Stargate

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Roland Emmerich directs. Karl Walter Lindenlaub behind the camera. David Arnold scores. Derek Brechin cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America, France. Dialogue in English, Norwegian, Swedish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 1Mid-budget at $55M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
• 2Made its money back 3.6× over at the box office.
• 332 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
• 4Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Norwegian, Swedish.
• 5International production across 2 countries: United States of America, France.
• 6246+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
• 7Directed by Roland Emmerich, shot by Karl Walter Lindenlaub. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 8Original score by David Arnold. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 9Editor Derek Brechin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 10James Spader and Kurt Russell and Jaye Davidson carry the top of the cast.
• 11Marketing tagline: "It will take you a million light years from home. But will it bring you back?".
• 12IMDB entry: tt0111282 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
• 13Classified under 15 themes, including "egypt", "teleportation", "pyramid", "space travel".
• 14Released under 14 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography

Karl Walter Lindenlaub

Original score

David Arnold

Editing

Derek Brechin

Production design

Holger Gross

Costume design

Joseph A. Porro

Makeup / hair

Denise Fischer

VFX supervisor

Kit West

Sound

Patrick Cyccone Jr.

Stunt coordinator

Andy Armstrong

Runtime

121 min · 2h 1m

Aspect ratio (typical)

1.37:1 (Academy)

Status

Released

Budget

$55,000,000

Box office

$196,567,262

Return

357% of budget

Original language

EN

Certification (US)

PG-13

IMDB

Stargate (1994) ↗

Also by

Roland Emmerich

• 
  The End of the World: The Actor's Perspective

  2010 · ★ 7.8
• 
  Those About to Die

  2024 · ★ 7.4
• 
  The Patriot

  2000 · ★ 7.2
• 
  Midway

  2019 · ★ 7.1
• 
  Independence Day

  1996 · ★ 6.9
• 
  The Day After Tomorrow

  2004 · ★ 6.6

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

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Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  Ambushed!

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Taken Before Ra

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Stargate (1994) Original Trailer [HD]

  Trailer
• 

  ▶
  Going Through The Stargate

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Activating The Portal

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Opening Scene

  Clip · Official

Community reviews

What people are saying

• JPV8522021-03-27
  ★ 7/10

  I've seen this movie a couple of times over the years and while it's entertaining enough, there was always something holding it back. It's got some creativity, a decent cast with Kurt Russell and James Spader and the premise of a portal to another part of the universe is interesting (and more than enough to spawn a couple DTV movies and a couple TV series), but can't really put my finger on why. 3.25/5

  Read full review ↓
• GenerationofSwine2023-01-14
  ★ 10/10

  Like so many other movies this one has been politicized in some of the more negative reviews because...well, I really can't say,I honestly have no clue what Stargate has to do with international politics...at all. Ostensibly it's because it is the American Military meets folks still living like its Ancient Egypt and kill their god that critics are objecting to on IMDb... ...Forgetting, of course, that their god enslaved them all. I am further to the left than most people I've met and...I just don't buy that this has ANYTHING to do with politics. I think this flick was pitched as "Indiana Jones meets Star Wars" and I am 100% certain that it was made to be Indiana Jones Meets Star Wars. And of course they can't name it that so they called it "Stargate" And I am going to review it like it was meant to be reviewed. This film is Indiana Jones meets Star Wars. It was made to be a hit, in fact, it should have been a far bigger hit than it turned out to be. I mean, just the concept makes me want to watch it all over again...It's the same concept as "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" except they remembered that Indiana Jones has no place in the world of Aliens. In fact I would have even loved the TV show if, you know, all the Alien worlds they visited didn't look a lot like Canada. All you have here is a really fun action adventure sci-fi movie that doesn't try to make any statements. It is just fun. Stop putting politics into pulp trash.

  Read full review ↓
• Rob2023-06-23
  ★ 8/10

  Ok, this movie is pretty dated compared to modern sci-fi movies, but try to keep in mind it was first released back in 1994. This film is worth its salt simply by the virtue of being unique. To my knowledge, there hasn't been another movie to tackle this subject, and you have to admit the whole idea of extraterrestrial life building the great pyramids is pretty damn intriguing. I'm a big Kirt Russell fan but, unfortunately, he looks like he was utterly bored while making this movie.

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• 

  Le Studio Canal+

  FR

• 

  Centropolis Entertainment

  US

• 

  Carolco Pictures

  US

Key crew

• ProducerJoel B. Michaels
• CastingApril Webster
• Costume DesignJoseph A. Porro
• EditorDerek Brechin
• Art DirectionFrank Bollinger
• EditorMichael J. Duthie
• Art DirectionPeter Murton
• ProducerDean Devlin
• Set DesignerHolger Gross
• Costume SupervisorGaret Reilly
• Production DesignHolger Gross
• Set DecorationJim Erickson
• StuntsKeith Campbell
• StuntsPaul Dallas
• StuntsDave Digregorio
• StuntsSimone Boisseree
• StuntsAnthony G. Schmidt
• StuntsRaliegh Wilson
• StuntsTom Garner
• Stunt DoubleDennis Fitzgerald
• StuntsChere Rae
• StuntsChuck Jeffreys
• StuntsBill McIntosh
• StuntsCharlie Brewer

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• egypt
• teleportation
• pyramid
• space travel
• uprising
• space
• androgyny
• space western
• timebomb
• death of son
• nuclear weapons
• space opera
• hieroglyph
• egyptian mythology
• egyptology

Release history · US

When it landed

• Theatrical1994-10-28PG-13
• Physical2006-08-29NR· Lionsgate Films [𝐁𝐥𝐮-𝐫𝐚𝐲📀] 𝟭𝟯𝟬 mínutєѕ
• Physical1997-06-18PG-13· Artisan Entertainment [𝐃𝐕𝐃📀] 𝟭𝟮𝟭 mínutєѕ
• Physical1995-01-01PG-13· Live Entertainment #60222 [𝐕𝐇𝐒📼] 𝟭𝟭𝟵 mínutєѕ

Also known as

International titles

• Stargate: Extended EditionUS
• Stargate: 15th Anniversary Extended Remastered EditionUS
• Stargate (Director's Cut)US
• Stargate Ultimate EditionUS
• Stargate: La puerta del tiempoAR
• TähtiporttiFI
• Звёздные вратаRU
• Звездные вратаRU
• Stargate - A Chave para o Futuro da HumanidadeBR
• Stargate Puerta a las EstrellasES
• Stargate - Das Tor zum UniversumDE
• Gwiezdne WrotaPL
• 星際奇兵HK
• 星際奇兵TW