Sleeper (1973)

The best of the 'funny' Allen movies

I'm generally not a fan of the early "funny" Woody Allen movies. I'm sure he does them very well. I just don't have a taste for slapstick. But even I, who seem to have a big chunk of funny bone missing, can appreciate "Sleeper." It's really a funny film.

Of course it has the slapstick that I just don't get, and the slapstick is enhanced by the musical score, played by Allen's own Ragtime Rascals ensemble. Some of it is genuinely funny, others of it I can do without. But what I especially appreciate is the social satire embedded in the film's gags: the silliness of celebrityhood and conventions seen from a distant (future) perspective, the cult of personality that builds up around leaders, the deadly seriousness of freedom fighters, the pretensions of the artistic and beautiful crowd, and the new heights to which we jaded insisters on immediate gratification will go (the orgasmatron and the drug ball) to get our next fix. Good stuff all.

Allen in character is what fans of his earlier movies have come to expect and love: neurotic, over-sexed, and lovable. But for my money, the primary selling point of the film is the performance put in by Diane Keaton. Her metamorphosis from spoiled and bubble-headed member of the dystopian society to hard-boiled but still a bit bubble-headed guerilla fighter is masterfully portrayed. The chemistry between her and Allen, which culminates in "Annie Hall," is already obvious. November 17, 2008

Certainly Lives Up To Its Title!

I found it very difficult to stay awake watching much of this film and it certainly was a "sleeper" for me although a few of Allen's one-liners were actually really funny even for today's audiences although the vast majority of the film and consequently the jokes do not age well. To call this Allen's "tribute" to Keaton and Marx would actually be insulting to both whose works although a lot older than this are a lot funnier.

The picture quality is VHS quality and the sound quality is poor and there are no special features worth speaking about on this dvd version of the film. "Take the Money and Run" by the way is a far, far better comedy and film and thankfully Allen as a movie maker vastly improves his output over the years since this film.

A real sleeper and certainly not Allen's or anyone else's for that matter better moments makes this not recommended. October 21, 2008

A classic. Must have.

For social commentary movies, this is a classic. Was this Sienfeld before Seinfeld? Self absorbed people being self absorbed... June 12, 2008

Classic Comedy

Sleeper has some great one-liners as well as some hilarious scenes. The revival of Mr. Monroe in a post-apocalyptic world is definitely one of Woody Allen's best! April 30, 2008

Sleeper

Woody Allen is Miles Monroe, owner of a health food store, frozen 200 years after entering the hospital for a routine operation. He awakens in a brave new world and must overthrow the repressive government. He is hilarious as he is in all his early films. His comedy derives from a willingness to laugh at himself. He defines comedy as "tragedy plus time." Woody was the Graucho Marx of his era. Comedy being relative, different generations laugh at different things. Would today's audiences laugh at the robot bit? Diane Keaton became his counterpart.

February 25, 2008

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