Writer: Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, Neil Gaiman
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert DeNiro, Kate Magowan, David Kelly, Peter O’Toole, Henry Cavill, Nathaniel Parker, Mark Strong, Sienna Miller
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Paramount Home Video
Release Date: December 18, 2007

It isn’t often that a book adaptation can be as enjoyable as Stardust is. While the movie and the book do have their differences, the overall story, which is the important part, remains somewhat the same. In Stardust the movie, we are given one of the most enchanting, fantasy movies of 2007. In the wake of movies like, The Chronicles of Narnia and even The Lord of the Rings Trilogy I have found that I much prefer Stardust. There has been plenty of buzz about how successful and wonderful this movie is and with good reason.

If you go see Stardust for no other reason, do it for the acting, which is superb. From there, you might find you actually enjoy the story. I know I did. While the movie seems like it could be long (it clocks in at a little over two hours), the time flew by and in no time the story was over. Stardust is fantasy at its best. There is no wonder why this movie has received such high praise from critics both online and off.

Release Information:
Stardust made its debut in Russia on August 9, 2007. The movie opened in theaters in the U.S. and Canada on August 10 and from there, the movie has trickled across the world with the last opening on November 9, 2007 in Indonesia. The studios really couldn’t wait to get Stardust out on DVD though. It was released so it would be available for the Christmas season, a time when DVD sales are almost always at an all time high for the year.

Paramount Home Video released Stardust in a full frames, a widescreen (which is what I used for this review) and a HD format. All three formats were released on December 18, 2007. Stardust is available for purchase through local and online retailers. For example, you can pick up a copy at the Amazon website for $19.99.

The Stardust Plot
Stardust begins with an encounter that happens around 18 years from the time the majority of this story takes place. In England, one small village, the village of Wall, protects the entry to a mythical world, known as Stormhold. The old man (David Kelly) who guards the entry to Stormhold won’t let anyone through, but young Dunstan Thorn finds a way to trick him. He leaps over the wall and enters a world of fantasy.

In Stormhold, Dunstan quickly arrives at a market. There he meets a beautiful, young, dark haired woman, the slave girl – Una (Kate Magowan), who claims she is a princess. She is bound to an evil witch until the witch dies. During Dunstan’s visit to Stormhold, he experiences a night of passion with Una before returning home to Wall.

Nine months later, the guard arrives at Dunstan’s home with a basket. In it is a baby. Dunstan is told to name him Tristan. Tristan is obviously the son of Una, though nobody mentions this to Tristan and he grows up not knowing the truth about his heritage. Tristan has other things on his mind anyway. He’s in love with a wretched, stuck up snob of a girl named Victoria (Sienna Miller), who only is nice to him for what he can offer her and not because he’s a nice guy.

On one fateful evening, the fate for a star named Yvaine (Claire Danes), the fate of the kingdom of Stormhold, and Tristan’s life all change by one, single event. The King of Stormhold (Peter O’Toole) is on his death bed. His seven sons, most of whom meet their untimely demise, are aware that the last brother standing will be the one to inherit the throne. To make things more complicated, the King throws a necklace, with a magical pendant, into the sky. Only an heir of the King can retrieve it. The one who does will become the new King of Stormhold. The brothers who are still alive set out with their loyal servants to find the pendant first.

As the pendant hurtles through space, it knocks Yvaine, the northern star, out of the sky. As Yvaine falls to earth with the pendant necklace, she blasts a crater into the land. Tristan has managed to get Victoria alone, near the wall of Wall. As they see the falling star land in Stormhold, Tristan promises to get the star for Victoria if she will marry him. He has one week to retrieve the star or she will be marrying someone else.

As Tristan tries to cross the wall, he learns his father has been to Stormhold. He returns home to confront his father, who explains that Tristan’s mother was from Stormhold and he was conceived there. He gives Tristan a note, with a special kind of candle attached. The note had been found with Tristan in his baby basket. The letter says the candle is the fastest way to travel. As Tristan plans to travel to find his mother, he ends up thinking about the star and Victoria instead and ends up near the crater where Yvaine has landed. He decides he will be taking her back with him to present to Victoria.

In the meantime, three old, evil witches led by Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) have plans for Yvaine. If they catch a fallen star and cut out her heart, it can be used to keep the witches looking young and vibrant. With the brothers heading in Yvaine’s direction and the stars informing Tristan of Lamia’s dangerous approach, the two of them end up hitching a ride on the flying pirate ship of Captain Shakespeare (Robert DeNiro). Words cannot describe what a great job DeNiro did with a role that was highly out of character for him. Shakespeare is perhaps the greatest character in Stardust and certainly the most enjoyable and entertaining in the bunch.

Ultimately, Stardust is Tristan’s quest towards everlasting happiness as he comes of age and discovers the power of true love. The fantasy element, action sequences, and amazing performances by this talented cast make the overall effort quite impressive. This is a movie you don’t have to worry about showing older children or teens. The action and adventure aspect will appeal to both men and women of all ages.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
The anamorphic widescreen transfer was done at an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. I watched this film on a widescreen television and all I can say is it rocked! The bright colors, rich hues, and fairytale-esque, dreamlike quality to the film make it visually pleasing. I, personally, didn’t find any flaws with this transfer. I found it to be absolutely stunning and one of those films I’d watch just because it’s so darn pretty! While I can’t comment on the full frame version of Stardust, one could only hope the movie is nearly as brilliant as the widescreen version.

Who can truly complain about having a soundtrack that features Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound? This rich, vibrant soundtrack enhances the entire movie. The full bodied, robust tones are an eloquent addition to Stardust. The deeper sounds from the music and sound effects presented in this film swell dramatically in the back of the speakers as the dialogue is driven through the front. Both sound superb and there is no need to adjust the sound because everything comes through loud and clear. An added bonus is watching this on a television that features surround sound. Be sure to keep the sound low enough so your neighbors don’t complain!

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
There are a few bonus features that just add to the magic that is Stardust. The DVD bonuses start out with a making of featurette entitled “Good Omens: The Making of Stardust”. This offers a behind the scenes look at the making of the film and features interviews with the director, actors and even Neil Gaiman who wrote the book Stardust. Other bonuses include a selection of deleted scenes, a blooper reel, and an enhanced trailer for Stardust. Overall, the offerings are decent though, like all fans of this movie, I do wish there could have been more!

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
Stardust is absolutely magical. From the first few moments of the movie until the final scene, you will be taken on the adventure of a lifetime as you witness the lengths at which a man will go for love. From the mythical star, Yvaine, to the evil and ugly witch, Lamia, every character has a purpose and adds to the entire storytelling experience of this movie. Though fans of the book might be slightly disappointed by the changes to the ending, the overall production of Stardust is well worth watching and even purchasing. While I recommend this for nearly anyone, you may want to rent it first, just in case you aren’t overly fond of well written, well conceived, and well executed fantasy-driven movies.

Overall Rating:

Technorati Tags: Stardust, Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Robert DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kate Magowan, Fantasy, DVD, Paramount, Peter O’Toole

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