Galaxy Quest
Short description
A science-fiction television series called Galaxy Quest ran for several seasons, with its cast playing the crew of the NSEA Protector. When the show is cancelled, the actors find themselves typecast and reduced to making paid appearances at fan conventions. Their fortunes change when aliens known as Thermians, who intercepted the broadcasts and took them as genuine records of real events, bring the former cast members into space. The actors, with no script and no effects team behind them, are expected to help the Thermians against an enemy commander threatening their people.
This 1999 film stars Tim Allen as the series lead Jason Nesmith, with Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell and Daryl Mitchell as his fellow former cast members. Dean Parisot directed it from a screenplay by David Howard and Robert Gordon, with Mark Johnson and Charles Newirth producing; it was Parisot's second feature after Home Fries the previous year. Made for about 45 million dollars, it returned roughly double that worldwide.
On IMDb, voters rate it 7.4 out of 10 across more than 170,000 votes, while on TMDB it holds 7.1 from a much smaller base. A critics' rating of 7.3 from 130 reviews places it close to the audience scores, indicating broad agreement on its merits as a comedy about actors mistaken for the heroes they only played.
What's left behind the scenes
- For the reptiloid Sarris, they decided to use technology originally developed for the then-in-production 'Planet of the Apes' project. It allowed them to transfer the actor's facial expression onto the outer contour of the makeup. Stan Winston (1946-2008) worked on this task ever since he created the Wookiee heads 20 years earlier for 'The Star Wars Holiday Special'.
- Initially, according to the script, Rickman's character held a knightly title. The actor asked to remove this fact as incompatible with the image. It was removed, but Dane is still listed as 'Sir' in the credits.
- Alan Rickman disliked science fiction and only agreed to participate here because he found the script very funny.
- The sets for the starship 'Protector' were built on a hinged lift platform that could shift in any direction by a couple of meters. The first time it was used, the platform dropped half a meter and tilted over, causing the actors to fall from their chairs and two light bulbs to break.
- The first 20 minutes of the film were shown in theaters in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Then, when Tim Allen's character realizes he is on a starship and a Terminian landscape is revealed, the aspect ratio was supposed to change to 2.35:1. However, in most cinemas, they only briefly glanced at the film from the very first reel and simply set the screens to a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, so part of the image after the aspect ratio change was cut off. This happened so frequently that when the film was distributed to theaters, owners were specifically notified of the need to adjust the aspect ratio at the appropriate moment. Director Dean Parisot later admitted that he regretted allowing the aspect ratio to change.
- The casting director was so impressed with Enrico Colantoni's audition that, breaking all the rules, she showed it to the rest of the cast so that everyone would understand how the Thermians (the cephalopod alien race) should behave.
- Dain Bachar played the role of the alien engineer in the film, however, most of his scenes were cut and are only present in the full DVD version.
- Harold Ramis wanted Alec Baldwin to star in the lead role, but the actor declined the offer. Steve Martin and Kevin Kline were also considered for the lead role, although Kline immediately refused due to family circumstances. When Tim Allen was cast in the role, Ramis himself left the project. However, after seeing the film, he told Allen that he liked his performance.
- The scene with Tim Allen in the men's restroom, where he overhears a conversation about how all the actors in leading roles in the series are terrible, and the other cast members dislike him intensely, describes an episode from William Shatner's life. He learned much the same about himself and his standing during a 'Star Trek' franchise fan convention in 1986.
- Initially, the overall atmosphere of the film was much darker, with many scenes of violence. However, after preview screenings, the film was re-edited to emphasize the humorous aspects of the plot and obtain a PG rating (parental guidance suggested).
- Initially, there were plans to make a sequel, but they all fell through due to the sudden death of Alan Rickman (1946-2016).
- In one episode, Lieutenant Laredo scolds Dr. Lazarus for holding the tracking device upside down. This is a nod to the first season of the series "Star Trek" (1966-1969), where Mr. Spock sometimes holds the tricorder backwards, possibly because the actor who played him, Leonard Nimoy (1931-2015), was still unfamiliar with the props at the time.
- Missy Pyle's first major role in a feature film. The role was expanded once the producers noticed that Sigourney Weaver was playing the only female character in the film.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
