Opiniones de usuarios

If you've ever seen this movie, you probably know what I'm talking about. In a short summary, it can easily be said that NOTHING HAPPENS IN THIS MOVIE!!! There's some refueling, some schmoozing amongst the officers, more refueling, officers swimming in a pool wearing "poopie suits", (I didn't make that up) still more refueling, and Robert Dornan (yes, the congressman). As they say in the MST3K Amazing Colossal Episode guide, I have no idea to whom this movie would appeal to. It was probably meant to be shown on various Air Force bases, but somehow it turned up on national TV in a particular episode of MST3K. This is one movie that never deserved to see the light of day. It is really bad, but if you really want to laugh at it, do not watch it without the presence of Mike and the 'bots.

Bob likes to fly jet fighters. His father the general thinks that Bob should fly bombers instead. But Bob just wants to fly fighters. Meanwhile, an Iowa farm-girl sets Bob's loins aflame with her lusty descriptions of detasseling corn in the summer, and they fall in love because "you are so the only person of the opposite sex around here." Dekalb Debbie promises to wait for Bob, and he ships out to Europe. Take out all the refueling and training footage, and there you have "Starfighters".

My own particular theory about "Starfighters" is that it was a vanity production for Bob Dornan. But no one could be bothered to write an actual screenplay for this vanity production. And there was only room in the budget for 20 minutes of actual filming. So they made a little mini-feature called "Bob Dornan, Boy Fighter Pilot", which consisted of nothing but set shots of Bob and his buddies standing around jawing about how cool jet fighters are and how much they like to fly them (and of course, how great Bob is at flying fighters).

And then Bob (or someone) called in some favors, and several film editors on angel dust were forced to sit around for a couple weeks and assembled all the available stock footage about refueling and Air Force training exercises that ever existed. They then spliced in the 20 minutes of "Bob Dornan, Boy Fighter Pilot", and hoped for the best. Or at least, hoped not to be later tried as war criminals.

There could be a "real" movie in there about a young fighter pilot's coming of age and learning the tricks of the trade. In fact, there have been several ("Top Gun", anyone?). This also could have been a pretty fascinating documentary on the same subject.But "Starfighters" isn't either of those things. In fact, I can't can't even tell you what it is, aside from an exercise in tedium and padding.

In any case, "Starfighters" is horrible, but in a harmless, benign way. I suppose the best use for it would be as 'video wallpaper', the kind of movie that plays on the TV in the background of a REAL movie. Mystery Science Theater had a good go at this, and their coverage is reasonably amusing, but it's rough going even with their company. Watch "Starfighters" only if you are in a REALLY weird mood indeed. What mood would that be? You'll know when you have it....words can't describe it.

Though it does kind of play out like Top Gun in certain ways, I am guessing this one did not inspire the more successful and known film in the least. This film was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000 and is essentially almost a commercial for the Starfighter jet. I almost think this was supposed to simply be a short explaining the virtues of said jet, but the director got out of hand and it ended up being a movie. Well, something that sort of resembles a movie in a minimalist sort of way. I mean, there are scenes featuring more than stock footage of these jets flying and doing things. There is some dialog in there and a romantic subplot! In the end though it all seems to be pointing towards the virtue of this particular jet and of small jet fighters in general. It's almost as if the military were going to mass market these bad boys to the public or something. Though I guess in the end this film was also trying to get more young men into the air force by saying, "Look here! We've got awesome jets to fly and you can get a nice girl who was raised on a corn farm, now listen to some more easy listening music and watch us refuel!"

The story, well, hard to pinpoint it. Let's just say, the Coleman Francis film, "Skydivers" had more of a plot going on than this thing. In the end, we watch a refueling scene and then three new pilots come to the base to train on the jet of the title. We watch them train by flying around, dropping bombs, shooting missiles and blasting their machine gun. Then they give us more refueling as it seems like their fall back or something. They try to generate excitement and peril with a lame wheels may have malfunctioned and then have an off screen storm and crash, but the film is rather tame and ends in very anticlimactic fashion as the pilots try their poopie suits and then just take off again and fly away.

This made for a very funny episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 as this film was just so pointless and riddled with elements to riff. One can be pretty sure that you are not missing much of the movie for the show either as it only clocked in at 1 hour and 19 minutes, meaning that the fact the film is all over the place is not due to editing down for the show. You have your long drawn out training sequences to make fun of with easy listening music, a very tepid romance subplot that is obviously just something to give one a break from those plane sequences and you have the poopie suit!

