Starcrash

“A galactic adventure beyond your wildest dreams!”

4.1

1978

1h 32m

FantasyScience Fiction

Director: Luigi Cozzi

Overview

A pair of smugglers manage to pick up a castaway while running from the authorities, who turns out to be the only survivor from a secret mission to destroy a mysterious superweapon designed by the evil Count Zartharn. The smugglers are soon recruited by the Emperor to complete the mission, as well as to rescue the Emperor's son, who has gone missing.

Trailer

STARCARSH Original Trailer [1978]

Cast

Akton

Marjoe Gortner

Akton

Stella Star

Caroline Munro

Stella Star

The Emperor

Christopher Plummer

The Emperor

Simon

David Hasselhoff

Simon

Thor

Robert Tessier

Thor

Count Zartharn

Joe Spinell

Count Zartharn

Corelia, Queen of the Amazons

Nadia Cassini

Corelia, Queen of the Amazons

Elle / Jiakta

Judd Hamilton

Elle / Jiakta

Amazon Woman

Dirce Funari

Amazon Woman

Cindy Leadbetter

Amazon Woman

Neanderthal Man

Salvatore Baccaro

Neanderthal Man

Spaceship Guard

Omero Capanna

Spaceship Guard

Reviews

Gimly

I don't mind that it's a nothing-budget ripoff of _Star Wars_, but I am phased by it being so boring. _Final rating:★½: - Boring/disappointing. Avoid where possible._

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Wuchak

**_Cheesy, but colorful space fantasy with Caroline Munro, et al._** A smuggler and her extraterrestrial cohort (Caroline and Marjoe Gortner) are enlisted by an eminent space Emperor (Christopher Plummer) to find a lost individual (David Hasselhoff) and extinguish the secret weapon of his diabolical nemesis (Joe Spinell). "Starcrash" (1978) is an Italian production with American actors, obviously inspired by the success of “Star Wars” from the previous year, but also influenced by past flicks like “Forbidden Planet,” “Planet of the Vampires” and “Barbarella,” as well as “Jason and the Argonauts.” It’s similar to the movie & series “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,” which came out the next year, and is the precursor to the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies with Robert Tessier as Chief Thor reminiscent of Drax (Dave Bautista). I didn’t name Star Trek only because that’s serious science-fiction with the milieu of space exploration as opposed to the space fantasy of most of the others (not “Forbidden Planet” and “Planet of the Vampires,” which are closer to Star Trek). Caroline was 28 during shooting and one of the obvious highlights in her alluring getups, yet there are other attractions. Gortner does surprisingly well in a non-goofy role where he’s almost Spock-like. The colors are vibrant with the space background looking like a Christmas tree if the tree were black. Sure, it’s all second-rate compared to “Star Wars” with some laughable fight choreographies, but the sets & costumes are flamboyant and the production required quite a bit of imagination. It’s a turn-off-your-brain and have fun flick; a “good” bad movie. It runs 1 hour, 32 minutes, and was shot at Cinecittà studios in Rome, as well as other areas of Italy (Mount Etna), and Morocco, Tunisia and Hollywood. GRADE: B-

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