Last Starfighter

The score by Craig Safan for the landmark's 1984 sci-fi tale with Lance Guest, Dan O'Herlihy, Robert Preston, Catherine Mary Stewart, directed by Nick Castle. World of Rylos, battles with evil Xur, his armies of Ko-Dan, heroic efforts of "the last starfighter" to conquer the enemy - all were fodder for pioneer computer-generated imagery back in 1984. Surprise hit movie finds young Alex Rogan proving himself adept at video games in small town trailer park. Soon, mysterious visitor appears, whisks Alex to planet Rylos to fight conquering menace. Romance, an android "beta unit", vicious "hit beasts" and more add dimension to rewarding tale. Craig Safan launches in brilliant major key fashion with dynamic fortissimo rhythmic motif for trombones, then adds trumpet fanfares, finally allows heroic main theme to take command. Both ideas play important roles throughout score. Propulsive action cues dominate with emphasis on aggressive low brass rhythms, sweeping lines for upper strings, zig zag material for woodwinds, synths. Brass parts throughout are commanding! Unusually crisp, punchy recording courtesy engineer Lyle Burbridge, acoustics of MGM Studios Scoring Stage 1 (known currently as Sony Pictures Scoring) and sizzling performance by 100 top L. A. session players. Highlights abound but spotlights go to showstopping "Centauri Into Space", rousing "Death Blossom, Ultimate Weapon", powerful "Centauri Dies", exciting "Target Practice". Special mention is due "Record Breaker": Here, Safan ingeniously melds low-brow synth sound of video game seamlessly into powerful orchestral variants of his propulsive opening material as piece progresses. Clever! March 1984 sessions were recorded onto 2" 24-track tape, then mixed down to both 1/2" three-channel, 1/4" two-channel stereo tape and preserved in pristine condition. Entire score presented in picture sequence, courtesy both Warner Bros. & Universal. Craig Safan conducts.