JohnDoe
Bryn
BrentonThe Last Starfighter (1984) - Trailer Included
April 26th 2007 11:53
The Last Starfighter (1984)
Available Now on DVD in the U.S
U.S DVD Cover-Unavailble in Australia
Starring:Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Dan O Herlihy, Barbara Bosson, Catherine Mary Stewart, Norman Snow
“Greetings, Starfighter. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the frontier against Xur and the Ko-Dan armada.” – Centauri
Referenced several times in Toy Story, The Last Starfighter is an exciting space bound adventure that also marks one of the earliest films to use CGI for all its effects.
A product of the 80’s (Think Goonies, Gremlins, Explorers etc), The Last Starfighter is the escapist voyage of Alex Rogan from inconsequential obscurity to hero of the galaxy in the classic mould.
“I must congratulate you on your virtuoso performance, my boy. Centauri is impressed. I've seen 'em come, and I've seen 'em go, but you're the best, my boy. Dazzling! Light years ahead of the competition! Centauri's got a little proposition for you. Are ya interested?” - Grig
Alex (Lance Guest) is 16 year old dreamer who wants to get out before his environment defines him. Living in a trailer park with his mum and younger brother Louis, the soon to be legend is a wiz with electronics, and also the communities free handy man.
One night he blasts his way to the highest score on the new upright video game called The Last Starfighter, in reality a testing ground for future star pilots recruited to fight the evil forces of Xur in a frontier far, far away.
“I've always wanted to fight a desperate battle against incredible odds.” – Grigg
Piloting this Gunstar sure beats playing ZaXXon
John Doe Says:
A whole lot of imaginative fun, the FX may have dated but the respectful script and solid direction make revisiting this childhood memory enjoyable. There is a reverence of what came before it and also a place in cinema history for the visionary revolution it and Tron pioneered.
Co Writer of John Carpenter’s Escape from New York, the Director Nick Castle was obviously riding the Star Wars wave for science fiction aimed at a universal age group. To his credit and the screenwriters there is an aweareness to avoid any pitfalls of mimicry even when an earthling is being briefed for battle in a room full of Aliens.
It’ a challenge to be objective about the performances of the young cast. As with all films of this type, susceptibility to the films charms is directly proportional to how much you can stand child stars.
The wide eyed Lance Guest (Halloween II) ended up working on TV and still does today, most recently appearing on House M.D.
Robert Preston as Centauri (The music man, How the West was Won) is all class and Dan O Herlihy (Twin Peaks, Fail Safe) delivers his comedy lines with an enthusiastic timing that lifts the whole film.
Standing up in that way only some one who grew up with it would sentimentally know. John Doe can see that there may be some flat spots in the film, the computer generated images may look clunky out of context, the dialogue may ripen at times, but this is cinema with heart that still left JD wishing there was even a hint of truth that could transport him into the star league.
The U.S DVD (Unavailable in Australia)
Transfer: 2:35:1/Dolby Digital 5.1
Extras: The insightful features include a Commentary by the Director and Production Designer, Crossing the frontier: the Making of Last Starfighter, Teaser and Theatrical trailer
Watch the 80's Trailer below
Here is the scene the night Alex breaks the record on the Video Game and first discovers the truth
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Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
"A beta unit is a simuloid. An exact duplicate, only not as loud!"
...but it still rocks!!
Right...this has to be in my collection. I can't believe I don't have it. Is there any version out in Australia?
Hope you're well JD.
I didn't even mean to come to Orble but saw the new post notification in my email and just had whooshed here!
Dusk
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Damn it, I want my trilogy! Pity the dude who played Xur died...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
A Beta Unit would be cool, for those "need to be in 2 places at once" situations...
The Sad News is they have never released any version of this on DVD in Australia, you are going to have to order it from the states. - Well worth it, the extra features are a treat and the film transfer is crisp and clear.
Always good to see you on a Friday, all is well.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Cool that you have the DVD too, it really is great fun.
I remeber having a Starfighter game on my Commodore 64 (showing my age), so addictive...triggered my imagination...
I thought Norman Snow (Xur) was still kicking around, I know that Robert Poreston (Centauri) passed away in the late 80's.
Cool to see some fans come out of the woodwork, maybe we could start a petition for an Oz DVD release.
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
I mean, you play video games and aliens take you from Earth because you're so damn good? Love it.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Tps into the dreams of the technological age, even if at the time it was an Atari we were playing....
Comment by Sports Insider
AFL Insider
Centauri:
You would have thought someone would have put those arcade machines everywhere.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
So it was Centuri who died? Typical, the one character who is supposed to be immortal dies in real life.
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
So it was Centuri who died? Typical, the one character who is supposed to be immortal dies in real life.
@Sports Insider
'That particular game machine was supposed to be delivered to Vegas, not some flea bitten...' (etc etc, can't remember exactly but it involves tarantulas)
Comment by Ginger Snap
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
In real life I was hoping those machines woudl be everywhere, but no dice..
Ahmed,
You really should order the US edition because the Dolby Digital transfer and well presented extras are of a quality unavailable in torrent form.
Yes you do Ginger! Now if only it would get released in Oz.!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Oh man, I wish it was on dvd here. Now I want to watch it again!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Ahhh, Battle Beyond the Stars! that was it!
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Roger Corman sure didnt care what he exploited or who.....Jack came through ok though
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
I love this film... for me it's up there with Buckaroo Bonzai - better - and the day I can get it on DVD, will be a Red Letter Day on my calendar, indeed!
Great to see the film clip...terrific escapism... that's what I pay my dollars for...
Lilla ...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Buckaroo Banzai rules, Im a huge fan of Peter Weller Jeff Goldblum, John Lithgow and Ellen Barkin. Its a nut bar sci fi that had the early echoes of Firefly, it picks up an adventure half way through and never ends...I always wanted more...dare I say it a TV series.
Glad to offer a distraction on a Friday night and I think its off to Amazon you go for the entire film.
Hello Anonomous, hello?
Would love to hear your thoughts.
Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
I loved this movie as a kid, and still do. A perennial fave... there's a coupld of DVDs flicking around ebay...
;o)
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three