Rachel Griffin picks 5 movies to pair with ‘The Sun and the Starmaker’
In Pairings, artists and creators pick the movies that complement their latest work.
Rachel Griffin is the author of The Nature of Witches, Wild is the Witch, and Bring Me Your Midnight. Her latest novel The Sun and the Starmaker is out on February 17 wherever you get your books!
We asked Rachel to pick a few movies that pair well with The Sun and the Starmaker.
Beauty and the Beast
I have to start here. I’ve adored Beauty and the Beast since I was a young girl, relating to Belle’s love of books with my entire soul, so it only makes sense that similar elements made their way into one of my novels. Enchanted castle? Check. A tragic secret? Check. Girl removed from her normal life and forced into an entirely new one? Check. Beauty and the Beast is a classic for a reason, and while you’ll see echoes of it in The Sun and the Starmaker, the book is very much its own story.
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
The 2005 Pride & Prejudice is my comfort watch. I’ve seen it dozens of times and it never gets old, so imagine my delight when I started getting tagged in early reviews saying that the Starmaker (the male main character in The Sun and the Starmaker) is very Mr. Darcy coded. That wasn’t intentional on my part, but I do love a reserved, aloof hero. Also add in a stubborn main character with a love of books, and this movie pairs perfectly with Starmaker.
Howl’s Moving Castle
This movie is an absolute delight the whole way through, in large part due to how very whimsical it is. From the castle itself to Calcifer the fire demon, Diana Wynne Jones’ novel lends itself perfectly to the whimsical aesthetic that Studio Ghibli films are known for. The film explores some heavier themes, but the whimsy provides a sense of wonder that lasts throughout the length of the film.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
While this movie is different in plot and tone from The Sun and the Starmaker, the two share some strong themes, particularly around the power of storytelling. The movie is, in many ways, a love letter to books, giving it that cozy warmth that tends to stem from loving stories. The film is beautiful and another great contender for your “comfort watch” list.
Frozen
I’d be remiss not to mention Frozen, with its magical, wintry setting! The Sun and the Starmaker is set in an isolated mountain village beyond the reach of the sun, trapping it in an endless winter that is both magical and brutal—similar to Frozen’s North Mountain. This is the perfect movie to curl up under a blanket with and drink hot chocolate, and the themes of sisterly love and self-acceptance make it particularly heartwarming.