Sleeper

Along with Play It Again, Sam, one of the best of the 'early funny ones', as many are wont to say. Sleeper follows the fortunes of a neurotic saxophone-playing health food store owner (played by Woody, who else?) who has been deep-frozen after death. Hundreds of years later, he is revived by an underground movement that is plotting to overthrow an oppressive government, and becomes (somewhat predictably) the unwitting hero of the story. Allen successfully foils the plan to reconstruct the 'Leader' from his nose - the only part left after an attempt to assassinate him.

A film set in the future has enormous scope for gags, and here this is realised to its full. In Sleeper, the future is filled with giant bananas, and cigarettes have been scientifically proven to be healthy. Worth seeing for the Orgasmatron alone.

Review by Matthew Bull
Taken from EUFS Programme 1995-96