1 A great movie for the day, but the sound quality...
Previous reviewers have said most of what is great about this DVD and the series in general. The Battlestar Galactica film, and the pilot version, were great for their day, at turns dark, and bright. And honestly about half the television episodes were just as great as well, with intermittent episodes of fair to mediocre quality.
SO IF I LIKE THIS SO MUCH... Why the one star only? The sound! In this day and age to buy a DVD, even from the late 70's / early 80s, that is in such a price range, and it only has 1.0 sound. That is simply not acceptable at all. Essentially one is getting a DVD with only VHS sound quality, and then the price you pay is supposedly justified only by the widescreen picture format.
2 The show that made no one famous.
Clearly by this point, TV viewers knew Lorne Greene and Ray Milland, but the other actors in this piece of garbage clearly could not act. Richard Hatch over-acted his part, Dirk Benedict was too hammy, Maren Jensen looked beautiful but wasn't that convincing in the part, and the same holds true for everyone else. Looking at how almost none of them worked after this show ended in 1979, Is it any wonder the show was a failure? Special effects; Just phooney ships blowing up and lot's of stock footage added later. The updated version of this series is trying to be like the "West Wing of Outer Space". It's different, but not better.
3 had a blast watching this!
i hadn't seen this in years, but i watched it recently and had a blast! fun stuff! battlestar was great escapism and it was truly a show to watch when you wanted a good time. i'm so glad i have this in my dvd collection and now i'm tempted to pick up the whole series.
4 Galactica lives!
I was a fan of the original Battlestar Galactica from the time the series premiered, and watch the show religiously until the time of its cancellation, and even watched the Galactica 1980 folow-up series, although I was disappointed that Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict (except for one episode), Herb Jefferson and Laurette Spang did not return in that show. I do enjoy the new BSG on the SCI-FI Channel, but I remain a fan of the original. This version of the series premiere is the big screen movie which was shown in theaters across North America. The film tells the story of twelve colonies of humanity on the verge of signing a treaty with their Cylon enemies to bring their thousand year-old war to a close. But on the eve of the ceremony, the Cylons launch a Pearl Harboresque attack against the Colonial fleet, destroying the Colonial homeworlds and most of their military fleet. The battlestar Galactica, the lone surviving ship of the Colonial fleet, remains to aid the surviving colonials and begin an epic journey to seek a new home on a far-away legendary planet known as Earth. Several cast members turn in great performances, especially Lorne Greene as Commander Adama and John Colicos as the traitorous Baltar. Battlestar Galactica remains one of my favorite science fiction television series in both its new and original forms. I gladly recommend this movie to any science fiction fan.
5 2/8/05 DVD release NOT anamorphic, contrary to description
I feel cheated, because the only reason I ordered this new (2/8/05) DVD release of Galactica is because I thought they're finally releasing a widescreen anamorphic (instead of letterboxed) version, because the technical details section in amazon explicitly states that this is the case. WRONG! As far as I can tell, this release is no improvement over the older DVD releases. Still letterboxed and not enhanced for widescreen TV's, and not digitally remastered either. The only thing they added are ads for the mini-series and the game on side B, which I don't really care. Had I known this, I'd have just rented the older release instead. What a bummer. Don't buy this if you already have the old DVD release or can rent it.
6 3 DIFFERENT VERSIONS: KNOW YOUR GALACTICA
There are actually three different versions of this, the pilot movie for Battlestar Galactica.
#1 The first version was a full length movie that tested in Europe and Canada in 1978. This version has never been released in the USA.
#2 SAGA OF A STAR WORLD is the pilot version that runs in a 3 hour
time slot. It is the same as the #1 version but the ending was altered so that Count Baltar 's life is spared by the Cylon Imperious Leader. An added epilogue shows the arrival of three new Cylon Basestars, a "new" Imperious Leader, Baltar alive and the first appearance of Cylon Lucifer.
It premiered on US TV in 1978. It is available in the DVD box set. (The one with the Cylon head on it)
#3 (This version) Is the theatrical version that played in US theatres the summer of 1979 and was available on VHS for most of the 80's and 90's.
It is a much shorter version of #1. Several lengthy sequences, most notably the attack on Caprica, have been removed or shortened. It is in stereo and is letterboxed on DVD(but does not have a very wide picture) and features the original ending in which Baltar is beheaded (off camera) by the Cylons. It does not include the epilogue and is notable for moving along at an almost jaringly fast pace. Basically they just took the scissors to a print of #1. Only of interest if you must have the stereo sound.
And in response to those reviewers who never watched Galactica until now. WHAT KIND OF SUPER DORK WATCHED BUCK ROGERS AND V, BUT NEVER SAW BATTLESTAR GALACTICA???!!!!!!!
7 Some things are better left to distant childhood memory.
I picked up a copy of the LaserDisc edition of this film a while back from a cut-out bin. I'm sort of glad I did, but not because watching it is in any way a pleasurable experience. Remember how cool Galactica was when you were six years old? Well, it was only that cool because you were six years old. Watching it as an adult is a bracingly awful experience: you can almost feel those happy childhood memories crumpling to dust against the onslaught of cheesy costuming, ham-handed cold war allegories, awful dialogue, stilted acting and tacky sets. Thrill to the same special effects shot repeated over and over again! Gasp at the termites shed by Lorne Greene as he attempts to emote! Shake your head in disbelief that you ever liked this stuff!
Having the LD of this movie has provided me with many fine hours of entertainment by letting me watch the faces of my friends who claim to have liked the series as a child as I force them to watch it. Usually they start clawing their eyes out by the Space Disco scene. (Yes, there really is a Space Disco scene.) I'm overjoyed that they're re-releasing this on DVD, since this will allow me to continue torturing people with this fine slab of cheese without having to keep a functional laserdisc player around.
8 Origins of a Series and Empire.
I never watched "Battlestar Galactica" as a kid. "Buck Rogers" and "V" were sci-fi shows that I dug, but not "Galactica". However, with the recent release of the Sci-Fi Channel's new rendering of the show and the hype it is causing in certain circles I run in, I thought it might be interesting to at least get a taste of what the show was about. Ergo, the two hour theatrical release of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. The movie is actually a condensed version of the original three-hour premiere of the series. Though there are a few obvious moments where a trained eye can tell where the commercial breaks were at, the editors did a good job of condensing the television show's plot into a theatrical film.
In an unknown period of time thousands of years into the future the 12 colonies (planets) of man are on the verge of signing a peace treaty with a race of robots known as the Cylons. Humans and the Cylons have been at war for over a 1,000 years and most everyone believes the dawning of a new era has arrived. Except, the Cylons have no intention of making peace. They want the complete and total annhiliation of the human race. Using a human traitor who is the right hand man of the President. The Cylons succeed in wiping out most of the human fleet, including 11 Battlestars, and almost all of the population of the 12 colonies. Commander Adama operates the sole remaining Battlestar, Galactica, and had a hunch the Cylons were up to no good. Under his quick thinking and guidance, almost all of the survivors on each of the colonies are gathered up and together the leave for the mysterious 13th colony in a galaxy far away, called Earth. In the second half of the film, Battlestar Galactica reaches a somewhat distant planet run by fly-like creatures who run a secret resort. All the food, women (or men), wine, and song are at their disposal. The resort seems like a paradise, but their is a darkness on the planet. Adama feels it and thinks the Cylons are involved somehow. A major act of disception is incorporated and the adventure really begins.
When it aired, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA was described as being STAR WARS meets WAGON TRAIN and in many ways that's what it is. The special effects were created under the supervision of John Dykstra, who worked on STAR WARS. There is a lot of similarities between GALACTICA and STAR WARS, for example the Cylons are ruled by an Imperious Leader who looks an awful lot like the Emperor in STAR WARS. There's a lot of cheesy costumes and set design, not to mention some of the acting, aka Dirk Benedict as Starbuck. Still the film does have it's moments and Lorne Greene makes the film seem more relevant than it really is. I'm thinking about renting the whole series DVD just to see what the rest of the show was like.
9 Good memorabilia for casual fans of the 1970s TV show
Diehard fans of "Battlestar Galactica" fondly remember the 1970s TV show, which was Glen Larson's attempt to bring a "Star Wars" style space opera to TV. Whereas George Lucas combined Flash Gordon, classical mythology, Zen Buddhism, 1940s war movies and a wealth of other influences to create his films, Larson was less successful. Lorne Greene, who played Commander Adama on the series, was best known as the patriarch of TV Westerns, which along with some very conservative politics, reveals Larson's true inspiration. This doesn't make the series bad, but its very concept guarantees that it wouldn't be as flashy as its rivals. For those totally unfamiliar with the series, "Battlestar Galactica" deals largely with the futuristic aftermath of a nearly successful attempt by a race of robots called Cylons to exterminate the human race.
This basic DVD contains the feature film version of "Battlestar" which was edited together from the first few episodes and shown in Europe as a way to recoup some of the money spent on the highly budgeted TV series. The special effects are impressive for their time, though not of "Star Wars" quality, and the costumes and creature design are quite good in a 1970s way and not as embarassing as the later "Buck Rogers" TV show. Ironically, if you listen to trance or techno music, the Cylons' synthetic voices (courtesy of a Vocoder) haven't aged at all!
If you're a diehard fan, you'll want the whole series, which died a very quick death in 1978. For a casual fan like myself, this DVD contains all the "Battlestar" you'll want to see.
10 HAHAHAHAHA! Oh, God. HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Saw this for no good reason when it came out in theatres. Series had actually been on TV already (like with Buck Rogers), but ad promoted film in 'SENSAROUND'! Ooooohhhh...
Besides making the theatre vibrate, the only thing different/better about the film is Baltar gets beheaded. Which makes it hilarious when he's back the next week on the series.
Good times.
11 blast from the past
I saw this at the movies when I was a kid and found it thrilling. Watching this DVD brought back good memories. I got a chill just watching. Thanks Amazon.
