The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) Earth Star Voyager: Part 1 (1988) User Reviews

A Great Space Frolic!

[quidditchqueens · 8/10 · 8 April 2005]

I remember watching this years ago on the Disney Sunday Night Movie. Not only did it never re-run on network television, but Disney has for some unknown reason, never thought to release this on video or DVD. That is unfortunate, because it's a fun space frolic that has something for just about everyone: fairly good special effects, the ubiquitous "boy genius", Duncan Regehr in all his masculine glory, a rather thoughtful plot line, suspense, Duncan Regehr, cheesy fight scenes, a wonderful space ship, "lovable" bad guys and, of course, Duncan Regehr.

This premiered at the same time as "Star Trek: The Next Generation", which has gone into the annals of TV history as an SF classic, however, at that point most fans were already appalled and disgusted at the Wesley Crusher character being given so much screen time. (It seemed ridiculous that a ship manned by hundreds of intelligent, capable adults constantly needed the help of a preteen to save them from their weekly dilemmas.) On the other hand, "Earthstar Voyager" deals with the subject of precocious scientific youngsters in a believable, understandable way, therefore winning the interest of young and mature viewers alike. The fact that the ship is on a 40 year mission is a great plot device to introduce young crew members, who are being groomed to take over the helm of leadership half way through the voyage.

Over the years, I've thought often about this movie, especially after watching a disappointing major release like "Phantom Menace". It makes me appreciate the fact that Disney made such a worthwhile, fun movie with good characters and plot line on a well defined, yet modest (by Lucas standards) budget.

My friend taped "Earthstar Voyage" when it aired, but the tape was destroyed. Both of us wish we still had it. If anyone reading this has a copy, let me know!

Okay Disney SciFi flick

[fantasmic1971 · 7/10 · 6 December 2000]

This would make fun fan-fiction ... hello fan-fiction writers! Start writing, please!!!

I too watched (and recorded) this when it was on TV back in '88. Believe it or not, I still have the video tape. I found it again by accident recently and decided to watch it just for fun. It's a little more corny than I remember it, but still fun. The films biggest problem is all the boyfriend/girlfriend worrying the young crew does. The viewer gets real tired of that really fast! The computer voice was hokey as well.

This isn't a widely remembered film, and I've never seen it re-aired. It might work if it was remade, the general plot of the story wasn't bad. It's just one of those made-for-TV '80s films from the Disney Sunday Movie era that ran once and now sits rotting in their vaults. Shame.

The movie still works for me.

[Rascal01 · 8/10 · 10 January 2001]

After years of voting, this is my first comment. It is sad that Disney has not released this movie (preferably on DVD). I also have a copy of this movie, still watchable fortunately.

This movie was enjoyable with an original plot and interesting views of a future Earth. The portrayal of computers and other technology as it could impact society makes this movie a gem as well. As a teenager planning on a career with space, I admired the opportunity these young explorers had.

The movie is somewhat dated. The special effects are not the best and the acting is a little cheesey in places. But the story is very interesting and having it told from a teenager's viewpoint (the age of most of the crew) helped make this movie memorable for me.

Surprisingly decent space show for younger viewers

[TVholic · 7/10 · 11 March 2007]

And when I say "younger viewers," I mean younger viewers in 1988, not today, who have a shorter attention span and need more special effects. In fact, today's kids would find the 1988 vintage PC-generated computer graphics on the control screens laughably primitive. (Which they were even by the standards of the day. Most late '80s videogames had much better graphics.) Because of the low budget, the show is almost completely shipbound, except for a few scenes on Earth early on and a fight on Expo Tomorrow halfway through, which doesn't fool anyone with its clearly soundstage atmosphere. The Voyager sets are a variety of vacuformed plastic panels assembled into various compartments, including the lounge, the gym, the corridors and the airlock. Yet the interior did feel somewhat well-designed and -realized as a ship. There are a few space shots, mostly two or three repeated ad infinitum, with the same cheesy music playing. But you can't expect a megabucks blockbuster from a family-oriented pilot produced for the Sunday Disney movie. This was one of the early efforts at reducing production costs by filming in Vancouver, a practice since adopted by many TV shows and movies.

