Zelig

Lo vidi quando uscì: un capolavoro. Rivisto oggi: un bel film diretto benissimo ma meno capolavoro

Woody Allen riscrive Pirandello

Mauro Boccuni

Recensito in Italia il 16 settembre 2019

Un capolavoro dell'ingegno creativo da parte di quello che io considero a tutti to gli effetti un genio del cinema.
E la sintesi pirandelliana di un tormento antico come l'uomo: cosa sia l'identità e quali identità interpretiamo e perché nel corso della nostra vita.
Ineccepibile il lavoro di ricostruzione del passato cinematografico di una realtà inesistente. Oggi si chiamerebbe una docu fiction.
Non è una pellicola per l'intrattenimento.

Una persona l'ha trovato utile

Zelig e` un importante film di Woody Allen.

Vittorio De Alfaro

Recensito in Italia il 9 giugno 2015

Si`, un film breve ma molto importante. Woody Allen e` un personaggio che si appropria di ogni aspetto altrui nel tentativo di sembrare un personaggio ogni volta diverso. Le conseguenze sono gravi e svariate: ricordiamo solo che ad un certo punto Allen si mostra consenziente ad un Hitler che sta perorando una grande folla. E` un film di grandissimo valore. Mia Farrow e`, nel film, il controllore di Allen del quale si innamora.

Recensito in Italia il 12 gennaio 2022

Bel film, magnifici effetti speciali, fa riflettere.

Recensito in Italia il 23 aprile 2021

Dvd in ottime condizioni.
Il fornitore Lucyshoponline cortese e in anticipo sulla consegna prevista.

un film fantastico di quel genio che è woody allen...

stefano pettenon

Recensito in Italia il 17 agosto 2013

un film fantastico di quel genio che è woody allen... un regalo molto gradito a mia sorella, che è appassionata cultrice del regista più strano e nevrotico del ventesimo secolo

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JOB BERTRAND

indispensable

Recensito in Francia il 16 aprile 2023

Woody Allen à son absolu meilleur, drôle et attendrissant, une comédie sociale d'une finesse remarquable, avec le ton particulier du grand Woody, indispensable !

AL Nolan

Arrived

Recensito in Canada il 13 maggio 2020

Thank you

Una persona l'ha trovato utile

Maria Pilar

Otra de Woody Allen

Recensito in Spagna il 8 gennaio 2019

Como la mayoría de las pelis de Allen, preciosa. Digna de verse.

Paul Tognetti

Simply brilliant!

Recensito negli Stati Uniti il 26 giugno 2011

I have never seen quite anything like it. When Woody Allen's 1983 film "Zelig" was released it was dubbed a "mockumentary". "Zelig" stars Woody Allen as a curious little man called Leonard Zelig who seems to turn up with surprising or unaccountable frequency in a variety of settings. Zelig possesses the uncanny ability to look and act like whoever happens to be around him. One minute he is seen looking like a white major league baseball player and the next time you spot him he might resemble a black jazz musicion. Zelig was a media sensation during The Roaring '20s and was dubbed "the human chameleon". When Leonard Zelig first appears on the scene a young psychologist named Eudora Fletcher (Mia Farrow) takes an interest in his case and vows to help him in any way she can. She quickly determines her patient is only yearning for the approval of others which is why he physically changes to fit in with those around him. It is a bizarre condition the likes of which has been seen before but Dr. Fletcher honestly believes that she can help cure him of this malady. The trials and tribulations of Leonard Zelig and Dr. Eudora Fletcher are chronicled in the film. What makes this film so unique is that it was shot in the style of those primitive 1920's black and white newsreels that were so popular back in the day. Allen, who also wrote and directed this film, cleverly weaves stock footage from the period into the story. Patrick Horgan who narrates the "mockumentary" is just perfect and greatly adds to the ambiance of this film. Meanwhile, Allen adds contemporary commentary (filmed in color circa 1983 when the film was made) on all of these events from a number of the leading intellectuals of the day including such notables as Susan Sonntag, Irving Howe and Saul Bellow. A vintage Woody Allen technique!

With all of the hoopla surrounding Leonard Zelig there is really only one person who truly cares about him. Zelig was under observation by Dr. Fletcher when his half-sister Ruth and her shady husband Martin Geist show up to claim custody of Zelig. Ruth and Martin want control of Zelig for one reason only....to exploit him for financial gain. They turn Leonard into a carnival attraction, a novelty, a freak if you will. They not only charge admission to see him but offer all kinds of merchandise to boot. There are Zelig dolls, clocks, toys and books. He truly is a worldwide phenomenon. Zelig's popularity even spawns a dance craze known as "The Chameleon". With no around to love him Leonard's condition continues to deteriorate. Eventually, he vanishes from the scene and Dr. Fletcher is frantic to find him. Some time later she spots him in a newsreel standing right behind of all people Adolf Hitler looking like an SS officer. She rushes to Germany and manages to bring him home for treatment. Eventually the two of them fall in love and are married. Still, there are more peaks and valleys to come.

So just how did Woody Allen go about making such an innovative film? "I wrote the whole script first," explains the filmmaker, "then I looked at millions of feet of documentary and I changed my script with the new discoveries. And this went on for a couple of years". Allen also went out of his way to find old cameras, lenses and sound equipment from the 1920's to help give his film the authentic look and feel he was after. The film also features several original new tunes recorded in the 1920's style including "Chameleon Days", "You May Be Six People But I Love You", "Leonard The Lizard" and "Reptile Eyes". Very clever indeed!

I viewed "Zelig" for the first time in a good many years the other day and found it to be every bit as engaging, charming and witty as I remembered it to be. This is one of the most unique films you will ever see and ranks at or near the top of my favorite Woody Allen movies. If you have never seen "Zelig" I urge you to give it a look-see. You are in for a real treat. Very highly recommended!

14 persone l'hanno trovato utile

system11

Meisterwerk

Recensito in Germania il 13 gennaio 2013

Dies ist kein typischer Dialogfilm von Woody Allen. Der Film ist konsequent als Dokumentarfilm gestaltet, d.h. die Schauspieler haben keine einzige Dialogszene. Der Text zu den Zusammenschnitten aus Archivfilmen kommt von einem Sprecher aus dem Off. Die einzelnen Filmsequenzen karikieren oder unterstreichen die gesprochenen Texte.
Insgesamt ein Film, den man länger im Gedächtnis behält.