Stardust - Neil Gaiman

Simple Living · Dec 24, 2007

I didn't get a chance to see Stardust in theatres. I got it from NetFlix and watched it last night. I was disappointed. I watched it with a friend that hadn't read the book and he was confused by some unclear references in the movie. The book far outshines the movie, although I'm glad the sex scene in the book wasn't played out graphically in the movie. (Michelle Pfeiffer is beautiful and a great actress, but, she shouldn't be allowed to do accents.)

What was worth watching was the Behind the Scenes material. I'm addicted to Special Features. You get to "meet" Neil and hear him explain how he developed the idea for the novel. I love hearing how novels came about.

Neil and his family were on vacation in Ireland and driving along one of these long, rock walls and he saw a break/hole in the wall. Beyond the wall it was all "foresty" and he wondered what it would be like if just beyond the wall there was a fairyland. That was in 1988.

Then, in 1993 (I believe), he saw a shooting star in Arizona (I believe). He said in England, shooting stars aren't very interesting, or visual, but in Arizona, he was mesmerized by it. He thought, A person could actually go find that. Then he remembered the hole in the wall and thought that if a star fell on the fairyland side of the wall, it wouldn't be rock at all, but a girl. That, he said, is when the story was born.

JBI · Dec 24, 2007

I found the movie somewhat interesting. It was no Princess Bride, though I found it tried to be. The plot concept was interesting, but some of the events that transpire were weak. Though, I commend them with coming up with enough sexual jokes to make the movie entertaining to adults, yet masking them well enough to make the movie still a pg rating.

Stormhawk · Dec 24, 2007

I really like Stardust, both the movie and the book.

The book...which my little sister has...should get that back sometime or other...

Toothpaste · Dec 24, 2007

To me I thought both the book and then obviously film, weren't as clever as they thought they were. I'm not saying that in that sort of "the author is arrogant and thinks he's all that but isn't" way. But just that the jokes weren't as funny as they seemed they should have been, the twists not as unpredictable, and the entire conceit, not as original. Things were still funny, surprising and innovative. But not quite as much as I was expecting considering the hype. I always kind of felt that I could see the inside of the trick, if you know what I mean.

Does any of that makes sense?

Ageless Stranger · Dec 24, 2007

I know exactly what you mean.

I liked star dust in book form (Haven't seem the film and yet I can't see to come to terms with it as the brilliant, original book people keep describing it as. Neil's work on Sandman or American Gods was far, far better.

Shweta · Dec 24, 2007

I adore Stardust, but... more for the art than the writing. The writing kept me going and kept me smiling, and I like it fine, but Charles Vess' art blew me away.

I think the writing for Sandman was way stronger -- and for Coraline, and for most of Gaiman's short stories. I was not as taken with American Gods; probably prefer Stardust's writing to AG. But I do sort of think of Stardust as a showcase for Vess.

geardrops · Dec 24, 2007

Well. I dug Stardust. I preferred the book to the movie. I just liked the ending far better. But then, I tend to prefer books to movies. I'm not a snob, it's just a preference of medium, I think.

Shweta said:
I was not as taken with American Gods...

I don't quite understand what you said there

Shweta · Dec 24, 2007

Hm? Just, didn't think American Gods was as well written as some of Gaiman's other work, though it was a perfectly good read.

maxmordon · Dec 24, 2007

I only have seen the movie, thought it was the best fantasy movie of the year; though I haven't seen Enchanted

I saw Enchanted, now I know Stardust is better

MargueriteMing · Dec 25, 2007

That's interesting, Orson Scott Card says his stories are often the product of the combination of two separate ideas.

Dustry Joe · Dec 25, 2007

Didn't read the book.

The movie is a wonderful piece of work, immediately on my list top ten films ever or any kind. The script is an amazing tour de force, effortlessly entwining several stories and tones.

It repeatedly pulls off the ultimate prestige of dramatic writing: there's a jam or conflict and when the solution comes it's a pleasant surprise...followed immediately by the realization that it was inevitable, set up before you were aware of it.

It also plays with our heads by faking left, then juking right. (The final scene with Pfieffer is a great example)

On top of that, the casting and production values are pretty much perfect. It's a fantastic flick.

There is no comparing it to farces like Princess Bride or Monty Python or whatever. This is a amazing dazzler that goes straight to the heart, tickles the inner child, and impresses the adult. The more you know about filming or writing, the more amazing it is.

Anybody who liked it, by the way, should see "Golden Compass" as well.

And, for that matter, "Beowulf"...Gaiman again, and this time a bold, radical rewrite that takes an old story and spins it into something new and archetypal.

Chasing the Horizon · Dec 25, 2007

I've only ever seen the movie, and I thought it was good. It was funny and had that whole 'larger than life yet somehow believable' thing going on. The plot was inventive and unpredictable (I thought, anyway). The acting and writing would've been better if I didn't have Pirates of the Caribbean to compare it to, but it was still fine. I was actually very impressed when I first saw Stardust, because I wasn't expecting it to be as adult-oriented as it was.

NicoleMD · Dec 25, 2007

I thought both the book and the movie were okay. The movie felt a little rushed to me, I guess since there were so many storylines to follow. I didn't like how Tristan was instantly wisked from his father's house right into the star. I know you want to get the ball rolling, but I would have liked to enjoy the adventures through the forest more...a little build up is all I'm asking.

Billy the Goat turned human was my favorite part. He had me laughing every time he came on the screen. And the ghost brothers were fun to see in a visual media. I wasn't expecting to be blown away by the movie, so I wasn't dissappointed. It was fun, done well enough, and definitely not a waste of time.

Nicole

Lyra Jean · Dec 25, 2007

I really liked the movie. I just saw it tonight. It was cute and I loved the ending. It just fit. I'll probably by it when it is on DVD. Is it on DVD for sale yet? I have $50 to spend at Walmart thanks to my little brother.

Stardust - Neil Gaiman

Simple Living

JBI

Stormhawk

Angry Bunny Girl

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Ageless Stranger

Dave Brubeck kicks your ass.

Shweta

gone

geardrops

Good thing I like my day job

Shweta

gone

maxmordon

Penúltimo

MargueriteMing

Dustry Joe

Chasing the Horizon

Blowing in the Wind

NicoleMD

Onomatopotamus

Lyra Jean

Two years old now.