Manhattan.
1979 United Artists; distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep, Anne Byrne, Michael O'Donoghue, Wallace Shawn
Director: Woody Allen
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of The Woody Allen Collection, Set 1.
This is Woody Allen's love letter to his hometown, as well as George Gershwin's music. He hated the finished product, and offered to make a movie for free if United Artists never released it. The studio obviously did not keep the film shelved like the director wanted.
Allen is Isaac Davis, a former TV writer who has been divorced twice, and his current project is writing a book about how much he loves New York City. He's also dating a 17-year-old high school girl named Tracy (Hemingway) who he still feels is too young for him, which is why he won't commit. His best friend Yale (Murphy) is married to Emily (Byrne), but he's still shagging Mary Wilkie (Keaton) on the side, and her ex-husband Jeremiah (Shawn) is also in the picture. Also, Isaac's lesbian ex-wife Jill (Streep) is writing a tell-all book about their relationship.
Isaac and Mary, after initially having a bad first meeting, fall in love, complete with the iconic scene with the bridge in the background. Isaac still continues to see Tracy, but he does encourage her to take an educational opportunity in Europe. Things change when Yale dumps Mary, unwilling to end his marriage to Emily, and suggests that Isaac ask Mary out, which he does, and he breaks it off with Tracy, which devastates her.
Things don't stay this way for long, as Yale finally splits with Emily to resume his relationship with Mary. Emily might have triggered this by reading out loud portions of Jill's book about her marriage to Isaac during a double date. Isaac tries confronting Yale about what happened, but after Yale says he met Mary first, Issac tells Emily that Yale was having extra-marital affairs. Emily simply believes that Isaac introduced Mary to Yale.
Isaac tries to catch Tracy before she leaves for England to rekindle that romance, but the plans are already made, and she simply tells him that Isaac needs to have a little more faith in people.
Highly, highly recommended film.
Showing posts with label woody allen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label woody allen. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
What's Up, Tiger Lily?
What's Up, Tiger Lily? 1966 American International Pictures.
Starring: Woody Allen, Louise Lasser, The Lovin' Spoonful
Featuring: Tatsuya Mihashi, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama, Tadao Nakamaru
Directors: Woody Allen & Senkichi Taniguchi
Available from Amazon.
Woody Allen's directoral debut, and the only movie where he did not have creative control established beforehand. The Lovin' Spoonful's musical numbers were added to the movie during post-production, against Allen's wishes.
Allen took two Japanese spy films from the International Secret Police series, A Barrel of Gunpowder, and Key of Keys, and overdubbed them with original dialogue in English. He also added new scenes while rearranging the order of the existing ones for humorous effect.
The newly dubbed plot surrounds secret agent Phil Moskowitz, who is ordered to find a secret egg salad recipe that had been stolen from theGrand Exalted High Majah of Raspur, a non-existant but real-sounding country. The plot itself is just an excuse to use sight gags and puns found within the original Japanese movies.
Highly recommended.
Starring: Woody Allen, Louise Lasser, The Lovin' Spoonful
Featuring: Tatsuya Mihashi, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama, Tadao Nakamaru
Directors: Woody Allen & Senkichi Taniguchi
Available from Amazon.
Woody Allen's directoral debut, and the only movie where he did not have creative control established beforehand. The Lovin' Spoonful's musical numbers were added to the movie during post-production, against Allen's wishes.
Allen took two Japanese spy films from the International Secret Police series, A Barrel of Gunpowder, and Key of Keys, and overdubbed them with original dialogue in English. He also added new scenes while rearranging the order of the existing ones for humorous effect.
The newly dubbed plot surrounds secret agent Phil Moskowitz, who is ordered to find a secret egg salad recipe that had been stolen from theGrand Exalted High Majah of Raspur, a non-existant but real-sounding country. The plot itself is just an excuse to use sight gags and puns found within the original Japanese movies.
Highly recommended.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Love and Death
Love and Death. 1975 United Artists; distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Jessica Harper, Olga Georges-Picot, James Tolkan, Denise Peron, Harold Gould, Alfred Lutter, Howard Vernon
Director: Woody Allen
Buy Love and Death from Amazon.
This was the last of Woody Allen's movies where he tried to get as many laughs as possible. Allen offers up parodies of Russian novels by Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, pays tribute to several of Ingmar Bergman's films, and adds humor to the proceedings similar to the Marx Brothers (including a parody of a scene from Animal Crackers), Bob Hope, and Charlie Chaplin.
Oh, and in a rare move for Allen, this movie was neither shot, nor filmed anywhere near New York City.
