MovieChat Forums > Starcrash (1979) Discussion > Christopher Plummer

Christopher Plummer

posted 17 years ago by solaris72
9 replies | jump to latest

This is not my absolute favorite movie, or the absolute favorite movie of any of my friends, but as a group, it is our collective favorite movie.
One of the many, many things to love about this movie is Christopher Plummer. His lines are as silly as anyone else's, but he manages to imbue them with real dignity. I saw a public screening in Boston last year (it was my 6th or 7th time viewing the movie). Throughout the screening people were laughing and making fun of the movie (as one should). It got to the scene where Christopher Plummer first appears, giving a monologue in hologram form. Soon, all the noise in the theater died down, and audience was silent for the entire monologue.
Some reviewers remark that Plummer looks embarrassed to be in this movie. I've never seen that in his performance, and I recall reading a quote by him where, having been asked why he took a role like Starcrash, his response was "How could I possibly turn down the chance to play the Emperor of the Universe?" It's great that he not only approached this with the proper sense of fun but also brought his A-game to it.
(also the director Luigi Cozzi clearly gave him the best costume in the movie)

[–] bbagnall 17 years ago

I found it hilarious near the end when Plummer is still giving his A-game while delivering absurd lines about crashing a floating city into the enemy fortress, especially since the director did that scene in one long take. It's hard to believe they didn't crack up at the absurdity of it all.

[–] gldysrwombats 17 years ago

halting the flow of time? It has got to be the most collossal deus ex machina ever. I didn't remember David Hasselhoff. I heard Christopher Plummer on Fresh Air on NPR a little while ago, and his voice is like silk. He could read a toilet bowl cleaner commercial and make it sound like Shakespeare.

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[–] franzkabuki 16 years ago

I don´t think I´ve ever seen any actor looking so embarrassed having to deliver his lines, in any film, as Plummer is when delivering the final speech.

[–] TheOldBamboo 15 years ago

Ditto. What reminded me, twenty five years after my sole viewing, about how uncomfortable he looked in that scene was a scene that nearly came close towards the end of Watchmen.

[–] DIguana 16 years ago

"In the space of three minutes the green rays will lose their power. Time will flow normally again.

And everything will explode."

BEST. LINE. EVER!

[–] savagesteve13 15 years ago

Which is why his hokey lines sound so good. The eyeliner was kind of hilarious though, as well as his outfit.

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