"Mighty Aphrodite" Miramax

directed by Woody Allen
USA 1995

This is one of those circumstances in which I am at odds with most critics regarding their lukewarm to scalding reaction to a film. When I first saw "Mighty Aphrodite" years ago, I was uproariously delighted. After getting a few opposing takes on the film I could not find any support for my extremely highly lauded opinion. So I simply dismissed my feelings (Hey, maybe I was just in a good mood that day!). So, I choose it to show to friends the other night, recognizing its bawdy and boisterously lewd, at times, content. I understood that we were all adults. Well, I was even more appreciative of how evenly and meticulously this film had been crafted. My opinion only rose to greater heights. So, I watched it the following day again. This time with a focused critical eye prepared to find fault at any misplaced juncture or split infinitive. Once again, this film, its neo-classical hubris juxtapositions, tuned (if over-ripe) performances and dramatically ironic ending, won me over. I re-read some reviews of others and it actually has made me quite angry. As Jacobin Mugatu (Will Ferrell) said in 'Zoolander' - "I feel like I've taken Crazy Pills !" as no one seems to use the superlatives that I will right now to describe this unequivocally mature masterpiece.

Written by Allen and resonating with an enduring classical structure, yet modernized with apparent extemporaneously doubt, bouncing "Mighty Aphrodite" hits the screen with the press' eventually on the director's heels for his personal indiscretions and later marriage to girlfriend's (Mia Farrow) adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn. There is a strong Oedipal irony buried in there somewhere.

Lenny Weinrib (Allen) is a busy sportswriter. His wife Amanda, (Helena Bonham Carter) is a busier New York gallery owner. They have adopted a son to conform to their hectic schedules as pregnancy would be too time-consuming for her. They name the one-day old infant 'Max'. Totally enamored with the young lad as he advances beyond infancy, Lenny's curiosity overcomes him and he MUST find out about the child's true parents. Were they geniuses who part-timed as professional models? His skewed perspective is obviously driven by the intense love for his son. Even if you cannot appreciate that emotion of parental fascination, you surely know friends who also constantly express the touching uniqueness they feel about their evolving child (ren). It is universal response existing since parenthood began.

The encompassing desire to know his son's true mother is, alone, reflective of a Greek tragedy in the making. Supporting this intelligent association is a occasional narration by a Greek Chorus whose third wall with the audience is typically broken compelling their willing suspension. Of course the references with classical theatre are rife and the humor abounds further when Lenny finds, to his utter disbelief, the mother of his child is a dim-witted, simple yet lovable hooker/porn star named (among other obscene pseudonyms) Linda Ash. Her charm, melded with this dumfounded, slap-your-forehead circumstance drives Lenny to learn more and help poor Linda overcome her sex-trade limitations. Culminating with a dramaturgical twist worthy of Shakespeare, Allen even throws in Deus ex machina to turn the teetering bittersweet comedy to one of the most joyful endings I have ever seen... Ever! This is not simply a good Woody Allen film, but rather book-ended with "Crimes and Misdemeanors" and "Sweet and Lowdown" as his best (Yes... I have seen them all!). To convince me I am accurate in this statement, I need simply to see it again or better yet, just ask my 15 month old son Kyle... he's a genius and he loves the singing and dancing of the Greek Chorus! out of

Gary W. Tooze

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Theatrical Release: 13 September 1995 (Toronto Film Festival)

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DVD Review: Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:34:45
Video	1.82:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.26 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
Subtitles	English (close-captioned), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Miramax Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterbox - 1.82:1 Edition Details: • Additional Miramax titles (6 covers shown) DVD Release Date: April 6, 2001 Keep Case Chapters: 22
Comments:	This is not a stellar DVD. The non-anamorphic image has poor contrast and is noticeably dark. Judging flesh tones, color seems accurate, but it is not a excessively detailed or sharp image. There are no Extras. Funnily enough, the optional close-captioned subtitles are 16X9 friendly. Re-issue please Miramax; clean it up and add some Extras ! out of Gary W. Tooze