Up until "Dark Star", crews of rocket ships were usually "spit and polish", highly disciplined members of a crew all working towards a common goal in harmony. This was the image of the astronauts as promulgated by NASA. Dark Star introduced the negative dynamic to spaceship crews: space travel was ho-hum, they had little contact with earth, and everyone had gotten sick of each other.
Dan O'Bannon used this to good effect in "Alien".
Also, the use of contemporary music was highly original and helped move the movie along.
The scene where they talk to the bomb was just a rip-off from Star Trek and the episode "The Ultimate Computer".
Dan O'Bannon used this to good effect in "Alien".
Also, the use of contemporary music was highly original and helped move the movie along.
The scene where they talk to the bomb was just a rip-off from Star Trek and the episode "The Ultimate Computer".