The first film to employ true 3D graphics was The Last Starfighter from Universal Pictures. For the teenage target audience, this was a perfect film as it focused on following your dreams instead of being satisfied with what life handed you.
Alex Rogan is a small town teenager with big time dreams. Dreams of college… of success… of marrying his girlfriend, Maggie. He’s just like everybody else, except Alex has a very special talent… that no one on Earth can appreciate. But, tonight, a mysterious stranger has called on Alex. He’s come from a galaxy that’s under attack from an alien force. And Alex’s unique ability is their last hope.
The movie, filled with space ships, aliens, and video games, also had the bonus benefit of starring Catherine Mary Stewart.
This movie still ranks as one of my all time favorites.
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Sweet movie, one of the best sci-fi flicks of its day!
But, I still say that it was a conspiracy by arcade owners and the goverment to have kids spend quarters all day long hoping to qualify for some sort of intergalactic space force or secret goverment spy training!
I liked it particularly the Death Blossom, but the villains all looked like escapees from a hair replacement ad. I also thought that the trailer park denizens were miscast. They were a little too Hollywood looking for a trailer park.
I enjoyed this movie back in the day when I watched it at the old Oak Park Mall movie theatre.
It really does predict the America’s Army video game developed by the U.S. Army as a recruitment tool.
Worth a re-watch if you haven’t seen it in some time. (Admittedly, some of it hasn’t aged well- unlike Catherine Mary Stewart.) The humor is well done without being campy. Casting Preston (a man best known as a con artist in The Music Man) as the interstellar recruiter is half of what makes this film awesome.
It’s on my list of movies to re-watch every five years.
Saw this as a young person at an actual drive-in movie screen. This movie blew my mind and shares responsibility for the sci-fi, fantasy nerd I am today. Still really enjoy this movie!
Great point by Greg A about this predicting military recruitment through video games. Great sci-fi angle!
Someone has to say it:
“You have been recruited by The Star League to defend The Frontier against Zur and the Kodan Armada.”
a blast from the bast, will have to see if there’s a dvd version
there is. i own a copy