Shadows and Fog

Rating:
Summary: Textured Humor and Darkness
Review: "Shadows and Fog" is a very interesting blend of paranoia, thriller, social commentary, and comedy. Black describes not only its theme but its look.

The comedy in "Shadows and Fog" only barely covers the great apprehension and dread instrinsic to the town the main character inhabits. The film depicts the events of one night, and the tight time frame is matched by claustrophobic street settings, suffocating fog, and the lurking of an unseen serial killer. The tension created by the contrast of Allen's nebbish character and the paranoia rampant in the town makes for interesting viewing. The monochromatic palette, night setting, and tight editing emphasize Allen's themes.

His character, milquetoast and ordinary, feels deep alienation. This is underscored in the nightmarish way his townsfolk relate to him, expecting him to appreciate goals they never bother to explain. Loyalties and betrayals that are not understood by the protagonist work against his fragile security in the community. The killer personifies the dangers of urban living that have been simmering long before. The townsfolk are given counterpoint by a visiting circus, which highlights the theme of confused alienation.

Others have criticized the DVD's look, but I found it to be vastly superior to the videotape I previously owned. Or maybe it's the liquid TV screen I have. At any rate, the blacks and greys of the night streetscape are nearly three-dimensional, and the widescreen format preserves the cinematography. I think Allen in this movie has made something special.

Rating:
Summary: awesome film, mediocre dvd
Review: Alfred Hitchcock once said that directors and cinematographers had so perfected the cinematic techniques of light and shadow that it was a shame color came to movies when it did. Woody Allen and Carlo Di Palma's underrated masterpiece harkens back to those masters and adds depth to their exquisite method. With a claustrophobic feel even outdoors, characters and milieu conspire against everyman Kleinman (Allen), armed only with his pragmatically amorous landlady's pepper and the desire to do right (as long as there is no physical discomfort involved). From his stark and rude awakening by sinister vigilantes, through his reluctantly deepening involvement in the search for a serial killer, and to a final confrontation and redemption, Allen and his team capture the anxiety inherent in living an engaged life. Shot in a 26,000 square foot New York studio, sets are exquisitely mythic. Allegorical characters are played (with one surprising exception) flawlessly -- John Malkovich's narcissistic clown, Mia Farrow's dowdy wallflower on the verge of enlightenment, Julie Kavner's merciless ex-fiance, John Cusack's youth on a search for meaning, and so many others. (The one actor who doesn't ring true is Jodie Foster, delivering her prostitute's lines stiffly and self-consciously.) The entire experience, Kleinman's and ours, is obscured by shadows, fog and mirrors. At the same time, the protagonist's central desire is to become a master illusionist himself, under the tutelage of his magician idol (Kenneth Mars), who ends the movie with a philosophical assertion about illusions: "Love them? They need them .... like they need the air."

This DVD version is disappointing though. It's great to have the film available, but the bells and whistles are not here. Material includes the movie itself, a scene selection feature, language and subtitle options of English, Spanish or French, a theatrical trailer, and an interesting but brief booklet that incorporates statements from director/actor Allen and a few factoids. (For instance, Donald Pleasence says actors looked forward to seeing the film because none of them had read the script beyond their own parts.)

Don't buy this package if you are looking for extras, but if you would like to own a great film in digital format, this is a wise purchase.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite Woody flick of all time
Review: Although comedically it doesn't stand up to something like "Annie Hall", this movie feeds off the viewer's paranoia and fears. I can really emphathise with Woody's character; I've felt as out-of-touch with reality sometimes as much as Kleinman. Adapted from a wonderful short story, and a tribute to black & white. In my opinion, all black and white movies should be filmed at night. :)

Rating:
Summary: One of Woody's very best comedies ever!
Review: An all-star cast, black and white format, and constant insanity makes this one of Woody's very best comedies ever! Reminds me of being in a confusing dream and running scared, but not sure what is going on. The original script was written as a play called "Death" and can be found in his "Without Feathers" publication. However, what Woody does with it on screen is magical. Shadows and Fog in black and white with constant chaos and mystery is truly a work of art.

