‘The Last Starfighter’ Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Larger Than Life Adventure Is Given The Deluxe Treatment

With the massive popularity of Star Wars in 1977, space became a hot topic for a Hollywood system eager to capitalize on the fervor surrounding that franchise. This is the classic folly of executive thinking which leads them to believe that the key to success is trying to recapture the magic that audiences fell in love with instead of delivering something original. There are countless imitators and opportunists that cropped up around this time, but one that stood out as something special is Nick Castle’s The Last Starfighter from 1984. Rather than trying to create another space opera, screenwriter Jonathan Betuel used the rising popularity of video games as inspiration to pull off his best approximation of Spielberg and provide something grounded and heartfelt to complement his larger than life story. The film was not a box office smash when it was released, but it got solid critical notices and a respectable return on investment. It has been in the years since where its popularity has really grown, culminating in this new release from Arrow Video which finds the movie finally getting the respect it has always deserved.

The Last Starfighter follows the classic hero’s journey, and our hero in this case is aspirational teenager Alex Rogan (Lance Guest). Alex is the dreamer of his close-knit trailer park community; he is beloved by all of his neighbors thanks to his kindness and willingness to help out when needed. When he does have a moment to himself, everyone knows he is over at the Starfighter arcade game that serves as the only form of entertainment in the park. In this game, the player defends the Frontier from Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada in a space battle – typical video game dynamics. Alex causes a stir in the community one night when he breaks the high-score with an incredibly impressive run as savior of the Frontier. He is soon approached by the game’s creator, Centauri (Robert Preston, Victor/Victoria), who lures him into his car and out of this world. He reveals that he is an alien that put the game on Earth to find someone who had the natural gifts that could save the forces of good. This battle that he has been waging in game form represents a real conflict in which he might be able to make a genuine difference. This would not be a proper hero’s journey without some reluctance to fight, but together with his reptilian pilot Grig (Dan O’Herlihy) he might just be bold enough to rise to the occasion. 

The film is not just an intergalactic tale; large portions of the story take place on Earth to cement the emotional core of the adventure. Back on this planet Alex has one amazing thing going for him in his unremarkable life; Maggie (Catherine Mary Stewart) is just about as lovely of a girlfriend as one could dream up. She is sympathetic to Alex’s desire to have a life beyond the trailer park, as, even though she is intimidated to leave her community, she has a lot of the same feelings. Maggie is one of the most important characters in the movie as you need a reason for Alex to even want to return to Earth. Stewart brings a lot of charm to a role that is often short changed in the area of major characterization. When word gets around to the Ko-Dan that one of the last remaining hopes for the Frontier might reside on Earth, the personal stakes rapidly grow. The movie does a nice job of balancing the poignant moments of earthbound Alex and the burgeoning hero that Alex is when he is battling in space. The plot is nothing revolutionary, but it is executed in such a steadily engrossing way that you cannot help but be charmed by it. 

The Last Starfighter works better than a lot of the quick cash-ins of the time because of the many different solid parts at play. Perhaps the single most important piece of the whole puzzle is Robert Preston as Centauri. Preston brings a real gravitas to the role as he channels a similar energy as his role in The Music Man. By his mere presence, he makes the good-not-great Lance Guest seem more charismatic. This project was also one of the first films to use CGI to create the spacecraft, battles and more. The effects are obviously very dated now, but there is something charming about them that does not take you out of the film. The practical effects at play, such as the makeup for Grig, hold up incredibly well even by today’s standards. One way in which the movie nearly rivals Star Wars is the soaring score from Craig Safan. Nothing can beat the John Williams score from Star Wars, but what we have here is way better than it has any right to be. The Last Starfighter is not a perfect movie, but it is really satisfying as a sci-fi adventure with an emotional core. If we were ever to get a Tron: Legacy– esque follow up to this tale, you would get my butt in the seat. 

Video Quality

The Last Starfighter comes to Blu-Ray from Arrow Video with a stunning 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR transfer sourced from a 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative. When we reviewed the previous Arrow Video Blu-Ray almost three years ago, the upgrade from the previous atrocious Universal Blu-Ray was night and day. With such a knockout Blu-Ray preceding this most recent release, the upgrade to 4K UHD is not quite as obvious, but what improvements we notice allow the film to look like the best version of itself.

The biggest boost for this 4K UHD release is the implementation of Dolby Vision. The colors on display are radiant both on Earth and out in space as certain moments really tap into new depths of visual wonder. You notice improvements right away when you see some of the neon lighting around the trailer park which gets to a deeper level of saturation. The color of Grig’s scales are a touch more nuanced with this presentation, as well. Black levels are tremendously deep and allow for true detail to come through without ever succumbing to crush or artifacting. Highlights are more bright and brilliant without veering into blooming. 

As someone who has suffered through the old Universal Blu-Ray, this new 4K UHD Blu-Ray is the ideal way to experience this movie at home. Like the previous Arrow Blu-Ray, this presentation preserves the filmic look with proper film grain and texture throughout, only the grain is a touch more evenly resolved. Clarity and detail is through the roof with subtle details in the production design visible here for the first time from tiny details on the spaceship to subtle makeup effects. Skin tones are natural and lend themselves to showcasing an amazing amount of detail, unlike the waxy, dated Universal Blu-Ray. The wonky special effects even look a touch smoother in this restoration. All print damage has been previously cleaned up in this restoration without messing with the natural look of the film.

