Touches You

To me, this movie is perfection.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

What's Up, Tiger Lily was Woody Allen's directorial debut in 1966, although there is some debate about that. By Woody ALlen's own admission the film was taken out of his hands to the point that even the dubbing during the closing credits isn't even the director's voice as intended. American International Pictures bought the 1965 Japanese film "Key of Keys" for $66,000, and What's Up, Tiger Lily is that film re-dubbed with dialogue written by Woody Allen. The good news is, Woody Allen illustrates that even in his first (sort of) film his penchant for brilliant openings. Woody Allen plays himself in What's Up, Tiger Lily, not a version of himself or a character like him which ensured that I would at least like an aspect of the film. In its entirety, however, I can only recommend WHat's Up, Tiger Lily to extreme Woody Allen fans who are completionists, otherwise the film is largely insufferable.

It may be anachronistic to look at Woody Allen's directorial debut. 'What's up, Tiger Lily is a clever conceit: buy a Japanese action film, then reduce it with other dialog, and in English. Such an idea may have appeared novel a half-century ago, and Allen has moved on although his humor has in some ways remained jejune. However in 1965, a year before Tiger Lily, Allen wrote and had a role in a farce 'What's New Pussy Cat?' that has retained its freshness and drollery yea these 51 years. In comparison, Tiger Lily seems old; flat, shop warn. It is a curiosity piece in the Allen list of films. The New York humor shines through; the seemingly nonchalance of Allen as he keeps his distance in commenting on the film. Tiger Lily brought him to prominence as a film maker, and that in itself is worth noting. For the curious zap through the film, it has lost any freshness it once hand. It's a haunted house, a curiosity, a museum relic,

Many years before 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' popularized making fun of bad films to a whole new generation, Woody Allen - in his first 'directing' gig - had a field day completely re- dubbing this unintentionally silly Japanese spy film into a very intentionally silly comedy about the desperate search for the recipe for the perfect egg salad.It has a few dry spells, and I thought the spliced in musical numbers by 'The Lovin' Spoonful' were pretty embarrassing in a now dated attempt to make the film 'hip'.But where it's funny, it's very, very funny. And not only are there a slew of choice new lines, but the voice talents are all excellent, really capturing the awful, stiff voice acting we all got used to hearing in cheaply dubbed imports. A one-of-a kind comedy, and worth checking out if you're in a silly mood, or are any sort of fan of Woody Allen's non-sequiters and wit. Yes, it's adolescent compared with where Allen would go just a few years later, but that doesn't mean it's not a lot of fun!

In The Year of Our Lord 1963, the TV Animation Production Team of Jay Ward and Bill Scott entered the area of "live action" production, in a manner of speaking. The men, who had gotten well known in the animation field with associations names like UPA, or United Productions of America (Bill Scott) and "CRUSADER RABBIT" (Jay Ward 1950-57).What they did as a sort of departure from the Animated Cartoon was to bring us the most unusual type of film. As a television series that hit the airwaves via the route of Syndication, they gave us the most unusual FRACTURED FLICKERS (Jay Ward Productions, 1963). It was not an animated series, but as far as the humor and delivery of the dialogue, it may well still have been classified as a "cartoon" of sorts.What Messers Ward & Scott did was to take any number of Olde Time Silent Films, now conveniently existing in the limbo of Public Domain. Being in that classification, the films were out there and available to any and every one whom deemed it desirable to use them. Jay, Bill & Company did so, to the tune of a whole season's worth of ½ hour shows.And, just what was it that had done? If it is unfamiliar to you, let us elucidate.The gimmick was to take an existing Silent and to add a sound track to it. But this sound track would give a totally variant story. Using the same voice actors who had been used in the casts of such Ward & Scott collaborations such as ROCKY & FRIENDS (Syndicated,1959), THE BULLWINKLE SHOW (NBC, 1961-64) , HOPPITY HOOPER (ABC, 1964-67) and GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE (ABC, 1967-70). These were people like: Host & voice-Hans Conreid, Chris Allen, Bill Scott (the Co-creator/Producer), William Conrad (TV's Frank Cannon, Radio's Matt Dillon), Paul Frees (the Dean of Voices), June Foray, Walter Tetley (TV's Sherman, Radio's Leroy on Gildersleve Show), Daws Butler (Huckleberry Hound) and Beverly Scott.Quite simply, a silent film would not only give a sound track, but completely change the story. For example, the Douglas Fairbanks' starring vehicle, THE MARK OF ZORRO (United Artists, 1920) was transformed into THE BARBER OF STANWYCK, with the hero, 'Zeke Zackley' facing the hardships of being the only Barber in town. Lon Chaney in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Universal, 1924) became DINKY DUNSTON, BOY CHEERLEADER. (Got he picture? I knew you would!) So, American International Pictures Head Honcho, Henry Saperstein was the guy with the idea of doing a spoofing sound track on the Japanese Bond-type Spy film, KEY OF KEYS, to which he had purchased the rights. He gave the job of "Director" to film newcomer, Woody Allen, who also co-wrote.What we saw in the film that had been about international espionage and stolen micro-film; turned into the search and struggle for a recipe for Egg Salad! The spoofing extended to the characters' names as well. The hero's name was 'Phil Moskowitz, the two (Woo, woo, woo, woo!) Asian girls were named Terri Yaki and Suki Yaki. The 'Brains Heavy' was Sheppard Wong, with his lieutenant being Wing Fat.The names and especially the situations are hard to recollect; as all seemed to be so "off the wall" and non sequitor in their origins. That of course, is the key to this. Get as far-out of a storyline as a departure, making it absurd; and string the "story" along with plenty of verbal gags, often turning the visuals on the screen into un-intentioned sight gags! It seems that like so many other movies and acts in the films, no one has any middle ground to take. Much like The 3 Stooges, Jerry Lewis, Don Rickles and satirist Tom Lehrer; either you love their work or you can't stand the same. This seems to be the case for this early Woody Allen work; with some folks finding it to be below the dignity of the Director of the now considered 'High Brow' works as ANNIE HALL and MANHATTAN. The other end of that spectrum (including this writer) see it for what it is a whole lot of unpretentious fun and laughs.As a little concession to the American audiences, AIP sort of twisted Woody's arm to get some original scenes added. (And some said to be added later). These included the musical set with The Lovin' Spoonful playing at the dance scene. (That Band also was party to an almost amazing dub-job in that one featuring the bunch of guys riding on the launch, seemingly singing the Spoonful's song!) And sly old Woody sure knew how to keep a guy's attention in the closing credits, having Miss China Lee (Woo, woo, woo, woo!) doing a sort of striptease with the films waning final moments! If you like this WHAT'S UP, TIGER LILLY? or not, you really must give a kudo or two for Woody's effort to do something so different for a theatrically released Motion Picture. And beyond just its making, Mr. Allen really managed to keep fresh and interesting what a lesser comic and film maker would have allowed to "spoil on the vine" He kept going with what could be called the "one joke" story for 80 minutes. Even without the added musical, comedy and (Oowoogh!) China Lee* closing, Woody had a whole hour to sustain the laughs and maintain our interest.NOTE: * It is no secret that males everywhere really seem to find Oriental or Asian females to be among the most attractive of the species, Homo Sapiens Sapiens. Woody would most certainly agree on this point, and in this we heartily concur.