So, yeah, this film is not going to be a favorite of many people. I know people like other films that the gang have riffed, but I just do not see adult, kid or anybody sitting down to this film and going, "Wow, this is amazing! I sure want to fly those jets!" So I do not think anyone's feelings will be hurt when I say this one is bad, even Manos Hands of Fate had more semblance of a plot than this thing! Just a long look into how the air force trains their guys on jets with a totally weak finish. I wonder how many of those Starfighter jets they managed to sell to the public?

I am an F-104 Starfghter nut. It is my favorite aircraft.

This film had the opportunity to be a real interesting film, since the F-104 was a very high performance jet fighter. There could have been scenes showing the airplane's incredible climbing ability to 75,000ft or more. Perhaps a few scenes of zero length launches from a flat bed trailer. For some light moments perhaps some banter between the international pilots and USAF pilots would show a humorous cultural barrier. Much like "Breaking the Sound Barrier", this film could have been a real cult movie for aviation buffs. However that chance was wasted, the slow pace and boring dialog make this hard even for me to watch.

If you like '104s keep the fast forward button handy.

By the way, "poopysuit" is a a nickname for an anti-exposure suit. It's worn by pilots when flying over cold water.

This film probably gathered every piece of stock footage the US Air Force had to offer at the time. I think the producers thought "we have lots of cool stock footage. We don't need things like plot, character development, and the like." Sadly, this film will never amount to anything, just like the hero of the film, a son of a Congressman.

Wait, this isn't the prequel to the Last Starfighter?

How can such a cool sounding title be such a snorefest? The Starfighters is an effective medium for convincing people not to join the Air Force! The whole soundtrack made it feel like the only thing missing was a narrator saying "It's a Swinger's Life in the Air Force." It seemed odd to have such a swinging jazzy score during the bombing runs (dig those spinning explosives, you crazy hep cat!). If your interests include a whole lot of saluting, a commanding officer inappropriately calling his subordinates 'good-looking', fifth wheeling, innuendos galore, one of the goofiest whirlybirds ever invented, and extended stock footage, then maybe you can hire...the Starfighters.

I admit that I watched the MST3K version of this movie which possibly isn't really that fair, but to this movie it's the only way anyone could possibly watch it.

Let me give you a synopsis of this movie: Stock footage, stock footage, nothing happens, nothing happens, something about a congressman wanting his son to fly bombers instead of fighters, stock footage, nothing happens, anticlimactic scene with a hydraulic failure (with stock footage), nothing happens, nothing happens, stock footage, stock footage, nothing happens, "sex" scene where two couples cuddle in an open convertible, stock footage, stock footage, nothing happens, congressman calls again, stock footage, nothing happens, something about a "poopy suit," congressman calls again, stock footage, unseen fighter crash and anticlimactic helicopter rescue, nothing happens, another call from the congressman (didn't he have better things to do like vote on legislation or get involved in sex scandals with interns?), stock footage, the end. Oh, and Crow finally gets on the information superhighway.

This movie could have been so much more, but it was just so dull, dull, dull. I mean, how could a movie about fighter jets and pilots be boring to watch? They could have at least explained how the poopy suit got its name, but they didn't even bother to do that. I suppose the constant phone calls from the congressman about his son were supposed to be dramatic, but he soon became annoying. There was far more drama when Topper Harley had issues with his dad's image in Hot Shots! I was in the Air Force myself and my parents didn't call me as much during a four-year tour as this guy called in a two-hour movie!

I don't know if this movie still exists outside of MST3K, but I certainly hope not. I'd hate to have anyone try to watch it without wisecracking robots.

I've watched this movie several times, and I have yet to detect a hint of a plot or a storyline. What could be better?!? Grab some popcorn and take the time to enjoy this stroll in this mindless wonderland!

Not only do you get to see "B-1 Bob" Dornan, but a whole bunch of other people... Well, this movie isn't the worst movie of all time; that honor would have to go to Manos: The Hands of Fate. At least "The Starfighters" had a few actors that were in other movies. Besides B-1 Bob, there are a couple of actors with 3 movie credits to their honor.

Needless to say, most of the cast didn't really go anywhere in Hollyweird. If you watch this movie and you detect a hint of a plot or storyline, please drop me a line and let me know about it.

What a great way to waste an evening!

I have to disagree with almost all the negative comments here about this movie. I have seen it at least 500 times, possibly more, and each time I see it, I love it even more. Matter of fact, I usually sleep with it on in the background on low volume. Much like the days of old with the old time weather channel, where people would always play it in the background for stress relief. Of course now a days TWC is terrible.

