Flashback Friday: Annie Hall (Allen, 1977)

"I don't want to move to a city where the only cultural advantage is being able to make a right turn on a red light." "Don't knock masturbation. It's sex with someone I love." "La-dee-da, la-dee-da." This Oscar-winning dialogue turned Woody Allen from simple director to legendary filmmaker practically overnight. Woody Allen created one of the most critically acclaimed romantic comedies of the twentieth century, and the film remains one of the latest movies of this genre to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It is the film that beat Star Wars at the Oscars, and solidified Diane Keaton's startling career in the 70's. But at it's heart, the movie is a touching love story between two completely different characters. Today on Flashback Friday, we're falling in love with Annie Hall.

Woody Allen was a small-time Jewish comedian, who grew famous after producing a few small-budget but funny movies. His work, which frequently features Allen as the director, writer, and lead star, is characterized by fast dialogue, artistic humor, and a Manhattan setting. After the success of Take the Money and Run, United Artists soon backed up Allen's latest project about a murder in Manhattan. Diane Keaton was cast as Allen's lover in the film, and after the director realized how much he loved her character, decided to change the script to base the entire story around her. The result: Annie Hall.

Woody Allen plays the neurotic Alvy Singer, a small-time Jewish comedian who talks fast, is highly educated, and lives in Manhattan (sound familiar?). He has experienced two failed marriages and lives with a pessimistic view of life. Alvy frequently breaks the fourth wall, telling the audience his story in a non-linear, sporadic fashion. After a brief history of his childhood, Alvy explains his relationship with Annie Hall, a ditzy singer who has had just as bad luck as Alvy when it comes to love lives. The two hit it off immediately.

They have a fun relationship, but it remains strained by Alvy's annoying neurotic nature and Annie's unintelligent demeanor. Alvy makes Annie take college classes, which makes her more confident and encourages her to pursue her singing career. They each go through therapy, resulting in hilarious parallel stories of the same event. Annie soon wants to move to Los Angeles, a symbol of her freedom of expression; Alvy, however, needs to dark and gloomy nature of New York City. The two are the best of friends, but may not be the most compatible boyfriend and girlfriend.

Despite Woody Allen's long and lustrous career, which has seen the likes of Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, Match Point, Celebrity, and Midnight in Paris, none of his works quite compare with Annie Hall. His chemistry with Diane Keaton is pure dynamite, and the continuous shots of them talking remains the highlight of the film. The dialogue is fast paced, entertaining, and hilarious.

It takes multiple viewings to catch all the little nuances of the film. Alvy's clear dislike of Los Angeles comes out when he looks at an L.A. movie theater, and all they are playing is B-rated horror films like House of Exorcism and Messiah of Evil. In Manhattan, Alvy watches World War II documentaries, showing how much more respect he has for New York City. Other classic scenes include Annie "leaving" her body when she sleeps with Alvy, the cocaine sneeze, the scary driving, and, of course, the famous kitchen crab chase.

The star power of the movie is enough to keep newer film goers engrossed. In the 94 minute runtime, audiences not only see Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, but also witness Christopher Walken, Paul Simon, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane, Shelley Duvall, and Sigourney Weaver grace the screen.

As a piece of Academy Awards history, Annie Hall is the latest in a short-line of romantic comedy winners. It was one win away from the Big Five, as Woody Allen lost his Best Actor bid to Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl. Woody Allen remains a famous no-show at the Oscars, only appearing once (and not for his own win); he attended in 2002 to present a "New York in the Movies" tribute after 9/11. Annie Hall is the only one of his movies to win Best Picture.

Diane Keaton's bizarre fashion sense in Annie Hall sparked the symbol of American women's counterculture in the 1970's. Women wore the randomly-put-together outfits for years after the film's release. Other legacies of the movie include rankings in several of the American Film Institute's 100 Years...Series, including #2 Romantic Comedy, #4 Funniest Movies, and #35 of the greatest films of the last decade.

No other comedian can write humorous dialogue as well as Woody Allen. His movies have enough emotional depth and pop culture references to entertain people of all ages, and the typical neurotic Jewish characters that he plays are always hilarious. Annie Hall is one of the greatest romantic comedies, and even lands among the most prominent and influential movies of all time. We love this movie. No, that word is not strong enough.

We "lurff" Annie Hall.