"Dreams require sacrifice...and so do they."
Truth be told, other than seeing it's superb retro styled poster by Jay Shaw (pictured above), I knew absolutely nothing else about Starry Eyes other than "girl trying to make it in Hollywood and things go bad" prior to my first viewing. I will always stand by the opinion that the best way to watch a film is to go in knowing as little about it as possible. I generally always prefer teaser trailers over full trailers, especially for the smaller films which sometimes have to bank on their money shots to help sell to an audience that is already skeptical when it comes to lower budgeted projects. I mention this because while Starry Eyes slipped under my radar somehow, that fact though definitely added to the excitement of finally getting to watch it. Starry Eyes ended up being my favorite horror film of 2014. However that is not to say I came to this conclusion instantly. Upon that first viewing I definitely liked it, and plenty of things that caused it to become the years favorite were there, but I really wasn't sure how much I liked it. Still it turned out to be one of those films that sticks with you long after you watch it which made me eager to revisit it. After the second viewing I knew that it would end up being in the tops for the year, then when time came to make our best of year list, it ended up coming out on top along with The Guest. The Guest certainly has horror roots and themes but for me isn't truly a horror film. That left Starry Eyes at the top for me. What I want to do here is highlight some of the reasons this film struck a chord with me because I feel it is a film worth talking about.
Please be warned that there are Major Spoilers below which I normally hate to do however in order to fully discuss the merits of this film in the depth I want to it is necessary. I highly recommend watching the film first before reading on.
1. The Performance by Alex Essoe as Sarah
Starry Eyes tells the story of Sarah Walker, a determined yet struggling actress who has been doing her best to juggle her day job at "Big Taters" fast food restaurant and the demands of chasing her dream of becoming a star in the cutthroat world of Hollywood. Sarah gets more than she bargained for when she auditions for a role in a horror film being produced by the fictional Astraeus Pictures. As you can guess things don't go as she hoped, in more ways than one. So as with any film, it is only as good as it's lead, Alex Essoe (who has done minor roles here and there as far as I can tell from researching online) breathes life into a character who in hands of a lesser actress, could have been very one dimensional and nowhere near as compelling. What's interesting is one of the biggest compliments I can give to Alex's performance is her willingness to fully physically transform herself in order to give the role what it requires. That directly mirrors the dilemma faced by her character Sarah in the film. Do all that is asked of you to land a star making role, regardless of the suffering that comes with it. Not all actresses would sacrifice their vanity for a role, yet here Essoe willingly undergoes the transformation from her own model-esque beauty to a deteriorating almost rotting corpse motif, the makeup FX Essoe endures here is borderline Brundle Fly levels of grotesqueness. While her receptiveness to the physical makeup aspect of the role is extremely impressive, it would be nothing without the wide range of emotions she has on display here. She runs the full gamut of emotions throughout the film, Paranoia, Insecurity, Sickness, Fear, Pain, Horror, Anger, Sorrow are all touched upon and it is in the subtle moments of emotion throughout the film that Essoe shines brightest. While Starry Eyes is well written throughout, without Alex's star making turn here, this film would be nowhere near as successful in telling it's story as it is. Just as her character Sarah does in the film, Alex Essoe gives her everything to a role in a horror film and comes out of it as one of Hollywood's most promising new talents.
2. The Struggle is real.
By now we have all seen plenty of films about "The Struggle". The Struggling artist, the struggling musician, the struggling athlete and of course we have had more than enough of the struggling actor trying to make it in Hollywood. Still none have ever felt quite as authentic as Starry Eyes does. I can't claim to be an expert or know the acting struggle first hand. However I have spoken with more than a few people who live in L.A. and Hollywood and all have stated that this nails what it is like to be one in a sea of thousands trying to "live the dream". What Starry Eyes writer/directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer have done here is not only give us an insightful look at what aspiring actors and filmmakers go through on a daily basis ( or not go through depending on how hard they hit the pavement) but they have also delivered a very smart commentary on the very nature of the film industry and how it prays upon the desires of those wishing to be a part of it. I could probably write an entire article about just this aspect of the film and how it sheds light on the darker side of show business. The entire angle of selling your soul to make it in Hollywood is addressed literally and figuratively here. To someone just watching the movie without really paying attention they may not pick up on the metaphorical comparison between the two. It is this comparison that should be so obvious yet it is handled so well here that it is never TOO obvious or eye roll inducing. It works. It takes the whole concept to a place that is as horrific and outlandish as it is brutally honest and real. Remove the supernatural and horror elements and the film works just as well as a compelling cautionary tale. Still it is those supernatural and horror elements that make Starry Eyes so much fun, well fun might not be the best word, because this brings us to our next point.
