Warning!

This post is VERY likely to be altered constantly due to typos, grammatical faux pas and countless other things that I’ve forgotten. This post also contains possibly massive spoilers for the film; if you want my verdict without the spoilers, the first paragraph or two are safe enough.

Other reviews

• Mitch Benn has posted a very positive review on his MySpace blog.
• Roz Kaveney also has good things to say about the film.
• Mondo Comico has seen the preview at the Forbidden Planet screening
• Marie O’Regan has many good things to say about the film

Updates

Revised: Version 2.2 – 13:30 9th June (added link to another post at FoEM that discusses more aspects of the movie against the book)

Brief Summary

Absolutely fantastic. This is a wonderful, wonderful film. I dropped Jane Goldman an email earlier today that sums up how I feel about this film. It went:

I wouldn’t never usually be this enthusiastic about any film, but having read Stardust and feeling the same way about it as I do with Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, I could see that it needed a lot of tender loving care and this film has proven to me that it has been written by people that genuinely care for the source material and yet are able to bring their own thoughts, style and uniqueness into the mix. Neil and Charles are very lucky people to have had you and Matthew make this film.

I rate Stardust an extremely rare (for me) 10 out of 10.

More info

You can also read my interview with Jane Goldman back in March about adapting Stardust for the big screen. Speaking of interviews, I have so many more questions that I could ask Jane about the film now I’ve seen it. Damn.

I also want to point out that Take That’s Rule the World wasn’t available at the time of the screening. Instead we were treated to David Bowie’s Starman which actually fitted the end credits pretty well. Yes, there were end credits to a certain degree. Much of the principal crew were listed, including all VFX personnel. The only thing missing was much of the music department, who just had a long series of TBAs.

Credits

I want to give a HUGE thank you to Neil Gaiman and Vicky Grayson from Freud for arranging all this. Also MASSIVE thanks to Charles Vess who suggested to Neil that I went along to a screening (and is also arranging for an advanced copy of the Stardust Visual Companion to be sent to me).

The Event

At 4pm today I made my way down to Paramount Pictures in Golden Square, Soho, to bear witness to one of Britain’s best fantasy films I’ve seen since … since … well, perhaps ever. Neil Gaiman held a private screening for friends and colleagues. It was an absolute privilege and pleasure to have been invited along. Upon arrival we went downstairs to the reception area of the screening room where nibbles and drinks awaited. I mainly kept to myself as I didn’t know a single soul that had turned up (and everybody that turned up had very exciting jobs whereas I just blog, do production visual effects support and that’s about it; I barely register on the interesting scale in comparison to the other people there). I did manage to recognise Kim Newman and the one and only Lenny Henry (yes, it was he – the man responsible for the exceptional audio book reading of Neil’s Anansi Boys). Neil came accompanied by Holly and her boyfriend.

Neil made everybody feel very welcome – myself included. We chatted about the film briefly before introducing me to two people from his forthcoming Top Secret Project (which isn’t so secret really – it’s the one that involves Penn Gillette and sounds as though it’s got something to do with Ewoks), one of whom is this lady. After chatting about a variety of things, we were then ushered into the auditorium by a chap called Mitch Benn (who consequently laughed a LOT through the film; as did we all!).

Neil made a brief introduction to say that the film wasn’t entirely complete and still had some place holder visual effects and that the music was about half complete with the rest from various films (although mainly Edward Scissorhands). He hadn’t seen any other version of the film since January this year. Then the magic began..

The Film

You’ll have to bear with me on this. I’m trying to write this as soon as I came out the screening, but there are going to be elements that I discuss that are in the wrong sequence. Oh, my Kingdom for a script (or another screening) to refer to. But hopefully you’ll get the general gist of things.

I did write a rather comprehensive narrative of everything that went on in the movie, but really you will need to watch this film for yourself relatively unspoilt rather than have somebody explain it to you in full. Therefore I will mention a few things here and there that I like and that I think are of interest.

First up, the abridgements needed for the book to work as a film, WORK. For instance, the entire Dunstan Thorn/Una get together/producing baby Tristan sequence is actually entirely pre-title. As soon as baby Tristan is delivered to Dunstan after his liason with Una, the camera moves upwards to the night sky and the Stardust title is illuminated in the stars. A nice touch.

Another example where abridging and re-arranging occurs is the thorny problem of getting Tristan to Yvaine so that the rest of the story can move forward. This is happily resolved by making use of the magic “babylon” candle. In the film it’s used after Tristan is defeated by the old guard at the hole in the wall. He is transported from his bedroom straight to Yvaine, thereby saving a lot a time and getting the pace moving. It works wonderfully well – more so than you might think from just reading about it.

In general the overall pacing of this film works out really well, and it’s a major credit to Jane and Matthew for working out what elements had to stay, what had to go, and what had to put on a pair of trainers and do some jogging to get the story moving.

Let me discuss some of the characters and actors that feature in the film.

Peter O’Toole is first rate as the former King of Stormhold. He really is quite a devious old cad. The sons are no different, but in ghost form they’re quite bitchy to each other. Which is wonderful! If there is any complaint it’s perhaps that the ghosts don’t get enough screen time as they should.

