Galaxy Quest
USA 1999
Reviewed by Kim Newman
Synopsis
Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.
The US, the present. Cancelled in 1983, the television show Galaxy Quest remains the subject of a fanatical cult following. The stars of the show - egotistical Jason Nesmith (Commander Peter Quincy Taggart), Gwen DeMarco (Tawny Madison), Alexander Dane (alien Dr Lazarus), Fred Kwan (Technical Sergeant Chen) and grown-up child-star Tommy Webber (Pilot Laredo) - are reunited at a Quest convention. Nesmith is approached by Mathesar, a real alien from the planet Thermia. Mathesar's civilisation has no concept of fiction and takes the television heroes for the real thing. Aboard a working replica of the spaceship Protector, Nesmith is asked to negotiate with alien-tyrant Sarris and, thinking this is an acting job, orders an attack. Later, he persuades his fellow cast members, plus bit-player Guy Fleegman (once a nameless victim on the show), to join in the quest.
Escaping Sarris, the crew visit a desolate planet and secure a replacement for a damaged power source which enables the actors to approximate their on-screen heroics. Sarris catches up with the ship and Nesmith is forced to reveal to Mathesar he's only an actor, but - using a comm-link to obsessive Quest fans on Earth for guidance - Nesmith is able to save the day. The Thermians take over the ship and the crew return to the convention, where Nesmith finishes off Sarris before an audience of Quest fans. A new series of Galaxy Quest goes into production, with Guy joining the crew.
Review
Positing a fictional science-fiction series whose actors are suddenly whisked off by real aliens for an adventure, Galaxy Quest evokes the universe of Star Trek producer Gene Roddenberry with a keen awareness of such shows' potential absurdities and tackiness. Bit-part actor Guy worries he's the expendable crew member due a horrible early death until it's suggested he might be the "plucky comic relief"; a trip through the starship is needlessly dangerous and complex, prompting Gwen to protest, "This was a badly written episode." It also embodies the ship-in-a-bottle utopia of Star Trek far more successfully than any of the pompous or camp feature films Paramount has spun out of its tattered franchise. While managing to satirise Trek, its famously testy cast and its obsessive fans without real viciousness, it's still exactly the sort of picture which could be shown at a Star Trek convention.
It's an obvious ploy to have a character move from being a cynical-but-pathetic has-been to a gloryhound fantasist to a genuine hero, but Tim Allen's Nesmith/Taggart is a respectful evocation of the mix of bedrock decency and naughty-boy rebellion that characterised William Shatner's Captain Kirk. This is one of Allen's more comfortable big-screen roles, even when he takes on such Shatner/Kirk staples as a shirtless scene and a mock punch-up with his alien best friend. Sigourney Weaver, always an underrated comedienne, finds a moment of real strength when she insists on doing her scripted job (repeating everything the ship's computer says) no matter how stupid it is, and goes along gamely with the adolescent premise by showing more and more cleavage as the perils increase.
The concept is not entirely original, having precedents in The Last Starfighter, where a video-games champion was needed to win a space war, and the cable series Adventures of Captain Zoom, in which the vain star of a 50s sci-fi show is asked to become a real hero by a race like Quest's Thermians. However, this is a far healthier production which flits easily between showing the lightly caricatured world of Quest fandom (nerds bombard actors with technical questions, dumpy women in unflattering uniforms stand around mooning over middle-aged matinee idols), the career afterlives of former stars and adventure. Aside from spaceship sets whose clean, television sci-fi look still feels like a 'real' environment, there are genuinely imaginative special effects which manage to be recognisably in the spirit of the cheesy originals.
The plot creates tension between the go-it-alone heroism of Allen's character and the grumbling of his often-overshadowed crew. But the film accords each cast member funny bits of business - after a space battle, a terrified Alan Rickman leaves the ship's bridge with the cry of, "I'm looking for a pub" - and there are amusing sub-plots. Tony Shalhoub's Kwan misses a crucial revelation and so is much more casual about dire peril than his teammates, while Sam Rockwell's Guy incredulously exclaims as the crew wander into danger, "Didn't you watch the show?" After finally impressing on the others he might really be endangered, Gwen makes the supremely unreassuring statement: "Let's get out of here before something eats Guy."
