Woody Allen is concerned about what is happening to his intelligent characters. And he is crying "Help!" right off the screen. Because they are reasons to fear. The world begins to look like a TV show. Fame has depriced. Instead of real qualities it gives us a parody of them (a preacher from TV thinks about whether The Beatles were more popular than Jesus).
The main thing is how to find yourself in this world. Allen seems to doubt. He think that we might be zombificated. Let's look at Robin Simon (Judy Davis) from his movie. Soon ago she was an English teacher, A specialist in Chaucer's poetry. Then she met a handsome producer Tony Gardella (Joe Mantegna). She becomes a host of a TV show and makes stupid interviews. What's worse, she feels good doing that. She sees nothing inappropriate in walking into Charles Manson's (the massacre at Polanski's villa was his inspiration) cell with camera. The TV producer seems to be a modern wizard. At a family party his relatives ask his to do this or that. He can do everything.
The character of the film, celebrity journalist Lee Simon (Keneeth Branagh), can't resist of that kind of life's luxuries. His first two novels weren't successful. He has problems with finishing the third one. He'd rather work on a movie screenplay. It's bigger fame and bigger cash. Only a simple old woman, Gardella's grandmother is left with the remains of sanity. She is disturbed when hearing about a guy that was being held hostage by some thugs and now he is giving performances in schools as a hero. She asks surprised whether it is enough.
"Celebrity" is a great fun about revealing the rules of that crying game that involves selling your own identity. The memoirs of a star taken back to the house she used to live in, seem like if they were written for a tabloid. A young actor Darrow (self-ironic DiCaprio) demolishes the hotel room, but the owners have nothing against his destructive actions. His presence in the hotel is in fact an advertisement. Darrow pretends for a second there that he takes life seriously. Just as he treats the script given by Simon. But all in all Darrow is interested only in parties, women, drugs and boxing fights. Nola, the statist (Winona Ryder) will go to bed with anyone who will make her an actress.
In Woody Allen's movie people are attracted to fiction. Nola allows Simon to seduce her when he speaks to her with words take out of a novel. The reality gives no one satisfaction, need re-editing. That is why everyone is after Dr Lupus, a plastic surgeon.
For many years now it is said that Allen is repeating his own motives and frustrations. Maybe it's true, but he still does that perfectly. He is even capable of making fun of directors shooting in non-color, while his own film is shot in that technique (cinematography by Sven Nykvist). The greatness of Allen allows the viewer to accept with astonishment such scenes that they would have been inappropriate if made by anyone else. That includes a runaway bride five minutes before wedding and a couple breaking off in a moment the removal company places her stuff in his apartment.
A master is a master.
The main thing is how to find yourself in this world. Allen seems to doubt. He think that we might be zombificated. Let's look at Robin Simon (Judy Davis) from his movie. Soon ago she was an English teacher, A specialist in Chaucer's poetry. Then she met a handsome producer Tony Gardella (Joe Mantegna). She becomes a host of a TV show and makes stupid interviews. What's worse, she feels good doing that. She sees nothing inappropriate in walking into Charles Manson's (the massacre at Polanski's villa was his inspiration) cell with camera. The TV producer seems to be a modern wizard. At a family party his relatives ask his to do this or that. He can do everything.
The character of the film, celebrity journalist Lee Simon (Keneeth Branagh), can't resist of that kind of life's luxuries. His first two novels weren't successful. He has problems with finishing the third one. He'd rather work on a movie screenplay. It's bigger fame and bigger cash. Only a simple old woman, Gardella's grandmother is left with the remains of sanity. She is disturbed when hearing about a guy that was being held hostage by some thugs and now he is giving performances in schools as a hero. She asks surprised whether it is enough.
"Celebrity" is a great fun about revealing the rules of that crying game that involves selling your own identity. The memoirs of a star taken back to the house she used to live in, seem like if they were written for a tabloid. A young actor Darrow (self-ironic DiCaprio) demolishes the hotel room, but the owners have nothing against his destructive actions. His presence in the hotel is in fact an advertisement. Darrow pretends for a second there that he takes life seriously. Just as he treats the script given by Simon. But all in all Darrow is interested only in parties, women, drugs and boxing fights. Nola, the statist (Winona Ryder) will go to bed with anyone who will make her an actress.
In Woody Allen's movie people are attracted to fiction. Nola allows Simon to seduce her when he speaks to her with words take out of a novel. The reality gives no one satisfaction, need re-editing. That is why everyone is after Dr Lupus, a plastic surgeon.
For many years now it is said that Allen is repeating his own motives and frustrations. Maybe it's true, but he still does that perfectly. He is even capable of making fun of directors shooting in non-color, while his own film is shot in that technique (cinematography by Sven Nykvist). The greatness of Allen allows the viewer to accept with astonishment such scenes that they would have been inappropriate if made by anyone else. That includes a runaway bride five minutes before wedding and a couple breaking off in a moment the removal company places her stuff in his apartment.
A master is a master.