Dark Star (1974)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

John Carpenter (original story and screenplay) and
Dan O'Bannon (original story and screenplay)

Release Date:

9 February 1979 (West Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

What Do You Say To A Talking Bomb? All Systems Snafu!!!

Plot:

In the far reaches of space, a small crew, 20 years into their solitary mission, find things beginning to go hilariously wrong.

Plot Keywords:

Bomb | Space | Computer | Alien | Slapstick

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Brian Narelle	...	Lt. Doolittle
Cal Kuniholm	...	Boiler
Dre Pahich	...	Talby
Dan O'Bannon	...	Sgt. Pinback
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Adam Beckenbaugh	...	Bomb #20 (uncredited)
John Carpenter	...	Talby voice (uncredited)
Nick Castle	...	Alien (uncredited)
Cookie Knapp	...	Computer / 'Mother' (uncredited)
Joe Saunders	...	Commander Powell (uncredited)
Alan Sheretz	...	Bomb #19 (uncredited)
Miles Watkins	...	Watkins - Mission Control (uncredited)

Directed by
John Carpenter

Writing credits
John Carpenter		(original story and screenplay) and
Dan O'Bannon		(original story and screenplay)

Produced by
John Carpenter	....	producer
J. Stein Kaplan	....	associate producer
Jack H. Harris	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
John Carpenter

Cinematography by
Douglas Knapp

Film Editing by
Dan O'Bannon

Production Design by
Dan O'Bannon

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J. Stein Kaplan	....	assistant director

Art Department
David Seal	....	chief carpenter
Tommy Lee Wallace	....	associate art director (as Tom Wallace)

Sound Department
John Brasher	....	sound effects
Nina Kleinberg	....	sound
Leslie Shatz	....	sound effects re-recordist
Nick Spaulding	....	sound effects editor

Visual Effects by
Ron Cobb	....	special effects
Bob Greenberg	....	special effects
Gregory Jein	....	special effects (as Greg Jein)
Dan O'Bannon	....	special effects supervisor
Bill Taylor	....	optical effects
Bill Taylor	....	visual effects consultant
Harry Walton	....	special effects
John C. Wash	....	special effects (as John Wash)
Jim Danforth	....	matte painter (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dale Beldin	....	additional photographer
Nick Castle	....	assistant camera
Cliff Fenneman	....	additional photographer
Les Rumsey	....	key grip

Other crew
Jack H. Harris	....	presenter
Jack F. Murphy	....	production associate (as Jack Murphy)
Craig Portman	....	creative consultant
Craig Portman	....	engineer
Terence H. Winkless	....	production assistant: Terry Winkless

Production Companies

• Jack H. Harris Enterprises
• University of Southern California (USC)

Distributors

• Jack H. Harris Enterprises (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Astral Films (1975) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Bryanston Distributing (1975) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Cupido Films (1978) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Filmwelt (1979) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Astro Distribution (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• BijouFlix Releasing (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Liberty Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Pole Vídeo Comunicações Ltda. (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• VCI Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (hyperdrive edition)
• VCI Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• VCI Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Dimensions (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Netherlands:16 | West Germany:6 (f) | Australia:G | Australia:MA (cable TV rating) | Norway:11 | UK:PG | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Jack H. Harris Enterprises

Trivia:

The idea to deep-freeze the dead (Commander Powell) and be able to speak to their half-living souls through an electronic device is inspired by sci-fi short stories and novels by Philip K. Dick, in such works as "What the Dead Men Say" (1963) or "Ubik" (1969). The frost, the radio tuning and the clouded, feeble and fainting thoughts are exactly as described by Dick.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Boiler and Pinback are fighting in the corridor, the gun that Boiler dropped at the beginning of the fight is on the deck not far in front of them, but when they stop fighting and climb the ladder back to the control room, the gun is not there.

Quotes:

Commander Powell:[in cryogenic deep freeze after passing away] Tell me Doolittle. How are the Dodgers doing?
Doolittle:They... they broke up. They disbanded over fifteen years ago!
Commander Powell:Aah... pity. Pity.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Duck! The Carbine High Massacre (1999) (V)

Soundtrack:

Benson Arizona

I never realized Pinback wrote Alien!

I first saw Dark Star about 25 years ago and have enthused about it ever since. It's definitely a movie that you've got to be in the mind for but it is funny, the music has the characteristic Carpenter style, is very hippyish in a lot of ways and the low-budget style works very well. The alien is great - apparently its feet are the ones used in "The Creature From The Black Lagoon"

It's a shame the DVD doesn't have any extras. I suppose there isn't much left lying around for them to use!

It's also incredible to think that it was only 5 years between the release of this and the release of Alien. Pinback is one of the characters in Dark Star, played by Dan O'Bannon and he is also the co-writer. Then he went on to write Alien!

Do see this film - but be in a laid-back mood when you do.