12 wonderful
I don't consider myself to be a science fiction fan but I bought this for my kids while I was shopping and they loved it. So did I. This is much better than I expected it to be since I don't reguarly care for sci fi. The characters are the main selling point for me and there's a lot of heart and humor. This is a charming and fun movie with plenty of adventure, drama, and food for thought too. Good family entertainment that can lead to all types of great discussions about mythology, the stars, and more.
13 FUN BUT...
ONCE YOU GET THIS MOVIE YOU MAY WANT THE WHOLE EPIC SERIES. IT'S AVAILABLE IN AN EXCELLENT SET. I LOVED THIS MOVIE AND IT REMINDED ME OF HOW MUCH I MISSED THE SHOW...SO THEN I BOUGHT THAT TOO!
14 attention: this is NOT the Ron Moore version
I don't care what version of Battlestar Galactice folks like. I like this one, but that's just my view. Like what ya want BUT make sure you put the right review with the right DVD. It's important to know that this DVD is the theatrical version of the 70's Battlestar NOT the 2003 Ron Moore version. There are negative reviews of the 2003 version on here, but this is not that version. Be sure to put the right review with the right DVD.
15 What were you thinking Ronald Moore?
I just received news that the new Battlestar Galactica series will NOT have the space battle scenes involving the Colonial Empire and the Cylons.In fact,the Cylons may not be seen at all.EXCUSE ME?The space battle scenes in the original series is what drew in the fanbase and now Mr Moore is destroying the main storyline.Attention Glen Larson,please come back and take control of your creation before it sinks like the Titanic.I am working on my own space war epic and there are space battle scenes and other confrontations between the heroes and the bad guys the fans will enjoy.I may join the millions of fans in sticking to the original,or if I win the billion dollars in the Pepsi Cola contest,I will try to buy the rights of Galactica and keep it the way it was.
16 NOT ANAMORPHIC
This DVD is not in anamorphic format despite Amazon's claim to the contrary. This is a widescreen LETTERBOX format only. The video transfer appears to be the same as the previously released DVD. In fact side one of this DVD is exactly the same as the previous DVD. Side two contains the supplemental material.
I would not recommend the purchase of this DVD to anyone who already has the the previous DVD.
17 let's hear it for Battlestar Galactica
Picked this DVD up a few days ago at Walmart and had forgotten how much fun this show and movie were. I agree with those who say you might want to save your dough and go with the bigger set with all the episodes though. I picked this one up for a lark and now I'm planning to get the whole series. I guess I can give this to a friend.
18 Nice film, but the series is better :-)
I had a copy of this on VHS until only a week ago (by the time this is posted) when I bought a copy the DVD box set. As said above this is good to wet your appetite for the series, but you would be better off spending your money for the box set. The first thing you notice about this version of the series pilot is its running time. The pilot originally ran 3 hrs with commercials, so this is obviously missing at best 30 minutes of valuable footage. The next thing you notice is the endline of Patrick Macnee's (who did the voice of Imperious Leader and later played Count Iblis in the 2 part episode "War of The Gods") narration after the credits: "Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive, far away among the stars" (the original line is "somewhere beyond the heavens"). Finally, the last time you see Baltar, the Imperious Leader has him put to death, and anyone who knows the series knows in the end he spares him, hence the events that happen in the series. So realistically this film is ok, for a few showing, but you are much better off buying the box set and seeing this episode (televised as "Saga of A Star World") the way it was meant to be seen.
19 fun
Saw this in the cinema as a youngster and loved every second of it! It's interesting watching it again and picking up on all sorts of things that went over my head as a kid. I think this has held up at very nicely, but there are dated bits that are really a joy for that reason. It's a win/win. Long live Battlestar Galactica!
20 To Universal Studios and the Sci-Fi Channel
This is to respond to the criticism the fans of Battlestar Galactica are sending to the top brass of the Sci-Fi Channel and Universal Studios and I would like to join them,please listen to the hard core fans of Galactica.Yes it can heavily compete with Star Wars,but the new version is being killed by bad writing.I am working on my own sci-fi space war epic and if it is made into a movie and it is a hit,I will listen to the fans on what they like and don't.Universal should had given Glen Larson the money for the TV series.Again to the top brass,listen to the fans.
21 DID YOU KNOW.......???
Originally released on ABC-TV in a 3 hour format on a Sunday night, this is a great special effects movie for it's time. Boasted to cost in excess of 1 million an episode (thats one FRIENDS salary today), there are prevelant special effects. The story in this original feature beats all that followed and Did you know that they re-released this film but in to theaters and added SENSURROUND? Cool!
22 From Television to Theatres To T.V. Show!
I would like to say first and foremost that BATTLESTAR GALACTICA is a fine movie. It tells a really good story of the last survivors of the human race after the destruction of their twelve differing home worlds by an evil robotic race known as the Cylons. Lorne Greene stars as Adama, commander of the last surviving warship Galactica who is charged with leading his people to the safety of the legendary planet Earth.
This 1978 pilot was filmed for television and shown, followed by the descision to run it in theatres. As many have pointed out on this page, this film is not presented in true widescreen format, but rather sports black bars at the bottom and top of the picture which actually cover some of the original footage. You must keep in mind that this movie was NEVER filmed in widescreen to begin with, seeing that it was made for television. Several sequences and character moments are dropped from this cut as well to shorten the film to the more traditional running length. Universal is not cheating anyone here. Instead, they are presenting the version of the film as it appeared in theatres, altered in format and shortened in length to fit the theatrically wide movie screens we are so accustom to!
Ultimately, I would recommend "The Complete Epic Series" to anyone who fondly remembers BATTLESTAR GALACTICA before advising them to purchase this movie version of the film. Basically, this is for the major fans only, who may be interested in seeing what the film may have looked like in widescreen (as close as you will ever get to it in this case) and for those interested in comparing the two differing edits of the overall story. I would, however, recommend this version of the film for anyone who has never seen the show before. This is a good way to get the feel of what the series is about without spending too much money!
23 Widescreen?
Since this was produced for television and never originally intended to be a feature film how could it possibly be widescreen? Very shameful of the company to distribute this under the false pretense that it is a widescreen feature film.
24 Not WideScreen At All
Short and sweet this is not true wide screen, other reviewers were very correct in their observations. Simply a full screen format that has been cropped at the top and bottom. Sad really to think that such a large company needs to resort to insulting the consumers intelligience. I had already purchased the Boxed set but read that this movie version was way better in quality so I decided to buy this movie version, for those quick fixes of Galactica-mania. Guys I am quite dissapointed in Universal. Even though I am a great fan of Battlestar and know that every penny made only increases the chances of seeing it (the original) again. I would have to say to skip this version. Get the entire boxed set instead. I would have to disagree with a previous comment concerning the overalll quality of this version. Actually the Disc Set is much better in quality... So dont pay 20 bucks to find out as I did.
25 The last surviving battlestar
When the original series of Battlestar Galactica came out in 1978, I was glued to the television set each week. I loved Star Wars and other science fiction, and I fell in love with this one, too. Of course, I was a young boy then, and loved the battle scenes, the Vipers, the shiny enemies, and the simple story lines. The plot was basic and simple -- betrayal, survival, hope for the future.
The assembly of the fleet of 220 ships was a marvel of science fiction for its time. The fleet, including the Galactica, were assembled from various pieces of other models, and this was really in keeping with the story line of assembling a fleet out of suriviving remnants.
The casting of Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict and Lorne Greene were inspired. Of the trio, only Lorne Greene was well known to television audiences, and not for science fiction at that. The supporting cast gave the show a community feel that made the viewer care for the people. Of course, this becomes a problem similar to Star Trek in that none of the major characters could ever be killed off. I guess all science fiction that is episodic suffers from this.
This particular DVD is a re-cut of the pilot. It was made and released as a feature film, somewhat shorter than the television pilot. However, the cinematography and sound was redone for theaters, which makes this a good DVD to have even if you have the larger series set. There are more scenes in the other offering, but there is value in this one, too, given the remastering.
The music from Stu Phillips is memorable, and the effects from John Dykstra of Star Wars and Close Encounters fame are remarkable for their time, and, too a large extent, hold up well against today's standards.
The story is basic -- the colonies have been destroyed, along with the defensive fleet, except for one battlestar, the colonial equivalent to a battleship/aircraft carrier combination. Fugitive ships begin assembling from among the survivors, but first they must find supplies and a destination. The Commander, Adama (Lorne Greene) provides hope for both of these, and the end of the movie protrays a small victory and hope for the humans as they begin their journey.
It stands up well against the test of time.
26 Universal, respect Battlestar Galactica
First, some comments,
In a nutshell, the powers that be at Universal clearly don't respect BG. It shows in the way thay have tried to draw more money into their coffers by marketing sub-standard DVDs (no extra secenes, no interviews, no trailers, mono sound when it would be easy to convert to Dolby Stereo, REAL WIDESCREEN, etc.)
I was in college when the TV movie was shown, and it was excellent! I know I felt that if a series like this could be made, there would not be any problem in getting Star Trek back on the small screen.
The story was great; references to American history (13 original colonies), Greek Mythology (Appolo, Athena, warrior helmets, etc.), The Bible (Adama, Baltar's co-conspiritor Chrybdis (spelled with a "K"), the Exodus from the colonies, Commander Cain), the Horoscope (Caprica, Taurus, Saggitara, etc.) was a stroke of genius!
The inclusion of a black man a Executive Officer and trusted friend and frearless warrior (Tighe and Boomer) was a true first in sci-fi. Having an officer who was a Big and Tall person contribute with equal skill (Tony Swartz as Jolly-PC alert!) made me feel that talent and skill can supercede apparances.
The family values shown will inspire me to be a better person, especially now in these times. The Late Lorne Greene was born to be Adama, a Ben Cartwright for the end of the millenia. The Late John Colicos, as well, was the perfect villian-the traitor of mankind (notice how soft his voice is in the movie while in the presence of the Quarum of the Twelve, then the sharpness when looking out upon the destroyed colony, in conversation with a Cylon).
