I decided that to honor “Star Wars” being released digitally, as well as visit something older, it might be fitting to review “The Last Starfighter.” It’s one of those films that owe a great debt to “Star Wars,” much like a lot of the space epics during the early 1980s. Also, I have never seen it!
Acting
Lance Guest stars as Alex Rogan, a teenager struggling to get out of his trailer park home and do something great. What I struggled with throughout the film is how reluctant Alex is to become a Starfighter gunner. It’s simultaneously believable and annoying. It goes beyond a Luke Skywalker arc of not wanting to become a Jedi, but then fully committing himself to its study. Although, Lance does a good job of being Beta Alex, a simuloid that acts in the place of Alex while the real Alex is away in battle.
Dan O’ Herlihy and Robert Preston do fine enough jobs as Grig and Centauri, respectively. Grig has some weird breathless laugh going on and Centauri looks and acts like an audition for “Doctor Who,” but it’s this minor details that make these characters stand out.
The character I think the whole film really is indebted to is Xur, played by Norman Snow. He’s the main antagonist in the film, leader of the Kodans, but he has nearly 10 minutes of screen time. Not much for a powerful overlord, but just the right amount for some incompetent leader. And that’s what I really liked about “The Last Starfighter.” Here’s a gunner (Alex) and a pilot (Grig) who are tasked with defeating the majority of the Kodan armada by themselves. So, the script needed some overconfident tyrant who really wasn’t all-powerful — someone who was all fluff, trying to overcome his father’s shadow (the leader of the Starfighters at Rylos). The Kodans also distrust him, and there’s a sense that there is more of an established timeline and backstory that the film only hints at. That’s what really makes the film work because there are more believable flaws in the enemy’s defenses than just a “proton torpedo into an exhaust port.”
Sound
I really enjoyed the sound here. In Craig Safan’s score, there are lots of epic themes explored. Nothing is really memorable like a John Williams score, but the themes are fun and they sweep you into a world beyond Earth.
There are also some interesting moments as to Beta Alex’s adjustments on Earth. As he is trying to tune in his hyper-sensitive ears, Beta Alex tries to find a balance between what sounds matter (the sound of alien assassins) and those he can tune out (the drum-like dissonance of the wind being beaten down by moth’s wings). It builds an interesting character, and it compliments the overall sound design.
Cinematography
The cinematography in the film is clever. My favorite scene is the final shot. The final shot is a low angle shot that encapsulates a sea of stars. However, there is a sign in the Star Light Star Brite trailer park that strobes one brilliant star. That neon star stands out among the others. I thought it wrapped up the title of the film nicely and just made for an interesting shot.
The CGI in the film is definitely awful. What do you expect from 1984? What I didn’t like about this film is that it almost relied on the CGI too much. There are lots of shots that could have been achieved with models or matte painting, but the CGI is used because it was cutting edge at the time. I will say, I like the CGI better than most films in 2015.
Sets/Locations
The trailer park of Star Light Star Brite evokes the familiar “from humble beginnings” trope used in most films like “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” and “Star Wars.” However, here it works really well. There’s the convenience store that houses the Starfighter arcade machine (which is a test for Alex to complete). The store is a quaint, yet interesting podunk joint with a state-of-the-art arcade sitting under an awning.
It’s just fun.
It was fortunate that I have not seen “The Last Starfighter” before, as nostalgia may have prevented me from truly enjoying the film. Well, I really enjoyed the film. It’s just fun. It may be a “Star Wars” rip-off, but it makes up for it in craftiness and character.
Chad Alexander is a mild-mannered government contractor by day and a pretty normal sleeper by night. He has been dedicated to freelance writing for the last decade — writing scripts, short stories, and blogging in his spare time. He reads constantly, plays board games in his spare time, and enjoys a fine 20 oz of Cherry Coke whenever he’s feeling dangerous.
Read more Movie Reviews by Chad Alexander
Columns on Fredericksburg.Today are recurrent features on specific topics or by regular contributors. Columnists present their own point-of-view and may not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Fredericksburg.Today.
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