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Information Exchange => Reader Comments => Topic started by: Rusty on April 07, 2003, 06:15:52 PM



Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Rusty on April 07, 2003, 06:15:52 PM
As a fan of Kurosawa, and even of The Magnificent Seven, this film sickens me (not to mention boring me to tears) and I would urge even lovers of pitifully bad films to avoid it like the plague. Also, it is unpleasant seeing heroes such as the boys Peppard, Vaughn and Saxon making complete monkeys of themselves.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: BoyScoutKevin on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
I first saw this film in 1980 at a theater near Tacoma, Washington. At the time I saw it, I did not think much of it. But, like "Flash Gordon," like "Lair of the White Worm,"
over the years, I have reevaluated my opinion. And it is probably not as bad as I first thought. Certainly, for a film that cost only $2M to make, the action sequences are quite good. And how can one dislike a film, where the futuristic mercenaries are played by Sybil Danning, George Peppard, Robert Vaughn, and Morgan Woodward. One more comment. Remember the wedding . . . the one that was interrupted by the kidnapping. That marriage was between two women. Who ever had that idea was ahead of his time or her time. Enjoy


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Brandi on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
Star Wars actually adapted/borrowed from Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress".

The Magnificent Seven is a western version of Seven Samurai, though.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Andrew on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
Of note, there is a website dedicated to this film (with some neat background information) here:
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/GEO_LIT/index.html">http://members.tripod.com/GEO_LIT/index.html</A>

Andrew


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: David Fullam on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
Battle is indeed a space age remake of "Seven Samurai," but it also owes a great debt to the first remake of that great film, "The Magnificent Seven," one of the most famous Westerns of all time. In fact, if memory serves, Robert Vaughn is playing practically the same character in both films.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Chuck on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM
Ah, fond memories of this flick. I was working at the Riverview Drive-In Theater in Pasco, Washington the summer that this came out. It was the feature the first night I worked as a projectionist.

Bonnie on the left, Clyde on the right. Make sure you have enough carbon for the arc light. Thread the reel, light the stick, watch for the blobs up there on the right. When you see the first, start the other projector. When you see the second, throw the knob. Repeat until the show's over.

You never do forget your first...


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: son of godzilla on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM
This one ranks up there at the top of the post star wars films.  You know the films I'm talking about. The movie industry new people would go see just about anything with a Sci-fi theme. Not caring how bad it was. Woa! this one was bad. Hysterical AND bad.  I always got a kick on how the Viking Queen would drone on about all the perverse x-rated things she wanted to do with John Boy.  Was George Peppard that desparate for work?


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM
I like the movie when I first when it came on NBC. The only part I didn't really like is that they killed off Sybil Danning the viking queen.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Sean on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
A big fat thank you for posting this, I was starting to think I was the only person on Earth who knew of this movie, that wasn't in it! I had a copy taped off cable in the 80's, but recently bought a mint copy off Ebay ($10.00 at most, I think.) I first saw this movie when I was 5 and still watch it every few months, I really enjoy this movie.

BTW, the "patented pig call" is "LAZUULIIIIIIIII" and the meaning is indicated in an exchange between Sador and Caymen, as follows:

"I am Caymen, of the Lambda Zone. Turn around, you old degenerate, and we'll bump heads!"
"Of what form are you, Caymen of the Lambda Zone?"
"I am of the Lazuli form."
"The Lazuli? I had thought I'd had the pleasure of making them extinct. An oversight I shall soon rectify."

So Caymen is using his species' name as a battle-cry.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Richard Of Portland on September 29, 2001, 12:43:30 PM
The film was made during the time when some were trying to cash in on the Star Wars hype. For me it is one of the worst movies I have seen. Especially awful is the dub dialogue. Something was lost during the translation from Italian to English.  


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Randy on November 25, 2006, 04:09:03 PM
Man I hate it when a movie forces characters on you and expaects you to accept them with absolutly no development.
This movie should have been over in fifteen minutes.
By the way on the seven samurai, does anyone remember the name of a movie that came out about the same time as this one, starred Vic Morrow and Sonny Chiba and had some magic nuts in it. It was a Japanese ripoff of Star Wars and had really busy, busy, sets and costumes.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Jeremy on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM
Ah...loved the subtle Ender's Game reference...


