Flags and Emblems in Starman 1984

Flags at the UN on the Voyager Probe
Starman 1984

Starman was cosmic romance between an Earthling woman and a 'male' alien who took the corporal form of her dead husband. Very strange indeed, but in the tradition of Star Trek this film is very much a social commentary on the human condition and human heart.


Wide Load Flag
Starman 1984

The orange automotive wide load flag is often overlooked as flag. But it is an important communicative flag. Not a red flag to symbolize social revolution, but a reddish flag of warning.





Orange Wideload Flag
Starman 1984

The wide load flag appearing behind the 'Starman' played by Jeff Bridges. The show would touch many hearts in America and even spawn off a short lived television series. The Starman TV show apparently took place in a parallel dimension relative to the original movie.





North Carolina Tar Heels School Pennant
Starman 1984

Here our heroes spend some time at a Holiday Inn in Nebraska. Apparently the Tar Heels from North Carolina have just stuck it to Nebraska.





Native American Flags
Starman 1984

Notice the Native American vexilloid at the Arizona gift shop near the famous Barringer crater near Winslow, Arizona. It was 50,000 years ago that this cosmic landmark was made upon the Earth. But in 1984 it became a temporary home for Hollywood movie makers.





Arizona Police Badge
Starman 1984

The police badge of the Arizona troopers is reflective of the state flag.













US Flag
painted on a bus

The US flag appears on the side of a bus during the Starman's encounter with some Arrogant American Bozos.









76ers Emblem
Starman 1984

The emblem of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team makes a quick cameo in Starman 1984. The Sixers are dodging the bullet rather effectively. Eleven years later the Washington, Bullets would change their name to the Washington, Wizards in 1995 due to the association of bullets with gun violence.

Nebraska Flag in Starman 1984

Nebraska Flag
blurred in the background of the Truck Stop

Starman 1984 was science-fiction romance akin to a mature version of E.T. This film starred Jeff Bridges as the 'starman' who comes to earth at human request for greater understanding yet is treated with fear, paranoia, and as a prize by government officials.

The only state flag to make an appearance in Starman is Nebraska at BOWDARKS BUS STOP. Although its cameo is short and very blurry. Without a doubt it is one flag well known to Nebraska officials.

Mansfield Nebraska Police Badge
notice Nebraska state emblem

Nebraska is something of a junction in American Consciousness. Most people were passing through to get to the West Coast - likewise in Starman the visitor from beyond Earth passes through Nebraska on a west bound destination.

But little do most people know, that many of the yummies that fills their tummies come from Nebraska. If Kansas is the Heart of America, then Nebraska is the All American Tummy. If you can make Nebraskans happy you're basically 'rubbing the tummy' America. And if you do it well, the USA will roll over and waggle its legs.

Scene at Bowdarks
just the lower corner of Nebraska's flag is visible

The Original American Fun Zone - Willow Grove Park, PA

Willow Grove Park Pennant

One of the original leisure parks of America stems from Willow Grove Park, Pennsylvania. Willow Grove is about 15 minutes away from Philadelphia in Montgomery County.

But Montgomery County's maiden name is Philadelphia. What I mean is, before Montgomery County was given its own independent name it was originally a part of Philadelphia County - until the beginning of the American Revolution.



Some time after the Civil War - John Phillip Sousa adopted it as his stage for patriotic band music. After a brief stint in the circus - Sousa became the military penultimate music man in the Marines.

Willow Grove during its Victorian Heyday was like something of the 'chalk park' in Marry Poppins, dotted with a few rides and stages for performances.









It was about the time when out of control spoiled teens took over America, that amusement parks went less than friendly. But that only partly explains why Willow Grove was converted into a Shopping Mall. Unfortunately hordes of spoiled teens - usually caused by poor parenting or exhausted parents who work too much - often make venues like Willow Grove less than family friendly, as spoiled teens have a tendency for cursing, necking, smoking and obnoxious shouting.



Also back in the day when things were black and white - pennants were the it flag of fun and showmanship. If you were male and grew up before colour TV - chances are your room was decorated with these triangular vexilloids.

Wave Your Flag Song

A great song for Vexillologists around the world. The chorus involves the chant, "WAVE YOUR FLAG."