Reviews (257)

It's a Small World
DreamWorks explores the world of an unlikely hero in the imaginative animated adventure "Antz". A neurotic worker ant named Z (Woody Allen) questions his place in the colony and tries to gain the attention of the rebellious princess Bala (Sharon Stone). After a series of mishaps and misadventures, Z becomes an inspirational figure and creates uproar within the colony. "Antz" is a smart and entertaining animated tale of one person making a difference. The story is surprisingly clever, funny and appealing to both kids and adults. Woody Allen delivers a fine comic performance and provides much of the film's witty humor. The all-star voice cast also includes Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Lopez, Danny Glover, Christopher Walken and Gene Hackman. The computer animation and character designs are quite amazing. The scenes within the ant colony and the fierce battle against the termites are stunning visual achievements.

DreamWorks manages to pull a real winner. The animated feature is presented in its 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The DVD contains a stunning picture quality with striking color detail. Its 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is well balanced and fairly aggressive. The animated menus are colorful and wonderfully done. Its supplemental material features an audio commentary by directors Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson, multiple behind-the-scenes and CGI featurettes, trailers and TV spots. With its lively presentation, "Antz" gets a pleasing "B+".

A very well rendered kid-adult movie.
Who knew a cartoon could have such deep views and ideas about Utopias, communism, dictatorship, and governmental oppression? This is one of the best I have watched. The movie itself is wonderful and has a very deep and involving plot even though you might not expect it. The characters are well written and it doesn't fall into the typical cliches like disney movies do. As for the disc, the video quality is the BEST I've seen, no pixels were present in the video. Heck, I tried to find something wrong with the video quality and I couldn't! The 5.1 audio is excellent also and the .1 channel knows when exactly when to come in. The vibrant sounds never fight with the dialogue, and the movie has a great sense of 5.1 surround creating a real environment. The features are also where this DVD shines. The colorfull animated windows are user friendly leading you to Behind the scenes featurettes, The basics of computer animation, CG facial and character designs, commentaries, a trailor, 4 TV spots, and more. Overall, this is how all DVD's should be and will set a standard. It's a good movie for kids AND adults and I mean that, I'm a 20 year old Male and I loved it. This is definately a movie adults could enjoy.

NOT FOR KIDS
I bought this for my kids and I was NOT happy when I heard cuss words and watched this video. Adults may like this video but I WOULD NOT ever reccomend it for kids.

Clever and Witty Animation for Adults
It's rather unfortunate that Antz and A Bugs Life were released so close together, as they will always be compared, and Antz suffers as a result of the association. In actuality they have very few similarities.
The first thing to note when watching Antz, is that it's not a movie designed for children. There is little here that kids would understand, and some of what they'd be able to pick up on would scare the heck out of them. The battle with the termites is really more graphic than it needs to be. Particularly the aftermath where we see what happened to Barbatus. However, when viewed by a more mature audience this movie is really very bright. The dialogue is clever and insightful. The food for thought comes along just as quickly as the jokes do.
The animation leaves something to be desired. Everything is very angular, and the endless use of browns and greys becomes very monotonous.
The actors do a nice job and put forth a lot of character, and combined with the entertaining story line and intriguing views presented here the movie is definitely worth seeing.

Very Mature in Nature
I don't recommend this movie for kids. Its very mature in nature. Theme is virtually very similar to human, too violent. It doesn't depict the true nature of ants. Ants are more civilized than human, they know what to eat and not to eat. unlike humans anything goes.
One horrific scene of the movie is when they attack their enemy, bodies of ants are scattered all over the place. Especially when Woody Allen is talking to Danny Glover's Head, looking for his body.
This kind of movie relates to striking workers who wants justice.
No wonder this movie never got a sequel.Its a fun movie for grown ups but for kids i don't think so. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Annie Hall is one of the truest, most bittersweet romances on film. In it, Allen plays a thinly disguised version of himself: Alvy Singer, a successful--if neurotic--television comedian living in Manhattan. Annie (the wholesomely luminous Dianne Keaton) is a Midwestern transplant who dabbles in photography and sings in small clubs. When the two meet, the sparks are immediate--if repressed. Alone in her apartment for the first time, Alvy and Annie navigate a minefield of self-conscious"is-this-person-someone-I'd-want-to-get-involved-with?" conversation. As they speak, subtitles flash their unspoken thoughts: the likes of "I'm not smart enough for him" and "I sound like a jerk." Despite all their caution, they connect, and we're swept up in the flush of their new romance. Allen's antic sensibility shines here in a series of flashbacks to Alvy's childhood, growing up, quite literally, under a rumbling roller coaster. His boisterous Jewish family's dinner table shares a split screen with the WASP-y Hall's tight-lipped holiday table, one Alvy has joined for the first time. His position as outsider is uncontestable he looks down the table and sizes up Annie's "Grammy Hall" as "a classic Jew-hater."

The relationship arcs, as does Annie's growing desire for independence. It quickly becomes clear that the two are on separate tracks, as what was once endearing becomes annoying. Annie Hall embraces Allen's central themes--his love affair with New York (and hatred of Los Angeles), how impossible relationships are, and his fear of death. But their balance is just right, the chemistry between Allen's worry-wart Alvy and Keaton's gangly, loopy Annie is one of the screen's best pairings. It couldn't be more engaging. --Susan Benson ... Read more

Reviews (115)

Annie Hall has truly stood the test of time. And I loved it
I have a confession to make.

Until now, I've never seen a Woody Allen movie.

Boy, I sure was a "miss out".

Annie Hall, made in 1977, is a classic. Why, oh why, did I wait so long?

First of all it's a story, and a very funny story at that, about a New York Jewish comedian, played by Woody Allen and his WASP girlfriend, played by Diane Keaton. It pokes fun at many social mores that we take for granted and I found myself laughing throughout. There's the New Yorker who never learns to drive, the mid-westerner who orders a pastrami sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise (which seems almost grotesque to a New Yorker like me), the pretentious movie critic, the neuroses of modern romances, and the differences between the New York and Los Angeles way of life.

The film runs along at such a fast pace that there is almost no time at all between funny moments. And, to make it even better, there are some wonderful film techniques. For example, while Diane Keaton and Woody Allen are talking about photography, there are subtitles on the screen about the physical relationship that they are really thinking about.

If the film were made today the phone calls would have been made on cell phones. But surprisingly, that is the only detail that might be changed. Annie Hall has really truly stood the test of time. And I loved it.

Quintessential Woody, in arguably his best form..
Plenty of reviews here claim this is Woody's best and I'm hard-pressed to differ: chronic New York neurotic/comedy writer Alvy Singer can't commit to anything except his own misery and falls in love (and meets his match in psychoses) with Annie Hall (Diane Keaton in her Oscar-winning role), the Waspy flibbertigibbet who wants more out of life but she's not sure what. Oscars also for Allen's direction, his screenplay (co-written by Marshall Brickman) and Best Picture. Look quickly for Jeff Goldblum's cameo ("I forgot my mantra") at Paul Simon's So. Cal. Party, John Glover in a flashback party scene with Annie, Shelley Hack in a sidewalk scene, veteran character actor Tracey Walter and Beverly D'Angelo in the sitcom tape Roberts is sweetening with a laugh track in an edit bay, Woody's longtime friend and future producer Jean Doumanian in the coke scene, and at the film's end Sigourney Weaver (trust me it's her, but it is in a long shot and no dialogue) as Alvy's latest girlfriend. Best reaction shot: Allen with Keaton and Walken in a car after Walken has proclaimed his sudden urges of death. Also, I too wish I could do what Allen does in shutting up a movie-line pontificator like he does with media expert Marashall McLuhan.

A superb and passionately funny film between the hot cold relationship between two people. Woody Allen delivers the goods in this terribly witty and romantic film, Diane Keaton matches his quality too. Expect to see neurotic behaviour from Allen as we get a firm grasp of the two main characters as their relationship develops. For me, this is an absolute pinnacle film of it's genre and should not be missed.

Brilliant!
Woody's self searching and unique form of humor make this a brilliant movie. Diane Keaton is the perfect co-star.

I saw this last year after not seeing it since it came out in the late 1970's...still just as fresh and wonderful. I just wish my wife liked Woody Allen humor as much as I do.

