Film
Movie theaters, reviews and showtimes in Chicago, plus articles, trailers and more
- Home
- Box Office
- Listings
- Trailers
- Features
Bookmark this page- Edition:
Zelig (1983)
Director: Woody Allen
Movie review
From Time Out London
Those who dismiss Woody Allen as a neurotic narcissist out of touch with reality need to confront 1983’s ‘Zelig’. Perhaps the most complex, unusual film in an already diverse CV, it remains his most culturally and politically aware work, its relevance increasing with each passing year. Allen stars as the titular ‘human chameleon’ who can alter his appearance to ‘become’ any man he encounters, and whose discovery prompts headlines, psychological studies and dance crazes. Flawlessly constructed by Allen and genius cinematographer Gordon Willis as a back-to-the-’30s mock-doc, the film misses no opportunity to pinpoint the resonances inherent in its idea: Zelig’s desire for conformity leads him first to the Catholic Church, then the Nazi Party. The comedy tends to the smirk-inducing rather than the laugh-out-loud, and the second half wanders somewhat, but ‘Zelig’ is a strong contender for Allen’s most fascinating film.Author: Tom Huddleston
Time Out London Issue 2157/2158: 22 Dec 2011 – Jan 4 2012
Cast & crew
Director: Woody Allen
Producer: Robert Greenhut
Cast: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Garrett Brown, Stephanie Farrow, Mary Louise Wilson, Sol Lomita, John Rothman full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Duration: 79 mins
Features
Gray's anatomy
James Gray wants to push buttons—again.
The next big thing?
Gigantic Releasing tries to rethink indie distribution…without movie theaters.
Red Diva: Lyubov Orlova, First Lady of Soviet Cinema
So you think you can dance, comrade?
Puppet master
Coraline director Henry Selick takes stop-motion animation into 3-D.
Socratic method
Laurent Cantet's approach on the set matches the message of his film.
Wander woman
Kelly Reichardt's Wendy and Lucy puts a Bush-era spin on the road movie.
Oscars
Read our interviews with the nominees, our reviews of the nominated films and more.
What do you think?
Post your review now