The music is comprised of jazz selections which perfectly compliment the tone and style of the filmmaking. This is a beautiful film and one which really brings to mind the best of the new wave cinema. One of the best aspect of the film's visual success is the cinematography by Gordon Willis ( The Godfather, Annie Hall), which presents fantastic, lush black and white cinematography that is perfectly reminiscent of the great Italian and French cinema of the 60's and 70's. Costume designs by Santo Loquasto ( Blue Jasmine, Bullets over Broadway) contribute to the artistic success of the film with great style. The production design by Mel Bourne ( Manhattan, The Fisher King) is excellent and adds to the authentic style of filmmaking. It's interesting in the filmography of Allen as his films have gradually become more serious over the course of his career (and have become more accepted by audiences for having a mixture of comedy and drama over time).įrom a production standpoint, Stardust Memories is fantastic all around. (Bates is even visited by aliens during the film who also agree that he should "tell better jokes" if he wants to help aid society.)Īllen's trying to find a way to transition towards dramatic storytelling: to move away from his history of slapstick stand-up comedy. It's as though Allen himself was getting sick of telling jokes. Bates wants to be more than a "comedian who tells jokes" but that's all that Bates thinks his fans want from him. Sandy Bates is a filmmaker questioning his worth as an artist: he strives for finding meaning in life and relevance in art. After creating several hits in preceding years with Manhattan (1979), Annie Hall (1977), and Love and Death (1975), fans were surprised by his growing turn away from making comedies (most especially from his Bergman-inspired Interiors). Stardust Memories marks a turning point in the filmmaker's career. Allen's more critical of himself as a filmmaker than he is of his fan base. Ironically, Allen's basically making an argument for his own eccentricities.
At the time, some fans must have considered it insulting because he presents his fans as largely eccentric. The film was met with some critical disdain and disappointment from some of Allen's biggest fans. Yet the film pokes fun at this as well (as a character says during the film: "What's the symbolism for the Ferrari?" and receives the response of "It symbolizes his car!") The film has some interesting symbolic imagery throughout: the move from comedy icons on Sandy Bates walls to more serious icons (suggesting Allen's own transition towards drama). One of the interesting things about Stardust Memories is it's metaphorical aspect. Like Fellini's 8 1/2 the film intertwines the relationships of the filmmaker with the artistic side of creation. Bates considers his work while at the festival and what it is he wants out of life as an artist.ĭuring the retrospective, Bates reflects on the loves of his life and how they have inspired him: Dorrie (Charlotte Rampling), a neurotic and passionate lover whom he regrets no longer being with, Isobel (Marie-Christine Barrault), a more sensible former-girlfriend (but whom he wasn't as enamored with as Dorrie), and Daisy (Jessica Harper), a festival attendee whom he starts to fall for during the retrospective.
He also encounters some interesting characters like Tony (Tony Roberts) and an actor (Daniel Stern) who wants to break into movies. He meets a plethora of fans (all of whom are presented as being oddballs and eccentrics). He's currently working on a new film (which all of his producers consider "pretentious", "overdone", and not as good as his "funny ones"). Sandy Bates (Woody Allen) is a director who is attending a retrospective on his past works. Joffe ( Annie Hall, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Manhattan) and Jack Rollins ( Radio Days, Broadway Danny Rose, Magic in the Moonlight). Stardust Memories is produced by Robert Greenhut ( Annie Hall, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Big) and it is executive produced by Charles H. The film focuses upon a filmmaker reflecting on both his work as a director and the many loves of his life (and how these relationships have inspired him). It's a film clearly inspired and modeled by the masterpiece of Italian cinema 8 1/2 by Federico Fellini. Originally met with disdain by many fans of the filmmaker, the film has garnered a better reputation over time. Stardust Memories Twilight Time Blu-ray Review Stardust Memories is a drama (with some comedic elements left intact) by "former" comedy-maestro Woody Allen.
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