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''Battle Beyond the Stars'' is a 1980 American space opera film produced by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
, directed by
Jimmy T. Murakami was a Japanese-American-Irish animator and film director with a long career working in numerous countries. Among his best-known works are the animated adaptations of the Raymond Briggs books '' When the Wind Blows'' and ''The Snowman''. He was ...
, and starring Richard Thomas, Robert Vaughn,
George Peppard George Peppard (; October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was an American actor. He is best remembered for his role as struggling writer Paul Varjak in the 1961 film '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', and for playing commando leader Col. John "Hannibal ...
,
John Saxon John Saxon (born Carmine Orrico; August 5, 1936 – July 25, 2020) was an American actor who worked on more than 200 film and television projects during a span of 60 years. He was known for his work in Westerns and horror films, often playing ...
,
Sybil Danning Sybil Danning (born Sybille Johanna Danninger) is an Austrian actress, model, and film producer. She is best known for her frequent appearances in B movies during the 1970s and 1980s. Biography Early years and first films Born in Austria, Dannin ...
and
Darlanne Fluegel Darlanne Fluegel (November 25, 1953 – December 15, 2017) was an American actress, fashion model, film producer and professor. She was one of the few American fashion models who successfully transitioned to a career as a serious actor. Fluegel ...
. Intended as a futuristic " ''Magnificent Seven'' (itself a western version of
The Seven Samurai is a 1954 Japanese epic samurai drama film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story takes place in 1586 during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. It follows the story of a village of desperate farmers who hire seve ...
) in outer space", the screenplay was written by
John Sayles John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950) is an American independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and novelist. He has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, for '' Passion Fish'' (1992) and ' ...
with the score by James Horner and special effects designed by filmmaker
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
. The film was theatrically released by Corman's
New World Pictures New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 19 ...
and was a moderate box office success, despite receiving mixed reviews from critics.


