Dark Star
1974 · Movie · G · 83 min · ★ 6.0 · 71% critics
A crew of scientists is sent on a long mission to destroy unstable planets. After decades in deep space, their tasks get complicated by an odd alien mascot and a sensitive, intelligent bombing device that begins questioning its purpose.
Also known as John Carpenter's Dark Star · Dark Star (Director's Cut) · L'étoile noire
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Details
- Years
- 1974
- Release date
- 1974-03-30
- Language
- English
- Rated
- G
- Runtime
- 83 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 71/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.0/10 (648 votes)
- Budget
- $60,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy Dark Star if you like goofy sci-fi spoofs and offbeat existential ideas, including a talking bomb; Not for you if you want polished effects, consistent comedy, or tight pacing like Star Trek: Insurrection or Silent Running.
Pros: clever sci-fi satire; wry existential humor; memorable weird premise | Cons: uneven pacing; dated effects; bland performances
Themes
- future
- artificial intelligence (a.i.)
- boredom
- space travel
- destruction of planet
- anarchic comedy
- metrocolor
Cast & crew
Brian Narelle
as Lt. Doolittle
Cal Kuniholm
as Boiler
Dan O'Bannon
as Sgt. Pinback alias Bill Fruge
- DP
Dre Pahich
as Talby
- AB
Adam Beckenbaugh
as Bomb #20 (voice)
Nick Castle
as Alien
- JS
Joe Saunders
as Commander Powell (voice)
- CK
Cookie Knapp
as Muttercomputer (voice)
- AS
Alan Sheretz
as Bomb #19 (voice)
John Carpenter
as Talby Voice
Directed by John Carpenter