Space Opera, Doc...
Space Opera is a term created in the 1940s to describe more romantic, grandiose stories, set in space. It is generally used to differentiate between things like EE Smith's Skylark and Lensmen series and the more scince-based stuff, from people like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke and the like. Some people use it in a derogatory manner, as if space opera is beneath science fiction. Well, space opera has provided some darn good stories so nertz to the critics. So, the criteria for the list will be films, tv series and animation that is primarily set in space and deals with the more grandiose stories. I'm going to shy away from monster movies that include aliens, and earth invasion movies, for the most part. Space opera is one of those areas that generates debate; but, it's my list, neener-neener!
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- DirectorFord BeebeSaul A. GoodkindStarsBuster CrabbeConstance MooreJackie MoranA 20th Century pilot named Buck Rogers and his young friend Buddy Wade awake from 500 years in suspended animation to find that the world has been taken over by the outlaw army of Killer Kane.Well, where would space opera be without Buck Rogers? Buck first appeared in Phillip Francis Nowlan's Armageddon 2419 AD, though he was known as Anthony Rogers. Where he really came to life and popularity was on the funny pages, where he set the world on its head and launched a thousand imitators. Buck ends up in suspended animation, awakening in the 25th Century, where he battles evil warlords, invaders, monsters, and much more. This serial captures all that is great about the strip, with Buster Crabbe launching a career as a space hero. Unfortunately, we only got one Buck serial.
- DirectorFrederick StephaniRay TaylorStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersCharles MiddletonFlash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Alexis Zarkov visit the planet Mongo to thwart the evil schemes of Emperor Ming the Merciless, who has set his planet on a collision course with Earth.On of the best imitators of Buck Rogers was Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon. Where Buck defends the earth from enemies, Flash takes the fight to space, ending up on the planet Mongo, where he seeks to thwart Emperor Ming's evil schemes and bring freedom to the people of Mongo, while also saving the earth. Buster Crabbe is great as the hero, solidifying himself as the king of the sci-fi/space opera serial.
- DirectorFord BeebeRobert F. HillFrederick StephaniStarsBuster CrabbeJean RogersCharles MiddletonWhen a deadly Nitron ray strikes Earth, Flash Gordon and his friends travel to Mars to battle Ming the Merciless and his new ally Queen Azura.Flash and company are back, this time fighting threats from Ming and Queen Azura. This one is really good; best of the three serials, in my opinion.
- DirectorFord BeebeRay TaylorStarsBuster CrabbeCarol HughesCharles MiddletonA ravaging plague has struck the Earth threatening no less than global extinction. This alien disease is believed to be the evil spawn of Ming, the merciless Emperor of Planet Mongo. The world's only hope now rests with Flash Gordon.Flash and the gang are back on Mongo, helping protect Queen Fria from Ming's forces. This one had a lot of influence on Star Wars and the Hoth setting in Empire.
- StarsDon HastingsAl HodgeHal Conklin"Guardian of the Safety of the World", private citizen-scientist Captain Video, assisted by his teenage helper The Ranger and an army of Video Rangers, preserves the peace in the far-off future, fighting the evil Dr. Pauli of the Astroidal Society and a bunch of other baddies (Nargola, Mook, Kul, Clysmok). The show appeared nightly Mon-Fri, featured many outlandish weapons and techno-gimmicks, and was run on a minuscule prop budget.Early space opera tv series, with a bit of a Buck Rogers influence, as well as some EE Smith.
- StarsFrankie ThomasAl MarkimJan MerlinFour centuries into the future, Cadets Tom Corbett, Roger Manning and Astro are training to become Solar Guards. Their ship, the "Polaris" took them to numerous adventures, usually natural catastrophes rather than villains.More of the Buck Rogers/Lensmen crowd, aimed at kids.
- DirectorFred C. BrannonStarsGeorge D. WallaceAline TowneRoy BarcroftStrategic targets on Earth are being destroyed by an unknown weapon. Government security head Henderson suspects it's an "atomic ray" originating from the moon.The Rocket Man serials, from Republic, started out as pulp/superhero adventure. The second serial pushed more into the space opera realm, as Commando Cody fights to stop an evil alien despot. It moved more into the Buck Rogers realm than the first. It has moments; but, it also has some long boring stretches.
- StarsSteve HollandIrene ChamplinJoseph NashSpace hero Flash Gordon and his crew of the Galaxy Bureau of Investigation patrol space, battling space monsters, power-mad alien dictators and other threats to the stability of the universe.Flash came to early tv, in the form of Steve Holland. This series was primitive, but made excellent use of footage of post-war Berlin.
- StarsRichard CraneSally MansfieldScotty BeckettCruising the galaxy in his space ship "The Orbit Jet" Space Ranger, Rocky Jones, Vena Ray, and 10 year-old Bobby defend the Earth and themselves against space-bound evil doers.More of the intergalactic police-style of space opera.
