[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stardust_memories.jpg]]

''Stardust Memories'' is a 1980 comedy-drama film written and directed by Creator/WoodyAllen, who also stars along with Creator/CharlotteRampling, Creator/JessicaHarper, Marie-Christine Barrault, and Creator/TonyRoberts.

Sandy Bates (Allen) is a neurotic movie director struggling to survive a career retrospective being held in his honor, all while dealing with studio executives who are demanding a new, happier ending to his bleak new film.

Allen considers this to be his favorite among his films, alongside ''Film/ThePurpleRoseOfCairo'' and ''Film/MatchPoint''.

Not to be confused with ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam0083StardustMemory'' or the [[Manga/StardustMemoriesManga manga of the same name]].

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!!This film contains examples of:

* AmbiguouslyBi: The film more of less states that Daisy is bisexual, as she talks about her various dalliances.
* TheAntiNihilist: [[spoiler: In the end of the film Sandy is back on the train uncertain where he is going, but he is no longer desperate to get off as he is happily with Isobel. He declares that even if they are headed to the same trash heap, it's not so bad as they have each other.]]
* AuthorAvatar: Sandy Bates is pretty much Allen. [[spoiler: In fact, it's strongly hinted that Bates is a character played by Allen, who is AsHimself in the final scene after the film had been screened.]]
* BrickJoke: One segment shows a monster that is representative of Sandy's anger going on a rampage, killing his therapists and his ex-wife. Later in the film, a fan asking a stupid question is mauled by the creature in an effective JumpScare.
%% * CreatorBreakdown: [[invoked]] Sandy is suffering from a severe one.
%% * DarkerAndEdgier: Sandy wants to make "serious" films.
%% * DenserAndWackier: The film gets much stranger as it goes on.
* EmpathicEnvironment: Even Bates' apartment reflects his mood. When he's depressed, the famous photo of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nguyen_Van_Lem Nguyen Van Lém]] being executed adorns his wall. When he's happy, Creator/GrouchoMarx in ''Theatre/AnimalCrackers'' is on the wall.
* ExecutiveMeddling: An in-universe example - the executives want to give Sandy's latest film a happier ending.
* {{Homage}}: Creator/FedericoFellini, and ''Film/EightAndAHalf'' in particular.
* JumpCut: Dorrie's final bout of SanitySlippage is marked by disjointed shots of her breaking down.
* SanitySlippage: Over the course of the film, we see Sandy and Dorrie's relationship falling apart. Towards the end, there's a montage of Dorrie's increasingly neurotic statements.
-->'''Martian:''' I’m a super-intelligent being. By earth standards I have an IQ of 1600, and even I can’t understand what you expected from that relationship with Dorrie.
* ShoutOut:
** Sandy takes Daisy to see ''Film/TheBicycleThief''.
** The movie takes its name from TheRoaringTwenties song "Stardust" -- the Music/NatKingCole cover in particular.
** The idea of a comedic filmmaker wanting to do "serious" movies is a reference to ''Film/SullivansTravels''.
* ShowWithinAShow: The entire film is a movie being screened at a Woody Allen festival. (Yes, Woody, not Sandy.) The actors even talk about their roles in the film when leaving.
* TakeThatAudience: A lot of fans for a long while took the film as a slap in their face because of the way Allen portrayed his fans - then they loved it as SelfDeprecation.
* TakeThatMe: Woody Allen names his AuthorAvatar "[[MasturbationMeansSexualFrustration Bates]]".
* TomHanksSyndrome: [[invoked]] The fans (and the studio executives) all complain that Sandy keeps making "serious" movies instead of the kind of slapstick comedies that made him famous.
-->'''Martian:''' Let me tell you, you're not the missionary type. You'd never last. And-and incidentally, you're also not Franchise/{{Superman}}; you're a comedian. You want to do mankind a real service? Tell funnier jokes.
* TroubledButCute: Daisy is cute, but it's not-too-subtly implied that she has a lot of issues.
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