Not His Best but Still Very Good
People just adore Annie Hall. I like Annie Hall. Manhattan and Hannah and Her Sisters work better for me but I can think of about a billion worse ways to spend 90 minutes than watching Annie Hall. Even though I'm not particularly charmed by it, I freely admit Annie Hall is better than 98% of all American movies ever. Funny, smart and endearingly offbeat. Certainly worth the going price.

Because we need the eggs
Ok, let me get this one thing out of the way: when I was 12, Annie Hall beat Star Wars for the Best Picture Academy Award, and I was not a happy kid. However, time can do funny things...

I first saw this picture a few years later, with my first real girlfriend (hi, Lisa!) on the revival circuit. I found it witty and intelligent, as I have with most of Woody Allen's films. I have to say that, to my 16-year-old mind, it still didn't make a huge impression. Twenty years and a failed marriage later, however, I think I can honestly say that I now get it.

Annie Hall is, to me, Woody Allen's greatest triumph as a filmmaker and a storyteller. It's a bittersweet, often hilarious recounting of a relationship from its start to its inevitable end. We see Allen at his most honest, at times brutal examination of himself and his destructive approach to relationships as he plays Alvy Singer, a funny, neurotic comedian (not a great stretch for Woody, granted). All the angst, the neuroses, and manic phobias that at first seem so idiosyncratic and charming, eventually become tiring and sad. Here is a man who is so attached to his psychoses that he would be an empty shell without them, and we see the painful fact of this in his reflections of previous relationships and marriages throughout the course of his adult life. Ultimately, this is a character so galvanized by his fears and phobias that he is simply incapable of managing a complex adult relationship, one free of paranoia and anxiety and this is his tragic downfall. In short, he is a small child trapped in the body of a small man.

This is not, however, one of Allen's Bergmanesque forays into introspection. The knee-slapping hilarity of many of the scenes help draw us into his world and the relationship he has with Annie (Diane Keaton, marvelous as always), his friends, his family, and the world around him. A particular favorite is when, on their first meeting, Alvy and Annie exchange basic getting-to-know-you small talk, and their hidden meanings and anxieties are shown to us in subtitles. Other scenes involving a movie-line blowhard, a lost mantra, and Annie's decidedly white-bread family are the stuff of legend, and they never fail to bring a smile to my face.

Though this film is nearing thirty-years old, it shows no sign of aging. The themes are familiar and universal; who hasn't fallen desperately in love, only to feel the painful tentacles of fear come creeping in the moment they've opened their heart for all the world to see? This film will never lose its place in my heart as one of the best films I've ever seen. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Woody Allen was going through his off-screen scandal with Mia Farrow when Manhattan Murder Mystery was produced, so Diane Keaton was brought in to fill the role intended for Farrow. The reunion of Keaton and Allen only improves this already enjoyable Allen comedy, since they're so comfortable with each other's neuroses that they're delightfully convincing as a married couple who suspect their neighbor of murdering his wife. Actually, it's Keaton who obsesses about the possible foul play; Woody just wants them to mind their own business. But pretty soon they've recruited their friends (Alan Alda, Anjelica Huston) as amateur sleuths, and the movie turns into a Nancy Drew mystery for sophisticated Manhattanites. With a typical abundance of Woody Allen witticism and some memorable comic suspense, this engaging throwback to vintage Hollywood mysteries is guaranteed to please even the most noncommittal Woody Allen fans, and the Allen-Keaton chemistry is, as always, a genuine pleasure. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Comfortable Comedy
This is Woody Allen doing screwball comedy for the contemporary film viewer. The familiar Allen schtick of neurotic tension, fearfulness, and anxiety, the effective Allen-Keaton chemistry, the lovely New York settings, and a cast of great supporting players make this an easy watch.

Sure, the humor veers into slapstick, but the characters are so rich and multi-layered and the script is so dense and fast moving that one forgives some of the broadness. The references to film noir and classic detective yarns embellish the pleasing story. The interplay between Allen and Keaton allows the history of their fictional marriage to be evident, with all its warmth, frustrations, doubts, and reliability. The distractions that Huston's and Alda's characters provide to each heightens the fun. The comic apsects of the movie don't stop it from having some genuine surprises. Although not the finest film in the world or even Allen's best, I have watched this many, many times and plan to enjoy it for a long while more.

My All-Time Fave Woody Allen film
while i've enjoyed allen's previous films (annie hall, husbands & wives, purple rose of cairo), this one is the best! allen and keaton, along with alan alda and anjelica huston (chic and witty as always)pull this story off so well, i begin to think this can only happen in a place like NYC.

Great throwback to the days of whine and neurosis
I absolutely loved this film. I laughed. I jumped. I laughed some more.

This script had been laying around for quite some time, and when Allen decided to resurrect it, I'm SO glad he got Diane Keaton to join him for the filming. Their chemistry is still there, and so is Allen's wonderful neurotic schtick. The elevator scene is priceless. I also greatly enjoyed the tape-player skit with Allen's inimitable bumbling.

I think the film hiccups a bit when it abruptly switches to a film-noir ending. Mind you, I enjoyed the ending, especially the Welles homage, but I think this decidedly dark ending causes the whole vehicle to lose momentum.

All in all this great fun with plenty of zany suspense and the fabulous interplay of Allen and Keaton.

A PLEASANT DIVERSION
Allen's a nebbish old man who wants to mind his (quickly deteriorating love-) life with an unagreeable wife.

Sensing this stale mate, the wife played by Diane Keaton, is out for some excitement. Which she gets, in a big way, when a neighbor dies. Just the evening after the two couples had a casual evening coffee.

Suspicions ensue. Old flames pop up. Relationships intertwine and flare. Clues unravel. Marital discord and sensitive chords are struck. All with vintage Allen humor, part neurotic, part drunk on its wit.

The cinematography is handsome, literally here, as candid steady cams are employed, giving the film its constantly roving hand-held look. I personally find this cloying after a while.

The murder itself is mildly suspenseful, but that's barely the point with a W-Allen movie. The twists are intelligent enough and managed to hold my attention for the duration of the movie.

All in all, despite the slightly cop-out denouement, it is generally quite an amusing experience. Recommended rental.

Wonderful mix of Murder, Mistery and Comedy
Diane Keaton and Woody Allen make quick friends with an older couple. After the woman dies of a heart attack, Diane Keaton starts investigating on her own thinking that it was not a heart attack afterall. Woody on the other end does not believe in this murder idea and thinks his wife is getting too excited for no reason.

The movie mixes great suspense and comedy. The skepticism of woody allen and the wild (but maybe not so wild) imagination of diane keaton make for highly entertaining dialogues. The new york atmosphere of the movie is quite lovely too. The story moves fast and as Diane Keaton discovers more and more clues you find yourself seating on the edge of your seat wondering what next is going to happen.

This movie is wonderfull all the way to the end that parodies the ending of an old movie classic. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Manhattan, Woody Allen's follow-up to Oscar-winning Annie Hall, is a film of many distinctions: its glorious all-Gershwin score, its breathtakingly elegant black-and-white, widescreen cinematography by Gordon Willis (best-known for shooting the Godfather movies); its deeply shaded performances; its witty screenplay that marked a new level in Allen's artistic maturity; and its catalog of Things that Make Life Worth Living. But Manhattan is also distinguished in the realm of home video as the first motion picture to be released only in a widescreen version. You wouldn't want to see it any other way. Allen's "Rhapsody in Gray" concerns, as his own character puts it, "people in Manhattan who are constantly creating these real, unnecessary, neurotic problems for themselves, because it keeps them from dealing with more unsolvable, terrifying problems about the universe." It's a romantic comedy about infidelity and betrayal, the rules of love and friendship, young girls (a radiant and sweet Mariel Hemingway) and older men (Allen), innocence, and sophistication. (a favorite phrase is used to describe a piece of sculpture at the Guggenheim: "It has a marvelous kind of negative capability.") The movie's themes can be summed up in two key lines: "I can't believe you met somebody you like better than me," and "It's very important to have some kind of personal integrity." OK, so they may not sound like such sparkling snatches of brilliant dialogue, but Manhattan puts those ideas across with such emotion that you feel an ache in your heart. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (74)

