If you think O'Neil's son shooting himself adds nothing to the story you're missing something. You're forgetting that the point of the mission was to find out what tech is there, if any, and destroy it - Whether they could get back or not. WITH NUKES! He was suicidal before the program going on a suicide mission. It is absolutely vital to the story.
Agreed. Also, O'Neill's backstory foreshadows how he becomes a mentor and "uncle" to Skaara. This benefits both characters. O'Neill begins to overcome his depression while Skaara grows into a mature leader.
@@paulanerruhrpott6188 I like them both, but generally agree. They're both fun popcorn sci-fi for me though, which is a type of movie I enjoy even if it's not generally winning many awards.
You should watch a movie Emmerich produced around the same time called The Thirteenth Floor. It's a weird sci fi simulation movie that feels like a golden age of hollywood era mystery noir romance. It got kinda forgotten because it released around the same time as The Matrix and a bunch of others. But it's based on a book from 1964. Involves "present day" and a simulation of 1930s los angeles. Really interesting movie. Some people shit on Craig Bierko's performance, but i think it perfectly fits the tone of the movie. Vincent DeNofrio is also in it playing multiple characters and is fantastic as always. And i think the cinematography is gorgeous throughout. Such an underrated movie.
Right after the technician announced the locking of the seven chevron, KA-WHOOSH! As the Stargate opened, it made what sounded to me like an unearthly roaring noise. Still gives me thrill-shivers to this day! 😲👍
The amazing thing about the whole SG movie and TV series is the continuity. Take a premise, build on it, discover a flaw, make the solution a part of the story, refer back to previous events, technology and the science and history (lore) being continually advanced and revised, without being "ret-conned". You know, like reality?!
They really show how much they who crew and cast really cared about the show. It's part of why it's still watchable in a way stuff like TNG & Voyager aren't. Add in Kurt Russel, and I'm camping out for tickets! He was one of my favourites at the time. And RDA in the series was a brilliant choice. I kinda wish he'd done the film, sometimes.
To be fair, they did plenty of retconning as well; but they did try to ground it somewhat. I have a wild hypothesis that Stargate is a fictionalized version of what might actually be happening in real life. Just imagine if someone leaked the “truth,” the government or other entities could point to the tv show as a way to provide plausible deniability. There’s even a play on that within the show where an alien guy whose memories have been erased creates a tv show in the Stargate universe called “Wormhole Extreme” based on the “reality” of the Stargate program. At one point Carter asks why the Air Force didn’t shut it down and the answer from Jackson is that the show provides plausible deniability. Could art be imitating life by having art imitate life? Talk about Meta! 😂 As absurd as it sounds, it makes sense in a perverse way and could explain a lot about what’s happening right now with the whole UFO/UAP thing.
Great movie overall. But two things stand out for me. First, the score! Absolutely incredible music and sound design! And secondly, Jay Davidson. Jay’s portrayal of Ra is completely unique and extremely memorable. Loved Stargate. One of the first movies I remember seeing in theatres.
It’s almost too bad Jaye was more into his music career. He only did Stargate because they actually agreed to the $1 million dollar fee he threw at them to try to make them go away. Unfortunately for him, they agreed to his salary requirement! He would have made some great films.
Literally my take, word for word. And while the soundtrack does get lots of praise everywhere, Jay's performance not as much. But he has left an imprint for how I see sci-fi gods: ruthless, vain, androginous, terrifying
My sister and I went opening night. It had been a rough week, and we just wanted "two hours off the tour" and a meal before going home and crashing. Sis thought it was good for what it was, but I fell in love with it. It's beautiful, but it has the intellectual appeal of language discovery, first contact with alien civilizations, and interesting characters.
The score is timeless!!!! one of my favorites,I listen to it every now and the. I like the movie too, but man the show is just AWWWSOME!! Mainly season 3-8
Agreed, the tv series is so good but I actually think the Ben Browder seasons are really good. I think the series filale (Unending) is possibly the best of any sci-fi show I've ever seen, and I've seen them all.
This is the first film I remember seeing. I was nine years old, and on holiday in Greece. There was a night time open-air cinema and the film showing was Stargate. had a big bag of gummy sweets, a blanket to stay warm, and the film being projected onto the side of a big, white wall. Incredibly fond memories attached to this, and it's one of very few films that still evoke the same feelings I had when I was young. Thanks Rowan for shining a light on that feeling of wonder and adventure.
When I try to get friends into SG1 and Atlantis, the Stargate movie is a great way to get them into the franchise. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it introduces the world and characters just enough leaving people wanting more. Thanks Rowan for the retrospective!
The movie is good, the series is just better, especially atlantis late season 2 onward. Also tealc indeed adds a lot of gravitas to the cast. also i like rd and the new jackson more, but then series benefits.
@@marocat4749Michael Shanks does an incredible job of inhabiting Spader's performance as Jackson. He's recognisably the same guy (unlike O'Neil - with one L. There's another guy with two, he's no fun at all) but is able to evolve and deepen the character without losing his core identity as established in the film. Incredible job.
Stargate as a film was definitely a film at the right place and time. In 1994, while I didn't see it then, it was one of those films that was in my mind, when it came out in a little format called DVD as one of the first titles made for it. I still have that copy in the collection, and it gets really weird to go back to a film that is on DVD, but works as a laserdisk.
I have an extensive DVD collection and still adding to it; because you never know when the Woke Brigade will try to have films you enjoy, 'altered' or removed from circulation.
