Stardust – We Saw the Paramount 4K Blu-ray Edition

Directed by Matthew Vaughn, Stardust combines the epic scope of fantasy with the lightness of a romantic fairy tale, finding an unusual balance between magic, adventure, and irony. Based on the illustrated novel by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, the film tells the story of Stormhold, a kingdom full of intrigue, where stars walk and ships sail the skies.

Tristan (Charlie Cox) is a young man in love willing to do anything to win over the beautiful and superficial Victoria (Sienna Miller). His search for a fallen star leads him to meet Yvaine (Claire Danes), a luminous celestial creature who will change his destiny forever. Opposing the two protagonists are the witch Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), thirsty for eternal youth, and the cruel Septimus (Mark Strong), determined to seize the throne.

Visual quality improves, but reservations remain

The film does not shy away from dark moments, with a gothic touch reminiscent of fairy tales in their most authentic version. However, the tone lightens thanks to eccentric characters like Captain Shakespeare, played by a surprising Robert De Niro, in one of the most disorienting and amusing performances of his career. Visually striking, it's an adult fairy tale that isn't afraid to mix darkness and light.

Shot analog (Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL) on 35mm negative at unspecified ASA sensitivity, technical information reports a 2K master, meaning this edition has upscaled video. Image format 2.40:1 (3840 x 2160/23.97p), HEVC encoding on a BD-66 dual layer disc. The visual quality is rather uneven.

The level of detail and grain fluctuate from scene to scene, between moments rich in detail and natural grain, and others with a visual quality that is too soft and lacks definition, where grain mixes with background digital noise (for example, in the interrogation scene from minute 61'). Bitrate is sometimes very low, raising doubts about an inconsistent HD source. The real advantage is Dolby Vision, the chromatic extension, the lower dynamic compression of highlights, deeper blacks, and colorimetric richness impossible to achieve with the old 2K Blu-ray edition, which had less sharp details.

The Italian Dolby Digital 5.1 track is sufficient (640 kbps), at least partially favoring the soundtrack. The original DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (24 bit) has reference transitions and often overwhelming dynamics, the only one capable of transporting you to the heart of the adventure. No extras on the UHD disc; the BD-50 with the 2K edition re-proposes the same content as before: audio commentary by director Matthew Vaughn and screenwriter Jane Goldman; 5-part making-of; behind-the-scenes with novelist Neil Gaiman and illustrator Charles Vess; 5 deleted scenes; 5 minutes of on-set bloopers, and trailer. Italian subtitles included.