Review of Dark Star (1974) by Phil P — 06 May 2015

"Alright but this is the last time!".

Of the times, of the times is probably what this film should be chalked up to. Or if not you can brand as going over my head. Either way I did not like 'Dark Star' - a meandering pondering often dull space 'comedy'. I use the quotation for good reason as there was so little comedy in it I don't know what to make of it in its entirety.

Said to be a '2001: A Space Odyssey' parody but I don't really see it. I don't really know what I saw. Taking place on a space ship named 'Dark Star' consisting of 4 crew members - they are tasked with finding potentially volatile planets and destroying them. It's not surprising that this is a cult film - as that's the only way you'd get me to watch it again forced by a maniacal cult. Harsh but I don't get this film - which is probably the reason why it's a cult movie. I don't GET it but there are plenty that DO.

It's a surprising first entry by 'John Carpenter' given we know where he went with future projects. The direction style does have his fingerprints all over it but with a slightly more B-movie feel. Plenty of confined tight camera zooms and use of empty space. While I like some of his other body of works Dark Star's biggest problem for me is it's a comedy with no jokes. It may be going for a more subtle approach but it's not strongly written enough to achieve that.

There's fun poked at A.I with communications with bombs and a computer arguing with a bomb about false deployment. There's also a space tomato alien and mundane small talk. All of which may of intended to get a laugh out of me but failed. There are numerous others moments too. The only decent laugh It got out of me being a conversation of existence between one of the crew and a bomb.

It can't all be attributed to the time and place as there are numerous comedies that hold up - it's just a script problem. It's paced well enough, the characters have distinct personalities but it's just dull even potential excitement with malfunctions and great music from 'Carpenter' himself doesn't stop it being stale faced. It doesn't work for me on any of its angles - a '2001' parody, a comedy or even as a Sci-Fi. Chalk however you want there's no way I'm watching it again. One for the cult crown indeed.