Sleeper & Annie Hall

Please watch Sleeper (1974) and Annie Hall (1977. Read the handouts on these films that was distributed during class.

Both films show Allen's prowess as a film maker. Taken together with his other early films, Allen creates of himself what is called in film as an Auteur: French for "author". The term is used by critics to indicate the figure, usually the director, who stamped a film with his/her own "personality". Opposed to "metteurs en scene" who merely transcribed a work achieved in another medium into film (such as movies based on books or other events). Being referred to as an "Auteur" gives a director similar acclaim to a famous artist, photographer, or author.

After Annie Hall, Allen's career as an "auteur" was established with film critics and audiences. He won several film awards for this film. Thus, to go see a Woody Allen Film suggests that viewers know the VOICE of the director/writer they are going to see. Allen's later films push his idea of Auteur further as he tries other, more serious subject matter.

If you would like to read Annie Hall as a script, please check out the IMSDB.com link in the link section. You can also read other film scripts at this website.