A mostly Non-Spoiler Review
Whew!!! I am so glad that it is over. The anticipation, the worry, the doubts, the fears…it is all over.
I had mentioned previously that I finally achieved some kinship with those who were longtime fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings novels as they waited and wondered just what Peter Jackson and company would make of their beloved books. I am a self-proclaimed HUGE Neil Gaiman fan and I have long thought of Stardust as his most well written novel. I know some have dismissed it as a ‘simple’ fairy tale and for a long time I tended to let that slide thinking that they might in fact be right on some level. Having read numerous articles on fairy tales written by Terri Windling over the past year or two and having been educated most profoundly by Guilermo del Toro about fairy tales on the extras to Pan’s Labyrinth (and believe me, that guy is a genius!), I finally feel that I have some weight behind what I have always suspected, and that is that writing an outstanding fairy tale takes a skill and knowledge that not every writer possesses. And Stardust is a masterpiece of the fairy tale tradition. It has so many layers and it resonates so deeply that even minor characters are ones you fall in love with.
Given my feelings about the book, there was really no way this film could live up to my expectations and there was no way Stardust the book could ever truly be made into Stardust the film.
As the credits rolled and the song Rule the World by Take That played in the background I sat with sappy romantic tears in the corners of my eyes, a lump in my throat, and a smile on my face. Despite not really and truly being the Stardust we know and love from the novel, this is a really enjoyable film.
I have had a really hard time coming to grips with my feelings about the film and my struggles prior to, during, and now after the film to divorce it from the book. I will say here and now that I cannot wait to read some blog reviews or comments from others who have seen the film but have no knowledge of the story as it exists in novel/illustrated novel form. The reason: I can fill in the gaps and that makes my review of the film somewhat suspect. I can look past things that were not fleshed out enough or that I didn’t like because I know the real story. I felt the same way when I first saw the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice. I felt like they raced through so many scenes that I was familiar with from multiple viewings of the Colin Firth BBC miniseries and yet I could fill in all those gaps because I knew a more fleshed out version of the story. I enjoyed it at the theatre but now LOVE it. I will be interested to see if my feelings take the same course after subsequent viewings of Stardust.
Alright already, but what about the film?
As I watched Stardust, my emotions truly ran the gamut. I was less than thrilled with the openining narrative push to get through a large chunk of the novel. Though excellently voiced by Ian McKellen, it felt very, very rushed, as voice over narratives often do. Just as I was settling in to be disappointed, the scene with Tristran and Victoria on the hill as the star falls happened and I was swept away. I would come to find myself in this back and forth role a few more times during the film. Moments of what I considered bad editing or poor story changes would be followed by absolutely magical moments that would sweep me back up in the storyline and would put a big smile on my face.
The good:
The special effects, sets, scenery, etc. was all very well done. I didn’t love all the green cast to the magic spells by the witches as it seems like a very dated special effect to me, but it wasn’t bad and overall the special effects were very good.
The cast was actually much better than I anticipated. Charlie Cox turned out to be an excellent Tristran, perfectly balancing the shy, inexperienced character with the bravery that would have to come out of the character as he grew into the man he becomes. Claire Danes is an actress I enjoy but I was not initially pleased with her casting. I wanted someone prettier, more ethereal. I was wrong. She nails Yvaine, perfectly. Most of the moments of the film where I was blissfully happy were moments involving Danes portrayal of Yvaine. There is a moment on the ship that, being the romantic that I am, literally brought tears to my eyes. She was fantastic.
Mark Strong was absolutely perfect at Septimus. One of the things I love about the novel Stardust is that Gaiman’s characters all have dimensions. Even the “bad” guys have good aspects to their characters. This was not explored as fully as I would have liked it to have been in the film, but with Strong’s performance of Septimus it really is. He was both noble and treacherous and I really enjoyed him in the role.
