Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Starcrash (1978)

Hilariously camp space opera. Akton (Marjoe Gortner) and Stella (Caroline Munro) are smugglers on the run from imperial forces. Their luck finally runs out and they are captured but then they are given a secret mission by the Emperor (Christopher Plummer), they must discover the secrets of the usurper Count Zarth (Joe Spinell) and rescue the Emperor's son Simon (David Hasselhoff).

Assisted by the robot L (Judd Hamilton) - who speaks with a Southern drawl - their adventures take them from planet to planet, encountering Amazons with a giant robot and cavemen. The final showdown takes them into battle with Zarth to save the universe...

So, a deliciously cheesy romp with cardboard sets and dodgy special effects. The story shamelessly plunders Star Wars for inspiration (as well as a few other films, the Amazons' giant robot is straight out of Jason & the Argonauts for example). The dialogue is often ridiculously banal and awkward. The acting, indifferent. The result is, somehow, superb.