Glenn Miller & His Orchestra - Radio Days: Selections From The Original Soundtrack Of The Motion Picture

Woody Allen's Wistful Trip Down Memory Lane

Woody Allen's cinematic love song to his Brooklyn childhood, "Radio Days" is also, perhaps, his most affectionate and heartfelt film. Set in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Rockaway, "Radio Days" unfolds as a series of nostalgic vignettes encompassing Allen's fictional family, their eccentric neighborhood, and the colorful radio personalities who vied with an unfolding world war for dominance of the airwaves.

Although Allen doesn't appear in the film himself, he provides the voice-over narration, with a young Seth Green ably portraying the pre-adolescent comic as a fun-loving, ornery, ordinary kid. As his constantly battling parents, Julie Kavner and Michael Tucker are pitch perfect, with Laine Kazan and Josh Mostel equally convincing as Kavner's sister and brother-in-law, all residing within the same house. Also living in the house are the grandparents, and the fortyish, maiden aunt, played with touching sweetness by Dianne Weist. There are times when the performances come very close to stereotype but all the actors carefully avoid crossing the line and are genuinely likable and amusing.

The actors playing the radio performers are also excellent, most especially Mia Farrow in a very funny turn as a squeaky-voiced airhead who, by a combination of luck and coincidence (and diction lessons) becomes a Broadway gossip maven and a radio star in her own right. Wallace Shawn shines briefly in the incongruous role of "The Masked Avenger", while Kitty Carlisle Hart, Danny Aiello, Larry David, Tony Roberts, and Jeff Daniels show up in cameo roles. In the final, New Year's Eve scene, Diane Keaton sings as beautifully as she looks, warbling "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" as 1942 becomes 1943.

In fact, there are a number of great songs of the era that are well-repesented in this film and, although it isn't a musical, "Radio Days" has some of the same type of nostalgic charm as "Meet Me in Saint Louis". Production designer Santo Loquasto and cinematographer Carlo di Palma have done an outstanding job of recreating a specific time and place, and Woody Allen, himself, has created one of his most appealing works that ranks up there with "Manhattan", "Hannah and Her Sisters", and "Annie Hall" as being his very best. October 8, 2008

Allen's Best Work of Art Ever!

In my humble opinion, this is Allens best work ever. To fully understand this movie, you've got to have a really good sense of humor and be able to laugh at the weird social dynamics that exist in so many extended families, especially those who live under the same roof. Allens talent for portraying the dark and ironic side of life really shows in this gem. There are far too many good scenes in Radio Days for me to pick a favorite. Simply put, if you enjoy laughing at the tumultuous world of a ten year old mixed with semi-dysfunctional marriages and an "old-maid-to-be", you'll love this film. September 1, 2008

Wistfully Nostalgic

This has become my favorite Woody Allen film over the years.
It has the right blend of pathos, nostalgia and comedy.
If evokes a bygone era in a manner not unlike "A Christmas Story".
The performances by Woody's "stock troup" are all excellent, especially those of Mia Farrow and Julie Kavner.
The music is excellent (unfortunately the soundtrack album for the film does not contain all the songs.)
The audio/video quality and digital transfer of this DVD are all first-rate.
Essential Woody Allen film.
July 8, 2008

Funny Movie

Even though this movie has been around for awhile, I caught part of it on TV (complete with commercials) and thought it was so funny, I had to get my own copy. Its got a great cast and portrays the early days of radio in a comical way. Mia Farrow was just awesome, the way she screamed, and how she went from her 'dumb blonde' accent to her stuffy nose-in-the-air enunciation of words. Recommmended for general audience. May 21, 2008

Radio Days

One of my favorite Woody Allen movies. An entertaining film about what seemed to be that wonderful era before the advent of television. Despite the harrowing events (The Great Depression and World War II) of that time, "Radio Days" depicts a seemingly simpler, more innocent and less cynical America and the closeness and craziness of families and communities at that time. It's an autobiographical remembrance by Allen, who directed but does not appear in this movie, that is heartfelt and nostalgic with a fine ensemble cast, including a performance by Mia Farrow (obviously before Soon-yi) that is very much unlike anything I had ever seen her do before or since. April 3, 2008

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