Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!sri-unix!OC.TREI%CU20B@COLUMBIA-20.ARPA From: OC.TREI%CU20B@COLUMBIA-20.ARPA Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: The Last Starfighter (!!!SPOILER REVIEW!!!) Message-ID: <1693@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Fri, 13-Jul-84 02:42:57 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.1693 Posted: Fri Jul 13 02:42:57 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 8-Jul-84 01:22:07 EDT Lines: 65 From: Peter G. Trei I just went to see a 'sneak' preview of THE LAST STARFIGHTER, so this is a *************************************************************************** !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *************************************************************************** First of all, I would like to say that sneak preveiws arent as sneaky as they used to be. TLS's preveiw was given a full-page ad in the NYT, and it is being done over two days in four theatres in Manhatten, and about 20 around the metropolitan area. Time was, a 'sneak preview' meant something; directors would sit in and gauge the audiences reaction to different parts, and do a final cut according to the results. Now its just part of the marketing hype, an attempt to build up word-of-mouth even before the official release. I went in expecting to see a special effects movie, with maybe higher technical standards than TRON, but the same abysmal standard of script and acting. I was pleasently surprised. While the plot is very meager it is a perfectly adequate vehicle, and the acting is mostly perfectly decent. I wont go into the plot in detail; basicly video games whiz Alex (Lance Guest), gets recruited into a space navy by the mysterious stranger Centauri (Robert Preston, who gives an amazing performance as a somewhat suspect but extremely enthusiastic presuader). He finds himself instantly inducted into the ranks of the STARFIGHTERs, who were recruited into the force for their special talents. They are to fight for the good Rhyol empire (you can tell, they dress in white), against the emperors evil son Xur (played extremely well by some (Shakespearean?) actor name of Snow). (You can tell they're bad, they like black interior decoration) Alex chickens out, and while he is back on Earth breifly Xur attacks the base, believing he is killing all the Starfighters. Alex soon finds himself back in battle, manning the armenants of the only Gunstar to escape the destruction, with a trusty navigator in the form of Grig (Dan Oherlihy, who is forced to act while wrapped in rich Corinthian leather). After overcoming some initial doubts, he succeeds in single-handedly wiping out the invading armada (though Xur escapes for the sequel). He accepts a commission to rebuild the Rhyol fleet, but only after he returns again breifly to Earth (in a scene reminiscent of CE3K) to pick up his girl friend. There is an amusing subplot concerning events back on Earth while he is away; Centauri left an exact duplicate android in his place, and this 'beta-unit' has considerable trouble dealing with Earth folk, particularly the girlfriend and Lewis, Alex's kid brother. The effects are excellent: computer generated images are used for all the space scenes, and the field has advanced vastly since TRON (Digital Effects used a Cray X-MP). They are not stuffed down your throat the way they were in TRON; there is always a good reason for showing them; they advance the plot, rather than the other way around. The actors are generally competent or better; though they are asked to play paper-thin characters, they do so with sincerity and enthusiasm (I dont think Preston has had so much fun since The Music Man). Of course, there are holes in the plot you could drive a planetoid through, but you are left not really minding. Overall, I really enjoyed the movie, and it turned out to be *much* better than I anticipated. On a scale of 10, I would give it about an 8. Contrast this with GREMLINS, which was far below what I hoped; it got a 3. See it. It opens July 13th. Peter Trei oc.trei@cu20b%columbia-20 212-5692371H/8153711W Dont let THEM immannentize the Eschaton! -------