One of Allen's best
While I would have to say that Allen's "Crimes and Misdemeanors" is better than this, "Manhattan" is still an amazing movie. Even if the script was terrible (it isn't), the characters flat (they aren't) and the great moral undertone not present (it is) the cinematography and soundtrack alone would make this movie stand out. "Manhattan" was Woody Allen's love letter to New York, filled with sweeping images of the city accompanied by terrific Gershwin music. It's a good thing he wouldn't let anybody release it unletterboxed.
But, of course, there is more to a movie than cinematography. "Manhattan" is funny (it's a Woody Allen movie, for goodness sakes), poignant, uplifting, and wonderfully intelligent. The scene near the end of the film that depicts the confrontation between Allen and his friend Yale (Michael Murphy) is one of the best scenes I've ever had the pleasure to see. The single shot of Allen, putting his face in the same frame with a vaguely Allenesque skeleton's face, is one of those things that you don't notice the first time around but on repeated viewings recognize as one of the best things about the movie.
The only people I have ever seen give bad reviews to this movie are those who point out that Allen's character is committing statuatory rape. This is true, but it's not necessarily glorified - if anything, it fits into the movie's strongest point about morality. In a world where most people who make accepted points about morality say that it's relative and accuse others of trying to be God, it's wonderful to see a film in which somebody answers to that very argument, "I gotta model myself after someone!"

I'll Take Manhattan
Easily of of the best American films of all time, Allen examines relationships and life in this funny/bittersweet story set with NYC as the backdrop. Beautiful CinemaScope photography, Woody's typical neurotic cast of characters, Gershwin score, excellent acting, all come together despite Sandy Morse's non-editing talents. This was the Woody I loved... Mr. Annie Hall, now unfortunately, a man that has literally become a characature of himself. Too bad for us... What happened to you Woody?

Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Meryl Streep, Wally Shawn, and (especially) Mariel Hemmingway seemlessly float around Allen's chatracter flawlessly, as the film surges towards a realistic but sad end as Allen and 17 year old Hemmingway part. Funny how life imitates art (as Woody is now married literally to Rosemary's Baby).

Despite my hostility (as Allen would say), don't miss this film. It's everything that Manhattan is, and more.

PS - if you ever have a chance to see it on a big screen, do so...!

Better Than Annie Hall
This is how a black and white should be filmed. And in the perfect location. I'm not a Woody Allen fan but this is just simply an excellent film. Funny, smart, insightful and emminently watchable.

A timeless christmas gift for New York!
Woody Allen made a pictoric statement ; an artistic gift of countless carats ; an etarnal portrait for the next generations who will watch this picture with the same devotion we have in front a masterpiece in the Metropolitan , Louvre or any other prestigious museum in the world.
The story turns as a leit motive in many films of this clever film maker , about the disturbing relationship between two lovers , the loneliness , the no sense living who seems work out for many people in a city as NY that owns the sublime virtue of being capable of renovating to itself from time to time . This is the clue why we love so much this unique city .
The opening shots shows Allen who is left by his wife (Meryl Streep) for another woman ; this bitter sight is linked with the fact Woody falls in love with a teenager that it might be well his own daughter (Mariel Hemingway) ; notice this relationship is built for the Pygmalion effect. She admires him and eventually falls in love with him when she compares his rich gaze about the world with the routiny of her friends ; flat and deepless.
In the middle of this emotional chaos the rendezvous to NYC emerges from time to time with unforgettable images . Gordon Willis stole the show with this arresting landscapes. He caught the mythical essence of this caleidoscopic city: irreverent , creative , seductive , challenging but fascinating . However Allen knew show the viewer the underestimated wonderful treasures that by one or several reasons some proportion of the people who lives there it doesn't seem to realize . Once more the sight of an artist is to make open the eyes and alterate the usual perspectives of the reality , creating a new one.
And Allen made it . Bravo!

all-white stuttering misanthrope in black and white
Does it bother anyone else that in what the director himself cals an "idealized New York" there are never any people of color? I'm talking about all of Woody Allen's films, not just this smug, prettily photographed, over-rated film. Wait, I've just been told that there is a black extra standing silently in the background of a party scene in Hannah and Her Sisters. I guess I'm wrong.

Why are people so crazy for this nasty, self-absorbed hack? ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Huston was only one of five directors on this expensive, all-star 1967 spoof of Ian Fleming's 007 lore. David Niven is the aging Sir James Bond, called out of retirement to take on the organized threat of SMERSH and pass on the secret-agent mantle to his idiot son (Woody Allen). An amazing cast (Orson Welles, Peter Sellers, Deborah Kerr, etc.) is wonderful to look at, but the film is not as funny as it should be, and the romping starts to look mannered after awhile. The musical score by Burt Bacharach, however, is a keeper. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (84)

The funniest James Bond spoof ever
The "Austin Powers" series sure could take a few hints from "Casino Royale". Whereas the former is predictable and obvious, "Casino Royale" is a good example of that famous dry British wit.

What else could you call it when wealthy Ursula Andress tells Peter Sellers that she gets her newspapers BEFORE they're printed, and he replies, "Well, I suppose you can do anything if you've got money..." Or when Joanna Pettet comments on her estranged mother's oversized bed and is told, "The German army was very large in those days."

I've withheld one star because the movie does tend to have an episodic feel, due to the five different directors who worked on it, and because it drags a bit in places. Still, the witty jokes more than make up for those small flaws. Considering how many hands this movie was in, it's amazing that it works so well. Woody Allen gives his funniest performance as neurotic Jimmy Bond. Peter Sellers is terrific, as usual. And watch out for an appearance by a young Jacqueline Bisset as Miss Goodthighs.

The movie's crowning touch is the music by Burt Bacharach, which manages to be catchy and loopy at the same time.

Finally, one of the best reasons for owning rather than renting this movie is that some of the gags go by so fast (Q's laboratory, the art auction), that you might not catch them all until your second or third viewing. And, like a lot of good humor, some of the jokes just get funnier with repeat viewings.

Somewhat entertaining, mostly dull
Casino Royale isn't a terrible movie; it has its moments, and, truly, has a superb cast. That much can be said for it. There are some scenes with Ursula Andress, especially, that are very funny, and the beginning isn't without its humor. However, in general it is a mess of movie; loosely constructed, making little to no sense, and, what is worst of all, not even all that funny. I had to fight off sleep to keep consciousness during the movie, something I almost never have to do. I actually got to the point where I couldn't wait for it to end. Not the worst film ever made, but save your money. Rent it if you must.

When your castle is blown up, it's back to the spy game....
Great movie! Sir James Bond played by David Niven is forced back into espionage after his hedonistic lifestyle is so rudely interrupted by a British army 81mm mortar team who proceeds to blow up his perfectly splendid castle. Bond prefers a life of luxury to the dangers of espionage but alas, it's back to the good old Walther PPK 7.65mm and the cloak and dagger for 007. As Dr. Michael Lim the Travelling Gourmet, I too appreciate the finer things in life. I think all fans of Bond do too. The music is remarkable. This is THE movie where that immortal and hauntingly seductive song, by Burt Bacharach, "The Look of Love" reaches deep into your libido and psyche, especially when you hear it for the very first time. My old friend, the late Derek Nimmo (of BBC's Just a Minute) fame is in this movie too as a would be Bond under the tutelage of Sir James himself. If you see the current Austin Powers movies you'll see where the scipt writers got many of their ideas from. Beautiful and seductively voluptuous women abound as in all 007 movies. In those days, men were men and women were not pale, anaemic anorexic skin and bone creatures but lovely, curvaceous and meaty damsels. Bring back the real women I say to Hollywood film makers! This spook spoof will put a smile on your lips and cheer you up no end. Certain scenes like when Sir James demonstrates how things should be done are really hilarious. Above all, the classic British ideal of stiff upper lip, always remain calm and unruffled no matter what, and carry on regardless...comes through all the antics, bombs, blondes and bullets. David Niven comes a very close second to Patrick Macnee (The Avengers) when it comes to playing cool, calm and collected English gentlemen. And so, what's next? As Austin Powers would say, "Yeah, Baby, Yeah!!!" By Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet ENJOY!