The biggest surprise: Robert De Niro. I cringed when I saw the casting and also cringed at the idea of fleshing out this character from the novel for the film. Within the first few minutes of De Niro’s presence on the screen my heart fell and I really thought my suspicions were correct. And then an interesting thing happened: the screenwriter’s made this character their own and made him into the very fun and good-hearted character that was always hinted at in the book. It is a very over-the-top performance by De Niro and his crew of pirates. Very Monty ,which is why it ultimately appealed to me. The time on ship ended up being possibly my most favorite of the film.
I liked Kate Magawon as the slave girl/Una. She was pretty in the sort of gypsy fashion one would expect at a fair. I would have preferred a look more fairy-ish from the way I picture the character from the book, but despite that I really did like the casting. Mark Williams was absolutely perfect as the goat turned inn-keeper, Billy. I absolutely loved his performance. All the living and dead brothers of the kingdom of Stormhold were fantastic and I really enjoyed the way they fleshed out these roles in the film. It wasn’t the book, it was certainly more slapstick and comical as far as their roles, but I ended up really enjoying them.
And how can I forget David Kelly as the guard of Wall. I am thrilled every time I see him in a film because he is such an interesting, funny, whimsical man. A very good choice for this role!
The not-so-good:
Michelle Pfieffer as Lamia was a good choice and I think she did a really good job. I just didn’t like that she wasn’t given near enough to work with from the book. The screenwriters certainly put in alot of it, but I never felt like she was given enough good lines/screentime to achieve either the wickedness, or at the end, the pity, that the character from the novel radiates.
Ricky Gervais as Ferdy the Fence. He did fine with the role, I just found the whole part, which was not a part of the novel, totally unnecessary. There were enough comedic moments in the film without his role and I just saw it as a wasted roll that the writers felt they had to throw in to somehow move the plot forward regarding how all the various players could get back on the trail of the star.
Seinna Miller actually did a very good job with the role of Victoria. What I didn’t like was that the screenwriters turned her into a very one-dimensional character, echoing the one-dimensional “beautiful but haughty” characters one always sees in these kind of films. In the book she starts that way but ends as a much more sympathetic and mature character. Not so here and while that is a minor quibble, I was still disappointed.
The film itself was too rushed, and that is where my “fill in the gaps” mentality destroys most of my ability to be objective. At two hours, five minutes the film isn’t necessarily too short, but I would have liked to see them add another 10 or 15 minutes to flesh out some weak spots in the film and weaker portrayal of characters. They chose to play up the chase aspect of the novel in this film and by doing so much of the movie plays out at break neck speed. And I understand that on some levels. Slower to develop films have to be marvelously done to capture an audiences attention and I don’t think Matthew Vaughn has that ability, at least not at this point in his career. Despite understanding this, I felt that the film, at times, rushed by way too quickly.
There were more things that I didn’t like, some simply regarding the way the film was made and, if I put myself back in book mode, many others that I saw no reason to change from the book-to-film translation. I haven’t decided yet, but I think I am going to do a post on the Poppet Planet site regarding some of the things I didn’t like about the film in more detail. I’ll let you know if I do so.
Overall assessment:
You might think at this point that I didn’t like the film as much as I initially let on. Oddly enough that just isn’t the case. I have always been a fan of slapstick humor, of British humor, and of these kind of genre romances with the dashing hero and the strong willed damsel in distress. If I divorce this film from the novel that I love, which I found myself finally able to do as I watched the movie, then it really becomes a captivating and fun romp of a film. The movie is very magical in moments and those moments were so overpowering for me emotionally that I was really pleased with the film. In some ways it would be fair to say that I liked the film in spite of itself.
The novel Stardust is whimsical, masterfully crafted, filled with eccentric and likeable characters, both ‘good’ and ‘bad’, and despite its relatively simple premise, turns out to be a story filled with enchanting depth and a message that ends up coursing through your veins. You cannot help but read the book and fall madly in love with all of the characters.
The film Stardust just could never be that. Or it could be, but it would take someone of the expertise of Guilermo del Toro, or Jean-Pierre Jeunet, or even Neil Gaiman himself with a few directed films under his belt, to really pull it off. The film Stardust does not have the enchantment or whimsy that the book has, but as I have said it is still magical and overall is a very entertaining and heart capturing romantic fairy tale.
