BATTLESTAR GALLACTICA

US, 1978, 148 minutes, Colour.
Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, Lorne Greene, Lew Ayres, Wilfrid Hyde-White?, John Colicos, Jane Seymour, Ray Milland.
Directed by Richard A. Colla.

Battlestar Galactica was a very popular television series during the 1970s and 1980s. It followed some of the trends from Star Trek but also was influenced by the emergence of the Star Wars series in 1977.

The film explores life in the galaxies, the battlestars, the fights between the Earth colonies and other peoples in the planets. In this sense, it is reminiscent of the characters and issues of Star Trek.

Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict made their name in this series. The series also had a number of guest stars as does this television film including Ray Milland and Lew Ayres.

The film was written by Glen A. Larson, the writer and producer responsible for such series as Alias Smith and Jones, McCloud? – and episodes of many other series including The Six Million Dollar Man. However, Battlestar Galactica was one of his greatest successes. It is still shown on cable and satellite television, ensuring fans into the 21st century.

1. Audience interest in space films over the decades? The mysterious aspects of space, the more familiar aspects during the sixties and seventies? The interest in the seventies with 'Star Wars'? The spin-offs and derivative industry from 'Star Wars'? This film as influenced by it?

2. The quality of the film in itself as distinct from its origins? The quality of the film as a space adventure? Its value as a pilot for a television series?

3. For what audience was it principally made? Children, adolescents, adults? What were the particular aspects that appeal to each of these audiences? Why?

4. The appeal to the imagination of outer space? A vast realm, distant, galaxies? The fantasy of villains and heroes projected from earth to outer space? Cosmic dangers and challenges, wars? Victories in the vastness of space? The survival of mankind in space? How well did the film utilize these basic aspects of space imagination?

5. How did the special effects match the imagination? Senssurround and the use of sound? The visuals? colour, scenes of space, the models and the use of model space ships, planes? The galaxies? The staging of the battles and their strategy? Speed in space? The elaborate attention given to scientific apparatus? Audio visual machines? Machines for planning strategy? The presentation of alien civilizations in space? different from those of earth, similar? The strange creatures of space? The audience delight in special effects and the concrete images of fantasy and the imagination?

6. The effect of this kind of material on the cinema screen, on the television screen? The differences in impact? Space and the need for largeness for proper audience involvement? The contribution of the musical score and its suggestions of space?

7. The comic strip origins of this kind of film? Quick delineation of characters, the use of types and conventions, the straight up and down approach? The presentation of leadership, enemies, traitors heroes and heroines, rescuers? The dignity of age? The exuberance and enthusiasm of youth? The appeal of these basic characters and attitudes and audience straightforward response to them? The perennial appeal of straightforward good and evil?

8. How well did the film present the galaxy situation? the Colonies and their destruction, the final colony and its council and their wisdom and lack of wisdom, the president and his dilemmas, the advice, especially that of Baltar and his betrayal, the president and his anguish for making decisions, the appeasing of the enemy, the non-violence movements, the trust of the enemy? How involving was this for the audience? Sharing the president's decision-making, issues of pro and anti-war?


9. The fatality of the destruction? The audio visual presentation of the president's destruction? The Cylons and their attack? Baltar and his betrayal? The overwhelming nature of such destruction for those who survived on the Battlestar? The need for a quest for a new home?

10. The visualizing of the Battlestar? The use of model work, the sailing of the Battlestar through space, the way that it was manned, its troops, planes, Adama and his command? The Biblical significance of his name? His sons and the death of his son? His handling of the invasion, his being hampered by the president's decision, his strategy and tactics? Confronting the enemy? Rescuing the survivors and being able to offer them leadership when they panicked? The quality of his leadership in the Battlestar?

11. The scenes of rescue and the reaction to such destruction? The survivors and the trek on the Battlestar? The memories of earth and earth as a goal? The attitude of the council and their lack of wisdom? Uri and his selfish hedonism? His hoarding of the food and living in luxury? The contrast with the scenes of poverty? The young men and their strategies for sharing the food? The plight of the ordinary people compared with the establishment? Social themes in space?

12. The build-up of the voyage of discovery? The re-population of earth? Captain Apollo and Starbuck as leaders? Their youth, vigour and enthusiasm, their differing styles? Starbuck as the woman chaser, Apollo as the responsible hero? Their handling of the famine situation? The confrontation of Uri and the council? The shilly-shallying of the council in their decisions?

13. The decision for the dangerous passage in space? The council's motivations for allowing it? Apollo and Starbuck an succeeding the melodramatics of their taking the Battlestar through the difficulties? The landing on the station? The strange creatures and the ways of communication? The appearances of kindly hospitality, banquets and feasts? The sinister suggestions, the people going down in the elevators and disappearing, the transforming of hospitality into menace The Cylonal plot and the participation of the creatures on the station? Starbuck and Apollo and Adaza preparing their strategy and carrying out a deception? The battle and the escape? The ugliness of seeing the mutants trapped on the station?

14. The Cylons as enemies? Their mechanical nature, inhuman voices and qualities? An aggressive enemy? Their enthroned leader? The confrontation of Baltar and the vicious execution? The build-up to the attack and its constancy, their being tricked and making erroneous judgments? The themes and strategies of war in the battle?

15. The sub-plot of romance? Serena, Athena, the children? Attractive romance plots, conventional material an sub-plot to the adventure?


16. The appropriateness of achievement and the happy ending?

17. A satisfying adventure? The emphasis on straightforward adventure rather than exploration of themes? A satisfying science fiction adventure?