The Most Greatest BEST Ever! Death Blossom!

A classic scene from Nick Castle's The Last Starfighter (1984) starring Lance Guest, Robert Preston, and Catherine Mary Stewart.

[@OhNoNotAgain42]

All us 80’s kids used this film to justify putting endless quarters into arcade machines. If giant centipedes attack, I’m your guy. If I need to rescue a maiden from a dragon’s lair… better get someone else.

[@grueslayer]

I prefered playing Space Ace rather than Dragons Lair.

[@RodrigoM]

@@grueslayer Absolutely true.

[@roromad9603]

i dated dragons lair. i always felt the controls lagged and i should have been able to get farther.

[@misterwhipple2870]

They had a Dragon's Lair machine in the Student Union when I was in college. I was far too old to play it. It was expensive, too. I actually watched one guy win it, and rescue the princess. I hated Dork the Dipshit - uhh, sorry, Dirk the Daring, and the princess looked like a hoe.

[@Newie67]

Yeah my friend

[@Skwertydogs]

"I'm just a kid from a trailer park." "If that's what you think then that's all you'll ever be."

[@stormcry8202]

I LOVED this movie when it came out. "What do we do now????" "We Die." :)

[@deniseeulert2503]

I;m almost seventy and saw this when it came out, still love it.

[@stormcry8202]

@@deniseeulert2503 I'm 49, and I remember being at a friend's house, and watching this movie while pretending to death blossom with his Atari controller. A very awesome 80's movie. Something that would never be made today. Like Enemy Mine with Louis Gossett Jr. & Dennis Quaid.

[@deniseeulert2503]

@@stormcry8202 Oh I loved Enemy Mine too.!

[@retluoc]

This was one of the most underrated movies of all time. All sci-fi geeks have to see it. I heard rumors of a sequel or remake, but I doubt they're true.

[@darkestar45]

I've heard the same rumors about a sequel as well. Supposedly it would take place 30 or so years after the end of The Last Starfighter. Haven't heard much more than that, but if that is true then it would be a perfect time to do so as most of the actors would be around the right age for a story of that type. My only fear is that someone like JJ Abrams will get their hands on it and want to do a remake of it like what he is going to do to Krull, another 80s classic.

[@grumpy2.0]

The 4k remaster is out soon I think I remember reading

[@ulysees321]

i heard those rumours of a remake, doubt it will take off though and they would replace most of the cast with politically correct nonsense to ruin it

[@TK-593]

The real tragedy is it was disqualified for Academy Awards because it used computer graphics, now look at every piece of schlock churned out by the hollyweird money making machine with garbage CGI.

[@Reverands]

The writer reportedly refuses to allow a remake. Lets be honest there a can only be one Last Starfighter.

[@jodytollefson7187]

I was 9 when this movie came out and i loved it. I'm turning 49 next month and i still think this was one of the best sc-fi movies ever made.

[@stevetheveteran]

You got that right!

[@mysticwolf75]

Same here! 😊 I remember seeing this in the theater and thought the "death blossom" scene was the coolest scene ever! And Happy (early) birthday! Mine is 8/9! 🙂

[@dolemite10005]

I’m 49 and have the same story

[@mysticwolf75]

@@dolemite10005 a lot of us 49 year olds here (at least I will be in a few weeks) 🙂

[@jodytollefson7187]

@@mysticwolf75 Thanks mine is 8/6.

[@aliceaiken3162]

My late husband loved this movie. We saw it when it first came out. My husband passed away nearly three years ago. It's little bitter sweet seeing it again.

[@converter42]

❤

[@sts25186055]

So sorry for your loss - your husband sounds like an awesome guy.

[@JnEricsonx]

I am so glad my copy of the movie is signed by Nick and Lance.

[@robertfergusson5367]

This is a childhood favorite and if you have never seen it you seriously should, no matter what generation you're from this movie was very well made and the story was great.

[@markymark3572]

Always been a huge fan of The Last Starfighter. The Gunstar is such a cool looking ship too

[@danielhaire6677]

Probably one of the earliest examples of a good starfighter design in sci-fi movies. Where other movies copied Star Wars and had them act like planes in atmosphere, this had some elements of physics involved and deisgn features like turrets which would aid in a full range and vector defense

[@shadowflash8519]

My mother, a huge western fan, asked my dad to take us to the theater to see this movie thinking "starfighter" referred to a sheriff's badge... a star. My father gave me a wink and said ok let's go!.. She was soooo upset!!! Dad and I were happy as could be though :D

[@thedarkness125]

i'm sure she was a lovely woman but was she also incredibly dense?

