Starcrash (1978)

User Rating:

3.1/10   

Director:

Luigi Cozzi

Writers:

Luigi Cozzi (screenplay) &
Nat Wachsberger (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

9 March 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The ultimate inter-galactic adventure

Plot:

Epic action in outer space when the good guys set out to track the evil Count's secret weapon.

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Good Versus Evil | Infra Red | Laser Gun | Psychotronic

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Marjoe Gortner	...	Akton
Caroline Munro	...	Stella Star
Christopher Plummer	...	The Emperor
David Hasselhoff	...	Simon
Robert Tessier	...	Thor
Joe Spinell	...	Count Zarth Arn
Nadia Cassini	...	Corelia, Queen of the Amazons
Judd Hamilton	...	Elle / Jiakta
Hamilton Camp	...	Elle (voice: English version)

Also Known As:

Female Space Invaders
Scontri stellari oltre la terza dimensione (Italy)
Star Battle Encounters (Philippines: English title)
Star Crash (USA) (poster title)
Starcrash (International: English title)
Stella Star
The Adventures of Stella Star (USA)
Avaruus sota: Attack I rymden (Finland) [fi]
Avaruussota (Finland) [fi]
Le choc des étoiles (France) [fr]
Star Crash - Sterne im Duell (West Germany) [de]
Star Crash, choque de galaxias (Spain) [es]
Starcrash uchyu dai sensou (Japan) [ja]
Starcrash, le choc des étoiles (France) [fr]
Starcrash: Ataque interstelar (Mexico) [es]

Runtime:

USA:92 min | Italy:94 min

Country:

USA | Italy

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | USA:PG | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Trivia:

The spaceship in the opening sequence bears the name Murray Leinster, after the Science Fiction writer and special effect pioneer of the same name.

Goofs:

Continuity: A character is frozen, complete with icy frost. As she thaws, her hair is completely dry, and indeed more fashionably styled than before she was frozen.

Quotes:

Thor: [to Stella] You can drop the riffle ray.

Movie Connections:

References Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Great stuff

When it comes to bad movies there are a few different brands of crap that are being served. Mainly it's crap that is funny or crap that is just sad. While "Aeon Flux" for instance is just sad, a movie like "Starcrash" is actually funny.

After the huge success of "Star Wars" it's no real mystery why movies like this one were made. We have the same syndrome now with all the movies made based on comics. While many of them are worthwhile, like for instance X-men and Spiderman, many will also be crap made just to bring in the quick buck (back to Aeon Flux for instance). "Starcrash" is definitely the attempt to bring in the quick buck by riding on the back of "Star Wars". And the fact that "Starcrash" didn't have a big buck to spend is very apparent. This movie has some of the most appalling special effects i have ever seen. They are just terrific in their awfulness! Everything animated looks jerky and stiff, most special effects just look painted on in the style of the phasers in the original "Star Trek". And let me tell you, you haven't truly lived until you've seen a young David Hasselhoff in a light-saber vs. steel sword duel with a dramatically fake robot! Besides the obviously lame special effects there are tons of things to love in this movie. Like the ridiculous outfits and make-up and the plastic-looking props. The real prize-winner though is the acting. It's somewhere between horrible and suicidally horrible. Everyone delivers their lines like it's Shakespeare on acid and the dialog seems to be written by someone with epic ambitions. It's epic comedy at least.

To end this rambling review i just want to say that this movie is a must-see. Perhaps while intoxicated. I think anyone with the tiniest love for b-movies will enjoy this immensely, this is just one of those rare movies that is just so bad it's almost perfect. Great stuff!