By now John Carpenter was more or less mainstream and working with the big studios. He had done horror but how would he handle science fiction? And not a comedic take like Dark Star, either.
1977 saw the launch of the Voyager 2 probe into the depths of outer space. On the probe was a message, inviting anyone listening to stop by and say hello.
1984-someone takes them up on the offer.
Out in Wisconsin, Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen) is more or less trying to get on with her life after the death of her husband Scott (Jeff Bridges). Her routine gets interrupted when a massive fireball takes out most of the forest, the result of a jet squad taking out a genuine UFO.
The sole occupant is a ball of light. Zooming out of the crash, the light scans a lock of Scott's hair. Before Jenny's horrified eyes the ball turns to flesh then quickly grows and ages into a near perfect replica of Scott. He says hello.
His only belongings are seven silver balls. He uses the first one to send a message to his people. They tell him to hustle to the extraction point, which happens to be in Arizona. He also needs to be there in three days, as his new form can't last plus they ain't waiting.
Jenny doesn't take this very well but she's soon dragged along by the alien. Her first escape attempt fails but this gets word to some higher ups that there is something off. With the countdown ticking, can this Starman get home in time?
Honestly good. A bit cliché what with the whole 'alien discovers the wonders of Earth bit' which was getting a but long in the tooth by then but the actors more than make up for mothballs in the script.
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