You've provided some interesting analysis in this video. Thank you. I love Purple Rose of Cairo. I view the entire film as a tragedy. Cecilia uses movies as an escape from her miserable life. It is a great commentary on film as escapism, especially during the 30's when many people went to movies to escape the depression. In the end, when she is watching Fred Astaire, I can't help but think that she is going to repeat the same events with another fictional character. The film makes me examine my own movie watching habits and if I use them too much as an escape. Very few film interact with the viewer on this level. Truly an excellent film.
thank you. I find that escapism is reasonable to an extent. The Tolkien line about escaping from prison -- fantasy lets you escape from whatever modern prison you think you are in -- probably applies here. The inversion of the Plato's Cave allegory in the film would be apropos here too.
I definately agree! I've seen this movie about 25 times over the years. One of my Top 5 Best Movies Ever along with The Talented Mr. Ripley, A.I., The Road To Perdition and Minority Report!
I just got through watching this. And I'm terribly fenced. On one hand, I'm... in like this, place where I can say that this film is fantastic, lovely, whimsical, and yet also grounded, depressing, and melancholic at the same time. Allen depicts two incredibly contrasting worlds one on the silver screen of escapism that very really did exist at that point in time and continues to exist as an escapist modem today. Yet at the same time I'm trying to figure out where... the moral is. If that makes sense? You have her running away from her horrid husband once again to what you would hope is an escape from her horrid life into something that has the potential to be better and yet that doesn't turn out the way she wanted and she's left on the side of the road, her expectations in her feet, tears down her face, her life's a wreck once again and it took the manipulations of the actor who played the character she fell in love with to put right the Baxter into the film so things can go back to normal. But do we really want things to be back to normal? Everybody's miserable at the end of this, even our big actor man on his flight home. Mia Farrow's character enters the theatre one more time at the end and smiles as we cut to credits. Is that to depict that she's right back where she started? Her head in the clouds, her heart in her feet and her life a living hell but it's okay, we've got the movies? I'm curious about these sorts of takes here from other perspectives. I REALLY enjoyed this movie from the other film of Allen's I watched, Shadows and Fog, of which enjoyable, I found not to be a movie that's going to stick with me to have a strong desire to discuss like this film will/is. I enjoyed your take on the film! Great stuff.
It is a painful ending, the only silver lining I can see is that she hopefully won't go back to her asshole husband after swearing him off for good. If nothing else I think it's an intellectually honest ending which drives home the point that, unlike in Hollywood fairy tales, life generally doesn't provide us with a happily ever after or a neat resolution to our problems. And I wouldn't say it's a given that her future is hopeless. This is right at the end of the Depression, so she could realistically find something better than her crappy waitress job, along with someone who treats her much better than Danny Aiello or Jeff Daniels characters did.
I was thinking recently about how talking about my favorite movies, hidden in that activity as a hope, is really talking about myself: my hopes and fears and some kind of semi autobiographical record of getting close to the themes of life that really feel important to me. There’s that scene in Sideways where they talk about wine but they’re really talking about themselves and one of the two people realizes that. I saw the Purple Rose of Cairo when I was pretty young. It sounds like a good movie to revisit. I wonder what dreams have come from movies along with all the others from school or life or family.
It's almost a surreal experience when you see it in a theatre, wondering what your role is in this. I've always enjoyed this film, coming in that very fertile period in Woody's filmmaking where nearly every film he made was so rich and gave you so much to think about.
This is one of my top 10 movies. Over the years I’ve watched it several times and would love to watch it again. It’s definitely not on Netflix. I will see if Amazon Prime has it. Also, had I been Cecilia I would’ve chosen to elope with the fictional character. Yes, I’d be fine living in a fictional world devoid of greed, hunger, wars, and even death. Thanks for the anylisis.
I have heard of this movie but I will watch it now. I watched Zelig for the very first time and I thought it was extremely entertaining even though it was a very short documentary style movie
Zelig is a great film. In my opinion, it is tied with Purple Rose of Cairo as Woody Allen's best film. Zelig is funnier and it does have some social commentary. Purple Rose of Cairo has more subtle humor, but stronger social commentary. Both great films.
I disagree that this movie is about escapism or that escapism is the reason people watch movies. I see hope in movies. They help people escape their real situations by providing inspiration for finding ways out and making changes. Allen sometimes writes downer movies, and this one ends as though it is. But you have to look deeper into what Cecilia gets out of movies. This review describes it beautifully. Pay closer attention.
Not really. I have used Rear Window in similar ways, to discuss the nature of viewing itself. Probably something like Stranger than Fiction or Being John Malkovich?
At the Top of my List as one of the Best Films EVER! I have watched this film more times than I can count and I'm good for watching it more!
One of my very favorite Woody Allen films. I've watched it countless times and I love it.
