Back when I taught middle school, I used to show students a variety of films for a unit where they practiced persuasive writing in the form of reviews. I tried to select titles most weren’t likely to have seen or were aware of, which generally meant a lot of older movies, particularly ones that I thought would illicit the biggest variety of responses…not counting eye-rolling groans over being forced to endure something their parents might have watched.
There was always the usual percentage of kids who poo-pooed anything that existed before they were born, as well as those whose personal tastes precluded reviewing anything without Adam Sandler with an open mind (which admittedly, might have been too much to ask from a room of slack-jawed seventh graders). And of course, some of them couldn’t put down their cellphones long enough to give a damn either way.
But many who were able to tear themselves away from Snapchat really liked Galaxy Quest, which I found interesting. The foundations of this film were built on satirizing a cultural phenomenon from their parents’ (or grandparents’) generation. Few of my students were aware of the old Star Trek TV shows or the fandom they inspired, so most of Galaxy Quest’s spot-on satiric elements were lost on them. Yet they loved it anyway.
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| Tim Allen reveals where he keeps his fan letters...both of them. |
I think that personal anecdote is a fitting testament to Galaxy Quest’s enduring appeal 25 years later. Had the film been strictly satire, its expiration date would’ve come-and-gone faster than you can say Scary Movie, the gags lost on anyone without a common frame of reference. But Galaxy Quest was more than satire. It was also a very clever and funny film in its own right, with engaging characters (as opposed to caricatures) and surprisingly affecting moments. One didn’t actually need to be familiar with sci-fi tropes or fan culture to find the whole thing amusing.
That, more than anything, is why my students enjoyed it, and why Galaxy Quest remains an enduring cult classic. Today, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who’s seen the film and didn’t like it, which is also the main reason I stopped showing it in class shortly after. Reading 20 seventh-grade papers sharing more-or-less the same glowing opinion makes for a really dull grading session.
For its 25th Anniversary, Paramount is releasing Galaxy Quest in 4K Ultra HD (a SteelBook option is also available). The overall image is pretty good, better than the previous Blu-ray, but the most significant upgrade is the Dolby Atmos audio track, which is suitably atmospheric and nicely balanced. In addition to a large selection of archival bonus material, this one includes a new 20 minute featurette with director Dean Parisot.
EXTRA KIBBLES
FILMMAKER FOCUS - This is a new featurette in which director Dean Parisot takes an affectionate look back at the making of the film.
FEATURETTES - Historical Documents: The Story of Galaxy Quest; Never Give Up, Never Surrender: The Intrepid Crew of the NSEA Protector; By Grabthar’s Hammer, What Amazing Effects; Alien School: Creating the Thermian Race; Actors in Space; Sigourney Weaver Raps (why, dear, why?).
DELETED SCENES
THERMIAN AUDIO TRACK (!)
DIGITAL COPY
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