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Dark Star

1974 · Movie · G · 83 min

6.1(659)unSUB Rating

ComedyScience Fiction

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
TMDB rating (input)
6.0/10 (659 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

    Brian Narelle

    as Lt. Doolittle

  • Cal Kuniholm

    Cal Kuniholm

    as Boiler

  • Dan O'Bannon

    Dan O'Bannon

    as Sgt. Pinback alias Bill Fruge

  • DP

    Dre Pahich

    as Talby

  • AB

    Adam Beckenbaugh

    as Bomb #20 (voice)

  • Nick Castle

    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

    John Carpenter

    as Talby Voice

Directed by John Carpenter