Bond Spoof and Origins
Charles Feldman's Casino Royale is a colorful psychedelic mess 36 years after its creation. This film was the first James Bond spoof and a precurser of the Austin Powers movies. Unfortunately the film has not aged well.

The jokes seem as dated as the costumes. There is virtually no plot to speak of and the sequences by four directors seem cobbled together by fifth director Val Guest.

The film is fun to watch with its great musical score and vibrant colors but there isn't a lot holding this thing together.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the disc is the 1954 TV movie from Climax Mystery Theatre which featured Barry Nelson as the American spy Jimmy Bond. It was fun to see the true origin of the Bond franchise.

Bottom line rent it for its place in history but don't go in expecting greatness.

Swingin' 60s on Film!
Funny! Despite it's bad reputation, if you are a NON-square, ya gotta check this out. Lots of in-jokes, droll humor and laugh-out-loud stuff. Sure, it's a bit "all-over-the-place" but that's half the fun. The go-go dancing Indians, the cavalry charge into the casino, the Dr. Caligari sets, the pop-art sets and psychedelic FX, the Frankenstein monster... it's all like a mix of The Magic Christian, Monty Python, Blazing Saddles, Austin Powers, The Monkees "Head" and James Bond thrown into a Swingin' Sixties blender. And all those great stars strutting their stuff!! Don't worry about the plot... this is eye candy. If you want a generous 60s fix, just sit back and let this flow over you. All that and the Burt Bacharach score. I'm glad I bought this. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In 1996, with his public image at a low ebb after a messy breakup with Mia Farrow, clarinetist and filmmaker Woody Allen set off on a tour of Europe with his New Orleans jazz band. Accompanying him were his sister, his soon-to-be wife Soon-Yi Previn, and Oscar-winning documentary maker Barbara Kopple. Like Allen says as the beginning of the tour, "Theoretically, this should be fun for us."

Woody Allen has always been more widely appreciated in Europe than in the U.S., so it's no surprise that the concerts quickly provoke the kind of fan hysteria usually reserved for rock stars.This star however is clearly not comfortable with his fame.Whether he's giving a tour of his lavish hotel suite or prodding at an unexpectedly dry omelet, the director seems profoundly ill at ease and sometimes--when trapped by a crowd or harassed by a particularly persistent photographer--he appears to be both frightened and angry at the way celebrity shapes his life. The pressure to be funny on cue is the bane of any comedian's life, of course, and for Allen the seemingly endless round of receptions and parties is something to be endured, not enjoyed.In the face of this, the mutual support and affection shared by Allen and the woman he introduces as "the notorious Soon-Yi Previn" comes across as both genuine and absolutely necessary. When they are together, he is at his funniest, and his least guarded.

What persuaded such a private artist to allow such a documentary to be made?Perhaps it was a desire to celebrate his love of music, something that appears to sustain him as much as his relationship with Soon-Yi. He may refuse to bob his head and tap his feet to please his audience, but when he launches into a soaring solo we finally see Allen at ease, transported by the thrill of playing jazz. --Simon Leake ... Read more

Reviews (16)

If you're looking for a Woody Allen film, this isn't it.
I really like Woody Allen and it's still kinda cool seeing one of my favorite filmmakers playing my favorite instrument (the clarinet) in my favorite musical style of 1940's-New Orleans-period Jazz. There's no doubt that Woody Allen has talent for filmmaking, but we've heard little about his musical talents until now. Unfortunately, "Wild Man Blues" doesn't satisfy as a documentary or a Woody Allen film, but a voyeuristic view of a pretty unglamorous 2-week tour.

"Wild Man Blues" shows Woody go through a European tour with his Jazz band, stopping in major cities like Paris, Milan, Madrid, Bologna & London. His performances are to large crowds of 1,000 or more people, and it turns into an event that is obviously uncomfortable for the notoriously recluse filmmaker. We get a pale "behind the scenes" view of Woody in real life, which personally reminded me of the MTV Real World method: Film everything and keep the most interesting parts, which are few & far between. As the movie progresses, Woody gets comfortable enough for the ever-present camera to start making some of his trademark quips about anomalies in general; broken light switches, forgotten breakfast items, etc. This wears off some of the effect, since it seems we are not watching a good documentary, but a film with inconsistent dialogue.

I personally would rather have a movie of an entire performance of the Jazz band, rather than a tour of fine hotel rooms, backstage areas and curious crowds, interspersed with a few minutes of performances. The film seemed to focus on Woody & Soon-Yi, while pretty much neglecting the rest of the band. Interesting comparisons were left un-addressed: Sure, Woody and Soon-Yi stay in 5 star hotels, but where does the band stay? How do they feel about their musical performances often being overshadowed by his celebrity? Woody gets a private plane, but no other musicians seem to fly with him? That would have been much more interesting that spending 5 minutes of film being spent on a broken shower.

The one surprise of the film is the revealing of the roles of Woody & Soon-Yi in their relationship. I was not expecting this, but I definitely came away thinking that they interact quite well as a couple. But once again, I love Woody Allen films, but am pretty uninterested in his personal life.

I've seen Woody Allen & his Jazz band live in NYC, and that was a huge treat unto itself. I hope one day a film focusing on the music-performance is released.

Un-Wild Man Blues
Barbara Kopple's "Wild Man Blues" is decidedly un-wild. That's its first fib. It is the un-intense and un-penetrating chronicle of Woody Allen's 1997 European tour with his New Orleans jazz band. Released in 1998, "Wild Man Blues" came hard on the heels of a period of public scandal for the notoriously private filmmaker, prompting critics to dub it a "public relations corrective". There is a whiff of mendacity about this film. Its motive is abstruse and its meaning convoluted. It carries an air of constructivism. It smells like propaganda. Lurking behind an obeisance to jazz music is a salve for moviegoers' indignation over Allen's romance with stepdaughter cum fiancé, Soon-Yi Previn.

Barbara Kopple has a reputation for truth seeking, winning an Oscar for her exploration of union violence in "Harlan County, USA", but "Wild Man Blues" lacks her early incisiveness. Despite her through-the-keyhole approach, Kopple's eye yields no unguarded moments. Instead she offers a prim and proper tableau--stagy and self-consciously sexless-- of the couple's daily life. Though they hold hands in public and snuggle in a gondola, only one scene suggests that Woody and Soon-Yi actually share a bed.

Conspicuously lacking in dialectic, this documentary is unable to facilitate any intelligent discourse on what is presumably the topic at hand: jazz. Woody Allen--filmmaker, intellectual and aesthete--has always drawn on the art of music with a sublime touch. The soundtracks for "Manhattan" and "Stardust Memories" are paragons. He is considered, and deservedly so, a jazz aficionado. What, then, accounts for the specious treatment of jazz in "Wild Man Blues"? Referring to Dixieland jazz only cursorily as "primitive", "un-cerebral", "crude", "like taking a bath in honey", Woody Allen denies us access to his comprehensive knowledge of music and Barbara Kopple does nothing to draw him out. Instead, she focuses on the ostentatious continental parade that was the 1997 tour. Private jets, ultra-lux accommodations and chauffeur-driven Mercedes purposefully serve to isolate the clarinetist from his band mates, a gulf that is not bridged when they finally cross paths in a Madrid green room. Allen takes the posture of puppeteer rather than participant and the resultant music is predictably stale and soulless. But then "Wild Man Blues" is hardly about the music.

This film has a separate agenda and its secret weapon is Soon-Yi. Convivial, energetic, the model of a modern young woman, Soon-Yi emerges as the film's bright spot, effectively its subject. Though a betrayal of Woody's beloved jazz, "Wild Man Blues" achieves its purpose: to overturn the public perception of Soon-Yi Previn as an exploited child. It establishes Woody and Soon-Yi in socially palatable roles-she as a confident, articulate, adult woman; he as having something to learn from her.

"Wild Man Blues" is an elegant and efficient little white lie that simultaneously exonerates and charges Woody Allen: exculpated as a corrupter of youth but indicted as a filmmaker who is not committed to the truth. Barbara Kopple is his cellmate.

