GALAXY QUEST
US, 2000, 98 minutes, Colour.
Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell.
Directed by Dean Parisot.
Galaxy Quest is an entertaining spoof of Star Trek and Star Trek fans and fanatics. It focuses on meetings where Trekkies (in this film Questors) gather together to meet the stars, to get autographs, to indulge in minute detail about the series. However, the group members are has-beens from television and rely on this kind of publicity for some kind of self-respect.
However, real aliens have been watching the film and see them as historical documents, have built spacecraft to the exact modifications as in the series and have come to Earth to ask for help against attack. The stars find themselves, unwittingly, at the centre of real battles and have to rely on their knowledge of the series to lead them to victory. Which, of course, happens. Tim Allen is very good as the rather laid-back William Shatner-type captain. Sigourney Weaver spoofs the sex appeal sex symbol arbitrarily on the spaceship - and audiences remember that she was the strong star of the Aliens series. Alan Rickman has complete disdain as a variation on the Mr Spock character.
Enjoyable special effects - not taking itself too seriously and with some very witty lines and parody situations.
1. The status of Star Trek, Star Wars and other space exploration films? The spoofs and parodies? Characters, symbolic words, actions? The status of the actors? The mystical meanings of the series - and the devotion of the fans?
2. The film and its special effects - and the irony of audiences knowing that they were special effects for actors caught up in a movie with its own special effects? The musical score?
3. The cast - and their temperaments, being late, the screening of the episodes, the fans? The backstage arguments and egos? Coming on for the fans and bowing? The aliens coming to meet them?
4. The portrayal of the characters - and the real characters acting them? Types? In themselves, faded stars, salvaging their reputations and careers, going on board and being transformed?
5. Peter and Tim Allen's style, being late, clashing with Alexander, coming on to Gwen? The other members of the cast? His reaction to his situation? Signing the autographs, overhearing the adverse comments in the toilet? His reaction, rude to the fans? Drinking, thinking the aliens were booking a gig? Their visit to his home, his offhand manner, in the car, being beamed up to the spaceship, his shock? The confrontation with the monster and his return to Earth?
6. The next gig, Jason trying to get the others to go, their refusal and tantrums, their realising it was a job? Their eagerness to rush to go, beamed up? The latecomer? The set, the spaceship, taking it out - and the contrast with the studio and the real thing? The alien horror - and their wanting to get away?
7. The aliens, their personalities, their history, looking at the TV as historical records and building accordingly? Their relying on the heroics of the team?
8. The confrontation with Sarus, the monster, space, the torture of his enemies - and their wanting to go?
9. Taking the ship out, the minefields, the attack, the aliens apologising for not living up to their expectations? The computer and its destruction? The need for finding the Beryllium Sphere? Landing on the planet, Gwen and her attraction to the cute creatures, their baring their teeth and killing the other one? The getting of the sphere and the tactics?
10. Jason and his being stranded, the contact, the experiment, getting him back after being pursued by the monsters and creatures? Alexander and his criticism of Jason having his shirt off? The inside-out animal? The rock monster?
11. Getting the ship back in order, preparing for the confrontation with Sarus? The attacks on the ship, the aliens and their injuries?
12. The need for contact with the fans on Earth? The mechanisms? The fans, their ordinary life, the young man with his mother wanting him to have dinner? Their skills and knowledge? The keeping of contact, the repairing of the spaceship? Their ability to land the machine?
13. The confrontation and the battles, the deaths of the aliens? Sarus and his destruction - but Jason ignorantly insulting him and his hearing it? The final victory and the gratitude of the aliens?
14. The variety of personalities - as real people, as television characters? Jason and his depression, his vanity, his leadership and response to the situation? Gwen and her resentment of being the sex symbol and having to repeat orders? Alexander and his British arrogance? Guy and his having been killed in an early episode but wanting to be a star? Tommy and his growing up on the series, his skills - and his screams when injured? Freddie and his attraction to the alien woman? The romance? The irony of Sarus disguising himself as Freddie for a final confrontation?
15. Their arrival back on Earth, the crash into the exhibition and the acclaim of the fans?
16. A phenomenon of the late 20th century, television series and the exploration of space, heroics, stereotypes and standards? Material for spoofs - with affection?