Plot

The farming world Akir is threatened by the tyrannical warlord Sador (
John Saxon John Saxon (born Carmine Orrico; August 5, 1936 – July 25, 2020) was an American actor who worked on more than 200 film and television projects during a span of 60 years. He was known for his work in Westerns and horror films, often playing ...
), who rules the sinister Malmori Empire and, his body parts deteriorating, is capturing and appropriating them from others. Sador's huge Hammerhead mounts a "Stellar Converter", a weapon that turns planets into small stars. He demands that the peaceful Akira submit to him when he returns in "seven risings". Zed ( Jeff Corey), last of the famous Akira Corsairs, is old. He suggests they hire mercenaries to protect them. Since Akir lacks valuable resources, its people can offer only food and shelter in payment. Unable to go in person, Zed offers his ship. The ship is fast and well-armed, but, despite its AI navigation/tactical computer Nell, cannot defeat Sador alone. Shad ( Richard Thomas), a young man who has piloted the ship and is well known to Nell, volunteers. Seeking weapons, Shad goes to the space station of Doctor Hephaestus ( Sam Jaffe), an old friend of Zed. The station is populated mostly by androids, except for two humans: Hephaestus, whose numerous life support-systems have turned him into a cyborg, and his beautiful daughter Nanelia (
Darlanne Fluegel Darlanne Fluegel (November 25, 1953 – December 15, 2017) was an American actress, fashion model, film producer and professor. She was one of the few American fashion models who successfully transitioned to a career as a serious actor. Fluegel ...
), who looks after him and the androids. The doctor wants Shad to mate with his daughter, by force if necessary. Shad cannot bring himself to abandon his people; he persuades Nanelia to help him escape. She follows in her own ship; although she has no weapons, her highly advanced computer systems might be useful. The two split up to look for more mercenaries. Shad encounters Cowboy (
George Peppard George Peppard (; October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was an American actor. He is best remembered for his role as struggling writer Paul Varjak in the 1961 film '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', and for playing commando leader Col. John "Hannibal ...
), a freighter-pilot from Earth who is ambushed by Space Jackers while delivering a shipment of laser-handguns to the planet Umateal. Shad fights off the Jackers, thus saving Cowboy's life twice over; they arrive at Umateal just in time to watch Sador destroy the planet with his Stellar Converter. Lacking the fuel to carry his weapons back home, Cowboy offers them to Akir instead. Shad talks Cowboy into sharing his gunslinging experience with the Akira. Later, Shad meets a set of five alien
clones Clone or Clones or Cloning or Cloned or The Clone may refer to: Places * Clones, County Fermanagh * Clones, County Monaghan, a town in Ireland Biology * Clone (B-cell), a lymphocyte clone, the massive presence of which may indicate a patholog ...
who share a group consciousness named Nestor. They admit their life is incredibly dull, since their whole race shares one mind. In order to be entertained, they have sent five members to join Shad's cause. Nestor does not require payment, saying they are completely self-sufficient. Next, Shad recruits Gelt ( Robert Vaughn), a wealthy assassin who cannot show himself on any civilized planet for fear of retribution. Gelt offers his services in return for being allowed to live peacefully among the Akira. Gelt's ship is highly maneuverable and well-armed. On his way back to Akir, Shad is approached by Saint-Exmin (
Sybil Danning Sybil Danning (born Sybille Johanna Danninger) is an Austrian actress, model, and film producer. She is best known for her frequent appearances in B movies during the 1970s and 1980s. Biography Early years and first films Born in Austria, Dannin ...
) of the Valkyrie warriors. She is a headstrong woman looking to prove herself in battle. She pilots a small, but extremely fast ship with enhanced firepower. Shad finds her annoying and wishes she would go away, but she tags along. While waiting for Shad's return, Nanelia is captured by a reptilian slaver named Cayman of the Lazuli (
Morgan Woodward Thomas Morgan Woodward (September 16, 1925 – February 22, 2019) was an American actor who is best known for his recurring role as Marvin "Punk" Anderson on the television soap opera ''Dallas'' and for his portrayal of Boss Godfrey, the sungla ...
). Cayman possesses a powerful ship with an eclectic crew of aliens. She explains to Cayman that they are seeking mercenaries for a war against Sador. Cayman takes up their cause in return for the head of Sador, who destroyed Cayman's homeworld years ago. Back on Akir, Shad's sister Mol is captured by two Malmori warriors with the intent to rape her. As Shad and Company return, their approach frightens the Malmori into attempting to escape. Mol, in retaliation, interferes with their controls, allowing Gelt the opportunity to destroy their ship, killing all three. Upon reaching the planet's surface, the heroes are greeted with caution by the natives, who are wary of violent species. When Sador returns, his Malmori forces are intercepted by Shad's hired warriors. Gelt dogfights his way to Hammerhead, which shoots him down. Cowboy and the laser-toting Akira ward off an invasion backed by a Malmori Sonic Tank. Many of Sador's troops are killed, and their Sonic Tank is destroyed; however, many Akira die as well, including Zed. After surviving an assassination attempt by Nestor, Sador launches the remainder of his fleet in a retaliatory strike against Akir. Saint-Exmin blows herself up to knock out Sador's Stellar Converter. Although Sador's aerospace forces are wiped out, Hammerhead picks off all the remaining mercenaries with laser battery-fire and nuclear missiles. Only Nell, piloted by Shad and Nanelia, survives the Malmori onslaught. Crippled and unable to fight, Nell is captured by Hammerhead's tractor beam. Nanelia and Shad activate Nell's self-destruct program, then flee their ship in an escape pod. Sador commands Nell to surrender. Instead she detonates, causing his Stellar Converter to backfire and disintegrate Hammerhead. As Shad and Nanelia return to Akir, Nanelia despairs over their friends' deaths. Shad shares with her the teachings of Akir's "Varda": nobody is truly dead when they have been loved and are celebrated by the living. The Akira will always remember the sacrifices made by the mercenaries, who will forever be honored in the legends of Akir.