- DirectorAntonio MargheritiStarsClaude RainsBill CarterUmberto OrsiniA runaway asteroid dubbed "The Outsider" mysteriously begins orbiting the Earth and threatens it with lethal flying saucers.Antonio Margheriti delivers this classic space opera tale, on a low budget, with so-so results. A wandering planet takes orbit around the Earth and launches an attack on an exploratory mission. This leads to all out war.
- CreatorDick DarleyStarsNed Le FevreMargaret KerryHal SmithScott McCloud is the Space Angel, a secret agent for EBI (Earth Bureau of Investigation) on board the spaceship Starduster fighting hard to protect the solar system."Animated" series from Cambria Studios. I use the quotation marks because there is little movement in Cambria's productions. What there is, though, is some great stories, excellent voice work, and great designs from people like Alex Toth and Doug Wildey. Space Angel is an intergalactic troubleshooter for the Earth Space Intelligence agency, and deals with natural disasters, as well as intergalactic villains. Great fun.
- CreatorDonald WilsonSydney NewmanStarsWilliam HartnellPatrick TroughtonJon PertweeThe adventures in time and space of the Doctor, a Time Lord who changes appearance and personality by regenerating when near death, and is joined by companions in battles against aliens and other megalomaniacs.Classic BBC children's series, with plenty of adult fans. It has fluctuated over the years; but, the core of it is classic space opera: a hero who saves the universe from evil. It plays fast and loose with scientific principles, depending on the writers. It was wonderful adventure, even of the budget and technology couldn't match the imagination.
- DirectorGordon FlemyngStarsPeter CushingRoy CastleJennie LindenAn eccentric inventor and his companions travel in his TARDIS to the Planet Skaro and battle the evil menace of the Daleks.Probably more space opera than the series, though it seems more hard sci-fi on the surface. An eccentric genius has created a machine that can traverse time and space, which is bigger on the inside than out. Then, the genius ends up on an alien planet where he helps save a group of humans from mechanical monsters. That's where the space opera elements really come into play.
- DirectorAntonio MargheritiStarsTony RusselLisa GastoniMassimo SeratoA deranged scientist is using his employer's top-secret bio-laboratory to engage in clandestine experiments. When he starts kidnapping leading citizens for use in his twisted tests, it's up to rogue cop Mike Halstead to come to the rescue.Italian film, part of Antonio Margheriti's "Gamma One" loosely linked series of films. Aliens are stealing people and the heroes are out to stop them. Followed by three sequels, though with diminishing returns. This one is at least fun.
- DirectorGordon FlemyngStarsPeter CushingBernard CribbinsRay BrooksDr. Who and his companions arrive on Earth in the year 2150 AD, only to discover that the planet has been invaded and its population enslaved by the dreaded Daleks.The movie Doctor returned; this time, in Earth's future. It's a bit wilder than the first film, though not quite as compelling. It has some really great moments, though.
- CreatorGene RoddenberryStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyIn the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.Okay, before anyone blows a gasket, I'm putting this one here with a caveat. Star Trek had a lot of hard sci-fi in it; but, it also had the grandiose space opera elements. It was a nice mixture, which is part of why it had an appeal beyond just the sci-fi crowd. The space opera elements are more prevalent in episodes like those with the Klingons and Romulans, where adventure elements are stressed. It's a seres that kind of illustrates the argument between sci-fi and space opera. I'm going to leave things with the tv series and use it as a placeholder for the entire Star Trek universe, spinoffs and all.
- DirectorRoger VadimStarsJane FondaJohn Phillip LawAnita PallenbergIn the 41st century, an astronaut partakes in sexy misadventures while seeking to stop an evil scientist who threatens to bring evil back into the galaxy.The original comic was more satire than space opera, though it was satire in a space opera setting. The movie ups the adventure quotient a bit more, while sanitizing the sex.
- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherLuke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.The film that did much to revive space opera. The film borrows heavily from Flash Gordon and the Lensmen Saga of EE Smith. In fact, the attack on Leia's ship, in the first act, is straight out of Smith's novel, The Galactic Patrol. What more needs to be said about this film?
- CreatorAllen DucovnyStarsJonathan HarrisPamelyn FerdinRic CarrottThe adventures of the students of an outer space military school.In the wake of Star Wars, space opera and sci-fi was back in vogue. Filmation added this space opera series to Saturday morning. The academy of the title exists to train the next generation of space explorers and law enforcers. It was very much a a child of Star Trek and really heads in that direction,more than in the Star Wars direction. It led to another series which fell more squarely in the space opera camp.
- DirectorJun FukudaIshirô HondaToshio MasudaStarsKensaku MoritaYûko AsanoRyô IkebeEarth is attacked by alien spacecraft from Venus. But a Japanese scientist has constructed a space craft, the Gohten, with which he may save humanity.Japanese space opera, inspired by Star Wars; but, filtered through the classic Ishiro Honda film, Atragon.
