The Last Starfighter (film): I should have left it in my memories
We all have a film that we have really fond memories of from when we were a kid. If you are like me you have several. Perhaps it will come up in a conversation with friends and then you get the bright idea to located the film and re-watch it 30 years later. Sometimes, this is a bad idea
This movie is from 1984 when sci-fi was all the rage. We have Star Wars to thank for this. It seems like everyone was trying to get some sort of space movie out to market and this was actually one of the winners.
The story follows Alex Rogan, a teenager who lives in a trailer park and was recently turned down for a scholarship. He is frustrated at his mundane existence and the education denial was kind of the nail in the coffin for his boring life. At the social area in his housing estate there is a video game that he obtains the highest score ever in, one day.
As it turns out the game was actually a simulation and the conflict the game describes is actually a real thing in a distant galaxy. The game was designed as a test to find people who have what is described as "the gift" and Alex is whisked away (basically kidnapped) in order to help in the conflict. The aliens leave an android in his place that looks like him so that the people back home will not worry.
Next thing you know Alex is being outfitted with his own starship and is now a major player in the battle between Rylan Star League and the Ko-Dan Empire. The one with the word "Empire" in it, is of course, the bad guys who are lead by someone named Xur .
there he is, being all evil and Xur-ish
As I kid, this movie represented everything a kid at that time dreamed of. That excelling at a video game lead to being selected for an awesome job somewhere as a hero. In that regard the movie was pretty inventive and I am sure the premise has been copied many times over.
However, here is the problem: I should have left it in my mind because the film hasn't aged well. Due to no fault of their own because they did have a massive budget for the time period and they used it well, the technology used for the movie has been surpassed immensely over the years. Now the movie just seems dull.
I went through a similar phenomenon when i went back to watch all the Quantum Leap episodes and became incredibly bored after just a few episodes. Magnum P.I. and The A Team elicited a similar response. Some things are better left in your fond memories. This is why I just talk about how great NES games were rather than actually emulating them and playing them again because I don't want to destroy my childhood memories.
I'm gonna double rate this because it seems unfair to dock points because of time
by today's standards
5 / 10
1984 standards
You know how some movies get re-released with updated visuals and alterations? This is probably the one movie where I'd like to see that happen. Don't get me wrong, I adore the film as is, and always will, but would it not be interesting to see what could have been? Supposedly the technology of the time could have rendered more detail if more time had been available. I say give the filmmakers the chance to complete their vision! If Spielberg can edit in walkie-talkies, etc.
I was able to watch this movie several times on HBO, the one cable channel my parents got. It's a great movie and I guess I was 9 years old at the time.
The graphics are great, the story great, the idea of the android replacement............I wonder if he influenced "Star Trek's" "Data" character............
"Death is an outdated concept, I prefer to think I will be battling evil, in another dimension!" :-)
"I've always wanted to fight a desperate battle against incredible odds." Well, what boy hasn't? :)
Haha i have a perfect movie that fits this description, there was a movie I cherished so much when I was younger, spy kids1, all gadget and sci fi with kids in control and saving the world from evil, at that time, the movie was everything, now looking at it, not so much, it is interesting how some movies never go old,and some fade away with time.
I could give the movie a 9/10 then, but now, 6/10 lol
I still secretly hope aliens will discover my awesome game play ability and come take me away. Long time since I saw Last Starfighter
Hiii...gooddream
Great Post with Great Information.
Perfect review.
My 100 % upvote for this post.
These things happen from time to time, which is why i made it a point to avoid watching movies even twice unless am absolutely certain of its nicenss irrespective of the time frame, predators waa a movie i loved as a kid, now i just detest everything about it
Haha, double rating now, surely some movies ought to be left as they have been imprinted in our memories since childhood and this is no exception, i quite remember going over the Rambo movie by Sylvester Stallone and i almost cried😄, it was that bad
Good work at this post. Thanks for share
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Very nice film shot. I like your all post .thanks for share