The improvements from the previous Arrow Video Blu-Ray of The Last Starfighter are not going to slap you in the face, but those who love what 4K UHD can offer will appreciate the refinement in the presentation with advancements in color and grain structure standing out the most. If you do have the previous Arrow Blu-Ray, you will have to weigh how important it is to have this film in the absolute best quality, but those who are buying this for the first time or upgrading from the old Universal Blu-Ray should do so without reservation. Arrow Video has delivered the definitive presentation for this film.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray uses the same audio track as the previous Blu-Ray release. That assessment is provided below. 

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with three audio options: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, DTS-HD Master Audio 4.1 (created for the film’s 70mm release) and a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono mix, which all sound pretty incredible. The activity in the film is not as bombastic as most modern sci-fi tales, but the activity that is present is quite engaging. Music courtesy of Craig Safan helps bring an emotional resonance to the story, but it never overpowers the dialogue or other important information. Conversations come through clearly and never fall victim to any digital anomalies. Rear speakers allow for some textured activity with ambient sound in a way that is appreciated. There is a decent amount of low-end support during the more action-packed moments, such as the end space battle. Optional English subtitles are included on the disc. With a multitude of different choices that all represent the film fantastically well, you really cannot complain. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary #1: Actor Lance Guest and his son Jackson Guest provide a brand-new track for the film that is a bit unfocused but fun. Lance is apprehensive at first to speak over his co-stars lines, but he gets a bit better as it goes along by providing anecdotes from the set and fondly reflecting on his relationship with the film. 

• Audio Commentary #2: Director Nick Castle and production designer Rob Cobb provide a track that is a bit more substantial as they delve into the history of the project, the inspiration for the story, changes from the script, the archetypal nature of the characters, secrets of the production design and more. There’s a lot of fun information in here for fans of the film. 

• Audio Commentary #3: Mike White of The Projection Booth podcast gives a very detailed breakdown of the project from a more historical perspective that is elegantly delivered and ceaselessly fascinating. This is packed with useful information that is worth your time. 

• Maggie’s Memories – Revisiting The Last Starfighter: A nearly ten-minute Zoom interview with actress Catherine Mary Stewart provided alongside clips from the film in which she discusses her experience coming to the film, her chemistry with Lance Guest, her favorite memories from the shoot, the difficulty in acting against special effects and more. 

• Into the Starscape – Composing The Last Starfighter: A twelve-minute Zoom interview with composer Craig Safan in which he takes you through his work on the film including his experience composing an unfinished film, creating a theme that conveys the heart of the movie, staying away from a John Williams sound and more. Safan does not shy away from delving into the technical which makes this feel a bit more substantial. 

• Incredible Odds – Writing The Last Starfighter: A nearly ten-minute Zoom interview with screenwriter Jonathan Betuel in which he discusses his experience writing the script, developing it into a film, changes in the script, trying to avoid being a Star Wars knockoff and more. 

• Interstellar Hit-Beast – Creating the Special Effects: A ten-minute Zoom interview with special effects supervisor Kevin Pike in which he discusses the various elements that he had to tackle on the film including weapons, vehicles, interiors, alien effects and more. This is a nice look at the practical special effects that are utilized in the film. 

• Excalibur Test – Inside Digital Productions: An eight-minute interview with sci-fi author Greg Bear who discusses Digital Productions, the company which did the film’s CGI. This is a good overview of the history of the digital effects at the time with some behind-the-scenes stills and clips from production offices. 

• Greetings Starfighter! Inside the Arcade Game: A seven-minute interview with arcade game collector Estil Vance in which he discusses creating the Starfighter game from the movie for himself. 

• Heroes of the Screen: A 24-minute archival retrospective which discusses the legacy of the film, the special qualities of each performer in the film, the special effects, the emotional elements in the film and more. This is very well-made and offers several pleasing anecdotes. 

• Crossing the Frontier – Making The Last Starfighter: A 32-minute archival documentary which offers another look at the film including its roots in Arthurian lore, the development of the film’s personality, working with the great Robert Preston and more. This has less of a long-lens look at the film, but it has enough distance to offer some insightful commentary on the film. 

• Image Galleries: An assortment of galleries are collected here including images of the cast on the set, the weapons and vehicles in the movie, an unused alternate ending, promotional material and more. 

• Trailers: Both the theatrical and teaser trailers are provided here that do a good job of selling the film. 

Final Thoughts

The Last Starfighter deserves its reputation as a cult classic. The film is a surprising amount of fun and is quite charming in its technical imperfections. The story is one that resonates as well as any classic Spielberg tale, and the cast put in strong performances that elevate the proceedings even more. Arrow Video has delivered a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray from a 4K restoration that obliterates the old Universal Blu-Ray, and acts as a subtle improvement over the previous Arrow Video Blu-Ray. Add in the fact that there are a boatload of special features to accompany the movie and you have no reason not to upgrade this one. Highly Recommended 

The Last Starfighter will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray on May 30, 2023. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.