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Amazon.co.uk Review
The crew of the spaceship Dark Star are on a 20-year mission to destroy unstable planets and make way for future colonisation by using smart bombs which zoom off cheerfully to do their duty. But unlike the orderly inhabitants of Star Trek's Enterprise, the nerves of this crew are becoming frayed to the point of psychosis. Their captain has been killed by a radiation leak that also destroyed their toilet paper. "Don't give me any of that 'Intelligent Life' stuff", says Commander Doolittle when presented with the possibility of alien life, "Find me something I can blow up". When an asteroid storm causes a malfunction, Bomb Number 20 (the most cheerful character in the film) has to be repeatedly talked out of exploding prematurely, each time becoming more and more peevish, until they have to teach him phenomenology to make him doubt his existence. And the film's apocalyptic ending, lifted almost wholly from Ray Bradbury's short story "Kaleidoscope" has the remaining crew drifting away from each other in space, each to a suitably absurd end. Absurd, surreal and very funny. John Carpenter once described Dark Star as "Waiting for Godot in space". Made at a cost of practically nothing, the film's effects are nevertheless impressive and, along with the number of ideas crammed into its 83 minutes, ought to shame makers of science fiction films costing hundreds of times more. --Jim Gay
Special Features
1.85 Wide Screen
English
Region 2
Interactive Menu
Theatrical Trailer
English
Region 2
Interactive Menu
Theatrical Trailer
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Dark Star [DVD] [1974]
Dark Star -- 30th Anniversary Special Edition [DVD] [1974]
Having bought the straight DVD I was immediately disappointed at the poor visual and sound quality. I even concluded it might be a bootleg. My reason for that is that scenes that were obviously recorded as stable still shots actually noticeably wobble, as if recorded by some unsteady copying device or camera. Since I really wanted this film I bought the anniversary edition, which has the same low quality. However the latter has two versions of the film, so is the one to keep.
Don't let this take away from the fact that this is a great little film, which is still enjoyable, even with the defective mastering. I have been waiting a long time to get this so no regrets. If a better master comes along I will buy it. This film is now old but still works well. It was a kind-of take-off of the revolutionary 2001, with it female equivalent of 2001's HAL, which found it needed argue with an intelligent bomb. Best appreciated for its irony back then, but still relevant now.
Note that the anniversary edition would not play on my Sony Blu Ray, until I got a later driver update.
Dark Star -- 30th Anniversary Special Edition [DVD] [1974]
Having bought the straight DVD I was immediately disappointed at the poor visual and sound quality. I even concluded it might be a bootleg. My reason for that is that scenes that were obviously recorded as stable still shots actually noticeably wobble, as if recorded by some unsteady copying device or camera. Since I really wanted this film I bought the anniversary edition, which has the same low quality. However the latter has two versions of the film, so is the one to keep.
Don't let this take away from the fact that this is a great little film, which is still enjoyable, even with the defective mastering. I have been waiting a long time to get this so no regrets. If a better master comes along I will buy it. This film is now old but still works well. It was a kind-of take-off of the revolutionary 2001, with it female equivalent of 2001's HAL, which found it needed argue with an intelligent bomb. Best appreciated for its irony back then, but still relevant now.
Note that the anniversary edition would not play on my Sony Blu Ray, until I got a later driver update.
49 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Have just tried to watch my newly received copy of the Dark Star 30th Anniversary Special Edition. What a disapointment. In what sense is this edition "Special"? No digital remastering, dreadful sound, and not even subtitles for the hard of hearing (and believe me, you need them to follow what the actors are saying). The "extras" are simply short biographies of some of the actors. There's nothing "Special" about this, the use of the word is just a con to get you to pay for something substandard. This is NOT a "Collector's Edition" unless you go out of your way to collect bad film-to-DVD conversions. My advice: don't waste you money.
41 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I'm fond of this film, which shows just how much can be done with how little, but I really can't recommend this region 2 pressing: the sound is very distorted, and the picture is soft and murky. Unless you're a die-hard fan, hang on until somebody finds a better print and makes a new master from it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ok but Dated and Quality is Poor
First off I would like to say that I am new to this film and as such I suppose this review will not sit too well with hardcore fans, but instead I hope to inform new comers such as... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Jay_13thstep
The definitive 'oddball' science fiction film EVER!
WHAT a film! My number two 'favourite' films of all time. Laws of physics out of the window; John Carpenter's INIMITABLE Dark Star is a true cult masterpiece! Read more
Published 7 months ago by David G Parr
You cant beat the old ones
Brilliant Carpenter, It may be low budget, it may have a small cast and a Giant beach ball but its superb with a brilliant silver surfer tribute and you can really sympathise with... Read more
Published 7 months ago by K. Selkirk
funny sci fi spoof
One of Carpenters first films, a humorous riposte to the pomposity of 2001 a space oddysey. Nice touches include the tetchy alien, the less the glamorous conditions aboard, the... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Captain Kirk
Too much time by yourself will send you nuts too.
This is only the second time i've seen this film and i think you have to be in the right state of mind to fully appreciate it but overall a very funny film. Read more
Published 12 months ago by tiswas
Funny but Sad
Imagine being trapped in a building for 3-years, the same people, the same food with minimal communication with the outside world. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Simon W
Has not held up well....
I know that sci-fi doesn't *have* to have cutting edge modern effects to be good, but it does help with suspension of disbelief. Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2009 by Mr. A. M. HOGG
Hippies in space!
It's big - space! And cruising around the universe blowing up unstable planets with a group of equally 'spaced' hippy-like men plays with each of their minds. Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2009 by J. Harrison
Brilliant film.
I had to buy this film, since I haven't seen in in about 20 years. Just as good as I remember.
Published on 7 Aug 2009 by S. Barnes
A must have for every John Carpenter fans.
Dark Star is a must have for every John Carpenter fans. The DVD is presented in a nice carton package, with DD5.1 and enchanted for 16/9 with very nice menus for navigation. Read more
Published on 23 Jun 2009 by C. Filipe
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