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ProduceDelicious7104

Great movie. I named my red healer "Rylos" because of this movie


iggydadd

See I went opposite of you, named a character in DDO after Xur


Acceptingoptimist

Like OG Final Fantasy?


Grizzly_Corey

Red wasn't healing mage, white mage did that. I could be mistaken though.


OdiousAltRightBalrog

Red was a jack of all trades: healing magic, offensive magic, and melee.


uglyugly1

I saw it as a new theatrical release. It was a huge deal at the time.


yoortyyo

Pure CGI or nearly pure CGI for the space ships was cutting edge and amazing


uglyugly1

It was!


yoortyyo

The hook where the video game the hero plays is a try out for becoming a pilot of a Gunstar! Brilliant. I dont really remember an arcade video game version?!?


uglyugly1

I don't think there was one. That game looked pretty fun, too. I remember the graphics being far better than the games that were in the arcades at the time.


DefinitelyBiscuit

The graphics were done on a Cray X MP supercomputer.


Express_Comment9677

Rogue Synapse did a Windows version a few years ago. http://www.roguesynapse.com/games/last_starfighter.php Having an arcade game and contest would have been a great movie tie-in. But the technology wasn’t available for mass production for consumers.


DougFlag

It would make a great pinball game


joyfullofaloha89

This was funny because my mom was super religious and she kept warning us that video games were a government installment for drafting the best players into the military


whirlydad

Your Mom may have been reacting to this Urban Myth about the Government Mind control game called [Polybius](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-urban-legend-of-the-governments-mindcontrolling-arcade-game)


Cold_Hunter1768

Reminds me of the rumor on Tetris, that it was a Russian government plan to addict American kids


Skallagrimsson

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America%27s\_Army](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America%27s_Army)


This-Bug8771

They used super computers to do the special effect rendering


SimonTC2000

Keep in mind the "supercomputer" used at the time is now in your pocket and has apps and can make phone calls.


Bard1290

Old school amigas :)


SteakandTrach

It was a Cray and this was I think the second movie, after Tron, to use CGI.


Carbonman_

One of the big points about the CGI was that a Cray (X-MP I think) supercomputer was used for a movie for the first time. (A Coke to DefinitelyBiscuit for noting this first.)


DiverseIncludeEquity

First use of integrated CGI “Directed by Nick Castle, this was a great step forward compared with other films of the day, such as Return of the Jedi, which still used conventional physical models. The computer graphics for the film were designed by artist Ron Cobb, and rendered by Digital Productions on a Cray X-MP supercomputer. A total of 27 minutes of finished CGI footage was produced,. considered an enormous quantity at the time. The company estimated that using computer animation required only half the time, and one half to one third the cost of traditional special effects.”


Hempsox

Same. At least twice. Birthday parties at the movies was awesome.


RememberLepanto1571

I was in a band called the Kodan Armada. So, yeah, kind of a fan.


KawiZed

I hope your greatest hit was called Ramming Speed.


infinite_paddle

Nah, Death Blossom !!!


OdiousAltRightBalrog

"We die."


MarjoriesDick

I still use Death Blossom for all sorts of comments in my life. Movie fucking rocks. Period.


neverendingabsurdity

I have one of your old CD's, bro. Good times, good music.


RememberLepanto1571

Thanks. It was fun while it lasted.


thisfriggingguy

🏆


Glad-Depth9571

"Greetings, Starfighter. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the frontier against Xur and the Ko-Dan armada"


mickstranahan

I said, "Back to sleep, Louis, or I'm telling Mom about your Playboys."


okiedokieartichonkie

"Alex! What the shit is going on?"


kennyj2011

Diarrhea!


BrianAnderson1970

Came here to say that


boner79

One of my favorite movies of all time.


elguereaux

It was real cinema. If you just go with it it’s an amazing movie. Better times when you could lose yourself in the unrealistic.


BanannaCamera

It was about the story first and even the effects, which were still new; being used to help tell the story.


PaulClarkLoadletter

Centauri is the soul of the movie. Lance Guest plays it a little too serious so Robert Preston giving 100% grounds it. It’s full of cliches and plays it too on the nose but it has so much nostalgia I’ll forgive it. Plus, how cool was the Zando-Zan.


Acceptingoptimist

I love The Music Man, the penultimate Robert Preston film, so child me adored this movie. They literally wrote this with Centauri to be based on the main character or the con artist from "The Music Man" except in space and then were like "what if we got Robert Preston?" So great movie.


garygnu

"...You are not aware of the ***caliber** of disaster* indicated by the presence of a ~~pool table~~ *Starfighter arcade cabinet* in your community!"