I'm sure you'll get to this in later parts, but Stargate the movie, whilst heavy on character tropes and backstories that went nowhere, really used that as an effective springboard when the series got going. There's an amazing scene in the well liked "Window of Opportunity" (Stargate meets Groundhog Day) where O'Neill pleads with the antagonist who has lost his wife and claims O'Neill can't understand what that feels like. "I lost my son! I know!!" and it's really powerful, especially as it comes straight after Jack walks him through the repetition of loss and pain. It's also great because this is a capable soldier using diplomacy, negotiation and empathy, rather than violence. The whole story, in which O'Neill and Teal'c have to learn a new language, learn new concepts and keep calm, is a nice touch. It's similar with Jackson. Although you give him a bit more nuance, Jackson during the series really went on a significant character arc. Sure, he had the confidence of knowing his fringe science was correct, but he lost his wife and was constantly uppity and lacking in respect for the military structure and for the team. He eventually becomes something of a spiritualist, which I always found a nice counter to the scientist, and I personally liked his run ins with the Ori and Ancients. You can make similar about Carter and Teal'c in time. Both of them start somewhat 1 dimensional, but over time are given ways to expand and humanise them. I especially like "Death Knell" as an example, in which Carter is hunted by Anubis' supersoldier, a literally unkillable new technology in which she has to just survive. It would have been easy to make her a Mary-Sue or a damsel in distress, but it's well balanced. She's a resourceful soldier and a great scientist, but she's not superhuman and needs her team. Earlier episodes were admittedly somewhat hamfisted - "just because my genitals are on the inside doesn't make me any less capable" (funny as a meme, tacky on reflection) - but over time they got it right. Last year I re-watched all series of all Stargate's, and it still holds up pretty well. Sometimes the effects are a tad dated, and in the earlier seasons it could be a bit jarring when you know how people and storylines develop, but it really finds itself. You're not going to only have successes across 17 seasons and 3 distinct series, but a lot of it is still very enjoyable watching
The entire scene of Ra and his guards unmasking was so memorable and epic. In a way, Stargate continued the original Battlestar Galactica's concept of ancient Earth civilizations being rooted in alien cultures.
I can comfortably call Stargate my favourite Roland Emmerich film and one of my favourite films of all time. I still have a vague memory of seeing this film as a young kid when I was at my nan's for a weekend. I think about to that memory fondly. This is the kind of sci fi that I want to make where it infuses ancient cultures, mythology and history. Because of that, this is an inspiration for me. And that score by David Arnold. One of my absolute favourites. If I had a film that had that score with it, I'd be really happy and accomplished. Also, this film has some similarities to Atlantis: The Lost Empire, another one of my favourite films. At least, I see the similarities. And despite not having seen SG-1, I've watched Stargate: Atlantis and it's one of my favourite shows.
Emmerich being white savior is what kills it. Take the same movie, have Fincher or whomever clean up the worst bits of the script, and it's a wonderful idea. As is I'm bored or stupefied by the characters and just waiting for the SFX.
I can't wait for part 2 on SG1! I grew up watching it with my dad as it aired. It grew into a family event call "SiFi Friday", where we'd watch SG1, SGA, and Doctor Who.
I was in high school when it came out. It was my favorite movie of that year. I liked it so much, I wrote a very positive review of it for the school paper. One of my earliest pieces of published writing.
I love stargate so much. I watched it first while home sick from school and was blown away by it. I loved Indiana jones and star wars....and stargate kinda mashed the two together. Ill never forget that day.
Part 2 shuld be good considering SG1 is considerd by many fans, as a masterclass in world building. With useing a large number of parallel on going storylines, a number of witch don't even get resolved in SG1. Some turn up in the two films and some in the folow on shows. I hope the show that is geting made for Amazon will be good. But as everyone reminds Carter "You never forget your 1st." then she nomaly says "You blow up a star one time and you never stop geting reminded of it." 🙂
You have a fleshed-out world built when a main character in one of your series can furrow their brow and ask with sincere puzzlement _"What's a Goa'uld?"_
And they never even had to do a musical episode. However, they ran several other fun or homage episodes, like the Groundhog's Day time loop and Wormhole Extreme, and the follow-up film-pitch idea episode ("200").
My Egypt phase didnt start until my 40's about 15-20 years ago, when I discovered the wonderful lectures by Bob Brier. Haven't stopped since. I guess Dinosaurs and Spitfires consumed MY childhood.
I definitely consider Stargate to be Emmerich’s best film. While that’s a fairly low bar - I do think Stargate deserves to be counted among one of the best sci-fi movies of the 90’s.
This film is a guilty pleasure of mine. Whenever i see it, i typically end up watching it. Kurt Russell was such a hardass and a perfect compliment to james spader's character.
Saw this film when it debutted at the cinema and LOVED it !!!! GREAT movie,loved the Egyptian lore ( I was very interested in Egyptian history and other ancient societies,etc,etc,.. ) liked the military involvement also ( i served 7 yrs in the navy and 7 yrs in the army ) lots of extras quit the film,because of the heat of the desert ( over 100 degrees or more ) I did 4 deployments to Iraq,on my first tour to Camp TQ,the temp was: 140 degrees.There were other places in Iraq hotter than at TQ. The final battle in the desert was-GRAND-and-EPIC. This is a-GREAT-retrospective video-WELL-DONE.
I saw this in cinemas and as a 13yr old i loved it. Then when SG-1 started, the world building and characters really grew. Atlantis followed and eventually Universe. I wish we could get some more.
If you want more SG-1 and SGA I highly suggest the novels by Fandamonium. While not tv show cannon they were MGM approved. For a possible way things could have continued at the end of Atlantis TV-Show check out the Legacy books. Writing is great and really captures all the characters we love, action, lore, and humor.
If thirty plus years ago is modern, how far do you have to go back to leave modern? Movies have only existed a bit over a hundred years, so going back 30 percent just for this movie, and still calling it modern, does create the suspicion that maybe the commenter is older than the movie and then some.
The last time I saw this movie was in March of this year and I realized how difficult it is to play a character who does not speak the language of the viewer or does not even speak at all but you still understand their every sentence and gesture. Jaye Davidson stole the show but a big applause to Milli Avital, Alexis Cruz and Erick Avari. Every time I see a review of this movie they always mention only Davidson but the rest of the cast did a great job too.
I remember going to see this in theatre as a teen who had no idea what he was in for. Absolutely love this film and the franchise it ended up creating.
