Starman

"In 1977 Voyager II was launched into space, inviting all lifeforms in the universe to visit our planet. Get ready. Company's coming."

1984 1h 55m EN

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 1,057

Science FictionDramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

When an alien takes the form of a young widow's husband and asks her to drive him from Wisconsin to Arizona, the government tries to stop them.

“In 1977 Voyager II was launched into space, inviting all lifeforms in the universe to visit our planet. Get ready. Company's coming.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

HuluSubscription

Sony Pictures Core Amazon ChannelSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Jeff Bridges
Starman / Scott Hayden
Karen Allen
Jenny Hayden
Charles Martin Smith
Mark Shermin
Richard Jaeckel
George Fox
Robert Phalen
Major Bell
Tony Edwards
Sergeant Lemon
John Walter Davis
Brad Heinmuller
Ted White
Deer Hunter

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Carpenter
Writers: Raynold Gideon, Bruce A. Evans
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

42 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Carpenter, shot by Donald M. Morgan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jack Nitzsche. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Marion Rothman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen and Charles Martin Smith carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "In 1977 Voyager II was launched into space, inviting all lifeforms in the universe to visit our planet. Get ready. Company's coming.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0088172 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Carpenter directs. Donald M. Morgan behind the camera. Jack Nitzsche scores. Marion Rothman cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

142 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by John Carpenter, shot by Donald M. Morgan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Jack Nitzsche. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Marion Rothman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen and Charles Martin Smith carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "In 1977 Voyager II was launched into space, inviting all lifeforms in the universe to visit our planet. Get ready. Company's coming.".
7IMDB entry: tt0088172 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 8 themes, including "widow", "lovers", "alien", "cherry pie".

The technical file

Cinematography: Donald M. Morgan
Original score: Jack Nitzsche
Editing: Marion Rothman
Production design: Daniel A. Lomino
Makeup / hair: Marina Pedraza
Sound: Bill Varney
Stunt coordinator: Terry Leonard
Runtime: 115 min · 1h 55m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $22,000,000
Box office: $28,744,356
Return: 131% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: Starman (1984)

Also by

John Carpenter

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2015-04-19
★ 8.5/10
Loving the Alien. Mixed notices then and now for John Carpenter's sci-fi love story - cum human warning parable, but the fact is is that if it touches you it's a touch that stays for ever. It's a lovely film headed up by Jeff Bridges' wonderful turn as the alien from outer space teaming up with Karen Allen for a road trip to a Nevada crater, where he will be picked up by his own species and taken home. Taking on human form, that of Allen's deceased husband, much of the humour is derived from how the alien tries to adapt to a human lifestyle. The language, food, customs and romance, but always there is a serious thread running through the narrative. He was invited here by the contents of Voyager One, but now the suits want him for less than honourable research, so the pair, coming together as one after she is obviously in a state of kidnap worry, have to stay one step ahead of the authorities. So there's suspense in the mix via the chase dynamics, as well as some beautiful sequences, one of which has animal lovers of the world punch the air with unbridled joy. The premise is of course flimsy, and cribbing bits from ET and Close Encounters did the film no favours under critical analysis, but the emotional whack is mightily strong, with the lead characters being so easy to root for. While Jack Nitzsche's synth based musical score is a sci-fi great, perfect. A vastly under valued picture on Carpenter's CV, Starman would like to come and see us, if only we would give it the time. 8.5/10
CinemaSerf2022-10-20
★ 7/10
One of Jeff Bridges' better performances this one. He is an alien who arrives on Earth and assumes the physical shape of "Hayden". Thing is, he has recently died - so you can imagine how phased his recent widow "Jenny" (Karen Allen) is as he coerces her to drive him to Arizona where he can rendezvous with the others from his race. The crater left by his landing has attracted the attention of SETI - a government agency charged with looking for ET, and - of course - the more militaristic elements under the command of "Fox" (Richard Jaeckel). What now ensues is a road-movie with a difference as the two gradually start to bond whilst being pursued by the authorities. There is a gradually accumulating chemistry between Allen and Bridges, the latter offering a nuanced and gentle performance as if he were but a baby in a man's body lost in a strange and not particularly welcoming environment. It has some touching moments, a little humour and though the ending isn't really ever in doubt, the travels of this couple are demonstrated in a gently sentimental (but not sickly or melodramatic) fashion. It's a bit on the long side - we do take a little bit of time for the thing to get moving, but once it proves to be a well photographed, scored and entertaining character study from John Carpenter. Worth a watch, I'd say.
GenerationofSwine2023-01-10
★ 10/10
Look who directed it... and that raises a lot of questions doesn't it? I mean it's espically good and then you see it's john Carpenter doing a... a love story and a very moving and beautiful love story. I guess the draft Carpenter got was extremely political... and he took all the politics out and focused on the love story, that was a great call, it was a great call in the 80s and it is great advice for today. And it's good with Bridges doing a stellar job, and he really didn't learn how to act until the 90s. I totally forgot about it, and then my wife and I saw it, hadn't seen it since the 80s and forgot how amazing it was. It stands the test of time, it's moving, it's beautiful, and it entertains... you can't ask for more.