STAR 80  tells the story (with liberties) of Playboy Playmate of the Year Dorothy Stratten, who had the tragic luck to get mixed up with sleazeball Paul Snider.  Written & directed by Bob Fosse, it drew legal action as Playboy-in-chief Hugh Hefner sued the producers of the 1983 film because he didn’t like the way he was portrayed.  Geez, Hef: Cliff Robertson, playing you, is better looking, at least, and this whole being upset about coming off as a…well, what are you, Hef ? Oh, right…a “publisher”.

Anyhow, Mariel Hemingway, complete with enhanced bosom, does a decent turn as the ill-fated centerfold, and the cast also features former 60s siren Carroll Baker, David Clennon and the ever-irritating Josh Mostel.  Roger Rees plays a character based on director Peter Bogdanovich, who Hefner also later sued, and who went on to marry Dorothy’s kid sister: it’s all a little too Hollyweird.

The question arises: “do I really care enough about these celebrities?” What makes the telling work is the riveting and all-too believable portrayal of the murdering slime Snider by one of the great enactors of creepiness: Eric Roberts. He tears it up, you just have to decide if you want to spend 102 minutes with the rotten bastard he’s impersonating. Watch once: feel better about your life. Other people’s money only took it to 77th place in 1983.