Beautiful
Author: afc-ajax from Toronto
14 August 2003

Reading some of the comments listed here, I'm dismayed by some of the narrowness of the criticisms ("It's shot in black & white for no reason!" "The flashbacks are indistinguishable from the present day!")... as if these were somehow to be construed as mistakes. Jeez.

I love this film. It rambles a little here and there, and sometimes it's so personal I feel voyeuristic watching it. The montage of Charlotte Rampling towards the end is stunning in how it summarizes Allen's feelings about memory, nostalgia, and the ever-present reality that never seems to allow the past to make sense.

One cannot deny that Allen has a very keen understanding of who he is, as a person, comedian, and lover. This is not to say that he is infallible or somehow more evolved than anyone else, but rather - through the retrospective of his "earlier funny films" - it's clear that he understands his strengths, and - outside the theatre - the weaknesses of his emotional life.A perfect film for a quiet Sunday.

Woody meets Federico in the Stardust Hotel
9/10
Author: Galina from Virginia, USA
6 October 2005

I was very surprised to find out that Stardust Memories is dismissed by both critics (at least some of them) and viewers as absolutely unwatchable Allen's film, his most chaotic attempt to claim that he can not stand his fans. I found it insightful and witty satire that cleverly (as always; if anything, Woody is a very clever man) fuses the comic and the serious.

Sandy Bates (Allen, of course) - a comic director who does not want to make funny films anymore "because there is so much suffering in the world" (the scene reminds so much of Sturgis's "Sullivan's Travels"). Sandy is depressed because his new "serious" film is not well received by both critics and public and he is spending a weekend at Stardust Hotel during showing of his films.

While there, he reflects upon his life, art, and relationships with three different women. Sounds familiar? Like 8 1/2, anyone? You are absolutely right. Woody meets Federico in the Stardust Hotel. The film is delight in gorgeous black and white. It is funny, touching, angry - all in the same time.

The film was made twenty four years ago and I am very happy that Sandy - Woody had realized that to help the world IS to do what you do the best - funny movies. "The people survived because they laughed". One more thing - Charlotte Rampling is breathtaking.

Marie-Christine Barrault : Isobel

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Miscellaneous Sites

• Aller au cinema (French)
• Flickhead - stardust Memories 25 Years Later
• IMCDb.org: cars, bikes, trucks and other vehicles seen in this production
• Indiemoviez (Spanish)
• Moviereporter.de (German)
• PremierFilm.hu (Hungarian)
• SoundtrackCollector - Soundtrack Information
• Spotlight [Adrienne Papp] (Oct. 15, 2009)
• Stopklatka.pl (Polish)
• The Actors Compendium
• Virtual History
• WestsideToday- article [Adrienne Papp] (Oct. 13, 2009)
• Zelluloid.de (German)

Photographs

• Filmreporter.de - Image Gallery (German)
• Moviereporter - Image Gallery
• filmposter-archiv.de - German movie poster
• MoTechPosters
• MoviePosterDB.com

Flashback

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Interesting, and profound, but surprisingly misunderstood.
10/10
Author: Michael Kraus (mkraus@Projectzee.net) from Florida
16 April 2004

It seems that Stardust Memories does not get the credit that it truly deserves. Everyone has such distaste for this film because they thought that this was an autobiography and it was Woody's attack on his fans/critics. Woody himself has said many times that this is not the case, but even if it were, I believe that the fans/critics deserve to be lowered down a peg.

After all, Woody's interpretation of his fans (via Fellini's style of awkward and hilarious faces) is valid. Fans and critics alike should never have verbally abused him so much after the release of Interiors (1978). Why should directors be type-casted? Let him have his freedom!(voui mais Intériors c'est vraiment très très chiant!!!)After all, Interiors wasn't such a bad movie. It was different, but not bad. Stardust Memories has also been accused of Woody's most self-indulgent film, but this is an outrage.

All of Woody's films have something to do with his personal life, but if he had casted someone like John Cusack as Sandy Bates, then everyone would have stopped complaining about it's self-indulgence and start understanding how much of a creative genius Woody Allen is. Overall, Stardust Memories will be one of his films that lasts; but only time will tell.

Jessica Harper : Daisy