Cast

* Richard Thomas as Shad, a young Akira farmer who looks for mercenaries to save his people. Over the course of the story, he evolves into the next Akira Corsair, brother of the ill-fated Mol. * Robert Vaughn as Gelt, a notorious assassin with an intergalactic bounty on his head. Despite his vast riches, all he wants now is "a meal and a place to hide". Vaughn played Lee in ''The Magnificent Seven'', essentially the same character as Gelt. *
John Saxon John Saxon (born Carmine Orrico; August 5, 1936 – July 25, 2020) was an American actor who worked on more than 200 film and television projects during a span of 60 years. He was known for his work in Westerns and horror films, often playing ...
as Sador, leader of the evil Malmori raiders, is very old and keeps himself alive using transplants to renew his body. His character is similar to the character of Calvera from ''The Magnificent Seven''. *
George Peppard George Peppard (; October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was an American actor. He is best remembered for his role as struggling writer Paul Varjak in the 1961 film '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', and for playing commando leader Col. John "Hannibal ...
as Space Cowboy, the only character from Earth, who is defined by his many one-liners and who becomes Shad's good friend. *
Darlanne Fluegel Darlanne Fluegel (November 25, 1953 – December 15, 2017) was an American actress, fashion model, film producer and professor. She was one of the few American fashion models who successfully transitioned to a career as a serious actor. Fluegel ...
as Nanelia, Dr. Hephaestus' beautiful daughter and Shad's love interest. *
Sybil Danning Sybil Danning (born Sybille Johanna Danninger) is an Austrian actress, model, and film producer. She is best known for her frequent appearances in B movies during the 1970s and 1980s. Biography Early years and first films Born in Austria, Dannin ...
as Saint-Exmin, a Valkyrie warrior looking to prove herself in battle. * Sam Jaffe as Dr. Hephaestus, an old man on life support, who wants grandchildren to inhabit his space station. * Jeff Corey as Zed the Corsair, once a famed Akira warrior and now almost blind. He is the former pilot of Shad's starship, whose system computer he affectionately calls "Old Girl". *
Morgan Woodward Thomas Morgan Woodward (September 16, 1925 – February 22, 2019) was an American actor who is best known for his recurring role as Marvin "Punk" Anderson on the television soap opera ''Dallas'' and for his portrayal of Boss Godfrey, the sungla ...
as Cayman of the Lambda Zone, a Zymer and slaver who has a score to settle with Sador for destroying his species. *
Marta Kristen Marta Kristen is a Norwegian-born American actress. Kristen is best known for her role as Judy Robinson, the oldest child of Professor John Robinson and his wife, Maureen, in the television series ''Lost in Space'' (1965–1968). Her character w ...
as Lux, an Akira who works the early warning system and starts a relationship with Space Cowboy. *
Earl Boen Earl Boen () is an American retired film, television and voice actor, best known as criminal psychologist Dr. Peter Silberman in ''The Terminator'' (1984), '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' (1991), '' Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'' (2003) and ...
as Nestor 1 the voice, usually, for the five clones. * John Gowens as Nestor 2. *
Lynn Carlin Mary Lynn Carlin (née Reynolds) is an American former actress. She is best known for her debut role in the film ''Faces'' (1968), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. Life and career She was born in Los Angeles, the daughter of so ...
as Nell's (voice), the computer which controls Zed's (now Shad's) starship. "She" is highly protective of Shad, whom she calls "wet behind the ears". The computer does not like it when anybody other than Zed addresses her as "Old Girl". * Larry Meyers as Kelvin 1, one of Cayman's crew, communicates by radiating body heat. *
Lara Cody Lara Cody is an American voice actress. She also goes under the name Deanna Morris and is best known for voicing Rosemary in '' Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty'' and '' Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots''. Roles Anime *'' A Little ...
as Kelvin 2. * Steve Davis as Quepeg, another member of Cayman's crew. * Julia Duffy as Mol, Shad's sister.


Production


Development

''Battle Beyond the Stars'' was budgeted at an estimated $2,000,000. At the time of its release, it was the most expensive film produced by Roger Corman. Much of the budget allegedly went toward paying the salaries of
George Peppard George Peppard (; October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was an American actor. He is best remembered for his role as struggling writer Paul Varjak in the 1961 film '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', and for playing commando leader Col. John "Hannibal ...
and Robert Vaughn, since both of screenwriter Sayles' previous films were low-budget productions. To save on costs, the film was produced in Corman's own studio, his "renowned lumberyard facility" in Venice, California. Initially, the film came out of producer
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
's desire to make a space opera-style film in the wake of the massive worldwide success of ''Star Wars''. Up-and-coming screenwriter
John Sayles John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950) is an American independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and novelist. He has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, for '' Passion Fish'' (1992) and ' ...
had already written the Corman-produced ''The Lady in Red'' and ''Piranha'', the latter of which was both a financial and critical success. At one point, Australian director Richard Franklin ''( Patrick, Psycho II'') was attached to direct. However, he was replaced by
Jimmy T. Murakami was a Japanese-American-Irish animator and film director with a long career working in numerous countries. Among his best-known works are the animated adaptations of the Raymond Briggs books '' When the Wind Blows'' and ''The Snowman''. He was ...
, a veteran animator who had previously been an uncredited co-director on Corman's ''
Humanoids from the Deep ''Humanoids from the Deep'' (released as ''Monster'' in Europe and Japan) is a 1980 American science fiction horror film starring Doug McClure, Ann Turkel, and Vic Morrow. Roger Corman served as the film's uncredited executive producer, and h ...
''. The planet Akir and its inhabitants, the Akira, a peaceful alien race at the center of the conflict, were named in honor of director
Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed List of works by Akira Kurosawa, thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the History of film, hi ...
, whose film '' Seven Samurai'' provided the framework for the plot. Corman initially hired
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
as a model maker for his studio after being impressed with his short film ''Xenogenesis''. When the original art director for the film was fired, Cameron became responsible for the majority of the film's special effects, or, as Cameron later put it, "production design and art direction". This was Cameron's first "big break" in the entertainment industry, and it helped to propel his career. He was recommended by long-time working partner and future wife
Gale Anne Hurd Gale Anne Hurd (born October 25, 1955) is an American film and television producer, the founder of Valhalla Entertainment (formerly Pacific Western Productions), and a former recording secretary for the Producers Guild of America. Early life Hu ...
, who was at the time working for Corman. While Cameron initially worked on camera rigging, he soon started working on special effects and production design of interior sets. The low-budget led to Cameron designing the spaceship's corridors out of spray-painted McDonald's containers. Cameron paid great attention to detail, and hardly slept for weeks while working on the film. His hard work paid off, as the special effects were one aspect of the film highly received by both fans and critics, opening the door for his later successes. According to Hurd, actor
Bill Paxton William Paxton (May 17, 1955 – February 25, 2017) was an American actor and filmmaker. He appeared in films such as '' Weird Science'' (1985), '' Aliens'' (1986), ''Near Dark'' (1987), '' Tombstone'' (1993), ''True Lies'' (1994), ''Apollo 13 ...
was employed on the set as a carpenter, which is where she first met him, before working with him and Cameron on ''
Aliens Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
'': "So my first memory of Bill was him pounding nails and cracking everybody up. I mean, we’d be working at three or four in the morning and he would be the one who kept all our spirits up. He was that person on and off set".