As a sci-fi fan from childhood, and seeing many versions of the same films in different ways, I find the theatrical cut to be a superior version of this story. In the theatrical version, the only “alien artifact” seen besides the Stargate is the necklace. This keeps the mystery of the story going for a lot longer. Seeing an alien in the beginning of the directors cut undermines the mystery as you are made aware of the external threat long before it arrives.
I'll never forgot when I was a child and my family were vacationing, staying in some random hotel somewhere. And as we flipped through channels to find something to watch I saw a scene of people pulling a big circle thing out of the sand in Egypt that clearly didn't belong there. It stuck with me for over a decade until my uncle told me about one his favorite movies called "Stargate."
I saw this at the cinema when it first came out. I was at university at the time. I fell asleep it was so boring! That the amazing TV series ever got made off the back of this is a blessed miracle!
Really looking forward to seeing the future parts - as I sincerely hope you cover the fantastic SG-1, the incredible Atlantis and the not-so-great Universe.
I think the idea of having O’Neill’s loss is to give off borderline suicidal vibe is to illustrate a character who would gladly volunteer to carry out a suicidal mission. I believe the rationale was supposed to be we know this guy will sacrifice himself if need be i.e. stay behind and blow up the gate from the other side.
I came to Stargate as a teenager in the 1990s through the novelization by Stephen Molstad. While I appreciated the film, and enjoyed the tv series that followed, it was this primary encounter as a book which frames the story in my mind. And having been written as a novel, it included so many more details that the film & tv show just never got around to to addressing.
Still to this day I remember watching this in the cinema as a teenager. So many great points but highlights definitely include the score and the cinematography of the film, along with the actors and the cutting edge VFX of the day (which Id argue still hold up very well) with the ultimate being when they first step through the gate. Watching the starfield and then the journey through space on a giant cinema screen was unbelievably amazing, still gives me chills as I speak about it. Its a definite proud addition to my DVD collection. And for bonus points, the follow up series with SG1, despite the cast change actually really did the film justice and then became a jewel of its own while still remaining true to its origin.
5:54 Ooooh, I see now where the weird bulky design for the Goa'uld Troop transport from the SG1 series came from. In "Full Circle" there is a similar one landing in the desert, didn't even know that was an intentional homage for the original design of the Death Gliders, interesting.
How timely. I just rewatched ‘Stargate’ a few nights ago. It’s the only movie in which I find James Spader palatable. Yes, ‘Stargate’ has held up all these years as solid entertainment. To this day, the scene where the comically clumsy Spader explains the meaning of the chevrons and the necessity for (at least) seven to dial a point in 3-dimensional space gives me chills. Even though I just read Kurt Russell is a Republican, his badass crew cut and blue eyes easily rivals ‘Snake Plissken’ in ‘Escape from New York.’ My first glimpse of French Stewart, a superb actor. Lastly, give it up for the flawless Viveca Lindfors. 👍
I can't believe Stargate is 30 years old! It's a bonafide classic in my book. I first watched Stargate on grainy VHS tape as a kid way back in 1995 and I recall being struck with wonder throughout the film. The idea of the stargate was genius - it's not a spaceship, it's a magic door that can send travellers lightyears through space in an instant. Interstellar travel suddenly felt attainable and kind of grounded. I loved the ancient Egypt theme (and genre) and how it's intelligently weaved into space aliens and sci-fi. And it would be criminal to not mention David Arnold's epic soundtrack, which as you said, it really sells that sense of adventure, wonder and scale. The whole thing is a rollicking good time. Side note: Coincidentally, for the past few days I've been watching clips of Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis. I don't know why the TH-cam algorithm recommended it to me given I wasn't watching anything to do with space or sci-fi, but I'm glad I did. Lots of nostalgia. Such great shows.
I remember driving by the dunes when they were filming it and thinking what the heck is that when seeing the army and pyramid. Obviously it was a movie but we couldn't know which one for a while. I had the same problem when they changed the entire entrance to the library at my school one weekend and later found out it was the Star Trek the JJ Abrams film. The thing is all the materials say the dunes are in Yuma, AZ, but they are not. They are about 10 miles west of Yuma on the CA border side. It's a state park where the dunes are, a CA state park, not AZ. They said the same thing about Return of h Jedi being filmed in Yuma too. Nope, same park. When driving Interstate 8 just west of the Colorado River, (the divider between CA/AZ) the dunes are on the south side near the rest area.
Having watched Stargate for the first time in the theatre when I was 9, it will always hold a special place in my heart due to nostalgia; but apart from that, it is still a movie I enjoy to rewatch to this day from time to time: its writing is not the deepest or the most original, but soundtrack, visuals, settings and most of the performances were on spot, which made it stand the test of time quite well - also thanks of the use of practical effects rather than too much 90s CG.
I only watched SG for the first time recently and didn't grow up watching the shows. I did however drop into Stargate: Universe when it premiered. I thought it was kinda cool that the multiple series had been going for so long that it's set in its own Alternate Present Day, with the original movie as the diverging point.
While I'm here for the show, I can't ignore what the movie brought with it's pure scale and presentation. There would be no SG-1 without Stargate 1994.
I remember seeing the movie on TV I think as part of the SG1 launch, because I distinctly remember being at a friend's house and bits of that movie, then the part with the SG1 pilot where Jack convinces Teal'c to come with him. Though it must've been a rerun of the actual launch though, because this was middafternoon on a Saturday or Sunday.
I miss the 90s. I remember how many user-created maps for Unreal Tournament '99 were set in Egyptian-themed arenas, probably because of the climactic battle scene in this film.
I think we should recognise the great work Patrick Tatopolous did on this film, especially since (considering the slicked back hair, soul patch and large gold earring) he was DEFINITELY moonlighting in adult films as a sexy TV repair man.
0:42 I hear you, man. The proper mix of fantasy and sci-fi is mind blowing for a nerdy kid. I experienced it with Might&Magic RPG 25 years ago and I still can't let it go.
