To mark the 20th anniversary of a film that is a classic, but not necessarily received as one when it landed on screens, Galaxy Quest is out now on a bodacious Blu-Ray steel book. The Never give up! Never surrender! addition is just what longtime fans are going to need now, and at least by the holiday season—hint hint those who love fans of this classic that stars Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Sam Rockwell and Alan Rickman.
The story follows what happens when a group of washed stars of a 70s sci-fi television are visited by aliens who think they’re shows are historical documentaries. They need help from a great evil on the outer reaches of space and believe that this (in reality) group of actors—who have been making a living going to sci-fi conventions and those residuals from reruns—are the saviors they’ve been dreaming of. Before they know it, our earthbound actor/heroes are on the alien ship and playing a vital role in saving their new alien friends, but also the home planet of earth from a reptilian warlord.
Many, including this writer, think Galaxy Quest is one of the best Star Trek movies that … well, wasn’t a Star Trek movie. It’s an utter blast. It’s hilarious and above all else, it is firmly rooted in the sci-fi milieu and makes brilliant use of all the tropes of the genre in a way that is meant to provoke laughs, but also grabs us by its hauntingly real emotive grasp.
Casting is brilliant and witnessing the new steel book Blu-Ray of Galaxy Quest only reinforces that point. Time has been incredibly kind to these performances and I would venture so far as to say that are, each and every one, iconic.
Allen’s Jason Nesmith mirrors a certain larger-than-life fictional space commander—both in and out of character. It may be one of the comic’s greatest turns in his entire career. His arc is rich and the way David Howard and Robert Gordon script’s evolves his one-sided soul into a truly deserving hero is mesmerizing. Meanwhile, Weaver’s Gwen DeMarco shows she is much more than a pretty face and a funny line, and some could argue that it is only once she goes on this mission that she sees the true potential of who she is, on and off screen.
Then, there’s Rickman’s Alexander Dane. At the beginning of the film, he is firmly in a “just shoot me” mode. His face alone screams, “where has my career gone, after all I’m a Shakespearean trained actor toiling in hell.” Yet over the course of the events of Galaxy Quest, he rises to the moment(s) and in a stroke that mirrors every other character in the film, lives what he has only previously pretended to do on the small screen. I just adore how every soul in this fictional cast finds that everything that they needed to discern about how this pop culture icon has defined them is exactly what has them finding their best selves.
Same can be said about Tony Shalhoub’s Fred Kwan and Sam Rockwell’s Guy Fleegman. Have long adored both actor’s work, and since each has only elevated their gifts. What each achieved with Galaxy Quest is a lesson in finding your sweet spot. Each has a role that could have been a cardboard cutout of dozens of roles just like it previously. Yet they command every scene each is in in a manner that befits the character, but also the persona each has inhabited over the years since their “show” went off the air.
Enrico Colantoni, whether on Just Shoot Me (speaking of that phrase!) or Veronica Mars is one versatile actor. There is something unique about his alien, Mathesar, that is … well, out of this world. His performance in Galaxy Quest is nothing short of a true gift to audiences everywhere. His perceived naiveté is simply a character design that he exploits for laughs and endearment, better than anybody. We almost want a sequel (long rumored but never realized), just to see what Colantoni would do with his character.
When it comes to bonus features, sadly, there is no commentary track by director Dean Parisot. Yet, through many of the featurettes, audiences do get some great insight into the director’s point of view.
Historical Documents: The Story of Galaxy Quest is a great EPK-like look at how the film came together with awesome anecdotes from the cast and filmmakers. It really is a stunning story how the film was made and more importantly, the life it took on, long after it left theaters. It just goes to show that a studio should never give up on a flick, once it takes hold in the pop culture lexicon, it can elevate your film to heights never before dreamed of.
The Never Give Up, Never Surrender featurette puts the spotlight on “The Intrepid Crew of the NSEA Protector.” As documented earlier, this is one stunning cast and hearing them talk about their roles and working together is nothing short of pure joy—especially as a two-decade lone fan.
As a longtime appreciator of the visual magic of both Industrial Light and Magic (George Lucas’ company) and practical effects wizard Stan Winston, do not miss By Grabthar’s Hammer, What Amazing Effects. It delves deep into how both the Lucas effects house and Winston collaborated in a way that finds the real winners are the audience.
You can probably tell that I adore the work of Colantoni from what was written earlier, therefore you can imagine the profuse smiles that were produced by Alien School—Creating the Thermian Race. The esteemed actor takes us through the process of finding the character’s (iconic) voice and how he led the way when it came to the identifying personality traits of the aliens who drop in on the cast of Galaxy Quest and change everyone’s lives forever.
Sigourney Weaver Raps is exactly as it sounds, and it is bodaciously brilliant. Also enjoyable is the onscreen info provided about the aliens, ships and more with Galactopedia. Actors in Space took a unique (and fascinating) angle of getting inside the psyche of the cast as they made this film. Let’s just say that anticipation was high. Can you imagine how everyone felt when the film landed flat at the box office, only to triumph on home video and word of mouth since?
Film Grade: A
Bonus Features: A