Love And Death rules. I've been watching the films as they come up in the thread and having not seen this one in a while, it was a slightly unexpected treat. This one's great Woody and my fondness for this one has grown through the years. I don't know anything about Russian literature but I seem to 'get' everything about this movie. It's romantic Woody, but absurdity runs amok and the writing flows nicely in the story. Great casting, photography and beautiful locations really kind of take you back to the period without you knowing it. Pretty movie. To anyone who hasn't seen this one, definitely check it out. The film is a nice little bridge between Sleeper and Annie Hall. And if you like those films, you probably dig this one also. A nice progression.
Love And Death trivia: From IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073312/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv The movie is considered a spoof of the Russian Novel, particularly the works of Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky, particularly "The Idiot", "The Gambler", "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina", "Crime and Punishment", and "The Brothers Karamazov". Woody Allen was so concerned about the quality of Budapest's food that he consumed only canned food and bottled water that he had brought with him from America. As a result, Allen was one of the few of his movie's cast and crew who did not suffer dysentery while filming. Boris is in his cottage writing poetry. He reads, "I should have been a pair of ragged claws scuttling across the floors of silent seas." He then promptly balls up the writing and throws it into the fire, calling it "too sentimental". The line is from T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of 'J.Alfred Prufrock'". The philosophical "babble" between the characters (e.g. "subjectivity is objective") actually comes from the writing of Russian philosophers G.I. Gurdjieff and P.D. Ouspensky, as does the title "Love and Death". Woody Allen was working on a script about two New Yorkers who try to solve a murder when he got stuck. When blocked, Allen noticed a book on Russian History at his home. As the deadline was fast approaching for delivery of a contracted screenplay, Allen inspired and decided to spoof the genre of Russian novel and history for this movie instead, putting the other script on the back-burner. As such, the other script was not finished until later, but it eventually became Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993). The wheat scene with towards the end of the film is a direct visual parody of Ingmar Bergman's classic Persona (1966). The juxtaposition of faces is an homage to Bergman's trademark shots. Filmed mainly in Hungary, with some scenes done in Paris. It wouldn't be until 1996 and Everyone Says I Love You (1996) that Woody Allen would make another film outside of the New York area. Woody Allen has said that this movie was "my funniest picture to that time".
For all the terrific locations that add to the feel of this film, it's interesting the read the behind-the-scenes story of how miserable the on location experience was for Woody. It was the last time he'd shoot outside of the United States for 20 years. From the Russian literature point of view, I feel like this film leans most heavily on Tolstoy (particularly "War and Peace", as Woody's film title would suggest). Perhaps Woody took Dostoevsky more seriously, and saw his work more as a source of inspiration rather than a target for satire. I really love this film - my favorite of the ones we've discussed thus far (though it will be eclipsed very, very shortly).
Other sources describe the "Manhattan Murder Mystery" script as the original working script for "Annie Hall". When the murder mystery aspect was completely dropped from "Annie Hall" (how much of that version was actually shot I guess we'll never know), it was put in Woody's night stand drawer until 1993.
This film version of "Anna Karenina" was made well after "Love and Death", but it made me think of the "flirt" scene.
Well, I watched L&D for the first time in many years last night. Like "Sleeper" before it, both of these have dropped off a little for me since my last viewing. "Sleeper", as (I think?) Ray mentioned, has maybe a little too much slapstick visual comedy/sight gags for my particular tastes and there are bits where both Allen and Keaton are playing things just a bit too "broadly" to tickle my funny bone anymore (I'm thinking particularly of Keaton swinging, Tarzan-style, from the trees, Allen doing Miss America, and the Blanche/Stella bit from both of them). Rags the dog, the Orgasmatron, the Orb and many other bits still retain magic for me, but I find the last part of the film rather sluggish, particularly the ending. Similarly, much of L&D was just done a little bit too broadly for me ("No, YOU'RE Don Francisco's sister"). Loved those bits when I was younger, but after seeing them a few times over the years, their humor has waned, unlike something such as the dictator's speech in Bananas (The official language of San Marcos is Swedish!), which STILL cracks me up. Having an extensive background in all things Russian doesn't really add much to my appreciation for this movie, surprisingly. Don't get me wrong, I think both films are comedy classics, but if pressed, I think Bananas might rate higher for me and Play It Again Sam would leave all of the above in the dust... Interesting to note that Sleeper has what I think is the first Woody Allen line about "Do you believe in God" which gets echoed in L&D (and many later films). Also unusual to think that there's a firing squad in L&D, another in Bananas, and another in that (only?) great bit from Casino Royale, plus a beheading in Everything.... I never thought about Woody having a fixation with executions, but perhaps he did!
Nice to see I'm not the only one attempting to do this, although I have no need to see Annie or Manhattan again anytime soon - I know them well enough! Maybe Interiors will get a spin, though...
Conversely, I see "Sleeper" as a step backwards from "Bananas" (leaving "Everything" out of the equation because it is composed of vignettes), with "Love and Death" being a major leap forward. I can't say that I am invested in the love story, but Boris is a character I can strongly relate to (more so than any Woody character up to this point, including the more realistic Allan Felix). He might be a smart-ass and a coward, but he sees the insanity around him and is dumbfounded that no one else does. He is a reluctant player in the various roles that the society thrusts upon him (he refuses to even have a duel by the standard rules, even when it might have been to his advantage). While "Love and Death" satirizes the existential philosophies of the 19th century Russian novelists, it does so lovingly and respectfully, at the same time touching on the questions that inhabit Woody's films right up to "Irrational Man". I'll stop now before I start talking about Aeolian cadences or something similar.
I have Take The Money And Run through Radio Days on DVD and I still haven't yet seen Interiors. I finally will when we get to it. I also agree that Sleeper has a weak final act, that's why I would Put L&D above it. Bananas is above both of them for me too.
Not to jump ahead, but the "Interiors" DVD was really disappointing to me. The night scenes on the beach are SO dark on the DVD that I don't think I'd have a clue what was happening if I hadn't seen the film a number of times before. In some way I envy you folks who have Woody Allen films "left". The only way I get a "new" one is when he makes one.
They go on and off of the various sites. Right now, I only see Scoop on Netflix. A couple others on Amazon...
Today I checked my library's webpage and discovered there are 10 Woody Allen movies I can download to my computer from them. I'd be shocked if yours doesn't offer at LEAST that many. I've got Love and Death ready to go here tonight.
Amazon Prime currently has "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "Play It Again, Sam". They also have "Light Keeps Me Company" which I would recommend to hardcore Woody fans. It's a documentary on Sven Nykvist, who served as the director of photography for both Ingmar Bergman and Woody Allen (among many, many others). Woody is interviewed in the film.
I wasn't aware until recently that the part that Larry David played in "Whatever Works" was written specifically for Zero Mostel.
Yes. And if "Sleeper" is his "Buster Keaton Film", "Interiors" is his" Bergman Film" and "Stardust Memories" is his "Fellini Film", than "Love and Death" is certainly his "Bob Hope Film" (with maybe some Red Skelton in there as well?)
So Woody's only involvement of this film was an actor right? I've seen it a few times, and having no prior knowledge of the subject I find it to be quite a fascinating watch.
