Featured Audience Ratings

• Jens S

  
  What may be John Carpenter's tamest movie of his early works is a rather calm, humorous and touching tale of an alien crash landing on earth and making its way to the pick up spot. On the way it does not only take on a dead man's shape but also his widow on a road trip… More
  What may be John Carpenter's tamest movie of his early works is a rather calm, humorous and touching tale of an alien crash landing on earth and making its way to the pick up spot. On the way it does not only take on a dead man's shape but also his widow on a road trip through half the US. Of course, the evil military slash government is on their heels. That may sound somewhat generic today, but back then it was one of the first films like that. So while some parts feel a bit dated, the great chemistry between Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen still makes this a very enjoyable ride with much more funny scenes than action packed ones. The message of mankind being pretty messed up when compared to peaceful alien species may be a bit simplistic too, but doesn't fail to mention the good of the single individual and the beauties of life on earth. Likable and very entertaining.

• Daniel M

  
  The vast majority of film directors are specialists. They are extremely adept at telling one kind of story, or are good at handling one aspect of production in particular. When they attempt to work outside of this specialty, they tend to come a cropper. Steven Spielberg, for instance,… More
  The vast majority of film directors are specialists. They are extremely adept at telling one kind of story, or are good at handling one aspect of production in particular. When they attempt to work outside of this specialty, they tend to come a cropper. Steven Spielberg, for instance, is brilliant at making light-hearted, family friendly popcorn blockbusters with a sentimental edge. When he attempts something more serious, the result is often technically sound but found wanting emotionally. Of course, being so singular in your sensibility is nothing to be ashamed of, and the vast majority of directors have good or even great careers within a specific genre. But it takes an especially talented director to be able to step outside their comfort zone successfully - and for a while at least, John Carpenter was one such director. Having made his name in sci-fi, thrillers and horror movies, Carpenter turned to romance with Starman, which remains a terrific piece of work and perhaps his last truly great film. Fans of 1970s and 1980s sci-fi will very quickly pick up on the lineage of Starman. It would be very easy to dismiss the film as E.T.-lite, since the two screenplays were written around the same time and the films have clear narrative similarities. Both stories involve an alien being stranded on Earth, who has to get home with the help of the people who find him, and these people in turn have to hide him from the authorities. But while it is more sentimental than many of Carpenter's works, it is more offbeat and quirky than Spielberg's films, and the drama is much more adult. E. T. is a film about divorce and a child trying to recapture the affection of his father; Starman is about dealing with grief and (as cheesy as it sounds) the power of love. Alongside the links with E.T., Starman owes a certain debt to a number of other films. The benevolent and inquiring nature of the aliens obviously hints towards Close Encounters, with the series of disturbing events across America being resolved by a moving demonstration of the aliens' real nature and power. The romance is equal parts It Happened One Night and Bonnie and Clyde, consisting of two very different people (sort of) finding each other on the run from the law. There is even a vague connection with The Man Who Fell to Earth, with Jeff Bridges sharing David Bowie's twin obsessions of getting home and obtaining vast amounts of information about us. In spite of this, Starman begins to carve out its own identity very early on, remaining first and foremost a Carpenter film in amongst all the familiarity. It starts on a suspenseful note, with the shot of the alien spacecraft being almost a mirror image of the opening shot of The Thing. These scenes reflect Carpenter's horror heritage, with the dramatic explosion and eerie blue light putting us on edge - complimented, in horror fashion, by Karen Allen being in her underwear when Jeff Bridges arrives. Having briefly spooked us, the film then shifts into an offbeat comedic road movie with Karen Allen having to teach the Starman about Earth's customs. The Starman is intelligent but also curious in a childlike manner, and so a great deal of concepts we take for granted are shown to be incredibly hard to explain and are then played for innocent laughs. In its final act the film shifts again into a romance which gradually swells to a passionate and genuinely tearful