WOODY ALLEN COLLECTION

While perhaps this 'middle' collection of Woody Allen's films is a tiny touch more inconsistent than the first, it's still a great deal, with - to my thinking - 2 flat out great films, a few very good ones, and only one slightly weaker. At well under $10 a title (and often on sale for more like $6-7 a title) that pretty remarkable for a collection of important films by one of our best filmmakers. My individual thoughts, in chronological order (note: my ratings are based on a 4 star system);A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982) *** The earliest, and for me, the weakest of the group, though far from 'bad'. A cute and charming romp. A group of friends in the early 20th century get caught up in a weekend of love and sex in the country. Certainly enjoyable, if not really much more. Gordon Willis's photography is nowhere near as amazing as his earlier collaborations with Woody, and the film doesn't have any wildly funny moments. But the writing is witty, and the acting solid if not triumphant. It just doesn't feel like a Woody Allen film somehow. More like a nice, solid, unassuming French farce. That's not a bad thing, and this film is still better than 99% of what comes out of Hollywood, with a sweeter, more upbeat tone than usual for Allen. It's just coming on the heels of masterpieces like 'Annie Hall', 'Manhattan', and 'Stardust Memories', and just before other great films like 'Zelig' 'Hannah and Her Sisters', and 'Purple Rose of Cairo', it can't help but pale a bit in comparison.Zelig (1983)**** Amazing technically, with a lot to say about society, conformity, and how we see ourselves. This brilliantly made mock documentary about a 'human chameleon' in the 1920s and 30s who unconsciously changes his appearance in a desperate attempt to fit in and be liked, is hilarious and heartbreaking, often at the same time. Some of the visual effects are still astounding by modern standards. And Allen gives a performance that is surprisingly subtle. There are a few slow moments, and a few jokes feel self-conscious, but not enough to hurt the film in any way. This is tied with 'Crimes and Misdemeanors' and 'Hannah and her Sisters' for my 2nd favorite Allen film behind 'Annie Hall'. One of the greatest films by one the great filmmakers of the 2nd half of the 20th century. Very worth seeking out.Broadway Danny Rose (1984)***1/4 A sweet, fun, well-told, Damon Runionesque fable of a well meaning if pathetic theatrical manager getting caught up with the mob. Not quite as amazing as Allen's very best films, but there's a touching, gentle, funny humanity that runs through it all. Mia Farrow gives what is arguably the strongest performance of her career -- she certainly stretches way beyond her usual image -- to play a tough, gum chewing mafia gun mol. It's also interesting to see Woody play a bit more of a 'character' than usual. The film has some lovely black and white images, even if its not as striking as the greatest of the Gordon Wills/Allen collaborations like 'Manhattan'. A good-hearted film that will make you smile more than laugh out loud, it's well-worth seeing if you have any fondness for Allen's work.The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)***1/2 An utterly sweet, inventive and charming film that examines our love affair with the movies and our need to escape into fantasy. The central device of the wall breaking down between the characters in a film and those watching is great fun, and both Mia Farrow and Jeff Daniels do some of their very best work in this. That said, for me, it lacks a little of the depth and complexity of my very favorite of Allen's film. It's a little too cute and simplistic in the middle, although the first and last third, and the uncompromised ending are terrific. It doesn't quite hold up on multiple viewingsthe way 'Annie Hall', or 'Crimes and Misdemeanors' or 'Hannah and Her Sisters' or 'Zelig' do. But even 2nd tier Woody Allen is better than almost anything else out there. And on a certain level, with great filmmakers its about personal taste, not right and wrong. (e.g. Is Chaplin's 'Modern Times' better than 'City Lights' ?) So, if you like Allen's work at all and you've never seen this, you owe yourself a look to decide for yourself.Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)**** A wonderful mix of moving and funny, thought provoking and silly. There's amazing acting all around from the first rate ensemble cast including Diane Wiest, Michael Caine (both of whom deservedly won Oscars), Max Von Sydow, Allen, Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey etc. (Mild spoiler) It features a rare movie happy ending that's actually earned! This is probably the closest to Annie Hall of all Woody Allen films in the mix of wit, technical proficiency, sophisticated style, acting, emotion, etc. He takes a bevy of characters and creates a complex heartfelt portrait of family, lovers, friends, and artists that's funny but with insightful bite. A rare film that acknowledges how wonderful life is, without denying how hard it can be at the same time. Or at least how hard we find ways to make it.Radio Days (1987) ***1/4 A beautifully looking film, both in its production design by the great theater designer Santo Loquasto, and the wonderful photography by Carlo Di Palma, in his first of several fruitful collaborations with Allen. Together with Allen's witty, tender script, and a host of wonderful performances, the film does a terrific job of creating an intentionally larger than life, and slightly surreal memory piece of short stories about growing up in an age when radio was still the king of entertainment. It's a small, sweet. charming piece. Some of the stories are flat out great, some occasionally feel a bit meandering or pointless, but none are truly weak. The best moments rival Felliini's `Amarcord'. Perhaps not among Allen's greatest films, but still better than the vast majority of what has gotten produced in America in recent years.

