Star 80 (1983)

Director:

Bob Fosse

Writers:

Teresa Carpenter (article)
Bob Fosse (written by)

Release Date:

10 November 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

Paul Snider is a narcissistic, small time hustler who fancies himself a ladies man. His life changes...

Plot Keywords:

Star | Centerfold | Playboy Centerfold | Conjugal Rape | Frustration

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Mariel Hemingway	...	Dorothy Stratten
Eric Roberts	...	Paul Snider
Cliff Robertson	...	Hugh Hefner
Carroll Baker	...	Dorothy's Mother
Roger Rees	...	Aram Nicholas
David Clennon	...	Geb
Josh Mostel	...	Private Detective
Lisa Gordon	...	Eileen
Sidney Miller	...	Nightclub Owner
Keith Hefner	...	Photographer
Tina Willson	...	Bobo Weller
Shelly Ingram	...	Betty
Sheila Anderson	...	Exotic Dancer
Cis Rundle	...	Meg Davis
Kathryn Witt	...	Robin

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:16 | USA:R (#26722) | UK:18 | Argentina:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1984) | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Blue Horizon Hotel, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Ladd Company, The

Trivia:

Hugh M. Hefner sued the producers after the film was released because he did not like how he was portrayed.

Goofs:

Continuity: While Paul harangues Dorothy about her upcoming trip to New York while she soaks in the bathtub her face and hair are alternately wet/dry between shots.

Quotes:

Snider: [after Dorothy strips on the bed] So you're gonna do me a big favor, huh? Ok, that's me - a charity case.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Teri Garr/Mick Fleetwood's Zoo (#9.5)" (1983)

Soundtrack:

Da Ya Think I'm Sexy

Fosse's Most Aggressive Movie Is Also His Most Unpleasant

The slimy underbelly of the entertainment industry and the destruction that so often comes along with fame was a theme that lurked behind every movie Bob Fosse made, and it's at its most obvious and aggressively nasty in "Star 80."

Eric Roberts plays Paul Snider, a sleazy hood who discovered Playboy centerfold Dorothy Stratten and then murdered her and himself in an obsessive rage. It's a heartbreaking, violent and disturbing story on many levels; however, the saddest thing about it is that Stratten wouldn't be worth making a movie about if she hadn't been murdered in the first place. What does that tell you about the lure of celebrity?

Roberts gives a fierce performance as Snider -- he was a very good and almost completely overlooked actor. Mariel Hemingway plays Stratten, and she's rather vapid, which is all the role really requires. Fosse was not able to keep his cynicism and bile at bay, and so while the movie is accomplished, it's also downright unpleasant to sit through. It's as nihilistic as "All That Jazz" but without the flashy production numbers to add some variety.

Grade: B