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Starman (1984)

PG | | Romance, Sci-Fi | 14 December 1984 (USA)
Starman Poster
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An alien takes the form of a young widow's husband and asks her to drive him from Wisconsin to Arizona. The government tries to stop them.

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

Bruce A. Evans, Raynold Gideon

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith | See full cast & crew »
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John Carpenter: Defining "Carpenteresque"

"Kubrickian" is in the Oxford English Dictionary, but "Carpentersque" isn't. Here's why John Carpenter's style and influence should have earned him the honor.

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Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Bridges ... Starman
Karen Allen ... Jenny Hayden
Charles Martin Smith ... Mark Shermin
Richard Jaeckel ... George Fox
Robert Phalen Robert Phalen ... Major Bell
Tony Edwards ... Sergeant Lemon
John Walter Davis John Walter Davis ... Brad Heinmuller
Ted White ... Deer Hunter
Dirk Blocker ... Cop #1
M.C. Gainey ... Cop #2
Sean Stanek ... Hot Rodder (as Sean Faro)
George 'Buck' Flower ... Cook (as Buck Flower)
Russ Benning Russ Benning ... Scientist
Ralph Cosham Ralph Cosham ... Marine Lieutenant
David Wells ... Fox's Assistant
See full cast »
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Storyline

Jenny Hayden never did get over the death of her husband. So when an alien life form decides to model "himself" on the husband, Jenny is understandably confused if not terrified. The alien, or Starman, as he is called, has a deadline to meet, and kidnaps Jenny in order to meet it. Written by Rob Hartill

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

panty | leg | legs | coupe | baseball cap | See All (202) »

Taglines:

In 1977 Voyager II was launched into space, inviting all lifeforms in the universe to visit our planet. Get ready. Company's coming. See more »

Genres:

Romance | Sci-Fi

Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie channel [United States] | Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 December 1984 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

John Carpenter's Starman See more »

Filming Locations:

Manchester, Tennessee, USA See more »
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Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$28,700,000
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Delphi II Productions See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)| Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

No stranger to the challenge of creating supernatural effects, special effects coordinator Roy Arbogast had at the time most recently given a 1958 Plymouth Fury vehicle human characteristics in "Starman" director John Carpenter's then previous film, the thriller Christine (1983). According to co-producer Barry Bernardi, "the 'Starman' effects were a great undertaking and Roy is equal to the task". See more »

Goofs

During the chase after being discovered at the hotel, the radio reports that the car was on I-80 North. I-80 is an east-west interstate as shown seconds later when they crashed through the road construction signs. See more »

Quotes

Mark Shermin: Have people from your world been here before?
Starman: Before yes. We are interested in your species.
Mark Shermin: You mean you're some kind of anthropologist? Is that what you're doing here? Just checking us out?
Starman: You are a strange species. Not like any other. And you'd be surprised how many there are. Intelligent but savage. Shall I tell you what I find beautiful about you?
[Shermin nods]
Starman: You are at your very best when things are worst.
See more »

Connections

Featured in Pulse (1988) See more »

Soundtracks

What Would Your Memories Do
Written by Hank Cochran and Dean Dillon
Published by Tree Publishing Co.
Performed by Vern Gosdin
Produced by Blake Mevis
Courtesy of Compleat Records
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is "Starman" about?
Q: Why did the Starman assume the form of Scott Hayden?
Q: Do we ever get to see the Starman in his alien form?
See more »

User Reviews

 
Sadness, joy, loss, love...brilliance
15 August 2003 | by andrew.harrison – See all my reviews

The achingly gorgeous Karen Allen and the sublime Jeff Bridges star in this story of love and innocence.

A magical movie, with a poignant, otherworldly score sees John Carpenter direct a movie outside his usual genre. Well, all the planets came into alignment for this one, as it is a heart warming emotionally involving ride from start to finish.

This would be one of my 10 "Desert Island" movies.
55 of 72 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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