Woody Allen's odd structuring of his first serious comedy-- subtitles, animation, fourth-wall devesation, proved that even at his most traditional, the heart of a neurotic rebel still shines through.
Many have called this the seminal romantic comedy of the 100+ year history of movies. Blending old and new archetypes, it insists on never exhibiting a dull moment in the relationship of Alvy and Annie, always leaning towards quirky sequences and Vaudeville-like setups to deliver the entertainment over traditional plot arcs. The fact that "Annie Hall" used an original framing device of a murder mystery allows the movie to get away with a great deal. Plus, it helps that it beat out "Star Wars" to win Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards in 1977. If you're reading these comments as a means of recommendation, please do know that from a very conservative filmgoer's POV, "Annie Hall" is the real thing: it won't waste your time. It's funny, touching, heartfelt, and wonderfully executed. Woody Allen at his most Woody Allen, it stands in the top 10 funniest movies ever made and in the pantheon of Great Films.
"Maybe a snow shovel?"
HA!
****
Many have called this the seminal romantic comedy of the 100+ year history of movies. Blending old and new archetypes, it insists on never exhibiting a dull moment in the relationship of Alvy and Annie, always leaning towards quirky sequences and Vaudeville-like setups to deliver the entertainment over traditional plot arcs. The fact that "Annie Hall" used an original framing device of a murder mystery allows the movie to get away with a great deal. Plus, it helps that it beat out "Star Wars" to win Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards in 1977. If you're reading these comments as a means of recommendation, please do know that from a very conservative filmgoer's POV, "Annie Hall" is the real thing: it won't waste your time. It's funny, touching, heartfelt, and wonderfully executed. Woody Allen at his most Woody Allen, it stands in the top 10 funniest movies ever made and in the pantheon of Great Films.
"Maybe a snow shovel?"
HA!
****