You Forget That It Was Shot In The 70's

Rating: 8/10 (16 February 2009)

From the exceptional writing of Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman (Brickman a banjo player who was in the group "The Journeyman" with John Phillips and Michelle Phillips who had success as Mamas & Papas left to pursue writing for television, Candid Camera, The Tonight Show and The Dick Cavett Show) you forget that you are watching characters act. The acting feels real and genuine. After you get past Allen breaking the fourth wall in the introduction with his monologue you get a sense of invitation to this New York style of living that is displayed throughout the movie with Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) and Annie Hall (Diane Keaton) a couple who has an up and down then out relationship. Especially the lobster/kitchen scene when they are throwing the lobster around then into the pot gives you a sense of script and improvisation that makes you laugh out loud. Along with the breathing hand held camera the scene makes the looseness in a closed form feel open.
The style of Annie (Diane Keaton) and even Woody's wardrobe (Glasses) is being fashioned today. Watch any award show with HipHop generation and you would see dancers wearing the vest and tie.
The long takes in this film works. The cinematography by Gordon Willis (Godfather) is excellent. Without the editing of Ralph Rosenbloom this style of movie would not exist. This film is definitely one of my favorites.