United States

Story Outline: A 'riotously funny space-fiction', to quote the reaction of one well-known film critic, Tony Rayns. Dark Star is an American space-ship, manned by four jaded astronauts and a 'dead' commander who is wired for sound. Though they still look like bearded graduate students, the crew have been up there, destroying 'unstable' planets for twenty years. So, it's hardly surprising that morale and conditions on board are not good. There's a radiation leak, storage area nine was destroyed (and with it their supply of toilet paper), and they now doss down in what used to be the food storage locker. But, incredibly matters go from bad to worse when the pet alien scuttles off to the bomb-base and messes with the laser launching device.