Starman - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Columbia Classics Vol.4)

Starman (Movie)

In John Carpenter's sadly underrated Starman, an incorporeal being from an unknown planet clones the body of her deceased husband Scott Hayden (Jeff Bridges), and observes the rich complicated tapestry of the human experience in a matter of three days. The short timeframe is partly thanks to the U.S. Government's failure to honor their welcoming message of hospitality sent on the Voyager 2 space probe, sending the being on a journey to Arizona and escape the hostile, somewhat primitive Earth. The alien Scott, who we later find out works as a kind of anthropologist for his species, quickly learns of the ugly side of humans, like the senseless killing of a deer for sport — a scene that has always stayed with me since childhood. Despite the unfriendly reception, Scott's widow Jenny (Karen Allen) is able to also teach him the simple joys of existing on this planet, such as Dutch apple pie, and the value of emotional connections. 

Moreover, this is simultaneously a story about grieving loss and battling feelings of loneliness, as Jenny is given the extraordinary opportunity - or a second chance to - more properly say goodbye to her husband. She begins the journey believing herself a kidnapping victim, which naturally, anyone would when forced to travel across the country with a stranger, let alone in the company of an extra-terrestrial. As we'd expect, she eventually realizes the being doesn't mean any harm, understanding his loneliness runs deeper than being stuck on a planet that doesn't understand him. The trip becomes as much of an enlightening pilgrimage for her as it is for the cloned Scott. Although Bridges is the star of this vehicle, Allen proves to be the shining star as a person entrusted with teaching the alien cultural norms and life's little delights, which we tend to take for granted. And Carpenter was really at the top of his game in this high-concept sci-fi drama that pulls at the heartstrings as much as it thrills audiences until finally arriving at its desired and well-earned destination. (Movie Rating: 4.5/5)

For another take on the film, check out Matthew Hartman's review of the 2018 Collector's Edition Blu-ray HERE.

Starman (TV Series)

Although it aired only two years later, the Starman series picks up fifteen years after the events of the film with the alien returning to meet his now-teenage son Scott (Christopher Daniel Barnes) while using the identity of deceased photographer Paul Forrester (Robert Hays). The central premise is the father and son uniting to find the kid's missing mother, Jenny, while also eluding federal agents led by NSA Director George Fox (now played by Michael Cavanaugh), but at heart, the show is really about the alien bonding and forming a relationship with his son. The series follows the standard format of the 1980s where in each episode, as the two protagonists travel cross-country, they find themselves helping strangers in need or with their unique problems. Sadly, the show is rather generic and not particularly memorable with only a few episodes barely mustering some interest. Nevertheless, the 22-episode series makes for a welcomed addition for fans of both Carpenter's film and the show itself. (TV Series Rating: 2.5/5)

Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings John Carpenter's Starman to Ultra HD Blu-ray as a four-disc combo pack with a flyer for a Digital Copy, which grants access to the 4K Dolby Vision HDR version with Dolby Atmos audio. While one triple-layered UHD100 disc containing the film comfortably sits atop a Region Free, BD50 copy with bonus features, two more triple-layered UHD100 discs sit on the opposing panel containing all 22 episodes of the series. All four discs are housed inside a black, eco-elite vortex case with a glossy slipcover. At startup, the UHD disc goes straight to a static main screen with the usual options along the bottom while music plays in the background.

Currently, the package is only available with Sony's Columbia Classics Volume 4 6-film collection which also includes:

His Girl Friday

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner 

Kramer vs. Kramer

Sleepless In Seattle

Punch-drunk Love

Starman (Movie)
Carpenter's sci-fi drama makes a smooth landing on Ultra HD with a stunning, near-reference HEVC H.265 encode thanks to a fresh remaster of the original 35mm camera negatives.