The movie was part "Star Trek," part "Lost in Space," part "Space Academy" and part "SpaceCamp" I actually enjoyed this much more than the early episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" broadcast in the months preceding this, which were so serious and self- important. Bienstock was a dead ringer for Will Robinson, redheaded kid super-genius (with a dollop of Wesley Crusher added). In fact, this is actually much more enjoyable than the 1998 "Lost in Space" movie, which had the splashy effects but not the fun. The cast was generally fine, if a little stiff at times, even veteran Duncan Regehr, whose head-thrashing electrocution spasms in the climax were hilariously amateurish. Pity the show was never picked up, so the young actors never had time to hone their craft.

Alas, aside from the relatively stock plot (including the transparent ruse at the end), the writer really played fast and loose, betraying a poor understanding of science. Here they are, just starting out their mission, and they almost immediately find the Vanguard Explorer. How could the Vanguard Explorer find Demeter with its probes so quickly when it was so close to Earth? (They weren't out there that long since much of the crew including Vance was still young.) They also catch up to a whole passel of radio transmissions from Earth, ranging from Lindbergh's flight to stuff from the '80s. But seeing as how the speed of light (and radio waves) can't vary, there's no way all those signals could all be in the same spot for them to be received simultaneously. In fact, even the newest signals they intercepted, Oliver North's Iran-Contra testimony, should have been 100 light years from Earth (100 years old at the time, traveling away at the speed of light). They were taking 12 years just to get the 18 light years to Demeter, so catching up to signals that should have been up to 160 light years out at the beginning of the mission is supremely silly.

It looks like the show would have had Admiral Beasley chasing them all the way. But since the Triton Corsair was faster than Earth Star Voyager, why did they need Voyager? And transporting billions of humans almost 20 light years to another planet? How long would the trip have taken? With that much life support needed for 6+ billion humans on a 12-year trip, couldn't they just have cleaned the Earth? Was the hitherto rare Baumann Drive that easy to manufacture that they could build them by the millions? That has to be one of the silliest "science fiction" ideas I've ever heard. They would have been better off spending their resources building O'Neill space colonies, especially since they had to build the giant Voyager just to transport a small crew.

Do you want to feel old? Imagine first watching this movie where they say it will be a 26-year mission. Feels like a very long time in the future, right? Guess what? If it were real, we'd be closing in on the end of the mission today, after 19 years. Time flies.

Like the Science Fiction of Robert A. Heinlein

[Sturgeon54 · 9/10 · 2 July 2005]

I was just out of kindergarten when this was originally broadcast, but someone at my house taped it, and I remember watching it over and over again before the tape was erased. I think this movie must have inspired my long-running interest in science fiction - it had a very strong impression on me when I was young. It had much of the spirit of the novels written by Robert A. Heinlein in the 1950s, which were tight, inspiring futuristic stories about young adults and their adventures in space travel. Like those novels, the future described in this film didn't seem like pulp; it was highly believable. Additionally, this movie has a quality long absent from science fiction: a respect for real scientists and engineers. Unknown to many people, the literary origins of science fiction were attempts to interest young people in science/engineering fields through the medium of fiction. As I read just yesterday, the government is funding a project to promote the sciences in Hollywood films in order to recruit young people to a quickly-dwindling field. Maybe they should re-release "Earth Star Voyager?!"

For years, this was in the back of my head, but I just assumed it a completely lost and forgotten TV film until I found bits and pieces of info. about it recently online. I finally found a bootleg of it on ebay from an original video someone had taped back in '88 and decided to relive a part of my childhood. The result: it holds up surprisingly well 17 years later.

Reading all the reviews here of people with fond memories of this now-forgotten gem, I realize that the central quality of the movie was its writing and characterizations. The writing especially: as I watched it again, I found myself remembering immediately many lines from this movie which I hadn't heard for years - they were that good. I have long maintained that solid writing and strong characters are the keys to great film-making; special effects and other things are important, too, but these two key ingredients were present here, and that is why I believe people remember this so well almost two decades later. The special effects do hold up rather well - probably because they were the work of Hollywood effects veteran Robert Edlund. Also, film composer Lalo Schifrin contributed what, in my opinion, is his best musical score.

