Knights & Knaves Alehouse

What about "DARK STAR?" Early 70's Sci Fi Comedy.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069945/

I read Dark Star, and saw the movie back in grade school in the early 70s. Both were under-rated.

dcs wrote:Adrienne Barbeau.

Wasn't the Swamp Thing after that, too? She went from a bad gangster to a badder walking tree.

As to the OP, BTiLC narrowly edges out The Thing, but only just.

simrion wrote:What about "DARK STAR?" Early 70's Sci Fi Comedy.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069945/

Definately has my vote, I forgot that was a Carpenter film. One of the best movies EVA!

Watched Halloween again last night at a Halloween party (natch), and it still stands up, and reinforced my vote for it. This time around I noticed more of an Italian giallo/horror (Mario Bava, Dario Argento) influence than I had before by way of the relentlessly prowling camera, synth-heavy score, and striking use of primary colors -- one scene in particular (the knitting-needle scene where Michael Myers is behind the couch and there's a strong contrast between the brightly lit yellow couch, the blue window, red blood, and the darkly shadowed rest of the room) looked like something right out of Deep Red or Suspiria. I'd also forgotten that there are at least two direct references to Howard Hawks -- the kids watch The Thing on tv (and we even get a shot of the tv screen showing "A Howard Hawks Production"), and the sherriff's name is (if I caught it correctly) Leigh Brackett (who wrote many screenplays for Hawks, in addition to some well-regarded sf and fantasy novels and an early draft of The Empire Strikes Back). Carpenter is clearly a Hawks fan -- he not only remade The Thing but also remade Rio Bravo twice (as The Assault on Precint 13 and Ghosts of Mars)

But what we really want to know Foster is: what did you dress as for the party?

- Wheggi

I went as "Crazy Indie-Rock Movie-Geek Man." Shockingly, almost everyone in attendance chose the exact same costume

Addendum to my previous post: I just re-watched the scene I referenced above (the "knitting-needle" scene with the great use of primary colors) and the red actually comes from red curtains, couch-pillow, and ottoman, not blood -- which ties in nicely with the parallel thread about implied vs. graphically depicted violence -- a bright red ottoman in the center of the frame makes us think of and remember blood even though there wasn't any blood in the scene. Carpenter must've realized this was a great composition (and it is), because he holds on it for about 15 seconds after the "action" of the scene is over, and even returns to it in the final montage sequence right before the end credits.

Oh, I know the costume you're talking about!

Off topic, but I was wondering if you (or anyone else with access to it) were going to the After Dark Horror Fest? I'm considering it, just because I think that the independants treat the genre so much better than the big studios.

- Wheggi

I'm a little late to the thread, but for me "Big Touble In Little China" is the by far best. "The Thing" and "In the Mouth of Madness" are next.

Anyone know of a movie that is anything like Big Trouble? Self-effacingly campy, hero is clueless and incredulous, yet triumphs? I guess a movie made before Big Trouble would be more interesting. I can't help comparing it to Big Lebowski, both heroes are so clueless

GW-