“Hello, Starfighter. You have been recruited by the Star League and assigned to defend the Frontier from Xur and the Kodan fleet. Get ready! Prepare to launch!”
The summer of 1984 was a glorious year for Hollywood, with a slew of top-tier films being released, including iconic titles such as Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Conan the Destroyer, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Karate Kid, Purple Rain, Red Dawn, Ballad of Sharpshooter, The Neverending Story and Revenge of the Nerds.
Adding to that prestigious list is a little film called “The Last Starfighter,” released by Universal Pictures on July 13, 1984. Directed by filmmaker Nick Castle, who first donned a modified Shatner mask to play “The Shape” in John Carpenter’s “Halloween,” this heartwarming sci-fi fantasy film was a moderate success, grossing $29 million on a budget of $15 million. Though it faced stiff box office competition and underwhelming box office success, it is fondly remembered by millions for its purity, spirit and heart.
“I had just finished doing my first film, Tag: The Assassination Game, and my manager came across this project at Lorimar,” Castle told Space.com. “I read the script and thought it needed a lot of work, but the premise was good. I spoke with Gary Adelson, the producer on the show, and I was immediately on board. Then Jonathan came over from New York and we started figuring out how to move the project forward.”
“When you have a story about a boy going into space and becoming a hero, you see Spielberg and Lucas pretty much everywhere. Lorimar had already commissioned new visual effects from Digital Productions, and Gary was thrilled that they gave it to him for a price that was affordable enough to allow the film to go ahead.”
Based on a screenplay by Jonathan Betuel, “The Last Starfighter” tells the inspiring story of a small-town boy named Alex Logan (Lance Guest) who lives in Starlight Starbright Trailer Court and dreams of leaving his boring life behind and making a name for himself on the world. A record-breaking genius at the park’s “Starfighter” arcade game, Alex doesn’t know that this innocent digital pastime is actually a recruiting tool for the mastermind Centauri (Robert Preston), a cunning interstellar trickster who arrives aboard his star car and offers him the opportunity to help the Lyrans defeat the evil Kodan fleet in some distant solar system. Reluctantly leaving his girlfriend Maggie (Katherine Mary Stewart) behind, Alex embarks on a voyage to the planet Ryloth where he is briefed on a battle he is likely to lose.
When Alex enlists in the Lyran Space Corps, after all the other enlisted pilots are killed, he is paired with a reptilian alien navigator named Grigg (Dan O’Herlihy) and helps him pilot an advanced space fighter called a Gunstar, the same one featured in his homeworld’s “Starfighter” games.
Just when all hope seems lost, Alex and Grigg fire off the ship’s blinding Death Blossom weaponry, defeating the Kodan fleet and returning victorious to Earth as the Trailer Court’s neon sign flashes in farewell, whisking Maggie away to the stars.
“One of my early ideas was to set the story in a trailer park, isolating the main characters and making life harder for them than it would be in the suburbs. I was thinking of a Capra-esque feel, referencing old movies from the ’40s in which lovable characters are put to the test. We were lucky with the cast; the overall chemistry made sense, with two leads who were handsome without being over the top. And Dan, who was brave, had to wear an alien mask that was attached to his body with some kind of glue. I remember him manipulating the mask in front of a mirror to see how well he could express the character.”
Its CGI effects may seem primitive by today’s standards, but only “Tron” had worked such pixelated magic in 1982. “The Last Starfighter” was a pioneering step in the advancement of integrated computer graphics, brought to life by a small team of digital production crews using a Cray X-MP supercomputer.
Anchored by the expertise of acclaimed production designer Ron Cobb (Alien, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien), a lush orchestral score by composer Craig Safan and masterful direction by Nick Castle, the film is a must-see, especially after last year’s beautiful 4K UHD Remaster From Arrow Video.
“A lot of the design on this movie was done by Ron Cobb,” Castle said of the revolutionary digital effects. “He was a great art designer, a great artist and a great human being. We lost him young, but he was a great friend of mine. Ron was like a second director on this movie. He knew sci-fi. Basically, this was a big gamble on the part of the studio.”
“We’d never done anything to this extent before. We had some practice at making what looked like a digital ship, but to pilot it and do it in a scene required all research and development while we were making the movie. It took almost a year to do it after we wrapped principal photography. I was there almost every day, approving shots and working with Ron and the visual effects team. At the time, that place was inventing everything for digital filmmaking. It was fun and always risky.”
Legendary actor Robert Preston of “The Music Man” fame gives a flawless performance as Centauri, in what would turn out to be his final film appearance, as he passed away just three years after the film’s theatrical release.
“With a character like him, you know he’s going to be a joy to work with,” Castle says. “He’s a seasoned pro, he loves being in front of the camera, and he’s got a certain talent. The idea to cast him came from Jonathan, the writer. He came to me when we were casting and said, ‘Nick, listen to this… the Music Man in space.’ It was one of the greatest ideas ever. We’d already written him as a trickster, and it all worked out perfectly. Robert is a great guy and it was a lot of fun.”
Many fans of this nostalgic film always point out the breathtaking music that enhances every scene of this glorious Hollywood gem.
“I think it’s a fantastic score, definitely one of Craig’s best,” adds Castle, “The score stands up to all the other space operas that have come before and since. It’s a fantastic, catchy theme. Craig knew how to play the theme as an adventure and a love story and a pensive story and not make it repetitive. He’s composed the orchestral suite for The Last Starfighter in different countries over the years and people love it. I think he’s done a really great job.”
Though it may seem outdated in this dreary and divisive world, the film is a lift to the soul, an invigorating return to an optimistic era of filmmaking that we all need more of. Don’t let the focus on today’s dystopian bleakness daunt you; there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a little old-fashioned Hollywood fun. The Last Starfighter still shines on its 40th anniversary.
