Stardust [DVD]

Neil Gaiman, who wrote Stardust, is a treasure of modern storytelling. This film of his novel is superbly realised and absolutely worth watching. It improves with repeated viewings, in fact.

Gaiman wanted to write an old-fashioned Edwardian fairy-story, full of flying ships and unicorns and evil witches, beautiful maidens and handsome young men coming of age and falling in love. So he crammed all of that and more into the story, and the film absolutely sparkles with the threads of the story and the characters. You may find many of the themes familar, but that's because it is supposed to be a traditional fairy tale. The fun is all in the polish and the performances.
It's a two hour film, which might be a bit long for younger children to sit through, and there are a couple of points where the action slows down (when the love affair develops) which kids will find fidgity. However the majority of the movie absolutely romps along, following the young hero on his quest to find a fallen star and bring it (her!) back to impress his girlfriend.

There are also some scream-aloud funny bits. Kids will love the boy-transformed-into-girl moment; adults will crease up at the sight of Robert de Niro doing the can-can. There's a sly wit about the whole film; look out for the bit about the drooping boobs...
Unlike many fantasy films you don't have to sit through endless trudging across hillsides in the rain. The quest is the backbone of the story but the joy of Stardust is the sheer creativity and richness of each scene. You can relax and leave the plot to get on with itself, and sit back and enjoy the superb performances (Michelle Pfeiffer is particularly good as the beautiful-evil old crone) and each sparkling scene.

Definitely worth watching several times, because you'll see much more of the detail with each viewing. If you didn't catch Stardust at the movies then that's a shame, because some of the dazzling quality of the effects will be lost at home. So watch it on the biggest screen you can -- and in HD if you've got it. This is one film that's definitely worth it.
Excellent entertainment for adults; young children might need a break halfway through. Afterwards, it's a film which will leave you feeling happy, uplifted. Not too many of them around, so make the most of it!

I've just watched this film four times in three days. It is, quite simply, the most breathtaking film I have seen for years.

Based on -- and improved upon -- Neil Gaiman's book of the same name, Stardust is the ultimate fantasy-adventure for the entire family.

There are three really great things about this film, two of which are extensions of what is in the book, and one was developed by Gaiman and his co-workers for the film after the book was finished.

The first great thing is the depth and originality of the magical world he creates. Gaiman's Faerie is as rich and detailed -- and exuberant -- as Hogwarts, though it's a darker place. The film brings to life the wealth of detail which was in the book. Despite being laced with special effects, this does not come across as a special effects movie, because every magical transformation is demanded by the plot and flows instinctively from what was there before: a wonderful example of Aristotle's 'likely impossible' being better than an 'unlikely possible'.

The second great thing is the depth of characterisation. It's unusual in a fantasy film to have the level of bickering and banter that we get in this film. It's unusual in any genre to have an exquisitely observed romance develop before our eyes, against the wishes of both main protagonists. The film builds new characters, such as Robert de Niro's gay pirate Captain Shakespeare and Ricky Gervais's wheeler-dealer fence, which add additional resonance (and humour). It also nicely develops the characters of all seven sons of Stormhold, and nicely polishes the ghosts.

The third great thing, which is not in the book, is that Stardust the film has a very, very exciting plotline. Gaiman wisely omitted a number of details, and simplified the rather complex relationships. This created the space to focus on the real action, to introduce the pirate interlude, and to replace the entire ending with the most gripping and thrilling magical battle I have ever seen in a film. The last twenty minutes is all new material, making the story infinitely stronger and more satisfying. This is neatly underlined by the reprise of all the surviving characters in the coronation scene at the end -- a very nice touch indeed.

Fairy tales need to be told and retold, and improved as they go. Gaiman has seized the rare opportunity of telling his tale better the second time around -- though the original novel was nothing to be sniffed at -- and he and his co-workers have created a masterpiece.

I loved this film, and would recommend it to anyone -- something helped by the removal of the sometimes explicit references which occasionally crop up in the book.

This is not a 'great' film, in the sense of Dr Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia or The Great Escape. It does not attempt to solve the great questions of human existence, or to plumb the depths of tragedy. But it is the finest film of its kind I have ever seen.

One more thing: both in the film and the book, there are elements which have obviously been 'inspired' by other fantasy writers. With becoming modesty, Gaiman, in the epilogue to the book, acknowledges these. The references are not plagiarism, but tributes. The film is all the stronger for them.

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Blu Ray update: We now have the Blu Ray version of this. The picture is sharper, more vivid, and much more detailed, especially in the market town scenes. The dynamic range of the soundtrack is also rather greater: the loud is very loud, and the quiet is really very quiet. This is great for a evening's home cinema, not so great for watching with the sound down when everyone else has gone to bed.

This is one of those few occasions where I have to say that I preferred the film to the book. The film really enhances the basic story of the book and turns it into a really enjoyable film. When you try to explain the plot - a clumsy, geeky, naive boy (Charlie Cox) crosses a wall into a fantasy land to catch a falling star, (who happens to be a person played by Claire Danes) avoid crazy old witches and power thirsty princes, meet some sky pirates and return the star to a spoilt brat (in the form of Sienna Miller) so she will marry him - it sounds confusing, but it all makes sense when watching it and you find yourself following the plot easily.

The scenery is fantastic and the special effects are amazing - especially the final half hour or so.

It's not going to change the world, but it doesn't aim to! Its funny, light entertainment and should be viewed as such. Adults and children will both enjoy it. Plus any film that manages to silence Ricky Gervais has to be given 5 stars!!!