I enjoy this film in spite of its flaws. But the single most unbelievable thing in the whole movie...more so than any of the technology, aliens, intergalactic travel...is the casting of French Stewart as a rough-and-tough soldier. I'd cast John Goodman as Little Orphan Annie before I'd ever put French Stewart in a military uniform.
Saw SG in cinema back when it was released. with no youtube, no one was prepared for that ride. Especially the first dial with heavy subs in the movie theatre and the moment they went through the gate, the whole theatre went nuts. The passage sequence was crazy and when I saw how they did it years later, I had a good laugh. Overall it was a great looking, sometimes a bit slow stepping movie with one of the most memorable scores ever.
love this movie and the spinoff shows. I remember reading about how they wanted to use miniatures and models for most of the visual effects, only adding CGI here and there (staff blasts toward the end, etc). it's by far my favorite Emmerich movie, though he did some other cool stuff in those days heh
I also agree that the extended cut of Stargate is the superior version. I would definitely get this on Blu-ray. Are used to have most of the Stargate and SG one series. The only one that I did not finish collecting on DVD was Stargate universe
The 90's was a great period for sci-fi with many fantastic films seeming to come out of nowhere like Stargate and The Fifth Element. Most of the 80's was spent trying to imitate Star Wars or to a lesser extent Terminator and Alien. From Robocop in the late 80's through the 90's is when it found it's own voice again and often from lesser known European directors and creators. This also flowed through to some pretty unexpected TV hits as well such as Farscape , Stargate SG1, and Deep Space Nine 9 which really pushed the boundaries of popular scifi into new territory. It was an exciting time to be a sci-fi fan.
I still remember seeing this movie in one of those traditional cinemas with an actual stage. It blew my mind, I hadn't seen anything like that before. When the TV show came out I had alot of doubt whether it would be as good as the movie. Amazingly as much as I liked the movie, the TV series FAR surpasses it. Can't wait for part 2!
As much as I prefer SG1 to the movie the movie will always have a place in my heart. It was the first date of my future wife and I way back in 94. Love this, and March can’t come soon enough. Keep up the good work.
Stargate is awesome on the big screen I saw it at one of the last of old school theaters with a balcony section and big pillars and deep red curtains its a hell of a fun ride I cant wait for the TV series retrospective
when I saw it for the first time back in late 90s I was blown away by its creativity, costumes and grand scale. the movie was not enough for he star gate universe and the TV series was a prize continuation of that story.
In the 90’s i remember this not being great but watching it now it’s a great little story that is unmatched by any modern hollywood films. Film making has taken a huge step away from good story telling
Beautiful music - definitely recalls the classic Hollywood era. Holst meets Williams meets Herrmann. I remember loving this film when it first showed on UK television when I was a child, about the same time I played the best video game of all time (in my opinion), Metal Gear Solid (1998, but 1999 here in the UK).
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When will you consider looking at Blake’s 7???
@@r8chlletters@stamfine has just done a second that might keep you going for now.
@@r8chllettersI always felt guilty about not liking it more.
Like I SHOULD be liking it.
But original Tomorrow People was more my obscure UK niche.
@@MlleAdler I enjoyed the film even if it was a little silly but never watched the tv show which I wouldn’t waste my time on.
@@r8chlletters SG-1 is a good show if you don't take it too serious, but very much a product of the times, a show doesn't go 10 seasons if it sucks.
If you think O'Neil's son shooting himself adds nothing to the story you're missing something. You're forgetting that the point of the mission was to find out what tech is there, if any, and destroy it - Whether they could get back or not. WITH NUKES! He was suicidal before the program going on a suicide mission. It is absolutely vital to the story.
I wanted to say the same
Agreed. Also, O'Neill's backstory foreshadows how he becomes a mentor and "uncle" to Skaara. This benefits both characters. O'Neill begins to overcome his depression while Skaara grows into a mature leader.
@@TheVeritas1 indeed 🤨
Exactly. It is crucial and very well used
Ditto.
I think it's Roland Emmerich's best film. It's the closest he has come to that Spielberg vibe he tries so hard to capture.
Yeah, i prefer it over Independence Day which is considered to be Emmerichs best film.
@@paulanerruhrpott6188 I like them both, but generally agree. They're both fun popcorn sci-fi for me though, which is a type of movie I enjoy even if it's not generally winning many awards.
Re-watched it just the other day on TV. I remember getting it either for free or heavily discounted when I bought Independence Day on VHS!
You should watch a movie Emmerich produced around the same time called The Thirteenth Floor. It's a weird sci fi simulation movie that feels like a golden age of hollywood era mystery noir romance. It got kinda forgotten because it released around the same time as The Matrix and a bunch of others. But it's based on a book from 1964. Involves "present day" and a simulation of 1930s los angeles. Really interesting movie. Some people shit on Craig Bierko's performance, but i think it perfectly fits the tone of the movie. Vincent DeNofrio is also in it playing multiple characters and is fantastic as always. And i think the cinematography is gorgeous throughout. Such an underrated movie.
I think you are right.
Stephen Sommers tried that too and succeeded multiple times. So bad he's not in Hollywood amymore.
Seeing them dialing the gate for the first time never fails to give me chills!
“Seventh chevron is locked!”
Same. Sometimes I put the movie on just for this scene and crank up the bass so I can really feel it!
The permanent marker part of the scene still makes my eye twitch a little...
Right after the technician announced the locking of the seven chevron, KA-WHOOSH! As the Stargate opened, it made what sounded to me like an unearthly roaring noise. Still gives me thrill-shivers to this day! 😲👍
@@charleshamilton9274 Seventh chevron... also lit up.
The amazing thing about the whole SG movie and TV series is the continuity.
Take a premise, build on it, discover a flaw, make the solution a part of the story, refer back to previous events, technology and the science and history (lore) being continually advanced and revised, without being "ret-conned".
You know, like reality?!
They really show how much they who crew and cast really cared about the show. It's part of why it's still watchable in a way stuff like TNG & Voyager aren't.
Add in Kurt Russel, and I'm camping out for tickets! He was one of my favourites at the time. And RDA in the series was a brilliant choice. I kinda wish he'd done the film, sometimes.
