Kleinman, a nebbish bookkeeper, is awoken in the middle of the night at his house by his neighbours. They insist that he must join their vigilante group to capture a mysterious killer who is known to asphyxiate his victims to death out on the streets.
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Meanwhile, the circus is in town, and two of its trapeze artists, Irmy and Paul, are having an argument. Irmy is fed up with Paul's infidelities and leaves him, entering the town, where she runs into Kleinman, and the two patrol the streets looking for the killer, unaware of whether they are searching for the murderer or are being pursued themselves.
Eventually, Paul regains Irmy and the two kiss and make up, leaving Kleinman on his own until he runs into the famous magician, Spiro. Kleinman and Spiro attempt to ensnare the murderous villain with a magic trick.
Best part of story, including ending:
The film masterfully blends the intellectual concerns of existentialsm with the dark cynicism of Woody Allen's own zany humor. The film is challenging, subtle and intelligent; an underrated entry into Allen's filmic oeuvre.
Best scene in story:
My favourite scene is the confrontation between the killer and Kleinman and the magician, Spiro. Through this scene, which concludes the film, the central message of the film becomes readily apparent: in a godless world devoid of obvious miracles, we tend to overlook the magic all around us in everyday life.
SHADOWS AND FOG is a black and white movie written and directed by Woody Allen in 1992.
A foggy night in an american city of the late XIXth century. Kleinman, a clerk, is asked to join a vigilante group in the middle of the night. A killer is haunting the streets of the city and people don't trust the police anymore. Nobody tells Kleinman what role he has to play in this chase so he wanders completely frightened through the fog. Meanwhile, in a circus nearby, Mia Farrow, a sword swallower and the clown John Malkovich have a fight and Farrow decides to leave the circus and finds a bed in the city brothel thanks to the prostitute Lily Tomlin. She eventually earns 700 $ by sleeping with John Cusack, a student. After having been arrested because she hasn't a license, she meets Woody Allen at the police station who decides to help her find a new bed for the night. Soon Woody Allen becomes the main suspect of the murders and must run through the dark streets. He reaches the circus and saves Mia Farrow from the hands of the criminal who, unfortunately, can escape one more time.
A strange movie in Woody Allen's filmography. It's an exercise of style, a parody of Gothic movies and a vibrant homage to the films of Ingmar Bergman, Orson Welles and Federico Fellini. For true movie lovers only.
The review of this Movie prepared by Daniel Staebler
