Customer Reviews

The Last Starfighter

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this out of curiosity because I was startled that anyone would think this material would make a good musical. Well, it doesn't - it makes a marvelous musical, at least based on this CD. I was completely astonished at the beauty of the melodies, the ingenious rhymes, and above all the moving emotional arc that the creators elicit from the story and characters. Just try to remain dry-eyed during the love duet, "Reach Out," which some pop star should cover. Even more surprising is the decision to write the climactic battle sequence as a musical number, and as a haunting anthem-like ensemble piece at that. It's a knock-out; again, just try not to get choked up when you hear it.

This one's a keeper.

I loved this stage adaptation of the 80's cult film "The Last Starfighter" when I saw its premiere production last year at the Storm Theatre in New York City, and I'm loving the original cast recording just as much. Kudos to the creative team for doing a bang-up job in transferring the show from stage to disc. The plot revolves around Alex Rogan, a kid from a trailer park who's just itching to get out of his hometown and see the world. When he breaks the record on the trailer park's Starfighter video game, adventure comes calling in the form of Centauri, an extraterrestrial who put the video game on Earth for the purpose of recruiting Starfighters to aid the planet Rylos in battle against the evil commander Zur and his Ko-Dan Armada. Composer/lyricist Skip Kennon has delivered an infectiously tuneful score that's whimsical, clever, touching, sophisticated and entertaining all at once. And the performances are all top-notch - Charlie Pollock as Alex, Joseph Kolinski as Centauri and Bernardo De Paula as Zur are particular standouts. Highly recommended!

My name is Tom, and I am a STARFIGHTER-addict. When I first stumbled across the movie, THE LAST STARFIGHER with Lance Guest and Robert Preston back in the 1980's it was love at first sight. So, when I was told that there was a new musical based on one of my all-time favorites, well, frankly I was skeptical.

I shouldn't have worried. The creative team behind this new musical, THE LAST STARFIGHTER" (music and lyrics by Skip Kennon and book by Fred Landau) seem to share my appreciation for this beautiful little story. In fact, if anything, the story is richer and fuller thanks to the musical numbers. From the opening bars of STARLITE, STARBRITE I was transported back to that run-down trailer park from the film. All of the characters were there.... Alex, Maggie, Otis, and the out-of-this-world Centauri. Each has their own musical moment to shine. Centauri has TO MAKE A HERO; Otis has THINGS CHANGE; and Alex and Maggie truly soar with the lovely ballad, REACH OUT. Don't worry about knowing the story, enough dialogue is included on the CD, so you can easily follow what is going on. I laughed, I cheered, and, yes, I shed a tear or two. This is one terrific musical, which I hope I can someday see on stage. Until that day, this CD is a pretty good substitute.

I love this CD! We were lucky enough to see a production of The Last Starfighter the musical at the New York Musical Festival last year. The show was delightful and we were so glad to have the CD to sing along with after we got home. I highly recommend both the CD and the show!

As adapted from the titular film, this show tells an unusual story with craft and economy and is ultimately quite moving. The score contains many gems that reward repeated listening. This material stays with you. Recommended!

A wonderful score by the very talented Skip Kennon, along with a really top-notch adaptation by Fred Landau - unlike a lot of new musical theater writers today, Kennon really knows how to write for characters and how to make them sing. A really fun cast recording, with excellent performances all around.

I caught the production last year at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and I think this show is a fanciful stage adaptation of a very smart little sci-fi film. The music and lyrics presented here by the original cast are smart, moving, and full of good tunes. I like it very much and I recommend it heartily.

I had seen and (mildly) enjoyed the movie on which this is based but was not a huge fan, I wouldn't have gone out of my way to see the movie again. I really listened to this CD more out of curiousity... "they made a musical out of what?" What I heard blew my socks off. The songs made me laugh, they made me cry... they made me play the CD over and over and over again! I am particularly enraptured by "Love is Like Water" and "Father to Son" This is definitely a "must listen", especially for all musical theatre fans, whether or not you think science fiction is "your" genre.

My fifteen year old daughter wishes me to add that it's not just for "older people" (presumably meaning me!) But that teenagers (presumably meaning she and her friends) really relate to it, especially "Spring Break" and "Father to Son".

Since we first heard the CD we had the opportunity to see a production of in at the 2007 New York Musical Theatre Festival. That production showed us just how well crafted the songs were to help tell the story.

Particulary of note is the song "Father to Son" (yes, yes, I know I have mentioned it 3 times already in this review, it's that good) which brings a true sense of humanity (if that's the right word for an extraterristial character) to the "bad guy" and takes you into his pain and creates some sympathy for the course he chose to take.

OK, I just saw the latest "workshop" of this musical, and while it's better than this original version, I personally think this needs a lot of work, but I'm not sure it's salvagable.

First, I don't think this movie is worth being made into a musical. Secondly, I think the music needs more melody. I think it's trying to be too "artsy" for its own good. Thirdly, the rhyming scheme in the music is questionable.

The only way I can see this musical working is if they take a total tongue in cheek approach. Make it fun! Remove the attempt at seriousness, sort of like Xanadu did. The parts that work best are definitely the humorous ones. I'll not say anything about the ballads, but I will tell you that I definitely know that "Love is like Water", unfortunately.

Give it a listen if you want and make your own judgements, but I think this will only appeal to that broad niche of "Last Starfighter fans who love musical theatre in the style of Jason Robert Brown." And we know that those people are everywhere...