Rating: 
Summary: You may recognize parts of this film...
Review: This is just about the only Hollywood film to recognize the fact that interstellar communication is limited to the speed of light, that artificial personalities may be less than cheerfully subservient, and that deep space exploration may not neccessarily attract the best and the brightest of the human race. Naturally, this is not a movie for everyone. It's very much like a film-school film, but like one made by a couple of VERY talented students. It features a lot of dialogue that wavers between comedy and ironic philosophy, and never really settles on either end of the spectrum. A couple of the scenes involving the beachball - er, alien - were later worked into Alien and Aliens, some of the computer graphics were used in Star Wars, and the overeager and intelligent bomb concept forms a major theme in the entire Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. I love it. But when I say it's not for everyone, I mean it. This is a film to watch with a bunch of serious science fiction lovers (and I'm not talking about Star Wars fans), or alone. You were warned.
Rating: 
Summary: Greater than the sum of its parts
Review: Dark Star has become something of a cult classic to sci-fi fans and it's easy to see why. It features the early work of several people (Dan O'Bannon and John Carpenter) who would later make signifant contributions to the genre. It also has the kind of skewed humor that often is a factor in achieving cult status. Yes, the effects are fairly cheesy and the acting and story are often lame, but somehow Dark Star rises above all that to be enjoyable in its own way. The DVD does a good job of presenting a movie that didn't look all that great in the theater. This was, as others have commented, originally a student film that was expanded and distributed in theaters. The DVD allows the viewer to see two versions of the movie, the theatrical release and a 'creators' cut that removes most of the expansion material and returns the film to something closer to its student film form. Frankly, I thought the expanded, theatrical version was superior to the special cut. The added scenes did give more depth to the story and characters, and they need it. This movie will not appeal to everyone, but I think any serious fan of the genre should consider having it in their library.
Rating: 
Summary: A gem in the rough is still a gem
Review: What's also amazing is the sensitivity to characters and personalities in this movie. Each crew member is different, and has his own unique coping mechanisms (or none at all) for the sheer boredom of space. The ongoing diary of Bill Froop is a hilarious peek into one character's personal journey and transformation. You'll find a much more intriguing storyline here than in any of the last few Star Trek movies combined - unless you're a baby boomer reminiscing about your Half Moon Bay hippy commune days, that is. Make a big batch of popcorn and settle in for a lot of fun!
Rating:
Summary: Cult classic, off the wall, Carpenter's finest
Review: So, I thought I would show this movie to my fiancee and a friend of hers, both of whom I would definitely say are picky and typically like the empty flashy movies that draw in money, but have no substance. She was laughing very loudly by the end (and so was her friend, by the way). John Carpenter may be known for his other really big hits (Halloween, In the Mouth of Madness [his best, in my opinion], or Vampires), but before fame arrived, he was a student. This was his film. Along with co-conspirator Dan O'Bannon, the two made this student film with zero budget (the chest plate on the star suit is a muffin pan), until it was viewed by a producer. $60,000 and a few extra scenes later, it was released and immediately picked up a cult following. I first saw it on PBS, back in the days when they showed such classic films. Funny, irreverent, and strikingly enough, deep and meaningful. Don't look for famous actors here, go rent a Bond flick for that. Look for insight into the human spirit, the plight of the isolated, and one of the most humorous sci-fi movies ever made! I highly recommend it for fans of a good comedy or science fiction flick. You won't be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: Early Brilliance
Review: Much like George Lucas' THX-1138, Dark Star had its beginnings as a film school project which was later expanded into a full-length movie with the help of later investors. However, while Lucas became far less serious when he started working with big budgets, the opposite phenonmenon occured with Dark Star's creators Dan O'Bannon (later scripter of such hits as Alien and The Abyss) and John Carpenter (later director of such hits as The Thing and Halloween). In fact, Dark Star often seems to make fun of elements found in Carpenter and O'Bannon's later works, as if they knew what directions they would later be taking and decided to parody themselves before anyone else got the chance. For example, there's an alien that looks like a blown-up beachball bouncing around the ship and causing trouble, providing a very silly alternative to the insect in Alien. Of course, other classics are billiantly parodied in this movie as well, especially 2001 with its out of control, intelligent computer and in the scene of astronauts floating off into space. Much like Monty Python, the humour works on many levels. In addition to slapstick, you get rather intelligent and philosophical humour. Not all of it works, but there are enough hits to make up for all the misses. Given the original budget of the film, don't expect a visual spectacular. Comparing Dark Star to the creators' later works is like comparing Lord of the Rings to Peter Jackson's first film, Bad Taste. This first film has a sort of roughness and lack of polish to it which really emphasizes its moments of brilliance. Too bad the film isn't longer.
