I have been wanting to see Stardust since I first saw a preview for it. It took me a bit longer than I wanted to see it, but I did manage to see it. I enjoy fantasy movies when they are well done. Stardust was the best fantasy movie that I've seen in a very long time.
The town of Wall was bordered on one side by a stone wall that no one ever crossed. On the other side of the wall was the magical town of Stormhold which was kept hidden by the wall. The King was dying and he decided that whichever of his surviving sons - three were left because they had killed the other four in the hopes of eventually becoming king - could make the jewel in his necklace a ruby again would be the new King.
A young man living in Wall named Tristan was in love with a girl named Victoria. She in turn was more interested in a richer suitor, Humphrey and didn’t pay much attention to Tristan. They saw a falling star and Victoria agreed not to marry Humphrey if Tristan brought it back to her. He found the star, which was actually a beautiful young woman named Yvaine who wasn’t thrilled with the situation. Tristan and Yvaine received help from an unlikely source in Captain Shakespeare whose ship captured lightening.
Tristan and Yvaine didn’t know that three witch sisters, Lamia, Empusa, and Mormo also wanted the star, but for a very different purpose. The three sisters were hundreds of years old and looking their age. Lamia, after making herself look young and beautiful again, went to capture the star. The King’s remaining living sons, with the ghosts of the others tagging along, also ended up looking for Yvaine.
Stardust was based on the graphic novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman with illustrations by Charles Vess that was published in 1998. In 1999 it was also released as a hardback without any illustrations. A new hardback edition was released in July of 2007. I have seen a paperback version of the book without illustrations recently. I haven’t read the book, so I don’t know exactly what was changed for the movie.
The movie had a very engaging and interesting plot, full of fantasy and magic. I have heard Stardust compared to The Princess Bride and I think that fits very well for the movie. It had many of the same wonderful qualities that The Princess Bride had and I think it is every bit as good. It is too bad that Stardust hasn’t made more in the theaters, but I think it will go on to be considered a classic fantasy movie. Comedy was blended very well into the movie without turning it into an overall silly movie. Captain Shakespeare provided a lot of laughs in a few of his scenes. I also found a few scenes, especially two in particular, with Ferdy the Fence to be very funny. There were a few more intense scenes that could be disturbing to children. The witch sisters in particular were responsible for some unpleasant things. I believe those scenes, along with the few violent scenes, were the main reason the movie was rated PG-13.
I thought the whole idea of a fallen star taking the form of a beautiful young woman was very original and helped make the movie interesting. I also thought the idea of witches wanting a fallen star to restore youth and beauty was very intriguing and original. The plot was complex since so much was going on but it wasn’t so complicated that it was hard to follow everything. I didn’t get lost and wasn’t confused by anything that happened. The movie grabbed my attention right from the start and I was never bored with anything. There were one or two things that were a bit predictable but there were several other surprises along the way.
Magic played a very important part in Stardust, both good and evil versions of it. Lamia and her sisters were very definitely into dark and evil magic. They were willing to do anything to get what they wanted. While Lamia was searching for the star, she did several different spells. She and a few other characters also used runs to help them find what they were looking for. Another witch, Ditchwater Sal also turned up a few times. She didn’t seem to be as evil as the sisters, but she had tricked a young woman into becoming her slave many years before. Yvaine was a very special, good magical being. Several instances of good versus evil were used very effectively throughout the movie. I really enjoyed all the magical elements. People that don’t care for movies dealing with magic and fantasy should pick something else.
Special effects were used throughout Stardust very effectively. Effects were used for different things, like when magic spells were cast and to show the ghosts of the dead brothers lingering around. The special effects were done very well done. They added to the plot instead of distracting from it like has happened in some other movies. The flying ship that Captain Shakespeare and his crew used to capture the lightening was amazing looking. Extensive make-up was used to make Lamia and her sisters look like wrinkled old hags. The make-up was also very well done and gave the sisters a believable look.
Stardust had several main characters who were important to what was going on. A narrator, Ian McKellen, was heard a few times during the movie. Tristan was a very kind young man who was devoted to Victoria and willing to do anything to win her even though she seemed to think of him as a joke at times. Charlie Cox was very good in the part. Yvaine was the fallen star that the majority of the movie revolved around. She wasn’t happy to be stuck on the ground and didn’t understand how some things worked. Claire Danes was great in the part.
Michelle Pfeiffer was absolutely wonderful as the evil Lamia, one of the three witch sisters. Lamia seemed to be in charge and was ruthless to get what she wanted. Once she looked young and beautiful again, she used her seductive appearance to help her on her quest. Lamia and her sisters were different from every other evil witch I’ve seen in other movies. Empusa and Mormo didn’t have as much to do since they weren’t in as much of the movie. I have liked Michelle Pfeiffer for years and was very happy to see her in two wonderful movies this year. She also played an evil character in Hairspray.
Victoria was the beautiful, somewhat spoiled young woman that Tristan hoped to win by bringing her the fallen star. Victoria knew that Tristan had feelings for her and she used it to her advantage. She really didn’t seem to be that nice. Sienna Miller was fine in the part. Humphrey was the arrogant, richer young man who was courting Victoria. She seemed much more interested in him. Peter O’Toole was wonderful in the small part of the movie he was in as the King. I also really enjoyed the voice he provided for a character in Ratatouille. The Kings seven sons were all featured in the movie, though three of them only appeared as ghosts. The surviving brothers were very ruthless and willing to kill each other off to become the next king.
Captain Shakespeare had a reputation for being vicious in dealing with others. That reputation hid his secret that involved an alternate style of dressing and different interests. He was a very interesting character and I loved his scenes, especially the one that fully showed his secret. Robert De Niro was great in the part even though it is something very different. Ferdy the Fence was only in a few scenes but he was an entertaining character. I liked the way that Ricky Gervais portrayed the character.
Main Cast
Sarah Alexander - Empusa Adam Buxton - Sextus Henry Cavil - Humphrey Charlie Cox - Tristan Claire Danes - Yvaine Robert De Niro - Captain Shakespeare Rupert Everett - Secundus Jason Flemyng - Primus Ricky Gervais - Ferdy the Fence Mark Heap - Tertius Melanie Hill - Ditchwater Sal Ian McKellen - Narrator Kate Magowan - Slave Girl Sienna Miller - Victoria Peter O’Toole - King Nathaniel Parker - Dunstan Thorn Michelle Pfeiffer - Lamia Julian Rhind-Tutt - Quartus Joanna Scanlan - Mormo Mark Strong - Septimus David Walliams - Sextus
Matthew Vaughn - Director
I loved Stardust and will more than likely be picking up the DVD once it is released. In addition to being one of the best movies I’ve seen this year, it was also one of the best fantasy movies that I’ve seen. People that like fantasy movies, especially The Princess Bride, should definitely check this one out. It shouldn’t be missed.
"Stardust," based on the best-selling graphic novel by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, takes audiences on an adventure that begins in a village in Engla...More at HotMovieSale.com
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