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Baker & Taylor Video
Publisher : Baker & Taylor Video Actor : Hy Anzell, Colleen Dewhurst, Shelley Duvall, Russell Horton, Carol Kane, Manufacturer : Baker & Taylor Video
Description
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
Customer reviews for 'Annie Hall'
«One of Woody's best»
Annie Hall is one of those films that I could watch over and over again. I first caught it a few years ago. I know, I know, it was made in the late 70s.
Anyway, I've seen some of Woody Allen's other movies and, though I like some of them, "Annie Hall" is my favorite.
I heard Mr. Allen say that he was not happy with this film. I think he thinks that to make a great film it has to be "serious." Annie Hall touches on a lot of elements. It is serious in a way with regard to relationships.
Allen has done a wonderful job directing this movie with a light touch.
Diane Keaton was just adorable and I think it was the very best role she has ever gotten. As an actor, Allen plays himself but he doesn't make any bones about it. He is believable.
The cinematography by Gordon Willis is superb
[Thursday, January 08, 2009]
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«Great film, good DVD»
This is one of MGM's earliest DVDs, and is typical of these (though no worse for it). The disc contains the theatrical widescreen (1.85:1) version of the film on one side and the TV fullscreen (1.33:1) on the other. The main menu is functional, but it isn't pretty: the background is a grainy film still of Allen and Keaton at the waterfront with the Brooklyn Bridge as the backdrop, and the menu selections are lime green text! You can't miss them.
The audiovisual quality is unexceptional. The dialogue seems slightly muted in some scenes.
The scene selection menu of this disc consists of titled thumbnail images, and is as extensive as any that I've seen. Forty-nine individual scenes can be selected, so it's pretty easy to jump to your favorite joke if that's what you're looking for. The French dubbed dialogue track is very good, as are the English, French and Spanish subtitles. A mediocre theatrical trailer is also included.
[Sunday, January 04, 2009]
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«Allen's Finest! Too Bad About the DVD!»
After watching a few of Woody Allen's films this is the one I found the most accomplished, interesting and funny other than "Take The Money and Run". "Sleeper" really lives up (or should I say down) to its name and after that I didn't think I'd risk another Allen flick until I watched this one. Allen plays the neurotic romantic self-sabotager role very well and watching his attempts at getting the ultimate chalk and cheese relationship to work was amusing for the most part and hilarious in a few of the scenes that actually managed to age pretty well over the last 30 years.
The only beef I have with this dvd version of the film is that the picture quality is very poor with numerous imperfections throughout such as black circles, spots etc on many frames and the very poor sound quality which comes in mono. Thankfully, in a film like this where sound effects matter little and it's the dialogue that makes this one great, one's overall enjoyment isn't diminished too much but if they are thinking of doing a Director's Cut of this film or if they are looking at putting this on Blu-ray, they should take the opportunity to clean up both the picture and the sound quality with a 5.1 surround sound option as well as with good Special Features to boot.
Overall this is Woody Allen at his best in a film that only he could make and I actually enjoyed it a great deal but you should wait until they release a better dvd version in either standard or Blu-ray formats but with better Special Features and much, much better picture and sound quality options preferably in a new Director's Cut.
[Monday, December 22, 2008]
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