On the eve of Allen's 75th birthday, I've decided to honour the man with a Top of his films and a modest presentation of the second to best filmmaker of New York city, the first being the great Martin Scorsese. In the beginning of his career, Allen was a stand-up comedian with punched one-liners like no one. At thirty years old he starred in his first ever movie called What's New Pussycat? One year later he directed his first film What's Up Tiger Lily? The first seven films he made were straight up comedies bringing a fresh and unseen absurb approach to the genre. Sometimes on the surrealist side but always heavily accentuated by Allen's unkind humour. His first real recognition as a serious filmmaker was his first masterpiece Annie Hall in 1977. Allen won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay and was also nominated for Best Actor.
It was going to be the greatest period of Woody Allen's films; his most inspired and deep films were made after: from Manhattan to Bullets Over Broadway Allen seemed to reinvent himself and his silly comedies inspired by the Marx brothers were way behind. While being recognized by the critics and film lovers his films still separate the cinephiles. Some like me love his films and even the later ones, while the others just can't stand the acting and the "desinvolture" displayed here and there. Others say that his films are beautiful but that are so boring when others just say that he only made one good film and copy-paste this success to all the other ones...
However, few filmmakers can brag about the fact that they made 41 films in a career that spawned over 45 years with their own signature and create a buzz everytime their films is release. We always hear someone say " Maybe I'll check the new Allen I bet it's funny and/or interesting!".
Anyway, we the film lovers as a group, tend to look back at someone's better or worst shots and would always like to relive the discovery of one or the other everytime we enter the theater for a new offer from our directpr friends... My own Woody Allen nostalgia goes like that:
1. Manhattan (1979)
2. Annie Hall (1977)
3. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
4. Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
5. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
6. Stardust Memories (1980)
7. Zelig (1983)
8. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
9. Husbands and Wives (1992)
10. Midnight In Paris (2011)
11. Radio Days (1987)
12. Bullets Over Broadway (1994)
13. Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972)
14. September (1987)
15. Alice (1990)
16. Interiors (1978)
17. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
18. Bananas (1971)
19. Love and Death (1975)
20. Sleeper (1973)
21. Match Point (2005)
22. Scoop (2006)
23. The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)
24. Celebrity (1998)
25. Deconstructing Harry (1997)
26. Hollywood Ending (2002)
27. Melinda and Melinda (2004)
28. Cassandra’s Dream (2007)
29. Small Time Crooks (2000)
30. Anything Else (2003)
I still need to see: What’s Up, Tiger Lily? (1966) Take the Money and Run (1969) A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy (1982) Another Woman (1988) New York Stories (1989) Shadows and Fog (1991) Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) Mighty Aphrodite (1995) Everyone Says I Love You (1996) Sweet and Lowdown (1999) Whatever Works (2009) You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger (2010) To Rome With Love (2012) Blue Jasmine (2013)
Take the Money and Run is very funny and I recommend it. A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy also has some laughs.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of surprised to see Match Point so far down the list.
I agree on Manhattan being his best film.
And I'm in the very small minority here, but I have never liked Annie Hall. It took me three tries, across three different decades, to even be able to watch it from beginning to end. I just disliked both characters so much I didn't want to spend time watching them. Anyway, like I said, I'm in the very small minority.
I am planning on doing some sort of retrospective of his films in early 2012... Mostly to catch up with the ones I need to see. And by the same way to renew with the ones I prefered in his filmography.
ReplyDeleteUnlike you I loved Annie Hall from the first sight but I know some people who just can't stand it as you do!