Although I know that I wanted more, I found myself very satisfied with the results that were played out onscreen and I truly hope to see the film again in the theatre and will most certainly buy it when it comes out on DVD. It doesn’t replace the book by any means, but it is certainly an admirable interpretation of the tale and I think you’ll like it.
I cannot wait to have more discussion about this film, so get out there and see it and then let’s talk! I warn all that there may be spoilers in the comments, so read at your own risk.
Well I still haven’t seen it and doubt I’ll get to see it tonight 🙁
Your thoughts leave me with the hope I had 🙂 And that’s a good thing! Like you said, I guess you have the divorce the novel from the movie, which I know I’m going to have a hell of a time doing the first time I see it. I’m going to have to see it more than once, because the first time I’ll just be complaining about what they left out and what they rushed by :p But no doubt, it sounds like it was still such an enjoyable movie and I’m looking forward to it even more after your review.
The other thing you mentioned that concerned me was the length of the movie. I was afraid that certain parts would be too rushed or thrown out all together and it sounds like that’s true….but that’s inevitable when a novel is made into a movie, so I guess I really can’t complain all that much. It’s impossible to fit the entire novel into a movie. It’s just rough for the fans to see the little things disappear.
Anyways, thank you so much for posting this Carl and letting me exhale a little bit 😉 I’ll come back after I’ve seen it for more chit chat.
Very good review, Carl. I really enjoyed the film and, like you, had decided to (try to) suspend preconceived ideas of how the film should be. Of course, it is impossible not to compare the film to the book, but I do understand that changes must be made for a story to translate well from book to film. It just makes sense to focus on one area (namely the chase to get to the star) as the prevailing theme/story of the movie.
I truly enjoyed the characters particularly the “gap” guard, Dunstan, Tristan, and Yvaine. I ended up really liking the captain and the crew of the ship also. The dead brothers were wonderful, and I enjoyed the way they were filmed. It reminded me of the white glowing ghosts in the old movies. In my opinion, the casting for all the characters were great! I was disappointed that Victoria’s character did not make the tranformation that she does in the book. In the book she really grows up and comes off as being very noble as she kept her promise to Tristan for over a year even though she was in love with another man. You feel a real sympathy for the hard lesson that she learned about making rash promises and for the emotional pain and growth she endured during the year that she waits. But it is a small thing compared to the rest of the movie.
The more I think about your statement about the new Pride and Prejudice film, the more I believe that I too will come to totally embrace the film Stardust! Either way, I really enjoyed it and look forward to seeing it again.
I thought it was absolutely fantastic! I laughed and smiled much more than I thought I would. Talk about a difference in this adaptation and the movie version of Eragon! I’m sure it helped that Gaiman had his hand in the making of the film.
I am so anxious to see this. I was planning on going tonight, but I ended up with a reaction to this awful heat, so I’ll have to wait until next week. Your review was great, Carl. And so was yours, Mary. Since we’ve all read the book there’s no worry about giving anything away.
Thanks for reassuring us with this post, Carl. The movie will probably reach our shores September or November – depending on the distributors. So it’ll be a while before I get to catch it myself.
Thanks. Can’t wait.
What an excellent comparison, Angela. You are dead on in the difference between a good and bad book to film adaptation with this comparison.
I really look forward to hearing the rest of everyone’s thoughts on Stardust. Sorry you have to wait so long to see it Dark O.
I’m sad to say our local news didn’t praise Stardust…
But it’s nothing new really.. they just don’t seem to get fairy tales or fantasy…ever.
I think Peter Jackson has spoiled us.. since he DID follow LOTR so closely, that we now know it can be done.. and will expect it more. I know he made me realize that if a director doesn’t absolutely love the piece he’s doing.. it will not come across as being like the book, and like others imagine it when reading it.
More people should think like you do when going to a movie that they’ve read… enjoy what’s there instead of seeing “what’s not there”…
Glad you enoyed it.. I think I would too if I could get there! heh.