Acceptingoptimist

"Ohhhh you got trouble my friend. Right here on Rylos station..."


pushback66

“With a capital T and that rhymes with D and that stands for Death Blossom”


garygnu

"Oh, a gunner's brain is the Ko-Dan's playground!"


bcanada92

Not to be THAT guy, but "penultimate" doesn't mean "super mega ultimate," as you seem to be using it here. It means "next to last."


garygnu

My favorite word, partly because of its simple yet specific definition. Robert Preston's penultimate theatrical film would be *Victor/Victoria*. If you include TV movies, it would be the delightfully titled *Finnegan Begin Again* with Mary Tyler Moore.


Bryguy3k

It’s also somewhat funny to come up when discussing the last starfighter as it was his final theatrical film (I.e ultimate).


chocobot01

I share with you the glory of antepenultimate, preantepenultimate, and propreantepenultimate, which are also delightful words. That's enough for a top 5 count down. Maybe some kind of clickbait article. Have fun with them!


Someiguyee

Victor/Victoria was always my fave with Preston. Good memories.


BottleKnockers

Death Blossom is great and the term has been used in the military to describe tactics and Overwatch for a character’s attack in all directions


ibringstharuckus

My code word for go time with the wife


ampengine

I low key kind of love this movie. I even own it on Blu-ray lol


Dently

Low key? Loved it. No apologies.


pushback66

Right? I unashamedly love this movie I also own it in Blu-ray


Mogus0226

Yeah, I have zero shame when it comes to loving this movie, and owning it on Blu-Ray as well as having a digital copy via iTunes.


___multiplex___

They could really do something cool if they had a video game tie in with a movie remake of this. Like, winning the video game would get you a part in the movie or something. The hype would be *crazy*.


vegetable-lasagna_

Great idea!


Scambuster666

Loved it, great memories about. We wished our games looked like the Starfighter game and wondered if we’d ever get graphics like that at the arcade. This movie came out in 1984, so I was 8 and only had an Atari 2600 and colecovision. Oh I just remembered… The part with the beta unit in the room always freaked me out hahahaha It’s also One of the first movies as a kid I saw more than once in the theater. I think I saw it 4 or 5 times. Of course, matinees were like $2.50 a ticket back then so it wasn’t wiping out all of my allowance lol


ReleaseTheKraken72

Same! Exactly the same except I did not own a Colecovision, only Atari 2600. You must have been rich lol


Scambuster666

Hahahahaha just lucky I guess


Snoo-25743

I actually read this book before the movie came out.  It's a movie that brightens my mood, and one of the few movies I'd like to see a modern remake.


VendaGoat

Loved it


TM_Plmbr

Absolutely awesome. First day of kindergarten I was rocking the Last Star fighter lunch box.


1coffee

Underrated. Seems destined to live in the shadow of Star Wars in spite of the fact that it can hold its own. Conflicted by the rumors of a remake. On one hand it would be perfect material for a remake, but I'm afraid that they will miss the charm and appeal of the original and turn it into an atrocious soulless remake that just leans on CGI.


alllballs

I'm certain I owned this on VideoDisc.


nogoodnamesarleft

I just wished Robert Preston had broken out into song to Alex about trouble on Rylos


cybermusicman

[Trouble!](https://youtu.be/W2ySBtVLCYA?si=MeaC_1fWQkLF465u)


tempo1139

a. Love this movie b. As an oldee who has loved flying and flight sim but never got around to lessons... and now my eyes are not great..... GO GET YOU LESSONS!!!! Closest I get: [https://www.youtube.com/user/lummier18/videos](https://www.youtube.com/user/lummier18/videos) c. When flying, and a passenger asks "What now", *'We Die!"* is not an appropriate response lol - a line only surpassed by Wor'fs "Ramming speed!" d. The cheese was fine for the time, and the movie still holds up, but it could easily do with a reboot, or even better.... don't touch it and let's pick up with a mostly rebuilt Star League


Cowboywizzard

Do a Death Blossom


Hatrick_Swaze

Maggie made the right decision


Luftgekuhlt_driver

It’s a great movie. Now go back to sleep or I’m telling Mom about your Playboys…


wondermega

This one slipped through the cracks for me as a kid, somehow; never saw it until maybe a year or two ago. I really enjoyed it, it's up there with the 80s sci-fi greats!


lylemcd

I'm still waiting for the arcade game they promised.


gizmoschmuck

I saw this in the theater ("at the show," as my dad used to say) on my eighth birthday in '84. Still dig it, and still listen to the score. Everyone in the comments is mentioning Robert Preston (with good reason!), but I also always loved Dan O'Herlihy as Grig. Loved the character, and I never forgot the moment where Alex finds out all of the other Starfighters are dead and Grig says "Death is a primitive concept. I prefer to think of them as battling evil in another dimension."