In the film, Napoleon and his lovable rapscallions from France are advancing, and an invasion of the Russian Empire is imminent. Boris Grushenko (Allen) is a coward and a pacifict scholar forced to enlist in the Russian army. On top of that, he just received word that his cousin Sonja (Keaton) is going to marry a herring merchant, Boris accidentally captures a group of French soldiers, but it's all for naught, as the rest of Napoleon's forces reach Moscow immediately after that.
Boris goes home and marries the recently-widowed Sonja, who really doesn't want to marry him, but promises him she will when it looks like he's about to be killed during a duel. Their marriage is filled with philosophical debates, but no money. Sonja is angry that the French invasion will interfere with plans to start a family that year, so she draws up plans to kill Napoleon at his quarters, with Boris reluctantly going along with them after discussing it. Sonja escapes arrest, but Boris isn't so lucky.
Highly recommended movie.
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Jessica Harper, Olga Georges-Picot, James Tolkan, Denise Peron, Harold Gould, Alfred Lutter, Howard Vernon
Director: Woody Allen
Buy Love and Death from Amazon.
This was the last of Woody Allen's movies where he tried to get as many laughs as possible. Allen offers up parodies of Russian novels by Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, pays tribute to several of Ingmar Bergman's films, and adds humor to the proceedings similar to the Marx Brothers (including a parody of a scene from Animal Crackers), Bob Hope, and Charlie Chaplin.
Oh, and in a rare move for Allen, this movie was neither shot, nor filmed anywhere near New York City.
In the film, Napoleon and his lovable rapscallions from France are advancing, and an invasion of the Russian Empire is imminent. Boris Grushenko (Allen) is a coward and a pacifict scholar forced to enlist in the Russian army. On top of that, he just received word that his cousin Sonja (Keaton) is going to marry a herring merchant, Boris accidentally captures a group of French soldiers, but it's all for naught, as the rest of Napoleon's forces reach Moscow immediately after that.
Boris goes home and marries the recently-widowed Sonja, who really doesn't want to marry him, but promises him she will when it looks like he's about to be killed during a duel. Their marriage is filled with philosophical debates, but no money. Sonja is angry that the French invasion will interfere with plans to start a family that year, so she draws up plans to kill Napoleon at his quarters, with Boris reluctantly going along with them after discussing it. Sonja escapes arrest, but Boris isn't so lucky.
Highly recommended movie.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Annie Hall
Annie Hall. 1977 United Artists; now owned and distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane, Paul Simon, Shelley Duvall, Janet Margolin, Colleen Dewhurt, Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum
Director: Woody Allen
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of the Woody Allen Collection.
A winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Best Director for Woody Allen. Annie Hall was a turning point for Allen, who began moving away from the slapstick and zany comedy of his previous films.
Allen is the neurotic comedian Alvy Singer, who is attempting to maintain in a relationship with Annie (Keaton). The movie chronicles the relationship over a period of several years, with flashbacks into each other's history. Eventually, Alvy and Annie realize that they are fundamentally different, so they split up. Annie moves in with a music executive named Tony Lacey (Simon) in California, a state that Alvy hates.
Alvy realizes he still loves Annie after seeing Children of Paradise, and unsuccessfully tries to win her back. He returns to New York to write a play about their relationship, in which he does win Annie's heart once again. In real life, though, Alvy and Annie are still able to remain friends.
Highly, highly recommended.
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane, Paul Simon, Shelley Duvall, Janet Margolin, Colleen Dewhurt, Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum
Director: Woody Allen
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of the Woody Allen Collection.
A winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Best Director for Woody Allen. Annie Hall was a turning point for Allen, who began moving away from the slapstick and zany comedy of his previous films.
Allen is the neurotic comedian Alvy Singer, who is attempting to maintain in a relationship with Annie (Keaton). The movie chronicles the relationship over a period of several years, with flashbacks into each other's history. Eventually, Alvy and Annie realize that they are fundamentally different, so they split up. Annie moves in with a music executive named Tony Lacey (Simon) in California, a state that Alvy hates.
Alvy realizes he still loves Annie after seeing Children of Paradise, and unsuccessfully tries to win her back. He returns to New York to write a play about their relationship, in which he does win Annie's heart once again. In real life, though, Alvy and Annie are still able to remain friends.
Highly, highly recommended.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Sleeper
Sleeper. 1973 United Artists, owned and distributed now by MGM.
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Maria Small, Susan Miller, Douglas Rain (voice only)
Director: Woody Allen
Buy Sleeper at Amazon.
Did you ever wake up one morning and realize that you missed the last 200 years?
