Main Cast: Woody Allen, Charlotte Rampling, Marie-Christine Barrault, Jessica Harper, John Rothman, Amy Wright
Release Year: 1980
Country: US
Run Time: 88 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Woody Allen's tenth film as writer/director, Stardust Memories opens with a scene reminiscent of the opening of 8 1/2 and continues to use that film for inspiration. Sandy Bates (Allen) sits in a train at a train station, the car filled with very unhappy looking people. In a train on another set of tracks, Bates sees a wonderful party going on. A beautiful woman blows him a kiss as the happy train pulls out of the station. Bates is a famous film director who has been invited to attend a festival of his work being held at the Stardust hotel. He attends the event, but is ceaselessly harassed by fans who accost him and repel him in equal measure. While consistently hearing the complaints from fans, critics, and even space aliens that his earlier comedies are superior to his dramatic work, Bates juggles a trio of women in his private life. His encounters during the course of the retrospective force Bates to take a long look at himself. Sharon Stone makes one of her first film appearances as the woman who blows Sandy a kiss. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Review
Woody Allen's altar is the art of filmmaking, and Stardust Memories is his crisis of faith. Allen has always used his art to shape and make sense of his reality, but as the film begins, he wonders if he is washed up, an empty vessel, with nothing left to offer that will help ease the suffering in the world. Hence his anger in the face of his loving audience: while Allen cruelly bashes unthinking devotion of the groupie, he also wonders underneath if he has done anything worthy of such unflinching adoration. Allen's follow-up to the beautiful and brilliant Manhattan, Stardust Memories is a similarly gorgeous black and white film (Gordon Willis was cinematographer on both films) which also stands as an homage to Fellini's autobiographical 8 1/2. Told with a mixture of pathos, cynicism and humor, Stardust Memories often divides Woody-philes because the cruel and mocking finger it points at fans and critics indicts Allen's narcissism as much as his insightfulness. However, Allen continues to sprinkle in enough self-deferential humor to ease the sting of his attack. As always, Allen's neuroses infuse his requisite quest for love with a fumbling and bittersweet quality. Allen's ultimate determination that the best way he can serve humanity is "to tell funnier jokes" is not only a great comfort to fans of his comedies, but also Woody's version of a life-affirming statement. ~ Dan Jardine, All Movie Guide
Tony Roberts - Tony; Helen Hanft - Vivian Orkin; Daniel Stern - Actor; Anne de Salvo - Sandy's Sister; Stanley Ackerman - Reporter at Screening; Tony Azito - Fan in Lobby; Gabriel Barre - UFO follower; Roy Brocksmith - Dick Lobel; Ken Chapin - Sandy's Father; Leo Cimino - Sandy's Analyst; Judith Cohen - Friend of Sandy's Sister; Judith Crist - Critic; E. Brian Dean - Police Sergeant Arresting George; Laura Delano - Fan in Lobby; Jordan Derwin - Fan in Lobby; John Doumanian - Armenian Fan; Daniel Friedman - UFO follower; Cynthia Gibb; Michael Goldstein - Question Askers at Screening; Bonnie Hellman - Fan Outside Hotel; Deborah Johnson - Fan in Lobby; Irwin Keyes - Fan Outside Hotel; Howard Kissel - Sandy's Manager; Louise Lasser - Sandy's Secretary; Philip Lenkowsky - Autograph Seeker/Assassin; Renee Lippin - Sandy's Press Agent; Bob Maroff - Jerry Abraham; Irving Metzman - Sandy's Lawyer; Bert Michaels - Fan in Lobby; Eli Mintz - Old Man; Joan Neuman - Sandy's Mother; Frances Pole - Libby; Ann Risley - UFO follower; Jaqui Safra - Sam; Martha Sherrill - UFO follower; Armin Shimerman - Eulogy Audience; Maurice Shrog - Fan in Lobby; Brent Spiner - Fan in Lobby; Sharon Stone - Pretty Girl on train; Victor Truro - Hostility Psychoanalyst; Largo Woodruff - UFO follower; Annie Korzen - Woman in Ice Cream Parlour; David Lipman - George; Kenny Vance - New Studio Executive; Sol Lomita - Sandy's Accountant; Wade Barnes - UFO follower; Sylvia Davis - Hostility Victim; Lisa Friedman - Fan in Lobby; Edward S. Kotkin - Fan in Lobby; Paula Raflo - Fan in Lobby; Benjamin Rayson - Dr. Paul Perlstein; Leslie Smith - Autograph Seeker on Boardwalk; Dimitri Vassilopoulos - Cabaret Patron; Victoria Zussin - Mrs. Payson; Jack Rollins - Studio Executive; Gustave Tassell - Cabaret Patron; Jack Hollander - Cop Arresting Sandy; Barry Weiss - Dancer to 'Three Little Words'; Carl Don - Fan in Lobby; Judith Roberts - Singer of 'Three Little Words'
Credit
Michael Molly - Art Director, Juliet Taylor - Casting, Fredric B. Blankfein - First Assistant Director, Woody Allen - Director, Susan E. Morse - Editor, Charles H. Joffe - Executive Producer, Jack Rollins - Executive Producer, Dick Hyman - Composer (Music Score), Fern Buchner - Makeup, Mel Bourne - Production Designer, Santo Loquasto - Production Designer, Gordon Willis - Cinematographer, Michael Peyser - Production Manager, Robert Greenhut - Producer, Jack Rollins - Producer, Steven Jordan - Set Designer, James J. Sabat - Sound/Sound Designer, Woody Allen - Screenwriter
It is the story of a famous filmmaker Sandy Bates (Allen), who is plagued by fans who prefer his "earlier, funnier movies" to his more recent artistic efforts, while he tries to reconcile his conflicting attraction to two very different women: the earnest, intellectual Daisy (Jessica Harper), and the more maternal Isobel (Marie-Christine Barrault). Meanwhile, he is also haunted by memories of his ex-girlfriend, the mercurial Dorrie (Charlotte Rampling).
Production
The conflict between the maternal, nurturing woman and the earnest, usually younger one, is a recurring theme in Allen's films. Like many of Allen's films, Stardust Memories incorporates several jazz recordings including those by such notables as Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, and Chick Webb. The film's title alludes to the famous alternate take of "Stardust" recorded in 1931 by Armstrong, wherein the trumpeter sings "oh, memory" three times in succession.
This movie deals with issues regarding religion, God, and philosophy; especially existentialism, psychology, symbolism, wars and politics. It is also about realism, relationships, and death. It refers to many questions about the meaning of life for mankind.
Reception
Allen denies that this film is autobiographical and has expressed regret that audiences interpreted it as such.[2] The film sharply divided both audiences and critics, with some Allen fans proclaiming it his best picture and perhaps just as many classing it among his worst.[3][4]
Box Office
Stardust Memories opened in North America on September 26, 1980 to an onslaught of bad reviews. At 29 theatres, it grossed $326,779 ($11,268 per screen) in its opening weekend. The film failed to attract more than Allen's loyal fanbase in the long run, and it grossed a modest $10,389,003 by the end of its run. The film's budget was $10 million, so it likely made a profit after foreign revenue was taken into account.[5]