Credits
- Director
- Dean Parisot
- Producers
- Mark Johnson
- Charles Newirth
- Screenplay
- David Howard
- Robert Gordon
- Story
- David Howard
- Director of Photography
- Jerzy Zielinski
- Editor
- Don Zimmerman
- Production Designer
- Linda Descenna
- Music
- David Newman
- ©DreamWorks LLC
- Production Company
- DreamWorks Pictures presents a Mark Johnson production
- Executive Producer
- Elizabeth Cantillon
- Co-producers
- Suzann Ellis
- Sona Gourgouris
- Associate Producer
- Allegra Clegg
- Production Controller
- Jim Turner
- Production Co-ordinator
- Debra James
- Unit Production Manager
- Charles Newirth
- Location Manager
- Liz Matthews
- Post-production
- Executive:
- Martin Cohen
- Supervisor:
- Erica Frauman
- Co-ordinator:
- Sven E. Fahlgren
- 2nd Unit Directors
- Andy Armstrong
- Stefen Fangmeier
- Assistant Directors
- Vincent Lascoumes
- Philippe Dupont
- Kristin Killey
- 2nd Unit/Bluescreen:
- Michele Panelli-Venetis
- Script Supervisor
- Kerry Lyn McKissick
- Casting
- Debra Zane
- Associate:
- Terri Taylor
- ADR Voice:
- Barbara Harris
- 2nd Unit/Bluescreen Director of Photography
- David Boyd
- Robert La Bonge
- David Drzewiecki
- Camera Operators
- Bill Barber
- Tom Connole
- Steadicam Operator
- Bill Brummond
- Special Visual Effects/Animation
- Industrial Light & Magic
- ILM Visual Effects Producer:
- Kim Bromley
- Visual Effects Producer:
- Robert Stadd
- Visual Effects Co-ordinator:
- Christopher Claisse
- Visual Effects Supervisor:
- Bill George
- Co-visual Effects Supervisor:
- Ed Hirsh
- Visual Effects Associate Supervisor:
- Ben Snow
- Creative Adviser:
- Stefen Fangmeier
- Visual Effects Associate Producer:
- Janet Lewin
- Computer Graphics Supervisor:
- Dan Goldman
Compositing Supervisor:- Marshall Krasser
- Visual Effects Art Director:
- Alex Jaeger
- Visual Effects Director of Photography:
- Patrick Sweeney
- Practical Model Supervisor:
- Brian Gernand
- Digital Colour Timing Supervisor:
- Kenneth Smith
- Motion Control Camera Operator:
- Carl Miller
- Chief Model Makers:
- Barbara Affonso
- Charlie Bailey
- Carol Bauman
- Donald Bies
- Fon Davis
- John Duncan
- Grant Imahara
- Michael Lynch
- Scott McNamara
- Tony Preciado
- Kim Smith
- Steve Walton
- Model Makers:
- Brian Dewe
- Robert M. Edwards
- David Fogler
- Mark Fiorenza
- Tim Gillett
- Nelson Hall
- Aaron Haye
- Peggy Hrastar
- Michael Jobe
- Richard Miller
- David M. Murphy
- Ben Nichols
- Alan Peterson
- Tom Proost
- Mark Siegel
- Chris Reed
- Mark Walas
- Danny Wagner
- Computer Graphics Sequence Supervisor:
- Henry Preston
- Lead Compositor:
- Jeff Doran
- Computer Graphics Artists:
- Mimi Abers
- Shadi Almassizadeh
- Al Bailey
- Kathleen Beeler
- Aron Bonar
- Patrick Brennan
- Billy Brooks
- Mario Capellari
- Jay Cooper
- Caitlin Content
- David Deuber
- Gonzalo Escudero
- Raúl Essig
- Todd Fulford
- Jim Hagedorn
- Andrew Hardaway
- Polly Ing
- David Hisanaga
- Dorne Heubler
- Erich Ippen
- Hilmar Koch
- Jonathan Litt
- Craig Lyn
- Stuart Maschwitz
- Michael Min
- David Parrish
- Bruce Powell
- Ricardo Ramos
- Philippe Rebours
- Tom Rosseter
- Douglas Sutton
- Massimiliano Rocchetti
- Samson Kao
- Catherine Tate
- Chad Taylor
