Stardust Memories

Mr. Allen denies adamantly that "Stardust Memories" is in any way autobiographical. He does take up the issues presented in "8 1/2": fans' demands, critics' demands, life's demands. But Sandy Bates (the main character, played by Woody Allen) is sympathetic, unlike the oppressively narcissistic Guido. I think that's because Allen peeks through all his characters and, despite all Mr. Allen's faults, he remains a sympathetic person.

Charlotte Rampling plays Dorrie, Bates's muse, and Jessica Harper and Marie-Christine Barrault play love interests of Bates. Allen and cinematographer Gordon Willis do particularly well by Ms. Rampling. Hidden away in small parts are Laraine Newman, Louise Lasser, Daniel Stern, Brent Spiner, Sharon Stone, Judith Crist, and various executives in Allen's life. According to IMDB, Lasser and Allen were divorced when the movie was made, and the character of Dorrie is based on Louise Lasser. (Yikes. "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" was a documentary!)

There are other Woody Allen movies that I like better, and if you watch this, I'd recommend watching "8 1/2" just before "Stardust Memories." Some of the references Allen makes are obvious, and some are subtle (Dorrie being his mother in a beach scene, for example). The movie is definitely a fantasy, with the theme of the movie being presented in a non-linear fashion. Woody Allen has said that the 'reality' ends when Bates is looking at the dead rabbit in his kitchen. Up until then, the movie is what is really going on in Bates's life; after the camera shows the dead rabbit, the rest of the movie is Bates's reverie on what's going on in his life -- it is not really happening. I missed this totally the first time I saw "Stardust Memories," and having read Allen's comment about this, the meanings of the scenes we see change.

I consider "8 1/2" to be a much more visual movie. Much of what goes on in Woody Allen's movies is interior monologues that he brings to the surface as speeches, most of them neurotic. Fellini draws a clearer demarcation on what are Guido's fantasies and memories than Allen does, and Fellini _shows_ us more of what is going on in Guido's mind than Allen, who has Sandy _tell_ us. It's interesting to contrast the similar scenes in the two movies and see Allen's use of dialogue vis-a-vis Fellini's use of image.

I'm contemplating whether "Stardust Memories" or "8 1/2" was the better movie. I couldn't stand Guido, hence didn't like Fellini. Bates is a nebbishy neurotic, but he came across as more likable that then insufferably narcissistic Guido. However, "8 1/2" has more style, is more visual than Mr. Allen's prolonged monologue that is "Stardust Memories." Guido's flashbacks and reveries are more revealing than Bates's. In the end, I understand why Guido is the way he is, even though I don't like him. Woody Allen can't figure himself out, so he has no clues to offer his viewers. At the end of this movie (and of all Allen movies), Bates (Allen) remains as he is, a clumsy, neurotic, clueless man.

Mr. Allen might be happier to know that I prefer his more serious work to his comedies. Or maybe not. Who can tell?

*I'm joking. It's a joke.