The Last Starfighter was one of my favorites as a kid in large part because it combined the two biggest things in my life at that time, Video games and Sci-Fi. At the time, the Special FX were groundbreaking and awe-inspiring. Today, not so much. If there was ever a poster child for aging badly, this is the one. The story itself isn't all that original either. It's been done countless times before and after, most recently with Galaxy Quest. The set up between the two is practically identical, beat for beat an exact replica. Case in point....

Alien-Being seeks out Human Hero on Earth.

Hero is whisk away into space in a Spaceship disguised as a car.

Hero meets aliens with weird hairpieces.

Hero finally can understand their language once the translator is "fixed"

Hero discovers for first time who the Villain is and what's at stake.

Hero witnesses torture of captured soldier.

Hero decides to return to Earth.

Hero decides to fight the good fight.

Even the salutes of both alien races is exactly the same.

I don't know if Galaxy Quest purposely used The Last Starfighter as it's reference, but the similarities are just too spot-on to not have cribbed from it. Anyway, the story itself is still enjoyable and a fun ride none the less. I own it, so this one is a Buy of course.

As usual, great screen caps.

Even seeing this when it came out, I thought this was goofy. I could only imagine what I might think sitting through it today.