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Shadows and Fog (1991)

 -  Comedy | Crime | Drama  -  20 March 1992 (USA)
6.6
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Ratings: 6.6/10 from 9,294 users  
Reviews: 69 user | 34 critic

With a serial strangler on the loose, a bookkeeper wanders around town searching for the vigilante group intent on catching the killer.

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Title: Shadows and Fog (1991)

Shadows and Fog (1991) on IMDb 6.6/10

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Kirby ...
Killer
...
...
Hacker
...
Vigilante
...
Vigilante
...
Vigilante (as Daniel Von Bargen)
Camille Saviola ...
Landlady
Tim Loomis ...
Dwarf
Katy Dierlam ...
Fat Lady
...
...
Clown
...
Marie
Dennis Vestunis ...
Strongman
...
Doctor
...
Prostitute
Edit

Storyline

A small and insignificant bookkeeper, Kleinman, is awoken one night by his neighbors who wants his help to track down a strangler who has been killing people all over town. The citizens form vigilance committees, but when Kleinman has dressed, his neighbors have disappeared. Meanwhile a circus has come to town. Irmy and Paul are two of the artists. After a fight, Irmy leaves the circus in the middle of the night. Eventually she meets Kleinman, scared and alone. Written by Mattias Thuresson

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

night | circus | strangler | vigilante | doctor | See more »


Certificate:

PG-13 | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

20 March 1992 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Sombras y niebla  »

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$2,735,731 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Although billed on the poster, Fred Gwynne only gets one line. Similarly, Kate Nelligan - whose name also appears on the poster - only appears in long shot in one scene, shouting from an upstairs window. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Hacker: Kleinman, Kleinman, open up! Kleinman! We know you're in there!
See more »

Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Worst of '92 (1993) See more »

Soundtracks

"The Cannon Song from Little Threepenny Music"
(1928)
By Kurt Weill
Performed by London Sinfonietta (as The London Sinfonietta)
Conducted by David Atherton
Courtesy of PolyGram Special Products
A Division of PolyGram Group Distribution, Inc.
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Highly underrated and highly entertaining.
17 September 2003 | by (Somewhere) – See all my reviews

I can't help but wonder what everyone finds so confusing about this film. It doesn't take a tremendous amount of knowledge to enjoy this well crafted ode to (and let's face it: spoof of) German Expressionism: a little Nosferatu here, a dash of Caligari there, a couple of slightly less obvious flourishes (the "Sniffer" with a divine gift, the Circus, the mobs and the general atmosphere) and you've got all you need. Of course, this is the most basic level in the film (I won't dig into Philosophy and message in a commentary but by all means it's there and worth musing over) but it's already enough to justify seeing it.

The idea of the confusing "shadows and fog" of Expressionist cinema filtered through Allen's off-kilter character world view is exactly what makes the film so hysterical. The entire film is done in a beautiful black and white recalling the source material and the city's mob are all played perfectly deadpan... except for Allen who manages to bumble his way through obstacle after obstacle trying to at least get a grip on the situation. If this pile of nerves moving through a dark sordid city doesn't make you laugh, I don't know what to say.

The film DOES falter in some aspects however. Mia Farrow is passable as the necessary sympathetic female lead, but in the end her presence doesn't fit in with the rest of the film's ambiance and one would have rather seen more of femme Fatale Lily Tomlin. Likewise, John Malchovich's Clown (while obviously referential) sticks out like a sore thumb. It's a shame that Allen had to add these elements which end up detracting from the overall film, but one couldn't hold the film alone and Farrow manages to at least be a proper target to bounce lines.

In the end, a very strong film and one that entertains properly, but obviously not one made for the uninitiated. However, for those who're on the inside of the "plan" (and furthermore, on the inside of the philosophies) it's a tremendous bit of fun.

Recommended.


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