consists predominantly of stock footage. The footage was of the F-104s of the 831st Air Division (479th Tactical Fighter Wing), stationed at George AFB from October 1958. The aircraft featured in The Starfighters included F-104A and C variants, the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, the Lockheed T-33 and the Kaman H-43B Huskie. Reception and legacy The Starfighters was not given wide release and was soon relegated to drive-in theaters and second run showings. Although it was not critically reviewed, audience reaction since has continually placed it in the category of one of the "worst films" ever. Appearance on MST3K The Starfighters was featured in episode #612 of Mystery Science Theater 3000. The cast and crew (and later fans) of Mystery Science Theater 3000 were the film's most prominent critics. Tom Servo summed it up thus: "So basically, according to themselves, the Air Force is a bunch of leather-faced, not-so-bright, heavy drinking, dull-witted speed freaks who poop in their pants and can't make it with women, right?" The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Amazing Colossal Episode Guide complained "nothing happens in it." It provided several running gags that were repeated throughout the series: humming the jazzy music whenever an aircraft is seen flying, mentions of the "poopie suit" (an Air Force survival suit designed to help contain body heat in the event of a bailout over water), and the use of the word "refueling" as a synonym for any long, dull scene. Home media The MST3K version of the film is included in the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection Volume 12 DVD set from Rhino Entertainment and later Shout Factory. References Notes Bibliography Beaulieu, Trace, Paul Chaplin et al. The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Amazing Colossal Episode Guide. New York: Bantam, 1996. . External links AllMovie 1964 films 1964 drama films American drama films Cold War aviation films Cold War films American anti-communist propaganda films American independent films Films about the United States Air Force Films directed by Will Zens 1960s rediscovered films Rediscovered American films 1960s English-language films 1960s American films