I'm not going to mention the speciall effects; there has been enough said about the great quality, and it is true. I just wish that Universal will stop disrespecting the fans of BG and give us a "Collector's Edition" on the level of a Star Trek DVD that will have them treat us as something more than the bottom line in a ledger. Buy the VHS. It has the best sound, a picture that holds up well and with lowering prices, a bargain, to boot!
27 A Comment....
this is a rebuttal of sorts....
For the record, BG was planned as a TV miniseries in 1977-78, and was shot in standard TV format, meaning full frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1. However, the show had cost more than expected, and so it was decided to release a edited version to theaters in canada and probably overseas. In order to do this, they reprinted the film with the top and bottom portions masked off to adapt to then-current movie projectors. Then, as now, practically every theater was setup to screen films in either 1.85:1 or 2.35:1. So this version is a representation of BG that was sent to theaters in 1978
(As for this DVD being without anamorphic enhancement, that's just Universal being cheap and seeing a chance to exploit BG fandom by double-dipping. Although I don't know how many takers they will get because they included a promo for the SciFi Channel's "reimagining" Of Battlestar Galactica....something that dedicated Galactica fans HATE!!!)
28 The Good and the Bad
I'm 32 and loved this short-lived series when it was on. I also saw the movie when it was in theaters. For some reason I never bought the VHS version, and was glad we now have it on DVD, but it's not quite what it could have been.
The Good:
It had been quite a while since I have seen the movie. I was actually expecting a lot of slow parts. That is not the case at all. This film moves along very fast. Maybe too fast.
The special effects are still top notch. I only noticed one place where there was a green "glow" around a cylon ship. If you use your imagination, you can easily pretend that that is supposed to happen. All the spaceships are still "cool." Too bad the film did not have a Base Star versus a Battlestar.
The principal actors were good. I wish we could have gotten more of the love-to-hate-him Baltar.
The Bad:
The sound is mono?! Are you kidding me? They should have gone to the expense to put it into at least a basic stereo sound. (My home theater can only do so much.)
It's not "true" widescreen, but it does have a widescreen "feel" even if all they did was shrink the picture and add the black stripes.
The first battle scenes could have been a lot longer. I believe 3 battlestars were blown up, but we only get to see 1.
Summary:
I still enjoyed this film after all these years and it did leave me wanting more, both in quantity and quality. I will probably eventually buy the entire series, but only when the price comes down a bit.
29 why is this version not anamorphic widescreen????
I love the fact they have finally re-released bsg on dvd again long time coming for us who have widescreens. However anyone hoping to get an anamorphic widescreen presentation of this film well we will have to continue to wait as they have decided not to release it in this fantastic format WHY????? Don't get me wrong I'm still very happy to own this title it's a classic but it is still a huge dissapointment. Amazon has it listed as anamorphic widescreen BEWARE it is an error unfortunetly.
30 Great picture... but edited !
I just bought the "complete series" of BSG, and just want to let it be known....There is no reason to buy the "feature film" dvd version, because it's all included in the "complete series". In fact, the "complete series" has many more scenes not on this version. The only thing that makes this worth buying is the excellent picture quality. It looks MUCH better than the new "complete series" version does. Surprisingly, Universal didn't seem to clean up the episodes as much as they could/should have. I watched the 2 side by side, and noticed this in NOT true widescreeen either. It seems the top and bottom portion of the screen were blacked out purposely to make it appear widescreen. If you compare the 2 versions, you'll notice you see the exacts same things on the left and right side of the screen.
31 Not the Original Longer Version
Battlestar Galactica was first seen in the USA as a three-hour premiere on a Sunday night. I watched that broadcast from 8pm to 11pm. Later this edited version was released to theatres in Sensurround. Hopefully the series boxed set will contain the complete film.
32 What looks good may not be good
As stated in a review for the BSG series, I have some grave doubts and misgivings as I watch this film. It does look beautful--Universal did not flinch from producing a great looking craft with the Galactica, the costumes look fine, and everything else shows that some cash was spent on the look of the show. The cast looked great and the music was pretty decent. However, the story is the problem--and it is a big one.
For one thing, the story starts out with a strong hour--the destruction of the colonial fleet and the homeworlds. Then the feeling that there is something wrong with certain survivors and how they are getting all the food and all their needs met while everyone else is starving--no problem. However, and it is a big however, the story makes a sharp turn downward with the use of the casino and especially the three vocalists--with the three faces. These take the story into realms that it did not need to go.
The casino looks fake, the costumes seem a part of the 1970s and not a future place and time--or whenever you wish to place the tale. The actions of Starbuck doesn't ring true. A seasoned warrior would not just place himself into this casino and try to win the services of the three (nine?) vocalists. It seemed fake when it was first shown and it stills feels faked. The show was at it's best on the bridge of the Galactica and this bit of silliness wrecks a promising beginning. Also, the idea of a few blasts from the warrior's firearms causing enough blazes to set the whole planet to blow up is just a bit too much. Even with the basestar nearby, the viewer has not seen enough explosions to cause the temperature of the whole planet to rise to a high enough degree to blow up.
So, a promising beginning is destroyed. The problem of BSG, both film and series, is the same which caused the ruin of the other big space epic of the 1970s, "Space: 1999", the writers--especially Larson & Bellarsario, were only loosely aware of what makes good SF stories on the small screen. These producers would take promising plots from films (think of DB's "Jag" which came out after the film "A Few Good Men" or his "Airwolf" which came out after "Blue Thunder".) They could copy plots, but they were and are not the best at writing TV SF--a trick learned by J.M.S. of "Babylon Five."
33 Re-edit Not So Edited!
Having been a fan for so long, it was great to see them comeout with a "revved" up version -- but I was disappointed when I found out this version was edited (for example, pn the earlier BSG dvd version, the scene with Serena on Caprica...there was supposed be a newscast going on BEFORE the destruction of the planet..this version just goes right into the kill.
And what's with the GOBOS STILL? Gobos are small places in the film where you can see they added artowrk around the ships on occassion (bright green ones when the cyon ships are heading back to their basestar!
Comeon folks - for the money spent and the time to "remaster", you didnt spend alot of time or money on the fixes!
Forget this version and go right for the series.
34 Widescreen - NOT
Just an FYI to anyone considering this....buy the series DVD's and skip this DVD, as it's just the fullscreen version reedited....they just blacked out the top and bottom just like they did with it's prior iteration.....and it's MONO.....at least the series version of this story is 5.1, and is not very different from the movie.
Skip it unless you're passing on the series, and don't mind fullscreen copy with black bars.
35 By your command...
Repackaged to take advantage of the Sci-Fi Channel's remake/mini-series. This is a decent beginning to one of TV's all time greats.
The last Battlestar, Galactica, leads a ragtag fugitive fleet away from the tyranny of the robotic Cylons in search of a lost tribe that has settled on a mythical planet known as Earth. While it was labeled as a rip-off, the fact is it was an excellent series that is only now getting the respect it deserves.
The widescreen treatment is courtesy of the fact that Universal marketed a different edit in theaters overseas. All in all, a great disc for the science fiction fan in your house.
36 MUST HAVE!!!!
I feel like a young teen again waiting for BG (movie and the tv series) to be released on DVD.....EXACTLY how I felt waiting for each upcoming tv series episode when it first aired......laying on belly on floor with pillow wearing pajamas, 12 inches from tv screen looking up at console tv, without even blinking, with mixed emotions inside hoping the humans would escape cylon attacks, and surprise attack the cylons back!!!
Without a doubt, I was captivated most by the shiny silver bodied radar-echo sounding cylons with a single red-eye shifting back and forth horizontally, their voice with robotic-like sound and manners and a touch of automated human-like passion to complete the task at hand....destroy mankind.
Seeing the cylon weaknesses and strengths was for me separate excitement from the surrounding drama. I always wondered if in the upcoming episodes the humans would find earth while the red-eyed cylons chased them to earth ......where a major battle would occur. The endless possibilities (in my imagination) of what was to come in the upcoming episodes were some of the most exciting times of my teenhood. One of the greatest sci-fi tv series I ever saw as a teen, and feel the same way about BG now. The series and movie is timeless and ICON 70's sci-fi FOREVER!!!
...."By Your Command"......I am ready to purchase and re-live very memorable Battlestar Gallactica moments, and confident that others who will see it for first time will enjoy it too.
37 BSG IS AWESOME
Battltlestar was not just a sub-title from Star Wars. It was its own plot. With the upcoming SCI-FI event, it will explore indept the typcal life aboard a battle ship called Galatica.
38 BUY IT NOW!!!!!!
for over 20 years pEOple have slammed BSG for not being as good as star wars.......excuse me? but sci fi series is. QUIT SLAMMING IT AND WATCH IT AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME.what you'll discover is a wonderful tale about tragedy,exodus,survival,conflict,strategy,and even romance.you'll find a group of people who are forced to draw a line in the stars and fight back when all odds are agianst them . the story is actually better than star wars. and maybe even better acted than star wars. what it fails to do is capture your immagination the way star wars did. the specail effects hold up even by todays standard. i'm going out on a limb to say that the 2 1/2 hour pilot movie is arguably the best space opera ever behind the star wars trilogy.if you love great looking space battles,good special effects, and a great story. this film is a must see.you owe it to yourself to own a copy of this movie. it is a classic treat your gonna wanna see over and over and over...and just like star wars you'll never get tired of it
39 Wandering in the desert of space
'There are those who believe
that life here began out there...'
Thus begins the tale of Battlestar Galactica, full of meaning and hope and mystical importance.
Okay, enough theology for the moment.
Or, maybe not. This movie (actually a cut-up version of the pilot for the television series) definitely has theological undercurrents. It is the fight between good and evil. It is a wandering in the desert (of space) looking for the promised land. It is about hope and humanity, sensitivity and courage.