To be fair, they did plenty of retconning as well; but they did try to ground it somewhat.
I have a wild hypothesis that Stargate is a fictionalized version of what might actually be happening in real life. Just imagine if someone leaked the “truth,” the government or other entities could point to the tv show as a way to provide plausible deniability.
There’s even a play on that within the show where an alien guy whose memories have been erased creates a tv show in the Stargate universe called “Wormhole Extreme” based on the “reality” of the Stargate program. At one point Carter asks why the Air Force didn’t shut it down and the answer from Jackson is that the show provides plausible deniability. Could art be imitating life by having art imitate life? Talk about Meta! 😂
As absurd as it sounds, it makes sense in a perverse way and could explain a lot about what’s happening right now with the whole UFO/UAP thing.
@@DJSockmonkeyMusic with two "L's
@@DJSockmonkeyMusic TNG is very rewatchable, Voyager, not so much.
@@mcclintick ta. I'm terrible at remembering spelling, I'm from that generation that grew up with pens AND autocorrect.
Great movie overall. But two things stand out for me. First, the score! Absolutely incredible music and sound design! And secondly, Jay Davidson. Jay’s portrayal of Ra is completely unique and extremely memorable. Loved Stargate. One of the first movies I remember seeing in theatres.
Totally agree
It’s almost too bad Jaye was more into his music career. He only did Stargate because they actually agreed to the $1 million dollar fee he threw at them to try to make them go away. Unfortunately for him, they agreed to his salary requirement! He would have made some great films.
Thing that stood out was the design. The helmets, weapons, ship, amazing.
@@keirfarnum6811y didn't know jaye had mudi. cser I kn he h kin pyrebl person lif thi. HD lot okay hgay sdx roms orvso thing like thet
Literally my take, word for word. And while the soundtrack does get lots of praise everywhere, Jay's performance not as much. But he has left an imprint for how I see sci-fi gods: ruthless, vain, androginous, terrifying
My sister and I went opening night. It had been a rough week, and we just wanted "two hours off the tour" and a meal before going home and crashing.
Sis thought it was good for what it was, but I fell in love with it. It's beautiful, but it has the intellectual appeal of language discovery, first contact with alien civilizations, and interesting characters.
The score is timeless!!!!
one of my favorites,I listen to it every now and the.
I like the movie too, but man the show is just AWWWSOME!! Mainly season 3-8
Agreed, the tv series is so good but I actually think the Ben Browder seasons are really good. I think the series filale (Unending) is possibly the best of any sci-fi show I've ever seen, and I've seen them all.
This is the first film I remember seeing. I was nine years old, and on holiday in Greece. There was a night time open-air cinema and the film showing was Stargate.
had a big bag of gummy sweets, a blanket to stay warm, and the film being projected onto the side of a big, white wall.
Incredibly fond memories attached to this, and it's one of very few films that still evoke the same feelings I had when I was young.
Thanks Rowan for shining a light on that feeling of wonder and adventure.
When I try to get friends into SG1 and Atlantis, the Stargate movie is a great way to get them into the franchise. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it introduces the world and characters just enough leaving people wanting more. Thanks Rowan for the retrospective!
The movie is good, the series is just better, especially atlantis late season 2 onward.
Also tealc indeed adds a lot of gravitas to the cast. also i like rd and the new jackson more, but then series benefits.
@@marocat4749Michael Shanks does an incredible job of inhabiting Spader's performance as Jackson. He's recognisably the same guy (unlike O'Neil - with one L. There's another guy with two, he's no fun at all) but is able to evolve and deepen the character without losing his core identity as established in the film. Incredible job.
Indeed
Stargate as a film was definitely a film at the right place and time. In 1994, while I didn't see it then, it was one of those films that was in my mind, when it came out in a little format called DVD as one of the first titles made for it. I still have that copy in the collection, and it gets really weird to go back to a film that is on DVD, but works as a laserdisk.
it's weirder on VHS
I have an extensive DVD collection and still adding to it; because you never know when the Woke Brigade will try to have films you enjoy, 'altered' or removed from circulation.
I'm sure you'll get to this in later parts, but Stargate the movie, whilst heavy on character tropes and backstories that went nowhere, really used that as an effective springboard when the series got going.
There's an amazing scene in the well liked "Window of Opportunity" (Stargate meets Groundhog Day) where O'Neill pleads with the antagonist who has lost his wife and claims O'Neill can't understand what that feels like. "I lost my son! I know!!" and it's really powerful, especially as it comes straight after Jack walks him through the repetition of loss and pain. It's also great because this is a capable soldier using diplomacy, negotiation and empathy, rather than violence. The whole story, in which O'Neill and Teal'c have to learn a new language, learn new concepts and keep calm, is a nice touch.
It's similar with Jackson. Although you give him a bit more nuance, Jackson during the series really went on a significant character arc. Sure, he had the confidence of knowing his fringe science was correct, but he lost his wife and was constantly uppity and lacking in respect for the military structure and for the team. He eventually becomes something of a spiritualist, which I always found a nice counter to the scientist, and I personally liked his run ins with the Ori and Ancients.
You can make similar about Carter and Teal'c in time. Both of them start somewhat 1 dimensional, but over time are given ways to expand and humanise them. I especially like "Death Knell" as an example, in which Carter is hunted by Anubis' supersoldier, a literally unkillable new technology in which she has to just survive. It would have been easy to make her a Mary-Sue or a damsel in distress, but it's well balanced. She's a resourceful soldier and a great scientist, but she's not superhuman and needs her team. Earlier episodes were admittedly somewhat hamfisted - "just because my genitals are on the inside doesn't make me any less capable" (funny as a meme, tacky on reflection) - but over time they got it right.
Last year I re-watched all series of all Stargate's, and it still holds up pretty well. Sometimes the effects are a tad dated, and in the earlier seasons it could be a bit jarring when you know how people and storylines develop, but it really finds itself. You're not going to only have successes across 17 seasons and 3 distinct series, but a lot of it is still very enjoyable watching
Early Stargate episodes would be panned now for being “woke”; but they grew into making Carter a real character that worked well in the series.
