For more info on 'films that really matter to us' posts, check this post out.
*If you have not been fortunate enough to read my rant on why no one seems to give a damn about Woody Allen any more, now would probably be a good time to read it.*
I love Woody Allen. I mean everyone 'of a certain age' knows he's a genius, right, and OK, his personal life is dubious at best, but I really love his films. He always starts his films the same way, with the same titles at the beginning, and they'll normally be full of witty, quotable lines. Annie Hall is no exception. I'm not going to stand up and say it's his best film, because there's a hell of a lot of Woody Allen films I haven't seen yet - but it's certainly one of my favourites out of the ones I have seen.
Dianne Keaton is just too cool as Annie - a kind of crazy, air-headed woman, with a ridiculous fashion sense. Apparently Woody Allen liked her fashion sense in real-life so much that most of the clothes she wore were her own.
Woody Allen plays his stock character - a neurotic, intelligent, yet nerdy man. In this case, he's Alvy Singer, a comedian who, like Woody Allen, despises L.A. and all that it stands for. He falls in love with Annie Hall who has promising prospects as a singer and who ends up relocating to L.A.
Of course, there are mishaps and tender moments in their relationship, but ultimately, it's just hilarious from start to finish.
Personal highlights include the lobster scene, the spider in the bathroom scene and finally, one of the funniest things I have ever seen: the cocaine scene.
Lastly, if you have not seen Annie Hall, here's some reasons why you really should:
- It will enhance your viewing of other films and TV shows. I can think of many films and tv shows that parody, pay tribute to and just plain rip off, Annie Hall. For example, if you've seen the Green Wing house party episode from series 1, you will laugh even harder. Human Traffic (1999) draws heavily from it.
- It's 134 on the IMDB.com top 250 films. And let's face it, it's most film geek's secret ambition to watch all of those films!
- It won Best Picture at both the Oscars AND the BAFTAS in 1977.
- It's been preserved by the United States National Film Registry as a film that is culturally significant.
- Total Film reckon it's the 44th funniest film EVER. That's pretty darn funny!
- The American Film Institute recognised it in about 6 or 7 or their '100 Years...' films.
Just go out and watch Annie Hall, you can probably pick it up for a fiver from HMV.
