Starman 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Starman 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown May 17, 2025

Previously available on 4K exclusively as part of the 'Columbia Classics Collection Volume 4' box set, 'Starman' is being made available as a standalone release. The new edition features the same excellent video and audio presentations, as well as the same primary supplemental package. The only notable difference is that 'Starman: The Complete TV Series,' which was included on an additional 2 discs with the 'CCC Vol. 4' box set, has not survived the trip to standalone 4K; presumably lost somewhere over the American desert. It's a shame but by no means a deal breaker.

Carrying a message of greetings from Earth, NASA launched Voyager II into the vast reaches of spaces in 1977. Several years later, an alien species detects its presence, interprets its data, and sends a reply to Earth -- in the form of a living visitor. The delivery vehicle crashes into rural Wisconsin and its inhabitant stumbles onto the home of Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen), a widow that's still grieving the loss of her husband Scott (Jeff Bridges). The alien, using only a photograph and a lock of Scott's hair, clones itself into the spitting image of an adult Scott, terrifying Jenny as it grows from infant to adulthood in mere moments. Though the being resembles Scott, it struggles with basic human motor and verbal skills, its knowledge limited to the information contained on a golden disc housed inside Voyager II. Scott convinces Jenny of his need to travel to Winslow, Arizona, in a matter of days. She agrees, the two hitting the road in her Ford Mustang and traversing the country, a time she uses to teach Scott what it means to be human while she in turn begins to fall for this version of Scott. Alerted to the crash is SETI scientist Mark Shermin (Charles Martin Smith), who finds himself hot on Scott's and Jenny's trail.

Click here to read the rest of Martin Liebman's 2009 review of the film, which he calls "a major cinematic success not only thematically, but also artistically." Adding, "though far from the norm of the sort of movies that made John Carpenter famous, he shows his supreme talent to be practically absolute, his abilities not limited to any particular style or genre. Starman is incredibly sweet, uplifting, honest, and heartwarming throughout, a tone that's captured not only visually but also aurally thanks to Jack Nitzsche's wonderful score."

Starman 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Darker than the previous 1080p transfers, Sony's 4K presentation of Starman is nevertheless an improvement and a step towards perfection, allowing the film to bask in shadow and twilight, making it more faithful to its original appearance, as well as Carpenter and cinematographer Donald M. Morgan's intentions. Even so, delineation is excellent, without much in the way of crush, or at least not as much as one might expect. Contrast is dialed in beautifully, and the palette, full of life and color as it is, lends a more foreboding, dangerous air to the proceedings. Primaries still pop (Bridges' flannel alone tends to dominate the screen, as does his red hat), black levels are rich and sumptuous, and flashes of blue and white space light are as dazzling as ever. Detail is wonderful too, with crisp edges free of any nasty haloing, terrifically resolved fine textures (closeups of skin are especially revealing), and plenty of world wear-n-tear that give the environments a remarkable lived-in or passing-through aesthetic. Practical FX are gorgeous, even if their seams are more apparent in 4K than in 1080p, and Carpenter's dedication to the craft, while used sparingly, has never looked better. Neither has the film. With such a technically proficient encode -- grain is intact and consistent, while banding and other anomalies are entirely absent -- Starman's 4K edition bests all previous releases and stands tall as its definitive presentation.

Starman 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Starman's Dolby Atmos track is a blast from start to finish. The film doesn't waste much time getting its titular alien to Earth, nor does the audio doddle about with little to do. Low-end output makes its presence known early and often, infusing heftier elements with all the weight and oomph necessary to grant alien powers, well, power and the might and muscle of the U.S. government its teeth and bite. The surround channels are bristling with activity too, complete with pinpoint directional effects (oh those whirring choppers), silky smooth pans between speakers, and a fully immersive and engaging soundfield that makes the most of tense action and chase sequences. Dialogue remains intelligible and perfectly prioritized throughout, and music -- a Carpenter film staple -- sounds great, without overpowering voices or ambience and without underwhelming or growing too quiet. This is still high fantasy action sci-fi, and the sound design reflects as much, but it's a thrilling addition to the experience that makes Starman even more of a gem than it already was.

Starman 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Starman's SteelBook pops with a vivid red cover and an iconic image from the film that really helps it to stand out amongst other SteelBooks. Again, the only missing extra from the Columbia Classics Collection edition of the film is Starman: The Complete Series and its two corresponding discs. Otherwise, everything is present and accounted for. Special features include:

• Audio Commentary - While not available on the 4K disc, John Carpenter and Jeff Bridges' audio commentary is nevertheless included on the set's standard Blu-ray disc. It's an excellent track too; one not to be missed.

• Deleted Scenes (HD, 18 minutes) - More than twenty scenes are available, including "Sleeping Pills", "Self-Discovery", "We Must Go", "SAC Alert", "Positive Identification", "House of God", "The Cloning Question", "You Could Take the Car", "A Theory", "Happy Pills", "Mating Ritual", "Learning to Dance", "Vending Machine", "CB Warning", "ID Verification", "We Want Him Alive", "Fugitives", "Colorful Language", "Keep Her at 60", "Little Bit Tired" and "Take 'Em Out".

• Behind-the-Scenes Time Lapses (HD, 10 minutes) - "The Light at the Window" and "Pep Rally Prep".

• They Came From Hollywood! (HD, 23 minutes) - Director John Carpenter, actors Jeff Bridges and Charles Martin Smith, and script supervisor Sandy King-Carpenter share their memories of filming and on-set stories.

• Making-Of Featurette (SD, 11 minutes) - A vintage featurette.

• Music Video (SD, 4 minutes) - "All I Have to Do Is Dream".

• Stills Gallery (HD)

• Theatrical Trailer

Starman 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I love Starman. Have ever since my mom first took me to see it at the ripe old age of 7 in theaters. It resonates more in the nostalgic corners of my brain than elsewhere, so it's hard to determine how well it will hold up for new viewers, but I continue to recommend it as an often-overlooked '80s gem that gets overshadowed by some of the era's noisier, flashier sci-fi fare. Sony's 4K edition breathes even more life into the film too, thanks to a strong video presentation, a killer Atmos track and a bevy of supplements. Its vibrant red SteelBook case looks fantastic too. Highly recommended.