At any rate, this movie was allot of fun. They tried on a limited budget to tell a story, and I think they did so as best they could. The music was great in it, the scenes of refueling were well done, a bit repetitive maybe, but still an overall good effort of what it was probably like out at George AFB in the early 60's. You have to understand the 60's at George was about as Dog & Suds as it could get. Not much to do but chase women (if any were available) play lame pranks on one another, and basically fly and run practice missions each day. The back story on the son of the VIP was effective at showing that Wikowski was his own man, and despite his fathers urging he was going to do his own thing. How different is that to today's realities with our own children? We all want the best for them and will bug hell out of them until we either get what we want or they get what they want.

The film itself was a simpletons view of that for sure, but effectively told nonetheless. As I said, its a great film from an earlier time. Sort of like a time capsule preserved, and I for one love the film, the old music, and the silly way they told the story. It's great MST3k fodder and a good story to fall asleep too. As I said, I have seen it at least 500 times, maybe 1000 times, and I am not from Iowa...

Lot of negative nabobs here trashing this movie. Now on YouTube, the algorithm offered it up after watching another early jet movie. Resolution pretty poor but aerial shots of F104 Starfighters very good. Some technical details presented, the 104 was the first plane with the M61 Gatling gun cannon, still used today on F22. Even the girl from Iowa explained corn detasseling, which is a real thing. The training sequences, gun, missile, rockets, bombs, napalm show how it was done to the viewer if one pays attention. Actor playing the Colonel is pretty good and has some good script. George AFB was closed and the site was an Environmental SuperFund mess. Also, the movie came out in 1964 but the USAF was already retiring the 104s which went out of US service in 1965. Germans, Italians, Canadians kept using them until the 1980s. There were over 2600 built and was a unique airplane.

I agree with Vegeta-2, except for the implication that the MST3k treatment makes this film watchable. They try, but even THEY run out of jokes - this is one tedious movie! And although I doubt that "Poopy Suit" is the real name of that outfit, nobody can understand what they're really calling it, so Poopy Suit it is. The most action you'll see in this movie is the pilots testing the poopy suit... in a swimming pool. (yawn)

Honestly, that's a line in the movie, if you can call this a movie. It's mostly stock footage of jets flying, landing, bombing, and roughly ten hours of refueling footage. The "plot" revolves around some leather-faced Air Force pilots training in new jets. That's it. Tedious doesn't come close to describing this film. Literally NOTHING happens. Nothing.Oh, and everyone in this movie has third degree sunburns and disturbingly lumpy faces. "Top Gun" it isn't. This is just a really bad movie. Be sure to look out for the Poopy Suit, a suit that somehow keeps you from drowning if you crash a jet into the ocean (not that that happens, because THAT would be interesting). The only way this is watchable is the Mystery Science Theater version, it's hilarious.

The Starfighters is a brilliant MST episode but THE most perplexing film in non-MST form. I wonder if it was actually shown outside the realms of air bases. Something for strictly drive-ins? What was the director trying to show the audience and did he think the audience would be throughly entertained?

Bob Dornan is John W. Wikowski Jr, son of congressman John W. Wikowski (Sr.)who is actually Liberace's secret twin brother. He and Goober from the Andy Griffith Show go to George (not Larry) Air Force base to fly F-104 around, re-fuel forever, blow up white rectangles, wear poopie suits and fly to Europe. There's some annoying subplots involving a girlfriend from Iowa and their snuggling, some mundane conversations with big faced Major Stevens and his commanding officer and a crashed jet which is only implied, not seen. Director Will Zens went to great lengths to find as much stock footage as he can for this film due to the high salaries demanded by Dornan and Liberace. The poopie suits themselves took up most of the rest of the budget.

This was a tough film for MST since there is so much you can comment on in re-fueling scenes. This would have been an impossible film to sit through without Mike and the bots.

This movie had three colors in it:

Blue. The sky and the runways, as most of the movie was stock jet footage.

White. Every single actor/actress including extras.

Brown. The ground they attack for no reason.

Like the others mentioned, it is a good MST3K episode, but do not, under any circumstances watch the movie in its pure form, or your face will implode.

IMDb wants this comment to have at least ten lines. Why do I need my review to have ten lines? The script to this movie probably did not have ten lines.

