Episode Discussion: Stargate - the original movie

[Varthikes]

After debating whether or not I should start an episode-by-episode discussion/review of the series, I decided what the hell.

Over time, I will post a separate thread for each episode, working my way through all ten seasons of SG1 and the first four or five seasons of SGA. As well as the movies. Everyone is welcomed to respond with their own comments, too, of course.

So, to start off...


=============================

Stargate
the original movie

Personally, I really love the original movie. Emmerich and Devlin did a terrific job with the writing and directing. And, the music is some of David Arnold's best, especially considering that this movie was his first theme work--at least, that's what I remembering hearing from Devlin and Emmerich in the commentary. The scene where O'Neil and Jackson first meet Ra always sends a shiver up my back whenever I watch it. But, I must wonder how those masks on Ra and his guards work. They seem to fold up into their skins or nothingness.

The language barrier between the team and Abydonians was nicely done, I think. Love the part where O'Neil is trying to find out where Daniel is from the Abydonian children. And, the Abydonians reacting to Daniel's Eye of Ra necklace.

Wonderfully dramatic action sequences toward the end, cutting between outside with the Death Gliders, inside the pyramid with O'Neil fighting Anubis, and Ra and Daniel on the ship.

Other highlights for me were the digging up the stargate, and then turning it on. It's nice to see the things that carried over into the series and were used in all ten seasons of SG1 and into SGA. Like the kahwoosh of the gate and the dialling screen for SGC.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

I love the part where Danials figures out that they're speaking actually speaking ancient Egyption.

[Sionnach Glic]

Technicaly, the movie isn't an episode.

But yeah, a great film.

[Teaos]

I like the movie but is often the case you remember the bad more than the good.

I didn't like the children in it. I felt they added a cheesyness factor I could have done with out.

[Varthikes]

Technicaly, the movie isn't an episode.

According to my dictionary, "episode" is defined as "an incident in a series of events or a narrative".

If it was just the movie by itself, then I'd agree. However, in context with the rest of the series, the term "episode" could apply. Just like the Star Wars movies are designated Episode I, II, III, etc.

[Sionnach Glic]

Touché.

[Graham Kennedy]

I liked the original movie a lot. It was a B movie... but it just about transcended that with originality and clarity of concept. The idea of turning all the ancient egyptian stuff into super high technology was excellent, I thought. I thought Daniel the wimp was a bit overdone, and it was soo weird to see the guy off 3rd rock from the sun as a special forces type!

I read the book they wrote as a sequel, before the SG-1 series was made. Very interesting, very different take on the Stargate universe.

[Varthikes]

Trek crossover: Leon Rippy (General West) guest starred, for those who don't know, in TNG's "The Neutral Zone" as Sonny Clemens