Underrated/overrated woody allen films
- Thread starter jannerboyuk
- Start date
Manhattan Murder Mystery is way underrated.
Alan Alda, Dianne Keaton, Anjelica Houston, and Woody himself.
I saw it in my early teens and thought it was wonderful. Saw it again recently and that bit where they are sneaking around and they freak out and get all nervy and paranoid still makes me laught out loud
Alan Alda, Dianne Keaton, Anjelica Houston, and Woody himself.
I saw it in my early teens and thought it was wonderful. Saw it again recently and that bit where they are sneaking around and they freak out and get all nervy and paranoid still makes me laught out loud
DaveCinzano
WATCH OUT, GEORGE, HE'S GOT A SCREWDRIVER!
I've never really got into his stuff, though I liked Casino Royale. Zelig felt like more of a clever idea than a funny one.
Think the only ones of his I've seen apart from that are Radio Days, Bullets Over Broadway and Vicky Cristina Barcelona. All seemed okay. So are any others really worth the effort?
Think the only ones of his I've seen apart from that are Radio Days, Bullets Over Broadway and Vicky Cristina Barcelona. All seemed okay. So are any others really worth the effort?
Wolveryeti
Detty Pig
I loved the oldies (Manhattan, Annie Hall, Manhattan Murder Mystery), but on watching Manhattan recently Woody annoyed me and I could not see past him being an annoying whiny cock. Now I think his later output is better - loved Match Point and Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
goldenecitrone
post tenebras lux
Sleeper is hilarious, as is Bananas and Play it again Sam. Love and Death is pretty good, too.
Reno
The In Kraut
The last two Woody Allen films which got hailed as a return to form, Vicky Christina Barcelona and Midnight in Paris, were pretty bad. However I really like Match Point which a lot of British people turn their nose up at because apparently it's not authentically British enough. It was written to take place in New York and then got switched to London when funding came from Europe, with the condition that it gets shot there. It's an excellent Patricia Highsmith style thriller and a nice example of old school Hollywood film-making. While some people thought it was corny or old fashioned, I liked that it was like something Hitchcock would have made in the 50s and it's a really solid piece of film-making which very much showcases Allen as a director as much as a writer.
I also recently saw the excellent "Woody Allen: A Documentary" which was a good reminder of how great he could be. I think in the 70s and 80s he had a pretty fantastic run of films and Annie Hall is maybe still the greatest film about falling in and out of love ever made.
I also recently saw the excellent "Woody Allen: A Documentary" which was a good reminder of how great he could be. I think in the 70s and 80s he had a pretty fantastic run of films and Annie Hall is maybe still the greatest film about falling in and out of love ever made.
Dr. Furface
One small step for me
Yeah those are two of my faves. Also love Radio Days, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Bullets Over Broadway and Zelig
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
Bullets over Broadway is brilliant. Jim Broadbent is superb.
billy_bob
Air of bewilderment model's own
Sweet and Lowdown may count as underrated? It's one of my favourites. Manhattan Murder Mystery too.
The Curse of the Jade Scorpion and Small Time Crooks are the only two of this millenium that I think I'd even consider watching again. Everything since, including the numerous so-called 'returns to form', have been teeth-grindingly awful.
Play it Again Sam has my favourite line of any of his films:
"Into bed? With my luck I won't get her into a chair"
The Curse of the Jade Scorpion and Small Time Crooks are the only two of this millenium that I think I'd even consider watching again. Everything since, including the numerous so-called 'returns to form', have been teeth-grindingly awful.
Play it Again Sam has my favourite line of any of his films:
"Into bed? With my luck I won't get her into a chair"
discokermit
Well-Known Member
matchpoint is a fantastic film.
zoooo
zero tolerance for walkers
LOVE Bullets Over Broadway. Fantastic film.
Abso-flaming-lutely. That's one of my favourite Woody films, and barely anyone's even heard of it, let alone seen it.
youngian
Well-Known Member
Been having an Allen catch up and surprised the very funny Manhatten Murder Mystery was not mentioned in the recent documentary. It reunited him with Keaton and came just after his custody battle.
Allen also made a remark about trying to make films where box office falls but are much funnier. Having seen Midnight in Paris, his highest grossing film, I can see his point.
I suspect that he was enjoying Rodney Trotter and his time travel memrobilia shop on UK Gold when he made his previous film in London. This film is so light weight and predictable and tend to watch Allen's later work for some great actors who do rise above the medocrity of the film. In this Owen Wilson does a decent Woody Allen stand in and there is a great supporting performance from Michael Sheen as the sort of pompous pseudo intellectual wind bag that annoys Allen. Shame they had to rehash teh Annie Hall Marshall McLuhan gag.
Allen also made a remark about trying to make films where box office falls but are much funnier. Having seen Midnight in Paris, his highest grossing film, I can see his point.
I suspect that he was enjoying Rodney Trotter and his time travel memrobilia shop on UK Gold when he made his previous film in London. This film is so light weight and predictable and tend to watch Allen's later work for some great actors who do rise above the medocrity of the film. In this Owen Wilson does a decent Woody Allen stand in and there is a great supporting performance from Michael Sheen as the sort of pompous pseudo intellectual wind bag that annoys Allen. Shame they had to rehash teh Annie Hall Marshall McLuhan gag.
Reno
The In Kraut
I'm sure I remember Diane Keaton talking about what it was like working with Allen again after such a long time. Great documentary and a must for anybody who ever liked Allen's work.
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Didn't you think it was not a good version of Crimes and Misdemours though? That has a lot of the same ideas but carried out better and with the addition of the comic half of the film which I really like.
I mean compared with the other ones he's made in England/London Match Point is a bloody masterpiece but its s far way from his best IMO.
Reno
The In Kraut
Good point, but I think formally the films are different enough for me to appreciate both on their own terms. What impressed me about Match Point was really the film-making rather than the writing and how much Allen has grown in that respect. It's a rather elegant film that wouldn't embarrass Hitchcock. Crimes and Misdemeanours may still be a better film, but for me at least Match Point is the only one of Allen's European films which is of any real value. And in regards to the thread title, I do think it's underrated especially here where people where just harping on about how cliched and inauthentic it is about London and the UK, which didn't bother me much.
Epona
Radar 2006-2020, Sonic 2006-2022, Jakey 2007-2024
Now I loved Mighty Aphrodite, but as an archaeology/classics buff, I'm kind of hard-wired to appreciate anything that in any way references or mocks Greek theatre. I also really liked Crimes & Misdemeanours. Fuckit, when it comes down to it, I just like Woody Allen films - so shoot me.
Miss Caphat
I want it that way
youngian
Well-Known Member
Some of the clumsy transpositions didn't spoil this for me either. Although the idea of the British upper classes being intellectual culture vultures was a bit of stretch though.
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