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Taika-Kim on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
I saw this sometime in the 80s when I was in the best age for all kinds of adventure/scifi/whatever movies (about 8-10 maybe?) and liked this immensely. In fact I think the only scifi movie I liked more back then was "The Last Starfighter".

IIRC I cried when the nestors died, I liked them so much. Maybe their super intelligent pacifism and harmonous model of living appealed to me. (happenes later: I go to prison for refusing to go to army and come a devout enviroment/human rights activist. figures?)

And the spaceship the hero flies is soooo groovy! And yes, I was a bit surprised too to find out that all those funky plasma balls are apparently leftover control devices from interstellar star battle cruisers :)


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Swamprat on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
Just how many times can Seven Samurai be done? The movie is watchable if you're familiar with the formula. Confusing if you're not. Richard Thomas is amusing...John Boy goes Galactic...still handicapped with his hillbilly code of ethics and farmboy innocence. But that's sure one nasty painted lady of a space cruiser he hooks up with. NASTY! The ships the best character in the whole film. The best lines, the quickest wit, the meanest breasts. George Peppard's space trucker-cowboy-smuggler was the lamest. It gives away the films age...it was made during the Good 'ol Boy movie craze that Burt Reynolds Movies triggered in the mid seventies. I AM a Good 'ol Boy...those movies make me cringe. Robert Vaughn is as creepy as ever. The Amazon Warrior b***h is a typical Sybil Danning type Amazon Warrior b***h...says little, does less. Nestor and the other odds and ends are just filler for the attack scenes. It was fun seeing Judy Robinson again (Marta Kristen)...I'm an old Lost in Space fan. She does pain relivier comercials now...ain't it sad? Does anyone remember her playing the mermaid in Beach Blanket Bingo back in 1965? John Saxon has always been laughable in mean bastard roles...no matter how you paint him up he just doesn't scare me. He always comes across as being more slimey than dangerous. This movie is one of the better Seven Samurai-Star Wars ripoffs that were made at the time. There were several, everything from "B" grade on down. I remember the one with Vic Morrow also, can't remember the name but the production values were less than Battlestar Galactica grade. This little movie was an old school shot at a classic "B" movie...no more, no less. I think it hit it's mark. It is fun to watch after a Star Wars fest or a Star Trek marathon...Kinda like comparing the Blob to Alien...it's the comparison itself that's fun. Battle Beyond the Stars is worth a rental at least...most of these type of movies aren't.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: AlphaWoolf on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
"The Magnificent Seven" in space, right down to having Robert Vaughn play a burned-out mercenary.  The special effects are a bit laughable now, but at the time they were competent.  The concept of the Nestor aliens was cool, and of course you get Sybil Danning in a foam latex bustier.  Unfortunately she doesn't get the screen time she deserved - they could have pared (ha!) the movie down to "The Magnificent Two" (ha ha!)

John Saxon as Sador steals the movie.  Mr. Saxon chews the scenery to a pulp and spits it into orbit.  Sador would steal your heart, except he needs your arm more urgently.  The "peace planet" the heroes are protecting is so wishy-washy I was rooting for Sador all the way.  Too bad how things turned out, but maybe in a sequel someone could find a chunk of him floating in space and recreate him.  Viva Sador!


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Boodikka on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
The Sonny Chiba/Vic Morrow film was the nearly unwatchable MESSAGE FROM SPACE. BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS is one of my favorite "junk" movies, especially for James Horner's score. The death of the heroes in SEVEN SAMURAI clones always makes me sad, especially Caymen in this film.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Tam-Tam on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
What a flashback! I saw this in a San Bruno multiplex with a now-ex-friend. We went to see it for the "special effects" but when we quickly determined it was a Star Wars bandwagon quickie, we laughed our asses off through the rest of the movie.

I remember when the female character was explaining the tragic history of her planet to John-Boy and the flashback scenes of devastation went on and on and on, we shouted "we get the point!" John-Boy's eulogies for each of his compatriots, very trite. But I did like Nell's sass. We even stayed through the end credits and were the last ones to leave the theater!

