Star 80 (1983)

89% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
62% of users liked it
(3,128 ratings)

Director Bob Fosse's fact-based tale of Playboy centerfold Dorothy Stratten's short life and gruesome death focuses less on Stratten (played by Mariel Hemingway) than on her husband/manager, sleazoid pornographer and all-around failure Paul Snider (Eric Roberts, ideally cast). He sees the young… More Director Bob Fosse's fact-based tale of Playboy centerfold Dorothy Stratten's short life and gruesome death focuses less on Stratten (played by Mariel Hemingway) than on her husband/manager, sleazoid pornographer and all-around failure Paul Snider (Eric Roberts, ideally cast). He sees the young beauty as his meal ticket and sets out to pimp her in the adult entertainment business. He marries her and appoints himself her career manager; soon after, she attracts the attention of Playboy executives and wins a spot in the magazine. As her success increases however, so does Snider's alienation as he finds himself left out in the cold. His jealousy begins to consume him; she spurns him on the advice of her new friends; he goes berserk and confronts her. The same murder-suicide inspired the made-for-television Death of a Centerfold. This was choreographer/filmmaker Bob Fosse's final film. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 44 min.
Directed By: Bob Fosse
Written By: Bob Fosse
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Nov 10, 1983 Wide
On DVD: Nov 10, 1998
Studio: Warner Home Video

Critic Reviews

Jon Niccum, Lawrence Journal-World
A truly disturbing performance by Eric Roberts

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Melvin W

Snider: Well, you can take your magazine, your mansion and your movies and shove'em all up your ass. Star 80 is an amazing look at the celebrity life style and how it can affect a relationship. Eric Roberts and especially Merial Hemingway give fantastic performances. Roberts… More
Snider: Well, you can take your magazine, your mansion and your movies and shove'em all up your ass. Star 80 is an amazing look at the celebrity life style and how it can affect a relationship. Eric Roberts and especially Merial Hemingway give fantastic performances. Roberts plays Paul Snider, a sleazy, fast talking womanizer who meets Dorothy(Hemmingway) who is working at a Dairy Queen. He sees how beautiful she is and soon she is posing nude for Playboy, marrying Paul and starring in movies. Soon Paul's jealousy starts to get in the way of the relationship though. Hemingway is amazing as a young, beautiful Playboy model who never loses her innocence. She's always charming and sweet, while Paul is always angry and paranoid. I guess opposites do attract. Bob Fosse really did a great job with his direction. The story is brilliantly told and well paced. We see little flashes of interviews interwoven with the story and also flashes of Paul Snider going nuts, which is giving little hints of what's to come. The movie turned out to be a lot more then I thought it would be. From the summary it sounded like it would be a fun movie, but probably not the great. Now after seeing it I can say it was entertaining film, but definitely not a fun one and also that it is a great movie. Star 80 is an underrated and under appreciated movie. If I brought it up with some friends, I highly doubt any of them will have heard of it. It's just not a big name classic movie. That's a little depressing because it should be. It's truly a magnificent film.
Ken S

Bob Fosse's Boogie Nights. Eric Roberts gives a fantastic psychopathic performance in this heavy drama by the master director.
Dean M

A depressing, uncompromising, but brilliantly filmed and acted portrait of a tragedy. Mariel Hemingway stars as Dorothy Stratten, the Playboy playmate of the year who was murdered in 1980 by her estranged husband (an equally impressive portrayal by Eric Roberts) she had outgrown. The… More
A depressing, uncompromising, but brilliantly filmed and acted portrait of a tragedy. Mariel Hemingway stars as Dorothy Stratten, the Playboy playmate of the year who was murdered in 1980 by her estranged husband (an equally impressive portrayal by Eric Roberts) she had outgrown. The movie paints bleak portrait of her life, times, and death.

Cast

            Mariel Hemingway as Dorothy Stratten

            Eric Roberts as Paul Snider

            Cliff Robertson as Hugh Hefner

            Carroll Baker as Dorothy's Mother

            Roger Rees as Aram Nicholas

            David Clennon as Geb

            Josh Mostel as Private Detective

            Lisa Gordon as Eileen

            Sidney Miller as Nightclub Owner

            Keith Hefner as Photographer

            Tina Willson as Bobo Weller

            Shelly Ingram as Betty

            Sheila Anderson as Exotic Dancer

            Cis Rundle as Meg Davis

            Kathryn Witt as Robin

            James Blendick as Gunseller

            Norman Browning as 1st Detective

            David Cameron as Paul's Party Guest

            Lonny Chin as Playboy Mansion Guest

            Jordan Christopher as Peter Rose

            Stuart Damon as Vince Roberts

            Robert Fields as Director

            Budd Friedman as M.C.

            Deborah Geffner as Billie

            Mariska Hargitay
            
            John Horn as Nightclub Owner

            Paul Jabara
            
            Stanley Kamel as Nick

            Terence Kelly as Charlie

            James Luisi as Roy

            Neva Patterson as Playboy Executive

            Robert Picardo as Interviewer

            Stacey Toten as Paul's Party Guest

            Tracy Vaccaro as Playboy Mansion Guest

            Erica Yohn as Interviewer

            Bobby Bass as 1st Hood

            Ernest Thompson as Phil Wass

            Keenen Ivory Wayans as Comic

            Don Granberry as Bartender

            Lorraine Michaels as Paul's Party Guest

            Fred Pierce as Head Butler

            David W. Rose as Assistant Director

            Liz Sheridan as Makeup Woman

            Paul Ryan as Radio Announcer

            Robert Perault as Actor

            Hagan Beggs as 2nd Detective

            Gilbert B. Combs as Hood
See full cast