- DirectorToshio MasudaStarsGorô NayaKei TomiyamaShûsei NakamuraGamilons are a race of evil aliens that are trying to destroy the planet Earth. However, a group of civilians look to the battleship Yamato for its space travel and go on a mission to bring back a neutralizer that will get rid of the radiation from the Earth.The movie version of Leiji Matsumoto's epic space opera, Space Battleship Yamato. Earth has been devastated by violent attacks by an alien race. The surface is scarred an irradiated. People live underground, and are slowly dying. An alien race contacts Earth with an offer of a device that can save the planet, if they can get to the alien world to retrieve it. A daring plan is hatched as the battleship Yamato is raised from the sea and converted into an advanced starship. The crew must battle their way to the alien world and back, with the clock ticking.
- CreatorTerry NationStarsMichael KeatingPaul DarrowPeter TuddenhamA group of convicts and outcasts fight a guerrilla war against the totalitarian Terran Federation from a highly advanced alien spaceship.The BBC broadcast a classic space opera series, post-Star Wars. A group of freedom fighters band together to oppose intergalactic oppression. It had a bit more depth than Star Wars, as it was aimed at a little older audience; plus, it had the other influence of Doctor Who. The only thing that held it back was budget. Highly influential on later space opera, like Babylon 5.
- CreatorArthur H. NadelStarsCraig LittlerSid HaigCharlie DellA young Space Command officer fights the evil space lord Dragos and his minions in his jurisdiction of the universe.Filmation followed up Space Academy with a series that was more inspired by Star Wars and classic tv sci-fi/space opera shows, like Tom Corbett and Rocky Jones, as well as Buck Rogers. Star Command is an offshoot of Space Academy, which deals with intergalactic threats. Enter the biggest threat in the galaxy, the conqueror Dragos. The series was low budget; but, had a great sense of fun. The real standout was Sid Haig, as Dragos. Julie Newmar turned up later on, adding some more delicious villainy to the series.
- DirectorLuigi CozziStarsMarjoe GortnerCaroline MunroChristopher PlummerAn outlaw smuggler and her alien companion are recruited by the Emperor of the Galaxy to rescue his son and destroy a secret weapon by the evil Count Zarth Arn.Cheapie Italian Star Wars knockoff, distributed by Roger Corman. Mostly notorious, these days, for the appearance of young David Hasselhoff. At the time, the selling points were Christopher Plummer and Caroline Munro, as a sort of sexy female Han Solo. Marjoe Gortner is way out of his element. It's pretty bad, but watchable, in a cheesy kind of way. Should have been covered by the MST3K crowd.
- StarsMakio InoueAkira KamiyaJôji YanamiIn 2977, mankind has space colonies, machines do all the work and everyone just wants to have fun. When deadly plant-based aliens that look like women attack the Earth in order to colonize it, only one rogue captain can stop them.Leiji Matsumoto's next work was about a space pirate, who owes a bit to Han Solo and a lot to the works of EE Smith, Buck Rogers, and Gardner Fox. Like Yamato, the ships look like warships in space. This one is tragically romantic, since Matsumoto cut his teeth on shojo manga, which is filled with romantic tales. This is space opera in its purest form.
- CreatorGlen A. LarsonStarsLorne GreeneRichard HatchDirk BenedictAfter the destruction of the Twelve Colonies of Mankind, the last major fighter carrier leads a makeshift fugitive fleet on a desperate search for the legendary planet Earth.Great space opera, at times. The idea of doing Exodus in Space was perfect space opera fodder. Unfortunately, the ideas didn't quite stretch to a regular series. If they had followed the original idea of a series of movies, it might have worked out better. There are really great episodes and several mediocre ones. There are also too many homages. Some were done well, others were just a bit too blatant and distracting.
- DirectorKinji FukasakuStarsVic MorrowShin'ichi ChibaPhilip CasnoffAn embattled planet, which is on the edge of doom, sends an S.O.S. and an intergalactic team comes to its rescue.Most blatant Japanese Star Wars knockoff, though more filtered through the Kurosawa lens than Star Wars. It's nothing to write home about, unless you like to see Vic Morrow slumming, just before he was tragically killed.
- DirectorToshio MasudaLeiji MatsumotoStarsKei TomiyamaYôko AsagamiGorô NayaThe Comet Empire approaches, and the Yamato is ready to face them. But this will be the last battle for both sides.Second Yamato film, covering the battle with the Comet Empire.
- DirectorRintarôStarsMasako NozawaMasako IkedaYôko AsagamiThe adventures of a brave young boy who travels from planet to planet in a determined quest to avenge his mother's death.Matsumoto turned a one-two punch into a three shot combo, with another space opera series.
