The Retrofuturism of Woody Allen's "Sleeper"

Woody Allen’s “Sleeper” (1973) had such elaborate sets and costumes that the film ran behind schedule and came in over budget, even though the final cost was still only $2 million.

The film’s futuristic set is very much a product of its era, bringing to mind other science fiction films such as “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968). In fact, the voice of the evil computer in “Sleeper” is that of Douglas Rain, parodying his role as the voice of HAL.

An amusing bit of trivia from Sleeper’s IMDB page: after the movie was released in one country outside the USA as “Woody and the Robots”, Woody Allen inserted a clause in all of his subsequent contracts that his movies’ titles could not be changed by other parties.

The rebel hideout featured in the movie was filmed at the “Sculptured House”, a residence designed and built by architect Charles Deaton in the mountains west of Denver. The home was constructed in 1963 but the interior was not yet complete at the time of filming. In 2004, the home was offered for sale for $10 million.

Colorado City & Mountain Views published a nice article on the efforts of the house’s current owner to complete Deaton’s original plan along with some recent shots of the structure. I’d love to see the interior if anyone has a source.