Annie Hall (1977): Shira’s Take
I think this may be the hardest movie to write about, because I have seen it so many times and love it so much. I have trouble saying positive things about movies (a trait Woody Allen could relate to, I’m sure), so I have pretty much nothing to say about Annie Hall. But I’ll try.
Everything about this movie is so funny and lovable and bittersweet. It would take a hard heart not to fall in love with adorable, clumsy, bashful Annie (Diane Keaton). And Woody Allen’s incessant, pretentious commentary on everyone else’s incessant pretentiousness holds true today. I think I just relate to Alvy Singer. Forget Tay-Sachs, anxiety and neuroses are the ultimate Ashkenazi Jewish disease. This is what happens when you think too much–you develop an inability to like anyone or anything new based on the insanely high standards you invariably develop. I love it, though. As obnoxious and annoying as Woody Allen is, he represents why I’m proud to be Jewish.
On a completely different note, this movie makes me nostalgic for the 70s, a decade I did not live through. The sunglasses frames, Annie’s buns plopped on top of her head, women-in-menswear, Paul Simon’s Oompa-Loompa haircut…I think I just see my parents as being Alvy and Annie. If you look at pictures from the time, it’s really true. My dad was very European, short, and Jewishy, with a scowl to boot, and my mom was beautiful and waspy with long, thick red hair. And they both wore hilarious 70s glasses frames. Oh well. This movie is the one I’ve been looking forward to the most, because now that we’ve watched it within the context of this project, I can watch it whenever I want. 10/10
Filed under: Shira's Takes | Leave a Comment
Tags: Annie Hall, Christopher Walken, Diane Keaton, Shira 10, Woody Allen
upcoming films
The Deer Hunter
Kramer vs. Kramer
Ordinary People
Chariots of Fire
Gandhi
No Responses Yet to “Annie Hall (1977): Shira’s Take”