In fact, doing some research on IMDb.com, I discovered that the director of this was a seasoned veteran of television going all the way back to "Rawhide" in the 1950s, "The Fugitive", and even a few classic episodes of "Star Trek." The writer was the creator of the TV series "Kung Fu." Obiously, some top-notch talent was involved. It's a shame that none of the actors or actresses went on to significant accomplishments beyond forgettable TV and B-movies - except for Henry Kingi, who played the Borg-like Shell. He is a popular Hollywood stuntman to this day in such films as "Constantine" and "The Matrix Reloaded," and he did display a true presence in ESV.

The creativity at work here was definitely on a par with the original "Star Trek" series - another work which had dozens of visionary ideas in addition to memorable characterizations. "Star Trek" eventually got resurrected times ten, and I think Disney is long overdue in releasing this on DVD in the U.S. (which it never did on VHS, either). It seems to me that a great deal more work went into this than the typical forgettable TV pilot (Disney CEO Michael Eisner even appeared in two television introductions on the set), and yet somehow Disney/Buena Vista just abandoned this. I personally emailed the company requesting a release, and received a reply stating that they are taking it into consideration. Hopefully, this has gotten the ball rolling.

Entertaining, humorous movie of its era

[HavaG · 7/10 · 13 August 2005]

Considering what it was up against, with a low budget and science fiction being so new in the television world, Earthstar Voyager is an extremely good B movie. We taped it off of TV years ago and even though we didn't tape the beginning of the second part, it still remains a family favorite. Why? It has an exceptional plot, considering what it had to work with (No aliens, no ultra, clichéd bad guys) it's hard to find excitement in space without those, but the movie is able to keep a good pace. Most of this is because of the script, which is very clever, and a cast that was able to click and be believable. Duncan Reghre excels and I must admit that Huxley's character is one of my favorite sci-fi characters ever. Add to these good parts the humor that just being a B movie can add (The exact same shot of the ship used every time, the outfits that the bad guys wear looking like they raided a costume store, etc.)and you've got a pretty fun movie. Unfortunately, unless enough people remember it, it will go down in the vaults as one of "Disney's failures" and never be re-released even on television. If they were to re-release it, however, I see it holding the possibility of becoming quite a cult classic.

Inspired me to take up engineering

[Rokky · 10/10 · 10 December 1999]

Earth Star Voyager is one of those gems of science fiction television that comes once in a blue moon. The characters and storyline were very believable. I was equally enthralled by the politics that went on aboard the ship as well as the special effects. On the special effects side, they were done with careful precision, although they do seem dated when compared to the computer generated mish-mash of today (i.e., Matrix, Jurassic Park, etc.). I first saw ESV back in Junior High and fell in love with it. I would count this made-for-television movie as one of the inspirations for me to take up engineering in college several years later. I believe we will climb towards the stars someday, just as the crew of ESV did in the movie. I have no doubt.

Great Film

[masterchefmatt · 20 December 2000]

I saw this movie about 12 years ago on ABC in 1988. It was and still is a great movie. The plot is original and is very reasonable. I watched it as I grew up and loved every minute of it. It is too bad that Disney didn't bring it back as a re-run or put it out on video. I taped this movie off of ABC when it was aired in 1988 but it is a little worn. I wish there were somewhere that I could get it on DVD. This is one of many great films that I watched then, Earth Star Voyager is still a great film. They should bring back the characters 26 years older than in 1988 and see if they made it to Demeter!

Passable

[lorelei711-73-694918 · 6/10 · 23 June 2020]

The show could have had more potential. It would appeal to kids.

The biggest downfall is the sets. Poorly made and very dreary. Visually it is not appealing.

Overall it is an okay film that could have been better.

