Sleeper was a slapstick comedy that came out in 1973 about a pretty average guy who is frozen for 200 years and finds himself in an unfamiliar, confusing, and wacky future where technology has advanced to a humorous level and people are not as bright as they were in the 1970’s. The film does a good job of making the future look stupid. Not just the repeating jokes like the sex machine, drug orb, and the two soldiers who can never fire their rocket, but with the use of older film techniques and stretching out of issue’s and topics that were relevant the time the movie came out.
One way in which the movie makes the future feel odd is the use of old film techniques in the futuristic setting. By old film techniques, I mean that tactics like using fast motion and funny music over action sequences and chase scenes in order to add humor to the situation. These techniques hark back to the days of Charlie Chapman and black and white film. This feels out of place in a futuristic science fiction films because most other futuristic science fiction films have great special effects and more often than not they innovate in film techniques.
The scene where the secret project about the dead leader is revealed was very well done. It was dark and serious and a real shift in the overall feel of the film. It explained what the secret project was that they were always trying to unveil. And afterward the way the discussion between the two protagonists behind the screens was really creative. They were silhouetted against the projector screens talking about how they are going to steal a nose.
Another great part about this film was the historic background to it. This film is one of Allen's original comedy films, but it also parodied old classics by using corny, fast moving scenes and cuts and older sounding music to go with it. We cant forget about the classic banana slip either, it's a classic and cliché. Diana Keaton again resembles the damsel in distress and is clad in a long, white gown almost making her look like a bride at times. More importantly though, is the contrast between her white gown and Woody's black clothing which symbolizes their difference in their views and opinions. They are always engaging in philosophical debates and intellectual arguments and this makes it evident when they question their morals and ideas.
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