SHADOWS AND FOG (1992)

You couldn't make it up if you tried....a comedy directed in by comedian Woody Allen about a psychopathic strangler featuring not only Woody himself but Mia Farrow, John Malkovich, Madonna, Donald Pleasence, William H. Macy, Fred Gwynne, Kate Nelligan, John C.Reilley, John Cusack, Cathy Bates, Lilly Tomlin and Jodie Foster! As if that isn't enough the whole thing is filmed in black and white in the style of a German Expressionist film of the 1920's. I've spoken to admirers of Woody Allen who have never heard of this film. Woody plays Kleinmann (ie. little man) who is roped in by a group of vigilantes who are searching for the mad strangler who is terrorizing a fogbound European city. What Woody doesn't know is that he is the bait. While wandering the dark streets he meets Mia Farrow who has run away from the circus......All this gives Woody a chance to explore some pretty heavy stuff about love, happiness, pain and the whole damn thing. For me this film is Woody at his very peak bringing together all the things that really matter to him and damn the audience if they don't like it. Like so many great films the ending is controversial inasmuch as you either get it or you don't (or if you don't perhaps you love it so much you don't care either way) and is right up there with WINTER LIGHT, ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA and ZATOICHI as one of the endings that haunt my dreams. Rating : ****