- StarsEddie AllenMichael BertoliniAmy Howard WilsonIn the year 2199, a starship must make a dangerous voyage to the distant planet Iscandar and back to save Earth from an alien invasion.The Americanized version of Yamato, familiar to most fans of the genre. The plot is left mostly intact, though the names are given more of a Star Wars feel. After the Gamelons are defeated, the Argo (as the Yamato is known) faces two more threats, as new enemies pop up in each of the sequel seasons.
- DirectorDaniel HallerStarsGil GerardErin GrayPamela HensleyA 20th century astronaut emerges out of 500 years of suspended animation into a future time where Earth is threatened by alien invaders.In the wake of Star Wars, space opera, and sci-fi in general, were hot. As such, Buck Rogers makes a triumphant return to theaters. well, it did okay. The movie was originally the pilot for the tv series; but, Universal decided to try it in theaters first. The tv version had some slightly different scenes and a new coda, setting up the series. This one is great fun, with the Draconian's plotting to destroy the earth; but, Buck has been thawed out and has a thing or two to say about it. Lots of fun, in the grand tradition.
- CreatorGlen A. LarsonLeslie StevensStarsGil GerardErin GrayFelix SillaA 20th-century astronaut emerges out of 500 years of suspended animation into a future time to become Earth's greatest hero.The tv series followed the movie and gave us all kinds of space opera fun, with more skirmishes with the Draconians, space pirates, slavers, terrorists and many other baddies. Buster Crabbe turned up in the two-part Planet of the Slave-Girls, as Brigadier Gordon, as an homage to his roles as the original Buck and Flash Gordon. When Buck compliments him on his shooting, he replies, "I've been doing that sort of thing since before you were born!" Of course, buck was born 500 years in the past...
- DirectorGeorge McCowanStarsJack PalanceCarol LynleyBarry MorseSome time in the future, man has set up colonies on the Moon, when Earth becomes uninhabitable. A madman decides to destroy the Moon colonies with his robots and automated ships, and only three people and their robot can stop him.Horrible, horrible Star Wars knockoff, that had nothing to do with the HG Wells novel (or the film, Things to Come) or anything with a connection to quality or even entertainment.
- StarsRobert RidgelyAlan OppenheimerDiane PershingThe adventures of the comic strip space hero and his friends as they battle the tyranny of Ming the Merciless on the planet Mongo.Animated adventures of Flash, Dale and Zarkov. The first season was done as a serial and is fantastic. The second season added a cute dragon and shorter episodes, and is rather boring. Originally, the series was to just be a tv movie; but, NBC was so impressed they asked for a series. The movie forms the plot of the first 4 episodes (more or less) and a good chunk of the last episode.
- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.The gang are back for more fun, with Hoth invoking memories of Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, and Cloud City invoking the floating city of the Hawkmen.
- DirectorJimmy T. MurakamiRoger CormanStarsGeorge PeppardRobert VaughnRichard ThomasA farm boy recruits a band of outlaws to save the planet Akir from forces that threaten to wipe them out from the face of the universe. A battle stretching beyond the stars begins here.One of the Star Wars knockoffs that's actually good. Once in a while Roger Corman's group could put out a good film and this was one of them. There's some stilted acting; but, the core roles are well done and the effects are pretty decent, guided by young James Cameron. It's a bit more John Sturges than Akira Kurosawa; but, it is great space opera.
- DirectorMike HodgesStarsSam J. JonesMelody AndersonMax von SydowA football player and his friends travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyranny of Ming the Merciless to save Earth.George Lucas couldn't make Flash Gordon because Dino DeLaurentis had the rights sewn up; but, Delaurentis couldn't get backing to make the film until Star Wars was a big hit. The film is campy fun, less a serious space opera than a romp through space. Viewed in that light, it's a great film; but, one wonders what George Lucas would have done if he could have secured the rights.
- DirectorWilliam SachsStarsStephen MachtAvery SchreiberJ.D. HintonIn the 31st century, sexy blonde android Galaxina helms the crew of a space cruiser on a mission to find the Blue Star, a mystical gem that holds unlimited power.Fairly forgettable knockoff of Barbarella and Star Wars that is mostly remembered because star Dorothy Stratton was murdered.
- DirectorToshio MasudaLeiji MatsumotoTomoharu KatsumataStarsKei TomiyamaYôko AsagamiShûsei NakamuraEarth has been attacked by the Black Nebula Empire and is threatening to blow up the planet if they are counterattacked, The Yamato crew try to defuse the bomb.This one deals with the Yamato's battles against the Black nebula Empire, in movie form.
- StarsRobert RidgelyDiane PershingBob HoltFlash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov travel to the planet Mongo to fight the evil emperor Ming the Merciless.The tv movie finally saw the light of day, after the tv series. It has an opening sequence missing from the series, where Flash is in Warsaw, during the Nazi invasion of Poland. A contact mouths the final word, "Mongo;" setting Flash off on his adventure. The film also establishes a connection between Mongo and advanced German weaponry. Some of the voices were done by different actors than those of the series.