[@carlchong7592]

Iron Patriot: "mmm. I think you should lead with that next time" Tony Stark: "Sorry boss. I can only use it once. It's a one off."

[@CowboyRobot2000]

_"I've always wanted to fight a desperate battle against incredible odds!"_ -Grig RIP Dan O'Herlihy🖖

[@anthonyobryan3485]

"Teriffic. I'm about to get killed a million miles from nowhere with a gung-ho iguana who tells me to relax."

[@ronaldsabourin8835]

This movie should have been a whole franchise. It was so fun.

[@rpierce001]

"It'll be a slaughter!" "That's the spirit!"

Man this brings back memories. I grew up watching this. I was 5 years old when this came out. Cloak and dagger, DARYL, enemy mine. The 80’s and 90’ were the best era of movies.

[@drunksquirrel2051]

This movie was one of my favorite 80s childhood memories of all time. I watched so many times next to Star Wars and Saturday morning cartoons. Such great childhood times

[@charlesmoore3390]

Hello. Are you me?

[@daniel_redbeard]

My dad and I used to watch this together when I was a kid. Good times. Thanks for the nostalgic post.

[@busterchops]

I remember seeing this in the theater as a kid and being awestruck at what I was seeing. Those effects were amazing at the time.

[@commandosolo_Danny_Secary]

woah woah woah when the guy with the monocle scene is the best of the movie.. what are we going to do??? what!!!!!! then the general guy with the monocle moves his monocle and says the famous words... WE DIE!!!!

[@vynnyn5489]

That is such a badass scene. Love that dude!

[@wbaldwin666]

**whirrrrrr** "we die...."

[@thebuildbear]

Such an underrated movie. Loved watching this growing up

[@cottonbrad]

I remember how wild these graphics were on the big screen! Look kinda cheesy now, but in the 80s?!!! Wow!

[@howardbeatman2820]

It's forty years later. If the second-generation-CGI graphics look only "kinda cheesy" now, they were state-of-the-art at the time and SO much better than first-generation!

[@donaldwilliamson1227]

When the Gunstar approached with that barrel road that was one of the coolest scenes ever for a movie.

[@hillaryclinton1314]

Barrel roll

[@donaldwilliamson1227]

@@hillaryclinton1314 damn autocorrect. :p

[@lightweaver1839]

It has been a long time but some things I will just never forget -

[@preacherjohn]

Watching this for the first time as a kid absolutely rocked!

[@DavidSmith-yx7kn]

A very underrated SCI FI of the 80's

[@thevaultsofmctavish]

Goosebumps! Loved this movie as a kid.

[@1teamski]

A wonderful movie and really underrated.

[@lilwashu76]

This is one of my dad's favorite movies.

[@wowfish-ob3ew]

I saw this with my high school tutorial group. Way impressed with the special effects at the time. Also got to see A View To A Kill with the same group, all in school time. Best tutorial teacher ever.

[@bassomatic1871]

Blast from the past. Saw the movie around 1984 in a grass drive in theater in Franklin NC.

[@deslocc124]

this was a Great movie.. I saw it when it came out.. Wonderful work for the time..

[@vynnyn5489]

One of the reasons why this movie worked so well is the movie effects matched the experience of playing an arcade game. Just frigging awesome!

[@AllaMortify]

Death Blossom = Anakin Skywalker "I'll trying spinning, that's a good trick"

[@CowboyRobot2000]

And he couldn't pull it off...

[@AIM54A]

We're locked into the moons gravitational pull... What do we do? We die!... I love this movie.

[@steveschappell8374]

The Music Man is my favorite musical. It features Robert Preston. When I heard he was in this movie, I had to see it. I am a sci fi geek. Saw Star Wars opening day in '77 and this opening weekend. Saw it more than once. I wanted to be Alex Rogan. I wanted there to be a video game, that unbeknownst to me was a recruiting tool for pilots.

