Stargazer, a film by Alan McIntyre, truly delves into the idea about what stories get to be told, how they are told, and most importantly for the films case, who gets to tell them? The story follows Grace, an undergraduate student desperate to tell the story of a forgotten astronomer named Cecilia Payne, whose accomplishments were stolen by men and never brought to light as her own. Grace’s journey to share this story is complicated by Spike, a journalist looking to make the story his own, and Diana, a dancer who brings context about Ancient Greece, power, and the role of women to men. These two complicate Grace’s point of view, and makes her choose which she thinks is right, as Diana says in the film, she has to choose whether to “Fuck the man or say fuck you to the man”. Throughout the film, Grace’s journey is a search for clarity, self-discovery, and to find what role people play in telling other stories, and these decisions and answers are all complicated by Diana and Spike’s opposing forces.
There are many ways McIntyre displays these searches for answers and polarity between the three characters in the film, one of which being its sound effects. The film uses sound effects throughout its run to heighten the senses of the viewer and to emphasize certain feelings in the film. The specific effect of thundering clouds for example, is used to show tension and conflict, it is used at the beginning when Grace meets with the two people trying to get them to tell Cecilia’s story, and again when Diana confronts spoke about the girl outside. The sound effect used not only displays the conflict or trouble of the moment but shows Grace’s inner thoughts about these moments as well. Another way the film displays Grace’s inner thoughts is the cut to looking into a telescope, which is shown in moments where Grace is looking for clarity and answers.
These forces are kicked into overdrive when Grace becomes high after accidentally ingesting some pot gummies, and Diana’s induced visions become more detailed and the forces at play are made clearer. Although Grace will want to make her own decision at the film’s conclusion, the people she is faced with lie at two different extremes, none of which they seem to truly believe in. Spike is a character who feeds on over-sexualization, greed and reality, while Diana is a character who believes in individualistic power, myths, and legend. On the surface, this would place Spike as the man trying to steal Cecilia’s story from Grace and make it his own while Diana would want Grace to follow herself and share her story without the influence of the men around her, but it is not as simple as this. Both characters seem to advance from these rigid characterizations, with Spike showing some care for Grace and genuinely doing what he thinks is right, and Diana trying to seduce Spike outside. Both also exhibit deception, lying to Grace in the film’s final confrontation. This shows how Spike and Diana may just be two sides of the same coin, both using deception to achieve what they think is right for Grace. Once Grace realizes this, the true nature of the film is revealed, not one of opposing forces but Grace realizing she needs to make the choice for herself, not for a perceived side of an argument. This realization is what eventually brings Grace clarity and helps her make a confident decision, standing up to the influential forces around her and making a decision she is confident in.
Don't miss Stargazer which gets its New Jersey Premiere at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on Sunday, June 11. The film will be Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 7 PM in Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ. Tickets are available for purchase here. Director Alan McIntyre and many of the cast and crew will be present to do a Q+A after the in-person show.