- DirectorTomoharu KatsumataStarsMakio InoueKei TomiyamaYûjirô IshiharaSpace captain Harlock, the latest in a family of proud aerial warriors, begins his journey to free the oppressed Earth from the despotic Illumidas Command.This was a movie that followed Space Pirate Captain Harlock, and features the tales of 3 different generations of Harlock. It led to a sequel series.
- CreatorLeiji MatsumotoStarsYuriko YamamotoMakio InoueKei TomiyamaWhen Aliens conquer earth and enslave the human race, all hope for freedom is abandoned. But one man will not give up. Captain Harlock, A brave space pilot, leads the resistance and vows to oust the aliens and restore freedom to his planet.The tv series picks up where the Harlock movie left off.
- DirectorRichard MarquandStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebel Alliance attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side.End of the saga, with a lot of repeats from Star Wars, mixed in with some swashbuckling and the Care Bears; er, Ewoks.
- DirectorTomoharu KatsumataYoshinobu NishizakiTakeshi ShiratoStarsKei TomiyamaYôko AsagamiGorô NayaA watery world called Aquarius that is destined to destroy all of the planet Earth. Can the great Yamato stop this devastation?This one is set after the final tv season, with yet another new alien threat.
- DirectorHoward R. CohenStarsVince EdwardsDavid MendenhallPatsy PeaseA futuristic, sensitive tale of adventure and confrontation when a 10 year old boy is accidentally kidnapped by a spaceship filled with a motley crew of space pirates.Roger Corman reused footage from Battle Beyond the Stars and has a less talented group of filmmakers, creating a not so great space opera film. However, it has some moments, if only for cheese value.
- DirectorNick CastleStarsLance GuestRobert PrestonKay E. KuterHigh schooler Alex Rogan conquers the Starfighter video game, only to find out it was just a test, and is transported to another planet. He has been recruited to join a team of the best starfighters to defend their world from the attack.This is old fashioned space opera goodness. An unassuming young man finds himself thrust into an intergalactic war of survival and conquest. He has to reach deep down to find those qualities that other people see in him. It's EE Smith writ large, with the aid of early CGI effects. It's a darn good film, though the effects seem a bit more primitive, these days.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsKyle MacLachlanVirginia MadsenFrancesca AnnisA Duke's son leads desert warriors against the galactic emperor and his father's evil nemesis to free their desert world from the emperor's rule.Star Wrs cobbled from the novel Dune and the novel finally made it to the screen, thanks to Star Wars. It really ups the opera quotient in "space opera," with a tale of warring houses, conspiracies, intergalactic messiahs, and the like. Its marred with some over-the-top performances and overly quirky elements, a byproduct of David Lynch's aesthetics. It's mostly good, though. The tv version, the "Alan Smithee" cut, includes deleted/alternate footage and a new prologue, which more thoroughly explores the background of the saga. It also drags for much of the film.
- DirectorStewart RaffillStarsRobert UrichMary CrosbyMichael D. RobertsIn a distant future scarce of water, space pirates get caught after stealing ice from a spaceship. They are sold to a princess looking for her dad. He might have found a planet abundant with water.Lighthearted fun, with space pirates and repressive space empires. It gets pretty stupid, at times, but everyone is having a blast and the cast is pretty good, so it works (apart from Bruce Villanch). Some of the jokes are groaners; but, it's fun enough to get a pass.
- DirectorShûichi HirokawaYoshiaki KawajiriStarsToshio FurukawaMami KoyamaChikao ÔtsukaA farmboy stumbles upon the Lens, an artifact which grants him fantastic powers and contains vital information that may allow the Galactic Fleet to defeat the evil Boskone Empire.EE "Doc" Smith was a pioneer of literary space opera. he created most of the core aspects, in his Skylark series; and, even moreso in the Lensmen Saga. The Lensmen Saga tells the story of Kim Kinnison and his heirs. Kinnison is a Lensman, a special operative of the Galactic Patrol. The Patrol are the policemen of space, who are caught up in a battle between two advanced race: the Arisians and the Eddorians. The Eddorians prefer conflict and have backed the Boskone pirates, a group dedicated to conquest. The Arisians back the Galactic Patrol, who exist to preserve the peace. The Lensmen have a sentient device attached to their hands, which enhances their senses and abilities. Kinnison is one of the greatest of their ranks. The series influenced the Jedi, in Star Wars, as well as the opening sequences of the original film. It also influenced things like the DC Comics Green Lantern series, in the Silver Age, as well as the tv series Babylon 5.