Score

This was composer James Horner's third film score. He had previously worked on Roger Corman's ''
Humanoids from the Deep ''Humanoids from the Deep'' (released as ''Monster'' in Europe and Japan) is a 1980 American science fiction horror film starring Doug McClure, Ann Turkel, and Vic Morrow. Roger Corman served as the film's uncredited executive producer, and h ...
'' and '' The Lady in Red'', and the producer brought him back for ''Battle Beyond the Stars''. The score features several elements that would become regular staples of Horner's many
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel univers ...
and
adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme sp ...
film scores. Several fans have noted similarities between these scores and those for later films, such as ''Krull'' and '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''. Horner would go on to become a regular collaborator with James Cameron, eventually winning an
Academy Award for Best Original Score The Academy Award for Best Original Score is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by t ...
for ''Titanic''. The
supervising sound editor A sound editor is a creative professional responsible for selecting and assembling sound recordings in preparation for the final sound mixing or mastering of a television program, motion picture, video game, or any production involving recorde ...
, also responsible for special sound effects, such as Robert Vaughn's "laser shot" – based on
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Dolla ...
's .44 Magnum from '' Dirty Harry'' – was David Yewdall, a regular contract-worker for Corman films. Yewdall later remarked on the "film's frugal sound editorial budget" in his ''Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound'', and explained some of the movie's sounds: each of the seven spaceships had its own sound. The Nestor ship's sound was made from human voices generated by the community choir from his hometown college in
Coalinga, California Coalinga ( or ) is a city in Fresno County and the western San Joaquin Valley, in central California about 80 miles (128 km) southeast of Salinas. It was formerly known as ''Coaling Station A'', ''Coalingo'', and ''Coalinga Station''. Th ...
; Robert Vaughn's ship was based on the recording of a dragster.


Casting

Prior to production, a Hollywood trade paper announced that John Wayne would star in the film, under the direction of
Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, producer and playwright. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, his films are known as "profoundly ...
. In all likelihood, this was a joke, either by the trade paper or the film's publicist.