3. Oh The Horror.
While the pacing of Starry Eyes may not be everyone's cup of tea, it's slower approach to building to it's climax serves it well. By the time it goes full on horror film it pulls no punches. I've likened it to another one of my favorites, Ti West's "House of the Devil" in that regard.Extreme gorehounds may be turned off by the fact it takes long to get to the gore bits, but everyone else should be satisfied with what is presented here. Starry Eyes is first and foremost a body horror film, and Sarah's horrific transformation is as gruesome as they come. On first watch it definitely left me wincing. The makeup by SOTA FX that highlights Sarah's deterioration/Transformation is superbly executed and visually disturbing. Anyone who has ever laid in bed while sick and has said to themselves "oh man I'm dying" will instantly relate. I personally can recall far too many times in my life where a flu put me on the bathroom floor for the night in full despair, this is the horror version of that feeling. While it wears its body horror on its sleeve, the film also features a very well orchestrated slasher-esque home invasion scene where Sarah unleashes carnage upon her so called friends. I know I stated there would be spoilers in this article, but this is one part I refuse to elaborate on because the impact of it would be lessened, just know the blood flows in impressive fashion here and everyone who HAS seen the film knows exactly what I am referring to. It's a grim and brutal sequence of events to say the least, I only wish it went on for a bit longer. As mentioned before Starry Eyes touches on a myriad of moral themes throughout, and its horror themes are no different as it is home to psychological, body, supernatural, ritualistic and slasher horror elements. All of these come together naturally due to the well told story making Starry Eyes a very versatile horror film with something that will assuredly get beneath the viewers skin.
4. The Music of Johnathan Snipes
Anyone that knows me knows I love horror scores and always have. Ever since I was a kid and my dad would make me horror music mixtapes for Halloween featuring tracks from such films as Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, and others I have been heavy films scores. Horror films have always been tied to their scores, more so i'd say than any other type of film. A good score elevates it, a bad one can ruin it. In the last few years movies such as Maniac, Under the Skin and The Guest benefited greatly from their sonic counterparts. Starry Eyes is no different. Johnathan Snipes provides a synth heavy score with a touch of child like wonder that fits like a glove. It is the heartbeat of the film and adds a layer that a more traditional score would not have achieved. In listening to the commentary the directors stated they originally wanted to go with a more orchestral score and Johnathan convinced them to go with his concept of less traditional music. I am an admitted synth music addict so I am glad they decided to trust him. Everyone I have spoken to about the film comments on the merits of the music. I remember being excited as soon as I heard that synth first creep into the film and build from there on out. I can't imagine Starry Eyes with a different score and I am glad I don't have to. Waxwork Records seemed to feel the same as they'll be releasing the score on vinyl soon enough. Snipes music is once again proof of how important a score is to a horror film in enhancing it's themes and atmosphere. It is a truly great experience when the two perfectly compliment each other. Starry Eyes soundscape matches it's rather stylish look perfectly.
5. It's got the look.
I am a big believer that style in a film goes a long way, you absolutely have to have substance, but just as music can elevate a film, a sense of style can take it to new heights. Looking back at my list of best horror films of 2014, The Remake/Sequel of "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" made that list based mostly for it's stylish visuals and creative shots. Superficial? maybe, but hey it's my list and I'm a sucker for some style. I have already discussed Starry Eyes other merits such as the story and acting, when those are in place, you have a solid picture already, when you add to that a layer of finishing touches that visually help tell your story, you have something special. Starry Eyes has a gloomy look to it, that fits the mood of the film perfectly. It's stylish and feels slightly retroish (that can't be a word) at times but still has a very natural lit look to it. Hollywood and California are generally portrayed in films as the sunny paradise of every actors dreams, however here the bleakness of the characters reality is reflected by the ominous clouds and dark stormy skies above Los Angeles. You really never get a sunny sky in the film until the end when things...well, change for Sarah and thats the point. Every visual in the film was thought out and taken into account so that it reflected the story as well as just for a lack of better terminology, looked really cool.
For more on the look of Starry Eyes I would recommend checking out this really solid interview with the films cinematographer Adam Bricker over at Deep Fried Movies where he details alot of the process and techniques used to achieve the look of the film.
In the end Starry Eyes had plenty going for it across the board. I always enjoy when a film catches me by surprise to take a spot in my favorites, and now Starry Eyes has joined the ranks of the movies I will tell everyone to watch when they ask for a recommendation. I look forward to watching it with friends who haven't seen it yet just to see their reactions and be able to discuss it afterwards. It sticks with you and keeps you thinking about it long after you've watched it and that is always the sign of a great horror film.