Miles Monroe (Allen) is a jazz musician and health-food store owner from Manhattan in 1973 who is cryogenically frozen without consent, and revived two hundred years later. The scientists responsible are part of an underground movement, as 22nd century America seems to be a police state ruled by a dictator, who is about to implement a secret plan called the "Aries Project". Miles is revived because since he has no identity or record of being alive in 2173, he could be used to infiltrate the Aries Project. After the authorities learn of the scientists' plans, they are arrested, and Miles escapes by disguising himself as a robot, going to work as a butler in the house of socialite Luna Schlosser (Keaton), who learns one day that her robot servant is a little too human. A frightened Luna threatens to turn Miles in, but he kidnaps her instead, and they go on the run, searching for the Aries Project.
Recommended movie.
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Maria Small, Susan Miller, Douglas Rain (voice only)
Director: Woody Allen
Buy Sleeper at Amazon.
Did you ever wake up one morning and realize that you missed the last 200 years?
Miles Monroe (Allen) is a jazz musician and health-food store owner from Manhattan in 1973 who is cryogenically frozen without consent, and revived two hundred years later. The scientists responsible are part of an underground movement, as 22nd century America seems to be a police state ruled by a dictator, who is about to implement a secret plan called the "Aries Project". Miles is revived because since he has no identity or record of being alive in 2173, he could be used to infiltrate the Aries Project. After the authorities learn of the scientists' plans, they are arrested, and Miles escapes by disguising himself as a robot, going to work as a butler in the house of socialite Luna Schlosser (Keaton), who learns one day that her robot servant is a little too human. A frightened Luna threatens to turn Miles in, but he kidnaps her instead, and they go on the run, searching for the Aries Project.
Recommended movie.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Take the Money and Run
Take the Money and Run. 1969 United Artists, distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Woody Allen, Janet Margolin, Louise Lasser, Marcel Hillaire, Jackson Beck, Lonny Chapman, James Anderson
Director: Woody Allen
Buy Take the Money and Run at Amazon.
Woody Allen's first directoral effort is a mockumentary about the life of Virgil Starkwell, a bungling petty thief desperate to fit into society, but he keeps getting drawn back into the world of crime, specifically bank robberies. We see Starkwell trying and failing at a legitimate musical career, and his relationship with Louise (Margolin), who he meets when she spots him trying to steal her purse while in the park.
Allen originally wanted Jerry Lewis to direct the movie, but he was busy with other projects, and Allen was inspired to direct it himself, in addition to writing and starring in it. He also planned to end the film with Starkwell being shot to death, with special effects by A.D. Flowers, but he was talked into using a lighter ending.
Recommended movie.
Starring: Woody Allen, Janet Margolin, Louise Lasser, Marcel Hillaire, Jackson Beck, Lonny Chapman, James Anderson
Director: Woody Allen
Buy Take the Money and Run at Amazon.
Woody Allen's first directoral effort is a mockumentary about the life of Virgil Starkwell, a bungling petty thief desperate to fit into society, but he keeps getting drawn back into the world of crime, specifically bank robberies. We see Starkwell trying and failing at a legitimate musical career, and his relationship with Louise (Margolin), who he meets when she spots him trying to steal her purse while in the park.
Allen originally wanted Jerry Lewis to direct the movie, but he was busy with other projects, and Allen was inspired to direct it himself, in addition to writing and starring in it. He also planned to end the film with Starkwell being shot to death, with special effects by A.D. Flowers, but he was talked into using a lighter ending.
Recommended movie.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Bananas
Bananas. 1971 United Artists.
Starring: Woody Allen, Louise Lasser, Carlos Montalban, David Ortiz, Natividad Abascal
Special Appearance: Howard Cosell
Director: Woody Allen
Buy Bananas at Amazon.
Fielding Mellish (Allen) is a neurotic blue collar type wanting to impress a social activist named Nancy (Lasser). Visiting San Marcos during an uprising, he tries to assist the local people, but nearly gets himself killed before being saved by the revolutionaries. Mellish feels indebted to help them, and he clumsily goes through training. Later, while making an effort to feed the troops, he goes into a restaurant, and orders thousands of deli sandwiches (including one special order), and wheelbarrows full of coleslaw on the side.
The revolution is a success, the leader goes insane, ordering everyone to wear their underwear outside their clothes, among other edicts. Mellish is made President of San Marcos, and he soon returns to America to seek financial aid, but is exposed when he reunites with Nancy. In court, Melling tries to defend himself from a series of incriminating witnesses, including J. Edgar Hoover in drag. He is given a suspended prison sentence, on the condition that he doesn't move into the judge's neighborhood. Only then does Nancy agree to marry Fielding.
