Zelig [DVD]

Woody Allen's 1983 film Zelig is a clever and beautifully constructed 'documentary' on fictional character, 'chameleon man' Leonard Zelig (played by Allen), and shot in black and white by regular Allen cinematographer Gordon Willis. In Zelig, Allen (and his technicians) skilfully intercut images of the fictional Zelig, with famous international stars from sport, literature and politics. Zelig is first mysteriously spotted in a baseball game, as he waits surreptitiously to come into bat behind Babe Ruth. The discovery of this 'mystery man' leads to Zelig being pursued by the authorities, who next locate him in the local Chinese community, where he has miraculously morphed in appearance to closely resemble a Chinaman - he is thereafter dubbed 'chameleon man'.Allen has constructed the film in true documentary style (reminiscent of the earlier Take The Money And Run) with flashback footage of Zelig associating with high-profile public figures, being interspersed with current day interviews with close associates, family and friends (including real-life figures photographer Susan Sontag, author Saul Bellow and social commentator Irving Howe). Eminent doctor, Endora Fletcher (Mia Farrow) becomes fascinated with Zelig and undertakes a series of medical tests on him in an attempt to uncover the cause of his condition. She concludes that Zelig's metamorphic tendency is actually a 'cry for help' - he is seeking acceptance by society.In Zelig, therefore, Allen is dealing principally with questions about identity and, in the character Zelig, has taken social conformity to its ultimate extreme, by adopting the same physical identity as one's surroundings. This is almost certainly Allen satirising the pressure he himself was repeatedly put under to 'conform' in his filmmaking, and to continue to make only genuine comedies. Also, as Zelig's notoriety grows, Allen once again satirises society's treatment of celebrity (as he had done previously - and more scathingly - in the earlier Stardust Memories), poking fun at the (tacky) commercial products launched on the back of Zelig's 'talent'. These include a dance - 'The Chameleon' - and various songs, such as 'You May Be Six People, But I Love You'.Zelig contains a reasonable number of high quality Allen gags, but not as many, for example, as his other foray into the past, the marvellous nostalgia trip that is Radio Days which, for me, is a superior film. Indeed, midway through Zelig, I find that the 'one joke premise' underlying the film begins to wear slightly thin. It is not until the final 15 minutes, which contain the revelations of Zelig's past 'lives' and is followed by the marvellously funny sequence of him peeping out from behind Hitler(!) that lifts the film from three star to four star territory.The other observation I had on the film were the (visual) echoes in parts (to me at least) of Citizen Kane. First, the documentary feel; second, the sequence in the film shot at William Randolph Hearst's Hearst Castle at San Simeon and, finally, the revelations from Zelig's past (a la Kane's affair with Susan Alexander). Perhaps it's only me.In summary, not on a par with Allen's absolute best, but an inventive and funny film, nevertheless.

This is Woody at his most inventive. Beginning in the prohibition era and filmed documentary-style largely in black and white, it tells the fictional tale of Leonard Zelig (Allen), a humble clerk with a troubled childhood, who grows into a man who can change his physical appearance to match that of those around him. If he's among Chinese people, he becomes Chinese; if he's among Scotsmen, he grows red whiskers and sports a kilt. When among professional people, he talks convincingly as though he were one of them, though he's unable to accommodate any changes to emulate women, midgets or chickens. In the company of his psychiatrist, he pretends to be one himself, claiming that he's treating two sets of Siamese twins for split personalities, and is therefore getting paid eight times ...Zelig eventually finds himself in hospital, being experimented upon by numerous doctors who try to find the physical cause of his peculiar talent. The general public are interviewed, expressing their theories, including `I think it's something he picked up from eating Mexican food.' Eventually, he is put under the care of psychiatrist Eudora Fletcher (Mia Farrow) and she determines that he has developed chameleon abilities due to his desire to fit in. Their relationship blossoms into love, but the road to the altar becomes strewn with enormous and comical obstacles. Eventually overcoming his problems, he rises, falls and rises again to become a Lindbergh-like figure.Although made before the advent of CGI and other techniques, Woody seamlessly blends genuine footage of the era with his own material and for added realism begins and ends the film with contemporary mock contributions from great American intellectuals, including Susan Sontag and Saul Bellow. They comment philosophically on Zelig's relevance in American history and how his story reflects the underlying psychology of the nation.Woody captures the spirit of the zany twenties and thirties extremely well in this, while successfully blending his own style of humour into the proceedings. Technically impressive, too.

A spoof documentary by Woody Allen about a fictional character who has the curious ability to take on the appearance and traits of the people around him in order to become “liked”; described as a “human chameleon”, the film charts his strange odyssey through the 20s and 30s with some amusing and effective doctored newsreel footage and straight-faced interviews by “witnesses” and cultural commentators.It's still a very amusing film with a tragicomic storyline; in context it was fairly innovative – some of it's elements have been used in other film since it was made - but it's a well-realised and thoughtful little venture.As with all of Allen's films on DVD there are no extras; English subtitles are available if required.