The greatest movie ever made..!

Let's be realistic.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

If you're a film student, you've got a much better chance of liking this movie. I've read that Woody Allen made this as an homage to German Expressionist filmmakers, like F.W. Murnau. It's a black-and-white movie, utilizing the two elements in the title, Shadows and Fog, to make the scenes extra spooky and European-looking. For the rest of you out there, this probably won't be your favorite Woody Allen movie. The plot is jumbled and hap-hazard, with a bookie in charge of solving a string of murders and a travelling circus coming into town.All in all, this one's a little sinister and confusing, but if you like Woody Allen's darker movies, or you just like renting all his movies no matter how good they are, you might want to rent this one. Just don't expect a joke fest. The famous faces you'll see in this one besides Woody himself and his sweetie-pie at the time, Mia Farrow, are David Ogden Stiers, Jodie Foster, Kathy Bates, James Rebhorn, John Malkovich, Donald Pleasence, Madonna, Wallace Shawn, Julie Kavner, John Cusack, Fred Gwynne, Lily Tomlin, William H. Macy, Philip Bosco, Kate Nelligan, and John C. Reilly.

After completing Shadows and Fog, I found myself once again dismayed by the common claim that Woody Allen makes the same type of film over and over again. In reality, Woody has always been open to trying new and untested things both with his narrative structure and his filmmaking style. Shadows and Fog is another perfect example of Woody's penchant for diverse filmmaking. The 1991 film was Woody Allen's gentle homage to German Expressionism. Shadows and Fog pairs Woody Allen and Mia Farrow in a shadowy town that hides from a strangler that is on the loose. As is the usual Woody Allen film, Shadows and Fog is as wonderfully comedic as it is a thoughtful exercise in grappling with life's deepest questions. Kleinman (Woody Allen) is a nebbish, nervous bookkeeper who has been pulled into a plot by a group of vigilantes to hunt for a strangler that has been terrorizing their area. A perpetually nervous individual, Kleinman wants nothing to do with a group of lawless men seeking out a murderer. Kleinman would rather stay locked in his apartment safely away from the murderer roaming the streets. To make matters worse, despite the fact that Kleinman has been roped into a group of vigilantes, information about his role in the group is being withheld from him. Sheepishly attempting to find his role within the vigilante group, all the while desperately trying to avoid putting himself in real danger, Kleinman encounters a woman in a traveling circus, Irmy (Mia Farrow) who is also attempting to find her way through life in a much more metaphorical sense. Kindred spirits, Kleinman and Irmy attempt to find a purpose for their lives, all the while trying to save them.Shadows and Fog works perfectly as a nod to German Expressionism, with gorgeous imagery reminiscent of the greats of the genre such as Robert Wiene and Fritz Lang. Woody Allen's frequent use of black and white photography well into the 90's is a fearless maneuver that deserves uproarious applause. Woody is a filmmaker that uses a variety of film technique achieving artistic significance yet is hardly acknowledged for that. Certain aspects Woody is commonly acknowledged for are present in Shadows and Fog, for instance, it is exquisitely written and has a brilliant sound design. Shadows and Fog is another worthy mention in my crusade to prove that Woody Allen is not a filmmaker that has a clear section of "lower-tier" work, as he is often accused.

Woody Allen is annoying as usual, playing a Kafka-inspired role set in Germany or Central Europe in the early twentieth century. (Electric light is commonplace, but no automobile is ever seen) Allen's shtick was original and amusing in the early Seventies, but it palled many decades ago. The plot is fairly boring, and never really ties together very well. There is a sort of "all-star cast" that is largely wasted. And the film (and plot) had no real ending, it just kind of quit. However, there were some good things. The mood was set very well with the fog, the black-and-white photography, the music. Nice performances from some of the cast, especially Mia Farrow, John Cusack, John Malkovich, and even the much-maligned Madonna. Some of Allen's direction was effective, such as the 360 shot around the table at the brothel. But overall, the film was boring, and I cannot recommend it.

'Shadows and Fog' has a very German/French cinema feel to it. Shot in black and white, set in one night, the story follows Kleinman (Woody Allen) and Irmy (Mia Farrow). Clueless Kleinmen is assigned to guard the streets and watch out for a serial killer. In a moment of rage, Irmy, after catching her boyfriend Clown (John Malkovich) red handed with seductress Marie (Madonna) decides to leave the circus. While she wanders the streets, she bumps into Prostitute (Lily Tomlin) who shelters her in her brothel. Soon after Irmy leaves the brothel, she meets Kleinman. Together they wander the streets experiencing odd encounters. Unfortunately 'Shadows and Fog' hasn't received as much recognition as Allen's other works. It has the usual Allen style with a series of conversations, quirky characters and a whimsical feel to it. The execution is very good especially the lighting, cinematography, editing and score. Allen has gathered an enviable ensemble that further includes Kathy Bates, William Macy, Jodie Foster, John Cusack and many more. Everyone performs superbly but if I had to pick the best it would be Mia Farrow. Her spontaneity makes her performance come across as very natural. For me, 'Shadows and Fog' is just as good as any other great Allen movie. It may be a little more awkward than his other movies but enjoyable nonetheless.