Thanks for the review Carl! Books turned into movies are always hard for those who love them. But I am glad to hear this one isn’t a major disappointment and is even enjoyable.
Believe me, Deslily, there was nothing so special about the way that I viewed the movie. I did notice many times what wasn’t there, it was just that many parts of the movie were so wonderful that it drowned out the voices saying “that’s just not right”.
And you are right, I for one have been completely spoiled by Peter Jackson and companies’ treatment of Lord of the Rings and do expect that kind of devotion from film makers translating books. It is an unrealistic expectation, but I still have it.
Not much to add because I haven’t seen the movie. I went to see Travis Tritt Friday night and have spent the last two days at a horse show, which leaves me too wiped out to do much more than veg in front of the TV.
But, I do have a question. Isn’t the lead characters name Tristran, not Tristan? Or is my memory wonky from the heat and dust?
cjh
It’s very hard to translate a beloved book into film. (Fortunately I don’t love the book as much as you, so the film doesn’t have to live up to any expectations.) I am looking forward to seeing Michelle Pfiefer; she’s very enticing in the ads. I finished the novel last night, and the most piercing line in it is when Tristran’s mother is waiting for him and he sends her the note with one line about discovering the world first. Wow, that will stick with me forever. Apparently, I’m part Fairie Mom…
You are, of course, correct CJ. I always forget the extra ‘r’ in there…I’ve corrected it though.
I think you did the right thing reading the novel first, Bellezza as it will help you appreciate the movie more in the areas where it rushes through bits of the story. At least that is my opinion of it.
Hey Carl… You’ve been a busy movie-goer, haven’t you! I have just skimmed over your review of Stardust, ’cause I really want to see that movie, so I’m going to try and see it without any outside influence.
Have a great week!
I read your post on poppetplanet and I agree entirely! People are scared of fantasy, too, like it is a mark against them to watch a fantasy film. Or they get a glazed look when you mention it. I think Stardust is for anyone, but people look at it as fantasy and that is that for them. It is sad that people, I have friends that do this, close off the genre entirely. Fantasy is very wide and broad, and even if you do not like every fantasy book out there, there is something for everyone. But, I know that one of my closest friends is a book worm like me, but she absolutely refuses to read or watch fantasy anything. She is totally closed off to it, I can not get her to even read books set on earth in our time period with a little bit of magic. I think if Stardust was marketed different people would have seen a fun movie that is perfect for everyone, but instead they see a fantasy world that is not for them, or a fairy tale movie that they are too old for. It’s sad, really, that even after the success of LoTR, fantasy is still very taboo. It is not considered ‘real’ literature and unless it is a well-established franchise, they generally don’t do well no matter how good they are. Unless they are kids movies, kids and fantasy go hand and hand, so if they are marketed to kids they generally do again. Anyways, there’s my vent. It’s one in the morning, so excuse me if it doesn’t make any sense!
Good for you Anne, I hope you come back and let me know what you thought of the movie after you’ve seen it.
Great thoughts, Kailana, and it does make sense. So much so that I quoted the whole thing as a response to my Poppet Planet post.
Thank you for this review, Carl. Reading it was reassuring, but it also confirmed some of my fears. It’s like you said, one really has to disassociate the book and the movie. Loving the book as much as I do, I will never be fully satisfied with an adaptation, but if I take the movie for what it is, I’m sure I will enjoy it a lot. I still have to wait 2 more months for it, but I look forward to it.
I really agree with what you said about fairy tales – there’s definitely a lot more to them than meets the eye. The wonderful Terri Windling is an endless source of knowledge about them. I have yet to watch the extras on the Pan’s Labyrinth DVD – I really need to do something about that!
I’m heading over to Poppet Planet to read your post now.
Yes Nymeth, you MUST watch the Pan’s extras. The education I received from them cannot be understated. Del Toro is a genius, there is no doubt about it. I am so excited about Hellboy 2 that I can hardly stand it.