The young warrior in Seven Samurai DIDN'T keep the girl.

Good pick, A.!
T.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Steve on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
Yes Robert Vaughn is playing exactly the same role as  he played in The Magnificient Seven and "Oh My God" isn't that just a coincedence. Roger Corman of course has no knowage of movie history or Mr Vaughn's previous work, lt was just a coincedirnce. This IS Corman's greatest flic, God I love Roger Corman.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Bruce on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
It has it's shlocky aspects. It didn't have a blockbuster budget. BUT I really LOVE this film! "John Boy" talking and even arguing with his computer-controlled ship is a lark! The "Man From U.N.C.L.E." as a threatening, quirky, alien mercenary is likewise cool! The motley band of aliens doing the impossible by saving the pacifist planet from destruction by alien "Nazis" - what else could you want?


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Brian on August 26, 2004, 07:03:42 PM
Leave to old Roger Corman to put boobs on a starship! Still, a fun movie to watch when you are bored.


Title: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Paul on November 25, 2006, 04:09:03 PM
How could you forget the campfire scene where everyone sits around the little red aliens, the ones who communicate by lashing out with a wave of heat?
That was a good crappy movie... keep up the good work.


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: David Radich on April 26, 2008, 03:06:47 AM
Great Bad movie!!!
I want Space Cowboy's Scotch and Soda dispensing belt!!!  Some really good Cheesy Dialogue.
Also, I noticed that Sador of The Malmori (John Saxon) Is Submarine Qualified and has had a Balistic Missile Submarine Deterrent Patrol or two under his belt. (He wears US Navy Sub qualification insignia on his sash with the 101st Airborne shoulder patch in between)  Also his collar devices are upside down Scuba Diver qualification badges.  I don't know why, but I notice things like this.    Liked Sybil Danning's outfit she died in.  Spandex stretched like that always helps a bad film.
Saw the movie when I was 9 and recently checked it out.  Had a good laugh.


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Buddy Christ on July 24, 2008, 06:30:53 PM
God I remember seeing this in reruns throughout the late 80's on cable. Didn't they also reuse the a lot the space battle footage in like 5 other films?


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Ash on July 24, 2008, 10:04:24 PM
Speaking of Sador...
I created this Magic the Gathering card of him back in January.
I should change his Flanking ability to something else.  Never did like Flanking.  And I'm pretty sure he's not human. (don't know where I got that from)
But he is good for making players sacrifice creatures and he's pretty powerful in the Power/Toughness dept.

(http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/556/sadorofthemalmorido4.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Psycho Circus on July 25, 2008, 06:06:08 AM
Presenting the toilet freshner of the future....

(http://cache.gawker.com/assets/stills/battlebeyond1_io9.flv.jpg)


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Phill on November 28, 2008, 07:19:02 AM
It wasn't a marriage between two women at all, if you look carefully, Shads sister grabs the hands of the man who is slightly obscured by his bride to be, but theres no mistaking its a man.



Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: MrObvious on January 14, 2009, 01:27:27 AM
If anyone wonders how they did such good visual effects on such a small budget, check out the amount of talent that worked on the crew -  a lot of big names got their early start with Roger Corman: Chuck Comisky, James Cameron, Alec Gillis, Dennis & Robert Skotak, with the great astronomy artist Don Dixon as visual consultant.


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Tim Cafferty on April 05, 2009, 10:08:33 PM
I saw this movie in the early 80's when I took a girlfriend and the two of us were the only ones in the theater - still, I remember it as one my favorite "bad" movies of all time.  I loved the scene where Sybill Danning addressed the group of mercenaries and the camera focussed on her ass.  To me, the spaceship Nell looks like a moose head.  Still can't figure out why Sador wanted to conquer Shad's planet; it was a worthless lump of rock.  Finally, I tried to buy this movie recently but the local video store couldn't even order it - at any cost.  I can get it off the internet, but it looks like it will cost me around $50 plus shipping.  Anyone know a cheaper way to acquire it on DVD?