The Private Woody on his terms
Woody Allen claims to be a private man. His films make their appearance without large press junkets with the filmmaker and even with the advent of DVD, he doesn't return to offer anything up on his experiences. So, it is rather ironic that he would have this movie made, one that exposes his personal life, even moreso since it takes place soon after his messy break-up with Mia farrow. But, since the film was being made, it was on his terms. It puts a heavy focus on Woody the musician (more a title of legend than reality.) Filmed on a Eurpoean Tour, the film is surprisingly revealing, allowing for the connection between his on and off screen personas to be compared. Featured prevelantly is his now wife, Soon-Yi Previn. With this document, she is shown to be a powerful force in his career(s). She also adds a touch of reality to his occasionally idealistic opinions. So, the result is a sometimes fun piece filled with some great Dixieland style music. A must for serious Woodyphiles but others may be a bit distraught by the pacing.

Woody can do no wrong
This is a fabulous documentary. Fun all the way, good music, good charm and witt. A new slant on his lovely wife plus his parents are too funny. Loved it.

paparaZZis'n'jaZZ
If you think Woody Allen is always playing himself in his films, you better watch »Wild Man Blues«. It shows a sensitive but also very calm, shy and yet self-confident soul. A human being who is not exclusively comfortable with being a celebrity. A New Orleans jazz enthusiast from New York who misses Europe when he's at home, and vice versa.

Meet the man, meet Woody Allen, watch »Wild Man Blues«! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fans of Woody Allen's earlier, more purely comic movies will enjoy Don't Drink the Water, a film of his successful stage play about a hapless diplomat during the cold war. Michael J. Fox plays Axel McGee, the son of an ambassador to an unnamed Communist country. Though forced by family pressure to enter diplomacy, McGee has no talent for it whatsoever and has been kicked out of cities, countries, and even entire continents. Whenhis father goes back to Washington to seek a higher position, he reluctantlyleaves Axel in charge. For a few days, all goes well. But then the Hollandersarrive (Julie Kavner, Mayim Bialik, and Allen himself), a Jewish family from NewJersey who accidentally took pictures of a sensitive intersection. Accused ofbeing spies, they seek asylum at the embassy--and immediately send everythingout of whack by insulting the chef, tying up the phones with long distancecalls, and almost starting an international incident by squabbling with a MiddleEastern emir. Eccentric characters abound, including a priest who's been inasylum at the embassy for so long he's taken up magic tricks to pass the time(Dom DeLuise) and a snooty bureaucrat who thinks McGee is an idiot (EdwardHerrmann). It was funnier when the cold war was still going on, but it's stillan entertaining farce, directed by Allen. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (8)

An Allen throwback to the good old days
What kind of Woody Allen fan are you? Do you favor his heavy, drama-laden homages to Bergman? His film noir? His zany early comedies?

If you love the latter, you'll probably like this "lost" gem. A bit like "Manhattan Murder Mystery" which was resurrected years after it was written, "Don't Drink the Water" conjures the early days of Allen's career with zany comedy full of larger than life characters and over-the-top performances.

The cast is great, the script is too, the plot moves along nicely and in general I had great fun. Yes, it seems a bit claustrophobic at times and a bit stagey, but many of Allen's recent work has a similar feel regardless of the genre.

All in all it is an enjoyable farce that harkens back to the golden days of Allen's comic genius.

Should be given 6 Oscars
Woody Allen's audiovisual version of an early play which was originally staged on a premiere during a military parade for the Egyptian president Anwar Al Sadat, who was carnaged with his cabinet in the early eighties by his own air force.
The embarassment of the jewish author, who strangely didn't attend the staging due to pregnancy (and started the well known gossip story of a love affair with the dignatary), made him start a re write, which lead him to just leave the title and change everything else (including his famous B&W credit card to the more festive Filemón Pacheco, which sadly didn't make it to the final cut).
If you wanna see Michael J. Fox not traveling to the future (or the past) this is the movie you want to steal from a relative who already owns it and is not that aware of the things he has bought.
If you're tripping in acid maybe you'll discover how this is the prequel to Star Wars' Episode I (if you do, please post a message).
Let's just enjoy our beloved hypocondriac, always funny, always being analyzed in New York!!!!!!

DO buy this movie!
Don't Drink the Water is hysterical! I am a huge Woody Allen Fan and have seen nearly all of his movies. There are some movies by Woody that even I'm not that fond of BUT.....this is not one of them. This movie is entertaining and well cast. There is a lot going on and everytime I watch it I find something different that gets me going! Buy this movie and keep an eye on the subtleties. You won't be disappointed!

DO buy this movie!
This movie is hysterical! I am a huge Woody Allen Fan and have seen nearly all of his movies. There are some movies by Woody that even I'm not that fond of BUT.....this is not one of them. This movie is entertaining and well cast. There is a lot going on and everytime I watch it I find something different that gets me going! Buy this movie and keep an eye on the subtleties.....you won't be disappointed!

Don't Drink the Water...and don't watch this movie!
OK, so I didn't actually watch the whole thing, and maybe (just maybe) it got better at the end... but I just couldn't take it anymore! If what Woody was going for was a chaotic mess then he succeeded. It was filmed partially as a docu-comedy with a narrator and hand held camera (reminiscent of "Take the Money and Run), but without the character interviews. This shaky camera technique is difficult to watch, limits the possible shots, and detracts from your ability to "suspend disbelief." Am I supposed to think there's a guy there with a camera filming reality? If so, why don't the people notice it or talk to it? It would have been better filmed as the Broadway play it was written to be.

But that's just the start of the problems...

This movie lacked any sense of comedic timing! It was almost as if there had been no rehearsals at all (more of the docu-comedy technique?). Woody overpowered everyone in every scene he was in. Michael J. Fox looked like he didn't know what he was supposed to do or say next, but struggled along like a trooper trying not to do an impersonation of Woody Allen. Unlike Miyam Bialack, who showed she could stretch from playing "Blossom" by playing a female version of Woody. By the way, she also looked far too young for the role. Julie Kavner is always good, but there really wasn't anything for her to do but talk on the phone. And I was just embarrassed for Dom DeLouise who appeared to be adlibbing over the top while everyone around him tried to ignore him. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

One of Woody's Best
Probably not everyone would agree with me on this, but I think this is one of Woody Allen's top 5 movies, and pretty close to the top 1 or 2. It is just as good as "Another Woman" (which is often considered his "best" drama) and all of the performances are captivating throughout the film. The pacing of "September" is excellent-83 minutes is the perfect length for the story, and it is not overly drawn out nor does it move too quickly. If you don't know this film, be warned that it is not a comedy, but a drama-on par with Bergman-although Elaine Stritch does have some pretty funny lines...This is definitely one to check out (and since the DVD is so reasonably priced, you should just buy it). By the way, the DVD transfer is much cleaner than any VHS copy I have seen, so the cinematography can be appreciated even more.

Vermont on a soundstage
Woody Allen's 1987 drama was made in the middle of his Mia period and in spite of it's wet anguish, it's interesting to see what Farrow brought to his films, what he did for her and why his post-Mia films suffer without her. The role of the suicidal mousy hostess of the Vermont house where the film is set is clearly wrong for Diane Keaton, and Farrow's real life situation feeds the character - her love of the country, her showbiz mom. Pauline Kael has described her as "luminously thin-skinned" and "weightlessly beautiful with a preternatural glowing sweetness". Her emotional openness and the way she uses her hands demonstrate a delicacy that makes her Lane very moving. When she cries she gives Allen her all. The film recalls Allen's earlier Interiors but is better written. Allen has scaled down the cast to six, though Jack Warden and Denholm Elliott only hover, and reduced the plot to a series of intimate conversations with one or two group scenes. Being Allen he can't help but throw in jokes. I like how Farrow calls her mother played by Elaine Stritch a "human dynamo" and Stritch in return tells Farrow she dresses like a "Polish refugee", and a blackout scene gets laughs when someone declares their "hand is in the gaucomole". He has the rooms of the house full of closed shutters to keep nature out and to conceal the fact that he has shot on a soundstage. He also continues his experiments with framing by having a character talk to someone out of shot, and gives the actors plenty of room to move. Stritch has a wonderful monologue to a mirror and Dianne Wiest acts one decision about the droopy Sam Waterston with her back. Allen had cast Sam Shepard in the Waterstone role but then fired him when he began improvising about the West. Wiest may overdo the hand to the forehead gesture but she works well with Farrow. Interiors was a radical change of pace after Annie Hall and Woody's comedy fans hated it, a situation he used for Stardust Memories. September is in the same Bergman-ish vein and, since I love Bergman and found Interiors very funny, I don't find this film such a chore.

