Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Star Time Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 17, 2018

Writer/director Alexander Cassini takes an experimental route when conjuring the ravages of mental illness in 1991’s “Star Time.” To describe the picture as strange is an understatement, with the helmer embarking on a Lynchian tour of psychological decay, clinging to a few horror traditions to preserve some sense of movement for a production that doesn’t always prize forward momentum. It’s not a slasher movie, but there’s a body count and masked killer brandishing an ax, delivering a sense of threat to a feature that’s interested in deconstructing the ways of serial killing. “Star Time” has moments of abstraction, but it works as a swan dive into madness spotlighting a truly unhinged individual coming to terms with the expanse of his treasured media-worshiping delusions.

Henry (Michael St. Gerard) is a broken man barely keeping it together in the confines of his small, decrepit apartment. He’s losing his mind, using the comfort of television to keep himself stable enough to keep out of trouble, but his favorite show, “The Robertson Family,” is ending, returning instability to his life. Henry’s connection to any sense of normalcy is Wendy (Maureen Teefy), a social worker who’s been trying to keep the young man communicative, hoping to reach the root of his mental health issues, but she’s about to take a leave of absence, and the loss doesn’t sit well with her patient. On the verge of committing suicide, Henry meets Sam (John P. Ryan), a mystery man who’s very interested in making something of his new friend, urging Henry to don a baby mask and become an ax murderer. Open to suggestion, but striving to make sense of his insanity, Henry goes along for the ride, becoming a media hot topic, which gives him the attention he desperately craves.

Disorientation is Cassini’s primary creative goal for “Star Time.” There’s nothing ordinary about the movie, especially when it comes to character introductions. The production aims to put the viewer in Henry’s head, a crowded place, meeting the man as he reaches the end of his patience with life, electing to kill himself as a way out of his dire situation. He’s obsessed with television and the recognition it offers, with media consumption provided by multiple television sets, situated inside his apartment and arranged in the darkness of his mind, often displaying fears, desires, and the banality of televised entertainment, supplying just the crutch of routine Henry requires to make it through life. Wendy also contributes evenness, but Henry’s obsessions with her professional and personal life only amplify as the story unfolds, keeping the social services worker in a state of unease as she grasps the enormity of her patient’s meltdown after she commits to leaving him for a short time.

Sam is the master of disaster in this equation, emerging from the folds of Henry’s fears to support his student in the ways of confidence, albeit the kind of authority that comes with the use of a creepy baby mask and the swing of an ax, setting his bro up to be the next big thing in serial killer news. “Star Time” isn’t a satire, but it has things to share about the nature of celebrity and the parasitic relationship between news outlets and human misery, with the Henry becoming a major star on the brutalizer scene. The attention enlivens him, providing Sam with opportunities to manipulate his pupil, leading to multiple scenes where the figment of Henry’s imagination provides extended pep talks to the shattered man, acting as a cheerleader, father, and agent to the murderer. It’s a provocative idea from Cassini, who wisely lets Ryan run with the role, effectively adding some genuine menace to the movie, offering steeliness to contrast with Gerard’s twitchy, emotional scattergun approach, which delivers the essentials in madhouse reactions and loss of personal control. “Star Time” spends the entire film with the actors (Teefy has more of a supporting presence), and their interplay is a good reason to stay with the endeavor, which doesn’t always know what to do with its 80 minute run time and threadbare budget. The performances take ownership of the work, which is generally a good thing, though Cassini does a solid job visually representing Henry’s state of mind, going for a quakes of anxiety instead of full-bore hysterics.

Star Time Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a clear look at screen particulars in "Star Time," boasting a 2K scan from a 35mm original camera negative. It's a strange looking picture to begin with, favoring night scenes and uncomfortable close-ups, and the viewing experience is preserved, offering compelling skin textures and emotional urgency, capturing performance nuance. Apartment decay is also open for exploration. Colors are comfortable, offering a stable palette that maintains colder interiors and costuming. Nightlife brings out more vibrant hues, and bloodshed retains a defined red. Skintones are natural. Delineation has some heavy lifting, but remains communicative. Grain is heavy and filmic. Source is in good shape, without overt points of damage.

Star Time Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix provides an involving listening event that maintains the unusual nature of the film, with dialogue emerging from whispers, screams, and televisions. There are sibilance issues, hitting a few harsher highs along the way, but performances remain alert, also combating some fuzziness at times. Scoring carries as expected, with appropriate volume and definition (to bring out the bizarre instrumentation, which includes use of a referee whistle). Sound effects are also strong, supporting tours of the city and heated chases.

Star Time Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Alexander Cassini.

• Interview (31:37, SD) sits down with cinematographer Fernando Arguelles, who shares his professional and educational history leading up to his work on "Star Time," including his big break shooting Scott Spiegel's "Intruder." Arguelles discusses many aspects of "Star Time," highlighting his creative connection with Cassini, who trusted him with the look of the feature after extensive planning. Arguelles also shares his impressions of the cast and crew, with the technical team showing increasing wariness with the content of the project.

• "The Great Performance" (5:10, HD) is a short film by Cassini, featuring Teefy in a supporting role.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:44, HD) is included.

Star Time Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Star Time" tells the tale of Henry's graduation to serial killing to satisfy Sam's coaching, but the budget doesn't permit a full scale ceremony teeming with dead bodies and a law enforcement manhunt. The screenplay remains with the three characters, studying how they struggle with this new reality, which frequently blends with an older reality, presenting Henry with more reasons to lose control. "Star Time" isn't particularly scary, more about teasing horror formula than bathing in blood, but Cassini works to keep the effort distressing, employing claustrophobia and some shock value to maintain directorial authority. As a sneak peek into a melting psyche, the movie has some impressively unwound moments, but it's more artful than accessible, and all the good intentions when it comes to suspense and characterization can't prevent the film from feeling stale as it searches for a way out of the narrative maze. It's a picture for a more daredevil genre enthusiast, especially one interested in mind-bending areas of personal unrest, but captured with very little production money and contained to only a few locations.