climax. The central idea of Starman is a neat twist on alien invasion stories in science fiction. While H. G. Wells and his descendants depicted aliens as aggressive invaders, this film rests on the premise that we invited them here: the Starman finds the gold disc on Voyager 2 and accepts our greeting. The film goes against the grain by making us really think about our reactions to aliens landing. How would we react to an alien who is powerful but by all accounts benevolent? Should we welcome him with open arms, or oppose him on the basis of what we don't know? The film plays this concept through to the fullest, always asking questions and challenging our gut reactions. While E.T. focusses on the humans trying to understand the alien, Starman successfully conveys the mind-set of an alien who is trying to learn from us. Carpenter said in interviews that Bridges had the most difficult part: he had to play a being that was highly intelligent and curious, but also ill at ease within his human body to the point where he seemed stupid. Bridges remarked that his performance required him to do the opposite of everything he was taught about being natural - and unlike David Bowie, he doesn't look all that alien to begin with. But whether by Carpenter's direction or Bridges' performance, we do end up really bonding with the Starman. We might start viewing him like some kind of special needs child, but eventually we realise his capacity for love and understanding. We like him even though we know we cannot fully understand him, and this a sign of good writing. Bridges is ably supported by Karen Allen, whose performance here is up there with her work in Raiders of the Lost Ark. She's completely natural and believable in every scene, which makes it all the more perplexing that her career never reached the heights of many of her contemporaries. Starman's strength with characterisation also extends to its supporting cast. One thing that characterises Carpenter's best work is the intelligence of the smaller cast members: there is no cannon fodder in The Thing, or They Life, or this film. Even when the film draws on familiar tropes, it takes care not to pander directly to cliché. The military have their agenda, but Fox is not entirely a gung-ho, Major Kong-type character, nor is Charles Martin Smith so geeky that he's unlikeable. They all feel like real people making rational decision on their own merits, not the merits of the plot. At its heart, Starman is about a woman coming to terms with the loss of her husband. It is appropriate that we start in horror territory, since so many horror stories are about dealing with grief and the boundaries between this world and the next. Jenny's encounter with the Starman allows her to address all the unresolved feelings she carries around, including her guilt or regret about not being able to have children. The ending is superb, with the Starman effectively giving her what she wanted: to see him again, if only to say goodbye. Jenny's infertility is an example of her isolation from other aspects of humanity. The conversation in the back of the truck expresses her feelings of inadequacy and despair, as though she has fallen short of her purpose but through no fault of her own. She is the only significant and assertive female, surrounded by aggressive, hard-hearted men who take what they want, hurt those who oppose them and give her little sympathy. From this perspective the ending has another meaning: the Starman shows how she has enriched his life as well as vice versa. It is both a brilliant vindication of the central character and a great example of how to do a tragic romance properly. From a certain angle, Starman could also be interpreted as a Christian allegory. When Jenny and the Starman consummate their love, he remarks that their baby will be a "teacher", who is both human and alien (read 'God'). In this reading the Starman is God, the baby is Jesus and Jenny is the Virgin Mary; her infertility both paraphrases the virgin birth and refers to Mary's cousin Elizabeth, who gave birth to John the Baptist. The film allows us to interpret the story as we so wish and to add whatever significance we want to the central relationship. We could equally regard it in the mould of 2001 or Prometheus, exploring the direct influence of aliens over mankind. Starman is a genuinely brilliant sci-fi romance, which takes a potentially silly premise and produces from it an uplifting, offbeat and ultimately tear-jerking drama. Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen excel in the central performances, and while the film is occasionally slow it makes up for this by its substance, emotional depth and a brilliant score from Jack Nitzsche. It is one of the best films of 1984 and one of the high points of Carpenter's chequered career.

• Graham J

  
  The most touching film John Carpenter ever made, a strange love story disguised as science fiction.

