Stardust (spoilage)

[snoopy369]

Anybody seen it (or read it, or both)? I just did both (hadn't read it yet, even though i've read most gaiman things, it just slipped my reading list for some reason).

I like the book, though it's a bit lacking somewhat in plot detail; but then again it's a fairytale so that's probably not a bad thing.

I liked the movie too, but ... it lacked something, that "gaimanness" that the book had. It wasn't as unpredictable as the book (you essentially find out about Una early on as she says that she's a princess); it missed some of the moral (Tristran having to let go of Yvaine, ie cut her chain, himself); and it left out some of the just plain weirdness (Tristran and Yvaine leaving off to travel the world before taking the crown).

And it ended with "happily ever after", something I can't imagine Gaiman being okay with in a million years... after all, in the book he dies and she reigns forever, which is much more realistic and Gaimanesque

Not a bad movie, but way too Hollywoodized for my taste. I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I'd watched it first and then read it later...

[Jon Miller]

The book was great.

The book was lacking something, and that was the fairytale part. It was mostly a decent adventure romance.

I think that the romance was hollywoodized as was the adventure. And I think that is what I found disappointing about the movie. It wasn't a bad movie though, but not one I would have gone to see (I don't see many, last was Pans Labyrinth, which did fairytale much better).

JM

[lord of the mark]

Saw the movie with POTM, QOTM, and one of POTMs friends - POTM had loved the trailer we saw at HP & OOTP, and really wanted to see this. None of us had read any Gaiman, or even heard of him, we saw the film with no reference to the book (now I know how those HP filmgoers who enter a fanstasy world cold based on a film alone feel)

I enjoyed it more than I expected. We did think some things were telegraphed a little too much. OTOH I wasnt sure how the Septimus subplot would end, I thought Septimus and Tristam might make a deal, T gets the star, and S gets the jewel that gives the kingdom, not that S would want to rule forever. But POTM apparently got the "last remaining male descendant" thing before I did.

Everyone else seemed to realize the "Im alone, I dont want the star anymore" by Michelle Pfeifer was fake, I didnt realize it at first. I was hoping for some redemption for the "eevil old ladies seeking youth". As it was, the film felt to me very ageist, anti-feminist. I was going to discourse to my family on western views of witches and antifeminism, etc, but thought better of it.

Anyway, i did enjoy the film.

[snoopy369]

The ironic thing is in the book ... nah, go read the book. I'll just say that the Pfeiffer thing at the end was an obvious nod to the book, in a twisted way That was the most Gaimanesque part in my opinion

Definitely give Gaiman a read... if nothing else, American Gods is an excellent book. Stardust is nice, as I said, a nice fairy tale, but American Gods is a very high quality novel that compares in quality to any mainstream novel you could name. On the level of Garcia Marquez, but significantly more readable.

One of the most impressive books about americana by a non-american since Lolita, I would say...

[-Jrabbit]

High praise indeed.

I became aware of Gaiman through his work with Pratchett. Haven't seen the movie yet.

[Lorizael]

I just saw the movie last night and enjoyed it a good deal. The plot was pretty transparent but that didn't bother me much. I enjoyed the fantasy element, the comedy, the characters and the good chemistry between them. Thought it was a fine movie.

Haven't read the book.

My only other experience with Gaiman is, predictably, American Gods which I thought was very well crafted and written until Gaiman realized he had to end the book. At that point, I think he kind of lost it.

[Jon Miller]

American Gods really disappointed me.

JM

[snoopy369]

Fortunately he wrote a sequel to american gods so ending not needed

(Anansi Boys, not precisely a sequel, but it's in the same world and whatnot.)