This story follows the tragic story of Dorothy Stratten from her Vancouver home, to Playboy centerfold, to the beginnings of movie stardom, then to her violent death at the hands of her estranged husband, Paul Snider. There's no way to make this subject matter happy, so be prepared.Because most viewers know how the story will end, watching this film is very chilling. In addition, Eric Roberts' disturbing (but authentic) performance as Paul Snider will stay with you for a long, long time. Mariel Hemingway stars as the young and innocent Stratten, while Cliff Robertson has the role of Hugh Hefner.The final scene, filmed in the house where the murder actually took place, is very difficult to watch. The movie is very well directed and acted. Eric Roberts' performance should have resulted in an Oscar nomination, but no one who plays a character this creepy would ever be nominated. This very good movie will haunt you for days after you watch it.

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.

"Star 80" is a powerful film, the story may be distasteful but it's true. Fosse's unique style of film making is used to full potential here, and it's really sad that he didn't make less musicals and more thriller/dramas because he does it best. No brains but lot's of emotions in both principal characters paved the way to their self destruction and this is the ultimate rise and fall story of any star that burned out on a jet propelled climb to success. No matter what's the cause, drinking, drugs legal or illegal, violence, the end is always the same. Fosse shows that brilliantly cross cutting from bunch of clips of Stratten and Snider's past, in which the seeds of their volatile relationship are planted, to grow an ugly plant, fertilized on Snider's frustrations, fueling his anger that drowned them both in his whirlpool of self pity."Star 80" is along with "Lenny" the best of Bob Fosse's short but brilliant career.It surely deserves a better DVD transfer than it's 1998 Snap Case, Pan & Scan , 1.33:1, widescreen grainy look. Worth of repeated seeing.

The slimy underbelly of the entertainment industry and the destruction that so often comes along with fame was a theme that lurked behind every movie Bob Fosse made, and it's at its most obvious and aggressively nasty in "Star 80." Eric Roberts plays Paul Snider, a sleazy hood who discovered Playboy centerfold Dorothy Stratten and then murdered her and himself in an obsessive rage. It's a heartbreaking, violent and disturbing story on many levels; however, the saddest thing about it is that Stratten wouldn't be worth making a movie about if she hadn't been murdered in the first place. What does that tell you about the lure of celebrity?Roberts gives a fierce performance as Snider -- he was a very good and almost completely overlooked actor. Mariel Hemingway plays Stratten, and she's rather vapid, which is all the role really requires. Fosse was not able to keep his cynicism and bile at bay, and so while the movie is accomplished, it's also downright unpleasant to sit through. It's as nihilistic as "All That Jazz" but without the flashy production numbers to add some variety.Grade: B