In the middle of my backswing!
The entire scene of Ra and his guards unmasking was so memorable and epic.
In a way, Stargate continued the original Battlestar Galactica's concept of ancient Earth civilizations being rooted in alien cultures.
i always found it jarring how those masks collapsed/melded into nothing.
That concept was present in Dune and a Foundation which far precedes SG.
I can comfortably call Stargate my favourite Roland Emmerich film and one of my favourite films of all time.
I still have a vague memory of seeing this film as a young kid when I was at my nan's for a weekend. I think about to that memory fondly.
This is the kind of sci fi that I want to make where it infuses ancient cultures, mythology and history. Because of that, this is an inspiration for me.
And that score by David Arnold. One of my absolute favourites. If I had a film that had that score with it, I'd be really happy and accomplished.
Also, this film has some similarities to Atlantis: The Lost Empire, another one of my favourite films. At least, I see the similarities.
And despite not having seen SG-1, I've watched Stargate: Atlantis and it's one of my favourite shows.
You've never seen SG1?
You should fix that...
Stargate's production and costume design is stunning and its musical score is top-notch epic!
Solid movie, still underrated. Good structure, pacing, art/costumes and epic music! Bit white-saviour-y but always loved it.
Emmerich being white savior is what kills it. Take the same movie, have Fincher or whomever clean up the worst bits of the script, and it's a wonderful idea. As is I'm bored or stupefied by the characters and just waiting for the SFX.
I can't wait for part 2 on SG1! I grew up watching it with my dad as it aired. It grew into a family event call "SiFi Friday", where we'd watch SG1, SGA, and Doctor Who.
I was in high school when it came out. It was my favorite movie of that year. I liked it so much, I wrote a very positive review of it for the school paper. One of my earliest pieces of published writing.
That's a very cool story.
Mine was ST: First Contact for our school paper. Great movies to write about. :) Fond memories of high school journalism!
Are you the famous writer Frank B Chavez III owner of many cats?
I love stargate so much. I watched it first while home sick from school and was blown away by it. I loved Indiana jones and star wars....and stargate kinda mashed the two together. Ill never forget that day.
Part 2 shuld be good considering SG1 is considerd by many fans, as a masterclass in world building. With useing a large number of parallel on going storylines, a number of witch don't even get resolved in SG1. Some turn up in the two films and some in the folow on shows. I hope the show that is geting made for Amazon will be good.
But as everyone reminds Carter "You never forget your 1st." then she nomaly says "You blow up a star one time and you never stop geting reminded of it." 🙂
You have a fleshed-out world built when a main character in one of your series can furrow their brow and ask with sincere puzzlement _"What's a Goa'uld?"_
And they never even had to do a musical episode. However, they ran several other fun or homage episodes, like the Groundhog's Day time loop and Wormhole Extreme, and the follow-up film-pitch idea episode ("200").
@@BogeyTheBear- Indeed!
One of my favorite films! James Spader just fills the screen. Your review is concise and informative. Thanks!
My Egypt phase didnt start until my 40's about 15-20 years ago, when I discovered the wonderful lectures by Bob Brier.
Haven't stopped since. I guess Dinosaurs and Spitfires consumed MY childhood.
Egypt is a cover story
The film is entertaining the TV show SG1 is EPIC so many good episodes and the cast are brilliant
The Stargate soundtrack was the second CD I bought as a teenager, the first one being the Jurassic Park soundtrack. I still love this soundtrack.
I definitely consider Stargate to be Emmerich’s best film. While that’s a fairly low bar - I do think Stargate deserves to be counted among one of the best sci-fi movies of the 90’s.
0:48 the arrangement of Stargate theme by Joel Goldsmith for the Stargate: The Ark of Truth
Oh my gosh please do an SG1 Retrospective! please! I love your reviews and retrospectives. This is another good one!
Saw this at age 6 and then became obsessed with it and then the show afterwards. Still love it to this day.
These retrospectives are the best videos of their kind on TH-cam. Excellent work as always.
This film is a guilty pleasure of mine. Whenever i see it, i typically end up watching it. Kurt Russell was such a hardass and a perfect compliment to james spader's character.
Saw this film when it debutted at the cinema and LOVED it !!!! GREAT movie,loved the Egyptian lore ( I was very interested in Egyptian history and other ancient societies,etc,etc,.. ) liked the military involvement also ( i served 7 yrs in the navy and 7 yrs in the army ) lots of extras quit the film,because of the heat of the desert ( over 100 degrees or more ) I did 4 deployments to Iraq,on my first tour to Camp TQ,the temp was: 140 degrees.There were other places in Iraq hotter than at TQ. The final battle in the desert was-GRAND-and-EPIC. This is a-GREAT-retrospective video-WELL-DONE.
I saw this in cinemas and as a 13yr old i loved it. Then when SG-1 started, the world building and characters really grew. Atlantis followed and eventually Universe. I wish we could get some more.
If you want more SG-1 and SGA I highly suggest the novels by Fandamonium. While not tv show cannon they were MGM approved. For a possible way things could have continued at the end of Atlantis TV-Show check out the Legacy books. Writing is great and really captures all the characters we love, action, lore, and humor.
Thanks for another great retrospective on a modern classic!
If thirty plus years ago is modern, how far do you have to go back to leave modern? Movies have only existed a bit over a hundred years, so going back 30 percent just for this movie, and still calling it modern, does create the suspicion that maybe the commenter is older than the movie and then some.
Guilty!🙋♀️
Egypt is why I became a history major. I absolutely love Stargate
The last time I saw this movie was in March of this year and I realized how difficult it is to play a character who does not speak the language of the viewer or does not even speak at all but you still understand their every sentence and gesture. Jaye Davidson stole the show but a big applause to Milli Avital, Alexis Cruz and Erick Avari. Every time I see a review of this movie they always mention only Davidson but the rest of the cast did a great job too.
