I could see what Allen was doing, for example, with the scenes and instances of tipping the hat to Fellini and his masterwork 8 1/2- the two films share that common thread of an artist in an overall funk of bittersweet memories and creative confusion.

This is not to say that the film is one of his very best. and, in Sandy Bates, the lead of his satire on celebrity, loves, and his usual themes of turmoil over life and death, is a sense that Woody Allen is doing one of two things (or both perhaps)- taking from his own life and thinly disguising characters and situations, or using his own public image in film's culture to look through the looking glass slightly at some of his popular themes. If you arent touched by the final scenes with her, you got issues. Charlotte Rampling is what I suppose the word breathtaking was originally meant to describe. Finally, I liked his choice of women in this.

So make no mistake, this film is loaded with comedy. Especially back in this era, when his jokes were so fresh. If he's in it, and he's talking, I'm laughing. One thing that I've always found absurd, and ironically what this film dwells on, is the complaints by fans and critics that he should go back to making comedies. Oddly enough, without the fetters of convention, to me it was actually less pretentious or indulgent I think people like to call it, and a lot easier to understand and empathize with. He removes the restraint of plot, and just goes balls out nuts with his usual philosophical angst, and endless worship of beautiful dames. For many reasons, I rank this among his best. Here, using the tactics of Felini, he makes fools of his detractors including the greatest detractor of all, Woody himself. The problem with Woody has always been that everyone takes his movies more seriously than he does. One more thing - Charlotte Rampling is breathtaking. 'The people survived because they laughed'. 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.

It is funny, touching, angry - all in the same time.

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

Candy loving stardust memories