MovieChat Forums > Starman (1984) Discussion > Easily Carpenter’s worst film by a count...

Easily Carpenter’s worst film by a county mile


Not a redeemable moment in this turkey of a movie if you ask me. Jeff Bridges has never been more wooden and the plot is non-existent. Thank God Mr Carpenter stayed away from the romance genre after this because it would have ruined his career. Long story short....avoid this at all costs.

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It's impossible to believe this was made by the same man who made Escape From New York and The Thing. It's not necessarily a completely bad movie, just so far away from what I expect from John Carpenter.

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What!?

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Thanks for telling us about your lack of good taste. Always handy to know who to ignore.

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The OP couldn’t be more wrong. Starman is an excellent movie, with well defined characters, interesting sci-fi, and a deep sense of humanity, all wrapped around a beautiful love story.

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Starman is proof positive of John Carpenter's brilliance and versatility. It's too bad he didn't get an opportunity, or didn't choose to, branch out of the horror/action genre more often. He probably had a few great science fiction movies in him. We saw a glimpse of that in Prince of Darkness.

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I had put off watching this film for years, despite the fact I like several of Carpenter's films, especially The Thing, Assault on Precinct 13 and Halloween. I expected to like Starman but not much more, based entirely on the few scenes I have seen of it over the years. Having watched it, I realized it is his best film and Bridges' performance is brilliant. Karen Allen is great, too.

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I’m with you. Halloween is more well known and iconic, but it’s hampered by silly teenage smuttiness. It’s an otherwise intelligent horror movie.

Starman works on all levels, and shows that Carpenter could handle stories built on relationship. I challenge anyone to not be moved by the final scene.

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This movie is so good that until this post, I didn't even know it was a Carpenter film.

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I like Carpenter's film but I didn't realise this was one until I'd watched it a few times.

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I've never found it interesting.

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"Jeff Bridges has never been more wooden"

he was literally an alien though.. give him a break

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I was going to say exactly that, Bobby!! Jeff Bridges plays an obviously emotionless alien, it never occured to the OP to think of that!!

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