- Susan Weeks
- Colie Wertz
- Ken Ziegler
- Rita Zimmerman
- Animation Lead:
- Linda Bel
- Animators:
- Scott Benza
- Andrew Doucette
- Andrew Grant
- Mark Powers
- David Sidley
- Victoria Livingstone
- Ken King
- Tom St. Amand
- Kim Thompson
- Lead Viewpoint Artist:
- Ron Woodall
- Digital Modeller:
- Andrew Cawrse
- 3D Camera Matchmove Supervisor:
- Michael Halsted
- Lead Digital Paint Artist:
- Katharine Baird
- Digital Paint/Roto Artists:
- Chris Bayz
- Scott David
- Deborah Fought
- Amy Shepard
- Cameron Griffin
- Erin West
- Jiri Jacknowitz
- C. Andrew Nelson
- Digital Matte Artists:
- Ronn Brown
- Jett
- Ivo Horvat
- Yusei Uesugi
- Visual Effects Co-ordinators:
- David Gray
- Amanda Montgomery
- Paula Nederman
- Visual Concept Designers:
- John Goodson
- Erich Rigling
- Animatic Artists:
- James Smentowski
- Christopher Stillman
- Miniature Crash Director of Photography:
- Patrick Turner
- Miniature Crash Stage Manager:
- David Dranitzke
- Lead Pyro Technician:
- Geoff Heron
- Miniature Crash Co-ordinator:
- Luke O'Byrne
- Visual Effects Editor:
- Tim Eaton
- Film Scanning Supervisor:
- Joshua Pines
- Film Scanning Operators:
- Earl Beyer
- George Gambetta
- Digital Plate Restoration:
- Maria Goodale
- Katrina Stovold
- Software Development:
- David Benson
- Alan Trombla
- ILM Senior Staff:
- Patricia Blau
- Gail Currey
- Jeff Mann
- Rock Monster Character Design Unit
- Industrial Light & Magic
- Digital Creature Model Supervisor:
- Geoff Campbell
- Technical Animation Supervisor:
- James Tooley
- Animation Lead:
- Scott Wirtz
- CG Sequence Lead:
- Ed Kramer
- CG Modeller:
- Li-Hsien Wei
- Special Effects Supervisor
- Matt Sweeney
- Special Effects Foremen
- Manny Epstein
- Lucinda Strub
- Jay M. Hirsch
- Fred Tessaro
- Special Effects
- Christine Onesky
- William N. Greene III
- Robert Simokovic
- Graphic Consultant
- Beth Siegel
- Animation Supervisor
- Chris Armstrong
- Art Director
- Jim Nedza
- Set Designers
- Robert Fechtman
- Dianne Wager
- Colin de Rouin
- Dawn Swiderski
- Set Decorator
- Ric McElvin
- Production Illustrators
- Warren Manser
- Wil M. Rees
- Storyboard Artist
- David Lowery
- Costume Designer
- Albert Wolsky
- Costume Supervisor
- Robert Q. Mathews
- Key Make-up Artists
- Hallie D'Amore
- Ve Neill
- Make-up Artists
- William Corso
- Robin Neal-Luce
- Alien Make-up/Creature Effects
- Stan Winston
- Alien Make-up/
Animatronic Effects - Stan Winston Studio
- Effects Supervisors:
- Shane Patrick Mahan
- Christopher Swift
- Concept Art Director:
- Mark 'Crash' McCreery
- Animatronic Effects Supervisors:
- Richard Landon
- Christian Colquhoun
- J. Alan Scott
- Concept Artists:
- Berni Wrightson
- Brom
- Wayne Barlowe
- Simon Bisley
- Lindsay MacGowan
- Key Artists:
- Scott Stoddard
- Gregory Figiel
- Jason Matthews
- Kevin McTurk
- Mark Jurinko
- Jim Charmatz
- Paul Mejias
- Nick Marra
- Rob Ramsdell
- Rob Phillips
- Trevor Hensley
- John Rosengrant
- Doug Stewart
- Joey Orosco
- Jordu Schell
- Key Animatronic Design:
- Rich Haugen
- Matt Heimlich
- Jeff Edwards
- Kirk Skodis
- Animatronic Department:
- Ewald Schuster
- George Berota
- Glenn Derry
- David Schwab
- Alexander Machold
