Zelig

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bruce F @bruce999 4h over-rated. It's a documentary like story line of a man who changes in appearance, depending on whoever he is around. a few funny moments...when woody is recounting his early childhood in a trance like state 'my brother beat me, my sister beat my brother, my father beat my sister, my brother, and me, my mother beat my father, my sister...etc, the neighbors beat my family', etc anyway -don't expect too much, and you might like it maybe jim carrey should play in a similar like movie, the way he can change character. why this movie is so loved, i don't get it. See more stevie68a T @RT15696487 Feb 1 This is not for everybody, but the people who could like this sort of thing will find perfection. Completely original, funny, clever, and very entertaining. Woody Allen is a genius in my opinion. See more Brad S. R @RT07389644 04/05/2025 Quite possibly Woody Allen's masterpiece. See more Alec B @Alec97 02/22/2024 Easily one of Allen's best movies. The faux documentary format is practically seamless especially with the use of cameras from the 1920s. See more 07/15/2023 Woody Allen makes a fascinating mockumentary about him playing someone iconic filmed and shot with artificial black-and-white footage and scripted interviews They called him a phenomenon of the 1920s A man who could become anyone he met during the Jazz Age Some found him fascinating others a triple threat affecting other races and worker's and religious communities Leon Zelig had a talent for mimicry ingratiating himself with every person from society No one could find him but he catches the eye of Eudora Fletcher, a psychiatrist believing he needs serious cognitive analysis Their relationship evolves outside of medical research Zelig's psychological condition might be the source of his odd behavior This is one of the shortest works by the talented director Yet it's still amusing, thought-provoking about the work of psychiatry Quite the mediation on American society and individuality Several people exist self effacing themselves much like Allen as this faux sensation See more Taylor L @RT77267842 12/04/2022 "He was, of course, very amusing. But at the same time touched a nerve in people, perhaps in a way that they would prefer not to be touched." Though he wrote it for one of his characters, that's an oddly apt description of Woody Allen himself. Allen discards most of the neurotic intellectual persona that he used to such acclaim on his other work in order to create one of the most successful faux-documentaries that had been made to date. Using bluescreen technology, Allen and longtime cinematography collaborator Gordon Willis got very creative with the techniques that could convincingly edit old newsreel footage in the pre-digital era. With an eye towards lampooning the dry nature and even the practical design of traditional documentaries, the script gives plenty of short-form comedy to get the quick laughs. But as usual, there's also some creative subtext mixed in, as Zelig serves as a way for Allen to explore his own nervousness and social coping mechanisms, just taken to the extreme. Zelig is definitely dated on the race jokes, which might make some people turn it off early, but for the world before Christopher Guest and This is Spinal Tap, the film is groundbreaking in the development of mockumentaries. Not as emotionally involving or consistent as some of Allen's other comedies, but definitely a creative departure featuring a lot of solid gags. (3.5/5) See more Read all reviews

Zelig

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