|
| Bananas
Year: 1971
Directed:
- Woody Allen
Actors/Actresses:
- Woody Allen
- Louise Lasser
Marx Brothers Inspired, Woody Silliness at its best.
The mixing of bad puns, intellectual comedy, satire, farce and slapstick isn't seamless, but it sure is funny. Most of the jokes are as funny or as bad as they were 30 years ago. Some of the jokes have turned out to be prophetic.
I had not seen the film in nearly 20 years yet remembered it well as I watched the recently released DVD. It's still very funny stuff. The pacing of course is a little slower than how it might be done today--but not much.
I wonder if people under 25 will understand how funny the scenes with Howard Cosell are? Will they know how outrageous and even daring this material was 30 years ago? I'm not sure.
Some of the references and therefore the jokes might fall flat if you don't have a knowledge of late 60's/early 70's American pop culture and news events.
Early in the film Allen who plays a product tester, is testing an executive exercise device, paying homage to Chaplin's Modern Times, and it seems like the scene could have been out of the Farelly brothers latest comedy.
There are several one-liners like one about how common it is to attack an American Embassy which were fairly innocent and funny in 1971, 8 years before Tehran, but are more double edged when heard today.
The film is an homage to his favorite film comedians, the Marx Brothers. The title; Bananas a nod to the Marx Brothers Coconuts, the plot loosely inspired in spirit by Duck Soup and there's even a gag involving a harp, a tribute to Harpo.
We have very witty comments about the media, the very funny (and before it's time) New Testament Cigarette Ad, Allen's first dream sequence involving two groups of monks carrying two men on crosses (one being Allen, one being Allen Garfield) who wind up in fisticuffs over a parking place.
There's the wonderful scene where Allen desperate for some companionship tries to impress a female signature gatherer (played by Louise Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Lasser --his then wife) by pretending to be interested in Yoga, and attending various protests. This leads to Allen unwillingly joining a real revolution in a small South American Country, impersonating it's president to ask the American Government for money and... well don't ask... it actually almost makes sense which is part of what makes it all the more funny.
There's also Howard Cosell and AbC world wide Sports coverage of the assasination and later the wedding night, and for all of us who grew up on the East Coast, newscaster Roger Grimsby playing himself. The wonderful goofy musical score by Marvin Hamlish is just right too.
The DVD has a great transfer of a beautiful wide-screen print but no extras. Although the DVD didn't include the original brilliant radio ad for the film, it does have the wonderful original theatrical trailer for the film which is almost as good. It's one of my favorite trailers.
Chris Jarmick, Author (The Glass Cocoon with Serena F. Holder-a steamy cyber- thriller ...)
Short and sweet
This is the ultimate film for people who say Woody Allen plays the same role every film. I noted some Marx Brothers homages-you wonder why it's called Bananas? Well, it's a nod to the Marx Brothers' Cocoanuts, there first actual film (the Marx Brothers films' titles didn't make sense, either (at least for Paramount)). There is also a harp solo, which Harpo Marx commonly did. Although not as funny as Annie Hall, Bananas has some great moments-especially when he buys food for an entire army and "plays dead" against the car. The infamous finale is good, too. All in all, worth renting. Thank you for taking the time to read my review and feel free to leave me a helpful/not helpful feedback. God Bless America!
Good
This is so bad, it's good.
Allen humor is like few others...he has a unique way to make people laugh.
Good
This is so bad, it's good.
Allen humor is like few others...he has a unique way to make people laugh.
Buy Bananas at Amazon.com
Buy posters at Allposters.com
Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone! | |
|