- Evan Schiff
- Alfred Sousa
- Ryan French
- Art/Mold Technical Department Supervisor:
- Tony McCray
- Art Mold Technical Department:
- Darin Bouyssou
- Lou Diaz
- Grady Holder
- Keith Marbory
- Gary Pawlowski
- Michael Ornelaz
- Eric Ostroff
- Gary Yee
- Carey Jones
- Brian Stiver
- Mike Harper
- Dave Beneke
- Mark Viniello
- Fabrication Department:
- Beth Hathaway
- Connie Cadwell
- Joanne Bloomfield
- Steve Fink
- Chris Walker
- Alon Dori
- Executive in Charge of Operations:
- Tara Meaney-Crocitto
- Production Co-ordinator:
- Stiles White
- Key Hairstylist
- Candace Neal
- Hairstylists
- Joy Zapata
- Romy Fleming
- Titles/Opticals
- Pacific Title Digital
- Synthesizer Programming
- Marty Frasu
- Orchestrations
- Xandy Janko
- David Newman
- Executive in Charge of Music
- Todd Homme
- Supervising Music Editor
- Jeff Carson
- Music Editor
- J.J. George
- Recorder/Mixer
- John Kurlander
- Sound Design
- Richard Beggs
- Production Sound Mixer
- Lee Orloff
- Re-recording Mixers
- Tom Johnson
- Lora Hirschberg
- Re-recordist
- Ronald G. Roumas
- Mix Technician
- Jurgen Scharpf
- Digital Transfers
- Jonathan Greber
- Christopher Barron
- Supervising Sound Editor
- Tim Holland
- Dialogue Editors
- Claire Graybill
- Ewa Sztompke Oatfield
- Sound Effects Editors
- J.R. Grubbs
- Karen Wilson
- ADR
- Supervisor:
- Hugh Waddell
- Recordists:
- Cary Stratton
- Joan Chamberlain
- Mixers:
- Dean Drabin
- Ann Hadsell
- Editor:
- Jessica Gallavan
- Foley
- Artists:
- Margie O'Malley
- Marnie Moore
- Recordists:
- Jim Pasque
- Frank Rinella
- Mixers:
- Ben Conrad
- Steve Fantano
- Editor:
- Bruce Lacey
- Stunt Co-ordinator
- Andy Armstrong
- Cast
- Tim Allen
- Jason Nesmith
- Sigourney Weaver
- Gwen DeMarco
- Alan Rickman
- Alexander Dane
- Tony Shalhoub
- Fred Kwan
- Sam Rockwell
- Guy Fleegman
- Daryl Mitchell
- Tommy Webber
- Enrico Colantoni
- Mathesar
- Robin Sachs
- Sarris
- Patrick Breen
- Quellek
- Missi Pyle
- Laliari
- Jed Rees
- Teb
- Justin Long
- Brandon
- Jeremy Howard
- Kyle
- Kaitlin Cullum
- Katelyn
- Jonathan Feyer
- Hollister
- Corbin Bleu
- Tommy, aged 9
- Wayne Péré
- Lathe
- Samuel Lloyd
- Neru
- Bill Chott
- Morgan Rusler
- Gregg Binkley
- Brandon Michael DePaul
- Paul G. Kubiak
- Greg Colbrook
- fans
- Jennifer Manley
- shy girl
- John Patrick White
- Todd Giebenhain
- teens in the bathroom
- J.P. Manoux
- excited alien
- Dan Gunther
- navigator
- Matt Winston
- Brandon Keener
- technicians
- Dian Bachar
- nervous tech
- Rainn Wilson
- Lahnk
- Susan Egan
- Teek
- Heidi Swedberg
- Brandon's mom
- Isaac C. Singleton Jr
- Sarris' guard
- Jerry Penacoli
- reporter
- Joel McKinnon Miller
- warrior alien
- Kevin Hamilton McDonald
- announcer
- Daniel T. Parker
- alien fan
- Dawn Hutchins
- inventory clerk
- Joe Frank
- voice of the computer
- Lawrence Richards
- Mic Tomasi
- Thermian greeters
- Christian Colquhoun
- Richard Landon
- Kirk Skodis
- Matt Heimlich
- Beth Hathaway
- Chris Swift
- Jeff Edwards
- puppeteers
- Certificate
- PG
- Distributor
- United International Pictures (UK) Ltd
- 9,210 feet
- 102 minutes 20 seconds
- Dolby digital/Digital DTS sound
- In Colour
- Prints by
- Technicolor
- Anamorphic [Panavision]