Underrated and excellent play
Richard T. Jameson, who has the dubious distinction of writing the "official" editorial statement about this Allen masterpiece, does not know what he is talking about. As often happens here on Amazon, many of the customer reviews are far more knowledgeable and discerning that the conventional mainstream critic's assessments.

This is a finely written, highly dramatic play transfered flawlessly to film by a master cinematographer and is immensely superior to "Interiors" which is heavily influenced by, if not actually ripped off from, Ingmar Bergman. Here, the influence is subsumed into Allen's style and milieu, and he gets tremendous performances from the cast, especially Mia Farrow who despite the later troubles with Allen gave him a heartbreaking rendition of the fragile, wounded character of "Lane" who is brought to a state of desperation in the climax of the story, which is a spellbinding example of pure dramatic storytelling.

A classic film, but not for everyone
This is a film that is not to be view lightly. It's on the serious side, and plays on your emotion and mind. This is a master piece and movies like these are rare nowadays. The film also offers a lighter side of the spectrum with a bit of humor and lovely standard Jazz tunes. It has an interesting twist at the end.

This is definitely a film for mature audiences who can appreciate the complex human nature and emotions and the fragile of human minds. The film is full of intellectual conversations over and over again and if you are not paying attention you can miss out on the lines. Mia Farrow is the best looking of the bunch no doubt and is the lead character. However, as the film progress, I must give the notch to Dianne Wiest for best performance in this movie. Hats off to you Dianne if you are reading this review. Her sets with Sam Waterston are so real that make you forget it's only a movie. Her performance in the set when Sam reach over to kiss her one last time to say good bye will pierce open your heart as she rejects and look away. I often wonder how is it possible to act like this when you know fully well there are cameras and a room full of crews watching.

One minor point though as I find some of Denholm Elliott's dialogues not recorded very clearly. Denholm is a wonderful actor and his lines are beautiful. This is also true for all the actors and actresses in this movie, all performed superb. This DVD is definitely a keeper for years to come.

Allen's Best Bergman Influence!
September is a display of Woody Allen's influence by the Swedish director, Ingmar Bergman. This is an psychoanalytical examination of characters who are constrained to the home of Lane (Mia Farrow) on the Vermont countryside. Through the eyes of Allen, one can scrutinize a wide array of actions taken by the characters that are personified from their self-interests, insecurities and fears. These actions lead to a cyclical pattern of the characters' behaviors that are built on their own view of self. At the end, September will leave with a taste of bitterness due to its self-reflective influence. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Although indisputably a film by Woody Allen, Interiors is aboutas far from "a Woody Allen film" as you can get--and maybe more people could have seen what a fine film it is if they hadn't been expecting what Allen himself called "one of his earlier, funnier movies."An entirely serious, rather too self-consciously Bergmanesque drama about a divorcing elderly couple and their grown daughters, it is slow, meditative, and constructed with a brilliant, painterly eye.There is no music--a simple effect that Allen uses with extraordinary power. In fact, half the film is filled with silent faces staring out of windows, yet the mood is so engaging, hypnotic even, that you never feel the director is poking you in the ribs and saying, "somber atmosphere."Diane Keaton, released for once from the goofy ditz stereotype, shines as the "successful" daughter. Some of the dialogue is stilted, and it's hard to tell whether this is a deliberate effect or simply the way repressed upscale New Yorkers talk after too many years having their self-absorption sharpened on the therapist's couch. Fanatical, almost childish self-regard is the chief subject of Allen's comedy--it's remarkable that in this film he was able to remove the comedy but leave room for us to pity and care about these rather irritating people. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (30)

He knows women so well; too bad they hate him.
Woody Allen probably knew that Interiors would be panned by his most loyal fans, his most ardent critics (Pauline Kael), and even the always honorable motion picture industry. How he managed to ignore what might have been insurmountable difficulties for another is a feat of no small measure; how he managed to craft this dramatic gem is "an impossibility commensurate with two like snowflakes" (from Woody's Getting Even). Mary Beth Hurt shines as Joey, a passionate but ambivalent actress-photographer-copywriter, who cannot transcend her pressing responsibility as daughter to a delusional and depressed woman, Eve (Geraldine Page). She has two sisters (a theme to be further explored in Allen's later Hannah and her Sisters), one of whom is fairly irrelevant and indifferent to her life (the only underdeveloped character in the film), the TV actress Flynn. The other sister Renata (Diane Keaton) is a highly successful poet who has distanced herself from Joey while she deals with complex emotional issues stemming from an abusive, alcoholic husband (Richard Jordan) and her own artistic "paralysis." Woody weaves the stories together with dignity and grace, and Gordon Willis' superlative cinematography pays homage to Bergman's Sven Nyqvist (the beachwalking scene could be Persona in color) while infusing his own creative vision into each shot. Woody's comic flair is nonpareil, and his unique cinematic concept is timeless and powerful. With Interiors, Woody indelibly makes his mark as one of the finest dramatists of the 20th century as well.

Not the best Allen film around, but still interesting!
Woody Allen follows in the steps on Ingmar Bergman in filming the falling apart of women and sisters. The sisters are all very much different from each other. Joey [played by Mary Beth Hurt in a performace that makes me want to gag.] is the sister who can not find herself, even though we're told she has so many talents. You just feel like smaking her and saying, "Hey, there's people who have it a lot rougher than you out in the world." The two best things about this film are Geraldine Page and Maureen Stapleton, who were both nominated for Oscars. Stapleton plays the fathers new love interest who isn't like by the whole family, but ends up winning them over. Page brilliantly plays the fragile and distraught mother who is on the verge of suicide. The ending scenes are unavoidable as the story progresses. A great film to watch if your a fan of Allen's or Bergman's. It's also a great film to watch if your a fan of Geraldine Pages.
5 1978 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS:
BEST ACTRESS-GERALDINE PAGE
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS-MAUREEN STAPLETON
BEST DIRECTOR-WOODY ALLEN
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY-WOODY ALLEN
BEST ART DIRECTION

visceral and subdued
This emotional film may appeal to refugees from nauseating and intelligence-insulting Hollywood tear-jerkers. The film exposes expression and suppression of emotion in the educated upper middle class family of origin. The emotional tension rises higher and breaks down more hysterically than in his films that address marriage and the sexual relationship.

Modern interiors gut-hardeningly frame the confrontations and evasions. The interiors on their own would make it worth watching.

A Film That Deserves A Place In Every Art Collection
Revisiting INTERIORS written and directed by Woody Allen in 1978 it becomes apparent that this is one of the most important American films made. In this time of video art and digital manipulation of images, both in real time and in fixed entities, INTERIORS exemplifies the finest in what film can achieve. Without manipulation of scenery, without (gratefully) a senses-asaulting musical score, without GIMMICKRY - here is a film of brilliant writing, stunningly and beautifully subtle sets and costumes, and acting of the first degree. The angst so present in our society's family relationships is gently observed and explored and the results are a paean of understated simplicity and pain. It is difficult to single out any of the outstanding cast as 'best' and that is yet another proof of ensemble acting and directing at a zenith. Yes, it is unimaginable to leave behind the characters created by Geraldine Page, H.G. Marshall, Diane Keaton, and Maureen Stapleton, but again this is an indicator of how well and cohesive the experience provided by this movie is.

I have never been a Woody Allen fan: I find his comedies overwrought, self-absorbed, and frustratingly tedious. Seeing INTERIORS on a DVD, in the quiet of home, has altered my respect for this man. A dazzingly brilliant, thoughtful, elegy of a film.

Allen's Bergman homage
Woody Allen threw the film world a curveball in 1978 when he released not only his first straight dramatic film, but also the first film he directed that he didn't appear in. Although the film confused and possibly enraged some fans, it holds up today as, in my opinion, one of his most strikingly daring films.

