{"id":26700,"date":"2012-07-25T11:26:54","date_gmt":"2012-07-25T18:26:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=26700"},"modified":"2021-01-08T20:38:58","modified_gmt":"2021-01-09T03:38:58","slug":"annie-hall-1977","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=26700","title":{"rendered":"Annie Hall (1977)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;A relationship, I think, is like a shark. You know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies. And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Poster-201x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-26701\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Poster-201x300.jpg 201w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Poster.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA neurotic comedian (Woody Allen) falls in love with an aspiring singer (Diane Keaton), but they&#8217;re ultimately too mismatched to last.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Carol Kane Films<\/li>\n<li>Diane Keaton Films<\/li>\n<li>Flashback Films<\/li>\n<li>New York City<\/li>\n<li>Romantic Comedy<\/li>\n<li>Shelley Duvall Films<\/li>\n<li>Star-Crossed Lovers<\/li>\n<li>Woody Allen Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary notes that &#8220;Woody Allen&#8217;s first genuine comedy masterpiece is an autobiographical, therapeutic work&#8221; in which his on-screen alter-ego, a stand-up comedian named Alvy Singer, &#8220;thinks back on his relationship with an equally neurotic&#8221; aspiring singer, played by his former girlfriend (Keaton, whose real-life last name was Hall, and whose nickname was Annie). He argues that the &#8220;film is very perceptive and romantic in addition to being hilarious&#8221; &#8212; indeed, it&#8217;s amazing how easily we can laugh at and enjoy the proceedings of the film, given that we know from the beginning how things will end for Alvy and Annie. Peary notes that &#8220;the two characters are real and we root for them to work out their problems; but, like Alvy, we come to realize that they were meant to be no more than positive influences on each other during difficult, transitional times in their respective lives.&#8221; He points out how &#8220;sweet&#8221; Alvy&#8217;s final comment is &#8220;at the end&#8221; of the film &#8212; a moment that&#8217;s guaranteed (even on repeat viewings) to bring a lump to your throat. <\/p>\n<p>Peary spends part of his review in both <em>GFTFF<\/em> and <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em> &#8212; where, like the Academy, he designates <em>Annie Hall<\/em> as Best Picture of the Year &#8212; naming some of the picture&#8217;s &#8220;so many great moments&#8221; (indeed, it&#8217;s difficult to resist doing this &#8212; my stills below attest to my own challenge in picking just a few scenes to highlight!). These include the classic balcony scene, &#8220;during which Allen provides subtitles that reveal what each is really thinking (both worry they&#8217;re blowing it with each other)&#8221;; &#8220;Alvy silencing an obnoxious, self-impressed, self-professed [Marshall] McLuhan expert who talks pretentious drivel in a movie line by pulling McLuhan out of a poster to tell the man, &#8216;You know nothing of my work'&#8221;; &#8220;Alvy battling monstrous spiders in Annie&#8217;s bathtub&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Spiders-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Spiders-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-62412\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Spiders-1.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Spiders-1-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Spiders-1-128x68.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Spiders-1-510x270.png 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; &#8220;Grammy Hall look[ing] at Alvy and&#8230; see[ing] him as an Hassidic Jew with a long black beard, curls, black hat, and black frock coat&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Jew.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Jew.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26711\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Jew.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Jew-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Jew-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; &#8220;Alvy &#8220;sneez[ing] $2,000 worth of cocaine across a room&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Cocaine.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Cocaine.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26709\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Cocaine.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Cocaine-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Cocaine-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and many, many more.<\/p>\n<p>In his review of <em>Annie Hall<\/em> for his third <em>Cult Movies<\/em> book, Peary writes that &#8220;it&#8217;s safe to say that every Woody Allen film has a cult following&#8221;, but &#8220;only <em>Annie Hall<\/em> is loved&#8230; by every Allen fan, as well as those obstinate moviegoers who still won&#8217;t concede Allen is a <em>great<\/em> filmmaker.&#8221; (One wonders what Peary would think at this point about Allen&#8217;s most recent spate of lackluster films&#8230; But I&#8217;m still more than willing to agree with his assessment.) He notes that &#8220;it&#8217;s actually hard to find someone who hasn&#8217;t seen this irresistible movie several times, who doesn&#8217;t have a tender spot for it&#8230;, who wouldn&#8217;t make it <em>the<\/em> Woody Allen film they&#8217;d like to have if stranded on a desert island&#8221;. He further notes the historical relevance of the film by writing that it &#8220;marked Allen&#8217;s transition from a functional and slapdash, though instinctively funny, filmmaker to one who is technically innovative, thematically sophisticated, intent on capturing the beauty of the women and the city (New York) he loves, eager to explore his characters, and passionate about using the storytelling medium to its fullest&#8221;. To that end, one little-discussed aspect of <em>Annie Hall<\/em> is how cinematically creative it is &#8212; see Tim Dirk&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.filmsite.org\/anni.html\">Greatest Films site<\/a> for an overview of the many techniques Allen employs throughout the film.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Diane Keaton as Annie Hall (awarded Best Actress of the Year in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Keaton.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Keaton.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26712\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Keaton.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Keaton-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Keaton-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Woody Allen as Alvy Singer (nominated by Peary as one of the Best Actors of the Year in <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Alvy.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Alvy.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26706\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Alvy.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Alvy-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Alvy-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Countless memorable scenes<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Balcony.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Balcony.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26708\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Balcony.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Balcony-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Balcony-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Movie-Line.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Movie-Line.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26714\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Movie-Line.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Movie-Line-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Movie-Line-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Lobsters.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Lobsters.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Lobsters.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Lobsters-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Lobsters-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Vacuous.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Vacuous.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26705\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Vacuous.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Vacuous-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Vacuous-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>Fine use of New York City locales<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-New-York-Bridge.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-New-York-Bridge.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26715\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-New-York-Bridge.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-New-York-Bridge-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-New-York-Bridge-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Creative cinematic techniques<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Outside-Body.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Outside-Body.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26717\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Outside-Body.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Outside-Body-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Outside-Body-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Analysts.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Analysts.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Analysts.png 544w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Analysts-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/Annie-Hall-Analysts-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Plenty of laugh-out-loud one-liners:<br \/>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;You know, I don&#8217;t think I could take a mellow evening because I don&#8217;t respond well to mellow, you know what I mean? I have a tendency to, if I get too mellow, I ripen and then rot.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, most definitely &#8212; multiple times. Enjoy! <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cult Movie<\/li>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<li>Noteworthy Performance(s)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0075686\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/annie-hall-1977\">Roger Ebert&#8217;s Great Movies Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.filmsite.org\/anni.html\">Film Site Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/16636\/annie-hall#articles-reviews\">TCM Articles<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;A relationship, I think, is like a shark. You know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies. And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark.&#8221; Synopsis: A neurotic comedian (Woody Allen) falls in love with an aspiring singer (Diane Keaton), but they&#8217;re ultimately too mismatched to last. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Carol Kane Films Diane Keaton Films Flashback Films New York City Romantic Comedy Shelley Duvall Films Star-Crossed Lovers Woody Allen Films&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=26700\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26700","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26700"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26700\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62413,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26700\/revisions\/62413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}