Rating:
Summary: Woody's Big Fall
Review: Easily one of my top five favourite directors, Woody has never ceased to surprise & stimulate me, be it comically or emotionally. But here, with the exception of his trademark nervous, manic, neurotic that I always love to watch, he falls way too short. Lily Tomlin, Jodie Foster & Kathy Bates all deliver the most dreadful caricatures of prostitutes. Madonna is, well Madonna. John Malkovich is his usual pretentious self. John Cusack is wasted. The only bright spots are the always reliable Donald Pleasance & Julie Kavner, both who exit way too early. An interesting enough story but with way too many holes & nonsensical scenes of forced hilarity. Watch closely for an early William H.Macy as a policeman.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best
Review: I have been a Woody Allen fan since a Lecturer introduced me to his movies while I was at College, and I would have to say this was one of the best I've seen (and I've seen most of them).

This film is not the laugh riot that some of his other films are, the wit in this movie is more the sort of humor that would raise a big smile that a loud belly laugh, I feel this is because it has more story than your average Woody Allen comedy.

Woody spends most of his time wandering around this wonderfully photographed city with Mia Farrow looking for the much famed strangler, who gerots his victems with piano wire. Theres no big [cruddy] 'Scream' style twist at the end where the killer turns the main actors brother whos out seaking revenge for an unhappy childhood - in fact they dont even catch the killer, I know i've just blowen the ending but there is much more to it than catching a killer.

Over all its an amusingly witty film with some great actors in it and some brilliant photography which by some gross misjustice didn't get an oscar.

Rating:
Summary: Hidden gem
Review: I just love the idea of running AWAY from the circus! This movie is jam packed with cameos, my favorite is Madonna.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful and different movie.
Review: I must admit that when I saw that this movie was coming to DVD, I got downright giddy, as it is one of my favorites. That said...

The premise of this movie is that there is a killer roaming the streets and terrorizing the city. One night, Kleinman (Allen) gets awakened from a deep sleep by his friends and associates who want his help on a plan to catch the killer. He gets himself together and goes down to the street to meet everyone and he can't find anyone. So, he wanders around in the dark looking for friends and trying to find out his part of the plan. Kleinman can never get anyone to tell him about the plan, and when he asks, people respond with disdain and say he should know.

I think that most people who dismiss this movie as shallow or silly are really missing a lot. Yes, there are plenty of very funny jokes and gags based on Kleinman's nervous character, but there's a much bigger picture to this story. I think the killer represents the dark side of human nature and the plan represents something like organized religion, a means to repress that dark nature. Kleinman really wants to understand the plan, but nobody will explain it to him, they just say he should know. So, he feels like an outsider, wandering aoround in the dark, in the shadows and fog.

There are some other stories told here - other characters whom Kleinman meets along the way. For example, the doctor (Donald Pleasance), who wants the killer on his dissecting table. He in convinced that if he could examine the brain of the killer, he could get some insight into the nature of evil. Here we have the scientific approach to human nature. Then there is Jack (John Cusack), the student who waxes philosophic about love and life with his hooker friends (Lily Tomlin, Jodie Foster, Kathy Bates). Other great performances circus sword-swallower (Mia Farrow) and her lover, the clown (John Malkovich) who is morbidly serious about the art in clowning.

All of this makes for some great dialog and some really funny scenes. As Kleinman says when the creators of the plan disagree on how it should be executed, split off into their own factions and actually kill each other, "Soon we will be doing the killing for him (the killer)."

I cannot finish this review without mentioning two more things:

1) The absolutely beautiful black-and-white cinematography, capturing the magic and mystery of the night in the city.

2) The score, mostly comprised of selections from Kurt Weill's "Little Threepenny Music" and "Mahogany" and other classics, like "When the Day is Done" by Robert Katscher and Buddy G. DeSylva. Allen uses gorgeous old orchestral performances by Jack Hylton, Marek Weber, and the London Sinfonietta.

All said, I would NOT wholeheartedly recommend this movie to just anyone, including regular fans of Woody Allen's films. I know die-hard Allen fans who didn't like this and I know people for whom this was the first Allen film they truly loved. For the right person, and luckily I am one, this is a treasure and everything I watch movies for.

Rating:
Summary: german cineastic desperation
Review: I've never seen that movie, which is a hommage to the great old german (european) director F.Murnau ( the Golem). A close friend of mine and of course a great movie-specialist told me about that unbelievable, magnificiant movie by my favourite directer (America, actually have no other with same brilliant sense for characters, feelings and i don't know) woody allen (Allen stuart Koenigsberg).

Rating:
Summary: An old tale?
Review: I've only been able to see this film once because it's VERY hard to find. I believe this film is based on a short story from Without Feathers (or maybe it was Getting Even...). Anyway, it's a great film and I hope to get to see it again soon!