OK the movie is crap, actually below crap--but it does EXIST! Not of real importance but to this writer who grew up as a kid in the early/mid 60's totally enamored of the F104 Starfighter--even to this day I love it's looks. I saw this movie on TV as a child..probably Ch 2 or 36 in the San Francisco Bay Area...as I was all of 9 or 10 the 'bad' aspects of the film, acting and phony sets went right over my head--I just remember seeing F104 footage and that is what I wanted...Later in life I mentioned the film to movie and jet buffs alike who all said I was nuts..no such flick every existed nor shown on TV. Thank you MST3k--watching it again many years back on MST3k showed me just how crappy the thing was (looking back I still wish I saw things through the eyes of an 8 yr old at times)...but never mind--it existed...I hadn't been dreaming all those 30+ years..........

...in that it is truly one of the most amazingly boring, pointless, poorly acted, poorly shot efforts ever. It doesn't even seem to have been scripted at all. This movie has no reason for existence. No point, no action (truly an accomplishment for a movie that purports to be about pilots!). As if Will Zens were bound and determined to squeeze every last drop of drama or interest out of the film before releasing it. Dornan managed to be more animated delivering one of his poisonous paranoid speeches in Congress. I don't think it accidental at all that Dornan lost his seat shortly after this stinkbomb showed up on MST3K and attracted public attention to just what an idiot Dornan could be.

Well, folks, if you enjoy stock footage of planes refueling in mid-flight, then this is the movie for you. Otherwise, please stay as far away as possible. The "plot" stagnates, the actors sleepwalk through their roles (none of which includes more than about thirty seconds of dialogue), and planes get fuel, and that's about it. The best comment on this film comes from Crow, of MST3K-"What they don't tell you is that the script is eight pages long."

If you're like me, and I know I am, then you've often wondered how much footage you could watch of planes refueling before you finally cracked. Luckily, this installment of MST will answer that question for you. If refueling doesn't do the job, Starfighters provides plenty of gripping talking-on-the-telephone-and-radio action to hold you in a vice-like stupor, tightened by the easy-listening jazz sound track.

This is an astonishingly dull movie from a director whose love of close-up shots runs to fetish. These giant head-shots are so startling on the small screen that I can only imagine the trauma they caused people who witnessed them in a movie theater, if, that is, anyone ever did. Director Will Zens can only be said to succeed with this film if he intended it as a metaphor for the sky: vast and largely empty.

If you haven't figured this out by now, this film has more stock footage than you can shake a stick at. Well, actually, it has about 5 or 6 pieces of stock footage. They're just repeated... over and over and over. There was absolutely nothing to endear anybody in the cast to you, or make you hate anyone. Bad acting and bad all around.

I can't figure out who this film was meant for. It can't be a training film. You learn that the F-104 needs frequent refueling and that it can make mincemeat out of large, white rectangles, but that's as much technical information as you'll get. It isn't a gripping family drama, though there are a lot of scenes where Bob Dornan's father, Congressman Liberace, rings up his son and his commander to diss their fighter jets (it could have used a sort of, kind of Jazz Singer moment where the Congressman hears his son is flying jets instead of bombers, rips his clothes, and proclaims he has no son. That would have been something anyway). As for the romance...well, lets just say that the midair refueling scenes deliver more raw eroticism than any of these drunk, speed freaked pilots who troll the bars to pick up vapid Iowa chicks for nights of wild snuggling. My current theory is that this movie was some kind of commercial for the F-104 and the Tactical Air Command, though I'm still not sure who they're trying to sell it to (Congressmen? Pilots? The General Public?). With ads like this one, I'm surprised the Air Force doesn't have to hold bake sales to buy its bombers.

I would love to lie and say this movie is epic and memorable, but much like its title, it would be misleading. I will save you the trouble right now, there are no Starfighters (people or ships). The Starfighter is just the name of a prototype jet that is being flown by our protagonists. This is an Air Force melodrama (think Top Gun but boring and unfunny in every possible way) surrounding 3 test pilots and their day-to-day operation, like refueling drills. It seems to have been funded by the US Air Force and might have been used at one time as a recruitment film (until the Air Force found it detrimental to recruitment).

I have only seen this movie in MST3k form and cannot possible imagine trying to survive this movie without some robot companions. To give you an idea of the amount of pain it causes, I will rate this movie at 9 shots of Jameson. Even after 9, I didn't feel sufficiently numbed to the effects of this movie. I just hurts from start to finish.

Exciting things occur like : stock footage of jets, jets refueling, pilots going out on dates, pilots talking to father over the phone, pilot's dad talking to son's commander, more stock footage of refueling, scenes of pilots attempting make out sessions in the desert, awkward angled conversations between pilots, more stock footage and refueling sequences. That is the extent of the recall I wish to retain from the watching of this film. To quote Bela : "Bevare! Take Care!" and skip this movie.

-Celluloid Rehab