Radio Days (1987)

Title: Radio Days
Release Date: 30 January 1987
Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Seth Green, Julie Kavner, Dianne Wiest
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093818/
My Rating: (7/10) ★★★★★★★✩✩✩

(note william h. macy)

Woody Allen narrates and a young Seth Green stars in this love poem to radio programming. The tale centers around Joe, whose childhood is influenced, shaped and directed by whats happening on the radio. The radio is a source for community. It is simultaneously entertainment, news and romance. It brings families together (a touching vignette about a girl falling down a well hits rather unexpectedly and quite poignantly) and tears people asunder (Mia Farrow plays Sally, a woman who's about to get her big radio break the moment they announce Pearl Harbor). In all, a funny and quick film. Nothing about this film packs too heavy a punch, but it is notable for the simple fact that Mia Farrow and Diane Keaton appear together for the only time. Additionally, the pacing is quick and the dialogue will be familiar to anyone who grew up with a large family.

The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

Title: The Purple Rose of Cairo
Release Date: 09 May 1985
Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello, Dianne Wiest
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089853/
My Rating: (8/10) ★★★★★★★★✩✩



This is a truly enchanting movie set in 1930's New Jersey. Mia Farrow plays Cecilia, the dissatisfied wife to Danny Aiello's abusive, unemployed creep. She spends most of her time at the movies, alone, and has seen The Purple Rose of Cairo five times. Jeff Daniels plays a dual role here; First he's the dapper Tom Baxter, supporting character in the film-within-the-film and then he's Gil Shepherd, the actor who plays Tom Baxter. When Tom literally comes out of the screen and whisks Cecilia away on an adventure, the producers of the film are called in to help track him down. Thus begins a sweet story of love, itself tracking along blurred lines of reality and fiction. Will Cecilia choose impossible romance or will she choose reality?

Farrow gives a great performance, at times really masquerading as the female Woody Allen (who does not appear in this film). Glenne Headley and Dianne Wiest, though each in minor roles, are also especially noteworthy. But this film belongs to Jeff Daniels who plays both characters with astute comic reserve and the right amount of gusto.

Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

Title: Broadway Danny Rose
Release Date: 27 January 1984
Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087003/
My Rating: (7/10) ★★★★★★★✩✩✩

Woody Allen stars as Broadway Danny Rose, a theatrical manager for a string of really bad talent. His only semi-talented act, Lou Canova, is a washed-up has-been who is cheating on his wife with hardened floozie Tina, played deliciously by Mia Farrow. In order to keep Lou happy, Danny agrees to pick up Tina in Jersey and bring her to what promises to be Lou's make-or-break show. What ensues is a comical string of events that pit Danny against the mob who are seeking blood vengeance because they believe he's having an affair with Tina. In the end, a touching tale of forgiveness emerges with much to say on friendship, success and devotion. A fine flick with great comic moments.

Bananas (1971)

(Traveling through the Films of Woody Allen)

Title: Bananas
Release Date: 28 April 1971
Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Louise Lasser, Carlos Montalban
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066808/
My Rating: (6/10) ★★★★★★✩✩✩✩


While generally sustaining the comedic tone throughout, parts of this movie feel too contrived to laugh at. Woody Allen's third feature as director follows the life of Fielding Mellish, a lovable loser who becomes president of San Marcos after his girlfriend Nancy (Louise Lasser) tells him he needs to be more of a leader. Woody Allen really begins to shapethat nervous character he's known for playing, and that may be the greatest success of this film. His neuroses are endearing, and at times he is quite attractive. 


As a whole the shots are usually funny and interesting and a lot of the sequences are hysterical (special mention to the breakup scene between Nancy & Fielding which seems like it could have been improvised), but not everything lands the way it may have been intended. I watched a four part interview with Woody Allen on youtube, shot right after Bananas was released, and I found that to be much more entertaining. But perhaps that's the big joke?

Take the Money and Run (1969)

(Traveling through the Films Of Woody Allen)

Title: Take the Money and Run
Release Date: 18 August 1969
Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Janet Margolin
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065063/

My Rating: (8/10) ★★★★★★★★✩✩


Three years after his directorial debut, Woody Allen came back with his next film--the first film in which he wrote, directed and also starred. He plays Virgil Starkwell, an inept petty thief who goes to prison for unsuccessfully robbing a bank. The film is a hilarious mockumentary style film told through "old footage", voice overs and interviews. It's easy to see the comic genius of Allen, flourishing often and especially in my two favorite sequences--A) when Virgil finds himself chained to five other prisoners attempting to make a daring prison escape. "I'm not with them, I wanna stay!" B) When young Virgil plays cello in the marching band.

I've never really been into Woody Allen before, but I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Janet Margolin as Virgil's devoted and innocent wife was sweet and fantastic and I look forward to seeing more from Woody, who's neuroses actually came across as endearing this time around. 




http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065063/

What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966)

(Traveling through the Films Of Woody Allen)

Title: What's Up, Tiger Lily?
Release Date: 2 November 1966
Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Tatsuya Mihashi, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061177/
My Rating: (6/10) ★★★★★★✩✩✩✩


I'm starting with Woody Allen films so I had to watch his very first directorial effort, which is a pre-existing Japanese spy film overdubbed with an Allen penned comedic script. He rearranges scenes to suit his new narrative and dubs in voices of his friends (our hero, Japanese spy Phil Moscowitz is on a mission to find the world's best egg-salad recipe). There is even a gratuitous strip tease at the end which hints at Woody Allen's slightly perverted side. I'm giving the film six stars because of social context--though it wasn't a film I especially enjoyed, I can see what's funny about it and how some might find it side splitting. The conceit is well done, and Allen usually avoids the obvious joke, which is noteworthy. 

1895 - L'Arroseur Arrose

If I could go back in time, one of the first places I'd stop by is Paris in December 1895 at the Salon Indien du Grand Cafe. I would go to the first public screening of August & Louis Lumiere's first ten films made with their wonderful new Cinematograph (this must be counted as the first film festival!). Of the ten films they screened, my favorite & I think the most noteworthy is L'Arroseur Arrose. It's the classic tale, which actually came from a comic strip, of a gardener tending to his crops. Behind him, a young boy sneaks up and steps on his water hose cutting off the flow of water. The gardener cannot figure out what is amiss and stares deep into the garden hose. That is when the boy delightfully chooses to let his foot off the hose and WHOOMP! Splash face!



Noteworthy not only because this is the first comedy film, but most agree this is also the first fiction film of all time! All of this of course is Fantastique! but let us not overlook the fact that with L'Arroseur Arrose, Louis Lumiere also undoubtedly created the world's first spanking fetish film! Bears and leather daddies everywhere, please take a pause for reflection.

The other films screened at the first public showing all directed by Louis Lumiere.

1895 - La Sortie de l'Usine Lumiere a Lyon (Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory)
1895 - La Voltige (Horse Trick Riders)
1895 - La Peche aux Poissons Rouges (Fishing for Goldfish)
1895 - Le Debarquement du Congres de Photographie a Lyon (The Photographical Congress Arrives in London)
1895 - Les Forgerons (The Blacksmiths)
1895 - Repas de Bebe (Baby's Breakfast)
1895 - La Saut a la Couverture (Jumping onto a Blanket)
1895 - Place des Cordeliers a Lyon (Cordeliers Square in Lyon)
1895 - La Mer (The Sea)
1895 - L'Arrivee d'un Train en Gare de la Ciotat (The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station)