And, as a 12 year old (when I first saw it) I of course understood none of this. I merely loved the special effects in my own home (as opposed to the Star Wars which required payment at the movie theatre), the characters and the technology. I was amazed that every computer on the bridge set of the Galactica actually worked.
Today I'm amazed that the computer on which I'm typing this review has more power than all those computers combined!
The story is basic. Ambush in space, a quickly-organised escape from the evil mechanical Cylons (who both symbolise the terrors of technology as well as of autocratic rule--remember the Cold War?), a daring journey, and finally a hope. Unfortunately the series became a wandering in the desert with little hope for reaching the promised land, and in television-series timelines and lifelines, this just wasn't acceptable.
In addition to this film, there are about a dozen videos available with episodes from the rest of the television series. It is frustrating that not all of them are available, so to watch them in sequence leaves some gaps. There are enough dedicated fans who would purchase these videos should they be made available (as is evidenced by the amount of BG 'junk' being auctioned at ebay and other such places).
The series was fated only to last one year, due to high costs (a million an episode may be a standard ER actor's salary, but back then it was big bucks even in Hollywood), a slumping viewership (which in retrospect was never as small as reported), and an overall lack of direction. The journey was just taking too long for the era of instant gratification.
There was a short-lived attempt to revitalise BG with Galactica 1980, but due to underfunding, choppy stories and the absence of several more popular regulars from the preceding series, it failed dramatically. There is a chopped-up edited version of one of those episodes available too -- do yourself a favour and fly light speed away from this one.
But do get the original movie, the best of the best episodes.
40 Outstanding then....memorable now!
The original story of a tribe of humans escaping extinction by a robotic race bent on annihilation of the human race. The original theatrical release with amazing special effects for the late 70's. I was never a Star Wars fan, but this series led me into the Star Trek craze and I am grateful for the clean family entertainment that I now show my own kids. Too bad the SciFi Channel wants to bring it back with two bimbos playing Starbuck and Apollo & turn the whole thing into a... freakshow.
BAN SCI-FI CHANNEL AND THEIR SPONSERS NOW!!!!!
41 Classic Campy Sci-fi
This movie is classic camp sci-fi given legitimacy by the Star Wars movies. As melodramatic as it is, it is still a great science fiction adventure that has the emphasis on people. For the time period and the fact that it was on TV, the effects were quite good.
One of the best parts is seeing a lot of famous actors playing roles in the infancy of their careers.
42 Unworthy of the name "science fiction"
In 1976 the sci-fi genre attained a new degree of respectability with the commercial and critical success of "Star Wars." It was a given that the show would be imitated. "Battlestar Galactica" represents the worst of these imitators. It almost single-handedly restored sci-fi's undeserved reputation for being juvenile and silly.
From the outset, BG cannot decide if it is being goofy or serious. It centers on a war, with graphic destruction and the ever-present threat of genocide. Protecting us from genocide are cocky young hot-shots with comic-book names like "Apollo" and "Starbuck." If the writers couldn't take the show seriously, why should the viewer?
It is pointed out that the battlestar represents the most powerful vessel ever constructed. However, the heroes do not stand up to the aggressors. Instead, they run away like frightened mice. Who wants to tune in every week and watch heroes running away?
For the serious sci-fi fan, BG is an insult. It represents everything that makes non-fans snicker at the genre.
43 John Dykstra tries to create an asnwer to "Star Wars"
"Star Trek" was described as "Wagon Train to the Stars" but that particular concept reduction certainly applies more to "Battlestar Galactica," since the series has the remnants of humanity travelling in a ragtag fleet from their neck of the galaxy to the fabled 13th colony known as Earth. However, the pilot episode from 1978 makes it clear that despite Lorne Greene playing Commander Adama and inspiring all sorts of "Bonanza" jokes, the idea here is to invoke the special effects style (and hopefully the success) of "Star Wars." Special effects guru John Dykstra received most of the money and most of the publicity for this series, so it is not surprising that the spacecraft models are the best part of the pilot.
The premise for the series is that just as the humans are about to make peace with the Cylon Empire, the Cylons attack the fleet and the colonies and destroy pretty much everything except the Galactica, the last remaining battlestar. This happens as a result of the naivet? of President Adar (Lew Ayres) and the tainted advice of the traitor Count Baltar (John Colicos). The military catastrophe is rather forced, requiring stupidity on the part of pretty much everybody in the government and military with the exception of Adama. Putting all your Battlestars in one quadrant and providing two sentry ships for the entire fleet pretty much insures a Pearl Harbor type disaster.
But once you get past the neat models you are pretty much dealing with a standard space opera where the main theme is to remind people of "Star Wars" as often as possible (although the Vipers are not as cool as the X-Wing fighters). Lt. Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) is a free spirit in the Han Solo mode, Captain Apollo (Richard Hatch) is a more mature Luke Skywalker, and Adama is the wise Obi-Wan Kenobi father figure who actually happens to be a father (I have a question: how you go from naming you first two children Apollo and Athena only to name the third one Zac? I teach Classical Greek & Roman Mythology and there is no mention of a Zac. Just curious).
With the success of "Star Wars" science fiction was suddenly in and big bucks could be committed to a television series while Hollywood started remaking old classics like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "Flash Gordon." But while "Battlestar Galactica" offered promise, it did not live up to its potential. Every week the group of humans continued their quest for Earth with the Cylons on their heels while the humans bickered among themselves in an allegory of contemporary social problems (the people from our planet are better than the people from your planet) and engaged in standard soap opera love stories (Will Athena get over the death of Zac and learn to love the trying to be serious Starbuck?). Watching the pilot is going to be of nostalgic value to those who watched it with eager anticipation back in 1978 and really wanted it to be something worthy of all the hype, i.e., "Star Trek" instead of "Space 1999." For those who did not catch in the first time around and compare it to "Farscape" and "Enterrprise," they will wonder what all the fuss was about. The answer is, not much beyond some great models from Dykstra.
44 Man I loved this series!
I like the fact that it's on SciFi and that they released it on DVD. But I really wish they would make like Babylon 5, DS9, and the rest of the series and make a digitally remastered compilation of the whole series season by season. I think this was a fantastic piece of work and watching it on cable, the SFX are still pretty good even now after two decades! There is a difference between regular special effects and digital computer stuff. Please please please release the entire series!
45 BG Lives
I gave it three stars because it is rumored that the widescreen version is fake. The black bars are just placed there for effect and it isn't the true widescreen format. I love Galactica and can't wait for the DVDs to the series to be released for purchase. Right now however this is all we have unless they come up with a special edition DVD with interviews with the surviving cast. The best episodes were the ones with the late Lloyd Bridges as Commander Cain titled The Living Legend.
46 Space Cheese
Cheesy, soap-opera quality film meant to capitalize on the late-70's space craze is ok when there's action but really starts to drag when there's dialogue. The special effects are pretty good but the cast, with a couple of exceptions, is soap-opera quality at best. After reading that this film was pieced together from episodes of the TV series, the lack of a strong, clear narrative makes a little more sense. After a strong first half hour, it feels like this movie just sort of wanders around. It has a somewhat incoherent, pasted-together feel. But despite the film's weaknesses, there are worse ways to kill a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon. If for no other reason, you should check out all the 1970's David Cassidy-style haircuts.
47 Battlestar Galactica--A series which died before its time
When Battlestar Galactica premiered in 1978, I was still 2 years from birth. Since I had never had the Sci-Fi Channel, I first became aquainted with the series in 1997 when I was in Media Play in the Sci-Fi section.
I have always been a huge fan of Star Trek, and a big fan of Star Wars, but I was looking for something to expand my universe. I saw several films, but for some reason I picked up this video and read the back cover--and I was hooked. I immediately went to the checkstand and bought it. I took it home and watched it with my 8-year-old brother, and from then on it has been his favorite show.
The video was excellent and I have since bought several other Battlestar Galactica videos and books. I recently noticed that this video is now on DVD, and I hope that the entire series will also be released on DVD.
48 Setting the official record straight...
As an old insider of the crew that worked of Galactica, take it as official that the movie you are considering purchasing was indeed a compilation/re-edit of the 2 original television premier episodes shot for television (Saga of a Star World), the 3rd episode, and a short wrap up and effects shots from the 5th episode. Prior to airing on television, Universal had requested a theatrical release in Canada for audience test purposes. Our editig crew took the episodes, edited, added, and put together the film. After the premier on American television, and very little viewer response, Universal wanted the theatrical compilation released in American theatres to garner attention. The series was then re-premiered, and this time the scene was added sparing the life of Baltar. Universal "sugguested" retaining his character instead of using the Imperious Leader as a "mysterious leader figure." Budget cuts, company "sugguestions", and internal politics cut short the life of our beloved saga. Universal has not seen fit to release any other version of the original 5 episodes of the series, except for a re-edited theatrical version (sparing Baltar's life). Sci-Fi channel currently has rights to air the episodes and does every so often. This is currently the only way of seeing the original vision for the series start. I hope one day the entire series will be made available in its true form, and the original dream that was Battlestar Galactica will become a reality for all the fans out there, and a vision of what may lie "somewhere beyond the stars." Until that day, you'll have to settle for second best.
49 Bittersweet Release
Battlestar Galactica is arguably the best science fiction television show ever made; a charasmatic cast of characters with a good story line. Without question it remains a classic. Unfortunately, the DVD still has the "classic" sound and film quality which in the light of digital technology is problematic.
This is without question the poorest DVD effort I can think of especially for how much it was going for when first released. Without as much as remastering the sound and picture, you might as well of recorded this on an old VHS tape off an old analog satellite dish, I wish I were exaggerating.
I hate being negative because this wonderful film which made a theatrical run in the late 70's and was a bright spot in the ABC television line-up during those years is presentented in it's original form but it's only a shell of what it could have been.
It's the story of the human race consisting of 13 colonies of man (as the story goes)and carried in a motley fleet of spaceships. The fleet was protected by gigantic celestrial "aircraft carrier" type of vessel called a "Battlestar" named the "Galactica", which carried mulitple single man scrub fighters called "Colonial Vipers". Their arch nemesis was the robotic army called the Cylon Empire who was bent on destroying the human survivors.
