While organizing my books, CDs, and DVDs, I stumbled over The Woody Allen Collection. It was in a box of other stuff, unopened. I obviously bought it years ago and forgot all about it. Immediately I was seized by the impulse to binge on these movies. Here’s what I watched:
A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy (1982)
Zelig (1983)
Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Radio Days (1987)
I hadn’t seen these films since I first saw them back in the 1980s. These were Woody’s Mia Farrow years. He gave Mia a wide range of roles from the tough-as-nails Tina in Broadway Danny Rose to the sweet and innocent Cecilia in The Purple Rose of Cairo to ditzy Sally White in Radio Days where she gets to sing (so does Diane Keaton). Do you have a favorite among these films? GRADE: B+
I like all of them But Hannah and her Sisters is probably the best one.
Steve, HANNAH AND HER SISTERS certainly had the most stars in it.
Steve’s probably right, but I have a soft spot in my head for Broadway Danny Rose!
Bob, I love some of the “acts” Danny Rose managed!
My favorite of the bunch is THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO, but I like them all.
Bill, I loved it when Jeff Daniels steps off the Big Screen into the Real World!
ZELIG
Dan, I was wowed by ZELIG when I first saw it. Later, the idea was “borrowed” by FORREST GUMP.
Well, HANNAH, obviously, which ranks up with his best, but definitely PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO (one of Jackie’s favorites) and most of RADIO DAYS as well.
Jeff, other than A MID-SUMMER NIGHT’S SEX COMEDY, all these movies celebrate New York City and the North East.
I don’t remember enough about them to chose a favorite. I do remember liking Purple Rose.
My favorite of his other movies used to be Bananas. I first saw it when it came out and thought it was hysterical. At that time, it was one of my all time favorite movies. I watched it a few years ago and it didn’t hold up for me
Maggie, I really liked PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM (of Woody’s early movies).
I like all of them but Hannah would rank first. This was his best period.
Patti, you’re right. Woody was consistently good in the 1980s.
My favorite Woody Allen movies are the ones he made up to and including ANNIE HALL (my favorite Woody Allen movie). I think that, of the movies you list here, I like ZELIG the best–although all of them have something to recommend them. That being said, however, I can never forget that while Woody was making these movies with Mia Farrow he was essentially grooming his step-daughter for a sexual relationship. It really is hard to separate the dancer from the dance in a case like this.
Deb, I know what you mean. It is creepy.
His hostility toward women in his work always seemed clear to me. I’ve wondered why others didn’t see it. That said, the most absurdist of his work, such as TIGER LILY and MIDSUMMER’S often have struck me as the least bad that way, and the most enjoyable.
Todd, you’re right about the ruthless manner Woody dealt with his women characters in most of these movies. Poor Carrie Fisher got dispatched in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS in practically a footnote!
I’m one of those who doesn’t “get” Woody Allen. Except for BANANAS, I never though the ones I saw (very few – 2 or 3 – before I gave up) were in the least funny or entertaining.
…and I had to fill in my information at the bottom again.
Rick, with a career as long as Woody’s there are a lot of ups and downs. Sorry for the info hassle. I’ll nag WORDPRESS again.
I had to re-enter as swell, but it has me back In, with this second comment.
Todd, WORDPRESS is quirky with information. I don’t understand why it works some days and doesn’t work other days!