Love this movie

[haogiggles · 10/10 · 14 April 2004]

This movie is one of my favorite movies. I watched it every night while growing up. My sister and I would sneak downstairs to watch the movie when our mom was asleep. It has a great plot and even though the movie is starting to be dated it still could be plausible today. Most of the stars in the movie are not real well known however they did a very good job portraying their characters. The whole concept of the movie is something that could really happen today if we don't become more environmentally conscious.

Admiral Beasley following them shows that some people have an ulterior motive for doing the things they do, and we as citizens can do something about the circumstances that we are put in. The conspiracy aboard Jake's ship with Vance Arthur shows that people can change from who we know them to be, as Sally Arthur (Vance's sister) finds out in the movie. However my favorite parts in the movie are the first love experiences that are experienced between Beanie and Luz; and then the hint towards this with Capt. Jonathan Hays and Sally Arthur when he admits to his first crush to her. Anyway that is just my opinion.

Recorded Off T.V. And Loved It!

[Vrian Sinth · 10/10 · 12 July 2005]

I was twelve years old when this first showed on T.V. I recorded it on tape and enjoyed the movie. I remember waiting until the next week for the show. I had the tape, but somebody recorded over half of it. I ended up watching the only part I had several times.

I couldn't even remember the name of it until I found it on Google. I could only remember for sure that it was put out by Disney and that it had a rail gun in it. I did a search with those terms and found the movie title! Too bad it isn't on DVD. I am purchasing a copy of Ebay. I'll have to see if it is a good copy. It will be interesting to see what my wife and friends will think of it.

Changed my life.

[luckystrike6 · 10/10 · 22 December 2004]

Y'know, I guess I shouldn't be amazed that so many people have such positive memories of this movie, but I can't believe so many people share my impressions. I saw it only once, when I was 8 years old, on the Disney Sunday Night Movie, and had to wait a week to watch the second half. I can't say I remember much of the plot (a couple things stand out, spoilers I won't mention); but the look and the realism of the movie -- just the size of that ship they were on! -- got my mind going in a thousand different directions. I started drawing plans for spaceships; I somehow got the phone number for JPL, and called to ask them how you could rent a runway (the guy on the phone asked how big the spaceship was, and I told him really, really big =) I searched for copies of the movie until I was 12 or so and then I gave up, at that point uncertain whether I even had remembered the name correctly. And then...IMDb! I gotta get a copy of it, even if it's in PAL, even if it's a 4th generation dub!

Finally something positive.

[freedom-16 · 10/10 · 4 June 2003]

It's enjoyable to see something on TV that I really like. I enjoyed this TV Movie with it's refreshing plot and believable story line. I've always been attracted to light science fiction and this one is on my list. I recorded this one when it came on TV but the copy I have has been watched so many times it has worn out. I like the way the plot moves from one part to another without really knowing where it is going. The type and characteristics of the characters are mentioned without being exposed before they should be. The ending is very unexpected, but believable.

Where can I get this movie!

[smootheflyboy469 · 13 March 2006]

I love this Movie! Where can I get it? I had copied it from TV and lost it in a fire! Please tell me where I can find it!!! A lot of the actors have gone on since this film and I can see it is in their biography! I so wish that it was easier to find. To me it was an awesome movie back then and I still love it! But don't tell my friends! Hehe! They would think I was SCI-Fi Nerd! Oh wait! I am! LOL! I love star Trek Don't get me wrong.... but when i was a kid I saw this and could just totally relate to one of those teenagers being me! I wish I could have been in the movie! Even if i was just an extra in the fight scene or a bad guy! The computer voice of Priscilla was so funny! She had Human Qualities! "We don't like our failures hanging around... Do we?" I loved the idea of the Bracelet that Vance Arthur had! I wanted my watch to be one of those! Beanie? He is just so smart! Huxley? Hmmmm... I liked the name...! Dr. Eugene? Wound way to tight! Captain Forbes? Victim of misfortune! Sally Arthur? She's so pretty! Admiral Beasley? Funny bad guy! Jake Brown? Big Muscles On The Captain.... Caaaaveman!!!! That was Malnourished! That was so funny!

me and my bro LOVED this movie!