Bananas is bookended by two absurd sequences. The first is ABC's Wide World of Sports covering a live assassination, complete with Howard Cosell ("It's all over for El Presidente!") trying to interview the recently deceased, as well as the mastermind behind the murder. The other is Fielding's honeymoon with Nancy, which plays out like a boxing match.
You really can't go wrong with early Woody Allen, so let's just say this is highly recommended.
Special news bulletin: The Astronauts have landed safely on the Moon, and have erected the first all protestant cafeteria.
Starring: Woody Allen, Louise Lasser, Carlos Montalban, David Ortiz, Natividad Abascal
Special Appearance: Howard Cosell
Director: Woody Allen
Buy Bananas at Amazon.
Fielding Mellish (Allen) is a neurotic blue collar type wanting to impress a social activist named Nancy (Lasser). Visiting San Marcos during an uprising, he tries to assist the local people, but nearly gets himself killed before being saved by the revolutionaries. Mellish feels indebted to help them, and he clumsily goes through training. Later, while making an effort to feed the troops, he goes into a restaurant, and orders thousands of deli sandwiches (including one special order), and wheelbarrows full of coleslaw on the side.
The revolution is a success, the leader goes insane, ordering everyone to wear their underwear outside their clothes, among other edicts. Mellish is made President of San Marcos, and he soon returns to America to seek financial aid, but is exposed when he reunites with Nancy. In court, Melling tries to defend himself from a series of incriminating witnesses, including J. Edgar Hoover in drag. He is given a suspended prison sentence, on the condition that he doesn't move into the judge's neighborhood. Only then does Nancy agree to marry Fielding.
Bananas is bookended by two absurd sequences. The first is ABC's Wide World of Sports covering a live assassination, complete with Howard Cosell ("It's all over for El Presidente!") trying to interview the recently deceased, as well as the mastermind behind the murder. The other is Fielding's honeymoon with Nancy, which plays out like a boxing match.
You really can't go wrong with early Woody Allen, so let's just say this is highly recommended.
Special news bulletin: The Astronauts have landed safely on the Moon, and have erected the first all protestant cafeteria.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)
Here's a Woody Allen film that I've yet to watch...
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask). 1972 United Artists.
Starring: Woody Allen, John Carradine, Louise Lasser, Lynn Redgrave, Burt Reynolds, Gene Wilder, Tony Randall
Also featuring: Erin Fleming
Director: Woody Allen
Buy it at Amazon (discontinued).
In a sketch film consisting of seven chapters (similar to Monty Python's The Meaning of Life for sake of comparison), Allen loosely adopts portions of Dr. David Reuben's 1969 bestseller of the same name. Two highlights are Gene Wilder playing a doctor who falls in love with a sheep, and John Carradine's hysterical performance as a mad researcher engaging in sexual experiments who unwittingly unleashes a giant runaway breast that terrorizes the countryside.
The movie also has an appearance by Erin Fleming (who I did not recognize), best known as Groucho Marx's caretaker/promoter during the final years of his life. Fleming has been criticized by some people for exploiting Groucho in his last years (allegedly using him as leverage in a failed attempt to land a prime sitcom role) and pushing him into performances and public appearances when he was in poor health.
All in all, this was an enjoyable picture, and I felt that Wilder and Carradine in particular stole the show with their performances. Recommended for a rainy afternoon, or any kind of afternoon.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask). 1972 United Artists.
Starring: Woody Allen, John Carradine, Louise Lasser, Lynn Redgrave, Burt Reynolds, Gene Wilder, Tony Randall
Also featuring: Erin Fleming
Director: Woody Allen
Buy it at Amazon (discontinued).
In a sketch film consisting of seven chapters (similar to Monty Python's The Meaning of Life for sake of comparison), Allen loosely adopts portions of Dr. David Reuben's 1969 bestseller of the same name. Two highlights are Gene Wilder playing a doctor who falls in love with a sheep, and John Carradine's hysterical performance as a mad researcher engaging in sexual experiments who unwittingly unleashes a giant runaway breast that terrorizes the countryside.
The movie also has an appearance by Erin Fleming (who I did not recognize), best known as Groucho Marx's caretaker/promoter during the final years of his life. Fleming has been criticized by some people for exploiting Groucho in his last years (allegedly using him as leverage in a failed attempt to land a prime sitcom role) and pushing him into performances and public appearances when he was in poor health.
All in all, this was an enjoyable picture, and I felt that Wilder and Carradine in particular stole the show with their performances. Recommended for a rainy afternoon, or any kind of afternoon.
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