# Sleeper (1973)



## Dave (Mar 2, 2001)

A 1973 Woody Allen directed film, staring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, John Beck, Mary Gregory. (88 minutes long.)

Woody Allens' character, is a health food store owner and Jazz musician, who is deep frozen after a botched operation, and wakes up 200 years in the future. 

*This has got to be in my Top Five Films.* 

If anyone has never seen it, get the video. I know it's a slapstick comedy, (it is very funny) but it uses all the major Science fiction themes, cloning, cryogenic freezing, Totalitarian dictatorships, genetically engineered vegtables, robots, some useful household gadgets that aren't g-rated! 

Even though it's from the '70's it hasn't dated very much. There are some really good scenes (too many to mention)- but I'll try:
the 200 year old VW Volkswagon in a cave that starts first time, 
the historians giving him 20th Century photographs and asking him who these people were,
making an instant desert in a futuristic kitchen.

Halliwell's film guide "A predictable star vehicle with an agreeable string of bright gags."- but it doesn't like any science fiction or Woody Allen.
Michael Billington, Illusrtated London News" Verbal and visual gags rain down like hailstones."

Woody Allen pays a visit to a 21st century tailor, who happens to be a robot.
"You vant jackets, ve got jackets. You vant trousers, ve got trousers," says the heavily accented computer-clothier. "Step in here," the robot says, motioning Allen into an automated tailoring machine. Lights flash, the machine hums, a computer measures him, and out pops a suit, which Allen puts on.
"This is terrible," Allen balks, pointing to his baggy outfit.
"All right, all right," mumbles the robot, "Ve'll take it in a little."
As often the case with science fiction, life is proceeding to imitate art; but in this case, with better; fitting results. Researchers are designing systems that can scan the surface of a person's body and produce an accurate three-dimensional image of it.


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## Dave (Mar 1, 2002)

You must rent this movie immediately! I can't believe no one has replied to this!

http://uk.imdb.com/Title?0070707

I only covered a fraction of the gags. 

Scientists have discovered that smoking is now good for you.

That photograph sketch just gets funnier with time, even though they are all from the '60's and '70's.

I didn't mention the music, written by Woody Allen himself, which suits it well. Easily his best film IMHO. He has practised the art of slapstick and comedy writing by this stage in his career, without going all deep and meaningful as his later films do.


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## rde (Mar 3, 2002)

It's a cliche that people like Woody Allen's "older, funnier work"; I feel that way myself. However,  I can't convince my girlfriend that he's ever made good movies; one day, I'm just going to have to come home with Sleeper, Bananas and Take the Money and Run. All great movies.
I'd probably agree that Sleepers is his best movie; but there's been little competition of late.


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## Dave (Mar 3, 2002)

Someone actually replied to this thread! Excuse me while I faint. . ....
               .
                .
                 .
                  .

                     :dead:


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## rde (Mar 3, 2002)

Blame woody allen. If he's insist on making **** like he's done for the last couple of decades, it's hardly suprising he's not getting any new fans.


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## HeyLynny (Jul 7, 2002)

I watched this movie years ago with my Dad.  I thought it was hysterical!!!!!  Especially the big rolling female body part ( cracked me up!).  I haven't seen it in a long time.  But there are parts I will never forget!  I wonder if I watched it now if I would think it was as funny.  Maybe I'll have to test that theory.


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## HeyLynny (Jul 7, 2002)

P.S. - I also can't believe no one else has replied to this thread.


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## Dave (Jul 7, 2002)

www.filmsite.org/slee.html 

let's just keep it to ourselves then!


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## HeyLynny (Jul 8, 2002)

The film ends with the famous "sex and death" line: "Sex and death. Two things that come once in a lifetime. But at least after death you're not nauseous." 


I'd forgotten about that until I read it in your link.    Soooo funny!  I also forgot about the "orgasmatron".  Where did he come up with these ideas!?!


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## Dave (Jul 8, 2002)

*Quotes*

The other quote at that site is:
"It's hard to believe that you haven't had sex for two hundred years." 
"Two hundred and four," he replies, "if you count my marriage." 

Other quotes:
"I haven't seen my analyst in 200 years. He was a strict Freudian. If I'd been going all this time, I'd probably almost be cured by now." 

(after he is given a pet robot dog as a gift)
"Is this dog housebroken or is he going to be leaving little batteries on the floor?"

"I'm really a timid person. . . . I was beaten up by Quakers."

"I'm not the heroic type. . . . I'm a screamer." 

"Have you ever taken a serious political stand on anything?"
"Yes, for twenty-four hours I refused to eat grapes."

"My brain is my second favourite organ."

(A 22nd century historian is showing Miles some artifacts from the late twentieth century to get more info on them. The last item is a videotape of Howard Cosell describing a boxing match)
"We weren't sure at first what to make of this, but we developed a theory: When people committed great crimes against the state, they were forced to watch this."
"Yes. That's exactly what it was."

(After Miles and Luna have squashed the Dictators nose)
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and a nose for a nose. I don't know what the hell that means but it sounds brilliant!"

(After Miles and Luna discover that the only thing left of the Dictator is his nose)
"Now is the time to strike. Their leader has a tremendous disadvantage. He has no head or body."

(When the historian asks Miles about the Playboy centerfold)
"I'll just take this too my room and give you a full report in the morning."

"Put yourself in my shoes. I go in for a lousy operation I wake up two hundred years later and I'm Flash Gordon."

"To me a miracle of science is I go in for an ulcer operation and when I wake up, my rent isn't two thousand months overdue."

"I bought Kodak at seven. It must be up millions by now."

"You must understand that all of your friends have been dead for nearly two hundred years."
" But they all ate organic rice."

"And if they capture you, you don't know anything. They could torture you for hours and what could you tell them?" 
"Only my name, rank, and your names."

"I'm more of a mulatto. My father was black and my mother was white, and vice versa."

(Miles after finding out Luna had taken Cosmetic Sexual Technique at a university)
"I was an English Major myself. Minored in foreplay. It's a one credit course at NYU."

"This stuff tasts awful! I could make millions selling it at my health food store!"


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## HeyLynny (Jul 8, 2002)

*Re: Quotes*



> _Originally posted by Dave _
> *The other quote at that site is:
> "
> (after he is given a pet robot dog as a gift)
> ...


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## Starbeast (May 9, 2011)

This is one of Woody's best movies, I'm watching this tonight!


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