Sleeper (1973)

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 | Sex | Robot | Orgasmatron | Health Food

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
Stanley Ross	...	Sears Swiggles
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Cannon	...	Various Voice-Overs (voice)
Regis Cordic	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Howard Cosell	...	Himself (on Wide World of Sports) (archive footage) (uncredited)
George Furth	...	Guest at Luna's Party (uncredited)
Laurence Kirchmar	...	McDonald's Kid (uncredited)
Jackie Mason	...	Robot Tailor (voice) (uncredited)
Richard Nixon	...	Himself (Checkers speech, discloses his personal finances) (archive footage) (uncredited)
Albert Popwell	...	Reprogramming Scientist (uncredited)
Douglas Rain	...	Evil Computer / Various Robot Butlers (voice) (uncredited)
Whitney Rydbeck	...	Janus (uncredited)

Directed by
Woody Allen

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

Produced by
Marshall Brickman	....	associate producer
Jack Grossberg	....	producer
Charles H. Joffe	....	executive producer
Ralph Rosenblum	....	associate producer
Jack Rollins	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Woody Allen

Cinematography by
David M. Walsh

Film Editing by
O. Nicholas Brown
Ron Kalish
Ralph Rosenblum

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Dale Hennesy

Set Decoration by
Gary Moreno

Costume Design by
Joel Schumacher

Makeup Department
Del Acevedo	....	makeup artist
Janice Brunson	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred T. Gallo	....	first assistant director
Henry J. Lange Jr.	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Barry Bedig	....	property master
Charles Deaton	....	architect: Doctor Melik's house
Jack M. Marino	....	assistant property master
Gary Martin	....	set coordinator (as Gary O. Martin)
Dianne Wager	....	set designer

Sound Department
Al Gramaglia	....	sound re-recording mixer: Magno Sound Recording Inc.
Norman Kasow	....	sound effects editor: Filmsounds, Inc.
Jack Solomon	....	sound mixer
Jess Soraci	....	sound effects editor: Filmsounds, Inc.

Special Effects by
A.D. Flowers	....	special effects
Gerald Endler	....	location special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Bill Hansard	....	background projection
Harvey Plastrik	....	opticals
Ralph Rosenblum	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
M. James Arnett	....	stunt coordinator
James M. Halty	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph Edesa	....	gaffer
Norman Harris	....	best boy (as Norman L. Harris)
Clyde Hart	....	key grip (as Clyde W. Hart)
Roger Shearman	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Arnie Lipin	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Arnold M. Lipin)
G. Fern Weber	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Trudy Ship	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Felix Giglio	....	music supervisor
Phil Ramone	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Joe Sawyers	....	transportation captain (as Joe R. Sawyers)

Other crew
Antonio Encarnacion	....	assistant to producer (as Tony Encamacion)
Jean Gingerich	....	production accountant
Norman Gorbaty	....	title designer
Doris Grau	....	script supervisor
Lori Imbler	....	production secretary
R.J. Louis	....	location coordinator
Joel Marrow	....	assistant to producer
Peter J. Silbermann	....	unit publicist
Ben Bova	....	science consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Rollins-Joffe Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1974) (France) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1975) (USA) (TV)
• United Artists Films (1977) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1977) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• New Star (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• C.V.D.  Italian dubbing by
• Cinemobile System  locations
• Filmsounds  sound effects editing
• Magno Sound  sound re-recording
• Michael's Pub, New York City  music recording facility
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Preservation Hall Jazz Band of New Orleans  score performed by
• Preservation Hall, New Orleans  music recording facility
• The New Orleans Funderal Ragtime Orchestra  score performed by

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:

Woody Allen confirmed the scientific feasibility of his screenplay ideas in a single lunchtime meeting with Isaac Asimov.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The tow cable for the raft costume is visible.

Quotes:

Miles Monroe: When I asked my mother where babies came from, she thought I said "rabies." She said you get them from being bitten by a dog. The next week, a woman on my block gave birth to triplets... I thought she'd been bitten by a great dane.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997) (V)

Woody's Funniest

A futuristic comedy from Woody Allen in 1973 has him waking up from an operation 200 years later (in 2173) to find society has gone berserk.

Clever, witty, and very funny. Allen is hysterically funny as the "sleeper" who gets to give history lessons on the 1970s, pose as a robot, and become a revolutionary to be near Diane Keaton.

Filled with sight gags galore and great one-liners. The giant vegetables and chicken are funny. And so is the "1984" political humor that fits the Bush era better than it did the Nixon era. Also very funny is Allen's extended Blanche du Bois speech.

Allen is excellent as is Keaton. John Beck plays a revolutionary. Mary Gregory is the doctor. George Furth is a party guest. Jackie Mason does the voice of the Jewish tailor.

A must see.