The native 4K transfer boasts significantly sharper details in the clothing, various desert locations and the many vehicles, displaying the fine stitching of the interior of the '77 Chevy Camero and exposing more of the unique features in the rock formations. A spot-on contrast and brightness balance showers the action with vivid, brilliant whites, inky rich blacks and crisp, radiant specular highlights throughout, making the 40-year-old movie look fresh and rejuvenated. The Dolby Vision HDR presentation bathes the visuals in sumptuously animated primaries, particularly the dynamic reds in the clothes, and a lovely, energetic array of secondary hues, from the fiery oranges of the car and explosions to the variety of tans, browns and sepias. Facial complexions appear healthy, true to life and highly revealing, exposing pores, minor wrinkles and negligible blemishes in the cast. Awash in a fine layer of natural grain, the 2.35:1 image is the best the movie has ever looked in any format. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 94/100 or 4.5/5)

Starman (TV Series)
The complete 1986 series arrives with an impressive, highly-detailed 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode, boasting clean, well-defined lines and objects, from the individual leaves and pebbles to the fine stitching in clothes. Close-ups appear healthy and lifelike, revealing the distinct pores and negligible blemishes in the entire cast. A few sequences scattered throughout are slightly less appealing and not as well-resolved with a denser, more noticeable grain structure, which is to be expected for its age and production value. But overall, contrast and brightness balance are largely spot-on with crisp, clean whites, accurately rendered blacks and awash in a thin layer of grain. A vibrant, full-bodied color palette in each episode gives the series a fresh, rejuvenated appearance, making this reviewer wish to see the show in HDR to really make the colors pop. (HD SDR Rating: 86/100 or 4.5/5)

Starman (Movie)

The non-corporeal alien crashes into home theaters with a surprisingly competent and first-class Dolby Atmos soundtrack, presumably from a remaster of the original 70mm 6-track Dolby Stereo mix. Imaging feels broad and spacious with outstanding channel balance, as background activity convincingly and flawlessly pans between the three front channels and into the top height, creating a highly engaging half-dome soundstage. An impressively extensive mid-range displays a great deal of warmth and fidelity while maintaining distinct clarity and definition into the higher frequencies. Dialogue reproduction is precise and well-prioritized at all times, even amid the loudest segments. Rear activity is marvelously busy with excellent directionality as various atmospheric effects smoothly move from one side of the room to the other and across the overheads, from the sounds of the wildlife and traffic to the swarm of helicopters, generating an immersive hemispheric soundfield. A shockingly robust and potent low-end adds an unexpected weight and commanding sense of presence to the action, occasionally rumbling the walls and couch during several scenes. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 90/100 or 4.5/5)

Starman (TV Series)
The show also arrives in a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono soundtrack, which pretty much sounds as would be expected for content that originally aired on television. Nevertheless, the lossless mix exhibits an excellent balance and a strong midrange, displaying great distinction in the higher frequencies without a hint of distortion during the few action sequences. An impressive dialogue reproduction delivers outstanding clarity and intonation in the performances, keeping all the attention and focus in the center at all times. The surrounds are predictably silent, but there is plenty of background activity that comes through clearly, making for a surprisingly good front-heavy presentation. (Audio Rating: 78/100 or 4/5)

For this UHD edition, Sony ports over the same collection of bonus features as previous releases, which are all housed in the Blu-ray copy, but they also throw in the TV series. 

Starman (Movie) Blu-ray Disc

• Audio Commentary with star Jeff Bridges and director John Carpenter
• They Came From Hollywood (HD, 24 min)
• Making-of Featurette (1080i/60, 11 min)
• Behind the Scenes Time Lapse (1080i/60, 10 min)
• Music Video (SD, 4 min)
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 18 min)
• Still Gallery (HD)
• Trailers (HD)

Starman (Series)

• Starman: The Complete TV Series (HD) with all 22 episodes spread across two 4K discs

"Starman is one of my favorite John Carpenter films because it's so different than anything else he made before or since. When you look at most of Carpenter's classics, there is an underlying feeling of cynicism that's either reflexive of society or how the director views the industry he's working in at the time. There isn't that cynicism in Starman. It's optimistic and hopeful for the world and the people in it. With Carpenter's subtle directorial touches and the terrific performances from Bridges and Allen, I feel like this film doesn't get as much credit as it deserves."

Part of Sony's Columbia Classics collection set, the underrated sci-fi drama lands on 4K Ultra HD with a gorgeous Dolby Vision HDR presentation and an outstanding Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The same set of bonuses from previous releases are ported over for this UHD edition, but Sony adds the complete TV series to the package hoping to entice fans to upgrade, making the overall package a Highly Recommended addition to the Carpenter library.

All disc reviews at High-Def Digest are completed using the best consumer HD home theater products currently on the market. More about the gear used for this review.