[@JAMessinaJr]

"I wanted there to be a video game, that unbeknownst to me was a recruiting tool for pilots." There was. We won.

[@mtjoy747]

What a movie, just imagine every kid in USA during the time of this movie coming out, imagining fighting several other ships like a game of space invaders, row by row LOL

[@Gmon750]

I was in high-school when this movie came out in the theaters. I was a hardcore arcade video game player. I was in such awe of this movie, the (for the time) CGI and relatable story had me watching this movie so many times. Such fond memories.

[@tzford]

How do I keep forgetting this cane out in 1984 the greatest year in movies of all time! 😢

[@jamjedi1972]

Such a good movie, loved this as a kid. Hell I love it now lol. No cussing or a bunch of degenerate crap just a good movie.

[@icecold9511]

Well, there was "Shall i put my tongue in your ear?"

[@jamjedi1972]

@@icecold9511 ha ha ha yes forgot about that,,,, I’m gonna rewatch it tonight. But even still, it’s still kinda wholesome.

[@jdamley7320]

And then there's the 10 yr old little brother with "What the s**t??" and keeping a stack of Playboy magazines in his bed

[@jamjedi1972]

@@jdamley7320Yep lol. Yeah I gotta definitely watch it again lol.

[@ausername7470]

This movie was so awesome back then, still is.

[@spdyrzr01]

I love this movie, it's a gamers' ideal paradise.

[@markblackwell9486]

This was astounding back in the day!

[@carolvanaria600]

Loved Robert Preston as the alien Professor “Harold Hill”!Loved the whole movie!!!

[@Niflheimrr_EL]

"As a Ranger you'll learn Death Blossom"

[@BanthaPooDoo64]

A very Awesome film that deserved a sequel and we never got one SO SAD 😢

[@ErwinSchrodinger64]

When you want a spicier version of the infamous onion mum... death blossom adds the right amount of spice to liven up anyone's life.

[@ricobaganz4285]

Love the movie and the soundtrack gives me goosebumps even after years

[@johnwilliams3258]

Love this movie. I need a model of this with the option for DB mode

[@maingate7672]

This movie is a classic and will remain in my permanent film library!

[@strikeforcealpha9343]

I loved this movie.

[@Demauled]

I love The Last Starfighter, so damn much

[@jankulozic401]

Very underrated sci-fi movie.

[@robertmac8287]

Awesome movie and perhaps the best musical intro score in cinema.. Those trumpets and french horns... goosebumps everytime.

[@johnthomsen8802]

The score was written by Craig Sifan and he also did Remo Williams.

[@jameswahnee-vn5nt]

I appreciate that information. Thanks. ​@@johnthomsen8802

[@TangSooTerp]

​@@johnthomsen8802Oh, man...the Remo Williams theme song... I want that for MY Life! 👍

[@johnszatkowski6898]

This was GREAT CGI for the time and LOVE this movie!

[@sleezye100]

The last starfighter

[@jameswahnee-vn5nt]

Yes. Never could find it on disk. Guess we have to order it.

[@sethraelthebard5459]

To be honest, I think these CGI effects hold up remarkably well. This scene still is incredibly badass.

[@DJBillionator]

We have no energy for lasers. Weapons down... But, death blossom.

[@fakshen1973]

Watching this as a kid on HBO... again.... and again.

[@MayumiC-chan9377]

My husband told me this film was nostalgia for him! His family was Air Force so they moved from Ramstëin Air Force base to Homestead AFB and his father took him to see this movie at the base theater in 1984 when my husband was 4 years old and he always loved this movie. I thought it was quarky and fun

[@Jon6429]

Once you realise the neck collar on the spacesuits is a bicycle tire you can't unsee it

[@Woody615]

OH MY GAWD! So very true.

[@Jimmyjimjim]

The translator being the circuit board from a digital watch is an abiding memory.

[@alanturner1264]

The Gunstar was one of the greatest ships in sci-fi.

[@wolfhodgkinson6866]

I'd forgotten how campy this movie is. Thanks for the laugh, I needed it today.

[@davidlipman8093]

I loved this as a 14 year old!

[@bravodelta3083]

Back when this was made, the CGI for the Gunstar was state of the art and took a *long* time to process.