Tiny correction: Devlin started as an actor- and was cast in 1990‘s „Moon 44“. That’s how they first met. 🤓
No love for Moon 44, surprised that wasn't mentioned as Emmerich's earlier films.
"Spruce Goose" DAAAMN!! Rowan throwing some shade here! It's called the HERCULES!! And it FLEW!!😉😉
oooh I didn't know they were the same plane.
Tks 4 making a retrospective of this great franchise 👍🎬😎
I remember going to see this in theatre as a teen who had no idea what he was in for. Absolutely love this film and the franchise it ended up creating.
I love being caught off guard by a film I knew nothing about
my favorite tv show of all time.. glad to hear your perspective
YES!!!!! Thank you for finally starting this retrospective. I remember watching this in the cinema when I was 12. It blew me and my dad totally away.
Awesome Work, Really Enjoy These.
Hell yes, been looking forward to you covering this franchise!
As a sci-fi fan from childhood, and seeing many versions of the same films in different ways, I find the theatrical cut to be a superior version of this story. In the theatrical version, the only “alien artifact” seen besides the Stargate is the necklace. This keeps the mystery of the story going for a lot longer. Seeing an alien in the beginning of the directors cut undermines the mystery as you are made aware of the external threat long before it arrives.
Amazing review, enjoyed it thoroughly. Great work and well done!
Absolutely wonderful. I don't think I could have described this film better. I am SO glad I stumbled across this! ❤
I'll never forgot when I was a child and my family were vacationing, staying in some random hotel somewhere. And as we flipped through channels to find something to watch I saw a scene of people pulling a big circle thing out of the sand in Egypt that clearly didn't belong there. It stuck with me for over a decade until my uncle told me about one his favorite movies called "Stargate."
I saw this at the cinema when it first came out. I was at university at the time. I fell asleep it was so boring! That the amazing TV series ever got made off the back of this is a blessed miracle!
Really looking forward to seeing the future parts - as I sincerely hope you cover the fantastic SG-1, the incredible Atlantis and the not-so-great Universe.
I think the idea of having O’Neill’s loss is to give off borderline suicidal vibe is to illustrate a character who would gladly volunteer to carry out a suicidal mission. I believe the rationale was supposed to be we know this guy will sacrifice himself if need be i.e. stay behind and blow up the gate from the other side.
I came to Stargate as a teenager in the 1990s through the novelization by Stephen Molstad. While I appreciated the film, and enjoyed the tv series that followed, it was this primary encounter as a book which frames the story in my mind. And having been written as a novel, it included so many more details that the film & tv show just never got around to to addressing.
This is the retrospective I’ve been waiting for since Star Trek. Can’t wait for your take on SG1 et al. Great video as always dude!
Still to this day I remember watching this in the cinema as a teenager. So many great points but highlights definitely include the score and the cinematography of the film, along with the actors and the cutting edge VFX of the day (which Id argue still hold up very well) with the ultimate being when they first step through the gate. Watching the starfield and then the journey through space on a giant cinema screen was unbelievably amazing, still gives me chills as I speak about it. Its a definite proud addition to my DVD collection.
And for bonus points, the follow up series with SG1, despite the cast change actually really did the film justice and then became a jewel of its own while still remaining true to its origin.
Jacks backstory about his son, IS included for a reason. Its related to the nuke, and the possibility of it being a s*icide mission
5:54 Ooooh, I see now where the weird bulky design for the Goa'uld Troop transport from the SG1 series came from. In "Full Circle" there is a similar one landing in the desert, didn't even know that was an intentional homage for the original design of the Death Gliders, interesting.
How timely. I just rewatched ‘Stargate’ a few nights ago. It’s the only movie in which I find James Spader palatable. Yes, ‘Stargate’ has held up all these years as solid entertainment. To this day, the scene where the comically clumsy Spader explains the meaning of the chevrons and the necessity for (at least) seven to dial a point in 3-dimensional space gives me chills. Even though I just read Kurt Russell is a Republican, his badass crew cut and blue eyes easily rivals ‘Snake Plissken’ in ‘Escape from New York.’ My first glimpse of French Stewart, a superb actor. Lastly, give it up for the flawless Viveca Lindfors. 👍
Imagine if John Diehl's character was the same soldier he played in _Stripes_ alongside Bill Murray and John Candy.
I literally just re-watched this at the weekend, great timing and another great review!
The scene where the spaceship land on top of the Pyramid, is fucking amazing! It merges the movie's world into ours. Great movie!
My childhood finally gets its series here~
As a 14 year old nerd, I fell in love with the movie. Then the series came out and it scratched an itch the movie left behind.
I can't believe Stargate is 30 years old! It's a bonafide classic in my book.
I first watched Stargate on grainy VHS tape as a kid way back in 1995 and I recall being struck with wonder throughout the film. The idea of the stargate was genius - it's not a spaceship, it's a magic door that can send travellers lightyears through space in an instant. Interstellar travel suddenly felt attainable and kind of grounded. I loved the ancient Egypt theme (and genre) and how it's intelligently weaved into space aliens and sci-fi. And it would be criminal to not mention David Arnold's epic soundtrack, which as you said, it really sells that sense of adventure, wonder and scale. The whole thing is a rollicking good time.
Side note: Coincidentally, for the past few days I've been watching clips of Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis. I don't know why the TH-cam algorithm recommended it to me given I wasn't watching anything to do with space or sci-fi, but I'm glad I did. Lots of nostalgia. Such great shows.
Saw this at the cinema, loved it. Got the Directors cut on dvd.
I remember driving by the dunes when they were filming it and thinking what the heck is that when seeing the army and pyramid. Obviously it was a movie but we couldn't know which one for a while. I had the same problem when they changed the entire entrance to the library at my school one weekend and later found out it was the Star Trek the JJ Abrams film. The thing is all the materials say the dunes are in Yuma, AZ, but they are not. They are about 10 miles west of Yuma on the CA border side. It's a state park where the dunes are, a CA state park, not AZ. They said the same thing about Return of h Jedi being filmed in Yuma too. Nope, same park. When driving Interstate 8 just west of the Colorado River, (the divider between CA/AZ) the dunes are on the south side near the rest area.
