If they ever made a Hall of Fame for great movies of the 1970s. Anne Hall really does belong on that list.

Rating: 8/10 (29 January 2017)

Though some people prefer 1979's 'Manhattan', 'Annie Hall' is generally regarded as the one of the best in Woody Allen's pretty solid filmmaking career. Worthy of the many Academy Awards, they won. This romantic-comedy was amazing, even if writer/director/actor Woody Allen kinda hates it. It's a classic that still relevant even today. Made during an era, where Allen was transforming from making silly, yet funny broad slapstick comedies to dramatic mature material that are somewhat good, but boring films, influenced by European art cinema. The film was indeed made at the right time. Full of priceless, witty and quotable one-liners, clever break the fourth wall jokes, beautiful cinematography, charming music, outstanding animation, wonderful complex supporting characters played by up and coming actors and actresses like Jeff Goldblum, Carol Kane, Sigourney Weaver, Christopher Walken, Beverly D'Angelo, Shelley Duvall, and fun cameos like philosopher, Marshall McLuhan & singer, Paul Simon made this great. I like how this movie, not only tells the fictional love story of a fixated New York comedian Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) with a ditzy, aspiring singer Annie Hall (Diane Keaton); but give us, insight on the then-relationship between writer/director Woody Allen and his co-star, Diane Keaton and why the relationship didn't work. Several references in the film mirror Allen's own life, such as using Diane Keaton's original last name for Annie, and having his character, be a Jewish comedian living in New York has made most film critics believe profoundly that this film is just another of Allen's deep autobiographical. However, Allen is quick to dispel these suggestions, saying, the film is so exaggerated that it's virtually meaningless to the people that it was loosely based on. Regardless on his beliefs, the film is truly self-reflexive. It's hard to denial that Annie Hall does capitalized on many of the ingredients that had been the content of his earlier films, the subjects of cultural stereotypes, romantic angst, drugs, death, his use of therapy and analysis for comic effect, and his obsessive love of New York & his dislike of Los Angeles. Added to that, is his introspective neuroses and pessimism, his requisite jokes and psychosexual frustration about sex, numerous put-downs of his own appearance and personality, and distorted memories of his childhood. And Allen's script keeps going with scenes of stylistic strategies and cinematic techniques that support the fragmented nature of the film, such as the direct addresses to the camera style with voice over commentary, the adult time-travel back to childhood sequence & the sudden production of a real-life character. Added the double-exposed action, and the subtitled that contradict the action, and you got yourself, a very long, but unique film. Honestly, if Woody Allen didn't have editor, Ralph Rosenblum, this film could had gone forever. That seems to be a common problem with most of Allen's films. It just doesn't know how to pace itself. Many shots for this film, had to be eliminated or severely shorted, just to allow the audience enough time to digest it all. As much as I like the backstory of Alvy. In truth, I really came to see Annie Hall. Even Allen admit that he went overboard, saying he would had cut a lot of opening scenes about Alvy in order to introduce Keaton's character, faster. Diane Keaton really does shines in this role. She really does deserve the Best Actress win that year. An understated and subtle performance. I like how great, she was able to show character development, showing that Anne Hall does have confidence and that she can stand on her ownright. It's like a Pygmalion-like story. Just look at the scene where she sing 'Seem like Old Times'. Plus, the way, Keaton's idea to choose to dress Hall with mismatched of conglomeration of men's dress clothes was very influence to fashion. Absolutely gorgeous. Don't get me wrong, while, Allen's persona of playing characters with an insecure, intellectual, fretful nebbish is a bit tiresome old shtick, there was nothing too annoying about his shrill and nasal character here. I just like Keaton's performance, better. I also just glad, the film didn't kept the original murder mystery. It would feel, out of place from the rest of the story. Allen would indeed, later directed murder mysteries to satisfy that need with 1992's 'Shadows and Fog' and 1993's 'Manhattan Murder Mystery' retooled and taken from this script. Another thing, I'm glad, this movie didn't kept, was the titled, 'Anhedonia'. It truly could had been a state of acute melancholia. 'Annie Hall' makes more sense than any of the alternative titles, they were thinking like 'A Roller Coaster Named Desire', 'Me and My Goy' & 'It had to be Jew'. Overall: While, some critics might hate the movie for having a first world conflict and being a bit self-centered. With only a few flaws, this movie will continue to remind a classic romantic comedy for most, and I have to agree. It's one of the best film ever made. Definitely worth watching. La Dee, La Dah.