The Starfighters (1964)

User Rating:

1.4/10   

Director:

Will Zens

Writer:

Will Zens (writer)

Release Date:

25 March 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The blazing adventure of the men and planes who rocket to the very edge of outer space!

Plot:

A young Air Force lieutenant falls in love with fighter planes while his father, a Congressman and war hero, yearns for him to fly heavy bombers.

Plot Keywords:

Fighter Plane | Aerial Refueling | Refueling | Gatling Gun | Aviation

Cast

Robert Dornan	...	Lt. John Witkowski
Richard Jordahl	...	Maj. Stevens
Shirley Olmstead	...	Mary Davidson
Richard Masters	...	Col. Hunt
Steve Early	...	Lt. York
Robert Winston	...	Lt. Lyons
Carl Rogers	...	Congressman Witkowski
Ralph Thomas	...	Capt. O'Brien
Joan Lougee	...	Betty Lyons

Directed by
Will Zens

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Will Zens		writer

Produced by
Richard Bertea	....	associate producer
Will Zens	....	producer

Cinematography by
Leif Rise

Film Editing by
Michael David

Production Management
Robert Sands	....	production manager

Sound Department
Michael David	....	sound
Mark Thomas	....	sound effects

Music Department
Stephen Paul	....	music selection

Other crew
Brooks Morris	....	technical advisor (as Brooks Morris, Capt., USAF)
R. Whitaker	....	technical advisor (as R. Whitaker, Maj., USAF)

Production Companies

• Will Zens Productions (as Riviera)
• Robert Patrick Productions

Distributors

• Parade Releasing Organization (1964) (USA) (theatrical)

Runtime:

78 min | USA:84 min (original running time)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

George Air Force Base, Victorville, California, USA

Company:

Will Zens Productions

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Deadly Mantis (#9.4)" (1997)

Why America is the greatest country on the planet!!

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.