I read your Poppet Planet post and its very frustrating that the only movies, or TV shows for that matter, are the slash and horror and vile killing of women and children get marketed and films that take your breath away are, well, taken away! Its always that way, like with Firefly, as soon as everyone likes it they cancel it! Thank goodness for DVD. At least you can buy the movies and canceled shows and enjoy them. Back in the day, if you missed it, you missed it.
I just got back from vacation yesterday and didn’t get a chance to see Stardust. I really want to go sometime this week. I love, love LOVED this book, so I’m sure it won’t live up to it either. But I still think it will be a very good movie! Great Review!
I read your passionate comments on Popper Planet, but it wouldn’t let me leave a response. I couldn’t say much, not having seen it, however, as a person who is wild about this genre I would be backing you up 100%. The numbers were infuriating. And sad, so sad.
I have to register at Poppet Planet, but until I do, I just wanted to say that I think Stardust stands a good chance of going on to be a ‘cult’ classic. The Princess Bride didn’t do super well at theatres, but I know lots of unfantasy lovers that watched it when it came out on DVD and quite enjoyed it. I am optimistic that Stardust will do the same. In any case, The Princess Bride didn’t vanish into obscurity…
I agree, Kailana, and I’m not as much worried about it vanishing into obscurity as I am of future films of its kind and/or most especially films based on Neil Gaiman works finding their way onto film. They are less likely to be greenlighted if previous films were box office failures, despite how good they may be. That and the fact that it is a shame to both Gaiman and Vess that more people haven’t found their way to see this fantastically fun movie.
Yes, it is sad Pat. If you have plans to see this in the theatre I recommend you don’t wait past this weekend!
You have to register if you want to leave a comment on the forum. I can help you do that sometime if you have problems with it. Would love for you to be able to participate over there when the mood strikes.
I doubt I’ll get to see this until it comes to video which is a shame. It looks like a visual wonder.
Okay, it’s a deal. Maybe Monday!
i am so glad you survived the experience – i thought you were going to implode before the film came out!!
more than that, you actually had a positive experience. i will definitely come back and read the focal part of your review once i’ve seen the film myself. i’m looking forward to seeing what you thought of the specifics of the film.
Fearing it would disappear quickly I decided to see it this afternoon. Suprisingly my husband decided to tag along. My son won’t be pleased but I couldn’t wait for him to available, I truly wanted to see it in the theatre and having no idea when he would be free, just couldn’t wait.
We really enjoyed it. We came away feeling entertained. There were only eight others at the showing with us, an indication of it’s lack of popularity or maybe just the 3:30 pm time.
Glad you got to see it Elizabeth. Your theater numbers confirm my fears that it will be gone in a flash. Damn!
JP, I thought I was going to implode as well, ha! 🙂 All’s well that ends well, I guess.
Thanks for the recommendation! I adore Gaiman’s writing but somehow missed Stardust… and I’m intrigued enough by your review to try and ses the film first before reading. The show is playing at 2 theatres in Indy so I have no excuses, and am more fortunate than others who have posted. BTW: Looking forward to your RIP II challenge!!
I look forward to your thoughts after you see it, Eva, even moreso after you get a chance to read the wonderful novel. Glad to have you participating in R.I.P. II as well!
I haven’t read Stardust so didn’t have prior expectations based on the book. That said (and I usually find something redeemable about movies I choose to see) I never got into the characters in this film. They didn’t draw me in. I could have left in the middle of it (or earlier) and I never do that. I knew how it would end into the first fifteen minutes. Too much predictability, not enough character development, too much caricature for me. I didn’t see much original about this film. Frankly, I was very bored and by the way, I like fairy tales. This one was a mishmash to me and just didn’t connect.
Sorry to hear that Cindy. I can’t recommend strongly enough that you read the book if you like fairy tales. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Thought it was great, Carl. Here’s my blog post: http://evagation.blogspot.com/2007/08/wonders-never-cease-great-movie.html and fyi, I know at least 3 others saw it on my recommendation – all thanks to you!
Intriguing commentary, Carl, and I look forward to exploring your blog!