• Chris W

  
  Directing something a little different from his normal fare, this film is one of John Carpenter's best and most interesting that he has ever come up with. The story is a sci-fi tale (with elements of romance) about an alien who crash lands on Earth and journeys across the country… More
  Directing something a little different from his normal fare, this film is one of John Carpenter's best and most interesting that he has ever come up with. The story is a sci-fi tale (with elements of romance) about an alien who crash lands on Earth and journeys across the country to rendezvous with his kind in three days, or he will die. The film is as much a road movie as it is a sci-fi fantasy. And no, despite a dew similarities, this is not a rip-off of E.T. This is not quite as famous, but it's almost just as good. The film has aged decently well, al lthings considered. The music and effects are both good, the chemistry between Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen is terrific, and the performances are dynamite. Bridges got an Oscar nomination for his work here, and his performance is really something. As the alien, Bridges does a great job of playing quirky and unique without going too over-the-top. All of his mannerisms, movements, and speaking manner are just a joy to observe, and he does a great job of conveying being a stranger in a strange land both verbally, and especially nonverbally. Karen Allen is also quite nice, and alongside Raiders of the Losrt Ark, this is one of her best performances as well. John Carpenter said he made this movie as a way of ensuring the survival of his career since The Thing was initially regarded as a disappointment. This is an odd choice for him, since it's not like any of his other films, but in a way, that's awesome, and maybe for the best. "Beautiful" is not a term one uses often if ever in a conventional sense to describe one of Carpenter's films, but it certainly applies here. Give this one a shot. It's a nice film filled with wonder, hope, and a really touching story filled with terrific performances and some great imagery and music.

• Sajin P

  
  Nothing much thought provoking or refreshingly innovative, in this mix of sci-fi / road trip/ romance flick. Jeff Bridges delivered an intriguing performance as the "alien-in-distress", though most of the times he kept reminding of a futuristic cyborg than a… More
  Nothing much thought provoking or refreshingly innovative, in this mix of sci-fi / road trip/ romance flick. Jeff Bridges delivered an intriguing performance as the "alien-in-distress", though most of the times he kept reminding of a futuristic cyborg than a hyper-intelligent alien. Anyway I do love that 80's sci-fi approach to the movie. Rather than making it a special effects spectacle, it gives more attention to the emotions and development of the characters. A fairly decent chemistry between Bridges and Karen Allen make up for many glitches in the script and story.

• Anthony L

  
  Starman hasn't dated too badly, to be honest though, I love the 80's special effects, add Carpenter's signature saying soundtrack and you have an ace film every time. I've only just seen this film recently and I have to say I liked it. The fact Jeff Bridges got an… More
  Starman hasn't dated too badly, to be honest though, I love the 80's special effects, add Carpenter's signature saying soundtrack and you have an ace film every time. I've only just seen this film recently and I have to say I liked it. The fact Jeff Bridges got an Oscar nomination for it and the fact that it actually makes no sense at all (Why did he land, just to go back again?) is a bit puzzling but it's still one of those films that has a certain thing about it that makes it instantly likable.

• Alexis N

  
  Starman is the incredible story of an alien coming to earth and taking the body of the ever sexy, Jeff Bridges, who happens to be the dead husband of a now shocked and confused, Karen Allen. I loved it! Heartwarming, sexy, sad, cute, funny and it's probably my new favorite Jeff… More
  Starman is the incredible story of an alien coming to earth and taking the body of the ever sexy, Jeff Bridges, who happens to be the dead husband of a now shocked and confused, Karen Allen. I loved it! Heartwarming, sexy, sad, cute, funny and it's probably my new favorite Jeff Bridges movie.

• Tim S

  
  Haven't seen this in years, but mediocrity and uninteresting was how I felt watching it.

• Conner R

  
  I finally accomplished seeing this in widescreen and it made all the difference. Being plagued with crapping pan&scan full screen versions forever, John Carpenter's alien masterpiece hasn't been truly seen for years. It's an amazing movie about aliens and totally… More
  I finally accomplished seeing this in widescreen and it made all the difference. Being plagued with crapping pan&scan full screen versions forever, John Carpenter's alien masterpiece hasn't been truly seen for years. It's an amazing movie about aliens and totally unique for wen it came out; being a complete 360 from ET. Jeff Bridges is all kinds of crazy as an alien who sings "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and plays sick games on Karen Allen by emulating her dead husband. In many ways this is like a modern day Superman, showing how he would be treated in the real world. However, there's something so special about this that isn't borrowed of relatable to any other movie. It's definitely amongst my favorites now.

• Jason O

  
  I've always liked Jeff Bridges and this one didn't let me down. Didn't know this was a John Carpenter film, but I'm not surprised, cause I usually like his stuff too. Bridges manages to be funny at times, but it's a more heartwarming and charming sci-fi movie… More
  I've always liked Jeff Bridges and this one didn't let me down. Didn't know this was a John Carpenter film, but I'm not surprised, cause I usually like his stuff too. Bridges manages to be funny at times, but it's a more heartwarming and charming sci-fi movie than anything.

