Stardust (2007)

Director:

Matthew Vaughn

Writers:

Jane Goldman (screenplay) &
Matthew Vaughn (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

10 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

This summer a star falls. The chase begins.

Plot:

In a countryside town bordering on a magical land, a young man makes a promise to his beloved that he'll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm.

Plot Keywords:

Star | King | Love | Magic | Ruby

Awards:

4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Claire Danes	...	Yvaine
Ian McKellen	...	Narrator (voice)
Bimbo Hart	...	Young Scientist
Alastair MacIntosh	...	Victorian Academic
David Kelly	...	Guard
Ben Barnes	...	Young Dunstan
Kate Magowan	...	Slave Girl / Una
Melanie Hill	...	Ditchwater Sal
Charlie Cox	...	Tristan Thorn
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Lamia
Robert De Niro	...	Captain Shakespeare
Sienna Miller	...	Victoria
Henry Cavill	...	Humphrey
Nathaniel Parker	...	Dunstan Thorn
Darby Hawker	...	Grumpy Customer

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some fantasy violence and risque humor.

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | UK:PG | Finland:K-11 | Ireland:PG | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Portugal:M/6 | Hong Kong:IIA | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:11 | Philippines:G | Brazil:12 | Argentina:13 | Germany:12 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Malaysia:U | Australia:PG | Iceland:10 (theatrical rating) | Iceland:7 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Apsley, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Alex Pettyfer auditioned for the role of Tristan Thorn.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: In one of the scenes where Mormo and Empusa are talking to Lamia in a mirror (and telling her that the star has returned to Earth and is also being pursued by a prince) the scene is shot from above. It is clear, however, that Mormo's words are not synched with the sound. In one shot she is saying the same thing but out of synch. In another, the sound of her speaking is not related in any way to what she's saying. Though not actually stated much in the film, the reflection of the witches in the book is always a reflection of their younger selves.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: A philosopher once asked, "Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?" Pointless, really... ”Do the stars gaze back?" Now *that's* a question.

Movie Connections:

References Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Soundtrack:

Rule the World

A magic that isn't puerile . . .

The power to dream is a wonderful thing. There's a saying, "Not all dreamers achieve, but all achievers dream." By exploring our imagination we shape our own futures. Or build empires. Perhaps overcome our fears, limitations and obstacles. Gain wisdom and benefit mankind. Or (put simply) just find our way to true love and happiness. Freud might express such things in symbols. The language of fantasy.

Tristan ventures out of a rather twee English village called Wall. He goes through a break in the wall. A portal. In search of something that will prove his love to Victoria (Sienna Miller). Victoria doesn't take him very seriously. So he pledges to bring back a falling star.

Stormhold is the world outside the wall. He discovers the fallen star has taken the form of a beautiful girl, Yvaine (Claire Danes). To complicate matters, three evil witches want to get hold of Yvaine. If they can eat her heart, it will replenish their youth. (One of the witches is played by Michelle Pfeiffer, who does fabulous young-old transformations of looks and manner.) The 'good guy' they meet on their way is Captain Shakespeare (Robert de Niro). He has a fierce, swashbuckling pirate exterior but is a sweetie closet queen underneath. Heirs of Stormhold meanwhile are engaged in a pitched battle over inheriting the Kingdom. Ricky Gervais is an added extras. A buffoon trader throwing in standard Gervais-type gags well. Tristan's purity of spirit arouses the love of Yvaine, so there is a nice little triangle going. Till he achieves the maturity to discern pedestal divas from real women.

Stardust is a full-on, large scale fantasy that does credit to its myriad stars. Wholly positive, and written with a clarity that makes it more worthy of psychoanalysis that a coven full of Harry Potter romps. Production values rival Hollywood, and the storyline is free of the racial stereotyping, misogyny, religious or class agendas than shape and pervert so many large scale fantasies.

That is not to say that Stardust is without its faults. Plot and dialogue have many predictable elements, and the fairytale quality may be too saccharine for some audiences. But if you want an excuse to let your heart fly, this film may well provide it.

As a boy, I remember listening in wonder to albums by the Moody Blues (who practiced in a house not far from where I lived). They made records with names like "In Search of the Lost Chord," and wrote lyrics like, "Thinking is the best way to travel." I would fill my head with books on magic and mystery, from Timothy Leary to Aleister Crowley. Shaping dreams. Learning to make them real. Nowadays people might talk of NLP or positive thinking. Adults that remember how to dream with the force of youth but with the vision and application of maturity. Do you still enjoy that feeling?

You are advised not to wait for Stardust on DVD. See it on the biggest cinema screen you can find. And Dolby Digital Surround Sound if you can get it. The actors look like they had a ball. Maybe you will too.