The greatest movie ever made..!
... View MoreAbsolutely the worst movie.
... View MoreAlthough it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.
... View MoreBlistering performances.
... View MoreWoody Allen's 1983 film, Zelig was an interesting concept for a film. In the style of a mockumentary, Woody Allen starred as a man who was a literal human chameleon, appearing in the background newsreel footage through many different periods of history as he assumed the role of the context he was in. Zelig was able to change anything about himself, including his ethnicity with almost no effort. Eventually, under the care of a world-renowned psychologist, it was discovered that Zelig suffered from an insatiable need for ultimate conformity with the goal of being universally liked. The rest of the mockumentary delved into the psychological and legal struggles of a man who could change so much about himself so effortlessly. Perhaps, Zelig suffered from my not being in the right frame of mind to take it in, or perhaps it was just so different from what I expected at that moment, or perhaps it is simply a film that begs a second viewing but I didn't love it as much as I loved many other films I've been watching throughout this Woody Allen project. Zelig uses the mockumentary style in the best way that I have ever seen, those types of films don't impact me, personally, but I can recognize that Zelig used this format well. Zelig is complete with a traditionally perfect Woody Allen opening, and plenty of trademarks of the director to make any Woody Allen fan happy. Zelig grapples with death and identity, in perhaps the deepest way I've seen yet. The film is also another in his oeuvre that uses gorgeous black and white photography. What was missed, however, was the incredible dialogue I've come to expect from Woody Allen films, which was a bit of a letdown.
... View MoreZelig is a "pseudo-documentary" about the world's first human chameleon. This film boasts one of the most realistic re-imagining of prewar film-stocks ever filmed, crisped to the tiniest detail. The Nazi scenes alone can be worth the watch for this film.Indeed, The film is a technical marvel and acting itself is no slouch either but it always felt like something is off in this film. The story in paper is very actually interesting but Allen's mixing of his anxious comedy style with that of documentary made it came off a bit stiff and phony in a way. I just cannot suspend my disbelief as the story goes more ridiculous by the minute with its BBC-like narration topped by some on or off jokes. Overall, the film is a technical marvel and is fun to watch in tiny bits but suffers in comparison to his better works's snappy warmth and pizazz [3/5]
... View MoreI am not a Woody Allen fan--yet two films he made are remarkably good--"Match Point" and "Zelig.""Zelig" is quasi-documentary at its best. When you are watching Allen and Mia Farrow, you realize you are also watching "the real Dr Fletcher in color," who does resemble Ms Farrow. Much later you realize the "Real Dr Fletcher" was also an actress. The question is not whether you like Zelig, the real question is when can the viewer be fooled into believing what Allen wants you to believe. Color or B/W do not provide clues here. Great stuff.Watching the real Saul Bellow interview recording was a bonus--a clever bonus from Allen.And for me the best part of the film was the real Susan Sontag interview recordings--she was more attractive than Ms Farrow any day! She could have been a great actress as well as the great thinker we know her as.
... View MoreNed Flanders, the Simpson's next door neighbour, said he liked Woody Allen films, but was not quite sure about the nervous little guy with the glasses who always appeared in them. Neither am I.There were only four I have ever really warmed to. "Play It Again, Sam".(The personal Bogart mentor is fun but the slapstick becomes tedious) "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex" (It is still funny and insightful) "Radio Days" (a rare delight - but the little guy with glasses is an offscreen narrator) "Broadway Danny Rose" (an examination of the idea of "grace", forgiveness, turning the other cheek as an alternative to revenge)"Crimes and Misdemeanours" - The suggestion that you tend to forget about guilt if you live with it long enough and make enough money to buy respectability is interesting. But is the film just a technicolor morality tale.In "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan", the little guy with glasses reveals himself as a self deluded, self obsessed brat.And then there was "Zelig". It runs out of steam about half way through and has to be resuscitated by a rescue mission resulting in a new world record for flying a plane upside down across the Atlantic.It seems to depict the age old plight of Jews, who were kicked out of Israel by the Romans and have endeavoured to become citizens of North Africa, then Spain, then mid Europe then Russia. The more ambitious and successful tried to assimilate with the people they lived amongst, (take on the identity of such people) only to be violently rejected in the end. However there is a universality to "Zelig". "Man is born free but all around us we see him in chains". If you try to make yourself identical to everyone else to 'fit in', you will never know who or what you really are. You will ultimately miss out on the wisdom gained through atonement - the means to 'Know Thyself". That may well apply to the timid Germans of the 1930's, the conformist faces in the crowds in those old newsreels. But it's not just about1930's Germans.You can see it acted out in Luis Bunuel's, "Exterminating Angel". The high society supper party guests slowly realise that they can not escape from the room in which they have gathered. Their increasingly desperate plight is finally brought to a head when one of them suggests they go back to doing what they were doing before it dawned upon them that they were trapped. The solution works. They find a way to exit the room. To celebrate their deliverance, they all attend a grand cathedral church service. And at the conclusion of the film, they realise they are trapped in the cathedral.So how do you escape the invisible chains that trap people in a society that is very imperfect? Ask the Greek philosophers.The beginning and end of all wisdom is to "Know Thyself" By beauty it is that we come at WisdomIn Keats' words,"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."But what is the route that leads to that beauty that is wisdom, that is self knowledge?Woody Allen might well have gained some insight into that question had he spent more time becoming acquainted with the Hebrew scriptures than he did in "Crimes and Misdemeanours". Moses' Law and the Prophets have a great deal to say about the journey that leads to wisdom and beauty. Take the feasts prescribed in Moses' Law.Moses' Law ties the Exodus from Egyptian slavery story to a fortnight in early spring in which Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits feasts are observed. They celebrate redemption. Of course only two of the people who were redeemed on that first passover made it to the promised land. The rest did not even make it into God's rest (Psalm 95), whatever that means.A fortnight at the end of summer contains the new year, atonement and tabernacles feasts. They commemorate the forty years of wilderness wandering (atonement) that allowed them to see and know God's ways(wisdom) . Passover is about redemption. The child at the loving mother's breast is protected from harm, nourished and kept warm. It would die without that redemptive care. Think of redemption as beauty, love, mercy, forgiveness, grace. Think of the closing scene of "Broadway Danny Rose"Atonement is about law, truth, consequences of actions. The child who has been weaned and goes out into the world soon discovers the truth that it is not at all like suckling at mommy's bosom. Wisdom is truth. The truth that is discovered about oneself by life experiences in the hard, cold world. They either make you, or break you. You get to decide by the way you react to the calamities of nature and actions of other people. Think of wisdom as truth. It is symbolised as a virtuous wife in the book of Proverbs. It is expressed as the knowledge of God that comes from riding out grief, pain and loss, in the book of Job. Apotheosis.The man who had his ex- lover murdered in "Crimes and Misdemeanours" failed to gain that wisdom.Beauty is truth, truth beauty Redemption is beauty. The Wisdom discovered by atonement is truth.If you want a new definition of the construct referred to as "God", recast that idea as what happens at some abstract point at which Redemption intersects with Atonement - at which grace and beauty intersect with truth. Using that definition, knowing God is to know redemption and atonement - beauty and truth - true wisdom.There's an idea for some new movies, Woody. Some really worthwhile movies, with or without the little guy who wears glasses.
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