Zelig (1983)

Thanks for the memories!

One of the worst movies I've ever seen

Absolutely Fantastic

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This could well be a review of 90% of Woody Allen's oeuvre. The film is a smorgasbord of fabulousness - exquisite concepts, very clever lines and very funny ones. No film maker has ever had such a grasp of irony, sarcasm and the ridiculous, and still imbue it with wit and (occasionally) subtlety. But it is the relentless self-deprecation and extant feelings of worthlessness that eventually become wearing after you have watched as many Allen films as I have. This is the film that most impresses you with his confusion over identity however. I could go on about self-analysis for pages but it's unnecessary...just watch any given Woody Allen film. He mellows it out with a rather forlorn sense of romance that becomes endearing rather than pathetic...a skill that is essential to engage with his films. This is a fine film. Oh yeah...and very funny...if you get the references.

This is a masterfully done film, presented in documentary format (though entirely fictional). Allen plays a man, Leonard Zelig, who can morph into virtually any character, depending on his immediate environment. We are treated to newsreel footage as this character achieves world prominence as a true chameleon. I was greatly intrigued by the premise, but somehow, the story wasn't terribly interesting to me. Allen needs to be complimented for his great reach. It has some hilarious moments, but also has a harsher, deeper side. I guess this is what makes Woody Allen's milieu so impressive. See it for its dynamic effort to create a great character.

...as well as among the better half of his filmography. It does drag a bit and the earlier parts occasionally ramble too much, but Zelig is still a truly great film. Technically Zelig looks fabulous, one of his better-looking and most interesting early films along with Manhattan and The Purple Rose of Cairo. And it's actually more interesting in this regard than either of those films, because among Allen's films it's his most unique and ground-breaking. As far as I can recall, none of Allen's other films use the technique of inserting a character(in this case Leonard Zelig) into existing footage like newsreels and archive photos, and so cleverly. Well, What's Up Tiger Lily? had a dubbed over commentary over an existing mystery film but with mixed results and that's not really the same thing. The music suits the period brilliantly and gives the sense that you are there, it's great-sounding and memorable too. The screenplay is among Allen's cleverest, it's laugh-out-loud funny but also very poignant with the romantic parts really sweetly done. It's also very intelligent and has a lot to say on the issues that it deals with. The characters are not as neurotic as in some of Allen's other films, though they are unmistakably Woody Allen. They feel real, and I did find myself relating to Zelig in his struggles and desire to fit in(that was exactly the case with me in school), the characters' relationships and chemistry were more than believable. The story is heartfelt, funny and makes great use of his mockumentary style, there are some rambling moments but not to an interminable degree. Allen directs thoughtfully as ever, and he gives a great performance that is among his most physical, energetic and relatable. Mia Farrow also gives one of her most sympathetic performances, and is touching in doing so. In conclusion, a great film that deserves more attention, despite the high rating and reviews holding it in great esteem elsewhere people talk about Annie Hall, Crimes and Misdemeanours and Manhattan as well as more recent stuff like Midnight in Paris and Match Point but Zelig is rarely talked about and that's a shame because people are missing out on Woody Allen at his most unique. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Woody Allen has long been considered a genius of cinema, and here again is another example of how he has always been ahead of his time. The story is about Leonard Zelig (Allen), who when in the company of academics or famous people can morph himself into them, regardless of race, colour or creed. Allen cleverly superimposes himself onto newsreel footage so that he appears on screen with such recognisable figures (for example, there is a scene where he is seated just behind Hitler at a Nazi rally). Yes, the intelligence of this kind of footage was explored to huge commercial success with films like Forrest Gump, but, as that film was released well over 10 years after this one, it again shows how Allen was trailblazing a path in cinema long before others. Most of the film is naturally therefore in black and white, and told in a documentary style, and there are numerous clever sequences that uphold Allen's reputation as a master film maker. For me, there is no doubt that the quality of the piece is visible pretty much from the first frame of film, but conversely, this for me is also the problem. You can't slate the film because it is obviously something very unique and well made, but I fidgeted, because I think the germ of the idea was not (in my humble opinion) strong enough to extend over a feature length movie. To be honest, the mood and feel of the picture got on my nerves, and that is my problem with it, but I cannot doubt the obvious work of genius that is going on underneath.