Topic: John Carpenter's Dark Star (Read 324 times)

Mirkomick · « **on:** February 08, 2010, 10:34:26 AM »

Here's the thing,

we recently watched John Carpenter's Dark Star, his first movie, which had a very low budget and came out in I guess 74. All things considered which have to be considered when watching such a movie, what do you think of it?

In my opinion it was 60 minutes too long, most of the dialogues were boring, the over all story didn't touch me too much. The effects were nice for it's time but useless in my eyes for the story. BUT
The dialogue with the bomb is one of the most awesome dialogues I have ever heared in a movie plus the end is kinda nice, with 2 main characters getting their dreams fullfilled in the face of death.

On a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the highest I would give it an overall 7. If it was a short film I would probably give it a 9.

Dr. Jones · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2010, 06:48:46 PM »

What kind of movie is it? I never heard of it ... (no spoilers please)

Mirkomick · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2010, 07:04:12 PM »

Science Fiction - somehow

or philosophical drama?

Can't tell exactly, but the Dark Star is a space ship :-)

Dr. Jones · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2010, 07:32:49 PM »

Can you develop a bit the overall idea ? Sort of teaser without spoiling

Yucie · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2010, 07:52:54 PM »

I've never heard of the movie before myself, Mirkomick - is it considered a cult movie? I wonder if I could find it in a library here...

Mirkomick · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2010, 07:59:00 PM »

Wikipedia introduction to the plot:

In the middle of the 22nd century, mankind has reached a point in its technological advances to enable colonization of the far reaches of the universe. Armed with intelligent "Exponential Thermostellar Bombs", the scout ship Dark Star and its crew have been in space alone for twenty years on a mission to destroy "unstable planets" which might threaten future colonization.

The ship's crew consists of Lt. Doolittle (who dreams of surfing back in Malibu), Sgt. Pinback, Boiler and Talby (who has become reclusive and spends all his time in the ship's dome). Their Commander, Powell, has died and exists only via cryogenic supports. The crew perform their jobs in a state of abject boredom as the tedium of their task has driven them up the wall.

Dr. Jones · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2010, 10:19:55 PM »

Does it worths a buy, a loan, or a "preview from the net" ?

I think that to have an opinion, i may go for the norisk and pick the latest ^^;

Anastasia Beaverhausen · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2010, 03:14:36 AM »

If my brain could still send signals to my face, you'd see how disgusted I was by that movie

Mirkomick · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2010, 09:06:29 AM »

Quote from: DarkLord on February 08, 2010, 10:19:55 PM

Does it worths a buy, a loan, or a "preview from the net" ?
I think that to have an opinion, i may go for the norisk and pick the latest ^^;

I would say, try a "preview" first, if this is not possible (which I doubt) try a loan :-)

Dr. Jones · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2010, 06:35:41 PM »

I'll do that i think.

It seems not much people know the movie, that is ... How did you find it ?

Mirkomick · « **Reply #10 on:** February 09, 2010, 07:04:30 PM »

In my constant search for interesting movies to watch with my girlfriend, I thought, well, Carpenter made a few nice movies and is considered a good director, so I found a collection of all his works

Dr. Jones · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2010, 07:36:38 PM »

I'd recommend "The Others". I think it's very nice

* DarkLord is downloading a "trailler" of JC Dark Star...

Mirkomick · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2010, 07:53:57 PM »

The spanish movie? I already was about to watch it once, will try again soon or do you mean the carpenter movie, I liked that one

Dr. Jones · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2010, 08:05:57 PM »

The Others is the one with Nicole Kidmann (or whatever the name is spelt...)

Mirkomick · « **Reply #14 on:** February 10, 2010, 08:08:26 PM »

Yes, that'S the spanish movie, Sabrina says she hated it so I will watch it alone I guess. And the John Carpenter movie I mean is called "They live". this one I liked

Dr. Jones · « **Reply #15 on:** February 10, 2010, 08:17:48 PM »

Well, i liked. Every tastes are in nature, aren't they ?

I hated Avatar myself, while everyone seems to think it's great... For me it was just a great collection of (crap) clichés...

Mirkomick · « **Reply #16 on:** February 10, 2010, 08:20:38 PM »

Haven't watched Avatar so far, but some people agree that it gets better with everytime you watch it (The mostly said the movie was mediocre after the first watch)

FFreak3 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 10, 2010, 08:29:54 PM »

Quote from: DarkLord on February 10, 2010, 08:17:48 PM

I hated Avatar myself, while everyone seems to think it's great... For me it was just a great collection of (crap) clichés...

I share your opinion

I knew the story was crap, so i went for the great visuals everyone was talking about .. . and i found them rather mundane. Everything in the foreground was simply an analogue of something existing on earth, (pterodactyls, stag beatles, horses and panthers, woo), and everything in the background was .. . perfectly mundane. Woo. A tree. With leaves. That's . . . so alien.

It was just a mediocre movie of mediocreness bleeding onto badly patched cliches and completely idiotic ideas about science.

Dr. Jones · « **Reply #18 on:** February 10, 2010, 08:32:25 PM »

Quote from: FFreak3 on February 10, 2010, 08:29:54 PM

I share your opinion
I knew the story was crap, so i went for the great visuals everyone was talking about .. . and i found them rather mundane. Everything in the foreground was simply an analogue of something existing on earth, (pterodactyls, stag beatles, horses and panthers, woo), and everything in the background was .. . perfectly mundane. Woo. A tree. With leaves. That's . . . so alien.

It was just a mediocre movie of mediocreness bleeding onto badly patched cliches and completely idiotic ideas about science.

* DarkLord worships such a concentrate amount of Truth

@Mirko
I don't think i can watch it any more than once, i would got Insane or Lost In Time And Space
Actually, i fell asleep (yes... you can ask Yucie) in the middle, removed 3D glasses and slept on her shoulder XD

FFreak3 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 10, 2010, 08:53:06 PM »

Thank you.
*bows politely*

I went to see the movie with some of my geek friends . . . a couple of biologists, a couple of physicists, a couple of engineers . . .
Ah man, we snarked that movie.

Person in next row: "Oh, that jellyfish thing is so beautiful!"
Biologist: "Oh, yeah, it's species name is XXXXX YYYYY and it's about 250 microns long in reality. It could also be an analogue of the YYYYY XXXXX, but the tendrils are moving the wrong what for that, I think"

little kid: "Wow, that's cool robot armour!"
Engineer: "Well, in reality, that cockpit would be covered in vomit. Nevermind that the legs should collapse under the weight of that chasis, the pilot is being lurched up and down so quickly he shouldn't be conscious after the first few steps"

As for myself, my main snark with it was the stereoscopic . . . they don't shit about what the heck they're doing with the 3d graphics.
An odd number of backgrounds? Multiple foregrounds and backgrounds at the same time? Non-consistent reference points?
Geez, dudes, we only have two eyes, two viewports. You should either 1 foreground, or 1 background, and a power of 2 of the other. (so 1 FG, 1/2/4/8 BGs, or 1/2/4/8 FGs and 1 BG), else you're just going to give us a headache, and no, it will not improve the look of the film. The mind will not be able to put it in context with so little information.
Oh, and where they introduced the stag beatle creature? My eyes nearly bled. God, why would you take the stab beetle into the foreground, (well, to draw attention to him), and then leave the trees right next to him, in the background? You're robbing us of sensible reference points, and we just have a blurry, headache inducing image that lacks any stereoscopy whatsoever.

I'm sorry for going off on a tangent in your thread, Mick, I really hated that movie.

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Author Topic: John Carpenter's Dark Star (Read 324 times)