[bizchicken · 10/10 · 16 March 2005]

this movie was one of the BEST movies on TV we have ever seen! I remember taping this movie and watching it a couple of times.

We used to reenact the fight scene between jacob brown and ... i forget his name, but that bald guy w/ the power bracelets.

and what was that quote?

"So long, Jacob Brown"...or something like that!

GOOD STUFF.

Why can't Disney make movies like this still?

That "borg" type bionic person was SCARY, though!. FREAKY, for back then. didn't he turn out to be good? i dunno.

I hope more people can enjoy this movie.

i want to see an earth star voyager ii! come on, they're all really old now, they could play their older counter parts and we could find out if the humans ever survive!

go humans!

An amazing film, way before it's time!

[misty-13 · 10/10 · 31 January 2001]

I would like to recommend this movie to everyone. It is a clean-cut family movie without the aid of bad language or violence. Except for a few fight scenes, there is no real violence in this picture. The use of computers is done with such finesse, it actually makes you think that Earth could indeed be just like this someday. I was fortunate to be a part of the making of this movie and I enjoyed my first experience as an extra. The movie was actually made in Vancouver, B.C. on the grounds of Expo '86. They used some amazing props from some of the pavillions and I will always cherish this movie. It was premiered for the cast and crew (and Extras) in the IMAX theatre. Now that truly is a sight to see on the big screen. In 1988 it was a brand new idea whose time has finally come today! I sure wish it would be brought back to T.V. just once so my children could see it and my grand-daughter too!

A very good attempt

[patricknijland · 9/10 · 5 April 2005]

I saw the film in 1990 and 2 years ago on TV. And even though it had aged during this period it still remains a good attempt to reach a broad public. Sure there are things in the movie that still are of a poor standard but the whole concept of travel to a new planet with the problem of distance towards it was in that time well thought through. In all films everybody still had the idea of using cryogenics during the whole trip. In this film however the idea of sending a group of youngsters is innovating. This film gives a good idea of how we (in the future maybe) really are going to far-away planets. The concept of people that would use this to their own advantage is also a reality that is worth considering. I would say that the film was innovating for its time and that is worth a lot more that the flaws in the film. If i were Disney i would try to make a remake and to make it perfect for this time with all the knowledge and special effect we have gathered through these years.

Still a good movie

[Cuthbert-3 · 16 August 1999]

Even after 11 years this movie is still good. The plot is original and hasn't been copied or redone in the 11 years since. The subplot of the robot worker drones and warrior was interesting if a bit underdeveloped. The sub-plot of the Jake and his old ship made his character a little more mysterious and less cardboard cutout-like.

Although typical Disney (for then and now) I am disappointed that they never returned to the ESV and finished their quest to Demeter. I have a copy of this off the TV and it is so worn out it is unwatchable. An enjoyable Sci-Fi movie without the violence that some of today's sci-fi has.

Perhaps Michael Eisner (who does a short intro in part 1 and 2 of the TV version) will allow Disney to make 1 more decent TV movie instead of the dribble that is currently being made by them.

7.5 *s out of 10.

Excellent Movie

[thefakenet · 10/10 · 11 September 2005]

This was one of my three favorite Disney movies when I was growing up. (along with 20,000 leagues under the sea, and TRON). I miss this movie, and upon searching the internet I found something recently that was never in my originally taped television release. There were a lot of short edits made for the original Sunday night split release (break the movie in three parts, and play one each week on Sunday night). My version never showed admiral Beasley at the end having electronics in his face (leading us to believe he's a more advanced Shell). This movie had a great potential to take the same plot star trek used with the Borg, and create a great series out of it. It saddens me to think that such a great show was so quickly abandoned. I wish they would re-release this on DVD.

This movie totally changed my life forever!!!

[jademasters · 10/10 · 15 January 2004]

For those that have NEVER seen this little Disney creation, you are certainly missing out on one of Science Fiction's greatest story scenarios. The characters are fantastic, portrayed by good actors/actresses. The plot and story is real deep, like an epic adventure. The special effects, or rather lack there of, could be enhanced, but you have to keep in mind Disney at the helm in 1988. No CG available.

