Pop Culture | TV | 70s
6 'Annie Hall' Facts That Change How You Will See The Movie
It has been called one of Woody Allen's best films to date, and is definitely been one of his most profitable.
But there's a lot that went into making this classic movie that many people have no idea about, and there's a good chance that if even one of these things changed we wouldn't have had the masterpiece that came out of wacky coincidences and last-minute decisions.
Here's why the making of Annie Hall is one of the most Woody Allen projects to date!
It was nearly a completely different movie called "Anhedonia"
The now famous romantic comedy film was once only a minor plot point of a much larger narrative that was based on 'Alvy' and the fantastical events around his life before it was cut down to its final version.
The movie was named after Diane Keaton
If you're wondering why the film isn't called The Diane Keaton Story, it's because when the producers decided to change the name Anhedonia they overheard that Diane had changed her original last name of Hall to Keaton to join the Actor's Equity union. As Annie was an old nickname for the actress, they decided it fit perfectly!
It has a treasure trove of cameo appearances
Annie Hall is filled with famous cameos, including many actors who rose to fame later on down the road. These include names like Christopher Walken, Shelley Hack, Sigourney Weaver, Beverly D'Angelo, Truman Capote, and Jeff "I Lost My Mantra" Goldblum!
Allen hated one scene so much he dumped it, literally.
Allen wasn't too thrilled by the final presentation of the movie, and there were some parts that he flat out couldn't accept in the final edition. In one part, a sentient traffic light is supposed to have convinced Alvy to try and win back Annie; Allen took the final reel of film and tossed it into the East River.
But Woody Allen's issues with the film go much deeper than that...
Woody Allen despises the final version of Annie Hall
Even though it is arguably his most popular work, the director and star of the film cannot bring himself to like the movie, knowing that it failed to live up to the original version he had created. He decries it as "a very middle-class picture that appealed to people because it reinforced middle-class values."
The fashion behind Annie is actually Diane Keaton's personal wardrobe
What has now become an iconic trend for young women, the wardrobe choices from the movie are actually all based on the style that Diane Keaton loved wearing at the time. Which is funny because the costume designer almost forced her to stop dressing that way for the film!