Stargate

[kg redhead]

A giant structure found in the desert has studied by various scientist for nearly fifty years and are no where near discovering what it is. Until Daniel jackson, a language expert deciphers and reveals that it's a Stargate. He also discovers how to make it work. They then learn that it's some kind interstellar transport device. Now a group of soldiers led by despondent Colonel Jack O'Neill go to the planet, also accompanying them is Jackson, who said that he can reactivate the Stargate to send them back but he forgot to mention that he needs to find the symbols and they can't find anything, so it appears that they are trapped. And if that isn't enough, some aliens arrive and capture them and have nefarious plans for Earth.

[kg redhead]

Conceived by director Roland Emmerich during film school in 1979.

Many of the crowd scenes feature mannequins, as they were cheaper than extras.

The language spoken by the archeologists at the Egyptian dig site when the Stargate is found is Swedish: "Herregud, vad är det?" (Oh my God, what is it?) "Skulle önska jag visste det." (I wish I knew.) (Although Norwegians say it's poorly-pronounced Norwegian.)

Dr. Jackson (James Spader) says disdainfully that the translators have obviously been using Budge, and wonders why, ?? they keep reprinting him.? He is referring to noted Egyptologist Sir E.A. Wallis Budge (1857 - 1934).

Wardrobe and cinematography had to work around Jaye Davidson's nipple rings - he refused to remove them.

Costume designer Joseph A. Porro was jokingly referred to as "The evil Joseph Porro" after the film was scored because the music turns ominous at the same time his name appears in the opening credits.

Jaye Davidson despised the costumes he wore so much, on the last day of shooting his scenes, after hearing the final "cut", he stripped naked on the set without going to his trailer.

The mountain entrance to the place where the giant ring is kept on Earth is the same entrance that was used to enter NORAD in the movie _War Games (1983)_ .

Theatrical trailer and promo reel found on the European DVD (distributed by Kinowelt/Momentum) include extensions or snippets of additional scenes which are neither included in the theatrical cut nor in the special edition version of the film:
* One of the guards appears behind Sha'uri and Daniel. This is presumably from the scene where Sha'uri gets shot - when Sha'uri is in the sarcophagus, Ra holds his hand above her
* A different take of the scene where Ra punishes his guard. Here Ra is seen from the side
* The village scene at the beginning is longer
* A longer entrance of Ra at the assembly. O'Neill and his men are pushed down by the guards
* An extended entry to the control room. Daniel is explained how things work. You see that the conference room is directly above the control room
* An extended activation of the Stargate. You see more of the two technicians operating the Stargate. General West orders final evacuation. The two technicians leave the control room. O'Neill looks back at West. West leaves the conference room and the shutters close.

Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were sued for stealing the storyline from someone who submitted the story to them about ten years before the movie was made (they "rejected" the story at the time). The person that sued the men (a student of Egyptology) even had a well- respected Egyptologist from Johns Hopkins University vouch for him, since he put his own theories into the story. The only differences between the story and the movie are slight name variations. The issue was finally settled out of court.

Stargate was the first movie to ever have an Official Website. It was set up by Dean Devlin in 1994 and featured Images, Trailers and behind The Scenes and Actor Information.

[kg redhead]

Special edition released on Laserdisc and US video substitutes alternate footage for some scenes and includes 9 minutes of additional material.

An issue of "SCI-FI Universe" June 1995, Talks about the original rough cut of Stargate that was over 3 hours long. Scenes that were discussed were: A sequence in Colonel Jack O'Neill (Kurt Russell) and Egyptologist Daniel Jackson (James Spader) are trapped in a Sandstorm. A huge battle fought outside a city called "Nagada". A Big Subplot involving the Military and scientists, Fighting over the threat of the aliens on the otherside of the Stargate. A much longer fight between Jackson and Ra. Lots of scene extensions. And a lot of character driven plots.

Details of the additional scenes included in the longer 9 minute version release by Artisan on DVD
* An additional scene added straght in at the beginning immediately after the opening titles (originally it faded to the dig at giza) shows the entirety of the scene where Ra takes over the body of the caveboy showing the cavemen running from the light in the sky and showing him walking towards it. From this point it fades to the original opening scene at the Giza dig.
* Moments after the stargate has been hoisted up by the workmen at the Giza dig, people notice that there is something underneath it: a group of the Hora guards encased in the stone. The director's commentary on the DVD states that these are other guards that have come through the gate after it was sealed and were re-integrated straight into the stone.
* In the scene after the stargate has been opened for the first time and the military are checking the pictures of the marking of the gate on the other gate, after James Spader says he is 'positive' he can decipher the symbols, Kurt Russel's character turns and says "it's your call" in the theatrical version. In the special edition the line has been re-dubbed by him saying instead now "he's full of shit" - presumably this was done for rating purposes of the theatrical release.
* An additional scene before Kurt Russell is gearing up with the group about to go through the stargate, shows him going to a secured area to look at the stone/fossil Hora's.
* When the army group are setting up the camp in the desert there is a longer scene where the group discuss more about how the stargate works and how they are going to get back to Earth. The scene during the sandstorm inside the pyramid is also extended with more footage of them talking about the sandstorm and how they are going to get back to earth.
* When the sandstorm initially hits at the nagada village and Kurt Russell, James Spader and the others are locked inside the city, they decide that they do not want to stay and decide to leave; when the natives try to stop them Kurt Russell shoots at the ground to frightem them off. The boy (whom he later befriends) takes him up above to see the sandstorm approach. After this, a native that they were holding at gunpoint is released and Jackson comments "Sandstorm, that would have been a brilliant reason to shoot everyone".
* The scene when James Spader awakes in the sarcophagus after being killed is extended, showing him walking towards Ra's chamber, seeing a cat sitting on Ra's throne.
* When James Spader turns and shoots at Ra instead of his comrades so that they can flee, there are several extended cuts put in. Originally they were just ushered away by the natives, in the special edition they ride away on one of the Mastadges. Kurt Russell and James Spader are then seen lost in a sandstorm and found by the boys, and taken to the caves (which is in the theatrical edition); an additional scene after this sees the boys feeding the Mastadges outside the caves.