Stardust Memories (1980)
Stardust Memories (1980), written and directed by Woody Allen.
Allen's homage to Fellini's 8½ (1963), or something like it. It is more broadly comic, less intimately autobiographical than the original. Fellini's situations and characters are actually pretty "natural" in their fantasy, where Allen's are a more exaggerated display.
Hard to review because anything you might say has already been satirized in the film. I remember irritation from critics at being preemptively lampooned, to which I say: get a sense of humor. This is probably my favorite Allen film.
Some of this is obviously taken from his life, as when everyone raves about his "earlier funny films", but I wouldn't otherwise presume he is enacting himself here. Always putting himself with beautiful women: he knows it's funny, but neither can he stop.
The women:
Tremendous role for exotic, erratic Charlotte Rampling, last seen in Zardoz (1974), The Night Porter (1974) and Farewell, My Lovely (1975).
A good role for Jessica Harper, last seen in Inserts (1975) and Suspiria (1977).
Sunny, motherly Marie-Christine Barrault. Storming away, she tells him "You like the dark women, the ones who give you trouble".
I can't help loving Amy Wright, the groupie he finds in his bed one night. Last seen in Wise Blood (1979).
Photographed by Gordon Willis. Rich old-time jazz score.
Available on Blu-ray from Twilight Time, although it doesn't have their logo or usual extras, so I think they must just distribute this title.
