The Last Starfighter (1984) [4K UHD review]

There’s a particular magic to the 1980s; an era of big hair, big tunes, and massive technological leaps. This was the golden age of video games and the dawn of computer-generated imagery in film, a time when audiences yearned for stories beyond their reality. One such wonder-filled fantasy that blazed across the screens in 1984 was The Last Starfighter, a sci-fi epic, which in retrospect, shaped the genre for years to come.

Video games in cinema

Cinematic tales about video games don’t usually fare well. Today, we delve into the interstellar void with the 4K UHD version of the film, revitalizing an old flame for 80s movies fans. And boy, does it deliver. The film’s groundbreaking CGI, coupled with an intriguing storyline revolving around video games, sets it apart in the landscape of 80s Sci-Fi.

The premise is a fascinating one, targeting every teenage gamer’s secret fantasy: what if the video game you’re glued to is more than just pixels and high scores? Lance Guest stars as Alex Rogan, a young gamer living in a trailer park who, after achieving the highest score on his favorite arcade game “Starfighter,” is recruited by a friendly alien, Centauri (Robert Preston), to actually become a starfighter in an intergalactic war.

The Last Starfighter is the movie that made basic cable channels

I’m old enough that I can remember multiple channels plugging in any movie they could to fill gaps. For some reason, I was always catching The Last Starfighter at random intervals. It was a decade before I saw a complete version of the movie. I’m being serious. Until I was well into High School, I thought it was a movie about a robot clone taking over some kid’s older brother.

This was back in the dial-up days before anyone doom scrolled or spent too long researching things. Between bad TV edits and an over-active imagination, I made some goofy movies into far more interesting affairs. But, what’s up with The Last Starfighter? Why is it remembered more by suburbanite dads than kids?

Why didn’t more kids love the film?

The Last Starfighter’s emphasis on video games as a plot driver set a significant precedent. It showcased that video games could be more than just mindless fun, creating a narrative bridge between our everyday activities and grand adventures. It was a love letter to the early gamer community, empowering them with the idea that their passion could transcend into something greater and even save the universe.

But, it was also equal parts a look at depressing poverty in a trailer park. If A New Hope spent a ton of time focusing on life back at the moisture farm in between shots of the Death Star Attack, that movie might not have worked. The Last Starfighter’s strength and weakness comes from its desire to constantly ground the film in bleak realism. Well, bleak realism for a kids’ movie.

Arrow brings Last Starfighter to 4K UHD

The restoration process for this 4K UHD release deserves a standing ovation. The Last Starfighter’s trademark visual spectacle is now reinvigorated with astounding color grading and sharpness that wasn’t possible during the film’s initial release. The original footage’s artifacts and distortions are wiped clean, revealing a vibrant, vividly colored spectacle that truly delivers a refreshed viewing experience.

However, the film’s most significant contribution to 80s Sci-Fi remains its pioneering use of computer-generated imagery (CGI). The Last Starfighter was one of the first films to use CGI extensively, heralding a new era for special effects in filmmaking. It effectively replaced traditional methods like model-building with digital spaceships and laser beams.

The 4K UHD version truly revitalizes these historical CGI moments. Although they may not hold up to modern standards, the high definition reworking adds depth, preserving their original charm while highlighting their importance in the evolution of film technology.

How much better is the A/V Quality?

The film’s score, composed by Craig Safan, remains an iconic piece of 80s cinema, perfectly encapsulating the film’s adventurous spirit. The 4K UHD release offers enhanced audio quality, making the score more resonant, the dialogues clearer, and the overall sound effects more immersive.

While its special effects were groundbreaking, what truly cements ‘The Last Starfighter’ in the annals of 80s Sci-Fi is its heart. The film captures the 80s’ distinctive tone: a blending of optimism, romance, and adventure, injected with a palpable sense of cosmic awe. The 4K UHD version illuminates this aspect, providing a rich viewing experience that transports you back to that golden age.

Arrow kills it again with another stellar A/V Quality presentation. Check out the screenshots to get a fill of the Last Starfighter richness. The 2160p transfer makes even the most cult classics pop on disc. That’s not to forget about the

The special features range from the archival materials from past Blu-ray releases. Then, you get a rather fun commentary, the new booklet and all sorts of tidbits. That being said, the winner on the disc is the HDR10 compatible 4K transfer and that robust DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track really makes the events come to life. However, I don’t think the audio track is that much different from its Blu-ray version.

Some final thoughts

Whether you are an 80s nostalgist, a gamer, a film enthusiast, or just someone looking for an interstellar adventure that provides both visual delight and an intriguing narrative, the 4K UHD ‘The Last Starfighter’ is a must-watch. The crystal-clear visuals, the historical value of its CGI, the significance of its gaming theme, and the emotional undertones of the story offer an enriching experience. This fresh release has allowed the film to truly earn its place among the stars, becoming a radiant example of 80s Sci-Fi magic rejuvenated for the modern era.

If you’re still not motivated to check it out, then let me leave you with this. The Last Starfighter should have been bigger. Hell, it should have received the arcade game that Atari and Universal were promising in the end credits. But, the film itself does nothing to support itself. It’s the most grounded Sci-Fi epic in recent memory and that doesn’t translate.

Last Starfighter 4K UHD is available now!