Review of Stardust Memories (1980) by Ers . — 30 Dec 2015

This is one of Allen's films that increases in my estimation over the years. I think it's tempting to directly identify Sandy Bates with Allen and treat this film as Allen complaining about audiences and their lack of appreciation for his more serious films.

The problem is that that's a super lazy reading of the film and not one really supported by what's on screen. The film is ultimately fairly critical of Bates's more morbid obsessions and comes down on the side of comedy being an important relief from life's hardships.

(You know, while this is often classified as Allen's "8 1/2", it ultimately plays a bit more like his "Sullivan's Travels".).