Meanwhile, this anime film departs heavily from Smith and borrows more from Green Lantern. This Kim Kinnison is a young man who gets caught in the middle of the fight between the Patrol and the Boskone. It's an interesting film, much of the time; but, it sags a bit in the middle. - DirectorSteven HahnStarsJoe ColliganCarmen ArgenzianoNoelle NorthSet on the subterranean Mine-World, a band of human worker are treated like slaves under the power of the evil overlord Zygon until one, Orin, unearths the hilt of a mythical sword that only he can master. Escaping the planet, he runs into the rogue smuggler Dagg and a pair of helpful droids and the princess, who all team up to return to the Mine-World with a plan to defeat Zygon and free Orin's enslaved people.Another animated space opera film, with a lot of King Arthur in it. It's a bit uneven, but worthwhile.
- CreatorCarl MacekStarsSteve KramerTom WynerRobert AxelrodAn alien spaceship crash lands on Earth and the technology and secrets she bears lead Earth into three destructive interplanetary wars.Excellent space opera series, composed of three separate Japanese tv series, with similar concepts at the heart. As such, it has three distinct stages. Like Star Blazers, it is an excellent English adaptation of a Japanese program.
- DirectorMel BrooksStarsMel BrooksJohn CandyRick MoranisA star-pilot for hire and his trusty sidekick must come to the rescue of a princess and save Planet Druidia from the clutches of the evil Spaceballs.Mel Brooks sat out to make a parody of Star wars (and some other sci-fi movies) and, in doing so, he made a pretty decent space opera. It's played for laughs; but it gets that central core of a hero caught up in big events, even if a lot of the events and the evil villains are goofy.
- DirectorMinoru KanayaKiyosumi KuzakawaStarsTatsuya AzumaMiyuki TanigawaJô ShishidoAn alien is pursued as a traitor by his own race because he refuses to kill humans.Movie compilation of key episodes from the Japanese tv series, Star Wolf. The series was based on the Edmond Hamilton space opera books and some of that translates, though heavily filtered through the Star Wars lens. Hamilton was one of greats of literary space opera, who was also married to Leigh Brackett, who dominated the "planetary romance" sub-genre of fantasy and sci-fi. Brackett would factor into space opera in the future as the first screenwriter of the first Star Wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. Meanwhile, this film is best known as MST3k fodder.
- DirectorMinoru KanayaKiyosumi KuzakawaStarsJô ShishidoTatsuya AzumaMiyuki TanigawaIn this second film compiled from a Japanese TV serial, Captain Joe, the marauder Ken and their crew set off to destroy an alien super-weapon, face off with Ken's vengeful ex-lover Rita and confront the leader of the marauding Star Wolves.Second movie compilation of Star Wolf episodes, bringing the story to an end. Again, it mostly ends up as MST3K fodder, though that is more a fault of the bad dubbing and the loss of context for many scenes.
- CreatorGary GoddardTony ChristopherStarsTim DuniganPeter MacNeillSven-Ole ThorsenA group of guerrilla fighters battles the evil machine forces that dominate a future Earth.What was essentially a 30 minute commercial for a video game toy actually turned out to be an interesting space opera saga, thanks to Joe Staczynski, who was steeped in this kind of stuff.
- DirectorDavid WintersNeal SundstromStarsReb BrownJohn Phillip LawJames RyanA pilot is the only hope to stop the mutiny of a spacecraft by its security crew, who plot to sell the crew of the ship into slavery.More MST3K fodder, and some that's much worse than Fugitive Alien. Fugitive Alien suffers in translation; this is just cheap and bad.
- CreatorPen DenshamStarsJeff KaakeMarjorie MonaghanCary-Hiroyuki TagawaA rag-tag police force stationed in deep space on Planet Avalon's Fort Hope. They deal with all manner of criminals, aliens, technology and the more mundane problems of certain individuals trying to have them shut down.Underrated, short-lived tv series about a group of frontier space law enforcement agents. It has a lot of those Edmond Hamilton, EE Smith elements.
- CreatorJ. Michael StraczynskiStarsMira FurlanRichard BiggsStephen FurstIn the mid 23rd century, the Earth Alliance space station Babylon 5, located in neutral territory, is a major focal point for political intrigue, racial tensions and various wars over the course of five years.Joe Straczynski returned to space opera with a real sprawling epic, heavily influenced by EE Smith's Lensmen Saga. In this, the Arisians and Eddorians are replaced by the the Vorlons and Shadows. We have tales of psychic police (ala Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man), secret coups, police states, manipulators, people who make compromises, people who lash out in anger who learn to grow beyond, people who start out as timid and find strength. It was a great series, let down by a lack of promotion by parent organization Warner Bros.
- DirectorRoland EmmerichStarsKurt RussellJames SpaderJaye DavidsonAn interstellar teleportation device, found in Egypt, leads to a planet with humans resembling ancient Egyptians who worship the god Ra.This may be another questionable entry; but, you have a group of heroes transported to another planet, who lead a rebellion against an alien despot. It swipes from everyone under the son; but, delivers a mostly entertaining story.