Reused material

The starship footage was reused in another Roger Corman science fiction film, '' Space Raiders'', blasted by critics, as well as in the ultra-low budget Corman features '' Starquest II'', ''
Vampirella Vampirella () is a fictional vampire superheroine created by Forrest J Ackerman and comic book artist Trina Robbins in Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror comics magazine ''Vampirella'' #1 (Sept. 1969), a sister publication of '' Creep ...
'', ''
The Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in '' The Fantastic Four'' #1 (cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the firs ...
'', '' Dead Space'', and ''
Forbidden World ''Forbidden World'', originally titled ''Mutant'', is a 1982 American science fiction- horror film. The screenplay was written by Tim Curnen, from a screenstory by R.J. Robertson and Jim Wynorski. It was co-edited and directed by Allan Holzman, ...
''. This same footage was also reused in later films and video games: a clip from the film (in 3-D) is shown during the movie theater fight scene at the end of ''
Bachelor Party A bachelor party (in the United States and sometimes in Canada), also known as a stag weekend, stag do or stag party (in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth countries, and Ireland), or a buck's night (in Australia), is a party held/arranged by th ...
'', and footage was also used for the
LaserDisc The LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium, initially licensed, sold and marketed as DiscoVision, MCA DiscoVision (also known simply as "DiscoVision") in the United States in 1978. Its diam ...
game ''
Astron Belt ''Astron Belt'' (アストロンベルト) is a LaserDisc video game in the form of a third-person, space combat rail shooter, released in arcades in 1983 by Sega in Japan, and licensed to Bally Midway for release in North America. Developed in ...
''. The soundtrack was later recycled by Corman for ''
Raptor Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to: Animals The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons. * Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on v ...
'' and other films. Sections of Horner's score were reused in ''Space Raiders'' and other Corman films. The film was later picked up by
Shout! Factory Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...
, who released it on DVD and Blu-ray in 2011 as part of the ''Roger Corman's Cult Classics'' series.


Release

''Battle Beyond the Stars'' was released into 330 theatres on July 25, 1980, grossing $1.732m in its first three days. The film was released on
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
on February 6, 2001, by
New Concorde New Concorde (NC) is an American Los Angeles, California based film distribution company founded by Roger Corman. NC got its start in 1983 when Corman formed the production and distribution Concorde-New Horizons (CNH) as one of the first producti ...
. Corman recouped his costs upon selling the foreign distribution to
Orion Pictures Orion Pictures (legal name Orion Releasing, LLC) is an American film production and distribution company owned by Amazon through its Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) subsidiary. In its original operating period, the company produced and released films ...
and
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
for $2.5 million. He also resold cable rights to
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television, premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office busi ...
for $750,000.


Reception

''Battle Beyond the Stars'' received mixed reviews from critics due to its similar space opera styling, capitalizing upon the success of ''Star Wars''. Cameron's special effects were praised as being impressive, considering the film's low budget, and helped to open the door for his future success. In Creature Feature, John Stanley gave the movie three and a half stars, recommending the film for its fun script, special effects and its spirit of fun. Christopher John reviewed ''Battle Beyond the Stars'' in '' Ares Magazine'' #5: The film has since garnered a
cult following A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...
, in part due to its effects-heavy action set-pieces and creative production design. The film review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 50%, based on reviews from twelve critics.


Awards and nominations


Awards

Saturn Awards The Saturn Awards are American awards presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The awards were created to honor science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, but have since grown to reward other films bel ...
* ''Outstanding Achievement'':
Sybil Danning Sybil Danning (born Sybille Johanna Danninger) is an Austrian actress, model, and film producer. She is best known for her frequent appearances in B movies during the 1970s and 1980s. Biography Early years and first films Born in Austria, Dannin ...
– 1981


Nominations

Saturn Awards The Saturn Awards are American awards presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The awards were created to honor science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, but have since grown to reward other films bel ...
* ''Best Science Fiction Film'': 1981 * ''Best Special Effects'': Chuck Comisky – 1981 * ''Best Costumes'': Durinda Wood – 1981 * ''Best Make-Up'': Sue Dolph, Steve Neill, Rick Stratton – 1981


''Battle Amongst the Stars'' Comic

A
prequel A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work. The term " ...
comic book, set 30 years before the BBTS film, was launched by
Bluewater Productions TidalWave Productions (previously known as Bluewater Productions, StormFront Media/Publishing & Storm Entertainment) is an independent production studio of comic books and graphic novels. Based in Portland, Oregon, United States, Bluewater publis ...
in March 2010.Bluewater Productions March Releases
" bluewaterprod.com. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
''Battle Amongst the Stars'' is a four-part miniseries that tells the story of how Zed, the old man played by Jeff Corey in BBTS, began his adventures from the planet Akir with Nell. It also has the characters of Dr. Hephaestus and Sador of the Malmori.


See also

* List of American films of 1980


References


Bibliography

* * * *


External links

* * * {{Roger Corman 1980 films 1980 independent films 1980s science fiction films 1980s Western (genre) science fiction films American Western (genre) science fiction films American independent films American remakes of Japanese films American science fiction adventure films American space adventure films American space opera films 1980s English-language films Films produced by Roger Corman Films scored by James Horner Films set on fictional planets Films set on spacecraft Films with screenplays by John Sayles New World Pictures films Orion Pictures films Seven Samurai Space Western films Films directed by Jimmy T. Murakami 1980s American films 1980s Japanese films