Stardust Memories

Infobox_Film
name = Stardust Memories


image_size = 200px
caption= original film poster
director = Woody Allen
producer = Charles Joffe
writer = Woody Allen
starring = Woody Allen
Charlotte Rampling
Tony Roberts
distributor = United Artists
released = September, 1980
runtime = 91 min
language = English
imdb_id = 0081554
music =
awards =
budget = |$10,000,000cinematography = Gordon Willis
editing = Susan E. Morse

"Stardust Memories" is a 1980 film written and directed by Woody Allen. Allen considers this to be one of his best films in addition to "The Purple Rose of Cairo" and "Match Point". [cite book | first= Eric |last= Lax |authorlink= Eric Lax |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/books/review/Kamp-t.html |title=Conversations With Woody Allen |ISBN= 0-3754-1533-5 |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf |year=2007] Considered by some to be an homage to "8½" by Federico Fellini, the film is shot in black-and-white in the style of Fellini's surrealist films of the 1960s.

It is the story of a famous filmmaker, played by 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) while being haunted by memories of his ex-girlfriend, the mercurial Dorrie (Charlotte Rampling). The conflict between the maternal, nurturing woman and the earnest, usually younger one, is a recurring theme in Allen's films. It was nominated for a Writers Guild of America award for "Best Comedy written directly for screen".

Like many of Allen's films, "Stardust Memories" incorporates several jazz recordings and includes classic performances by such jazz notables as Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, and Chick Webb.

Cast

The film featured Woody Allen, Charlotte Rampling, Jessica Harper, Marie-Christine Barrault, Daniel Stern, Tony Roberts, Amy Wright, Judith Roberts, and Helen Hanft.

Among the extended cast members were an ingenue named Sharon Stone, in her first film appearance; a young Brent Spiner, later famous as Data on ""; Laraine Newman of "Saturday Night Live" fame; and Allen's ex-wife Louise Lasser.

Controversy

Allen denies that this film is autobiographical and regrets that audiences interpreted it as such. [cite book | last=Nichols |first=Mary P. |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=FpEAaYF0jqEC&pg=PA4&lpg=PA4&dq=%22stardust+memories%22+%2B%22allen+denies%22&source=web&ots=pbsO1Mxo-U&sig=LArMV_Bcv9i13WDX_1PqoQsW6zg |title = Reconstructing Woody: Art, Love, and Life in the Films of Woody Allen |page= 4 |ISBN= 0-8476-8990-5 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=1998]

The film sharply divided both audiences and critics, and to this day it provokes strong reactions, with some Allen fans proclaiming it his best picture and perhaps just as many classing it among his worst. [cite news |first=Janet |last=Maslin |authorlink=Janet Maslin |title= The Acid Humor of Woody Allen's 'Stardust Memories' |url=http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B02EFD81238F935A1575AC0A966948260 |work=The New York Times |date= September 26, 1980 ] [cite web |title= Stardust Memories: About the DVD |url=http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/46653/Stardust-Memories/dvd |publisher= "The New York Times" |accessdate=2008-02-16]

Box office

"Stardust Memories" opened in North America on September 26, 1980 to on 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 Woody 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. [cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=stardustmemories.htm |title=Stardust Memories |publisher=Box Office Mojo |accessdate=2008-02-16]

References

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External links

*imdb title|id=0081554|title=Stardust Memories