- DirectorMax TashStarsDaniel RiordanLiz VasseyRon PerlmanThe forces of evil are attempting to recapture a human-inhabited Earth-like planet that has been liberated by rebels. The son of one of the rebel leaders, an electronic genius, searches the galaxy for a hero and finds Captain Zoom, star of a 1950s television series. He is transported to the planet as its savior, which role he must play despite himself.Fun little tv movie/pilot about the star of an old-style sci-fi tv series who finds himself swept to another planet and dropped into the middle of a battle with a despot. Basically, imagine if Buster Crabbe, Sam Jones, or Gil Gerard found themselves living out a Flash Gordon/Buck Rogers story.
- CreatorGlen MorganJames WongStarsMorgan WeisserKristen ClokeRodney RowlandThe Earth is embroiled in a desperate war against alien invaders, and this series focuses on one squadron of Marine pilots involved in it.This tried to walk in the footsteps of Robert Heilein's Starship Troopers; but, never totally rose to the occasion. The latter half of the series is better than the earlier half. You could argue hard sci-fi vs space opera; but, given that physics were often ignored, as well as other scientific principles, and the "epic" nature, I tend to call this one space opera.
- CreatorGarfield Reeves-StevensDavid J. CorbettStarsLawrence BayneLorne KennedyJulie LemieuxAfter his parents are sucked to the planet Mongo, the teenage hoverboard enthusiast Flash Gordon, his girlfriend Dale Arden and the scientist Dr. Hans Zarkov travel to Mongo to rescue them and to battle Mongo's emperor, Ming the Merciless.Fairly lame version of Flash Gordon, where he is a hoverboarding teenager. Meh...........
- DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsCasper Van DienDenise RichardsDina MeyerHumans, in a fascist militaristic future, wage war with giant alien bugs.This pretty much tramples over Robert Heinlein, as Paul Verhoeven didn't think much of Heinlein's worldview and pretty much satirized it through the entire film.. Not too hard to understand, given that Vehoeven lived in Nazi-occupied Holland. His satire is wicked and it pretty much is right on the nose, in my view. To me, Heilein's novel is pretty much space opera, as the logistics of the aliens attacking the Earth seem rather improbable, and it tends to fall more into the realm of plucky hero fights immense odds to save the galaxy (or planet).
- DirectorLuc BessonStarsBruce WillisMilla JovovichGary OldmanIn the colorful future, a cab driver unwittingly becomes the central figure in the search for a legendary cosmic weapon to keep Evil and Mr. Zorg at bay.This movie is highly steeped in French bande desinee space opera, drawing influences from the print works of conceptual designers Moebius (The Incal) and Jean-Claude Mezieres (Valerian). It's operatic (literally, in the case of scenes aboard Floston Paradise), with a human hero, a superwarrior, evil entities and alien armies.
- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsEwan McGregorLiam NeesonNatalie PortmanTwo Jedi escape a hostile blockade to find allies and come across a young boy who may bring balance to the Force, but the long dormant Sith resurface to claim their original glory.Um, yeah; Jar-Jar..........
Darth Maul was pretty cool! - CreatorJ. Michael StraczynskiStarsGary ColeTracy ScogginsDaniel Dae KimSet right after the events of Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (1999), a team of soldiers and scientists led by Capt. Matthew Gideon have five years to find a cure for an alien plague decimating Earth.Follow-up to Babylon 5, with the crew of an advanced ship which is seeking a cure for a plague that has been spread across the Earth. It borrows heavily from Leiji Matsumoto's Yamoto/Star Blazers. Unfortunately, backstage politics hobbled it at the start and outright killed it soon after.
- DirectorDean ParisotStarsTim AllenSigourney WeaverAlan RickmanThe alumni cast of a space opera television series have to play their roles as the real thing when an alien race needs their help. However, they also have to defend both Earth and the alien race from a reptilian warlord.Bigger budget take on the same idea as in Captain Zoom. This is tweaked so that instead of a 50s sci-fi series actor, you have the cast of a Star Trek-like show. Tons of fun, that is both a parody and loving homage of Star Trek.
- StarsWilliam HurtAlec NewmanGiancarlo GianniniA three-part miniseries on politics, betrayal, lust, greed and the coming of a Messiah. Based on Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel.Sci-Fi Channel mini-series, which more faithfully adapts the Frank Herbert novel. However, it has a smaller budget, which hamstrings things. It tries to get the best bang for the buck and CGI helps; but, it looks very stagebound.
- CreatorJoss WhedonStarsNathan FillionGina TorresAlan TudykFive hundred years in the future, a renegade crew aboard a small spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.Joss Whedon tooked to space opera, with this series, about a ragtag group of mercenaries and pirates who get caught up in fighting intergalactic oppression. It has a lot of Star Wars influence and you could see the DNA in Alien Resurrection, which featured a script that was at least partially from Joss Whedon.
- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsHayden ChristensenNatalie PortmanEwan McGregorTen years after initially meeting, Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padmé Amidala, while Obi-Wan Kenobi discovers a secret clone army crafted for the Jedi.The third act saves this from being as bad as Phantom Menace, as the romantic second act falls flat, apart from the stuff about the clone army being secretly developed.
