• It’s woody’s 4th film as director- and I have no problem if someone would argue to keep it out of the archives but I found it funny and innovative enough to barely slide by as a low-end recommend
  • Full of funny vignettes and spoofs certainly around sex/relationships and pop psychology- two running themes in the allen oeuvre
  • Some of the episodes are stronger (the sheep, Italian, carradine, and finale) than others (game show, crossdresser, weird commercials)—the best, by no coincidence, have strong actors like carradine, allen himself, and of course, Gene Wilder who largely steals the show with his straight love affair with a sheep. Wilder’s performance is a small comic achievement and many forget that for this stretch of time- from roughly (1967-1974) Wilder was the preeminent screen comedian (picking up from Sellers and Jerry Lewis in the 60’s). Wilder was in producers, willy wonka, this, blazing saddles and young Frankenstein in this stretch
  • Strong small performances by lynn redgrave and burt Reynolds as well
  • Because of the short running time of each sketch the situation comedies never overstay their welcome
  • The Italian one is the best I think- it’s actually wonderfully shot- like an art film from the time (like Antonioni or Fellini)- silhouette in an open corridor and then expanded, strong use of subtle zooms
  • Because they are all written and directed by allen (most star him as well) and surround the same topic- it has a cohesion that like a best of SNL doesn’t have