4K Ultra HD Evaluation – Dark Star (1974)

      Dark Star, 1974.

      Directed by John Carpenter.

      Featuring Brian Narelle, Cal Kuniholm, Dan O’Bannon, Dre Pahich, Nick Castle, and John Carpenter.

      SYNOPSIS:

      The team aboard a spaceship, two decades into a mission to bomb planets, must confront their alien mascot and a sentient bomb that starts to ponder its own existence.

      Dark Star is a peculiar film. At its core, it resembles a student project elevated by the talents involved—it is recognized as the first official film by director and co-writer John Carpenter, as well as the debut feature-length script by co-writer Dan O’Bannon. While it heavily borrows from earlier sci-fi films, its impact resonates in numerous later works like Alien, Star Wars, Red Dwarf, and Carpenter’s own The Thing. Nonetheless, it remains fundamentally a student film.

      The titular Dark Star is an interstellar spaceship tasked with annihilating planets inhabited by hazardous alien species to ensure human safety in the universe. The bombs aboard can communicate and think due to onboard computers, but they occasionally malfunction and operate independently, requiring the weary crew—two decades into their mission—to negotiate with them and keep the advanced technology in check.

      Also on the ship is an alien life form that the crew adopted as a mascot. Like typical aliens in sci-fi narratives, it wreaks havoc aboard the ship, prompting crew member Pinback (Dan O’Bannon) to hunt for it. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Doolittle (Brian Narelle) must perform a spacewalk to persuade one of the bombs not to detonate while aboard the Dark Star, engaging in a philosophical discussion with a computer about life, the universe, and existence.

      Unquestionably, Dark Star reflects the 1970s, created by film students likely exploring the benefits of youth during that era. It is a surreal film, yet, similar to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which was released the same year, much of the humor can be overshadowed by the visual spectacles on display. While John Carpenter may have found amusement behind the camera, the deadpan delivery of the performances and the absurdity of the scenarios do not quite mesh.

      This disconnect is likely attributable to the inexperience of those involved. Watching the film today reveals various elements that subsequently influenced later movies, particularly aspects Dan O’Bannon adapted for Alien. Notably, the alien in Dark Star lacks the depth of the Xenomorph and is not particularly frightening—it’s essentially a red-painted beach ball with rubber feet, manipulated by future actor Nick Castle (Michael Myers). However, it is humorous to see Dan O'Bannon chase it around the ship, ultimately finding it in a lift shaft. Created on a budget, it's clear that viewing Alien—and even to some extent Aliens—after this film reveals the origins of several concepts.

      Ultimately, Dark Star serves as a fertile breeding ground for ideas, themes, styles, and careers; yet, is it a good film? That depends on your tolerance for stoner humor fused with intellectual reflections and low-budget effects from filmmakers still honing their craft. If you appreciate such content, the 83-minute Theatrical Cut is ideal for you, but the original 71-minute Director’s Cut is also provided on the disc, likely a safer choice for a first viewing.

      This 4K UHD set excels primarily due to the inclusion of Let There Be Light: The Odyssey of Dark Star, a 116-minute documentary that chronicles everything from the project's inception to its production, release, and influence. Featuring insights from actor Brian Narelle, Carpenter collaborator Tommy Lee Wallace, fellow University of Southern California student Jeff Burr, and producer Jack H. Harris, this documentary is excellent—even if Dark Star doesn’t resonate with you, it offers valuable insight into how student films receive funding, production, and promotion, revealing intriguing tidbits like potential influences on George Lucas’s depiction of light-speed jumps in film.

      Additional content includes an audio commentary by Dark Star enthusiast Andrew Gilchrist, interviews with Brian Narelle and author Alan Dean Foster, a sew-on patch, a collector’s booklet, reproductions of two UK quad posters, lobby cards, and a recreation of the original film campaign brochure, resulting in a well-rounded box set for collectors with ample supplementary material to explore.

      It’s wonderful to see films like Dark Star receiving the 4K UHD upgrade; not only for the enhancement in visual and sound quality—keeping in mind this film is a product of the 1970s, so while the clarity is improved and the vibrant computer graphics stand out more, some scenes still bear the production quality of a program like Button Moon. Nonetheless, it is crucial as it represents a significant film from filmmakers who went on to shape genre cinema for decades. Overall, while Dark Star may be less cohesive than its individual components suggest, it provides a meaningful and