• Aaron N

  
  Starman: I send greetings. Brad Heinmuller: What the hell's going on here? Jenny Hayden: I'm being kidnapped! Starman: Greetings. Brad Heinmuller: You better let her go pal, I'll give you some greetings. The issue with many John Carpenter movies are that the… More
  Starman: I send greetings. Brad Heinmuller: What the hell's going on here? Jenny Hayden: I'm being kidnapped! Starman: Greetings. Brad Heinmuller: You better let her go pal, I'll give you some greetings. The issue with many John Carpenter movies are that the characters are usually lacking. This film manages to be a change in pace for that reason. This is a much warmer film for Carpenter, who manages to combine his affinity towards genre filmmaking with the plot of a road movie/love story. After an encounter with one of the Voyager satellites, sent out to probe space with greetings messages from earth, an alien visitor is knocked off course and lands in Wisconsin. The alien, Starman, assumes the form of the dead husband of a widow, Jenny played by Karen Allen. Starman is now played by Jeff Bridges. After dealing with the startling revelation of seeing her dead husband, let alone the fact that she is dealing with an alien, Jenny is basically forced to help Starman make it to his rendezvous in Arizona before his human form dies out in three days time. Jenny is at first apprehensive, but grows a bond with Starman and tries to help him learn. Meanwhile, the government has tracked the crash of the Alien and is in pursuit of the being. George Fox: Do you seriously expect me to tell the President that an alien has landed, assumed the identity of a dead house painter from Madison, Wisconsin and is presently out tooling around the countryside in a hopped up orange and black 1977 Mustang? Its a tender John Carpenter film. By that I mean that all the various qualities of a Carpenter film are present. The premise fits a B-movie. The score is simplistic, but effective. His style of special effects use. All of this is aided by these two lead performances that keep the film from entering camp territory. Starman: Shit! Jenny Hayden: Don't mind him. He's just learning English. Roadhouse Waitress: Well, he's got a hell of a start on it! Bridges is playing an alien in a human body. His movements are kind of birdlike, his language is fractured, and he is constantly observing what it is to be on earth. Karen Allen is very good as well. Her character has to do two things. She is essentially teaching Starman to be human on earth, in her own way defining things that range from simple explanations to something like love. The other thing her character gets to do is deal with being around her dead husband. She now has a chance to gain closure on the grief over her loss. The elements involving the government aren't great, but they come standard for this kind of story, and break up the pacing appropriately. Charles Martin Smith, who I really disliked in The Untouchables, manages to be decently entertaining as a government employee who dreams of meeting an alien. I found this film to be very enjoyable. Its a bit dated, but Bridges and Allen are both solid, the story works, and the closing scene is just kind of great. Starman: Shall I tell you what I find beautiful about you? You are at your very best when things are worst.

• Martin B

  
  Guess the movie: Alien gets stranded on Earth, is dying, and must reach a rendezvous or be stuck on Earth. Alien forms special bond with first human contact and has healing powers. Government agents are in pursuit except for one who befriends them. In the end everyone watches as… More
  Guess the movie: Alien gets stranded on Earth, is dying, and must reach a rendezvous or be stuck on Earth. Alien forms special bond with first human contact and has healing powers. Government agents are in pursuit except for one who befriends them. In the end everyone watches as alien says goodbye to his human friend and goes home. <b>E.T.</b>? No, This is <b>Starman</b>! A blatant E.T. rip-off, just altered for an older audience and the alien takes human form. Oh yeah, and with drastically inferior acting, directing, score... everything. Why do I even try to watch John Carpenter movies? I keep thinking, "maybe this one will be the one I enjoy, and I'll understand why people like this guy (and why decent actors will work for him)," yet every time I just get burned again. Starman was no different. I thought the always-reliable Jeff Bridges would be enough to make it good, yet he turns in one of the worst performances of his career under Carpenter's direction. Then I see he got an OSCAR nomination for this??!? Wow, must have been REALLY slim pickings that year.