The series details their perils while attempting to find a lost sister world called earth. Most of the series was base on the relationships of the crew, warriors and survivors and the adventures on different worlds, different events, etc. An impressive television cast was the late Lorne Greene, Dirk Benedict, and Jane Seymore to name a few. A very young Rick Springfield (80's rock star) makes a cameo as Captain Apollo's (Richard Hatch) younger brother.
For a lot of us, the excitement of this film came off the frenzy of the Star Wars phenomenon. Heck, as a kid I just wanted to see laser fights and explosions, so there are elements of nostalga.
I give the movie 5 Stars (I admit, the "yahoos!" in the cockpit of the vipers as they shoot Cylon Raiders are a little corny) and the overall DVD effort 1 star because it does have some interesting DVD features. Hopefully, Universal Studios will get the hint and re-release an updated version of this classic film (and hopefully series!)
50 Good but after the years looks a bit worn.
Just to clarify this for those who are reading other reviews.... I was 9 when this movie (yes MOVIE) came out in theatres before they did put it on TV. In fact the TV version replaced an original plot point where Baltar, the evil humans name, was killed by the Cylons when the BG got away.
So yes there was a movie first. This is not a pilot episode it was a film that they just turned into a TV series by showing the movie on TV with slight adjustments.
The Film in its time was great. I loved it as a kid (Not that lame BG 1980 when they get to Earth though that was very bad....)
The problem was the series was just too expensive in its day and they could not afford it for TV. That and falling ratings killed it.
The movie now is a bit dated as Star Wars and the Original Star Trek look like ScFi of the era but it is still a reasonably good film/TV Shows. Just take the acting with the same grain of salt that you do the acting is Star Wars and you are ok!
51 Movie version of pilot episode
I also remember watching the original 3 hour (with commercials) pilot episode - which had been interrupted by news of a peace treaty being signed - in late 1978. I already had models of the Colonial Viper and the Cylons' fighter. Although the materials on the DVD suggest otherwise, this DVD is the movie version which was released one year later in Sensurround. I remember seeing the movie AFTER the series had started. (The DVD states the movie became the pilot.) I have never seen any video release of the complete pilot. It's always been this movie version. The pilot is now only shown as a three part episode in reruns. It would be nice to see more of the series on DVD.
It's been years since I've seen the complete pilot, but I'm guessing about 20 minutes might have been cut to make the movie version. The scene that stands out the most is Jane Seymour's character actually giving a TV news report. In the movie, you simply see her holding a microphone looking for her son. The DVD extras mention her character being a reporter, but unless you see that microphone, you'd have no clue what her career was before the Cylon attack.
The story begins with a peace treaty about to be signed between the human colonies and the Cylons. (Until just now, I never thought about the plot and the fact a real treaty was signed during the original broadcast.) The promise of peace is used to lure the humans into a trap - destroying most of the colonies and all but two Battlestars. (The second Battlestar pops up in a later episode in the TV series.) The survivors get together and begin a journey to where they believe an additional human colony exists. ...so they head for Earth.
The special effects are almost as good as those of the original Star Wars. (Dykstra was involved with both.) The story is well written. However, in some ways, it looks like it was made for TV. Many of the places look like sets - the brightly lit casino, the mines. The design of the Cylon warriors is great. The Cylons themselves (like the leader) aren't as impressive. The term "Cylon" is used to describe the lizard-like race as well as their robotic warriors.
Stu Philips' music is above average. It's better than his music for Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. It's not on the level of John Williams, but it's still enjoyable. I do have the LP of the soundtrack.
Battlestar Galactica was a great series I enjoyed when I was 9, and this movie does bring back memories. Until Universal releases more of the series, this is all we have on DVD. Besides the more famous stars like Lorne Greene and Jane Seymour, we also have Dirk Benedict who would later star in The A-Team.
52 Battlestar Galactica the movie - not the pilot
I have read many reviews of the videos and DVD regarding this movie and all are in error as thay have said that this release is the pilot episode for the series. Sadly, it is not. Nor is it a combined version of the pilot and the 4th episode. It is merely the pilot episode minus about 14 minutes(I have compared it to my old recording of the pilot) and some of the sequences are edited differently. However, it is still great in this form, Dolby Digital Mono is ok but it sounds better in Pro-Logic surround. The trailer would have been a nice bonus feature. But it wasn't apparently available, perhaps a Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS Special edition will be released with the trailer included to make us DVD collector's happy. I have heard rumors that maybe the entire series, incl. the pilot, will be released on DVD soon.
53 Fantastic For Television
Battlestar Galactica was the coolest thing when it aired on ABC back in 1978. Universal Studios and Glen Larson put together, very quickly, a fantastic premise for a good character driven series.
They developed their own language, letters and even swearing. The stars at the time were unknown (Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict) with a few surprises •À? like Lorne Green leading the •À?Bonanza•À? in space and John Colicos (from General Hospital fame) leading the enemies •À? the Cylons!
For the time, the special effects were matched only to that of Star Wars (which came out the year before) and the costumes and props where cleverly done. There is even talk of a revival movie for television or even a feature have been around for a while •À? but nothing yet. Richard Hatch himself wants to be involved.
The series failed in its later episodes•À?it started playing with the characters and obviously losing its budget. They tried to revive it with Barry Van Dyke in a series called Galactica 1980 •À? with flying motorcycles •À? but that didn•À?t work either.
I loved this pilot episode and the DVD is one certainly to own. I wish it had commentary by cast and crew. I liked it.
54 Battlestar Galatica Rules the Universe
I loved it and I would like to see more DVD material on the Galactica. It can have such a great comeback as another feature film. Imagine what they can do with it nowadays. Crazy idea of mine, but how about some real terminator like Cyclons? These Cyclons wouldn't be the slow, dumbwitted ones we've seen in the past, but fast, sleek killing machines who are bad enough without laser guns and rifles. The Salvation Army could have taken out the original Cyclons. Hind-sight now, not scary or threating at all, Commander Cain was right, what the heck were they running from?
55 ...And I Saw It On The Big Screen, Too!
I saw it on the Silver Screen(at a USAF base), and yes, it is better than anything Lucas ever dreamed of.
Did Galactica "steal" anything from Star Wars? No, just a few SFX. If anything, Galacica is the modern interpretation of events that could have taken place after the Pearl Harbor attack, if it would have occurred at a different place and time. The TV series, of course, is based on The Seven Samurai, Noah's Ark, Shakespeare, and other tales of storybook heroes and villians. So as long as you consider the shortcomings of it's "Chariots Of The Gods" premise, just admit that it is still great entertainment at the expense of network TV at that time.
56 Great film, but poor DVD presentation
The quality of the picture is great, the sound is OK, but then it was never originally intended to be Sci-Fi material.
The biggest problemn I have is that while claiming that the DVD is in "widescreen format", suggesting that they have preserved the entire image that would have been seen on a movie theater screen, they did nothing of the sort. Instead, all they did was lop off some of the bottom and the top of the screen, SUBTRACTING from the original image, resulting an a FAKE "widescreen" format. Therefore, you're actually getting LESS of the original image than if it were done in the normal full frame format. This is verified by comparing the DVD scenes with the normal video tape of the same film.
We can all argue whether or not we like the Widescreen format or not, but the idea of presenting a film in "widescreen" is to PRESERVE the entire image that was shot with a high aspect ratio, not remove some of the image from a film that was shot with the normal ratio!!! (...)
57 Extremely high production value nostalgic 70's sci-fi Film
This is the pilot episodes of the great nostalgic 70's era made-for-TV series. Though some say this is a cheapo knock-off of Star Wars, I personally rewatched this show with great fondness and recommend everyone to buy a copy now. And be amazed at the extremely high production value achieved on TV for that era. I mean, the money is way up front in your face (...)The sets, models, effects still stand exceedingly well up to the test of time, and this version is masterfully remastered (pardon the pun) for DVD. Goferrit and hit turbo-boost!!!! By Your Command!!!
58 One of the best sci-fi movies of the 1970s
Most people remember the TV series more than the pilot episode (which also aired in theatres, if I recall). However, the original movie for BG was nothing short of stupendous.
This was the first science fiction series for TV that had genuine great special effects. (Note: I am a big fan of the original "Star Trek" series, but even the most die hard trekkies must concede that the 1960s special effects in it were.....well, 1960s special effects). Even more important, as is the case in all of the best science fiction films, BG was more story than spectacle.
The premise of BG asks: what if the human race came from outer space? What if the pyramids of Egypt are actually in the lineage of a far older architectural tradition that spans the galaxy? Could it be that the technology of the humans first got here was somehow lost over the eons?
Well, none of these ideas are worthy of serious consideration. However, they do make for great entertainment! BG is about the original colonies of humans, somewhere in a string of planets a long ways off from Earth. They have been battling a machine race, known as the Cylons, for over a thousand years. [BTW: the Cylons are even now one of the most menacing and intimidating looking races of the entire science fiction genre.]
Back to the story. The film opens with a peace treaty that is about to be signed between the humans and the Cylons. Some, however, such as Commander Adama (CO of the Galactica) don't trust those pesky Cylons (and with good reason). As one might guess, the Cylons betray the treaty & actually utilize the proceedings to drag the Battlestars [which are kind of like interstellar aircraft carriers] into a trap.
When the cosmic dust settles, only one Battlestar is left: the Galactica. Adama decides to try and lead all of the civilians who have survived to a legendary human colony known as Earth.
This is 1970s science fiction @ its very best. Although the attempted resurrection of the series in 1980 known as "Galactica Finds Earth" was a ridiculous farce, that should not be held against the original movie and series. BG is HIGHLY recommended for sci-fi enthusiasts everywhere.