[@anthonywells7599]

Still a classic. Really wanted a Gunstar toy spaceship when I was a kid. They’da made a fortune if it came with the Death Blossom feature.

[@edenbrookwellness5542]

found it a cheesy movie as a kid, and loved it all.

[@jimmykovalak6442]

This movie broke boundaries. Its computer work was revolutionary. Space battle with no models...

[@NickatLateNite]

This was one of my favorite movies, who says you can't be a kid when you're in your 30's😂

[@blackbird5634]

this movie sent geeks into convulsions of joy!!

[@MadManUSMC]

Had to go see this at least 5 times at the dollar matinee when it came out. Great effects for it's time.

[@RogerKomula-kl9lb]

I saw this in the theater back then and remember being underwhelmed by the big finish.

[@reihidezero]

Great movie!!!

[@h4l414]

They should do a relaunch of this movie and introduce the younger generation to this amazing movie. I still rewatch it every few years with the original Red Dawn.

[@jameswahnee-vn5nt]

Good idea 💡 👏

[@phillipthomson]

Wolverines!!!!

[@JAMessinaJr]

Meh. The way the thought police are these days, they would ruin it.

[@splurge4749]

40 years ago when this film came out

[@OrieCipollaro]

I was 14 I remember this! 40 years ago!

[@FoolsChaos]

This makes me miss my Spaceorb 360 when playing Descent, Freespace and Forsaken

[@larata1646]

The time when billions do not make good movies...

[@cesaravegah3787]

Still dont, good writing and decent actors do, " Godzilla minus one" proved it.

[@lanebrady9810]

I love this movie. The entire premise was wonderful.

[@francis-kp9cw]

I love that movie

[@MrEtonmess]

Cool lookin ship. I used to love making things like that out of LEGO.

[@AlbandAquino]

A "classic" from that time. Loved that movie. Good ol' Centauri and the Star Alliance 😉

[@davidpalin1790]

Classic film 🎥

[@I_am_Diogenes]

Greetings Starfighter .......

[@delpierochilipeppers]

if i had a lot of money, i would hire a bunch of guys to re do all the CGI scenes on unreal engine 5 and mix them in the original movie. we do not need a remake/reboot, just a CGI update. And we can see here, on youtube, what a single guy can do with his computer and a few weeks of time (some star wars fan film for example)...

[@BogeyTheBear]

Basically the Death Blossom system converted the Proton Bolt magazine into low-velocity launch tubes and overcharged the laser capacitors into a short-term discharge mode.

[@isaned]

As old as this movie is, the CGI STILL looks pretty damn good to me! If it had a "remaster" all I think they would have to do is go back through and re-render some of it to add more shadows and texture and it would be perfect.

[@Christopher-tz3mr]

The Last Stsr fighter. Love this movie. With all the upgrades to special effects, i wish they would make a remake of this. I also dred the idea because Hollywood can't seem to follow the Golden Yellow Brick Road to success. They instead want to take a detour through "The Swamps of Saddness" (Neverending Story) and act like they're on self-proclaimed quest for success.

[@keithss67]

Ha! I remember this! Was awesome!

[@jeffpuglisi8204]

Awesome movie, I would love to see it with modern CG I effects. Don’t mess with anything else’s just update effects.

[@ricstormwolf]

This was one of the most badass things I saw in the 80s. The other was the glave in Krull.

[@Jabberwok28]

I wish they would release a LEGO Ideas kit of the Gunstar.

[@douglaswoodard3412]

i love this movie with people remaking so many movies they need to do this one can you imagin how good it would be with todays magic

[@martingardener]

CGI like this at the time was almost unheard of.

[@skeevysteve8245]

I know the primitive CGI in this film isn't realistic in the slightest, but i can't help but think it's beautiful. I wanted to be Alex Rogan SO bad.

[@roybatty5028]

I actually saw this at the theater.

[@ninjabearpress2574]

"Grig?" "Yes Alex?" "Maybe there is a Starfighter left."

[@hipNrip]

Love. This. Movie

[@leegoodman297]

I'll have it all figured out by the time we reach the frontier...beep beep beep... what's that? The frontier. My father and I still use that phrase to this day.

[@cburgess5294]

I loves this book and movie as a kid.

[@hviring7441]

This ship was taught by the same Master as General Grievous was.