Scott LeBrun The brief life and sad end to beloved Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten is chronicled in this very sordid film, the swan song for its director Bob Fosse. Your heart just goes out to this poor girl who got manipulated at a very young age, turned into a star, and eventually murdered. The acting is first-rate from all concerned, and while the film may be hard to watch at times (especially the finale), it does resonate very strongly after it's over.The troubling relationship at the core of "Star 80" is tinged with tragedy from the beginning; Dorothy's worried mother (Carroll Baker) fears the worst when her lovable, trusting, naive daughter (wonderfully played by Mariel Hemingway) is seduced by small-time hustler and big-time dreamer Paul Snider (Eric Roberts). He sees her potential and promotes her career as a Playboy model, but finds that he isn't as able to bask in her success as he wants - even after marriage. Her fame grows, but he just can't succeed without trading in on her name. He becomes more and more jealous and paranoid while she does her best to move on. Unfortunately, as portrayed here she's just too compassionate for her own good.Hemingway is incredible; she really captures the essential appeal of this comely young woman who captivated a great many men. The excellent ensemble also includes Cliff Robertson as Hugh Hefner, Roger Rees as filmmaker "Aram Nicholas", and David Clennon as friendly doctor "Geb" (with supporting roles and bits for the likes of Josh Mostel, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Liz Sheridan, and Robert Picardo), but it's Roberts who impresses the most as a fundamentally scummy jerk whose actions you never ever condone but whom you do grow to understand (Laurence Fishburne accomplished the same sort of thing playing Ike Turner in "What's Love Got to Do with It" 10 years later).All in all, this is a well done drama that ultimately may be too dark for some people to take.Dorothy's story was also told in the TV movie "Death of a Centerfold" starring Jamie Lee Curtis.Eight out of 10.

Lechuguilla Consider this film concept. An ordinary young man with big dreams discovers a beautiful young woman working as an order-taker in a burger joint. He instantly sees her glamor potential. He convinces her that she could be a Playboy model. They leave their hometown and move to Hollywood. He becomes her manager.Then later, Hollywood in general, and Hugh Hefner in particular, accept the young woman, but want nothing to do with the young man. But that's not consistent with the young man's dream of becoming a flashy Hollywood big shot. He feels slighted, rejected. And "they" have taken his love away from him. The result is tragic.That's the underlying premise of "Star 80", the true-life story of the young woman, Playboy model Dorothy Stratten (Mariel Hemingway), and the young man, Paul Snider (Eric Roberts). Writer/Director Bob Fosse tells the story from the POV of Snider. And the film's structure consists of one long flashback, from the final sequence. Various characters along the way offer their take on Stratten and Snider.The film portrays Stratten as innocent, naïve, shy, polite, confused, overly trusting, and a tad vacuous. Snider, part-time photographer and small-time huckster, comes across initially as a jerk. Oily and flashy-looking, he ingratiates himself to Hefner (Cliff Robertson) and other Hollywood insiders. But it doesn't work. Eventually, his possessiveness of Stratten and jealousy of her insider connections, combined with Hollywood's rejection of him, leave him emotionally unbalanced, desperate, and ultimately psychotic.The film's production values are fine. Eric Roberts, with his very large mouth, not only physically resembles the real Paul Snider, but also exudes behavior and an inner sense of self, consistent with what we would expect of Snider. Mariel Hemingway gives a fine performance as Stratten. I thought Robertson's performance as Hefner was a little flat.While the film is mostly a character study of Stratten and Snider, it also gives us a glimpse into a ruthless and cruel Tinseltown, where dreams can easily morph into nightmares. To an outsider wanting in, the best advice is ... approach the beast with distrust and caution.

Noir-It-All This story of Dorothy Stratten's end was a symbol of the end of the 70's ideal of the innocence of snorting coke and partying incessantly. I couldn't help but be reminded how Brian Jones's end and the subsequent tragic concert at Altamont heralded the end of the Peace and Love Generation of the 60's. (Wouldn't you know both were sweet, talented and ethereal Pisces People, known by all to this day!) People embraced both ideals, but inevitably, were quashed by people on a different drug or of a different psychosis. Hugh Hefner was portrayed as a survivor, someone who could reap the benefits of his lifestyle because he was in control (just like Mick Jagger?) There was a line drawn between Hefner, dream-weaver/businessman, and Paul Snyder, psychotic/hustler, and Heffner saw it instantly. This impressed me though I don't like the man. His henchman was on the same page as his King, intercepting Snyder's calls to the Mansion. This movie could have been merely sensational but the script, direction, look and editing, not to mention the acting, were top-drawer and made their point well.

Catcaio STAR 80 is a scary movie alright but the truth about the killing of Paul Snider and Dorothy Stratton is even scarier. Paul Snider grew up in Vancouver, B.C. in an apartment complex called Dolphin Court located in Kerrisdale, a higher class neighbourhood. He was pretty much a normal kid, played with all the other children in the complex, Frannie, Janice, Carol, the Nusant, kids, some kids who later became highly distinguished in their fields and some who were never heard of. like me. I remember we would sit around Richard's parents TV watching Maggie Muggins and Tom Terrific and Mighty Manfred the wonder dog. What was strange to me was that Paul would climb to the top of the slide at the playground in the center of the apartment complex and look down at me and yell " Penny! Penny!" I wasn't afraid of him I just remember he seemed to be crying out for help. My mother told me that Penny had been his little sister and was killed in an accident. His mother had told my mother that it had not been long since she had died and Paul was missing her.I suppose I looked like her.Not until years later did I learn from my mother that Paul had stabbed me in the back of my neck with a pair of sheers he had found in the basement. No details were ever given for how it happened or why.That was around 1956, Ever since my mother told me that I have wondered what could have happened. When I heard on the radio decades later, that Paul Snider had killed himself and Dorothy Stratto and then saw the movie I know something was all wrong.I now know what. I just have to put a few middle missing pieces together before I can see the whole truth. I am getting close.