Roger Corman's Battle Beyond the Stars is a truly shameless classic. It steals from everybody, mixing various clichés and stereotypes of all genres and forms. But therein lies the paradox. Why? Because for all the things it steals, the end result is a B-movie that is really, pretty original. At least, I think it's the only farcical "Sci-fi/Fantasy/children's movie remake of The Magnificent Seven with pornographic overtones" that I've ever seen.
Upon its release into theaters back in 1980, Battle Beyond the Stars was chosen as Siskel and Ebert's "Dog of the Week". But tell me, how can you not enjoy sitting through this earnest attempt to capitalize on the success of Star Wars? Especially when it stars such a marvelous array of television legends! Yes sirreee, together at last, we have The Man From U.N.C.L.E's Napoleon Solo! Hannibal from The A-Team! John Boy Walton! Not to mention a two-time Razzie Award-winner (for Worst Supporting Actress), Sybil Danning.
When the evil Sador the Conqueor (John Saxon) and his hideous mutant army threaten the peaceful planet of Akir, a sweet farm boy named Shad (Richard Thomas) is sent out on a journey to search and gather mercenaries to help his people defend their planet. This recruitment outing is what makes Battle Beyond the Stars so amusing, because what a group he gathers! We have Cowboy (George Peppard) who is a space trucker carrying a cargo load of laser pistols, Gelt (Robert Vaughn) a notorious outlaw with a bounty on his head, Cayman (Morgan Woodward) the last of a reptilian race that was destroyed by the Evil Sador, and a blood-lusting, big-busted valkyrie named Saint Exmin (Sybil Danning). Add a pair of aliens who communicate by only by heat, computer genius/love interest Nanelia (Darlanne Fluegel) and a collective race of clones known as the Nestor (who join the cause out of boredom because they have nothing better to do) and this colourful and memorable cast of characters is complete.
As one would expect, this group of intergalactic misfits plan their defense alongside the Akirans and of course, a bloody, explosion-filled battle against the Sador army ensues. Corman movies are known for their cardboard-and-glue budget, but this film goes all out special-effects wise, at least by his usual standards. The costumes, despite trying to look futuristic, remain very vintage early-80's, but many other production values for Battle Beyond the Stars stand out. That is likely because some of today's most reputable artists in the film industry got their start with this movie. Art director, James Cameron designed all of the spacecrafts, notably Shad's female-voiced talking ship which is in the suspicious form a woman's breasts. It was also here that music composer, James Horner got his first orchestrating gig. In fact, this film's score is one of Horner's most sought after soundtracks. Listen to it and you will discover where all that fantastic music from Wrath of Khan originated.
The last person of note is the film's screenwriter -- John Sayles! The king of such thoughtful, independent films as Lone Star, Men with Guns, Eight Men Out and Return of Secaucus Seven also co-wrote... Battle Beyond the Stars (alongside Anne Dyer with a story credit)! Sayles never takes the film very seriously and has some fun at our expense with silly, tongue-in-cheek dialogue, but also he puts in all the obligatory scenes for it to enfold quickly and with brainless excitement. Not only that, he makes it blatantly obvious that the plot is borrowed from elsewhere. You need only to look at Robert Vaughn's Gelt, who's basically the same character he played in The Magnificent Seven. Even The Magnificent Seven was a remake of another great film, The Seven Samurai, which is also referenced in BBTS by virtue of naming the planet's inhabitants "Akira" (after The Seven Samurai's director, Akira Kurosawa). Without Sayles, this Battle Beyond the Stars would probably be a forgettable piece of campy poo-poo. But luckily, that's not our case here. It's quite a memorable piece of campy poo-poo. I watched it as a kid and I watch it again now, nearly 20 years after it's initial release, and I think it definitely still holds great entertainment value.
-- Julie Ng
Battle Beyond the Stars is available on video (although hard to find, it does exist).
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