Dreaming with "Starman"

Poster for the 1984 movie "Starman", another
movie I saw with my sister at the College
Village Mall in Lethbridge.

Love stories can come in many shapes and forms. One of the strangest, and most touching, love stories I saw was the 1984 movie "Starman" starring Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen.

It tells the tale of Jenny Hayden, a widowed woman, played by Karen Allen (not far removed from her role as Marian Ravenwood in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"). She watches a home movie made of her and her late husband, played by Jeff Bridges, sing the song "All I Have to do is Dream". Soon after, an alien seeking to explore Earth lands and assumes the form of her husband. Soon, the government discovers the extraterrestrial visit and begins pursuit.

One of the funniest moments for me is when the Starman is riding with Jenny. She is approaching a green light when it turns yellow, so she hits the gas to make it through the intersection before the light turns red. Later on, the Starman is driving. The light turns yellow and he hits the gas, almost crashing into a car coming from the side.

"What are you doing?" Jenny yells.

"Green means go. Yellow means go faster," Starman replies.

The Starman has only three days to make it to a rendezvous point before he dies, convincing Jenny to take him. Gradually she goes from hostility to love, when she sees his compassion and caring. They make love the day before the rendezvous and Jenny, who was unable to conceive, is told by Starman she is pregnant. Better yet, the baby is Scott's because Starman is a clone of Scott.

On the verge of both capture and death, Starman's people come back for him and he leaves. Jenny asks her to take him with him, but he says she wouldn't survive. Then he's healed and disappears.

Jenny Hayden has now lost the man she loves twice.

Jeff Bridges, who has always been one of my favourite actors, was nominate for an Oscar for best actor his role as the Starman, and two years later, when I was in Grade 12, ABC made Starman into a TV series that lasted one season. Starman returns to Earth 15 years later to spend time with his now teenage son and find Jenny Hayden. Robert Hays took over for Jeff Bridges as Starman.

"Starman" was considered one of the best movies of 1984. Science fiction really is the backdrop for what makes this movie special. At its heart, it's about real people who live, love, and suffer loss. The themes are universal – in any universe.