Michelle Pfeiiffer as Lamia is excellent. She puts in a wonderful commanding performance. The witches, in general, are on top form here. It’s interesting to note that whenever Lamia performs any magic, her youthful appearance recedes and by the end of the film she’s looking like a dog toy that’s been chewed upon for days. The make-up work is outstandingly good (I believe they were provided by Animated Extras, if I recall from reading the end credits)

Mark Strong as Septimus. An absolute bastard and is proud of it. And even when he’s dead he’s being awkward. I rather like that the comment from original novel, which isn’t featured in the movie (boo! hiss!), from one of the ghosts: “a man who is tired of looking over his shoulder for Septimus is tired of life”

Jason Flemyng as Primus. Perhaps one of more decent of the princes (and helps Tristan to get to Yvaine when she wonders off on a unicorn – as you do) who gets a Sweeney Todd from Lamia. Is not too happy when he’s ghost – he’s naked whereas the rest of his brothers are at least fully clothed.

Mark Williams. He plays a man-goat (Billy) during the Inn sequence. And he’s rather good at it.

Melanie Hill as Ditchwater Sal. For some odd reason she reminded me of Nan from The Catherine Tate show, although perhaps a bit toned down. I enjoyed the mini-battle towards the end (where Lamia catches up with Yvaine just before she tries to cross into Wall) and only makes Lamia appear even more dangerous.

Robert De Niro as Captain Shakespeare. I love this guy. I do. This world could do with a Captain Shakespeare or two. Yes, he is funny, and yet you do sympathise with his situation. De Niro really makes the role his own and I honestly believe that nobody else could have pulled this off. The other pirates are in excellent form, and there’s a great gag towards the end of the whole Shakespeare thing that had all of us with tears of laughter. There is a moral to the story (which not only applies to Shakespeare but also Tristan – just be yourself). There’s also a VERY amusing bit at the end of the film involving a certain other suitor of Victoria. I shall say no more.

Ricky Gervais as Ferdy the Fence. Again, this is a role that nobody else could play. He doesn’t appear for very long, but when he’s on screen every minute is very good indeed. And I would make a rude joke about cocks at this point in time, but I won’t.

Una features quite a bit more in this film than in the book. Her importance is revealed quite early on in the story, and is emphasised a number of times. You’ll see why during the end battle. Something that doesn’t occur in the book.

The end battle is something that’s going to be open to debate. The way that Lamia and her sisters are despatched is quite new and very inventive. The book had a rather subdued ending. Here it’s much more exciting. And let me just say that Jim Henson would be proud of Lamia’s work at one point in the finale. That said, there is one bit that I think is not going to sit well with everyone. But I can see the logic in that bit and I think you will too. It worked for me at any rate.

The actual ending itself? Damn nearly had me crying like a little baby. I’m glad I didn’t as I was embarrassed enough having previously been crying my eyes out watching Paul Cornell’s The Family of Blood episode of Doctor Who that same day.

One question that’s been asked is whether the film is suitable for kids. At the screening there kids of various ages (of around 8 or 9 upwards, I’d say) with us and they seemed to have really enjoyed the movie as well – and one of them was almost on the edge of his seat as Lamia came down the stairs of the Inn carrying a mean looking knife/sword combo just as Primus is settling in nicely into his bath. So yes, I’d say Stardust IS pretty much kid safe.

Miscellaneous

Did you know that all of the princes blood is BLUE? While a lot of the violence isn’t actually shown (it’s implied through sound effects and the odd dagger seemingly pulled out here or there), there is one particular death in which you do see a bit of blood and it’s blue. Why blue? Blue blood – royalty? Geddit? Well, I had a little chuckle anyway.

Neil Gaiman watched the gruesome murder of Primus himself when he was on set last year.

Summing up

Music? Top notch, even though they used Edward Scissorhands as a temp. track for the ending sequence in Stormhold. I continue to love the Septimus theme which sounds superb given the big sound system treatment. Can’t wait for the OST to be released. I really can’t.

Visual effects? Outstanding, if I do say so myself. Even the place holder effects were good!

Performances? Larger than life, and all the better for it. Charlie Cox is the real star of this film – he’s a truly wonderful actor. He makes you believe in Tristan. Claire Danes also gives a wonderful performance as Yvaine. Sienna Miller as Victoria – spot on. David Kelly as the old guard – superb! See above for the rest of the cast.

Cinematography? Apart from one hand-held, all-over-the-place shot when Humphrey takes down Tristan during a fencing scene, it’s beautiful work. MUST be viewed on a big screen to make the most of gorgeous location work (as well as the stunning sets).

Production design? Can’t fault it. Stormhold itself is a wonder to behold. Norwich has never looked prettier as the fairy market, and neither have Iceland, Scotland or Wales. New Zealand? Pah. Your days as Fantasy Land are numbered.

Sound? Very good. Dialogue was always clear and distinct, the sound effects were LOUD or subtle when they needed to be.

Continuity? Needs ONE tweak when Lamia is talking to her sisters; it’s to do with her old age receding. I’m sure somebody will understand what I mean. Apart from that, I couldn’t see anything else that was obviously wrong even at this stage of the film’s completeness.

Overall? A superbly enjoyable fantasy adventure that I think even my wife would enjoy (and she generally hates fantasy). Certainly I think that Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn, Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess can be rightly proud of. Adapting this work couldn’t have been easy, but by jove, they’ve pulled it off. One of my favourite films of all time (and nobody has paid me to say that!). Seriously. I could watch this again and again and always spot something new. It’s by no means THE perfect film ever made, but even with it’s little faults, I love it to bits. 10/10

Stick with FoEM (use one of our handy RSS feeds above); there’s still a LOT more Stardust to come!