The critics may not agree, but this is MY number one Woody Allen film
You've provided some interesting analysis in this video. Thank you. I love Purple Rose of Cairo. I view the entire film as a tragedy. Cecilia uses movies as an escape from her miserable life. It is a great commentary on film as escapism, especially during the 30's when many people went to movies to escape the depression. In the end, when she is watching Fred Astaire, I can't help but think that she is going to repeat the same events with another fictional character. The film makes me examine my own movie watching habits and if I use them too much as an escape. Very few film interact with the viewer on this level. Truly an excellent film.
thank you. I find that escapism is reasonable to an extent. The Tolkien line about escaping from prison -- fantasy lets you escape from whatever modern prison you think you are in -- probably applies here. The inversion of the Plato's Cave allegory in the film would be apropos here too.
The final scene is pure brilliance. Fred and Ginger transcend even the Platonic ideal of the dance as grace and beauty, the quintessence of harmony.
One of my top ten of all time. Have seen it a great number of times, delight undiminished.
just watched this movie and I loved it
I definately agree! I've seen this movie about 25 times over the years. One of my Top 5 Best Movies Ever along with The Talented Mr. Ripley, A.I., The Road To Perdition and Minority Report!
thank you.
I re watched it last night,
A magical movie with a sad ending
I just got through watching this. And I'm terribly fenced. On one hand, I'm... in like this, place where I can say that this film is fantastic, lovely, whimsical, and yet also grounded, depressing, and melancholic at the same time. Allen depicts two incredibly contrasting worlds one on the silver screen of escapism that very really did exist at that point in time and continues to exist as an escapist modem today. Yet at the same time I'm trying to figure out where... the moral is. If that makes sense? You have her running away from her horrid husband once again to what you would hope is an escape from her horrid life into something that has the potential to be better and yet that doesn't turn out the way she wanted and she's left on the side of the road, her expectations in her feet, tears down her face, her life's a wreck once again and it took the manipulations of the actor who played the character she fell in love with to put right the Baxter into the film so things can go back to normal. But do we really want things to be back to normal? Everybody's miserable at the end of this, even our big actor man on his flight home. Mia Farrow's character enters the theatre one more time at the end and smiles as we cut to credits. Is that to depict that she's right back where she started? Her head in the clouds, her heart in her feet and her life a living hell but it's okay, we've got the movies? I'm curious about these sorts of takes here from other perspectives. I REALLY enjoyed this movie from the other film of Allen's I watched, Shadows and Fog, of which enjoyable, I found not to be a movie that's going to stick with me to have a strong desire to discuss like this film will/is.
I enjoyed your take on the film! Great stuff.
It is a painful ending, the only silver lining I can see is that she hopefully won't go back to her asshole husband after swearing him off for good. If nothing else I think it's an intellectually honest ending which drives home the point that, unlike in Hollywood fairy tales, life generally doesn't provide us with a happily ever after or a neat resolution to our problems. And I wouldn't say it's a given that her future is hopeless. This is right at the end of the Depression, so she could realistically find something better than her crappy waitress job, along with someone who treats her much better than Danny Aiello or Jeff Daniels characters did.
I was thinking recently about how talking about my favorite movies, hidden in that activity as a hope, is really talking about myself: my hopes and fears and some kind of semi autobiographical record of getting close to the themes of life that really feel important to me. There’s that scene in Sideways where they talk about wine but they’re really talking about themselves and one of the two people realizes that. I saw the Purple Rose of Cairo when I was pretty young. It sounds like a good movie to revisit. I wonder what dreams have come from movies along with all the others from school or life or family.
It's almost a surreal experience when you see it in a theatre, wondering what your role is in this. I've always enjoyed this film, coming in that very fertile period in Woody's filmmaking where nearly every film he made was so rich and gave you so much to think about.
This is one of my top 10 movies. Over the years I’ve watched it several times and would love to watch it again. It’s definitely not on Netflix. I will see if Amazon Prime has it. Also, had I been Cecilia I would’ve chosen to elope with the fictional character. Yes, I’d be fine living in a fictional world devoid of greed, hunger, wars, and even death. Thanks for the anylisis.
One of Woody Allen's greatest films!
I have heard of this movie but I will watch it now. I watched Zelig for the very first time and I thought it was extremely entertaining even though it was a very short documentary style movie
Zelig is a great film. In my opinion, it is tied with Purple Rose of Cairo as Woody Allen's best film. Zelig is funnier and it does have some social commentary. Purple Rose of Cairo has more subtle humor, but stronger social commentary. Both great films.
this is peak Woody Allen, the early to mid 80s, imo.
Actors in movies watching movies with other actors
I disagree that this movie is about escapism or that escapism is the reason people watch movies.
I see hope in movies. They help people escape their real situations by providing inspiration for finding ways out and making changes.
Allen sometimes writes downer movies, and this one ends as though it is. But you have to look deeper into what Cecilia gets out of movies. This review describes it beautifully.
Pay closer attention.
thank you.
Any movie you think is similar to it?
Not really. I have used Rear Window in similar ways, to discuss the nature of viewing itself. Probably something like Stranger than Fiction or Being John Malkovich?
X
huh?
@@LearningaboutMovies sorry about that my phone has been glitching
Good video tho 👍