Short Film Clips
From an American Left History blog review of Woody Allen’s Annie Hall-
… Hey, haven’t I already reviewed this movie. No, sorry that was Manhattan another in the line of very witty Woody Allen movies. But the point is this it is the same subject that Woody addressed there even though chronologically Annie Hall came first by a couple of years and received the lion’s share of kudos and awards. As virtually always Allen is intent upon commenting on New York life and its intellectual trends and the ups and downs of relationships, mainly with women. Here he adds a flourish by contrasting old New York (in the 1970’s) to up and coming California as the cultural mecca of the American empire. And, as should be the case, New York wins.
Add to that the perennial issue of Woody’s struggle with ‘interpersonal’ relationships and his angst-driven desire to understand the modern world and you have a very fine social commentary of the times. Needless to say Woody’s love interest Annie Hall (as played by his then paramour Diane Keaton) keeps him hopping. As does an ensemble cast that works well together as foils for his ironic and savage humor. The only surprise in revisiting this film recently is how well Keaton plays her role as an up and coming torch singer. Of course, I have always been a sucker for torch singers but that is another matter. Some of the humor may seem dated and very 1970’s New Yorkish. Some of Woody’s mannerism and use of sight gags may seem like old news. But this is a film to watch or re-watch if you have seen it before.
And hence…
LA –NYC Culture Wars, Part II
Hollywood Ending, Woody Allen
As I noted in a review last year of Woody Allen’s classic Annie Hall, that is among other things a defense of New York City as the cultural epicenter American culture such as it is, this is matter that has preoccupied him from early in his career as a director/ writer/actor/comic. Allen is the quintessential New Yorker so one knows where his sledge hammer will fall. In the current movie under review Hollywood Ending that same premise underlies his story line as he, once again, portrays on screen the trials and tribulations of trying to maintain some kind of artistic integrity in the world of Hollywood commercial filmmaking.
The plot here centers on Allen’s character Val Waxman, an aging has-been director given another chance by, of all people, his ex-wife getting paralyzed by the prospects of failure, hubris etc. to such an extent that he has become temporarily blind. Nevertheless in the interest of comedy and his career (and their careers, as well) Val and his friends con their way through the filming of the remake of a 1940’s film about New York City that is to be the key to his comeback. Along the way Allen gets to get his licks in on Hollywood culture, commercial filmmaking and the funny premise that commercial films are so dumb, for the most part, that a blind man is entirely capable of making a bad film, just like most other directors. Interesting film and, as always, full of autobiographical references, Allen’s trademark cerebral humor and his extensive use of sight gags. Well worth a look see.