59 great concept movie
This movie or pilot episode had a neat concept (that we may be decendents of ancient times)however you lookat it, shown on ABC in 1978 this film like Star Wars before it was ahead of its time in special effects, not to mention character developement. It should be noted that Universal Pictures had the opportunity to do Star Wars, but turned it down flat, i'm sure they were kicking themselves after its grand success, but i don't consider this to be a rip-off, Battlestar Galactica had similar themes, but was quite different in many ways, i'm sure Universal was trying to make up for their poor decision about Star Wars, but Battlestar plays out a different scenario. Universal should release this in its entirety as seen on the SCI-FI channel, the uncut version is much better than this cropped version, it shows more depth and it is a shame that Universal didn't take this oppurtunity to do this for DVD, until they do I will not buy it, like one reviewer said "There is money to be made here" I only hope Universal will do this eventually as well as releasing the episodes that followed, like any show there were good & bad episodes, but the good ones would be money well spent, I, like many fans feel like this show was not given a fair chance, if Universal wants to make any money they may have lost on this series, they now have the chance to make it back in more ways than one, i know i am not alone when i say this, but it an oppurtunity that should not be ignored, hopefully Universal will get its act together and do it for the fans as well as make themselves money, anyone listening??
60 One of the best science fiction movies of all time
There is no question that this movie and the subsequent series was made possible by the success of the movie Star Wars. Just like Star Wars was made possible by the success of the original Star Trek series. All things build on each other, where success follows success. The key issue is always if the successor is worthy of comparison to the predecessor. It is quite true that the reliance on mythology for the names of many of the main characters introduces a bit of absurdity, but that is part of the nature of science fiction. Any characterization of beings from other worlds must of necessity follow the absurdity of them speaking a human language. Mathematics is a universal language, but that is simply not a feasible alternative. In my opinion, the most serious criticism is the occasional violation of a law of physics.
Criticisms aside, all stories like this must entertain, as that is the whole reason for their existence, and to criticize them at any other level misses the point. In viewing the movie again after several years, I am once again struck by the quality of the special effects. It was made in the late seventies, yet some of the space scenes are comparable to what exists today. They are very entertaining, although it is unfortunate that many scenes are used several times.
The story itself kept my interest, as it is an old human one about a war of conquest with the defeated becoming refugees who are searching for a safe haven and are being hunted every day. This is a scenario that has occurred many times throughout human history. The key difference of course is that the hunters are machines rather than other humans or another "carbon-based" species. Although the technology of space flight is the only thing that saves the survivors, there is also a strong anti-technology theme to the story. This combination of technology being the only solution to the problems of technology is another situation that humans have struggled with since the taming of fire and the rise of agriculture.
I loved the movie and series when it first came out and still enjoy it today. It is one of the most entertaining science fiction films of all time, presenting themes that have plagued humans since they reached the point where they could be called human.
61 MORE GALACTICA DVD's PLEASE
But this one has nothing in the way of extra's. Still, If you love the show like I do, its a must have!
62 DVD video quality highlights technical limitations of 1978
This was my favorite TV show when I was a kid, along with "CHiPs". But like that show, it hasn't aged well. The props, costumes and hairstyles scream "disco", unlike films such as "Star Wars" (which had a timeless quality) and "Star Trek" (futuristic realistic, with the possible exception of some disco duds in the first movie). Still a decent story, although I agree with some of the other reviewers that it seems improbable that the humans would simply turn tail and run across the galaxy instead of putting up a fight. And the whole idea of the Colonials being the possible ancestors of Earth's civilization has a sort of innate charm. Now, on to other matters: the DVD release serves to embarrasingly highlight how nascent SFX technology was back in the late 70s. There are scenes in which the matteing process (used to superimpose small flying spacecraft onto background visuals) is painfully evident. Check out the scenes in which Cylon raiders fly to their base ship, you can see the edges of the matte frames. It's pretty evident in just about any scene with small craft flying against a dark background. Shame they didn't do some CGI cleanup for the DVD release. Better yet, where's the full length movie (the one they show on the Sci-Fi channel)? The theme music still rocks though. Another note: the Dirk Benedict bio doesn't even mention "The A-Team" - what's up with that?
63 Fantastic
A fantastic pilot to a series that had many ups and downs and got cancelled before it got a real chance to find its footing. Thankfully, there's been a very recent announcement that Battlestar Galactica will be coming back thanks to Bryan Singer, the director of The X-Men. Maybe soon it will finaly get the chance to live up to its potential.
64 Buyers beware
This is the pilot movie that launched the popular, but short-lived (one season on network TV) science fiction television show. Universal Studios wanted to capitalize on the science fiction film craze launched in the mid-seventies by the first of the Star Wars films. At the time of its release, Battlestar Galactica was the most expensive film made for television. This film was later re-released for theater presentation in Universal's unique "sensurround" format. Theater goers were treated to "feeling" the vibrations of the battle scenes courtesy of two very large speakers situated in the rear of the theater. To the best of my knowledge, only two other Universal films were presented in sensurround, "Earthquake", and "Midway". Buyers beware: this presentation is heavily edited from the original TV movie; many of the scenes, especially during the first half of the film, have been deleted. The only reason I can think of was because MCA didn't want to present this film in two-cassette form and thereby increase the price of this video. If you want to see the film in its entirety, watch for the next TV presentation on the Sci-fi Channel.
65 Best Movie, star wars pales in comparison
Great movie, great picture and sound, and, great a dvd. This is the perfect drive-in nostalgia type film. The colors are rich and beautiful. Seeing it again it reminds me alot of starship troopers. The most fun I had watching a movie in along time!!!! Own this disc, it's sure to become a collector's item!
66 NOT AS GOOD AS YOU REMEMBER
I loved Battlestar Galactica with a passion when I was young, like I loved Star Wars before it- obviously Galactica would never have happened without Star Wars. Many of the scenes, effects, and concepts are lifted straight from the George Lucas movie. Seeing it over twenty years later is a real eye-opener. The acting is wooden and the line reading is often comically bad- among the major characters, only Lorne Greene, Dirk Benedict and Jane Seymour were good (and Seymour's character got killed early in the series, unfortunately). Some of the worst things of the era in which it was released appear here, including Rick Springfield, the hairstyles, and disco music (in the casino scene, a direct rip-off of the cantina scene in Star Wars-even the subtitles acknowledge that it is "disco" playing). There is a high cornball content- the scene where the robot dog destroys a Cylon warrior is worse than the Ewoks battle scene in Return of the Jedi. There are good special effects-the radiation field/minefield scene is great, but this isn't a movie that's worthwhile just for the eye-candy, like say, Barbarella. It doesn't even hold up as well as other cheesy childhood favorites like Land of the Lost and Lost in Space. One of the funnest things about owning the DVD is that you can freeze and blow up the "F--- Off" spelled out in lights in one scene where the planet Caprica is getting bombed. Still, I can't say I totally regret buying this. I still like the sets, the costumes, the actress who played Athena (what a fox!), and the premise of the show is interesting. And the Colonial Vipers were way cool. Too bad the show degenerated into that horrible "Galactica '80" fiasco.
67 The most expensive television series at the time.
... .
The last Battlestar, Galactica, leads a ragtag fugitive fleet away from the tyranny of the robotic Cylons in search of a lost tribe that has settled on a mythical planet known as Earth. While it was labeled as a rip-off, the fact is it was an excellent series that is only now getting the respect it deserves.
The widescreen treatment is courtesy of the fact that Universal marketed a different edit in theaters overseas. All in all, a great disc for the science fiction fan in your house.
68 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA IS THE GREATEST!!!
IT IS SO GREAT TO SEE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA BE RELEASED ON DVD. THIS IS THE THEATER VERSION OF THE TV PILOT FILM. A STORY OF A RACE OF ROBOTS KNOWN AS CYLONS LAUNCH A SNEAK ATTACK ON THE 12 PLANETS THAT ARE INHABITED BY HUMANS. THE ONLY SURVIVING BATTLESTAR, THE GALACTICA LEADS THE SURVIVORS IN AN ASORTMANT OF SHIPS ON A QUEST FOR A LEGENDARY PLANET KNOWN AS EARTH. WHILE ON THERE QUEST THERE ALWAYS IS THE DANGER THAT THERE ENEMY THE CYLONS WILL FIND THEM. A GREAT MOVIE ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 I WOULD GIVE IT A 10. LOTS OF ACTION WITH A GREAT STORY, AND EXCELLENT SPECIAL EFFECTS. MORE FUN THAN WATCHING STAR WARS. I HIGHLY RECOMEND THIS MOVIE. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT MORE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA EPISODES ARE RELEASED ON DVD IN TE FUTURE. THE PICTURE QUALITY ON THIS DVD IS THE BEST I HAVE EVER SEEN OF THIS MOVIE. IT IS A LOT BETTER THAN THE PICTURE QUALITY OF THE VHS RELEASE. AND THE SOUND QUALITY IS PERFECT. UNFORTUNATLY THERE IS NO TRAILER ON THIS DVD. TRY IT IT IS THE BEST SCI- FI ENTERTAINMENT.
69 BEST OF THE BEST
I loved the movie,I loved the series and I loved the books.I just wish it would have gone on for a few more seasons.
70 Great As Always
I love it! I'm looking forward to seeing more of the series released on DVD hopefully soon.
71 Bring it Back!
Well, I'm not going to boo-hoo about the lack of DVD quality or the mono sound or whatever. I'll talk about the movie itself. The only thing that compares to it is Star Wars itself, which admittedly opened the way for Galactica to be put on the air, updated from a 1960s Glen Larson script called Adam's Ark (Adam...Adama...get it?).
Galactica in many ways surpasses Star Wars and certainly surpasses Return of the Jedi. It should be brought back as either a movie or a series, which I hear the Sci-Fi Channel is considering a possibility. Hopefully the powers that be will check the reviews here at Amazon. There are nearly 50 reviews here for this twenty-year-old "failed" series! This should have been dead and forgotten about by 1983. But it isn't. There is money to be made here, powers that be! Isn't that incentive enough for you? See it dangling right there in front of you? Go on, reach out for it. Take it. Mmmm...money, money, money.