Has there ever been a more prolific film director than Woody Allen (at least, in the post-studio system era)? He has only missed a handful of the last thirty years (2004, 1991, 1981), producing his low-budget dramas like clockwork. Allen's persona has become such a comic caricature these days (and it usually was one to begin with; Allen is his own best impersonation), but, when asked, he can in his prime be a very strng actor, and he is surrounded in these films by a reliable cast of professionals. "The Woody Allen Collection", one of three really excellent box-sets of his films available here, in this case covers the period from 1982 to 1987. Some spoilers follow.In the set itself, the films are ordered alphabetically for some reason, rather than in chronological order, which makes more sense (the order being as follows):"A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy" - easily the least-famous of the six films collected here, this one is most notable for being the first collaboration bewteen Allen and Mia Farrow, his off-screen partner who would be a feature of more or less all his work (including all five of the other films in this collection) until their rather spectacular breakup in 1992."Zelig" - one of the quirkier entries in Allen's filmography, this is an imitation documentary about a man named Leonard Zelig, a supposed 1920s pop culture figure who was a "human chameleon" who takes on the characteristics of the people around him. Making use of innovative special effects twelve years before "Forrest Gump" to put Zelig into old newsreel footage and photos, it's a clever piece, if not especially emotionally involving. This is one of a number of films in Allen's filmography with sci-fi/fantasy content, but because of his minimalist (magical realist, one might say) approach, he's largely avoided being classified as a genre director."Broadway Danny Rose" - filmed in black and white, this is another of Allen's quasi-autobiographical films, drawing on his time as a comedian and participant in the New York entertainment circuit. Danny Rose (Allen), is a talent agent responsible for the most obscure acts; his lastest attempt at a big break is a washed up lounge singer he has rehabilitated, but there's a catch: the singer wants his mistress Tina (Farrow) present for his make-or-break performance. Thus begins a comic odyssey, as poor Danny finds himself the sights of the mob. It's a decent comedy most of the way through (with one of Allen's most empathetic performances), elevated by the final act, an expert mix of sadness and gentle uplift (including a masterful final tracking shot) that is among Allen's best work."The Purple Rose of Cairo" - another of Allen's genre efforts, in which an abused Depression-era housewife (Farrow) is stunned when a character from her favourite movie (Jeff Daniels) walks off the screen to sweep her off her feet. Allen evinces no real interest in the genre's mechanics, instead running with the scenario with low-key absurdism (the studio and actor are both concerned about liability issues regarding the now-living fictional character). Then there's the ending, a deliberately downbeat punch that drives home the movie's examination of the difference between fiction and the real world. This is one of Farrow's best performances, in the eminently pitiable role of Cecilia; Jeff Daniels pulls off an excellent double-role as both character and actor."Hannah and her Sisters" - one of Allen's most acclaimed movies (it earned him his third Oscar, for the screenplay, as well as acting awards for Dianne Wiest and Michael Caine), this is a relationship drama (as well as a mild existential one) revolving around three sisters living in New York. Populated with many familiar faces (including, in minor roles, the voice of Marge Simpson, and a young Julia Louis-Dreyfus), this ends up being much more upbeat than "Purple Rose", the film preceding it, both about life and the power of entertainment. This is warm and humanistic, though at points the narration by the various characters can be a bit too direct. Possibly my favourite film of the set."Radio Days" - the final film in the collection, and likewise fairly upbeat, this is a largely plotless nostalgia tour through scenes from Allen's youth. There are fairly well-drawn characters, appealing in a variety of vignettes relating to the significance of radio in their lives (even if often only as background music). My personal favourite sequence involves a would-be radio employee played by Mia Farrow, who survives getting taken for a ride by a mob hitman who turns out to be from her old neighbourhood. The cast is populated by a grab-bag of actors from past Woody Allen movies (Danny Aiello and Jeff Daniels among them, as well as the three actresses most associated with Allen's films: Farrow, Dianne Wiest, and, in a cameo, Diane Keaton). This is a likeable minor work in Allen's canon.Overall, an excellent deal for film fans.

No tiene subtítulos en español, por lo demás excelente.

Per gli amanti di Woody Allen è un "must have", sebbene oggigiorno la qualità DVD è superata nettamente da altri supporti. Comunque è parte integrante della mia collezione. Promosso a pieni voti.

It's commonly said that you either love Woody Allen or you hate him. I'm in the first camp and here the full range of his genius is on show ably supported by a superb supporting cast including his wife -then-Mia Farrow and what a lovely actress she is, the lovely Barbara Hershey and others. If you love Woody this is an excellent purchase, if you don't leave it alone.

These are rare films and hard to get at all, let alone in blu ray. I like those of Woody's films which have high quality scripts, cinematography, locations, actors, direction, editing, sound tracks, the whole package. This applies to most of the films here - it's a rare collection in blu ray, and is highly recommended.

Woody Allen always pleases in varied tales from a neo-Shakespearean comedy to the bizarreness of Zelig, "the Chameleon" Man. These are movies I would watch over and over again.