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An unlikely partnership between a Highway Patrol Officer, two criminals and a station secretary is formed to defend a defunct Los Angeles precinct office against a siege by a bloodthirsty street gang.
Director:
John Carpenter
Stars:
Austin Stoker,
Darwin Joston,
Laurie Zimmer
Recovering from an ambush that killed his entire team, a vengeful vampire slayer must retrieve an ancient Catholic relic that, should it be acquired by vampires, will allow them to walk in sunlight.
Three short stories in the horror genre: the first about a serial killer, the second about a hair transplant gone wrong, and the third about a baseball player.
In 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find that the post has become a charnel house.
Low-budget story of four astronauts in deep space, whose mission is to destroy unstable planets in star systems which are to be colonised. The late Commander Powell is stored in deep freeze, where he is still able to offer advice. As their mission nears completion, they must cope with a runaway alien which resembles a beach-ball, faulty computer systems, and a "smart bomb" who thinks it is God.Written by
Alexander Lum <aj_lum@postoffice.utas.edu.au>
Sergeant Pinback's video diary is an 8-track tape, and the machine he uses to read it and record it is a microfiche reader. See more »
Goofs
When Boiler and Pinback are fighting in the corridor, the gun that Boiler dropped at the beginning of the fight is on the deck not far in front of them, but when they stop fighting and climb the ladder back to the control room, the gun is not there. See more »
Quotes
[Sgt. Pinback aims a tranquilizer gun at the alien]
Sgt. Pinback:
Now it's time to go sleepy-bye you worthless piece of garbage.
See more »
Alternate Versions
Both versions of the film are commonly available on DVD and laser disc. See more »
I first saw Dark Star about 25 years ago and have enthused about it ever since. It's definitely a movie that you've got to be in the mind for but it is funny, the music has the characteristic Carpenter style, is very hippyish in a lot of ways and the low-budget style works very well. The alien is great - apparently its feet are the ones used in "The Creature From The Black Lagoon"
It's a shame the DVD doesn't have any extras. I suppose there isn't much left lying around for them to use!
It's also incredible to think that it was only 5 years between the release of this and the release of Alien. Pinback is one of the characters in Dark Star, played by Dan O'Bannon and he is also the co-writer. Then he went on to write Alien!
Do see this film - but be in a laid-back mood when you do.
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I first saw Dark Star about 25 years ago and have enthused about it ever since. It's definitely a movie that you've got to be in the mind for but it is funny, the music has the characteristic Carpenter style, is very hippyish in a lot of ways and the low-budget style works very well. The alien is great - apparently its feet are the ones used in "The Creature From The Black Lagoon"
It's a shame the DVD doesn't have any extras. I suppose there isn't much left lying around for them to use!
It's also incredible to think that it was only 5 years between the release of this and the release of Alien. Pinback is one of the characters in Dark Star, played by Dan O'Bannon and he is also the co-writer. Then he went on to write Alien!
Do see this film - but be in a laid-back mood when you do.