If they re-made this thing, or did a sequel, this story would be a big hit today, possibly multi-millions. However, and unfortunately, Earth Star Voyager has went into the movie graveyard. Forgotten, it's sad to think just how many people more ESV could've still inspired and motivated. And to add nails to it's forbidden coffin, there is no American release on VHS, and supposably the film has been deleted or destroyed for good. Even finding a copy on PAL is difficult at best.

WISH IT was on DVD

[pz1p · 9/10 · 20 May 2002]

I first saw this movie when I was 10 years old back in 1988 and still have the VHS tape I taped when it was first on and I still love to watch it and I wish it would on DVD I know the tape won't last forever. IT is a great movie and I really wish it would come on DVD

What I think should happen.

[sdstarforce · 12 November 2004]

Hello everyone who loves Earth Star Voyager. In 1988 when this movies first came out. I like all of you had to wait for the second half of it. Luckily, I recorded it on video tape. I fell in love with this movie and have watched it ever since. I was in 7th grade when I first saw it. What I think needs to happen it this. I was very unhappy that we didn't get to see the rest where they get to the planet Demeter. Obviously Admiral Beezly wasn't going to be defeated that easily, and the outlaw tech zone could repair the damage. Being that is would take Voyager a long time to assemble more than a rail gun, it is to say they now have to ships capable of going after them will a lot more fire power. So I believe a sequel is in order or a TV series with the same characters and hopefully the same actors incuding Jake Brown, who for some of you donot know played Dirk Blackpool on the original TV series Dungeons and Dragons, or something along those lines. Well thats all, oh and don't forget there are probably more shells to deal with id be happy with a role playing game of it but a sequel would be nice.

Help!

[starkruzr · 8/10 · 13 August 2006]

Anyone know how to get a copy of this movie? I'd be willing to pay for a digital version!

... Why does the minimum length of comments have to be 10 lines? It's perfectly possible to contribute something worthwhile to a conversation that's shorter than that. IMDb's restriction is absurd.

Does anyone remember the name of the ship's computer, which was actually a woman's brain transplanted into the ship to interface with it? At one point they have to do a complete reboot of ESV's systems, and they go "will we lose everything on the ship??" The computer replies, rather wistfully, "No... just me."

Still remembered after all this time!

[yipcodon_a · 9/10 · 9 June 2023]

DECADES later, this movie still pops into my mind from time to time, often as implacable scenes or lines but always with a fervent wish to find where it came from and a desire to watch it again. My sister asked me about it and that finally goaded me into trying different variations of the things I could remember - Voyager, Beanie/Beanstalk, Earth second home, spaceship, etc. That Google finally put together as this movie. Thank goodness!! As I read the synopsis I realized there were so many lines and other scenes I'd forgotten came from this movie. Certainly not the most well-done movie and I remember being scared of some parts of it as a kid, but it had such interesting ideas for a kid, gave me an alternate view of a potential future from Star Trek, and just a feeling of hope and adventure when done. I wish Disney would release it or take this up again with additional episodes. Many ideas are already tackled in modern cinema/stories (and not that ESV contained ideas that weren't introduced already but it was just a fun exploration and arrangement of them), so I suppose Disney sees no $$$ in this endeavor. But I for one would totally buy one for my kids and a copy for my sister and all my nerdy friends who would enjoy it!

It Was One Of My Fave Sc-Fi Films!!!

[asloan1 · 10/10 · 21 September 2006]

This was one of my fave Sc-Fi movies when I was growing up. I loved the entire movie (all four hours). But more recently when they re-aired it. They had butcher it so bad (and I could even tell, even though I hadden seen it in years), that it was only two hours, taking all the best parts with it!!!!

I wish when they had re-aired the movie, they had kept it the way that it originally aired it. That would have made the experience of seeing this amazing movie again. As it was, I had originally taped the movie the first time. But like a dummy, I taped over it. And when I started taping the second copy. WOW, parts missing!!!!