Battle Beyond the Stars (1980): Seven Samurai in Space, Silly Retro Fun

What makes Battle Beyond the Stars a throwback, knock-off science-fiction film worth a nostalgia watch?After Star Wars reeled in the dollars at the late 1970s box office, imitators around the film industry were everywhere.Battle Beyond the Stars is Roger Corman's way of making a space adventure on a budget, hoping to capitalize on the wave.But the moviemakers turned to Akira Kurosawa just as much as George Lucas, as this film is like Seven Samurai in space (or its American remake, The Magnificent Seven).But little did Roger Corman know he had all-time talent working for him on the film. James Cameron (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) ended up in charge of special effects, and this is the first film scored by all-time great composer James Horner (Titanic).Join me for this episode as I discuss the talking ship with questionable female anatomy, the frustrations of watching battles like laser chicken, and the hilarious battlecry that came from nowhere to make me laugh.Directed by Jimmy T. Murakami. Screenplay by John Sayles. Story by John Sayles and Anne Dyer, based on Seven Samurai by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni.Starring Richard Thomas, Robert Vaughn, George Peppard, John Saxon, Sybil Danning, and Darlanne Fluegel.Connect with us on Bluesky:@not-ni-theaters.bsky.socialAnd to read more of Will's writing or check out more podcast episodes, you can visit him at: willturntale.com