Blu-Ray Review: “Starry Eyes” Is A Nightmarish Tinseltown Tale

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Walk down the streets of Hollywood and you’ll see scores of attractive, wannabe actors and filmmakers serving you coffee, grub, and liquor at every corner. New to Blu-ray and DVD, Starry Eyes (98 minutes, MPI) takes that environment to the nth degree, as Tinseltown’s bottom feeding underbelly is witnessed through the desperate “eyes” of Sarah Walker (Alex Essoe, delivering a stunning performance).

Tired of waitressing at a dead end job and exasperated with her slacker friends, Walker is determined to make it in show business, even if it means sacrificing her sanity in the process. After landing a soul crunching audition from a shady production company, Walker is offered a Faustian bargain which ensures a meaty leading part.

Getting the job may be a dream come true, but Walker’s gradual mental and physical deterioration reaches horrific levels, as her benefactors’ deathly grip on her life leads to an inevitable transformation.

If you’re a fan of the David Lynch Los Angeles noir masterpiece Mulholland Falls or just love creepy, unsettling thrillers (Jonathan Snipes’ mesmerizing music score is also a highlight), Starry Eyes definitely fits the bill.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

1. Commentary with co-directors Kevin Kolsh & Dennis Widmyer, and producer Travis Stevens.
2. 10 Deleted Scenes (11:37) – Most of these scenes were understandably cut from the film, as the directors obviously wanted to retain the flick’s lean, 98-minute running time. Since most of the narrative deals on Sarah Walker’s perceptions of reality, there is an earthquake sequence that’s worth a look.
3. Jonathan Snipes Music Video (2:28) – A must for audio geeks, as viewers get a peek inside Snipes’ music studio as he creates a track for the movie.
4. Alex Essoe Audition Video (13:52) – Features Alex Essoe’s two auditions for Starry Eyes. Ironically, some of the scariest moments from the film come from Sarah Walker’s auditions, and seeing Essoe trying to land the role for her own auditions is a sight to behold (see the movie first before launching this special feature).
5. Behind The Scenes Photo Gallery
6. Trailer

During my interview with Alex Essoe, she talked about how she connected to Sarah Walker sans any judgement:

Starry Eyes is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Last but not least, here’s some filmmaking advice from Starry Eyes directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer: