Starcrash () is a 1978 space opera film directed and co-written by Luigi Cozzi, and starring Marjoe Gortner, Caroline Munro, Christopher Plummer, David Hasselhoff and Joe Spinell. It is widely regarded as a "cash-in" on the unprecedented success of Star Wars. Filmed at Cinecittà studios in Rome, the film was produced independently by brothers Nat and Patrick Wachsburger, and features a musical score composed by John Barry. Released by New World Pictures on December 10, 1978, it received generally negative reviews from critics, but has developed a cult following. Plot In a distant galaxy, a starship searches for the evil Count Zarth Arn. Closing in on a planet, the ship is attacked by a mysterious weapon which drives the crew insane. Three escape pods launch during the attack, but the ship crashes into the atmosphere of the planet and is destroyed. Meanwhile, smugglers Stella Star and Akton run into the Imperial Space Police, led by robot sheriff Elle and Police Chief Thor. Akton and Stella escape by jumping into hyperspace. When they emerge, they discover an escape pod from the attacked starship, and in it, a sole disoriented survivor. Before they can escape, they are apprehended by the police, who have tracked their hyperspace trail. Tried and convicted of piracy, they are each sentenced to life in prison on separate prison planets. Stella manages to escape from her prison, but Elle and Thor recapture her, only to inform her the authorities have canceled her sentence; she is taken to an orbiting ship, where she is reunited with Akton. They are contacted holographically by the Emperor of the Galaxy, who thanks them for recovering the starship survivor. He informs them that Count Zarth Arn has a secret weapon of immense power hidden away on a planet somewhere. The Emperor orders Stella and Akton to find the Count's weapon. They are offered clemency if they help find two more missing escape pods as well as the mothership, one of which may contain the Emperor's only son. With Thor and Elle accompanying them, Stella and Akton set off on their quest. They quickly arrive at the location Akton computes for the first escape pod. Stella and Elle take a shuttle from the spaceship and land near the pod on a sandy, rocky beach. There are no living survivors. Stella meets an Amazonian warrior tribe and is escorted to their underground fortress. On arrival,