In the far reaches of space, a small crew, 20 years into their solitary mission, find things beginning to go hilariously wrong.In the far reaches of space, a small crew, 20 years into their solitary mission, find things beginning to go hilariously wrong.In the far reaches of space, a small crew, 20 years into their solitary mission, find things beginning to go hilariously wrong.
- Director
- Writers
- John Carpenter(original story by)
- Dan O'Bannon(original story by)
- Stars
- Director
- Writers
- John Carpenter(original story by)
- Dan O'Bannon(original story by)
- Stars
- Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations
- Bomb #20
- (uncredited)
- Talby voice
- (uncredited)
- Alien
- (uncredited)
- Computer
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Commander Powell
- (uncredited)
- Bomb #19
- (uncredited)
- Watkins - Mission Control
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- John Carpenter(original story by) (screenplay by)
- Dan O'Bannon(original story by) (screenplay by)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaA computer screen flashes: "FUCK YOU HARRIS" during the film. This was a message directed toward Jack H. Harris, the producer, who annoyed director John Carpenter during production. Supposedly, the offensive sentence was his revenge. However, many people have a hard time finding it.
- GoofsThe incoming message at the beginning of the movie says that there is a 10 year lag time, and that Dark Star is 18 parsecs from Earth. 18 Parsecs is 58.7 light years, therefore any radio transmissions from Earth would take 58.7 years to reach the ship, traveling at the Speed of Light: the perceived fastest velocity that radio waves can travel. But, being that the Dark Star has an advanced technological propulsion system which provides it the ability to travel significantly faster-than-light to its various destinations, it is entirely feasible that there also exists advancements in technology which allows forms of communication to be transmitted faster-than-light as well.
- Quotes
Doolittle: [Doolittle convinces the bomb not to explode]
Doolittle: [1:12:12] Hello, Bomb? Are you with me?
Bomb #20: Of course.
Doolittle: Are you willing to entertain a few concepts?
Bomb #20: I am always receptive to suggestions.
Doolittle: Fine. Think about this then. How do you know you exist?
Bomb #20: Well, of course I exist.
Doolittle: But how do you know you exist?
Bomb #20: It is intuitively obvious.
Doolittle: Intuition is no proof. What concrete evidence do you have that you exist?
Bomb #20: Hmmmm... well... I think, therefore I am.
Doolittle: That's good. That's very good. But how do you know
Doolittle: that anything else exists?
Bomb #20: My sensory apparatus reveals it to me. This is fun.
- Alternate versionsOriginally released in a shorter 68-minutes version, later expanded to a longer 83 minute version with the addition of new scenes (including the meteor storm, the visit to the crew's quarters and Doolittle playing his music).
- ConnectionsEdited into Prison Ship (1986)
- SoundtracksBenson Arizona
Music by John Carpenter
Lyrics by Bill Taylor
Vocals by John Yager (uncredited)
[Played over the opening and closing credits]
Although not nearly as slick as many of Carpenters' subsequent efforts, the director and his crew do the absolute best that they can with a shoestring budget (supposedly, around $55,000 all told.) Executive produced by Jack H. Harris of "The Blob" fame, it benefits from a wonderfully wacky approach. It was always intended to be a comedy, and to lovingly spoof vintage science fiction while also paying tribute to it. Nicely performed by its no name cast (with O'Bannon a comic standout as the frustrated Sgt. Pinback), it does have some genuine tension as well. There's a big elongated sequence with Pinback being forced to deal with an alien "mascot", played by a beach ball with claws. O'Bannon chases the beach ball into a series of shafts, and this material works as a forerunner to some of the stuff that O'Bannon wrote for "Alien" several years later. Best of all is the way that Lt. Doolittle (Narelle) must engage in that philosophical debate with Bomb # 20. "How do you know you exist?"
Longtime Carpenter associates Nick Castle and Tommy Lee Wallace also worked on this show. Carpenter, as was most often the case with his work, composed the music himself, and it's quite enjoyable. Carpenter also wrote the catchy country song "Benson, Arizona" (lyrics by effects expert Bill Taylor) that is heard twice, once over the opening credits and once at the end.
Good fun overall, especially for science fiction lovers and surfers. O'Bannon always vehemently insisted that he co-directed, leading to a rift between him and Carpenter when the latter took sole directing credit.
"Let there be light."
Seven out of 10.
- Hey_Sweden
- Apr 6, 2017
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $60,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 23 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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