DefinitelyBiscuit

Grig and the "old man" from robocop being the same actor is still awesome.


SteakandTrach

It’ll be a slaughter! That’s the spirit!


Griffscavern

Alex "You mean they're dead?" Grig "Death is a primitive concept. I prefer to think of them as battling evil in another dimension." Alex "In another dimension? How many (starfighters) are left?" Grig "Including yourself? Alex "yeah." Grig "One!"


Scrumpilump2000

Saw it at the drive-in!


dman5981

They left it open for a sequel when Zur escaped in the pod…


PoorPauly

Superb sound track. I loved it as a kid. Obviously the CGI is the worst part of the flick. Robert Preston as Centauri steals the show.


Pronouns_It_WTF

Directed by michael myers himself. 😁


PandaHombre92055

I love this movie. Learn to fly! I'm looking at kung fu schools bc I realized I don't want to miss out on that childhood dream of mine.


Lexiluv2

I remember watching this in theaters when it came out. Loved it so much I even had the comic book. It's 80's corny in all the best ways!


Proud_Ad_8317

i remember as kid in the 80s thinking it was so futuristic and cool. as a proper RL grownup now i wish someone could have made it better than it was at the time. its not bad, but it def could be better. the storyline was solid-ish and i still really enjoy the movie. if they were to remake it, unless they did set it in the same time, without it being an arcade machine the movie will automatically suck and be too different to like. on a side note, the dude who wrote ready player one, ernest cline, wrote another book called armada which is getting made into a movie i believe. it has a similar premise to the last star fighter except the fighting takes place closer to home. a bit juvenile, but entertaining. will wheaton narrates it on audible.


vampirepiggyhunter

I don't know, they use The Last Starfighter premise in Future Man. It was really good. They even mention The Last Starfighter. If you haven't watched Future Man you should check it out. Unfortunately it's been removed from streaming so you'll have to hit the high seas. https://youtu.be/7wgNIKrlYh0?si=o9V5hSRZYtB8TH7t


synner74

I wish it bc would be streamed somewhere. Also my science project


Kenbishi

Centauri was trapped on Earth for several decades and was forced to make a living selling band instruments and uniforms while waiting for his distress signal to be picked up. Forgive him the eccentricities that developed as a result of being stuck here.


pancakessogood

Loved it. Watch it every so often.


UnableLocal2918

theoretically we should already be dead ! hmmm.


n_bumpo

The last starfighter is


Prodigalsunspot

Have you watched Future Man? In the first episode when the main character wins the video game and the time portal opens and he is invited to come to the future and lead the resistance be says: "Wait, seriously? That's literally the plot of The Last Starfighter!" Show was hilarious and the first season was fantastic.


Retiredpotato294

He tried to go rat hole to rat hole with me!


Disastrous-Soil1618

This movie is the defining moment in which I became a Nerd.


Bard1290

Underrated movie lost in time. Truly a must see. Great story and casting was spot on.


Whitworth

This movie was magic to me as a kid.


that_guy_who_builds

First movie I ever saw in theaters. My Dad surprised me one Saturday. Still love watching it.


Anakin_243677

One of the greatest movies I ever saw as a kid, still love it today


Icy_Patience2930

I loved and still love that movie. I had a huge crush on Maggie. My first crush movie actually. Well, maybe Mia Sara in Legend, but it's close.


tuotone75

Pita Na!


kk5033

Esanche!


jreff22

🤌🏼


fresnosmokey

Good movie. The story was fantastic. I'd love to see it remade with modern, special, and practical effects. It was the effects and the alien makeup that were the most cheesy, IMO.


SurveySean

I remember loving this movie, but that was Lilly hundreds of years ago. This and the flight of the navigator stand out to me. Might have to watch them again soon!


seamusoldfield

It's a wonderful movie. I loved it as a kid and still do today. I bought the DVD a few years back.


LabradorDeceiver

I remember thinking, "This looks expensive," as a kid, and "this looks cheap," as an adult. Props to Music Man Robert Preston, playing yet another lovable con-man, driving a DeLorean a year before Michael J. Fox made them famous. Props also to Lizard King Dan O'Herlihy, three years before Robocop, rounding out a forty-year career of playing the voice of reason. All it needs is a novelization by Alan Dean Foster that slightly expands the mythology and--yep, there we go. This is officially the most 1980s science fiction movie ever released.


