Episode 47: Star 80, Bob Fosse's Last Movie

It’s a special week of watching Sara’s absolute favorite biopic, Bob Fosse’s masterpiece Star 80 (Note: All Fosse movies are masterpieces). Star 80 tells the story of Dorothy Stratten, a lovely young woman who would become Playboy’s Playmate of the Year in 1980 and had a massive future ahead of her, and how Paul Snider, her despicable partner, murdered her in a jealous rage spiral. Toxic masculinity, our society’s obsession with young, beautiful women, and the entertainment industry meat-grinder are all on display in this ahead-of-its-time film that features astonishing performances from Eric Roberts, Mariel Hemingway, and Carroll Baker. 

We discuss: Eric Roberts’s 700+ IMDB film credits and Rena having seen but two of them (Star 80 and the Doctor Who TV movie), the brilliance of editor by Alan Heim, just how much Peter Bogdanovich hated this movie (and never should have screwed over Polly Platt), that Spiderman meme and how all of the men in this movie are in it, and so much more. 

Star 80 is directed by Bob Fosse, stars Mariel Hemingway as Dorothy Stratten, Eric Roberts as Paul Snider, Cliff Robertson as Hugh Hefner, Carroll Baker as Dorothy’s Mother, and Roger Rees as Aram. 

Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.

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