Starcrash (1978)

Director:

Luigi Cozzi

Writers:

Luigi Cozzi (screenplay) &
Nat Wachsberger (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 March 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The ultimate inter-galactic adventure

Plot:

Epic action in outer space when the good guys set out to track the evil Count's secret weapon.

Plot Keywords:

Evil Man | Space Battle | B Movie | Space War | One Word Title

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Marjoe Gortner	...	Akton
Caroline Munro	...	Stella Star
Christopher Plummer	...	The Emperor
David Hasselhoff	...	Simon
Robert Tessier	...	Thor
Joe Spinell	...	Count Zarth Arn
Nadia Cassini	...	Corelia, Queen of the Amazons
Judd Hamilton	...	Elle / Jiakta
Hamilton Camp	...	Elle (voice: English version)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Salvatore Baccaro	...	Neanderthal Man (uncredited)
Dirce Funari	...	Amazon woman (uncredited)
Cindy Leadbetter	...	Amazon woman (uncredited)

Directed by
Luigi Cozzi		(as Lewis Coates)

Writing credits
Luigi Cozzi		(screenplay) (as Lewis Coates) &
Nat Wachsberger		(screenplay)
R.A. Dillon		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
Nat Wachsberger	....	producer
Patrick Wachsberger	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Paul Beeson
Roberto D'Ettorre Piazzoli		(as Roberto D'Ettorre)

Film Editing by
Sergio Montanari

Production Design by
Aurelio Crugnola		(as Aurelio Crugnolla)

Makeup Department
Giancarlo De Leonardis	....	key hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Luigi Nannerini	....	production supervisor

Art Department
Maria-Teresa Barbasso	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Massimo Anzellotti	....	sound effects (as Massimo Anzelotti)
Stephen Bushelman	....	dialogue editor (as Steve Bushelman)
Don Digirolamo	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tex Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Howard S. Wollman	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Howard Wollman)

Special Effects by
Germano Natali	....	special effects director
Armando Valcauda	....	special effects director
Matteo Verzini	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Ron Hays	....	electronic visual effects supervisor
Paolo Zeccara	....	model maker (uncredited)

Stunts
Ottaviano Dell'Acqua	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Fabrizio Vicari	....	assistant camera

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
John Barry	....	music arranger
Kenneth Hall	....	supervising music editor (as Ken Hall)

Other crew
Beatrice M. Thomas	....	dialogue supervisor

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• BCI Eclipse (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Charter Entertainment (VHS)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (VHS)

Other Companies

• Claude Carrere International  music published by
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  sound re-recording
• GSE  titles

Also Known As:

Female Space Invaders
Scontri stellari oltre la terza dimensione (Italy)
Star Battle Encounters (Philippines: English title)
Star Crash (USA) (poster title)
Starcrash (International: English title)
Stella Star
The Adventures of Stella Star (USA)

Runtime:

USA:92 min | Italy:94 min

Country:

USA | Italy

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | USA:PG | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Trivia:

New World Pictures producer Roger Corman picked up the film to see if the market was viable for a low budget space opera. This influenced his decision to go ahead with Battle Beyond the Stars (1980).

Goofs:

Factual errors: When going into hyperspace for the first time, Akton gives the probabilities of various catastrophes happening to the ship - 40% total disintegration, 30% molecular ignition, 20% gamma contamination - from which Stella concludes that they have a 10% chance of survival. In fact, if these are independent events then the overall probability would be calculated by multiplying the probabilities of surviving each one - which would be 60% x 70% x 80%, giving 33.6%.

Quotes:

Stella star: These are pre-programmed computers! They will run forever!

Movie Connections:

References Flash Gordon (1936/I)

Great stuff

When it comes to bad movies there are a few different brands of crap that are being served. Mainly it's crap that is funny or crap that is just sad. While "Aeon Flux" for instance is just sad, a movie like "Starcrash" is actually funny.

After the huge success of "Star Wars" it's no real mystery why movies like this one were made. We have the same syndrome now with all the movies made based on comics. While many of them are worthwhile, like for instance X-men and Spiderman, many will also be crap made just to bring in the quick buck (back to Aeon Flux for instance). "Starcrash" is definitely the attempt to bring in the quick buck by riding on the back of "Star Wars". And the fact that "Starcrash" didn't have a big buck to spend is very apparent. This movie has some of the most appalling special effects i have ever seen. They are just terrific in their awfulness! Everything animated looks jerky and stiff, most special effects just look painted on in the style of the phasers in the original "Star Trek". And let me tell you, you haven't truly lived until you've seen a young David Hasselhoff in a light-saber vs. steel sword duel with a dramatically fake robot! Besides the obviously lame special effects there are tons of things to love in this movie. Like the ridiculous outfits and make-up and the plastic-looking props. The real prize-winner though is the acting. It's somewhere between horrible and suicidally horrible. Everyone delivers their lines like it's Shakespeare on acid and the dialog seems to be written by someone with epic ambitions. It's epic comedy at least.

To end this rambling review i just want to say that this movie is a must-see. Perhaps while intoxicated. I think anyone with the tiniest love for b-movies will enjoy this immensely, this is just one of those rare movies that is just so bad it's almost perfect. Great stuff!