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Mystery Science Theater 3000

The Starfighters

Season 6, Episode 11, Aired Oct 29, 1994

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8.6

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While Crow has trouble getting on the information superhighway and the Mads use their new cranial ports, the crew watches a movie about Air Force pilots training on a new type plane. Watch for a young Bob Dornan as one of the pilots.moreless

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Cast & Crew

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Trace Beaulieu

Crow T. Robot & Dr. Clayton Forrester
Kevin Murphy

Tom Servo
Jim Mallon

Gypsy
Frank Conniff

TV's Frank
Michael J. Nelson

Mike Nelson

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Fan Episode Reviews (3)

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A highly enjoyable episode, but don't expect anything from the film itself!

8.0

"Great"

By jokipper, Mar 27, 2010

Movies like this one confound me. Here we have a military action/romance film--without any action or romance! Seemingly endless footage of F-104 Starfighters taking off, refueling, and landing. A few scenes of target shooting and ground support practice. There are hints of plot threads sprinkled in between the stock footage--a blossoming romance, an old-school politician wanting his son transfered to bomber command--we somehow think all this will lead to an epic, gung-ho climax. But no; the squadron receives orders to transfer to Europe, and all we get to see is one last jets-taking-off sequence before the end credits. I'm amazed that this film was ever made...the finished script must have ran all of 10 pages. Someone, somewhere had to decide that it was a great idea to make this pointless film! I shudder to think that people actually paid to see this back in the day.

Such a film provides great fodder for Mike and the 'bots. There are some truly funny host segments, including a hilarious refueling sequence between Crow and Servo. The United Servo Academy Men's Chorus bit is one of the show's best musical segments. Of course, there's plenty of great riffs during the film itself--such a totally bland film gives great opportunities--and Mike and the 'bots put it all to good use and make it all worthwhile.moreless
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A movie with a seeming lack of plot is no barrier to great comedy, as The Starfighters shows.

9.7

"Superb"

By fireballil, Sep 07, 2006

If you didn't know better, you would think The Starfighters was just a recruitment film for the Air Force. The "plot" is about 3 men learning to fly a new type of fighter plane, but it is so mish-mashed that you couldn't really call it a plot. Five words describe the reaction to this film: "That was a great scene." Said flatly by Mike and the bots at various times, the phrase aptly describes the feeling in watching this. The most notable thing about this movie is future Congressman Bob Dornan as one of the pilots. The riffing is top-notch; the host segments give a feeling we all are aware of, as Crow tries to get on the "information superhighway", but he can't get his computer formatted, tech support is busy and when he finally gets through, he is busy playing "refueling" with Tom. When they run out of refueling jokes, they admit it, but Crow comes through with a new angle. We also hear from a chorus of Servos and play boogers with Crow. It is an episode like this that makes me wonder why the Comedy Central executives let this show get away.moreless
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A movie with some pilots in it. If only they had brought along a plot or a script.

9.5

"Superb"

By Lokar, Jul 30, 2006

This movie is to the Air Force what paper airplanes are to the Air Force.

It's about a group of pilots, who spend most of their time putting on gear, running test flights and refueling the airplanes. Oh, do they ever refuel. After you see the same close-up of this procedure for the 57th time, you'll almost think we wandered into an industrial instruction reel. There certainly isn't much in the way of human interaction from the cast.

There are close-ups of the planes during certain practice manouevres that border on the seamy. I learned so much about in-air replenishment of gas, I think I'll go to work for an aerospace firm.

The movie relies on repeated cycles of pre-set footage instead of live shots-- that would have upped the budget way too much. So it's not really a movie, it's just film spliced together for a certain amount of time.

It has no human interest-- there are very few humans, and it's not interesting.

Thank goodness for Mike and the 'Bots to once again steer us through the suffering.moreless
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (17)
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- Lt. Lyons: (to Maj. Stevens) It's a little tough on the wife, I mean checking in on a new base and all that. Thank you, sir. (salutes and leaves) Tom: Yeah, the wife is gonna be awful glad to see the me. Crow: We're going to have the sex!
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- (as the crew leaves the theater, the tower man uses 'niner') Crow: Cordite niner, Kiner Byner, miner, niner Woozelsteiner. Tom: Frankenheimer. Crow: John Byner.
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- Mike: (as the movie ends) I really think there's more nothing in this movie than in any movie we've seen.
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- Crow: (about Lt. Lyons) At ease, Lieutenant Loser.
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- Mike: (as the rescuers find Lt. Lyons) We have a visual ID on numb-nuts.
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- Crow: (during the rescue scene) Are the other armed services as easy listening as the Air Force?
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- Crow: (as rescue workers run to their vehicles): Haul cheeks! We've gotta save Baby Pants!
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- Mike: (describing Col. Hunt) You know, he's crusty, but extremely unlikable.
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- Crow: (after the first phone trick) I wanna kick this movie in the groin and snag on it, and give it a power situp!
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- Col. Hunt: You know, flying a plane is like making love? Crow: Uh, you have to pay?
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- Maj. Stevens: We'll hand you the stick up there after a bit. Mike: And we'll fly the plane.
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- Mike: (describing the main gate of the base) The Air Force is at a Dog N Suds.
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- Mike: (describing Maj. Stevens and Col. Hunt) Is your face odd, misshapen? Join the Air Force!
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- Crow: (regarding their call sign) Cordite four, why did we pick cordite?
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- Mike: (as Witkowski drives a convertible) Bob Dornan, wild at heart.
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- Mike, Crow and Tom: (at different times) That was a great scene.
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- (when Bob Dornan's name appears in the opening credits) Crow: Robert Dornan? The Congressman? Tom: What, couldn't they get Rush Limbaugh?
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NOTES (2)
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- This episode is available from Rhino Home Video on disc three of The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection Volume 12.
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- Future California Congressman Bob Dornan played one of the pilots.
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- Dog N Suds: Mike: The Air Force is at a Dog N Suds. Dog N Suds is a chain of drive in restaurants, mostly in the Midwest.
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