Cinematic Techniques In Annie Hall

In the quirky yet sophisticated film, Annie Hall (1977) comedian Alvy Singer (woody Allen) takes audience members on a detailed story of his life. Speaking directly to the audience in front of a bare background, Singer reflects briefly on his childhood and his early adult years before settling in to tell the modern romance story of how he and Ms. Annie Hall met. Throughout this film, Allen uses various cinematic techniques to contribute to the tone of the story. Allen makes a unique effort to accompany every one of Singers experiences in life with running commentary. Hence, with the use of interior monologue, static framing, deep focus and the use of natural lighting in a five shot sequence the intellectual wit and cultural references that this Oscar-winning picture achieved during the Golden Age of media is exemplified. Foremost, from director to actor Allen has a unique way of portraying semi-autobiographical
Throughout this scene we see the various uses of close-ups with deep focus to further enhance the mise-en-scene of the actor to audience relationship. As viewers we receive a connection with the character on screen as well as the background. By example, we get a sense of sitting at the dinner table alongside Singers mother as she slices carrots. This shot in particular focuses in on his mother but also emphasizes the objects in the background that gives viewers the sense of existing as another character inside the kitchen. This technique is also represented in shot one of the scene during the grainy TV interview. Although viewers are aware that this shot is of a past interview that Singer is reflecting back on, the use of deep focus and a eye-level shots makes it as though viewers have tuned into this program on their own and are watching the interview unfold on their own TV