Dark Star

UPC: 089859901027

Studio: VCI Video

MPAA Rating: G   Contains:[Not For Children, Adult Language]

Summary: 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. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi

Category: Science Fiction

Features: Let there by light: the odyssey of "Dark Star" - the extended version - includes clips from a rare student film directed by Dan O'Bannon. Featuring exclusive interviews with actor Brian Narelle, cnematographer Doug Knapp, art director Tommy Lee Wallace, visual effects artists Greg Jein, voice artist Cookie Knapp, film distributor Jack Harris, Diane O'Bannon, and more! Also includes an archival interview with John Carpenter, as well as the fonal interview of Dan O'Bannon. Produced and directed by Daniel Griffith
Interview with sci-fi author Alan Dean Foster
Interview with Brian Narelle
3D guide to the dark star ship
Full-length audio commentary by 'super-fan' Andrew Gilchrist
Written intro by Dan O'Bannon
Trivia

Dark Star

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 11/06/2012

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Alternate Wide Screen

Audio: 2 Europe, Japan, Middle East, Egypt, South Africa, Greenland, DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 83 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English,Spanish

Region: Universal Compatability

Patrick Legare

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. ~ Patrick Legare, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Joe Saunders  Actor 
Miles Watkins  Actor 
Pahici-Cal Kunholme  Actor 
John Carpenter  Director 
John Carpenter  Executive Producer 
John Carpenter  Composer (Music Score) 
John Carpenter  Producer 
John Carpenter  Screenwriter 
Jack H. Harris  Executive Producer 
Jack H. Harris  Producer 
J. Stein Kaplan  Producer 
Dan O'Bannon  Screenwriter 
Brian Narelle  Actor 
Andreijah Pahich  Actor 
Carl Duniholm  Actor 
Dan O'Bannon  Actor 

Country: USA