Battle Beyond the Stars

6/7/2023

This looks every inch the low budget affair it actually was - but it almost comes off as a fairly engaging sci-fi rip off of the "Magnificent Seven" - complete, even, with Robert Vaughn! "John-Boy" himself, Richard Thomas ("Shad") lives on one of those simple, peaceful, planets threatened by a megalomanic with a big laser cannon (John Saxon) who demands their harvest. "Shad" decides to try and rustle together some mercenaries to defend their home from this evil conqueror and so recruits a disparate band including George Peppard ("Cowboy") and a collection of inter-galactic misfits to help with their cause. Probably most notable for James Horner's score, this is an enjoyable enough sci-fi action adventure with plenty going on and not too much tedious philosophising; the special effects do t

8/26/2024

**_Star Trek and Star Wars are met together (on a lower Corman budget)_** When the planet Akir is threatened by a galactic tyrant (John Saxon), a young man with no experience in warfare (Richard Thomas) ventures into space to enlist the aid of several mercenaries (George Peppard, Robert Vaughn, Morgan Woodward, etc.). "Battle Beyond the Stars" (1980) meshes the space-oriented science-fiction of Star Trek (the Original Series and the 1979 movie) with the space fantasy of Star Wars for a colorful interplanetary adventure on a Roger Corman budget. The protagonist’s planet is called Akir and the denizens Akira because the basic plot was taken from Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai” (which, of course, was also the basis for “The Magnificent Seven”). On the female front, Darlanne Fluegel

6/16/2026

Rebel Moon - but good Obviously Rebel Moon I & II are pretty much exactly this story, but this movie has characters, actual drama, and some excitement. It is just a superior movie. Yes, obviously it has aged, as it was made in 1980, but it does more than enough with what it has to be exciting. It was made to copy Star Wars (again, obviously), and the opening shot is just A New Hope with another ship, but that sort of homage is to be expected. I enjoyed this movie, and with its star-studded cast portraying interesting characters it is a fun ride. I wholly recommend this movie to sci-fi fans everywhere, and if you found Rebel Moon a bit sad then this is the pick-me-up you need!