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Brilliant Film With Perfect Look Of Real Documentary

posted 15 years ago by Jaybone23
15 replies | jump to latest

While there had been at least one "mockumentary" prior to "Zelig" (This Is Spinal Tap), Woody Allen was way ahead of his time with this one. It's a brilliant film, made in the right spirit with pitch-perfect tone. And it looks nearly perfect as well, exactly like a stereotypical documentary from the late 70s. I think the only substantial misstep occurs near the end when, rather than somehow putting the Zelig character (Woody Allen) into actual footage of the real Adolf Hitler, new footage with an actor potraying Hitler is used instead. Perhaps it was simply too difficult or impossible to do such a thing at the time and make it look good...or even passable enough to live up to Allen's standard. And for those of you who know the film but perhaps haven't seen it in a while and are vague about all of its details, I'm not talking about footage from the "Hollywood bio-pic" that, within the reality of the "documentary", was made about Zeling. Imagine, then, how the film would look if Allen had use of today's advanced film and digital technologies. I say he almost wouldn't need it. It looks tremendous even today.

If nothing else this film is just great fun. I can't imagine why anybody would truly dislike it. Ambivalent, perhaps, but there have been comments here where people declare it a piece of crap! Allen's ambition and effort on "Zelig" cannot be denied.

[–] wetwillies 14 years ago

Just to let you know, Woody had even done a mockumentary before this, "Take the Money and Run".

[–] Jaybone23 14 years ago

True enough. "Bananas" also had elements of a documentary film. However I think both films ("Bananas" and "Take the Money...") broke away from the documentary device to such a degree that the viewer "forgets" one is watching a documentary film. Also, of course, you have a film like Albert Brooks' "Real Life", made 4 years before "Zelig", which was a satire of the groundbreaking "reality" series "An American Family". But "Zelig" is the first film that I am aware of that never pulls away from that classic documentary narrative that we all know from many of Ken Burns' projects. But yes, you make an excellent point. One could make the argument that Allen helped to pioneer the idea of the "mockumentary". And what a legacy! Some of my favorite films have used such a device. "This Is Spinal Tap" never fails to make me laugh out loud. And, given the technical limitations of film in 1983, I think "Zelig" is really quite ingenious. I love a great many of Allen's films, but "Zelig" is easily in my Top 5, if only for its perfect execution.

[–] emvan 14 years ago

While there had been at least one "mockumentary" prior to "Zelig" (This Is Spinal Tap)

Zelig was released July 15, 1983, This is Spinal Tap March 2, 1984. And I believe Zelig took longer to make.

Prepare your minds for a new scale of physical, scientific values, gentlemen.

[–] Jaybone23 14 years ago

I stand corrected. I think it's because I saw "Tap" on cable shortly before I saw "Zelig". I was only 14 years old, and both movies made a profound impact on me. The faux documentary still seemed a radical idea at the time.

The musical "mockumentary" idea goes back to at least 1978 when "The Rutles" film was released, which is a parody of the coverage of The Beatles' career. And the film that would eventually became "A Mighty Wind" was supposed to be the first film of that kind that Guest and Shearer wanted to make. The idea was taken, in part, from The Weavers documentary "Wasn't That A Time!" released in 1982. Though "Tap" appeared first, we would see the beginning of the "Wind" idea shortly after, on an episode of SNL, when The Folksmen made an appearence during Guest's and Shearer's tenure on the show. The Folksmen also appeared as the opening act during Spinal Tap live shows, with many in the audience not realizing what was going on, since "A Mighty Wind" had yet to be made at the time. Shearer/Guest/McKean must have had a lot of fun with this.

And then before "Zelig", of course, Allen did "Take the Money and Run" which also had elements of the documentary. I enjoyed that film as well, if only for the gorgeous Janet Margolin!

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] digitaldiva 11 years ago

It's one of my favorite Woody Allen films, one I watch whenever it's shown on television, a great film.

[–] spookyrat1 11 years ago

I think it's an amazing technical achievement and extremely clever, but pretty much a one joke film.

[–] digitaldiva 11 years ago

Hi spookyrat1,

...but an amazing one joke film.

[–] spookyrat1 11 years ago

Hi Ms diva,

A one of a kind one joke film I should think.

[–] digitaldiva 11 years ago

Hi sppkyrat1,

But so brilliantly executed, especially in the time before digital cameras and CGI. I still can't figure out how he managed to do some of the effects he did. It was so seamlessly done that I often couldn't tell vintage stock from Woody's work.

[–] spookyrat1 11 years ago

Hi digi,

Incredibly world done and really one out of the box which just adds to his reputation as a writer and director.

I haven't seen this mentioned, but I wonder whether he was influenced by the little seen (in North America) Australian film Newsfront (1978) which kind of did a similar thing in a different format. It wove actual cinematic newsreel footage (quite seamlessly too) into a dramatic story about the cameramen who shot that sort of stuff.

[–] digitaldiva 11 years ago

Hi spookyrat1,

Who knows but I'll look into Newsfront. It sounds like my sort of film. Thanks for bringing it up.

[–] rc-108 11 years ago

I agree.. well done..
very entertaining...
and before CGI.

[–] JellyFish19 10 years ago

I liked the story a lot, and the mockumentary style is fitting, but I wonder if it could be done like a standard feature film.

[–] Jaybone23 10 years ago

Well I think it was Woody Allen playing with the medium. He'd done many comedies and one very serious drama prior to this film, and I think he was maybe looking for new ways to tell a story. He'd flirted with the mockumentary style with "Take the Money and Run", his first true work as a film director, but he really ran with the idea in "Zelig". I was a young teenager when I first watched "Zelig" and I loved it. It had an immediate and profound effect on me and has informed my artistic sensibilities to this day. It's always been in my personal list of "Top 10 Comedies" and I'm glad you liked it.