One of the classic three-in-a-row Woody Allen movies (along with "Annie Hall" before and "Manhattan" after). Allen's first dramatic film pays off perfectly with great performances, a consistent tone, and excellent cinematography.
Really good, but labours slightly under the weight of being a Serious Woody Allen Film. If this were my first Allen film I'd seen I would have given it a ten. Context is a bitch.
Interiors (1978) director: Woody Allen starring: Geraldine Page, Diane Keaton, Mary Beth Hurt, Kristin Griffith, Maureen Stapleton, E.G. Marshall, Sam Waterston, Richard Jordan
Most people consider this film a bridge between Woody Allen's two most popular masterpieces, Annie Hall and Manhattan (which also happen to be to of my all time favourite films). When I hear the word 'bridge' in relation to film, I think of a movie that is just used as a petty time-filler between major projects. In this case, Interiors is anything but a 'bridge'. If it should be compared to a bridge, it would be The Golden Gate Bridge of all films. It's a masterpiece unto itself and is the perfect display of acting and a middle-class American family in distress.
The performances in this film are fantastic and the ensemble cast is perfect in their respective parts. Woody Allen leaves himself out of this film, which probably was a smart move seeing how this was his first drama and his audiences wouldn't have responded well seeing him in a drama. They might not have responded well seeing him direct a drama either, but he pulled that off flawlessly. The subject matter in this film is heavy and very depressing; it can be compared to something like Ordinary People or The Ice Storm. Ultimately, this film is not totally uninspired and shouldn't be compared to any old film because Allen was directly inspired by Ingmar Bergman's masterworks. He adapted elements and visual styles used in Bergman's films and put them to use in Interiors. This film is an homage to the Swedish director and visionary who sadly passed away last year. Woody Allen has credited Bergman as one of his biggest influences as a filmmaker and often uses his techniques in his own films.
Geraldine Page gives what I think is her greatest performance in this film. Her body-of-work Oscar which she won for 1985's The Trip to Bountiful is undeserved (hand it to Whoopi Goldberg for The Color Purple) and only went to Ms. Page because the Academy forgot to award her for her performance as Eve, the depressed, suicidal and insanely judgmental mother. Other great performances come from the incomparable Maureen Stapleton, who is great as always, and the then-fresh new face, Mary Beth Hurt. The cast works well together using the raw emotion of the characters and the melodramatic elements in the screenplay to deliver solid performances that will be memorable for years and years to come (at least for me).
Not Woody Allen's best, but this still is a masterful effort. Coming out in 1978, Interiors had to follow what was the huge success of Annie Hall and faced being compared. This was a difficult task for Allen and a very risky project. Stripping his regular comedic self to show a very dark dramatic side seemed to be a difficult task, but Allen proved everyone wrong and gave the world one of the best films of 1978. This film was nominated for five Oscars, won numerous other awards and was acclaimed by many critics. I would call it a success on Allen's behalf (even though the domestic box office totaled a not-so-impressive $10 million).
I highly recommend this film to everyone, especially those who are fans of Woody Allen. Interiors ranks among Annie Hall and Manhattan as Allen's best work.
Just looking at the poster recalls vivid images from 'Persona', and the plot plays out much like 'Autumn Sonata' and 'Cries and Whispers'. That being said, it is far from a complaint. Allen creates a devestating character piece that, while it doesn't rival Bergman and Nykvst in terms of images, is one immaculately written and acted drama.
Thoughtful character study that ranges from sweet to depressing. This is Woody Allen's first film that does not feature him in an acting role. Not exactly a feel-good movie, but worth watching.
By far Woody Allen's most dark and dramatic film ever, even in comparison to Match Point. One of the few times in which he decided to express himself through the darkest side of what it means to be human. Considered by many Allen's tribute to Ingmar Bergman and Anton Chekhov, two of his greatest and most important inspirations. An exploration of the disastrous results of cultivated interiority by three sisters and also a study of the connection between mothers and daughters, which links them together in a crucial and lifelong way. Powerful, raw, claustrophobic, skillful and ultimately sublime.
Another tribute to Bergman. Again, I used to be a fan. Now it just seems overtly manipulative. However, the character of the Mother is played brilliantly.
Film de 1978 de Woody Allen et premier film qu'il réalise sans y participer en tant qu'acteur. Ce film souffre de la réputation d'être sur-dramatique, hermétique et trop fortement inspiré de l'ambiance de Bergman, surtout qu'il est l'oeuvre d'un homme qui à l'époque s'était forgé sa réputation par l'humour. Pourtant, j'ai absolument adoré Interiors. C'est un film froid, très léché esthétiquement, mais l'ambiance ''anesthésique'' du film sert selon moi à rehausser la froideur des liens entre les personnages. J'ai trouvé ce long métrage très habilement mené, autant sur le plan des dialogues que sur celui de la photographie. Ce n'est effectivement pas sans rappeler Bergman, mais c'est tout de même une réussite et ça a son petit quelque chose de propre.
Primer drama del señor Allen y segunda obra maestra al hilo, con un excelente manejo de la estética. Retrato de una familia peculiar que en lo esencial no dista mucho de cualquier otra. Se percibe y se agradece la influencia de Ingmar Bergman. Los conflictos que implica el ser humano llevados al límite.
in which Woody consciously eschews comedy film-making in favour of a serious dramatic style. needless to say, he goes right in at the deep end with it, and so this can be pretty miserable but is none the less a good change of pace and style that shows his versatility as a director. good performances by all involved. can't remember if Woody himself is in it but i suspect he actually isn't.
excellent psychological study of a family in crisis; all vastly different but the bottom line is that they are all searching their souls & ultimately seeking unconditional love. Woody Allen directs & Geraldine Page is awesome as the mentally ill, suicidal Mom.
Not entirely successful, but still worth a look. The daughters seem phony and starched. But the older actors (Marshall, Page and Stapleton) present real and fascinating characters who realize the heartache and the possibilities of life. Page portrays a woman who has given everything for a family, a family who has abandoned and forsaken her. It is a scary and remarkable performance.
With this immediately engrossing achievement in cinematography (perhaps a warm-up before Manhattan), among other things, Woody continues his indictment on the intellectuals who get so caught up with thier own philosophies and higher thinking that they forget to enjoy the simplist human joys, and in this film, only realizing their mistake when faced with the strong opposing force that is death. The characters in Interiors, produced between two of his more well known masterpieces Annie Hall and Manhattan, are all consumed by their own individual struggles for power induced mostly by their parent's (in this case their mother's) inhibility to live as equals as opposed to subordinates to each other.
This is a very somber and serious film. Unless you consider yourself a lover of character studies (I certainly do), I wouldn't try watching this not-so-typically "Woody" Woody film late at night or when remotely tired.
Although the film's characters are extremely complex, I found them more as types or roles than actual individuals, following a certain literary mold all too well. Other than that, however, Interiors is a film definitely worth delving into, if only as a break between viewings of Woody's other masterpieces.
Zip.ca rental of Interiors. Part of my quest to see everything Woody Allen has ever made.
It was just plain dull. Sure, it was shot better than a lot of Allen's films, but all the characters were either incredibly annoying or completely boring. I can't even remember half of their names. I didn't really care that the mother died at the end; she was driving me crazy throughout the film anyways.
The Opinion: I kept this short, because it couldn't hold my interest.
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