Earlier today I went to class eager for two reasons, it was my last class before Thanksgiving break and we were going to watch A Bronx Tale. I have seen A Bronx Tale once before and loved it, so kicking back and watching this film sounded great. To my surprise, there was a last minute change and we watched Manhattan, a movie that I took a liking to.
During the first five minutes of the film, I was a bit saddened because I dislike black and white films. I consider most of the black and white movies I watch to be a bore so my initial impressions of the film were not too great. As the film progressed, I started to really enjoy it. My favorite part of the movie was Woody Allen’s character, Isaac. I thought that he was a selfish and manipulative character but still very lovable. His character is similar to George from Seinfeld, they are both self-centered and always try to sway other characters’ opinions for their own selfish benefit.
The camerawork in this film does not do anything all too special. The camera considers the viewer as the typical type of audience, it does not pull you in as part of the world but rather a spectator of Isaac’s life. One other noteworthy thing about the camerawork was that there were a lot of exposition shots, wherein notable Manhattan areas were shown. Woody Allen purposefully shot scenes in which the beauty of a Manhattan landmark was emphasized, such as the Central Park scene.
Even though I usually dislike black and white films, this filter seemed like a perfect fit for this movie. When I picture Manhattan, I see it in black and white, mostly because I derive mental imagery of Manhattan from black and white photography. Other than that, the editing of the movie is worth talking about. When I watch a movie, I sometimes notice that some shots drag on and others seem like they were designed for people with really short attention spans. The shots in this movie are not too long or too short, perhaps because it came out in 1979. A time when film was not too similar to theatre and attention spans were longer.
Aside from the camera work and editing, the characters themselves had very witty dialogue and were dressed like typical, urban middle class adults that would live in Manhattan.
The music in the film ranged from upbeat jazz to orchestral music. The film’s soundtrack complemented the film very well, using pieces that would be found in Manhattan jazz clubs and in and off Broadway shows.
Last but not last, I want to talk about the setting, which was a character of its own. The city and its culture seeped into every aspect of the film; the music, the camera work and especially the story. Manhattan is dense with the flaws of modern society, such as frequent affairs between married people and constant divorces. This was basically the basis of Manhattan‘s story.
It was a joy to watch this film and if I can, I would like to recommend the movie, I Love New York. It is a film about the different types of people who live in Manhattan.