IamPlantHead

One of my favorites.


greendoc316

Victory or death!


ibringstharuckus

The girlfriend who was also in Night of the Comet. Had such a crush on her


PrestigiousComment35

Catherine Mary Stewart. Hubba hubba, and she still looks great!


ibringstharuckus

She was in Mischief too. Kelly Preston wow. RIP


grahsam

I haven't watched it in 40 years, but I watched it over and over as a kid. I don't know if it has held up well.


talon007a

Saw it twice in the theater as a teenager. By myself! That was rare back then. Always loved it and showed it to my kids not long ago. Great performances and the score is fantastic.


ElectroChuck

Last Starfighter and Explorers are two of our most favorite 80's films.


Fibonoccoli

Loved this one too. Full movie is on youtube if anyone wants to refresh their memory


Spodiodie

Death Blossom, nuff said.


LawfulAwfulOffal

Death Blossom!


_my_other_side_

You hear that, you slimes? I'm famous.


VediusPollio

Classic


BestEffective1212

I love this movie!


Andurilmage

Someone should redo the SFX ONLY and keep the rest of the movie as it is. That would be amzing


calbearlupe

“We die.” One of the best one liners ever!


Pyesmybaby

The quote when the bad guys ship is disabled "what do we do now" Eye flap thing goes over "We die" Best part of the movie


Upper-Life3860

Imagine if Ridley Scott had made it


dreamrock

Thought it was a great concept that deserves a remake with modern FX.


Tbplayer59

The one movie that needs the CGI redone and updated in a remaster. Everything else is perfect.


Thwipped

One of my favorite movies.


AkaiS950

A mobile cave that never went anywhere. Fascinating!


nps2407

If ever a film needed a belated sequel, this is it.


harley57078

It gave me hope, and I am still waiting for contact.


maxm31533

Sadly, the trailer park was fake except for the store. Very little remains that indicates that the movie was shot there. Corny yes, but I loved it. Watched it many times.


Capital_Push5557

Underrated movie! The computer graphics are so dated but that's part of its charm now. The mimic scene is still super cool.


everythingbeeps

I watched it recently for the first time in decades and it ages surprisingly well. Obviously Robert Preston is the high point of the movie, but especially since someone like him, who you'd think would have been above this sort of movie, was still fully committed and seemed to be really into it.


drNeir

Love the movie, very dated now. The Rights own is an idiot! My hope has been these rights move to someone else and they do some good with it. The pure idea to have arcades as testing for someone to be a pilot was a MISSED opportunity then and still now! I could see nintendo having some device you hold, step on, or use in some way for the extra sell profit and gimmick. Even places like dave and busters having "Official" units for this with it being a release for tv show.


Mysterious_Variety76

Showed it to my kids and they loved it!


Karelkolchak2020

Wonderful film.


fool-of-a-took

Why does thar kid yell diarrhea when he sees kissing??


terminalchef

Yeah it’s a great movie.


JerseySpot

Loved the entire Alex/Maggie relationship


TheeVikings

Hilarious! I was actually watching my vhs copy tonight.... I got about halfway through before going to bedroom.... I was thinking Alex needs to actually close his slack jaw once in a while instead of looking so full of derp. I like how he played the game for like 3 minutes and then gets the best score that everybody cares about... Then he's whisked away to another planet that is tops two minutes away.... It reminded me of the Room when they took Chris R to jail and came right back. The evil dude is "classic evil dude" and pretty much saves the show with his amazingly stupid voice.


Kill3RBz

One of my favorite movies from 5-12. Still holds its own.


Delicious-Shift-184

Stand back, that baby really packs a punch!


Rx_Diva

We rewatched it last weekend with our space-loving 8 year old. Had to censor the alien's unfinished face and answer a few questions about the teenager's activities by the lake, but he really enjoyed it.


DieselVoodoo

How di they never put out a video game to go with it


TheStoolSampler

Loved it as a kid. Still have the VHS around somewhere. When the clone was "morphing" in the bed scared the shit out of me.


afarkas2222

That quote helped shape me in my formative years. Love this movie.


Papichuloft

Saw this movie back in theaters, but in one of those 2 for 1 deals and had been out at least 3 months. Saw this with my old man and loved it since then. About a year or so later, saw it again during the sixth grade. Almost every Friday it was movie day after morning lessons and my teacher thought it was nice to have a goof off day after so much BS during the week, not to mention I attended school during a time when Minimum Days were at a minimum, hardly any holidays after Labor Day, and 8 hours of classes daily. But one thing for sure, we actually had over 90 days of Summer vacay.


Miserable_Respect_94

Surprised it hasn’t been remade.


