Sleeper (1973)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Woody Allen

Writers:

Woody Allen (written by) and
Marshall Brickman (written by)

Release Date:

17 December 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A love story about two people who hate each other. 200 years in the future.

Plot:

A nerdish store owner is revived out of cryostasis into a future world to fight an oppressive government.

Plot Keywords:

Future | Orgasmatron | Robot | Health Food | Sex

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Woody Allen	...	Miles Monroe
Diane Keaton	...	Luna Schlosser
John Beck	...	Erno Windt
Mary Gregory	...	Dr. Melik
Don Keefer	...	Dr. Tryon
John McLiam	...	Dr. Aragon
Bartlett Robinson	...	Dr. Orva
Chris Forbes	...	Rainer Krebs
Mews Small	...	Dr. Nero (as Marya Small)
Peter Hobbs	...	Dr. Dean
Susan Miller	...	Ellen Pogrebin
Lou Picetti	...	M.C.
Jessica Rains	...	Woman In The Mirror
Brian Avery	...	Herald Cohen
Spencer Milligan	...	Jeb Hrmthmg

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Yiddish

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:6 | Finland:K-11 (new rating: 2001) | Brazil:12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Iceland:Unrated | Ireland:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16 (nf) | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Boulder, Colorado, USA

Company:

Rollins-Joffe Productions

Trivia:

This film permanently ended plans for two productions based on H.G. Wells' "When the Sleeper Wakes". One proposed production was by American International (long shelved due to the high proposed budget) and the other by producer George Pal.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Miles is first awoken from the cryogenic freezing process he has tin foil under his suit. During the process of sitting up, the foil mysteriously disappears from around his neck/chest area.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Luna Schlosser: Oh, I see. You don't believe in science, and you also don't believe that political systems work, and you don't believe in God, huh?
Miles Monroe: Right.
Luna Schlosser: So then, what do you believe in?
Miles Monroe: Sex and death - two things that come once in a lifetime... but at least after death, you're not nauseous.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Life on Mars: Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadows? (#1.4)" (2008)

very stupid, well-polished fun

Woody Allen's previous efforts, BANANAS and TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN, were exceptionally funny but very uneven films. His being a bit of an amateur in the film business is pretty obvious in these movies. However, by the time he created SLEEPER, he was a lot more polished and consistent film maker. While this is still a very stupid and sophomoric film, it is very funny nevertheless. While there are occasionally bad moments (such as the giant chicken), they are very few and the humor just keeps hitting you again and again. I particularly liked the Orgazmatron and the history lesson he gives the futuristic professors. This film is slapstick and dopey--exactly the type of film that intellectuals (the audience for most later Allen films) will probably hate. This is Allen for the common man--back when he used to be very funny.