It's obvious to anyone watching "Interiors" that this is an homage to Allen's favorite director, the great Ingmar Bergman. The quiet, the seriousness, the dysfunction -- it's "Cries and Whispers" for the Manhattan intelligentsia. While the film obviously pays tribute to Bergman, it's no mere copy. It has a life and style of its own, mainly due to the performances.

The film deals with a wealthy, successful man (E.G. Marshall) who decides to separate from his unstable wife (Geraldine Page). The wife is thrown into depression and suicide attempts. Her three daughters are there to help, but can only do so much. Diane Keaton plays the stable, earthy Renata. Her husband is a failed writer and an alcoholic (played by Richard Jordan). Joey (Mary Beth Hurt) is the neurotic, stuffy, moody one who can't seem to find happiness in any profession she attempts. Her husband is played by Sam Waterston, and he's probably the one normal person in the whole film. The third daughter, Flynn, is played by Kristin Griffith as a TV-movie actress whose films are always panned by her family, both in and out of her presence. Maureen Stapleton plays the role of Pearl, the feisty woman Marshall begins dating soon after his separation. His children are surprised that he wants to remarry so soon, and Joey shows open contempt for his choice of a new wife.

This is not "Bananas," "Sleeper," or even "Annie Hall." This is Woody Allen showing the dark recesses of family dysfunction. Geraldine Page is simply outstanding as the mentally unstable middle-aged woman. The scene where she "prepares" for her first suicide attempt is extremely dark and sad. Her final "beach" scene is beautifully shot. The rest of the cast does a great job, but she is head and shoulders above the rest.

It's interesting to see Allen stretch out with this style of filmmaking, and I think it works very well. He has obviously studied Bergman's works carefully. This is no mere copy, it's a beautiful homage.

The picture quality is good but not excellent for a DVD transfer. And as with all of Allen's discs, there's really not much in the area of extras -- just a trailer. But this is definitely a film to check out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Writer-director Woody Allen has produced yet another challenging and funny film, this time taking on the musical genre and bending it to his own unique vision. The result is one of the most charming films in recent years, as Allen assembles a typically sterling ensemble cast to evoke the romanticism of years past. This time, the large cast (including Alan Alda, Drew Barrymore, Goldie Hawn, Edward Norton, and Tim Roth) not only turn in funny and touching performances, but they sing the classic songs of the 1930s and 1940s themselves, and sing them very well. The plot centers on an extended family in New York and their various romantic entanglements, including Allen's pursuit of Julia Roberts through the streets of Paris and the canals of Venice. The musical numbers are the film's high point, displaying wonderful choreography ranging from a room full of dancing Groucho Marxes to a dancing couple in flight at the banks of the Seine. Everyone Says I Love You is a witty and entertaining fantasy, and a truly romantic escape. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Everyone, Including Me
In Woody Allen's film Everyone Says I Love You, one of the century's great filmmakers gets to make his own dream come true. Just take a listen to the soundtracks for Manhattan or Radio Days and you realize that all the Woodman's ever wanted to do was make a musical.

He's finally found a way. And by taking those timeless songs of Gershwin and Porter and placing them in the context of modern family life, Allen has created one of his most innovative comedies ever.

By its very nature, musicals showcase fabulous singers who are able to stop the world and belt out a tune. Not exactly in the realm of the possible. But by filling his scenery with non-singers, or actors who aren't known for their singing, Allen creates the possibility of song in everyday real life.

Take Holden (Edward Norton), for example. What he lacks in fashion sense, he makes up for in heart. When he goes to buy a rock for his lady love Skylar (Drew Barrymore), the jewelry store becomes a Gene Kelly musical, except Holden's no hoofer. He stumbles awkwardly through the dance number while the jewelry store employees play to the camera.

If it sounds fun, it is. But the two young lovebirds are but a minor diversion. Skylar's mom Steffi and husband Bob (Goldie Hawn and Alan Alda) are trying to keep their family together. Grandpa's gone daffy, their teenage son has up and joined the young Republican's (ick!), and Goldie's ex, Joe (Allen), is living in Paris and wooing an art historian (Julia Roberts).

Even the worst singing, that of Allen (a mouse squeak) and Roberts (can you say tone deaf?), works somehow. In Everyone Says I Love You the commonplace collides with the extraordinary in an alternate universe that's just this side of heaven.

Charming, Funny --- not what you expect from Woody Allen
When I first saw this movie advertised, I was puzzled as to what the concept was--- a musical comedy by WOODY ALLEN? I enjoy Woody Allen, but usually his movies are really crude and disgustingly sexual. But this film was a breath of fresh air. It was witty and funny--- but best of all the performances were wonderful. The concept of the movie is somewhat fuzzy, and the plot is uneventful, but that doesn't matter when you see the wonderful job Alan Alda, Goldie Hawn, Edward Norton and Drew Barrymore do to entertain you throughout the film. The camera movement is erratic at times...but the scenery of both New York, Venice, and Paris is dazzling. The music and the singing performances are--- uniquely done... but very endearing. You should watch this movie if you like simple, charming, witty and slow-paced films. Not a lot of thinking or intelligence is required to watch this movie, and thats the best part. This film is a no-brainer, and many will enjoy this wonderfully acted movie.

Careful what you ask for
I got this movie to satisfy my curiosity. The concept sounded interesting, and it boasted some normally bankable (or at least watchable) cast. Unfortunately, I did not care for the film. Oh, it was well made, and had fair acting, but it just failed to interest me. The songs were not very catchy tunes, like say, something from a "real" musical like "Fiddler on the Roof", "The King and I", or "My Fair Lady", etc. Drew Barrymore had a large part, but was in the lower range of acting, and her singing was dubbed. Natalie and Gaby were under used. Alan Alda and Goldie had decent voices, but again, weak songs.

I had a hard time swallowing Julia and Woody as a couple - though she did say she was crazy - did I miss something else? The most interesting part was seeing two MASH alumni in the same scene for about 10 seconds. For those who don't know why it was rated R, it is because of the rap lyrics. No other swearing or nudity.

I'm being generous with 3 stars. It seemed to be a personal experiment rather than a committed movie. Oh, well - curiosity satified. Waiting for "Take the Money and Run" to arrive.

I loved this movie, it made me laugh so hard...
It is a musical, and it is not a musical. There are songs in the movie, but it is not distracting from the movie, and the songs do not take up too much time. The movie is hallarious. The first time I saw this movie I was laughing for days. There is a scene where the girl is in the kitchen of her fathers house, heartbroken, singing a song about how she is "done with love". In the middle of the song it switches from the upper class white teenager and her tears to a black rapper who uses some of the same lyrics, but delevers it in a completely different manner. I had beer comming out of my nose I laughed so hard. This is a must see!

ONE OF WOODYS BEST
EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU. I can not believe I never saw this movie before. A musical comedy. It's now one of my favorite Woody pictures. Right up there with Love and Death, A Midsummer Nights Sex Comedy, Bloodhounds of Broadway, Manhattan and those other ones that I like. It was worth the price of admission just for the Hurray for Capt. Spaulding in FRENCH number ! Ooo LA LA . A party in Paris Xmas eve and EVERYONE as Groucho Marx. Woody Goldie Ed Drew ect... everyone EXCEPT for Allen Alda, how sweetly ironic that the man who did BAD Groucho imitations all thru MASH was sick in the hotel. NICE touch Woody. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of Woody Allen's best films of the '90s, Bullets over Broadway stars John Cusack as a virtual Woody surrogate, a neurotic, Jazz Age writer whose new play sounds wooden and unrealistic to a low-level mobster (Chazz Palminteri) assigned to watch over his boss's actress-girlfriend (Jennifer Tilly). When the hood starts contributing better story ideas and dialogue than what the official playwright can conjure, questions (not unlike those of Amadeus) about the price we pay to make art at the expense of other responsibilities are intriguingly raised. Palminteri gives a very interesting performance as the enforcer waking up to the desperate (and almost feminine) demands of his own creative psyche, and Dianne Wiest (who won an Oscar), Tracey Ullman, Jim Broadbent, and Jennifer Tilly are very funny together playing the ensemble cast of Cusack's play. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Don't speak, just laugh!
Oh Woody, Woody, Woody. When he is funny, he is one of the best comic writers around, and in this movie his writing is hilarious. What other auteur in the cinema today can poke fun at those little idiosyncracies that we all see in ourselves, and get away with it?
Our hero, in a rare departure is not played by Woody Allen but rather, John Cusack, who gives a subtle performance, rather than the over-the-top pisstake by Kenneth Branagh in "Celebrity". He is trying to get his latest play staged, and can only do so by accepting money from the Mob and having a mobster's girlfriend, with no talent, take one of his lead roles. The humour that ensues centres around each of the plays characters, from the fading diva played by Dianne Wiest to the compulsive eater played by the magnificent Jim Broadbent, as they prepare for the play's debut on Broadway. All the performances are spot on and the only criticism comes in the ham-fisted fashion that the film concludes with a mobsters shootout and its all too happy ending.
Nevertheless this is well worth watching to hear great comic lines and the splendid cast who deliver them.