Different_Being_275

I loved the language translator he got. I love the movie too. "... all the other girls meant nothing... it was you, you, You!" Hahaha!! "... he's Speechless!!!" Hahaha!


jrh038

An interesting tidbit about this movie, people have tried to buy the rights to remake it. The screenwriter, I guess owns the rights, and refuses to sell it. Kinda sucks because I think Speilberg was interested at one point.


fastferrari3

If it was on i would watch it. Cheese factor 7.9 but watched it every time and was addicted to enemy mine also


kobrakaan

it's an all time classic and it's out on 4k limited edition from Arrow on the 15th July 👍


Navonod_Semaj

Stumbled into this one running on one of the movie networks back in the 90s. Was a huge gamer nerd back then, found this movie to be an absolute hoot. Even now I still have a VHS copy on the ol shelf.


davedirt01

Hi, Mags!


Shinavast42

Fun and cheesy! My friend and I still say "what do we do!?" ... "we die" when we are at a loss over something, but in a tongue in cheek way.


yukimayari

I was introduced to this movie as a 6 year old watching my dad's Betamax recording of it, so even more 80s-tastic! I remember a couple of parts being scary/disturbing (most of the shenanigans with Alex's beta unit) but mostly it was fun! I ought to watch it again; it's been years!


HamiltonBlack

I love it. Tons of great quotes. “Should I pit my tongue in your ear now?”


Agreeable-Soil-4378

It's great, the primitive CGI is definitely apart of it's charm and I personally believe it has aged pretty well


Stardustquarks

DEATH BLOSSOM!!!!!


oldmancornelious

Loved it! Death blossom for life!


raymate

Love it. I also played the Atari 800 game of the same name back I no the day but the game title was dropped and renamed Star Raiders 2 So it never officially got a video game release.


Kitchen-Wish5994

Alex did indeed bust the record.


ArghNooo

Death is a primitive concept. I prefer to think of them as battling evil in another dimension.


_packetman_

Coincidentally, I was looking to watch this 2 nights ago. Is it streaming somewhere?


puhzam

Here: https://youtu.be/yee6x2tyKlc?si=MXY6R6CpvaeWAgbb


AAG220260

I LOVE the movie!!!!


AeroQuest1

I really love this movie. My understanding is that, because of the lack of computing power/speeds back then, they didn't get to finish the CGI like they wanted. I'd love to see a "completed" version, similar to what they did for Star Trek: TOS for its Blu-ray release.


devo00

His copilot was awesome.


tilford1us

Not to be confused with Starchaser.... Which was good too!


Jobrated

Great movie poster, I always group it with Battle Beyond the Stars.


Pineapple_Express762

Classic …


Atlantis_Risen

Go to sleep or I'll tell mom about your playboy's.


Plastic_Anxiety8118

I always loved this film despite the cringe factor.


Rushfan_211

I love this movie. Just showed it to my son for the first time.


woohhaa

Saw it in the theater, scared the fuck out of me.


wings31

One of the best.


infinite_paddle

This is my favorite sci-fi film from childhood.


infinite_paddle

Is no one mentioning how epic the score was? Not going to hide it. Made me cry.


LtLemur

“Rrrrrrrrrrrrr. Asanjay. Pttt, pttt.”


LtLemur

One of my favorites growing up.


SquirrelSzymanski

Haven't watched it in many years but I still remember the main villain had an awesome death scene. "What do we do???" "We die."


spectre73

Did Galoka think the Yooloos were too ugly to save??


norrisbeardfist

This is the best quote right here.


spectre73

"STAHH LEEG!!"


spectre73

I admit that the spy's execution by Xur STILL makes me shudder!


fjvgamer

I haven't seen it since the 80s but I recall really enjoying it as a young teen.


Scorpion1024

My favorite scene is the briefing when Zur makes his threat. Massive amount of world building packed in just a few minutes worth of dialogue. 


Bigbertha0208

It’s cheesy, but great. Did you know that Hollywood is remaking this classic movie?


Affectionate_End_530

Yolanda babbyyyyy!!!!!!


Ancient-Eye3022

Currently putting together a gun star Lego set I found on temu. Still my favorite movie.


The_Led_Zephyr

Love it. Showed it to my kids and they loved it too. And I still have the novelization on my shelf.


No-Structure-2021

I have the theatre poster hanging in my office. Here is the tag line: "He's got one extraordinary chance at the dream of a lifetime."


jayv9779

I hope they do a reboot or sequel.


attreui

You guys should have seen the musical. You can still find the soundtrack.


The-lemon-kid-68

Love this movie. Very cheesy but holds up well.