In my opinion, this movie represents a point in Hollywood history where all the best possible elements came together to make a classic film. Starman is not only one of the best movies of the 1980's but it holds its own against any other classic movie from the corridoors of Time in Movieland.
Iam not as such a fan of John Carpenter, but i will admit that he has a talent, and with talent must come the ability to control this. With Starman he does just that. He avoids any moves of vanity on his own behalf, wich he so often fell into in the past, and finds a style that is moving warm and even beautiful. It is worthy of note that this is a rare example of Carpenter having no involvement in the producing, Writing or Musical duties, so what he brings to the table is perhaps what the script might of been missing, and what makes Starman The Movie so great. At the core ofthe movie is the excellent overall story and well developed characters presented to us by the writers Bruce A Evans and Raynold Gideon. This is well in tune with the leisurely and even Alien direction from Caprenter wich moves at such a heavenly place its like picturesque music without sound. Carpenter does express his shock tactics and trick photography he employed on classics like Halloween, The Fog and The Thing, and even though Starman isn't a horror movie, these tactics seem more suitable to this Sci-Fi/Romance.
The two vital components in making Starman work are Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen. As Starman Bridges is so convincing in an almost retarded role that when you see the images of the life the Alien has assumed, Scot Hayden [Bridges]It is easy to believe that these are two different actors. Bridges gets to grips with the Alien he is playing but plays it so gentle and mesmeric that when the love affair between Starman and Jenny Hayden [Karen Allen] blossoms, you are at once cheering it on. Karen Allen is the real revelation to the film, she is us watching Starman's progression through his human life, and is just as amazed and in awe of what she see's as we are. Bridges and Allen make a very believable screen couple as both Scot and Jenny Hayden and Starman and Jenny Hayden, and it is beautiful to watch them on screen together.
The one slightly disapointing aspect of the movie is that it falls into a conventional and predictable trap of Romance movies at it's Climax when Starman has to leave. O.K., so this is the whole point of the movie's kinetics, but it seems to resemble too much, Spielbergs E.T. The Extra Terestrial. This is not to compare it too much to that film, because a piece of Starman stays behind in this movie [See for yourself], and i might annoy some people by saying that Starman is more profesionally and gracefully made than Spielbergs 1982 classic.
All the elemnts work,from the special effects, to the make up and costume, and even the point of the movie being a road film, because you are so engaged by the developement between the Starman and Jenny Hayden Characters. And other than that minor quibble, I can't find anything else to fault with this movie. It is well made and acted, boast a fine Jack Nitzche musical score and is beautifully photographed by Donald M Morgan.
A Highly Recommended winner........................................................................ 10/10
Iam not as such a fan of John Carpenter, but i will admit that he has a talent, and with talent must come the ability to control this. With Starman he does just that. He avoids any moves of vanity on his own behalf, wich he so often fell into in the past, and finds a style that is moving warm and even beautiful. It is worthy of note that this is a rare example of Carpenter having no involvement in the producing, Writing or Musical duties, so what he brings to the table is perhaps what the script might of been missing, and what makes Starman The Movie so great. At the core ofthe movie is the excellent overall story and well developed characters presented to us by the writers Bruce A Evans and Raynold Gideon. This is well in tune with the leisurely and even Alien direction from Caprenter wich moves at such a heavenly place its like picturesque music without sound. Carpenter does express his shock tactics and trick photography he employed on classics like Halloween, The Fog and The Thing, and even though Starman isn't a horror movie, these tactics seem more suitable to this Sci-Fi/Romance.
The two vital components in making Starman work are Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen. As Starman Bridges is so convincing in an almost retarded role that when you see the images of the life the Alien has assumed, Scot Hayden [Bridges]It is easy to believe that these are two different actors. Bridges gets to grips with the Alien he is playing but plays it so gentle and mesmeric that when the love affair between Starman and Jenny Hayden [Karen Allen] blossoms, you are at once cheering it on. Karen Allen is the real revelation to the film, she is us watching Starman's progression through his human life, and is just as amazed and in awe of what she see's as we are. Bridges and Allen make a very believable screen couple as both Scot and Jenny Hayden and Starman and Jenny Hayden, and it is beautiful to watch them on screen together.
The one slightly disapointing aspect of the movie is that it falls into a conventional and predictable trap of Romance movies at it's Climax when Starman has to leave. O.K., so this is the whole point of the movie's kinetics, but it seems to resemble too much, Spielbergs E.T. The Extra Terestrial. This is not to compare it too much to that film, because a piece of Starman stays behind in this movie [See for yourself], and i might annoy some people by saying that Starman is more profesionally and gracefully made than Spielbergs 1982 classic.
All the elemnts work,from the special effects, to the make up and costume, and even the point of the movie being a road film, because you are so engaged by the developement between the Starman and Jenny Hayden Characters. And other than that minor quibble, I can't find anything else to fault with this movie. It is well made and acted, boast a fine Jack Nitzche musical score and is beautifully photographed by Donald M Morgan.
A Highly Recommended winner........................................................................ 10/10