Woody Allen

[Wol]

What I love is how skeeved out everyone was about his getting with Soon-Yi, but I don't remember any bad press about his depiction of a relationship between him and 17 year old Mariel Hemingway in Manhattan. Film critics just kinda brushed it off, thinking the Woodster is just so cute.

Anyone see "Wild Man Blues"? It's the documentary about Woody. Very telling. Soon-Yi is a piece of work, all right, a real dragon lady. She runs the show. They live very, very well.

[Gabbycatsmom]

Woody Allen has always skeeved me out. I haven't seen one of his movies in years - I've just not been interested in the subject matter. I never have thought he was as bright and witty as people used to say he was. Now if he was walking toward me on the street I think I'd hide the children and then my own face as not to have his fugly mug burned into my retinas.

[zivvie]

Wol, I know what you mean. When Manhattan came out in 1979, I was the same age as Mariel Hemingway (and we're the still the same age now, hee). I could not for the life of me figure out what would make a high schooler want to go out with Old Man Woody. And then have sex with him? Ew. Woody's character even has a line where he says that he (the Woody character) is older than the Mariel's character's father. But the critics at the time didn't even mention it, which I never understood. I seem to remember one critic saying that their relationship was a "New York thing" that most non-New Yorkers wouldn't understand.

I've liked a lot of Woody's films, but as he settles into his dotage, I think he needs to re-examine what he wants his films to say (and how Woody casts himself in the films).

[Deleted]

But the critics at the time didn't even mention it, which I never understood.

I remember a debate on the Board that Shall Not Be Named about the Roman Polanski rape case and I think this ties in. One poster mentioned that the Roman Polanski case did not provoke the type of outrage it would provoke today because very young girls getting it on with much older men was a 70's groupie thing, In fact, until the girl testified, most people thought she was a willing participant and the whole thing was overblown.

That whole era seemed to be rife with "little girl growing up too fast" themes.

Or it could be that Allen was just a skeeve.

[Deleted]

I'm pretty sure I read recently that he was given an offer to write his autobiography. However, the cash advance offered wasn't high enough--he refused to accept anything less than $6 million (I believe that's the correct figure). The offer was withdrawn as the publishing company wasn't prepared to go that high for him.
Guess he's got a high opinion of himself.

[Deleted]

Allen is problematic, I completely concur. But while he has done (and written) some misogynistic things, he's also written some wonderful roles for women well past their 20s. Gena Rowlands, Keaton, Farrow, Wiest, to name a few. Very contradictory person. He is one genius I will forgive. Zelig, Broadway Danny Rose, Crimes and Misdemeanors, not to mention Annie Hall...it's hard for me to write him off completely.

[Deleted]

glitter said:

Allen is problematic, I completely concur. But while he has done (and written) some misogynistic things, he's also written some wonderful roles for women well past their 20s. Gena Rowlands, Keaton, Farrow, Wiest, to name a few. Very contradictory person. He is one genius I will forgive. Zelig, Broadway Danny Rose, Crimes and Misdemeanors, not to mention Annie Hall...it's hard for me to write him off completely.

I see your list, and add Manhattan Murder Mystery: I can't listen to Wagner without thinking about that movie, funny... Of his recent work, I really liked Small Time Crooks.

[FotoStoreSheila]

I see your list, and add Manhattan Murder Mystery

Squee! Another 'Manhattan Murder Mystery' fan! The look Dian Keaton gives the camera when Woody's character calls Anjelica Huston's character "dangerously sexual", cracks me up every time.

[ratssenoj]

Yeah, I never really got into his movies, they have gotten worst in recent years. As a person I just think he's very odd. He's the biggest nerd of all time.

[dwanollah]

I've liked a lot of Woody's films, but as he settles into his dotage, I think he needs to re-examine what he wants his films to say (and how Woody casts himself in the films).

Thank you!

I really liked Deconstructing Harry. I saw that during one of the Worst Weekends of my Life, and laughed myself silly.