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Flu-Bird on June 17, 2009, 01:09:49 AM
Dont the reptile guy kind of remind you of GRIGG from THE LAST STARFIGHTER? or maybe the the bisexiual lizard from ENEMY MINE


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: SciFiBen on December 23, 2009, 10:40:33 PM
I agree with Tim. The ship always looked like a moose head to me. In fact, it was because of thinking about a moose related thing that I looked up this movie and found this site.


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Chuck Messer on January 25, 2010, 03:57:02 AM
Ah, yes. The summer of 1980 was a dismal one for movies. If it wasn't for Battle and Empire Strikes Back, the highlight of that summer would have been The Nude Bomb.

Based on your recommendation I purchased the two Vernor Vinge books. They look like a good read.

As far as Sador's reason for conquering Akir, I think maybe you're trying to figure out a rational reason for something that wasn't rational. He was just a bully who found a Victim of Opportunity. He did it because it felt good.

Take for example this real-life incident: When I was six years old, I and my class were on our way to some event or other at a nearby school. There were a couple of teachers, and us first-graders walking down the sidewalk like ducklings. We passed by a house with a kid, probably junior high or high school age standing by the sidewalk. He wore glasses and had a cast on his arm. As I walked past, he hit me over the head with his cast. It was a deliberate act, while he looked right at me. Why did the creep do that? Why me?

I was there, and he felt like bashing a little kid half his size over the head.

Sador was picking on the Akira because he could, because he thought it'd be easy. It was no more rational than that.


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Boness on February 14, 2010, 09:54:18 AM
This movie just wasn't amusing enough to warrant 3 slimes in my opinion. There were some good laughs at the start and the occasionally hilarious moments but there is too much mediocre filler. I also wanted to see the main character die a horrible death but I knew he wouldn't.

Before I end I'd just like to say,

"Of course I'm warm, I'm organic!"


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: BoyScoutKevin on February 21, 2010, 02:33:57 PM
When I first saw this in the theater in 1980, I didn't much of it, but over the years I have come to reappreciate my opinion, and I have come to the recognition I was wrong for a number of reasons.

(1st) It has a theme that has always resonated for me.

I wrote this a number of years ago, but I have never posted it anywhere until now.

"Any type of fillm can have this film theme. It can be a sports film. It can be science fiction or fantasy, comedy or historical, a western or a war film. It can be an adventure film, a crime film, or a horror film. It can be almost anything, but, it is a film, where the characters don't care about a person's race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. They don't care whether a person is young or old, rich or poor. They know how to fight, and they are not afraid to die. In fact, most of the time, most of them do not come back, at least alive."

And more specifically . . .

(2nd) How can one dislike a film that includes in the cast Richard Thomas, Robert Vaughn, John Saxon, George Peppard, Darlanne Fluegel, Sybil Danning, Sam Jaffe, Jeff Cory, Morgan Woodward, and Marta Kristen.

(3rd) For a low budget film, it has some quite good action sequences.

3 slimes sounds about right.


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: judge death on July 25, 2010, 04:46:31 AM
Robert Vaugh OWNED this movie!


Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: Mayzshon on November 13, 2010, 08:01:00 PM
To everyone who insists that Star Wars is based on The Hidden Fortress.    One of the special features on The Hidden Fortress dvd is an interview with people influenced by Kurosawa, one of whom was George Lucas.  He basically says that only thing he took from it was the idea of telling the story from the two lowliest characters. None of the rest of the story resemble Star wars much at all.

Battle Beyond the Stars:  Of all the films that tried to cash in on Star Wars, this is one of the best. The characters are great, to the point where you actually hate to see them.





Title: Re: Battle Beyond the Stars
Post by: andrehny on April 16, 2012, 08:08:23 AM
Incoherent and brilliant.
Everything in screenplay is an silly excuse to show spacial battles, laser shots, spaceships and extraterrestrial characters in bad costumes. After all, this is what you expect to see in a science fiction movie. It's an exploitation film at heart!
The fancy dresses seems to have been takem from a Brazilian carnival parade.
Cool cheap special effects... if you get stoned.
An awesome sci-fi effort! Join your drunk friends and enjoy!