Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985)

Please don't spend money on this.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Spoilers contained within:If you intend to read the hype of those people who give this film an 8 or higher, then you shouldn't bother to read the review of someone who went to the premiere of this film, with all of the cardboard cut outs and Klieg lights in front of the theater. The film was originally presented in 3D and as we sat with our Polarized lenses on, the first problem presented itself - the cardboard cut-out syndrome. You had the feeling you were watching the film as it must have looked to the photographer as he looked down through the multi-plane animation stand with foreground and background mostly static and the middle plane made up of the character (also flat-looking) moving around. Second, the plot was far too close to the "Star Wars" films which had just finished dominating American cinemas in their three-film run between 1977-1983. You had Orin, who more than resembled Luke, with a sword that worked like a laser; you had Dagg (Han) a rogue space pilot with a vessel like the Millennium Falcon; a cute robot Silica (C3P0) and the evil Zygon who mirrored the emperor/Vader character. Did we mention the force? Those would be the legendary Ka-Khan whose mystical guidance are used by Luke, uh Orin. Confused? You will be. This is a cardboard movie, limited animation, corny predictable plot, and horrible score (far from John Williams). If you liked this movie, you don't know science fiction. If you loved this movie, you don't know cinema. Not recommended.

Brilliant fun!I first saw this as a kid and I loved it! OK it's Star Wars but who doesn't like Star Wars? They have actually done a good job with the film. Very exciting and lots of fun! I know it's out on DVD but it's a little pricey. Hopefully they will bring it out on Blu ray and then it will be worth the money.One of the best cartoon movies i have seen. It will keep the kid (and me) occupied for a few hours and you will get a good few watched out of it.A classic from back in the day :)

I saw a review for this movie by my favorite critic and took a look at the movie myself, and I am not pleased with the results. I'm not even sure why this movie has a 6.7 rating. Above all things, every single character is bland and uninteresting, even the villain, the staple that supports the whole movie. Also, it completely rips off the much more interesting Star Wars trilogy. I was surprised the villain didn't turn out to be the main character's father. The basic plot is this bland main hero finds this magical sword and is told by this old ghost guy to take down the evil overlord. Sound familiar? He then runs into a Han Solo wannabe and flies off in the "Millennium Falcon" (with a built-in C-3PO), and eventually runs into a princess, who, surprisingly, isn't his long-lost sister (or maybe she is and it was never established, just like everything else about any character). There's also this sub-plot about this whiny kid being blind, but that's barely any more interesting than the "much more interesting" actual plot. And there's also this moment where the Han Solo wannabe grabs a female robot for no reason and tinkers with her on the ship to, apparently, make her love him. That just made him creepy, and he must have been really lonely if he wanted to tap some robot-ass. About the animation, I'd give it a .5 on the score for being half-decent, but there's no option for that. I can't even give it a 0, which it deserves. Some of the scenes seem unfinished or uninteresting. Overall, I am not pleased with this even existing, and for Rilean Pictures, if you're still trying to make a live-action remake of this movie, they already did that. It's called "Star Wars"!!!

I first saw Starchaser in 3D back in 1985 and for someone who grew up on the Star Wars trilogy I was hooked for life. A beautiful, heady mix of science-fiction, fantasy and all out action laced with humour, a little violence and excellent set-pieces Starchaser is lovingly assembled from the finest sources and has more love for it's source than the three prequels helmed by Lucas have shown. The story is straightforward: thousands of slaves mine crystals for robot overseers believing this to be the will of their God, Zygon. A young slave named Orin (superbly voiced by Joe Colligan) finds a glowing sword hilt buried in the mines that tells him of the forbidden world above and in an attempt to break free is taken under wing of surly smuggler Dagg Dibrimi.Taking it's influence from Star Wars, whispering it's name with reverent pride, layering it with images and influences as diverse as Moebius, the cartoons of René Laloux and Ralph Bakshi's Wizards it's hard not to like this movie. It's well-animated, beautifully shot and surprisingly well written which is all the more remarkable given that it's an animated feature.In almost any combination this would have been a lacklustre, disappointing affair along the lines of Titan A.E but under the direction of Steven Hahn it's becomes something much more special. Look at the credits and you'll see cast and crew steeped in sci-fi: Stargate: SG1's Carmen Argenziano as Dagg Dibrimi, Han Solo with the attitude of J.Jonah Jameson; Masters of the Universe star Anthony DeLongis' providing the silver-tongued menace of Zygon in the vein of an early Vincent Price are the two voice highlights among a near perfect cast. More sci-fi stars are found in the background, ranging from the voice stars of Transformers and DS9 to story-boarder Boyd Kirkland, who would later go onto direct Batman: The Animated Series' greatest episode 'The Grey Ghost'. Even after 20 years Belling's music holds up remarkably well, as much an integral character of the film as Les Tremayne's marvellously cowardly ship's computer. It kicks in at all the right places, has good strong recognisable themes for the main stars and above all doesn't overpower the movie or sound like one of John William's increasingly derivative scores. And unlike many animated features it doesn't feel the need to bolster the score with some contemporary rock or pop tracks, preferring a well-crafted mix of orchestral and synthesized soundtrack.Watched 20 years on it's still as enjoyable. It doesn't run on for too long, still has that pleasing if eccentric aesthetic style prevalent throughout the film and above all is fun. It has a story to tell, does it with style and above all manages to make you care for the characters which is a rare enough thing in a live-action movie, and for an 80's animated feature something very much to be proud of.Starchaser hasn't been commercially available for years aside from a VHS release some 15 or 16 years back but it has a strong and loyal fan base who'll welcome the fact it's finally been released my MGM on DVD. As an animated feature it still has a certain charm two decades on even without the 3D but where it really holds it's own is it's love for Star Wars. Anybody who felt disappointed by the three prequels and prefers the honest, simple storytelling style of the original will enjoy Starchaser.