Battlestar Galactica (1978) (TV)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Richard A. Colla

Writer:

Glen A. Larson (written by)

Release Date:

17 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Adventure

Tagline:

They were searching for a star called Earth, but first they had to win a great war.

Plot:

After the destruction of the human colonies, the last major fighter carrier leads a makeshift refugee fleet in a search for Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Refugee | Escape | Diaspora | Robot As Menace | Spaceship Name In Title

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Richard Hatch	...	Capt. Apollo
Dirk Benedict	...	Lt. Starbuck
Lorne Greene	...	Cmdr. Adama
Herb Jefferson Jr.	...	Lt. Boomer (as Herbert Jefferson Jr.)
Maren Jensen	...	Athena
Tony Swartz	...	Sgt. Jolly
Noah Hathaway	...	Boxey
Terry Carter	...	Colonel Tigh
Lew Ayres	...	President Adar
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Sire Anton
John Colicos	...	Baltar
Laurette Spang	...	Cassiopeia
John Fink	...	Dr. Paye
Jane Seymour	...	Serina
Ray Milland	...	Sire Uri

Runtime:

148 min | Canada:122 min (Ontario) | Canada:125 min (Québec) | USA:125 min (theatrical version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Sensurround (theatrical print)

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Long Beach City Hall - 333 W. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, California, USA

Company:

Glen A. Larson Productions

Trivia:

Moffit, the robotic daggit dog, was actually played by a chimpanzee named Evie.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Shortly after Apollo and Zac launch, as they make a turn there is a very brief moment when a Cylon Raider is visible in the lower left hand of the screen (only on the New Box set, Saga Of a Star World)

Quotes:

Boomer: Just keep it up, old buddy, you're going to get us into real trouble.
Starbuck: Ten thousand light years from nowhere, our planet shot to pieces, people starving, and *I'm* gonna get us in trouble?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Starcrash (1978)

Soundtrack:

It's Love, Love, Love

One of a kind...

That's right, one of a kind. When I first watched this show back a couple of years ago, it just caught me like no other had ever done before. The characters, the settings, the stories, all just magnificent.

One thing a lot of people pick on is the writing. I, myself, do not have a problem with it at all. In fact, I find that the stories make this show one of the most unique sci-fi's ever done. The 12 Colonies of Man all decimated by the Cylon Empire and the struggle of the refugees to survive, all escaping in some 220 refugee ships all being protected by the Galactica herself in search of the planet earth. And let's not forget the other memorable stories, such as the discovery of Commander Cain & the Battlestar Pegasus and when the Galactica found Kobol and discovered some of the origins of men. There's also the stories involving the Ship of Lights, Terra, and other ships from within the rag-tag fleet.

Another highlight of the show is the characters, especially Adama, Apollo, and Starbuck. One could say that Adama was the father figure, the wisest of the group. Then there's Apollo, just one of them good ole boys. And then we have Starbuck, probably the most memorable character from the entire series. And let's not forget the others: Boomer, Jolly, Athena, Cassiopeia, Boxey, Muffit, and last, but definitely not least, Baltar. Yes, this menacing figure is probably the 2nd most memorable face in the series.

And let's not forget the Cylons. These guys were probably one of the biggest money makers of the series back then. Menacing and powerful, they will stop at nothing until the destruction of the human race is complete.

One of the biggest highlights of this production is the music. Who can forget the opening theme? No doubt one of the greatest in all of sci-fi. We also have the Cylon music, very dark and menacing. In this production, Stu Phillips was a genius and he should definitely be commended.

Now, the special effects are something to be admired as well. Created by Star Wars' own John Dykstra, the effects in Battlestar Galactica greatly outshined the rest at that time. Though, the biggest drawback is the constant reuse of special effects footage over and over and over and over again. But it was done to save money, so it's understandable.

Another memorable aspect of the show are the ships themselves. The Galactica, herself, is a huge and powerful vessel, while retaining a charm that few other ships can keep. Probably the most popular ship was the Colonial Viper. While they may resemble the X-Wing Starfighters of Star Wars, the Vipers are unique and special in their own way. Probably the most unique ship in the show was the Cylon Raider. Bat-like in appearance, it was a fierce competitor for the Viper. Then there's the Cylon Basestar, just plain menacing is all that can be said about it. Then there are the other ships: The Rising Star, The Colonial Movers ship, The Celestra, The Prison Barge, The Livery ship, The Gemini Freighter, etc. They all were memorable in their own way.

This show is VERY underrated. A work of art, in my very honest opinion. I give it a 10/10. Extremely brilliant.