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Amazon.co.uk Review
Woody Allen roared back at his detractors with Deconstructing Harry, a bitterly funny treatise about the creative process. Known to mine his often tumultuous personal life for his movies, the embattled writer-director-star didn't bother to make his alter ego likable in this movie: Harry Block (Allen) pops pills, frequents prostitutes and cheats on the women in his life, then writes about their foibles in thinly disguised fiction. No wonder they're all furious with him. As Harry journeys to his alma mater with a hooker, ill pal and kidnapped son, a series of flashbacks unravel, juxtaposing Harry's relationships with their "slightly exaggerated" fictional counterparts. There are amusing cameos throughout, including a humorous turn by Demi Moore as a fictitious ex-wife who "became Jewish with a vengeance" and Billy Crystal as the devil who found Hollywood too nasty for his liking. The humour is dark and caustic but well worth it; Deconstructing Harry is a near-brilliant meditation on the sometimes queasy relationship between art, creator and critic.--Diane Garrett
Special Features
English
Region 2
Region 2
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The aspect ratio for this release is wrong. The film is meant to be seen in it's original 1.85:1 format and here we have it in 1.33:1.
I haven't had the good fortune to see a copy of the film in it's original aspect ratio, so I can't say for sure whether the image has been cropped or whether 'pan & scan' has been applied (it would appear not to be the latter). Both are ghastly.
Still, it's the only way to see this otherwise splendid film if you can't play a Region 1 version.
I haven't had the good fortune to see a copy of the film in it's original aspect ratio, so I can't say for sure whether the image has been cropped or whether 'pan & scan' has been applied (it would appear not to be the latter). Both are ghastly.
Still, it's the only way to see this otherwise splendid film if you can't play a Region 1 version.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
In my opinion, this is Allen's best film of the 1990s. It has all the wit of Bananas and Sleeper, all the magic of Manhattan and Annie Hall, but it also has something else. It stands out as one of Allen's most unique films.
Deconstructing Harry tells the story of Harry Block, a novelist, whose stories are derived from personal experience. His characters are reimaginings of his friends and family. A recipe for disaster. When reality catches up with Harry, the line between his life and his fiction completely blurs (literally, in one particular case, featuring the brilliant Robin Williams.)
The way that this film is shot is particularly interesting. Allen rejects the usual film editing in favour of clipped scenes that often do not fully conclude. The jerkiness of the film itself reflects the ever changing and irratic nature of Harry Block's life.
The film also acts as a compendium of short stories. Harry Block's stories are often told throughout the film, with cameos from the likes of Demi Moore, Robin Williams and Tobey McGuire. There's also appearances by Kirstie Alley, Marial Hemingway (Manhattan) and the wonderful Elisabeth Shue.
This film is great for any kind of Woody Allen fan - whether you want Annie Hall or Sleeper. And it's also perfect for those who love comedy and well made films with a twist.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The image is terrible, they cut out half the image (1:33:1 in stead of 1:85:1) so I was very disappointed. The film itself is still good fun, a bit different from Allen's other work. The jokes are a bit more vulgar, the story is a bit more vague (you keep switching from reality and fiction) but it's very original and it has some tremendous jokes. The cast consists of many well known actors, including a very young Tobey Maguire, Billy Cristal and a brilliant cameo of Robin Williams. If you don't care whether the image is cropped or that the dvds doesn't have extras or a wide selection of subtitles (just English for the hard of hearing) ánd your a Woody Allen fan, it is a bargain, but I was very disappointed.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
' Very funny '
Well i can understand what people who like Woody Allen don't like about this film , its' probally the swearing ,something not usually used in his films ,don't know if he was trying... Read more
Published 7 months ago by D. S. Sample
in my opinion woody allen is best behind the camera
Customer Video Review
Length:
3:22
Mins
Published 17 months ago by bizmandan
One last hurrah before the slump
It has been fascinating, seeing this film again for the first time since it was at the NFT back in the late nineties. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Philoctetes
Repulsive
What a repulsive, disgusting, self indulgent and foul movie this is. The story line is almost non existent; and most of the scenes involve Mr Allen using some of the most... Read more
Published 22 months ago by km.ord
Another Allen film grown stronger with time
I recently re-watched this on DVD and was surprised to find I liked it much more than on seeing it in the theater on it's initial release. Read more
Published 23 months ago by K. Gordon
Brilliant
I have been a long time Woody Allen fan but had never seen this film before. I have recently been re-watching most of his films and I think this stands amongst the very best.. Read more
Published on 28 July 2008 by GeeJayBee
crude, vulgar and tedious story
If you like crude, vulgar unsubtle and tedious stories you'll love Deconstructing Harry.A film that comes across as part documentary,part autobiography and part fantasy but lacking... Read more
Published on 22 May 2008 by dan the fan
An American Classic!
Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry is a great movie. It is a Classic. The script is inspired and the Camera is assured. The Direction and performances are faultless. Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2007 by nmollo
"Tradition is the illusion of permanence"
This is Woody Allen psychoanalysing Woody Allen psychoanalysing Woody Allen. Typical Woody Allen, in other words. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2005 by Andy Millward
The best Woody Allen ever
Allen's masterpiece. I howled with laughter throughout. Some of the great man's funniest lines, for example: "My old college wants to honour me, and I turn up with a whore and a... Read more
Published on 29 Aug 2003 by Soilman
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