Rating:
Summary: Funny, funny..... funny again..
Review: This film, which is a debut film of John Carpenter, is quite preposterous. First, before this film, there is a masterpiece of SF film which is a Stanley Kubrick¡¯s work ¡°2001: A Space Odyssey¡±. Compared with Kubrick¡¯s, it is a directly opposite style. Contrast to Kubrick¡¯s carried weight and is very difficult, this film is funny and absurd. It is a feature of Carpenter¡¯s films; there are many funny scenes, which transcend an imagination. The plot of this film is nothing special. The spaceship crew who have a mission, but their life is a continuity of boredom, so as to their acting is very funny. Childish pranks of the crew and a pet alien which looks like a beach ball with claws, Ii makes people cannot help laughing. In addition, this film was made when Carpenter was a student of university. It was a low-budget film, so some special effects were little bit clumsy. Nevertheless, it deserves to watch because it is a comedy film, so it makes people feel funnier. As watching these scenes, I cannot help recognizing Carpenter¡¯s imagination is great. Dan O¡¯Bannon who co writes screenplay with Carpenter and played one of the crew, after that he created ¡°Alien¡±. This is also interesting thing. Anyway, this film is quite funny, and more, soundtrack that also matched with film, made well. John Carpenter usually took charge of music in own films as well as this film; he used amusing music for the soundtrack to make a funny scene.
Rating: 
Summary: Only for John Carpenter fans
Review: If you're a John Carpenter fan (Starman, Alien, etc.), you might be interested in seeing his early work, but if not, skip this DOG of a film. The one laugh I did get from the film was from the use of the muffin baking pan as part of the spacesuit design. It was so tacky that it was funny.
Rating:
Summary: Carpenter and O'Bannon show their impressive chops.
Review: As every film buff knows, Dark Star started off as a student film. The work so impressed producer Jack H. Harris (The Blob) that he gave the 'kids' some extra money to pad it to feature length. The rest is history, sort of. Dark Star is a deserved cult classic. For one, while it is bargain basement filmmaking, nonetheless the movie manages to look fairly good and does not bog down with filler (each scene is fresh and entertaining and adds something to the overall feel). The alien escaping into the ship and Pinback's giving chase (which alternates easily between hilarious and harrowing) is undoubtedly a highlight (both for being so entertaining and for forshadowing O'Bannon's script/story for Alien). As is Bomb #20. The second reason is that many of the crew (Carpenter, O'Bannon, and the effects creators) all went on to successful careers in the film making industry. If you can get past the tape and cardboard look (and the movie is so inventive and funny that it is easy to do) then Dark Star is a fun ride and an essential addition to any sci-fi film buffs library. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: In Space, No One Can Hear You Yawn...
Review: DARK STAR is the most un-romantic, stark, hysterical vision of space exploration ever filmed. Carpenter and O'bannon capture the suffocating boredom perfectly! After floating around in deep space for 20 years, even blowing up entire planets has become dull routine. The crew are sick of space, sick of each other, and have turned into apathetic numbskulls. The ship computer is a female voice of monotony. The planet-destroying bombs (yep, they talk too) are loopy, cheerful drones. Only when pending disaster threatens everyone aboard is any excitement forced into these poor shmucks' lives! Watch for the beachball alien. He's a trip! Check this out if you're tired of all the meaningless outerspace spectaculars of our day...
Rating: 
Summary: Good movie, miserable DVD quality
Review: Much has been written about this movie, so I will spare you any repetitions. Anyway, chances are you will be interested in Dark Star" only if you already know it... What I must mention is the DVD quality: On a scale from zero to ten it would rank minus 25! It is letterbox format and so poor that no amount of fiddling with my projector settings could make a difference. Grainy picture, lots of artifacts, washed out colours.. you name it, this edition has it. What a pitty.
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