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First, let me admit that Crimes and Misdemeanors is my
favorite Woody Allen
movie. I was VERY disappointed to see
the overrated Annie Hall on the AFI list
and not this film.
The film is two movies in one. One movie is about a doctor
and
his distraught and probably disturbed mistress and the morality of
the
choices he makes. The mood of this film is dark and sinister.
The DVD is impeccable
and true to the sad, slightly washed
color of Martin Landau's mood. Kudos also
to Sam Waterston, who
plays a rabbi dealing with the loss of his sight, and the
conscience that
Landau rationalizes away. Brilliant. Truly brilliant.
The
other movie, a funny, though sad, tale a New York nebbish
and his love for a
woman, played by mia farrow, and his making a
documentary about his wonderful, TOO
wonderful, egomaniacal
brother in law, Alan Alda. He is also dealing with the
disintegration
of his marriage and the HORROR that is is sisters dating life..
This
part of the film lacks the emotional depth of the Landau section, except
for the fate of a documentary subject of Allen's, a Philosophy professor
who
believes all we need is love. There is little love for Allen. The colors
are lighter
during Allen's section and the music is jazz, versus the somber
classical played
in the Landau parts.
The main point of the film is that Allen is unjustly
punished for
little Misdemeanors, while rich powerful men, like landau, are
untouchable,
even while committing the most heinous of crimes.
The DVD is true and clear
and the sound is plain, but also true and clear.
I would call this a BUY for me
and anyone else who love brilliant film making, a
RENT for those who are not big Woody
fan's, and a PASS for shallow
thrill seekers looking to shake the walls with comets
hitting the Earth...
RCA 5200
RCA 31" TV
Pioneer VSX-9900S