- StarsAlec NewmanDaniela AmaviaJames McAvoyThe twins of Paul "Muad'dib" Atreides become embroiled in the political landscape of Arrakis ("Dune") and the rest of the universe.Follow-up to the Dune mini-series, which adapts both Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. It's a little too much material to squash into one mini-series; but, it's mostly good. Paul goes from messianic revolutionary to fallen god, while his children take center stage in the story.
- StarsMat LucasJames Arnold TaylorAndré SogliuzzoThe events and battles of the Galactic Republic's last major war are recounted.Animated series that bridged the gap between Episode 2 and 3, along with some novels and comic books that most of the audience didn't read. It's big on action, short on much else; but, it's pretty entertaining.
- CreatorGlen A. LarsonRonald D. MooreStarsEdward James OlmosMary McDonnellJamie BamberWhen an old enemy, the Cylons, resurface and obliterate the 12 colonies, the crew of the aged Galactica protect a small civilian fleet - the last of humanity - as they journey toward the fabled 13th colony, Earth.Post 9/11 revamp of space opera. The original series is tweaked greatly; but, the essential core is still there. It's still space opera; but, it crosses over more into hard sci-fi than the original.
- DirectorJoss WhedonStarsNathan FillionGina TorresChiwetel EjioforThe crew of the ship Serenity try to evade an assassin sent to recapture telepath River.Joss Whedon got to come back and create an ending for Firefly, with a bigger budget.
- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsHayden ChristensenNatalie PortmanEwan McGregorThree years into the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi pursues a new threat, while Anakin Skywalker is lured by Chancellor Palpatine into a sinister plot to rule the galaxy.Best of the prequels, though it's still pretty clunky. Apparently, the Jedi can sense someone shooting them in the back.
- CreatorPeter HumeStarsEric JohnsonGina HoldenKaren ClicheThe famous Steven "Flash" Gordon discovers a secret his father tried desperately to hide. He embarks on a journey to another dimension in the hope of finding his father, who is believed to have been killed in a fire.Ughhhhhhhhh........................
- DirectorDave FiloniStarsMatt LanterNika FuttermanTom KaneAs the Clone Wars sweep the galaxy, Anakin Skywalker and his new Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, embark on a mission to rescue the kidnapped son of Jabba the Hutt. The renegade Count Dooku, however, is determined to ensure that they fail.More milking of the Clone Wars portion of Star Wars, with a CGI movie, that leads to a tv series.
- CreatorGeorge LucasStarsTom KaneDee Bradley BakerMatt LanterJedi Knights lead the Grand Army of the Republic against the droid army of the Separatists.The CGI series that followed the movie. It does a lot to flesh out the characters.
- DirectorTakashi YamazakiStarsTakuya KimuraMeisa KurokiToshirô YanagibaIn 2199, the crew of the space battleship Yamato embark on a dangerous journey to the planet Iskandar to acquire a device that will rejuvenate the war-ravaged Earth.Live action adaptation of Yamato that is relatively faithful to the series. It's much better than most live action adaptations of anime tend to be,
- DirectorShinji AramakiStarsShun OguriHaruma MiuraYû AoiMankind is dying. Only one man can do anything about it, Space Captain Harlock, but the Gaia Coalition will stop at nothing to end him.A CGI Harlock, with an updated story. It had mixed reviews but did well in theaters.
- CreatorSimon KinbergCarrie BeckDave FiloniStarsDave FiloniTaylor GrayFreddie Prinze Jr.The crew of the spaceship Ghost defends those who cannot fight for themselves against the Empire, providing the spark for a rebellion.Another Star Wars CGI series, which bridges the gap between Sith and the original Star Wars.
- DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsDaisy RidleyJohn BoyegaOscar IsaacAs a new threat to the galaxy rises, Rey, a desert scavenger, and Finn, an ex-stormtrooper, must join Han Solo and Chewbacca to search for the one hope of restoring peace.The Sequel trilogy has arrived; sort of. Time will tell, once this is released, if it will be better than the prequels, let alone anywhere near the originals.
- CreatorJeffrey HirschfieldPaul DonovanLex GigeroffStarsBrian DowneyMichael McManusJeffrey HirschfieldA group of disparate fugitives from an interplanetary tyranny find themselves in control of a massively powerful starship.Canadian-German production, about the crew of an organic ship and their travels. It shares some similarities with Blake's 7 and more with the later Farscape, which was also broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel, before the bad spellers took over.
- CreatorRockne S. O'BannonStarsBen BrowderClaudia BlackAnthony SimcoeThrown into a distant part of the universe, an Earth astronaut finds himself part of a fugitive alien starship crew.Earthman thrust across space, where he ends up on a ship with a crew of rebels and misfits. Very much in the space oepra tradition and a good tv series.