72 The Cult Classic in its truest form...
I don't care what the critics say -- Battlestar Gallactica was NOT Star Wars for the small screen! Gallactica is the embodiment of cult evolution theory (as noted in Charriots of the Gods and the likes) and a good ol' fashioned down-to-earth good vs evil Sci-Fi flic. Ok, I admit that I'm remiss it only features a mono soundtrack, but to be honest, after the first couple minutes, you become so involved in the storyline and (although dated) decent special effects (for their time) that you really don't notice.
This is a MUST-HAVE for any sci-fi buff!
73 Not Eps 1 and 5 but the edited 3 hour pilot
As stated elsewhere, this is not eps 1 and 5 re-edited into a two hour plus movie but a re-edited version of the three hour pilot that ran on ABC. Universal, hoping to recoup the costs of this costly project, re-edited the TV movie and released it theatrically first in Canada (prior to it's premiere on ABC) and then in the USA (AFTER it's premiere on ABC).
To see the original three hour pilot catch it on the SCI FI channel where it airs in three parts. (Baltar lives, thus creating a nemesis for Adama).
This film was sighted as one of Hollywood's biggest rip-offs in Michael Medved's "Golden Turkey Awards" for having the gaul to release a film theatrically that had already aired almost frame for frame on television.
As far as the DVD transfer, well, visually it's fine but the audio is poor at best. Some neat supplemental material but ultimately a disappointemnt.
74 The most famous failure ever?
This movie, and the series that followed it, must have been spectacular failures, in the best sense, because now, twenty years later, you can still see clips from it in those commercials starring Howie Long and Terri Hatcher. In other words, the special effects were great fifteen to twenty years before computer effects were invented. Admittedly, this was its best feature, the effects, but the story is well told too, and deserves to be seen. The reason, by the way, that the series was cancelled was not because of low ratings, but because of the high budget. Galactica deserved a five-year run, but fans will have to be happy with this movie until the powers that be finally get going and film some new material involving Galactica, which they've been talking about doing for years and years.
75 Star Wars fans are just a LITTLE envious methinks
...Now to actually review Galactica. The plot is, as youprobably guessed, that a bunch of robots called Cylons (Who ARE likeStormtroopers in that they can't aim strait except when conveniant for story advancement) pretty much screwed over all KNOWN human colonies so they're headed for Earth. I fell in love with the ah-so-original storyline right away. Then we have the excellent characters... except Boxy, I really hate dumb-little-kid types who are there for nothing more than plot gimmicks.
The only reasons I don't give this movie 5 stars is one, because I try never to give perfect reviews, two, because of Boxy, and three, because of his dumb dog.
76 A DVD release that could have been so much better
This is the theatrical release of the pilot movie "Saga of a Star World." It was released in "Sensaround" sometime after the series premiered on television. A lot of footage was cut (perhaps 10-20 minutes worth), but a few additional shots are added such as a certain villain's execution. Universal missed an excellent opportunity to release an uncut version of the pilot movie. Instead what we get is what was already released on video with matts added for a widescreen effect--effectively cutting the top and bottom off the picture. Shame on you Universal!
77 Holds up well
The music, the effects, some of the acting... It was all above and beyond what had been attempted up to that point on TV (1978). It all holds up well over twenty years later, although it could be improved with a new TV or motion picture version, which I will continue to hope for. One small detail I must point out: I've seen it mentioned several times, the last occasion by a reviewer slightly lower on this page, that this movie is a combination of the TV pilot and the 5th episode of the series. In reality, the 5th episode of Galactica was "The Long Patrol." There is no footage from "The Long Patrol" in this movie, so you don't have to worry about some hatchet editing job being done. This is simply the 3-hour pilot with about 20 minutes or so of footage edited out, so that it runs slightly over 2 hours. I don't know how, why or where this 5th episode reference began, but it is not true.
78 Battlestar galactica
Me gusto mucho la pelicula, pero megustaria saber si ustedes comercializan esta pelicula traducida al espa–ol o con subtitulos en espa–ol. Desde ya muchas gracias por su respuesta.
Cordiales saludos.
Brummell Pommerenck
79 Episode reveals how Earth could have been the 13th colony.
This is a very good episode. It kind of gives you some of the history of the Colonies Founding Fathers, the Lords of Kobol. It unvails some of the mystique about how the Colonies came to be and how our Earth could have been the Thirteenth Colony. This episode links certain aspects of Earth's history to the history of Kobol. I enjoyed this episode a lot. I have all of the episodes that are currently available on video and some of them are lame, but not this one.
80 VHS vs DVD
Don't let the widescreen format of the DVD version fool you into thinking you're going to get a bigger picture. The movie was a combination of episodes 1 and 5 of the series and MADE FOR TV. To make the DVD widescreen, they cut off the top and bottom of the screen so you lose part of the picture. I've got this movie in both the VHS and DVD formats, and to be honest I was expecting a lot more from the DVD. What little extras you get with the DVD just don't make it worth buying. Also, I didn't notice any real difference in the audio or video when comparing the two. So, if you're thinking of buying this movie, buy the VHS.
81 Star Wars meets the Mormon Church
I watched ALL of this series, including (unfortunately) the ill fated "Galactica 80). I loved it, and still do.
Some have noted a few things strange, however. Like the number 12, and some mysterious references that are not explained. If one will really notice, someone in the script department was a Mormon. This explains the number 12 being used all he time (as in, the "Council of the 12")(the Mormon church has this) and strange things Adama sometimes says ("As man is, God once was, as God is, man may become" at the end of one episode).
Now of this should detract from the charm of watching. I only wish they could have beefed up the sound for the DVD. Monoral in the 90's just does not hack it.
82 Battlestar Galactica
I really loved this as a kid but now that I am a little older more thought and sofistication could have been put into this. I believe that the story line is sound but several shortfalls in the script should have been caught. 12 Planets, 12 Battlestars, millions of people per planet. Does not add up. Should have had move Battlestars. Galactica comes under fire and waits a good deal of time to put up its shield but the Atlantia never does. The trap could have been handled much better with a couple of the Battlestars being destroyed protecting the planets and not at the peace accords. The acting was weak in several places. I believe a remake is in order with todays technology or at least a return to take back the Colonies, not in one movie of course. Maybe even a new TV Series. I was also disappointed that the DVD did not offer spanish in the dubbed/subtitled section. Millions of hispanics live in the U.S.A. Please add spanish to future releases! I really love the viper and the Battlestar. In general it is a movie worth seeing and having as part of any Sci-Fi collection.
83 Great to have Galactica on DVD, but...
There's a ton of footage that was cut and re-arranged from the original ABC TV Galactica pilot to make the theatrical version of Galactica (which is the version on the DVD). Universal would've been very wise to put the full, uncut version of the pilot on DVD, giving both die-hard and casual fans a glimpse of some footage which hasn't been seen in almost 22 years (although much of the cut footage HAS been re-instated for the frequent 3-part Sci-Fi Channel re-run of the pilot, some of it is still missing even in that version). The scenes shot for the movie should've been included, but specially marked as such. That way, anyone just dying to see Baltar's head cut off could program it in instead of the TV version of the scene, where he's spared. All the same, it's an excellent version of the theatrical Galactica, which was great fun...but there's so much that should've been on the DVD that isn't.
84 You can't call it cult. Too heavily bashed over the years.
This is one picture which actually managed to survive in the shadow of 'Star Wars'. What Galactica succeeded in doing was to outdo the plot of any of George Lucas's space soap-op epics (including this dreadfully overrated, digitally SFXed First Episode tripe) and throw in a great deal of other original elements in the bargain. The idea of Man on the run through space was a great reservoir to tap for a film and the opening narration by Patrick Macnee is reminiscent of Erich von Daniken's 'Chariots of the Gods?'. Other strong points include the work of John Dykstra who gave Galactica a fighting chance by injecting as many SFX into it as he had on 'Star Wars: A New Hope'. The sets are well designed and the fact that both the film and television series (the film was actually synthesised from episodes 1 and 5 of the series) had to keep to a none-too-loose budget hardly shows at all. What damaged the tv series and, to a lesser degree the film as well, was the acting and the lack of continuous shoot-em-up violence which had inspired countless kids who had seen 'Star Wars' to go out and buy X-wings and Tie-fighters. Colla was directing a cast culled from the wrong schools. Richard Hatch, for example, was great as Apollo, to be sure, but he had come in fresh from a soap opera background. This was not a film-oriented group of actors at all, which may have looked good for the series's prospects but the overall effect was to doom the series to a cult cathode following. Also, the Cylons (the B.G. equivalent of the Evil Empire) are just too unfrightening in form and they borderline being great targets for derision and comedy. One thing the film did get right was establishing a good story filled with terrific visuals, high symbolism and delivering a package which deserved to take on 'Star Wars' in critical treatment. While Dirk Benedict, Richard Hatch and Jane Seymour ensured a good-looking cast to rival that of 'Star Wars', luckily there was Lorne Greene to add depth as well, his immense screen presence and patriarchal method making the viewer see that this isn't a movie about space cowboys and injuns. A first-rate score and staggering special effects/art direction are the main players here. 'Battlestar Galactica' had the misfortune to be dwarfed in apparent glory by 'Star Wars' and drowned out utterly by the advent of 'The Empire Strikes Back'. In short, it was sandwiched to death by a competitor and assailed as being too mushy by too many to have ever been capable of being on par with that competitor. Too bad. Still, this picture retains a high entertainment value today. For those who claim it looks too dated, consider that it was Glen Larson's idea to give much of the costume design the look of an ancient-futuristic fusion. The movie is the perfect screen vehicle for the series. From the television series, I'd recommend 'Fire In Space', 'Murder on the Rising Star', 'Lost Planet of the Gods' and 'The Long Patrol' if you enjoyed the movie. However, a word of caution is due here: keep away from the ill-fated 'Galactica '80' series or any of its components. This was the follow-up to the original series and it single-handledly banged the last few nails into Galactica's coffin, as far as ABC and its viewers were concerned. You have to wonder just how many fans became ex-fans because of that alone.
