DARK STAR: Dan O’Bannon, John Carpenter, and the Student Film That Launched a Career | The Unsung Legacy of Dan O’Bannon

In our new series, we’re exploring the career of writer, director, and genre trailblazer Dan O’Bannon.

His name might not be as widely known as some of his collaborators, but O’Bannon left an enormous mark on genre cinema—as the screenwriter of ALIEN, the director of RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, and the uncredited brain behind some of sci-fi’s most iconic ideas.

To begin our journey, we’re heading back to where it all started: USC film school, where O’Bannon met another promising student named John Carpenter. United by their shared love of science fiction and monster movies, the two collaborated on a low-budget student film that would go on to become a cult classic.

That film was DARK STAR. In this episode, we trace the origins of their friendship, the making of the movie, and how this quirky sci-fi comedy set the stage for O’Bannon’s groundbreaking (and often underappreciated) career.

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Coming Up:

• ALIEN (1979)

• DEAD & BURIED (1981)

• HEAVY METAL (1981)

• BLUE THUNDER (1983)

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.

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