Superstar

Screenplay by Manley Halliday

Ugly death, ugly life in this nasty biopic of Savannah, whose alcoholism, brash personality, and tragic demise make for an extremely compelling portrait of a superstar. Stronger than a Lifetime pic, more artistic than an E! Hollywood True Story episode, ambitious script paints Savannah with surreal touches that elevate an erratic life of botched plastic surgeries, cocaine addiction, and creepy fans. Like Frances Farmer (an institutionalized/lobotomized actress portrayed by Jessica Lange in Frances, which this most resembles; nothing’s changed in showbiz*), SUPERSTAR is about a troubled performer accepting she’s doomed, battling demons, spending the last year of her life with a shady male hustler who tries to help, but even he can’t save Savannah from defeating herself. A diva and a drunk, hideous, gorgeous, unbelievably selfish, this isn’t about redemption or providing any transcendent moments other than the theatricality of watching a porn star stomp herself out of existence.