A young man named Tristan goes on a quest to retrieve a fallen star, which has been transformed into a beautiful woman (Claire Danes, above). All movie stills copyright and ? Paramount Pictures, David James, 2007.
Stardust takes audiences on an adventure that begins in an English village and ends up in an imaginary world. A young man named Tristan (portrayed by Charlie Cox) tries to win the heart of Victoria (Sienna Miller) by going on a quest to retrieve a fallen star, which has transformed into a beautiful girl named Yvaine (Claire Danes).
Tristan is not the only one seeking the star. Four sons of a king (Peter O'Toole) - and the ghosts of their three dead brothers - need the star as they vie for the throne. The evil witch Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) needs the star to make her young again. Tristan also encounters a pirate named Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro) and a shady trader named Ferdy the Fence (Ricky Gervais). As Tristan battles contenders, his quest changes. He must now win the heart of the star for himself as he discovers the meaning of true love.
Reviewers are saying that Stardust is "perhaps the most ambitious film ever to be made in Britain." After viewing raw footage in 2006, Rotten Tomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com) wrote, "Judging from the clip show, fans of fantasy, romance, and many more genres have a lot to look forward to..."
In March 2007, film director Matthew Vaughn brought Rotten Tomatoes UK into the edit suite for an exclusive look at how the film was shaping up. Rotten Tomatoes subsequently wrote, "Stardust is a sweeping fantasy comedy with a cast list so impressive it's impossible to resist - Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sienna Miller, Claire Danes, Peter O'Toole and Rupert Everett, to name a few - and production values that'll give Pirates of the Caribbean a run for its money...Without drawing too many parallels to The Princess Bride (of which there are many), Stardust has a lot to offer movie fans."
Vaughn told Rotten Tomatoes, "The pitch is: it's Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Princess Bride...It has the same sense of humor as The Princess Bride, but it also, hopefully, matches Pirates in terms of the swashbuckling action and [special] effects."
A Sneak Peek at the Film
It is difficult to judge a movie only by seeing a preview, but a "trailer" whets your appetite.
-- For a sneak peek, go to www.stardustmovie.com or http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/stardust.html
Vess has seen 98 percent of the finished product, and he is happy with the way his artwork has been incorporated in the film's visual style. "They started with my work, and the film will have all the grace and the terror, but it will look different," he admits. "The designers have gone into their own space, but they developed the same world, just slightly different viewpoints. For example, the exterior of Stormhold Mountain Inn looks like my paintings, but the interior is different."
-- For behind-the-scenes articles by a reporter who visited the movie set, go to www.aintitcool.com/node/23960 and www.aintitcool.com/node/23785.
-- For the writer's view on the changes made between the book and the film adaptation, visit www.aintitcool.com/node/30866 and scroll halfway through the story.
Local Premier Gala for the Movie
Stardust will premier at movie theatres nationwide on Aug. 10. A special Hollywood-style Premier Gala, complete with red carpet, will be held Thursday, Aug. 2 at the Abingdon Cinemall. The fundraising event will benefit William King Regional Arts Center, the Washington County Public Library, and Appalachian Sustainable Development. For details, call 276-628-5005.
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The book was first published in 1997, plus "Stardust" trivia.
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