The Ice Pirates

Long before The Force Awakens was breaking box office records, there was a great sci fi spoof that went highly ignored at the box office. I'm talking about 1984's The Ice Pirates.

Back in the 70's and 80's Robert Urich was a big name on the small screen. Starring in such tv classics as S.W.A.T., Soap, Vegas, and Spencer For Hire, Urich was a bonafide tv star. But when he tried to parlay that success on the big screen he failed. He starred in three great films, Endangered Species, Turk 182, and this one, but for some reason, audiences prefered him on the boob tube. The Ice Pirates was a good vehicle for him. He was best known for his action vehicles, and this let him flex his comedy muscle as well.

Urich is Jason, the leader of a band of pirates who steal huge blocks of ice for profit. In the future, water is scarce and so they make a small fortune on their thievery. On one of the ships they raid, they discover a princess, Mary Crosby, and decide to kidnap her for ransom. She offers Jason and the crew more money than they could get from her kidnapping if they help her find her father who went missing when he went in search of a hidden planet covered in water. Jason takes her up on the offer and they embark on a dangerous mission where they encounter everything from wormholes to space herpes.

What a fun and silly movie this is. Anjelica Huston, Ron Perlman, and Bruce Vilanch all pop up in early roles in their careers. But it's former NFL star, and Sloth from The Goonies, John Matuszak and Michael D. Roberts who are really funny.

I know that Spaceballs is considered the best sci fi spoof of all time, but I thnk I enjoy this one even more.

It's available on dvd from Warner Archives.