This movie has a great first half, what a setup!
Weird, I always liked the story building in the beginning. It was honestly my favorite part.
First movie to have its own dedicated website. Something that can never be taken away.
Having watched Stargate for the first time in the theatre when I was 9, it will always hold a special place in my heart due to nostalgia; but apart from that, it is still a movie I enjoy to rewatch to this day from time to time: its writing is not the deepest or the most original, but soundtrack, visuals, settings and most of the performances were on spot, which made it stand the test of time quite well - also thanks of the use of practical effects rather than too much 90s CG.
That movie wouldn't have been shit without Davidson and Russell. Everything came together perfectly.👌🏼
Best intro by you yet😊
I only watched SG for the first time recently and didn't grow up watching the shows. I did however drop into Stargate: Universe when it premiered. I thought it was kinda cool that the multiple series had been going for so long that it's set in its own Alternate Present Day, with the original movie as the diverging point.
While I'm here for the show, I can't ignore what the movie brought with it's pure scale and presentation. There would be no SG-1 without Stargate 1994.
So happy you’re finally doing Stargate!
I remember seeing the movie on TV I think as part of the SG1 launch, because I distinctly remember being at a friend's house and bits of that movie, then the part with the SG1 pilot where Jack convinces Teal'c to come with him. Though it must've been a rerun of the actual launch though, because this was middafternoon on a Saturday or Sunday.
I miss the 90s. I remember how many user-created maps for Unreal Tournament '99 were set in Egyptian-themed arenas, probably because of the climactic battle scene in this film.
I think we should recognise the great work Patrick Tatopolous did on this film, especially since (considering the slicked back hair, soul patch and large gold earring) he was DEFINITELY moonlighting in adult films as a sexy TV repair man.
0:42 I hear you, man.
The proper mix of fantasy and sci-fi is mind blowing for a nerdy kid. I experienced it with Might&Magic RPG 25 years ago and I still can't let it go.
I enjoy this film in spite of its flaws.
But the single most unbelievable thing in the whole movie...more so than any of the technology, aliens, intergalactic travel...is the casting of French Stewart as a rough-and-tough soldier.
I'd cast John Goodman as Little Orphan Annie before I'd ever put French Stewart in a military uniform.
I love your content already but I grew up on Stargate and can’t wait for the next part!
Saw SG in cinema back when it was released. with no youtube, no one was prepared for that ride. Especially the first dial with heavy subs in the movie theatre and the moment they went through the gate, the whole theatre went nuts. The passage sequence was crazy and when I saw how they did it years later, I had a good laugh.
Overall it was a great looking, sometimes a bit slow stepping movie with one of the most memorable scores ever.
love this movie and the spinoff shows. I remember reading about how they wanted to use miniatures and models for most of the visual effects, only adding CGI here and there (staff blasts toward the end, etc). it's by far my favorite Emmerich movie, though he did some other cool stuff in those days heh
Well said Rowan! ❤ your commentary and research for it!
For me Ra's 'sinister' music motif is THE sci-fi equivalent of the Jaws theme. It just oozes fear.
I also agree that the extended cut of Stargate is the superior version. I would definitely get this on Blu-ray. Are used to have most of the Stargate and SG one series. The only one that I did not finish collecting on DVD was Stargate universe
Still one of my favorite first acts in all of sci-fi cinema
"What if the Egyptian Gods were real and also robots" is a premise that has only been done twice.
What is the other time?
?
oh, i know, that soft porn multi-european film in the 90's 00's ?
Do you mean Immortal 2004?
The 90's was a great period for sci-fi with many fantastic films seeming to come out of nowhere like Stargate and The Fifth Element. Most of the 80's was spent trying to imitate Star Wars or to a lesser extent Terminator and Alien. From Robocop in the late 80's through the 90's is when it found it's own voice again and often from lesser known European directors and creators. This also flowed through to some pretty unexpected TV hits as well such as Farscape , Stargate SG1, and Deep Space Nine 9 which really pushed the boundaries of popular scifi into new territory. It was an exciting time to be a sci-fi fan.
I still remember seeing this movie in one of those traditional cinemas with an actual stage. It blew my mind, I hadn't seen anything like that before. When the TV show came out I had alot of doubt whether it would be as good as the movie. Amazingly as much as I liked the movie, the TV series FAR surpasses it. Can't wait for part 2!
One of my all time favorite movies. I watch it at least once a year.
As much as I prefer SG1 to the movie the movie will always have a place in my heart. It was the first date of my future wife and I way back in 94. Love this, and March can’t come soon enough. Keep up the good work.
The music was probably the best part of the film.
Stargate is awesome on the big screen I saw it at one of the last of old school theaters with a balcony section and big pillars and deep red curtains its a hell of a fun ride
I cant wait for the TV series retrospective
The best sci-fi franchise to exist imo.
The excitement when the gate dialed up.
when I saw it for the first time back in late 90s I was blown away by its creativity, costumes and grand scale. the movie was not enough for he star gate universe and the TV series was a prize continuation of that story.
In the 90’s i remember this not being great but watching it now it’s a great little story that is unmatched by any modern hollywood films. Film making has taken a huge step away from good story telling
Beautiful music - definitely recalls the classic Hollywood era. Holst meets Williams meets Herrmann.
I remember loving this film when it first showed on UK television when I was a child, about the same time I played the best video game of all time (in my opinion), Metal Gear Solid (1998, but 1999 here in the UK).
Your intro is really funny to me cos when i was un preschool in France and they showed us a pictures of the pyramids i just yelled out Stargate 😂
Although I never really got into the Stargate TV series, I did enjoy the movie. Always enjoy your analyses. 👍
Stargate SG1 is great!
Yes! finally the Stargate series begins. looking forward to part 2 in March
this movie is the example of The Vibes Are Immaculate