The Last Starfighter is... dead? Alive? Any good as a movie? These are the questions that bedevil Paul, Javi, and the ever gung-ho Producer Brad as they discuss the endearing curio that is Nick Castle's The Last Starfighter. Not as well-directed as Return of the Jedi, not as handsomely produced as Gremlins or Poltergeist, and not nearly as well-written as ET, The Last Starfighter nevertheless works its humble charms on the Overthruster Gang, even as they cannot help but munch on such morsels as Robert Preston's insanely jolly performance, which appears to have been lifted from a 1960s Broadway musical, the inherent contradiction of naming a weapon "the Death Blossom", and VFX that were way ahead of their time back then, rapidly fell behind their time soon thereafter, and now seem to belong to no time at all. Folks, look, this was an okay movie, and you are going to have a great time listening to us liking it with a little bit of an attitude, but there really is one thing about this movie that lifts it to our love and admiration and that is how it showcases some of the great rental warehouse props of the 80s. This movie was made for about a buck fiddy, and they rented everything they possibly could to avoid building from scratch. As a result The Last Starfighter is a prop-spotter’s goldmine - and the vein leads straight to THE GREATEST GENRE PROP OF ALL TIME. So yeah, come for the feelgood saga of a trailer park kid who becomes a galactic hero - we're here for it - but stay for the props! Oh the beautiful props!
SHOW NOTES:
US Theatrical Release Date: July 13, 1984
Weekend Domestic Box Office Chart for July 13, 1984
1984 Top-Grossing Movies - The Numbers
The Last Starfighter (1984) AFI Catalog
The Last Starfighter movie review - Roger Ebert
MORE WARS IN 'LAST STARFIGHTER' - The New York Times
The Last Starfighter's Lance Guest explains how he got the role ...
Interview With Catherine Mary Stewart - Last Movie OutpostNick Castle — Director of 'The Last Starfighter' — Talks Being a Horror Icon and a Writer/Director - Script Magazine
How 'The Last Starfighter' Became a Cult Classic — and Why a Sequel May Finally Take Flight
The Last Starfighter (1984) - Modern Trailer [Fan Edit]
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