85 Still good
I remember watching "Battlestar Galactica" fondly when I was a kid. I still liked the movie after all these years. Some of the aspects of this movie may not excite children of today who are accustomed to CGI effects. The battle scenes, in particular, seem monotonous compared to newer projects that are able to have more exciting POV's. However, I think Lorne Greene and the other actors are great. I would buy other Battlestar Galactica DVDs as they come available.
86 Underrated
Yet it has managed to survive in the minds of many science fiction fans even after over 20 years. (Yes, I am a BG fan, but not fanatical enough to say "yahrens.") If it has lived this long, it certainly must have some redeeming qualities and not be just another Star Wars ripoff.
This movie -- the pilot for the series -- and a number of other episodes including "War of the Gods," "Experiment in Terra" and "The Long Patrol" showed what this series could supply at its best. Let's all hope there is a new BG movie or series coming out soon, as the revivalists predict, because we (the fans, as well as the fanatics) deserve one.
87 at last my await finally ended
i remember clearly, i was 7 years old when i saw the tv series of galactica, and for me, after starwars is the best movie of his kind, suddenly 2 months a go,a very close dear friend from Monterrey Mexico ,sent me the movie,i felt so many things when i saw it, i have no words to describe the feelings in my mind, i looked for it for almost TEN YEARS. In my own country and in the US, never found it , i just have to say , that is like a dream come true, and i hope the people of MCA make a new Film.. it worthsÁÁÁ,thanks Ps. Thanks Cometin siempre te lo agradecere =)
88 New movie please
Seeing this again, and hearing the many rumors and stories going around that Battlestar Galactica may be poised to make a comeback as a movie or tv show, has got me all excited about this becoming a reality. Put these actors and situations into a new movie, please. It would be fantastic, just like this original 3 hour tv show, that is packaged here as a movie. Good effects, good story, good time.
89 New movie please
Seeing this again, and hearing the many rumors and stories going around that Battlestar Galactica may be poised to make a comeback as a movie or tv show, has got me all excited about this becoming a reality. Put these actors and situations into a new movie, please. It would be fantastic, just like this original 3 hour tv show, that is packaged here as a movie. Good effects, good story, good time.
90 Give it a break
There are quite a few reviews, going in to depth, about many of Galactica's shortcomings in terms of plot. This may rightfully be so, but I don't think it's getting the respect it deserves. Yes, it IS hard to believe that 12 entire planets could get wiped out so easily when the Colonials have been at war with the Cylons for so many centuries. It should have been only one planet that got destroyed, but the makers obviously fell in love with the astrology motiff (Capricans, Sagitarians, etc.).
This destruction was needed to set up the series that followed this movie, however. And I think the premise was established fairly credibly, with terrific special effects (even by today's standards), and with lots of fast-paced action. This way, the premise is established without too much time to think about it.
The Galactica is off in space and now the adventures can continue. There are many plot holes in all types of sf. Why would the Death Star in Star Wars, for example, spend time going around the planet Yavin when they wanted to destroy the rebels' base. They could have just destroyed the planet with their laser cannon, reloaded, and shot the moon. Right? If you want to, you can find holes in Battlestar Galactica, too, of course. But why spend time trying to tear apart something that is supposed to be fun, light fair?
91 Partially entertaining Star Wars ripoff
I must admit that when I first saw this show back in '77 & '78 I was wowed by the special effects, especially since the best TV special effects at that point were the original Star Trek and Space 1999.
However after viewing it with a more discerning eye this thing is an obvious attempt to cash in on the amazing popularity of Star Wars. The Cylons are obviously taken from the Stormtroopers, the Cylon Base Ships are just round Star Destroyers, the Colonial Vipers are knock-offs of the X-Wings, even the font design for the opening credits is influenced by Star Wars. They even have a planet explode.
The plot has some seriously gaping holes which are spelled out below by another reviewer.
The special effects are pretty good, although obviously optically composited, and the DVD transfer really highlights the visible "ghost box" that surrounds smaller ships when you use optical technology. The other problem with the effects is that since they were on a pretty tight budget, certain special effect shots are recycled throughout the show including various explosions & ship maneuvers.
Good for a few memories, but nearly impossible to seriously watch more that twice.
If all you want is fantastic battle sequences without the burden of plot details, check out Wing Commander.
92 Love it or hate it
Is what it probably comes down to. I think one of the most underrated things about Galactica is the music. Top-notch. Same for the sound effects. And though they may be 20 years old now, the special effects are better than most of the computer-generated ones on the air today.
93 are you guys for real?
If you like science fiction and action adventure where all logic is thrown out the window, then this is definately the film for you.
At the beginning, there are twelve colonies of man. We must assume that each of these planets is technilogically developed and must have a population of at least a billion per planet, right? Then how come the entire colonial fleet consists of only twelve battlestars? A civilazation of that great a population and industrial capacity would have thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands, of such ships.
So the human race has decided to finally make peace with the Cylons. So this means that they automatically just lower all their defenses and leave themselves totally vunerable to attack? A species that stupid would never have developed faster than light travel.
When the cylons do attack the colonies, the only descernable weapons they seem to use are a few well placed lazer beams, not even the equivalent to what the germans used during the blitz of London. I think it would take weapons of greater destructive power (hello? They developed faster than light travel but can't split an atom?) to wipe out an entire civilization.
So then what do the humans do, after their first defeat? They run away like scared rabbits. They leave the homes and communities that they have lived in for hundreds of generations after their first setback. Here's an idea: counterattack.
So we're going to find this lost colony called Earth. Great. Wonderful. Since the fleet can only go as fast as the slowest ship, it will only take a few million years to get there. And even when we do get there, whats to prevent the cylons (who've been following us the entire way) from just annialating it also. Thanks a lot, Commander Adama, you led them right to us.
On the subject of Commander Adama, who died and elected you leader? This this is the last remaining pocket of humanity left in the galaxy, shouldn't a demographic body be formed (especially since it is primarily made up of civilians and not military). I guess when you control the biggest and baddest ship in the fleet, democracy just sort of goes out the window. What we're dealing with here is basically a military dictatorship, with members of the dictator's immediate family conveniently placed in key positions.
How come no one ever disagrees with Adama or even questions his leadership? One of the things that made (and continues to make) shows like Star Trek great is that the characters don't always agree with each other. The line between right and wrong is often blurred. This creates conflict and tension. Its called drama.
One final thought. I thought there were only thirteen known colonies of man in the galaxy. Then how come every week they find another planet chock full of humans? Are these "unofficial" colonies of man? Why don't the cylons blow these guys up as well? Why don't he colonials just make there stand there? Or at least recruit some allies?
I gave it two stars because the original premise isn't half bad. If they do ever actually do a remake, though, the need to rework the entire thing from the ground up. Make it enjoyable for people over the age of eleven. Make it believable.
94 The 70s are back
The pilot for this '78-'79 TV series was indeed of motion picture quality. Fabulous special effects, particularly when you consider the year. Many of them surpassed even Star Wars' effects, partly, I suppose, because they were done by the same man -- Dystra. Story has some faults, particularly during the climax, but overall very nicely done. Deserves a better reputation. But it may be coming back in movie form by the makers of Wing Commander. Hope that they remember the original and build on it, instead of trying something completely new.
95 the vast reached of space
There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe...and they're the ones who made this film. In the seventh millenium of time, very close to dinnertime, the Galactic Fleet is invaded by a race of machines called the Cylons. They shoot blue lasers and talk as if they desperately need a throat lozange. They hate human beings, so they destroy them. It is a living. The head of the Cylon Empire is known as the Imperious Leader, and he likes to be put on a pedestal. Cylongs also like to play hockey, hence they are constantly wearing hockey gloves.
The Colonials, on the other hand, prefer tennis. This is where the conflict begins. Cylons, outraged that they cannot get a court, kill Apollo's brother, Zak. Zak had a terrible backhand anyway. Now Apollo must play with Starbuck.
After the colonies are destroyed, the Galactica knows that it must fly off into space. It know this because once it tried flying off into the ground and this was very painful. Space is much better. There is more room.
220 ships follow the Galactica, but the Galactica will not slow down, so the rag-tag fleet must go really fast, ignoring traffic signals and risks getting a ticket at every turn. They also risk getting attacked by the Cylons, but the Cylons always play hockey on Thursdays, so the humans are safe for the time being.
The time is being the seventh millenium, but I may have already said this. If I have not said this, I may have stated it instead. Either way, it is the seventh millenium and the humans must be in bed at the eighth millenium sharp, so pick up your cubits, get out of the casino on Carillon and get back up to the Galactica. You're going to be on duty tomorrow, after all.
96 2nd only to the original Star Trek
Of course Star Trek could not take advantage of special effects technology, so it had to rely much more on storytelling ability, which Galactica often lacked, as far as the series goes. This movie, however, was probably the second best episode produced in Galactica's brief one-year run, and I recommend it to anyone who is a sf fan.
97 Nostalgia Heaven
I watched the series when I was a kid. If you want a taste of your youth, this is one to watch with YOUR OWN KIDS. Unlike many things these days, this one is suitable for all ages. It was fun to watch again.
98 Still fun
Still good clean fun after all these years. I love the special effects, the costumes, the sets, the sound effects, the music....it's all great stuff.
99 The greatest
Battlestar Galactica is military science fiction that, in its better moments, is equal to Star Wars in quality. This movie, taken from the pilot, "Saga to a Star World," is one of the better episodes of the series and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys science fiction.
100 A reader?
I've read this movie many times over the last 20 years and it ranks right up there with the first two Star Wars movies and the first Planet of the Apes. I really hope they make a new movie based on this series that never had a chance to live up to its potential...to live period. Maybe they can get some of the same cast back too, mixed with younger viper pilots.