• Mike S

  
  Cool story that kept my mind well-fed with some sweet sci-fi candy. The special effects are pretty good for their time, despite the fact that this movie has more than twenty years on it's neck. In fact, it just happens to be as old as I am :-)

• Red L

  
  I like the blend of sci-fi and romance. It is interesting that government agents always act as the bad guys in any Sci-fi film.

• Jason S

  
  This is a really cool flick that has a little bit of everything. Action, romance, comedy. Jeff Bridges is excellent and the story is really compeling. The way the alien comes to earth is original and it really would be a bit of a mind freak if it happened to someone. There was… More
  This is a really cool flick that has a little bit of everything. Action, romance, comedy. Jeff Bridges is excellent and the story is really compeling. The way the alien comes to earth is original and it really would be a bit of a mind freak if it happened to someone. There was also a tv show based on the movie that was pretty cool as well.

• xGary X

  
  Carpenter takes a break from the usual chills and gore to make a heartwarming and lightly comic stranger in a strange land sci-fi, in which a stranded alien takes the form of Karen Allen's dead husband and seeks her help in reaching his rescuers. Touching, amusing and sensitively… More
  Carpenter takes a break from the usual chills and gore to make a heartwarming and lightly comic stranger in a strange land sci-fi, in which a stranded alien takes the form of Karen Allen's dead husband and seeks her help in reaching his rescuers. Touching, amusing and sensitively directed, it shows JC had more than one string to his bow.

• Dean M

  
  In this film at times less sci-fi than straight romance, it is made by Jeff Bridges' amazingly convincing performance.

• Danny R

  
  John Carpenter's finest achievement as a director and without a doubt his most intelligent and beguiling film, a science-fiction odyssey about an alien who's space vessel has been shot down by Air Force jets after entering earth's atmosphere and the space vessel crash… More
  John Carpenter's finest achievement as a director and without a doubt his most intelligent and beguiling film, a science-fiction odyssey about an alien who's space vessel has been shot down by Air Force jets after entering earth's atmosphere and the space vessel crash lands in the Wisconsin forest, the Starman, played wonderfully by Jeff Bridges who delivers a mesmerizing Oscar nominated performance arrives at the remote cabin of a distraught young widow named Jenny Hayden, who is still grieving over the recent death of her husband Scott Hayden, she is beautifully played by Karen Allen, the Starman finds a photo album and samples DNA from a lock of hair from Jenny's dead husband; he then clones the physical form of the deceased Scott Hayden, Jenny responds at first with shock and fear at the slight of her husband, the Starman forces Jenny on interstate road trip to Arizona to be picked up by his mothership in three days or he'll die, along the trip Jenny's fear turns to sympathy and finally love and the Starman learns what it means to be a man in love for he has developed a deep passon for Jenny Hayden. But they must watch out for the government agents and the military who are hot on their trail and consider the Starman a dangerous alien threat! The chemistry between Bridges and Allen rings true and is extremely moving. Solid supporting performances by Charles Martin Smith and the late Richard Jaeckel, but it is Jeff Bridges's brilliant and sublime performance that makes this film a must-see, there is a marvelous synthesizer score by Jack Nitzche. A witty, resonant heartwarming fantasy. Highly Recommended. Academy Awards nomination for Best Actor: Jeff Bridges and Golden Globe Awards nominations for Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, Best Original Score-Motion Picture: Jack Nitzsche.

• Erin C

  
  I'm not a fan of Jeff Bridges, but this movie wasn't bad. It was enjoyable.

• Jonny C

  
  John Carpenter took a break from scaring the shit out of everyone, and released this romantic sci-fi type movie in the early eighties. Starman is well acted and directed, with a nice chemistry between Bridges and Allen, and clever editing. However, I thought the plot was wafer thin… More
  John Carpenter took a break from scaring the shit out of everyone, and released this romantic sci-fi type movie in the early eighties. Starman is well acted and directed, with a nice chemistry between Bridges and Allen, and clever editing. However, I thought the plot was wafer thin and all too predictable. It depresses me to think how far some great directors have fallen, as Carpenter, Ford Coppola, De Palma, to name a few have been releasing drivel for the last 20 years.

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