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.

---

Plot Keywords:

serial killer | directed by star | circus | man wearing glasses | lynch mob | 

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 March 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sombras y niebla

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, 20 March 1992, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$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

Did You Know?

Trivia

This would be Woody Allen's last black-and-white film until Celebrity (1998) seven years later.

---

Quotes

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

---

Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Profile: John Malkovich (1998)

---

Soundtracks

Prologue from the Seven Deadly Sins
(1934)
Music by Kurt Weill
Text by Bertolt Brecht
Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm Brückner-Rüggeberg
Courtesy of Sony Classical
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licesing

User Reviews

It would kill you to be confused by a film?

I just saw `Shadows and Fog' for the first time this weekend, and while I can't say that it immediately became my favorite Woody Allen film, I did find it a very thoughtful and interesting film (not really a comedy), and an exceptionally beautiful film to look at.

I know this is frowned upon at the IMDb, but a lengthy and very negative review on this page of `Shadows and Fog,' along with a critique of Woody Allen in general, has gotten my dander up, and I felt like putting in my two cents. Why on earth should I, or any film lover, care about how successful a film is financially? Why should I care if a majority of movie patrons like a director's films or not? From my perspective, some of the stupidest trash makes the most money and sells the most tickets. Sure, I liked Jurassic Park -- saw it several times at the cinema, bought the video -- but not because of how much money it made, or how many other people were going to see it. It was because it was fun, and I liked it. Does that mean I should damn more esoteric directors (like Woody Allen) to oblivion? There are directors whose work I don't always understand, but God bless them, if they have the opportunity and the drive to get their cinematic vision realized, more power to them. I don't necessarily have to like their work, or go to see it. But on the whole, I'd rather be talked-up-to then talked-down-to, and being a little confused by a film has never permanently damaged anyone, so far as I know.

So calm down out there, you art-house-haters! It's just entertainment. Read your 20th century history. Limiting entertainment to its lowest common denominator has been tried and tried. No good has ever come of it, to my knowledge.

And incidentally, if you have a predilection for Woody Allen films, and like the look of old black and white expressionist cinema, give `Shadows and Fog' a look. It would maybe kill you?