Thursday, October 31, 2013

Movie Critique: Dark Star

Dark Star

Dark Star is fantastic in its presentation toward the science fiction genre. This is a film very much influenced by 2001: A Space Odyssey and shows through its graphics and ideas of science fiction. The comedic satire is really what makes the film intriguing and enjoyable to watch.
Dark Star is an interesting example of taking the seriousness of science fiction and playing the ideas that they were generally presenting back in the 60s and 70s.  Science fiction was generally a way to explore and present ideas or judgments about society that traditional means did not allow. Dark Star almost completely rejected that idea of being serious with the comedy that was in Dark Star. It was interesting, funny, and also technical at the same time.
The use of technology throughout the film is very similar to other films. For example, the ship has an AI computer much like that of 2001: A Space Odyssey.  Yet, the one in Dark Star almost has its own sense of humor; even the bomb is it’s own AI. 
The overall mission of the crew mates of Dark Star is to find unstable planets and destroy them, which can be a message to ones idea of further colonization outside of our world.  Its can almost compare to that of the original colonization of America.
The characters are also very funny.  Their persona is much like that of the 70s. Very laid back, hippie in a sense, and not very serious in general. Even their bedroom was similar to that of a hippie house. It goes to show what kind of people were really directing the film and perhaps the perspective on the science fiction genre as a whole.

In conclusion, Dark Star’s comedic satire is a much different take on the traditional role science fiction had played on society up until that point. It is refreshing and thought provoking to see how a different point of view can change the world of science fiction so dramatically.

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