The cosmic forces of personal evil and the all-devouring black hole run inexorably together in the melodramatic, but impressive, Disney bid for science-fiction glory. The dialogue is at times very clumsy, but the special effects hold up surprisingly well from 1979, and the film has a way of groping for and sometimes touching the deepest fears, terrors, and inspirations of the human psyche.
People have objected to the cutsie robots, I found them fairly effective and well-thought out. People refer to the film as derivative from Star Wars, it owes more, rather, to 'Silent Running' and, of course, '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.' Few celluloid starships have matched the majesty and eerie terror of the U.S.S. Cygnus, and the acting of all characters is no drawback to the film. The ending is ambiguous and intriguing.
The current Anchor Bay (NOT Disney) DVD is of superior quality to such products offered by Disney itself, and avoids the Mouse's rather disgusting parsimony in offering genuine bonus material.
People have objected to the cutsie robots, I found them fairly effective and well-thought out. People refer to the film as derivative from Star Wars, it owes more, rather, to 'Silent Running' and, of course, '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.' Few celluloid starships have matched the majesty and eerie terror of the U.S.S. Cygnus, and the acting of all characters is no drawback to the film. The ending is ambiguous and intriguing.
The current Anchor Bay (NOT Disney) DVD is of superior quality to such products offered by Disney itself, and avoids the Mouse's rather disgusting parsimony in offering genuine bonus material.