Starry Eyes Blu-Ray Review
Blu-Ray Review- Starry Eyes
Distributor: Dark Sky Films/MPI Home Video
Street Date: February 3rd 2015
Technical Specifications: 1080P Video, Color, 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio, 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Runtime: 96 Minutes
Starry Eyes (Dark Sky Films)
The Film:
Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Starry Eyes is a Cronenbergian Horror Fantasy centered on the dark side of Hollywood and the depths of despair one woman puts herself through to achieve stardom. It’s a haunting and unnerving fable with an incredible breakout performance from Alex Essoe, a brilliantly composed score from Jonathan Snipes, and plenty of chilling images and memorable gross-out moments that will be difficult to shake.
In the film, Alex Essoe plays Sarah, an aspiring actress who works at Big Taters (a clever Hooters-esque salute) by day and attends acting classes and auditions by night. Sarah lives with her roommate Tracy (Amanda Fuller), the only friend in her life that appears supportive of her aspirations in a group full of wannabe filmmakers and toxic females seeking to bring Sarah down with passive-aggressive commentary on her dream-seeking goals.
Sarah’s life seemingly changes for the better when she auditions for an upcoming Horror film titled The Silver Scream from Astraeus Pictures, but even when she completely nails the audition with a solid performance and complete line memorization, she fails to impress the casting directors. Fed up with her apparent failure, Sarah throws a messy, banshee-crying, hair-pulling fit in the bathroom of the building, only to be overheard by the female casting director, who invites her back to the audition room to have a similar meltdown.
Sarah receives a callback, and this time the casting directors want to film her naked on camera, and a subsequent callback allows her to meet the owner of Astraeus Pictures, but Sarah finally has had enough when he propositions her for the lead role in exchange for sexual favors. At first, Sarah is disgusted and repelled by the man, but soon believes that she has made a mistake and asks for a second chance at stardom, even if it involves degrading her self-worth. When Sarah awakens the next morning, she’s a changed woman, but not anywhere close to the way she expected. As Sarah begins to rot from the inside out, we learn the true intentions behind the sadistic folks at Astraeus Pictures.
I hesitate to say anything more about Starry Eyes and allow you, the prospective viewer, to enjoy it in all of its macabre glory. As a lover of classic Horror, I’m always a little skeptical going into modern day genre offerings, but the filmmakers behind Starry Eyes have crafted a truly eerie and methodically unnerving film that comes highly recommended. Alex Essoe, in particular, turns in a performance that is impressively raw and realistic (even in a fantasy scenario) and deserves every accolade she has received. Despite an ending that, in my opinion, goes a bit overboard with the gore for a film that had been stylishly creepy until that point, Starry Eyes is the first modern Horror film in some time that has captured both my attention and admiration.
Video Quality:
This Blu-Ray edition from Dark Sky Films features a very strong video presentation with deep black levels, authentically gritty visuals respecting the theatrical source print, and no signs of digital scrubbing or unwanted artifacts. Well done!
Audio Quality:
The 5.1 DTS-HD audio track regularly balances dialogue, the wonderfully eerie musical score from Jonathan Snipes, and background sound design with ease, making for a terrific home audio experience. The score reminds me of some of John Carpenter’s wonderful soundtracks over the years, and sounds great in HD surround.
Special Features:
Dark Sky Films has provided fans of Starry Eyes with select bonus features to accompany this Blu-Ray release. Here’s a breakdown of what’s included:
- Commentary- Writer/Director’s Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kolsch along with Producer Travis Stevens sit down for this insightful commentary that offers behind-the-scenes anecdotes including how the concept and story came together, production locales and their intentions, and much more.
- Deleted Scenes- Some random deleted scenes that were definitely better left on the cutting room floor as they wouldn’t have added much to a picture that flows rather smoothly in the final product. There’s a scene with Sarah’s room shaking as she wakes up from a dream, Sarah driving with Tracy in her car, some party moments and drunken discussions, Sarah jogging, an extended audition callback, more jogging, Sarah leaving the Astraeus Pictures’ owner’s house, some extended vomiting and lip-pealing, and more.
- Jonathan Snipes Music Video- Not your typical music video, but some intercut scenes of Jonathan Snipes mixing the score on his computer along with footage from the film.
- Alex Essoe Audition Video- An impressive audition tape from Alex Essoe who seemed like a natural fit for the role right from the start.
- Behind-the-Scenes Photo Gallery- Nearly ten minutes of behind-the-scenes photos from the making of the film.
- Trailer- The theatrical trailer from the film.
The Packaging:
As you can see from the “Unboxing” pictures below, this Blu-Ray edition from Dark Sky Films features some creepy cover artwork that gives potential viewers just a hint of insight into the subject matter of the film. On the reverse of the packaging you’ll find a brief plot synopsis, along with a list of special features and technical specifications. The simple matte finish disc design mimics the cover of the Blu-Ray edition, and there is also some reversible artwork for those interested.
Starry Eyes (reverse)
Starry Eyes (interior)
Final Report:
As a classic Horror aficionado, I’m always a little skeptical going into modern day genre offerings, but the filmmakers behind Starry Eyes have crafted a truly eerie and methodically unnerving film that comes highly recommended. This Cronenbergian Horror fantasy from Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer is a haunting and unnerving fable with an incredible breakout performance from Alex Essoe, a brilliantly composed score from Jonathan Snipes, and plenty of chilling images and memorable gross-out moments that will be difficult to shake. The Blu-Ray edition from Dark Sky Films features a very solid video and audio presentation along with some fun special features for fans of the film. Highly Recommended!
Yours Truly,
Doctor Macabre
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