Shadows and Fog (1991)

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

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Michael Kirby

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Kirby	...	Killer
Woody Allen	...	Kleinman
David Ogden Stiers	...	Hacker
James Rebhorn	...	Vigilante
Victor Argo	...	Vigilante
Daniel von Bargen	...	Vigilante (as Daniel Von Bargen)
Camille Saviola	...	Landlady
Tim Loomis	...	Dwarf
Katy Dierlam	...	Fat Lady
Mia Farrow	...	Irmy
John Malkovich	...	Clown
Madonna	...	Marie
Dennis Vestunis	...	Strongman
Donald Pleasence	...	Doctor
Lily Tomlin	...	Prostitute

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.

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Plot Keywords:

serial killer | directed by star | circus | lynch mob | shadow on wall | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

The picture opened in a number of European territories during February and March 1992, anything up to six weeks prior to its main wide American release stateside in March 1992, though the film did have a limited opening in New York in December 1991.

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Quotes

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

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Connections

References Cul-de-sac (1966)

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Soundtracks

When Day Is Done
(1926)
By Robert Katscher & Buddy G. DeSylva (as B.G. DeSylva)
Performed by Jack Hylton and His Orchestra (as The Jack Hylton Orchestra)
Courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc.
By Arrangement with CEMA Special Markets

User Reviews

A very love-it-or-hate-it film and middling Allen, but actually a good film and one of his most under-appreciated

On first viewing I wasn't crazy about Shadows and Fog, while the film looked fantastic and was well-directed the characters left me cold, the film didn't seem to know what tone it wanted and the story seemed meandering and dull. On re-watch however Shadows and Fog fared much better(as was with almost all the Allen films that didn't impress at first apart from Anything Else), it is nowhere near among Woody Allen's best and is around the lower middle of his filmography but I found it a good film and not among Allen's worst that it's often said to be. Visually, Shadows and Fog looks fantastic with brilliant black and white cinematography and Expressionistic images that are as striking as they are haunting. Allen's films are always well-made, but Shadows and Fog visually like Zelig is quite unique from a visual standpoint. The music is very eerie and fits the atmosphere perfectly, in fact if anything it adds to it. While it was confusing of what tone the film was trying to go with on first viewing, on re-watch it was much clearer and that criticism seems unfair now. The dialogue is both subtle and hilarious(love the brothel scenes) with sharp homages and insight in characteristic Woody Allen vein, but even more impressive was the murder-mystery element while a really chilling atmosphere is created, helped by the visuals and music. Allen's directing is as always adept and his performance, the most memorable, is a lot of fun. John Cusack does nervous and angsty very nicely and Jodie Foster and Kathy Bates are remarkably good in against-type roles. Shadows and Fog has imperfections, Mia Farrow for me overdoes it and comes across as shrill, John Malkovich deserved much more to do and is a little wasted and Madonna is rather out of place. The story does have its drawn out and aimless patches with an ending that felt convoluted and hurried, and the characters are not very interesting, a lot of them barely in the film. To conclude however, a good film but considering how well the best assets come off it could have been more than good. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 March 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shadows and Fog

Filming Locations:

Kaufman Astoria Studios - 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,111,314, 22 March 1992

Gross USA:

$2,735,731

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,735,731

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions, Orion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1