Who is Woody Allen ?(2&3/3)

Last time I wrote a little about his first movies , today will be about all the rest ;)

70's

In 1971 two years after finishing “Take the Money and Run” Allen directed “Bananas” - comedy about rebellion in fictional Latin American country. He played there w with his ex second wife Louise Lasser. Asked about why such title for the movie, he replied - “because there are no bananas in it”.

 
This movie has also one of my favorites TV commercial parody.




Year later he makes “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) “ - movie loosely inspired by Dr. David Reuben's book. It consist of seven stories, most of focusing on some sort of 'perversion'.



It was one of his early financial success. The film brought over $18 million dollars in the U.S. alone heaving a $2 million dollar budget.

He writes, directs and plays in his light slapstick comedies for ex. Sleeper - loosely based on the H. G. Wells novel The Sleeper Awakes and 1984 by George Orwell. Allen played there a man living in 1973, frozen and woken up over 200 years.

In 1977 he made romantic comedy “Annie Hall”. It won four Academy Awards. is considered to be among Allen's best movie.

 

In 1978 he departures from comedies for a moment( a short moment – “Manhatan” will be year later) with his “Interiors”. This drama about three sisters and their broken family was highly inspired by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. It is Allen's first film in the drama genre.

Despite of his own movies he plays main roles in “Play It Again Sam” by Herbert Ross and “The Front” by Martin Ritt.

80's

Begin of the 80’s brings comedies which have more somber and philosophical undertones. One of such is Stardust Memories which it parodies Fellini's 8½ , telling a story of film director and his feelings to three different womens.

He had begun to combine tragic and comic elements with the release of “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “Crimes and Misdemeanors”. He also produced s parody of documentary, titled “Zelig”.

He also took a subject of show business. In 1984 he made “Broadway Danny Rose” - comedy about a unlucky talent manager who gets dragged into a love triangle.

Year later in “Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985 ) Allen shows the importance of the cinema during the Depression (it was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 best films of all time).


 

In 1987 Allen made “Radio Days” - a film about his childhood in Brooklyn inspired by Federico Fellini's “Amarcord”

He's lat two films before 90's are dramas inspired by Ingmar Bergman works - “September” and “Another Woman”.

90's

Nineties for Allen started with “Shadows and Fog” (1991) - a black and white homage to German expressionists, based on his one-act play “Death”.

Year later he created “Husbands and Wives” (1992) – a mix of drama romance and comedy, which received two Oscar nominations.



His next movie “Manhattan Murder Mystery” (1993) combined suspense with dark comedy. Allen was again starring with Diane Keaton. Movie was commercially unsuccessful, but get good critics reviews and had some awards nominations.


Next, he returned to lighter movies, such as “Bullets Over Broadway”, “Mighty Aphrodite”, a musical “Everyone Says I Love You” and a music comedy “Sweet and Lowdown”. After those he made heavier satiric movies - Deconstructing Harry (1997) and Celebrity (1998)



In 1998 Woody takes part in 3D animated film “Antz” as a main character voice.

2000's

In 2000 Allen returns to his well known slapstick comedy style with “Small Time Crooks “ and “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion”. The Curse was at his time most costly of Allen film with a budget of $26 million, however it didn't get much good reviews. His next movies - “Hollywood Ending”, “Anything Else”, and “Melinda and Melinda” were also given poor ratings.



Allen said in a 2004 interview. "The avaricious studios couldn't care less about good films – if they get a good film they're twice as happy, but money-making films are their goal. They only want these $100 million pictures that make $500 million."

In 2005 he made one of his most successful films – a dramatic thriller “Match Point”. Taking place in London it tells a story of former tennis player, who needs to hide his romance. Allen stated this was the best film he has ever made.

Allen returned to London to film romantic comedy “Scoop”(2006) and another dramatic thriller “Cassandra's Dream”(2007) . Both received rather poor reviews from critics.

He goes to Spain to make “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (2008) - story about two American women, spending a summer in Barcelona where they meet an attractive artist and his ex-wife. Film got him best reviews Allen since “Match Point”

His last published movie was Whatever Works(2009) - dark comedy about a love triangle. It was his return to New York City, after four movies created in Europe.

So ... whats your favorite Woody's film? I like almost all, but my favorite is definitely "Bananas".