is a crack up and so too is the bomb
Comment by Kelly Wand
Sprocket Holed
Comment by Cibbuano
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Damo, yeah, love the quality of the lo-fi. Carpenter's directing was fantastic, even back then.
Kelly, definitely a cult classic...
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
The whole concept of the talking bomb and having to try and reason with a temperamental one is gold.
I'd love to see the original version Carpenter made at film school.
And the star surfing at the end .... yeah.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Cibbuano
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I don't know how often I'll change the banner, but I like the idea of switching it up to reflect great movies that I've seen recently...
Comment by Kelly Wand
Sprocket Holed
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
You get one edition and then a better one comes out.
Comment by Cibbuano
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Bryn, yeah, well, that's how they sell the same movie more than once to the same person!
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I'm sure its no surprise that I'm a lover of Dark Star. From its kooky sets and props to inventive comedy that comes through despite the melancholy mood of characters...a peculiar atmosphere also manages to result from the financial restrictions of the crew.
For Carpenter, his most under appreciated is Into The Mouth of Madness.
Have you seen Carpenter's segment in Masters of Horror? The one called Cigarette Burns, though Pro Life in the second season wasn't bad either.
Comment by Cibbuano
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