Pure hilarity
As a die hard Woody Allen fan, I can honestly state that this is one of his best efforts. The characters are so incredibly good (dare I say delicious?) and the actors who bring them to life are equally exquisite. From Dianne Wiest ("Don't speak...Don't speak") to Jennifer Tilly ("Hey, Venus, where's that hooch?") to Chaz Palmentieri("You don't write the way people talk")to John Cusack ("I think I'll go now and get the psychiatric help I need"). The rest of the cast is equally marvelous, especially Tracey Ullman. She really is nothing short of brilliant in everything she does. This movie is just a delight throughout. It is truly droll and clever, never once loosing it's intelligence. The attention to detail is admirable, so much so that the film seemingly leaps out at you from the screen. I've seen this film more times than I care to mention and each time I find myself enjoying it more. Only Woody Allen could have devised such an ironic plot twist. He is, without question, the O. Henry of the cinema. One final note: No one, and I mean no one, can make New York seem more fabulous and intoxicating than Mr. Allen. All his films are love letters to this the greatest of American cities. This is to the person who accused Woody Allen of preaching through the Rob Reiner character: Give me a major break. He was spoofing the tendency of some over-indulgent artists to dramatize and take himself too seriously. Sometimes a cigar, my friend, is just a cigar. Don't read so much into things. It can sometimes get you into trouble.

Funny, funny, funny!!
And funny. Great casting, great script, funny dialogue and good directing. The wonderful thing about this whole flick -- Woody Allen decided NOT to be in it. One of his better decisions he's made in years. (Thanks for giving us a break and breather from your repeatible and stale roles Woody!) Don't miss this little-known gem.

Were they trying to make a movie that makes no sense?
I'm not stupid, but this movie made no sense whatsoever. I didn't understand one bit of the boring, mindless conversations, characters, their purpose, etc. And a plot..? Don't even ask. This "sophisticated" comedy (where they got comedy I'll never know as this wasn't the least bit funny) was dull, shallow entertainment. The theme I got out of this movie was "You're not always who you think you are." A theme that could have easily been told in half the time it took this long, dragged out film. Don't believe what the critics say about this. Siskel and Ebert rated it two thumbs up but what do they know? They gave Gosford Park (warning: stay away) the same rating (Actually, that last one was Ebert and Roeper, but they're basically the same). Take my advice and rent something that wasn't directed by Woody Allen. Every one of his movies I've had the nerve to sit through entirely (without falling asleep or turning it off), have been a complete waste of my time. I kept waiting for the ending thinking (and hoping) it would make the movie. It didn't. Those who enjoyed this movie obviously classify it as a work of art much like Shakespeare: boring, but a masterpiece nonetheless. The only reason to watch this movie (by renting it, NOT buying it) is to see the always brilliant Diane Weist in her Oscar-winning performance.

decent
this movie was enjoyable, but not the best woody allen i've seen. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Woody Allen roared back at his detractors with Deconstructing Harry, a bitterly funny treatise about the creative process. Known to mine his often tumultuous personal life for his movies, the embattled writer-director-star didn't bother to make his alter ego likable in this movie: Harry Block (Allen) pops pills, frequents prostitutes, and cheats on the women in his life, then writes about their foibles in thinly disguised fiction. No wonder they're all furious with him. As Harry journeys to his alma mater with a hooker, ill pal, and kidnapped son, a series of flashbacks unravel, juxtaposing Harry's relationships with their "slightly exaggerated" fictional counterparts. There are amusing cameos throughout, including a humorous turn by Demi Moore as a fictitious ex-wife who "became Jewish with a vengeance," and Billy Crystal as the devil who found Hollywood too nasty for his liking. The humor is dark and caustic, but well worth it; Deconstructing Harry is a near-brilliant mediation on the sometimes queasy relationship between art, creator, and critic. On DVD, the film is presented in both widescreen and pan and scan; the disc includes cast bios. --Diane Garrett ... Read more

Reviews (81)

REPROBATE ALLEN WINS ME BACK, THIS TIME
When it was first released, I avoided seeing DECONSTRUCTING HARRY (a.k.a., Woody) because I couldn't bring myself to face yet another self-deprecating, neurotic, self-indulgent, self-centered Woody Allen on screen (who the newspapers had just confirmed is that way off screen too!). Having first laughed at and then endured Allen since the 1960s, I'd had enough. Nevertheless, to this day Allen's THE FRONT remains one of my all time favorite movies ... mainly because of its truthfulness, honesty and courage. Unintentionally, one night I saw part of DECONSTRUCTING HARRY on cable TV (and then HAD to buy it here in DVD) ... because I couldn't stop howling. I'd only seen perhaps the middle half hour of it, but that was enough. Mercifully, THIS movie was not ALL about Allen. Rather Harry Block-Woody Allen was "exploited" as a vehicle for a higher form of humor. Then there were a parade of actors who I never imagined had it in them: Richard Benjamin, Kirstie Alley, Amy Irving ... of all people ..., Mariel Hemingway ... yet! ALL were great in this comedy ... they were terrific. Equally terrific were Hazelle Goodman as Harry's motherly hooker Cookie (wonderful), Billy Crystal and Robin Williams ... who you'd expect to be funny, were indeed that.

I must admit, Allen pulled one out as writer, director and star. But not merely because of the brilliant writing and directing (oh, O.K., and the acting) but because for ONCE Harry-Woody was not the center of the neurotic universe. He was in the middle of the action .... but he tied it all together in DECONSTRUCTING HARRY. Many modern interpersonal issues, stereotypes and clichés are brought into scrutiny under this microscope. It is the very absurdity of it all, making the movie hysterically funny.

Clearly, this is a movie for mature audiences. It is definitely not a movie for children and adolescents. Probably they would find it boring and confusing. The language and situations are graphic, raw and irreligious. But in this movie these are necessary "paints" for painting this picture. Grownups will enjoy this movies thoroughly.

Allen's self-exploration vignettes
Weaving between fiction and reality, Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry tells the tale of a writer's sexual exploits, romantic failings, and dealings with depression. Allen's character Harry transfers his life's problems into his books, which causes much strife between the real-life counterparts in his world.

Once again Allen has leveraged his considerable fame to draw in Hollywood's elite. Throughout the film, every face is a familiar one. Billy Crystal is portrayed as the devil who steals Woody's romantic lead, Robin Williams as a blurry actor who can't get his focus, Kirstie Alley as a ex-wife who discovers Harry has cheated with a patient, and countless more celebrity cameos.

The joy in partaking in this film is evident in the celebrity actors who appear. There's a certain prestige in such an endeavor, and we, the film audience, can identify just about everyone in the film. At the same time, each character that appears has so much baggage in our minds. For instance, Demi Moore appears as an ex-wife. How many of us can honestly think of her in any way other that her celebrity profile. While this isn't a major problem, identifying with some of the celebrities proves difficult at times.

Deconstructing Harry catalogs Woody's struggle with sexual desire and his inability to love. Early on we discover that he has finally found true love in a pupil, Elizabeth Shue, but she has fallen in love with his friend.

The plot is shaped around Harry's self-identity questions, and the character's goal is to go to an honorary ceremony at his alum. He has nobody to take. His ex-wife won't let him take his son, his girlfriend has left him, and a hooker is the only one around that will take him up on his need for c