Fifteen years ago I was planning my nights around episodes of "Mystery Science Theater," programming math cheats into my graphing calculator and filming "60 Minutes"-style interviews with Cobra Commander. I was also madly in love with director Roland Emmerich's "Stargate," the German filmmaker's bold sci-fi experiment in 1994 that foreshadowed his big-budget juggernaut "Independence Day" only two years later. "Stargate" is now bowing on Blu-ray as a "15th Anniversary Edition," and it's one of a handful of notable releases during an otherwise forgettable DVD week.
"Stargate" finds Kurt Russell as a suicidal, no-nonsense military officer tasked to lead a group of battle-hardened veterans -- and soft-skinned ninny scientist James Spader -- through a newly discovered wormhole to an unknown destination. The other side winds up being a sandy desert planet whose native inhabitants have kept their human slaves in bondage under the guise of ancient Egypt. It was a wholly original concept, driven forward by personality-heavy stars, amazing location photography and Emmerich's strong sense for the fantastical. The film would eventually launch a number of successful television spin-offs, although sadly no follow-up film (although one was originally planned). Read more...
