“STARDUST” 2007 Released by Paramount Pictures Adapted from Neil Gaiman’s 1997 CD comics mini-series and directed by Matthew Vaughn.
“Stardust” is a recently released DVD about many more things than the trailer message of unconditional love. One of the best parts of the movie was at the beginning where narrator, Sir Ian Mc Kellen, quotes philosophically: “Are we human because we gaze at the stars or do we gaze at them because we are human. “ “Do the stars gaze back, that’s the question.” I’m intrigued about anything to do with stars, fairy tales, unicorns or air ships, which fit beautifully into my Tarot world. Don’t be surprised if someone in your family also comes home with this current DVD.
Stardust,” is a strung-out web of a movie, complete with a unicorn, which comes in handy at one point and disappears after knocking over a cup of poison so that the conquering hero can continue on and not die. It is 128 minutes of dynamic effects, a beautifully-designed air ship that collects lightening for sale, evil witchery, and the fourth son of the dead king who tries to seize the crown to the magical kingdom of Stronghold. (Although his hand shows a tattooed “7” indicating he was the 7th in line to become king.)
There are many colorful and strange characters in this story. Including ghosts hanging around in a kind of peanut gallery, who represent the killed off kin. “Stardust” begins as a basic fairytale of a young man who sees a shooting star in the sky while wining and dining a young woman from the same village called “Wall”, whom he wants to court and eventually marry. He promises to catch the falling star for her birthday gift and Victoria counters that she has another who wants her hand as well. So off Tristan Thorne, a mere shop boy, goes to climb through the village wall, which is forbidden and guarded by what seems to be an old man. Tristan is surprised to find that the old guy must have a black belt in Kungfu, when he adroitly blocks him from leaving. He distracts the old man enough to jump through the wall, that protects the real humans, and into the world of magic and wonder.
At some point he lights the black Babylon candle given to him by his true mother. Thus, he is transported to the place where he most wants to be, to find the shooting star. When he arrives at the bottom of a large crater, he discovers a beautiful young, blonde, willow of a woman, who is just getting up from the ground wearing a large diamond at her neck. Now here’s where your family will be impressed with your keen knowledge of movie trivia. The diamond necklace is actually the same stone that the dying king of Stronghold flung out the window and predicted that the rightful person to inherit the kingdom will retrieve it and behold, it will turn ruby red.
This is a movie gone haywire. However, all the actors seemed to have had a lot of fun and relished their roles. The costuming and graphically- enhanced surroundings made for great eye candy. Robert De Niro (“Captain Shakespeare”, of the airship.) and Michelle Pfeiffer (The main evil witch “Lamia”.) played out their characters as any professional could conjure, given the circumstances of the plot.
If you want to see an enchanting DVD at home, eat popcorn and not mow the lawn, with a chance to entertain and be with your family; this crazy movie might be the ticket. Be prepared for some questions like; why did the star princess and Tristen sleep together in the same bed one night. (No actual love scene.) What happened to the unicorn? And why was the air ship captain dancing to music of a Mozart string quartet in the privacy of his cabin wearing a feather boa and corset? Good luck!
Finally, the imagined central prop of “Stardust”, the Babylon Candle, was a charming and intriguing surprise. For the sake of daydreaming, it made watching the entire movie worthwhile. If you can find one, please light it and let it take you anywhere you want to go. “How many miles to Babylon? Three score miles and ten. Can I get there by candlelight? Yes, and back again.”
Review by Kristin Lee-Gray, CTI - Certified Tarot Master and Instructor,
President, CTN - Canadian Tarot Network, Intl. www.tarotcanada.com

Neil Gaiman