STARDUST MEMORIES

US, 1980, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Woody Allen, Charlotte Rampling, Jessica Harper, Marie- Christine Barrault, Tony Roberts, Daniel Stern, Amy Wright, Helen Hanft, John Rothman, Anne De Salvo, Sharon Stone.
Directed by Woody Allen.

Stardust Memories: Annie Hall and Manhattan were critical and box office hits. Interiors and Stardust Memories were not. Certainly here Allen is self-indulgent, egocentric, agonising over his being a celebrity (and mocking the inanities of fans, pseudo-intellectual comment and adulation),castigating himself for his relationships, analysing his career, borrowing from/imitating Bergman but, blatantly, Fellini and his fantasy/autobiography 81/12, smattering his screenplay with anxiety and funny one-liners for which he is famous, acting, directing Charlotte Rampling, Marie Christine Barrault and Jessica Harper. Many critics have said this is bad.
However bad it is, Woody Allen has done it very well indeed!

1. This film’s place in Woody Allen’s canon? At the end of the 70s, his emergence as a top director with Annie Hall and Manhattan? The subsequent films of the 80s? His further career? The critics of the film, the commentary that he was not funny any more? Stardust Memories as an answer to his critics?

2. The influence of Federico Fellini, of La Dolce Vita and 8½? A director reassessing himself and his career? A film about film? The persona of the director, of the actor? The director’s interactions with people, with stars? Going in and out of fashion? The Fellini-like devices, the trains and the train carriages, the parties, the dances? The clowns and grotesques? Insight into the life of a director? Into Woody Allen? The possibilities of new directions after this self-examination?

3. The black and white photography and its tone? The importance of light and shadows? Light and characters? The psychological perspective of the characters, their light and shadow?

4. The music, the themes, the range of songs? The title, Stardust? Cole Porter and other composers?

5. The opening and the mood? The influence of Ingmar Bergman from the time of Interiors? The train – a Fellini train? One carriage going? The grim guard and the other staff? The rubbish dump? Everybody arriving? The introduction to Sandy? The producers, the press, the other members of the industry? The comment on the industry, rewrites, the commercialism and outlook for the film?

6. The background of Sandy Bates, making funny films, people’s comments and response to his funny films? His crisis? The limos and appointments? The charities? The weekend and retrospect?

7. The scenes of his films, song and dance, the id and the monster? The pursuit of the monster, and the later reference to The Fan? Close Encounters? The end with the different characters?

8. Sandy, the conference, the questions? The insertion of Woody Allen’s cabaret-style stand-up, his jokes? The fans and their range? Charity, personal, academic etc?

9. Sandy and his relationship to Dorrie? Her presence? Charlotte Rampling and her particular beauty, coolness? The tableau? The relationship, the food, meeting on the scene, the easy rapport? The scenes from the films? The photos, flattering and unflattering? Two days good and twenty-eight days bad? The discussions with Tony? The finale, happiness, Dorrie on the floor, the collage of pictures of Charlotte Rampling?

10. Jessica Harper as Daisy, a different kind of woman, her presence, her boyfriend? The drink, the discussions, sharing? Her sexy nature, good company? Accompanied with balloons? The farewell? The discussion with Isobel?

11. Isobel, her French background, children, husband? Coming to the United States? The outing, the rapport with Sandy, hurt, the relationship, leaving? At the end?

12. Sandy and his issues with women, the different types of women? The younger women? Relationships and commitment? His inability to follow up? The women and their leaving?

13. The character of Tony, the discussions about films, acting, the discussions?

14. The groupie, her husband, following Sandy?

15. The weekend, the issues of films, the different types, the questions, Sandy’s remarks, the types involved in the discussion?

16. The comedy and the laughs, the cracks, wit, the arrest of the driver, the balloons…?

17. The visuals of the train, the people, the balloons? The importance of the visual style for insight into Sandy and his film-making?

18. Happiness, Dorrie, the food, paper, Armstrong?

19. This film in Woody Allen’s career, the satiric aspects, his critique of the critics, of the public? The possibilities of new directions for his future?