I’m one who hadn’t read a word of “Stardust” before seeing this film three weeks ago. All I’d had to especially recommend it were two elements: The Vess illustration on the cover of the hardback edition. And knowing that Claire Danes, a truly luminous – no pun here! – actress whom I’ve followed for years (since “My So-Called Life”), would be playing that fallen star.
The simplest way to say what the film means to me is that I’ll be going to my FIFTH viewing of it tomorrow. Only one other film has gotten into my top ten of all time this fast, “Moulin Rouge” in 2001, and that was cheerfully anachronistic in playing with and against timeless love songs. “Stardust” creates the opposite, a fantasy world that takes itself seriously at every microsecond, and NEVER breaks its illusions.
Every element brings the storytelling into an almost hypnotic crossing of plots, as Yvaine approaches The Wall at the greatest of the film’s climaxes. (It has several, yes, and with this much perfect casting and finely spun emotion, why the hell not?)
I was always swept up in the details. Some commenters elsewhere decided to tear apart the magical effects, acts, and motivations as being inconsistent … but it simply didn’t matter, as they all cohered on their own terms. Isn’t that what one should have when one enters another world?
I utterly believed in those embodying the characters. From Danes, who shows her sweetly satisfying sense of wonder over an astonishing range, to Charlie Cox, the perfectly clearheaded and charismatic romantic opposite to her, to the gallery of ghosts, to the quiet intensity of Kate Magowan as Tristan’s mother, to the vivid loyalty of the pirate crew to Robert De Niro, and vice versa. (Right down to everything in his closet. {grin})
Space doesn’t permit more detail, but I’ll close by defending how Gaiman permitted (they listened to him, it’s undeniable) how the film diverged from the detail of the book. The cinematic sweep of a story that’s presented fully visualized, rather than with words telling pictures created in a reader’s head, called for making changes – but they fit the differences of this medium.
This film’s ending could not be bittersweet, as the last few pages of the novel (which portion I’ve now read, soon the rest) clearly were intended to be. In visual splendor, film viewers had a wholly rounded experience, emotionally triumphant, and that called for a “happy ending.” It was entirely earned, compactly told, and lavishly expressed, on this planet and far above it.
A magnificent experience, using that word accurately for once: grand, compelling, overdone to beautiful effect. … If only Paramount’s marketing were as stellar. It’s fading from most screens already, after only three weeks. Readers of Gaiman should not wait. Nobody should wait, dammit!
I had tears in my eyes during Take That’s song, by the way, and also because of it. The perfect polished-pop transition back to “reality,” for this reluctant-to-leave denizen of King Tristan and Queen Yvaine’s realm. If it doesn’t get the Oscar, the Academy is tone-deaf, esthetically and otherwise.
Yet awards don’t really matter. Perfectly satisfying, thrilling, wondrous movies do matter. This is one of the best.
I’m so glad you liked it Eva. I am heading over to your site to read your review.
Thank you so much for your insightful thoughts Greybird and for sharing your experience. I hope you come back over and let me know what you think of the novel after you read it. It is one of my most favorite stories, a beautifully complex fairy tale masqued as a ‘simple’ story. Gaiman is an amazing writer. I certainly don’t think the film was perfect, but I never thought it would be. That I left thrilled with the results is a testament to the spirit of the book coming out through the screen. It is indeed a shame that this movie will spend hardly any time in theatres, a real shame, and I am saddened that it wasn’t marketed better and that word of mouth hasn’t turned it into a big hit like word of mouth did for movies like My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I can only hope Gaiman inspired films have more success in the future as there are many of his stories I would like to see get the film treatment.
Both my hubby and I loved the film. We saw it the first weekend. I didn’t even realize it had bombed. Certainly the crowd I saw the film with really enjoyed the experience.
well be shown in Japan this coming October… Im not putting high hopes on the creator of this film ,maybe if Peter Jackson did this film I probably would. But will I am just looking forward to it..and hoping not to be disappointed as I love Stardust the boook so much 😀
Nice review .. thanks