DARKSTAR – The Interactive Movie

DARKSTAR – The Interactive Movie is a science fiction computer game written, produced, edited, animated, and directed by J. Allen Williams, CEO of the American company, Parallax Studio. Darkstar features actor Clive Robertson(Sunset Beach), the entire original cast of Mystery Science Theater 3000, animations by the prolific comic book artist Richard Corben, and the final work of the late actor Peter Graves who narrated the game. Darkstar will be first released on November 5, 2010 through Strategy First.

Interactive movie
Darkstar differs from most other games because it contains over thirteen hours of live action cinema - far more than any previous game. Creator and Parallax Studio CEO J. Allen Williams gave a brief description of the project on slightly-deranged.com and said: Good or bad, there is nothing traditional about Darkstar. Yes, it does have some puzzles and an inventory of objects you collect and will need from time to time. And there is also a world to explore, executed in a vaguely similar way as you’d see in some of the later Myst series with pre-rendered walks from place to place and full 360 degree up and down panoramas when you stop. That’s where the similarity ends.

The entire “tour” is peppered with cinema, so when you encounter certain objects or plot points, the “game” breaks into “film” mode for brief story enhancements. My idea from the start is that somebody watching you play Darkstar might wonder whether they are watching a game unfold, or if they are watching a movie. Also, there is a “back-story” that is nearly an hour long that is broken into ten chapters plus a prologue. Ten “bioloks” correspond to each chapter, and as you find them the chapters are unlocked so that you may view them, giving more insight from the past as to what is going on right now in the present. The bioloks can be opened in different order depending on the routes you take in the ship and in the story, but they open the story chapters in order 1-10. The prologue is available immediately for free, and any of the flicks may be viewed at any time after they are unlocked. After combining this footage with in-game cinema, you’re looking at over four hours of cinema. And any of it may be clicked past if you wish to just explore.

Plot
You are Captain John O'Neil of the Westwick. You awaken from a cryogenic sleep that has spanned a period of over 300 years. As a result of your abnormally long hibernation, you have no memory as to who you are, where you are, or why you are there. Beside you are three other sleep chambers. One is empty, the other is occupied by a beautiful woman, and in the final chamber lies the body of a man - 300 years dead and missing his left hand.

Your ship is damaged and helplessly adrift in the orbit of the ominous Theta Alpha III. An unknown crew member has deleted any data that provides an explanation as to why this is.

You know, despite the emptiness and desolation, that someone is in the cold silence waiting for you.

And, as if the day isn't bad enough, the Earth has been destroyed for three centuries.

Cast
Darkstar has roughly thirteen hours of live-action cinema including a cast of all real actors. It stars Clive Robertson as Westwick Captain John O'Neil. It also features the entire original cast of Mystery Science Theater 3000 including its creator Joel Hodgson as Scythe Commander Kane Cooper, Trace Beaulieu as Westwick First Officer Ross Perryman, Frank Conniff as both Westwick Navigator Alan Burk and the voice of the quirky robot SIMON (Semi Intelligent Motorized Observation Network), Mary Jo Pehl as both Bridgebuilder Captain Beth Ingram and the voice of the computer Westwick Main, and J. Elvis Weinstein as Galactic Discovery II Captain Cedrick Stone. Also from MST3K is Beth "Beez" McKeever as Westwick Pilot Paige Palmer who stars across from Clive Robertson. Darkstar was also the final work of legendary actor Peter Graves who is famous for his roles in such films as Airplane!, Men In Black II, and his lead as Jim Phelps in the original Mission: Impossible television series.

In addition to Clive Robertson and the MST3K players, the production has a cast of nearly fifty actors, almost all of whom are local to Springfield, Missouri and the surrounding area.


 * Trace Beaulieu as Westwick First Officer Ross Perryman
 * Bill Brown as B170 Pilot Billy Bob Brown
 * Alan Bryce as President Timothy Brisbane
 * Libby Chappell as F88 Pilot Lisa Hicks
 * Frank Conniff as Westwick Navigator Alan Burk and the voice of SIMON (Semi Intelligent Motorized Observation Network)
 * Valli Flores as Northstar Pilot Zoe Palmer
 * Peter Graves as Narrator
 * Lisa Hamaker as Solar Patrol Ship Pilot Landry
 * Obie Harrup III as Captain of the Solar Patrol Ship
 * Brad Hedrick as Bridgebuilder First Officer McIntyre
 * Joel Hodgson as Scythe Commander Kane Cooper
 * Brian McElroy as F88 Wing Commander B. Mitchell
 * Beez McKeever as Westwick Pilot Paige Palmer
 * Paul Oakley as Purgatory II Warden Tom Carlson
 * Mary Jo Pehl as Bridgebuilder Captain Beth Ingram and the voice of Westwick Main
 * Clive Robertson as Westwick Captain John O'Neil
 * Todd Smith as B170 Pilot Rock Carnage (Francis Lieberwitz)
 * Woody P. Snow as TurboTwin Pilot Chuck Nordstrum
 * Aaron Wahlquist as F88 Pilot Stewart
 * J. Elvis Weinstein as Galactic Discover II Captain Cedrick Stone
 * J. Allen Williams as B170 Pilot Dean Wilder
 * Margaret Noel Williams as the voice of MAGS (Motorized Automated Girl for SIMON)

Production
Darkstar was written, produced, animated, edited, and directed by J. Allen Williams, CEO of the Nixa, Missouri based Parallax Studio. Additional animations were done by the prolific American illustrator and comic book artist Richard Corben who is best known for his "Den" character featured in the 1981 film Heavy Metal and for his comics featured in the magazine of the same name. Other noteworthy crew members include cinematographer Roger Jared, co-producer Mark Walters, electronic media producer Dahlia Clark, and composers Jimmy Pitts, Bill Bruce, and J. Allen Williams.

Soundtrack
The neoclassical, progressive rock soundtrack to Darkstar was composed and performed by Jimmy Pitts (Keyboards and Pianos), Bill Bruce (Guitars and Percussion), and J. Allen Williams (Bass Guitar). Two other performers include Brent Frazier (Guitars) and James Lee Dillard (Percussion).

Additional music for Darkstar was composed by Ruell Chappell, an original member of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils.