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20th December 2008, 10:23 AM
#1
Moderator
Platinum Hubber
Woody Allen
Woody Allen - a magician who captures the most vulnerable moments of human life with a knack if combining sensitivity, scathing cynicism, 'bending' humour and uncomfortable questions.
Let's discuss his works here.
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20th December 2008 10:23 AM
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20th December 2008, 10:24 AM
#2
Moderator
Platinum Hubber
Was rewatching parts of Crimes and Misdemeanours this weekend. What a brilliant film ! Got pieces and parts to chew on and dwell.Thought I'd muse on one of Allen's pet-themes: the intellectual who doesn't get the girl.
This is a little different from loser-boy. The kind of roles Kamal played in the initial stages of his career, where he was asked to step aside by the heroine. And it is of course unlike Casablanca's Bogart , who lost the girl of his own accord and thus had a 'masculine' stamp to it.Woody Allen brings in a simultaneous egotism and vulnerability with his self-deprecatory humour bordering on being a palliative.
Alan Alda - the lampooned comedy-magnate Lester - wins over Halley (Mia Farrow) - the colleague and object-of-desire of the intellectual Cliff (Woody Allen).
Knowledgable no-good-nick, stuck in the absurdity of reality and hence has a justifiable arrogant cynicism that wraps his insecurities tight, is a role Woody Allen can play in his sleep.
Losing to whom
Cliff's Niece: Come on, he is no competiton for you...
Cliff : God bless you for saying that sweetheart...but as you grow up you will see that great depth and smouldering sensuality don't always win
The throbbing embarrassment of rejection cannot be decoupled from the knowledge of who one is rejected for. As officer Panneer asked: "Madam, en kitta illAdhadhu avar kitta enna irukku ?".
"I think it's the caviar that did it" jokes Lester in the last scene on what won Halley over. As Cliff puts it in words later- it is his worst fear realized. His hatred of Lester is shown to be disproportionate - but not unjustified. Lester is shown to be a man of variety and shown to be aware of the 'shallow' tag on him. As the film progresses he moves away from the dictaphone wielding pompous man to perhaps someone the insecure intellectual feels comfortable pigeonholing as "shallow and brash". The documentary about the Prof. Louis Levy was doomed to never made, because the urge to share something so precious was perhaps not there. Why cast these pearls to the swine anyway ?
The telephone conversation late night when Cliff learns Lester is in Halley's apartment - has beneath the veneer of humorous paranoia - a stinging indication of the direction of things.That we expect those close to us to have a confluence of opinion - especially about other people - has context beyond the romantic angle. It is an everyday predicament. That is an expectation we all struggle to fulfill. Woody Allen brings that out brilliantly.
Thou shalt judge
Are we urged to judge Halley ? (Apart from the married Cliff's advance being a misdemeanor and all that). Was it a convenient decision to pick Lester that she is rationalizing even to herself. Well isn't the reasoning then more painful than the decision itself ? And, if the 'flawed' decision seems to reveal, was she worth the trouble ?
Now "she isn't" is the convenient denial response of all. But the 'intellectual's denial is more complex. He is solipsistic even in his surrender. He may make hyperemotional declarations, is also given to excessive praise :
You know what you are? You're God's answer to Job, y'know? You would have ended all argument between them. I mean, He would have pointed to you and said, y'know, "I do a lot of terrible things, but I can still make one of these." You know? And then Job would have said, "Eh. Yeah, well, you win."
This is from Manhattan but what the heck. It is the kind of special-ness that is more of a compliment to the one who thought of the compliment than the apparent recipient. Not in that he is being deceptive but in that he is being delusional. He sees things disproportionately with those thick glasses of his. The partner, the 'answer' so to speak, in unreal. She can never live up to the perception.But even amid this, the intellectual has is guard up. Continues to be a snooty punk. The coccoon is pacemaker.
Dolores - the airhostess with whom Judah has an affair, really tries and 'reaches' up to his class. She presents him a Schubert record though she struggles to pronounce Schubert. Schubert's (presumably) is heard - rather incongruously - when Judah visits her house to retrieve his things when she lies murdered. Let's leave the moral question apart for later. But her earnest (love ?) bid to climb up the intellectual ladder makes her - amid all the rabble rousing - quite poignant. In fact, one can ' understand' and empathize with Judah. After the passions cooled, it is quite clear that the cultured, Schubert-listening opthamologist had little do with an ageing flight attendant beyond physical intimacy. Recall Annie Hall's constant protestations against Alvy making her take night classes in the University - while harboring ill concealed jealousy against professors who convers with her is a wonderful example. The intellectual yearning to bring 'up' and possess at the same time. The movie ends with Alvie saying he is glad Annie - who broke up with him - was now taking her boyfriend to an Ingmar Bergman film !
Hopeless situation when reality can never live up to the imagination and expectation of an intellectual. As the maid in Rear Window most famously said: "Nothing has caused the human race so much trouble as intelligence."
It takes a real artist to capture such moments. Woody Allen - magician
மூவா? முதல்வா! இனியெம்மைச் சோரேலே
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22nd December 2008, 09:22 AM
#3
Good post on one of my favorite films from an all-time favorite filmmaker.
Not nearly a nitpick, but Dolores learns about WCM and Schubert from Judah, and the film shows very little of her climbing up the intellectual ladder, so to speak. But when she suggests Schumann just like that. Judah remarks Schumann as flowery, and suggests Schubert. He proclaims the sadness (in Schubert) reminds of Dolores. Perhaps the poignancy is felt when she gets him a Schubert record as a birthday present (in their final meet?)
But much right about Annie hall, Alvy does feel glad about Annie forcing her boyfriend to "The sorrow and the pity", which they have watched together several times in their relationship, Annie once remarks she can't sit through a 4 hour documentary on Nazi. Alvy still takes her to it. Then follows the man on the queue with Fellini bashing- (lacks the cohesive structure, incredibly indulgent, blah-blah etc).
Btw I love the references, and name-dropping in WA films!
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22nd December 2008, 09:55 AM
#4
I'd also add to the poll:
Stardust memories
The Purple rose of Cairo
Hannah and her sisters
Match point
Broadway Danny Rose
Deconstructing Harry
You could still name Zelig, Radio city, Manhattan murder mystery, Sleeper, etc. And just to piss Woody off a little, the earlier funny ones (Bananas, Take the money and run)? :P
I'd say his recent films are eminently enjoyable on their own, but distinctively average when compared to his earlier films. Woody still pops up with great moments and could write characters like Christina, and Maria Elena in his sleep! Although he could do better than dud- Scarlett Johansson, the man still gets the best out of her.
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23rd December 2008, 11:05 AM
#5
Moderator
Platinum Hubber
Originally Posted by
thilak4life
Then follows the man on the queue with Fellini bashing- (lacks the cohesive structure, incredibly indulgent, blah-blah etc).
Marshall McLuhan appears
Apparently initially Woody Allen wanted Fellini himself to appear in the scene and contradict that guy.
மூவா? முதல்வா! இனியெம்மைச் சோரேலே
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23rd December 2008, 03:29 PM
#6
Originally Posted by
Prabhu Ram
Originally Posted by
thilak4life
Then follows the man on the queue with Fellini bashing- (lacks the cohesive structure, incredibly indulgent, blah-blah etc).
Marshall McLuhan appears
Apparently initially Woody Allen wanted Fellini himself to appear in the scene and contradict that guy.
Boy, if life were only like this.
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23rd December 2008, 06:04 PM
#7
Senior Member
Regular Hubber
There was a similar scene in the movie which i enjoyed. Annie Hall will say "wife" instead of "life". When Wooden Allen points out that, she won't accept. Wooden Allen then faces the camera and explains it to the viewers.
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23rd December 2008, 06:06 PM
#8
Senior Member
Regular Hubber
Here it is.
Alvy: l don't think l mind analysis at all.
Annie: The question is, will it change my wife?
Alvy: Will it change your wife?
Annie: Will it change my life?
Alvy: But you said "wife."
Annie: No, l said "life."
Alvy: No, you said "wife."
Annie: "Life!" l said "life."
Alvy(to audience): She said "wife." You heard that, because you were there. l'm not crazy.
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23rd December 2008, 09:02 PM
#9
Senior Member
Diamond Hubber
Have only seen match point. Watched it for you-know-who. Liked the film. The last few minutes were arresting. WA could have used a better male lead. Have 2-3 other movies of his in my hard drive, no time
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23rd December 2008, 11:49 PM
#10
Senior Member
Veteran Hubber
Have only watched Purple rose of Cairo.
Looked like a short story. Riveting twist and a very very different sort of comedy. Looking out for more.
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