Woody Allen’s valentine to Fellini’s 8 1/2, with a bit of Bergman thrown in for good measure. Allen plays filmmaker Sandy Bates, who is invited to a weekend retrospective of his work at a seaside theater. While being bombarded by a never-ending parade of sycophantic fans (most of whom prefer his “earlier, funnier work”), Bates ruminates on both his accomplishments and his past and present relationships. This is one of my favorite Woody Allen films, due in no small part to the gorgeous black and white cinematography. Allen claims Stardust isn’t at all biographical, but it’s nearly impossible to see how it couldn’t be.
