What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet
Woody Allen
As in life, Woody Allen has a different take on movies than most people. That's why his movies appear to verge away from the regular tried and tested themes. In most cases he uses humour to subtly remind people of the nature of life where all comical moments seem to have some tragic element to it.
With his strong background in writing, Allen's films, particularly the broadly comic ones, are dialogue-heavy (which Allen feels is more challenging than a film without dialogue). He works frequently with master shots and actor choreography, a technique more successfully realised in say Husbands and Wives (1992) than in Mighty Aphrodite (1996).
As the early films of a comedy writer, Take the Money and Run (1969), Bananas (1971) and Sleeper (1973) were largely platforms for slapstick and the development of signature dialogue, as well as the evolution of the schlemiel, a Yiddish comic figure characterised by timidity, failure and perseverance. Annie Hall and Manhattan were bittersweet comical films about the loss of love and the perversity of pursuing an idea(l) of romantic happiness. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) and Radio Days (1987) were nostalgic fantasies in which Allen revelled in period costumes, scenery and sentiment (6).
Stardust Memories again evoked the nostalgia of old romances, but was also a more serious commentary on filmmaking. As Annie Hall could be analogous to Sartre, Stardust Memories is a fantasy, a recognition of mortality in line with the philosophy of Heidegger. After these initial great offerings, Allen has continues to make successful movies.
Allen has over the years demanded and got complete freedom to work on his movies as scriptwriter as well as director, allowing him to weave his movies into a tightly knit package. Having led a controversial public life Allen is probably one of the most prolific and successful Hollywood film directors of all time. He continues to make great movies and live life on his own terms. He is our director of the month.
Filmography
What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966)
Take the Money and Run (1969)
Bananas (1971)
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972)
Allen's film Annie Hall won four Academy Awards in 1977, including best picture.
Allen won the 1978 O. Henry Award for his short story "The Kugelmass Episode" published in The New Yorker on May 2, 1977.
Allen twice won the César Award for Best Foreign Film, the first in 1980 for Manhattan and the second in 1986 for The Purple Rose of Cairo. Seven other of his movies were nominated for the prize.
In 1986, Allen won the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay for The Purple Rose of Cairo, and in 2009 he won the same award for Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical for Vicky Christina Barcelona. He was also nominated four times as Best Director, four times for Best Screenplay and twice for Best Actor (Comedy/musical).
At the 1995 Venice Film Festival, Allen received a Career Golden Lion for lifetime achievement.
In 1996, Allen received a lifetime achievement award from the Directors Guild of America.
In 2002 Allen won the Prince of Asturias Award. Subsequently, the city of Oviedo, Spain erected a life-size statue of Allen.
In 2002, Allen received the Palme des Palmes, a special lifetime achievement award granted by the Cannes Festival and whose sole other recipient is Ingmar Bergman.
In a 2005 poll The Comedian's Comedian, Allen was voted the third greatest comedy act ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.
In June 2007 Allen received a PhD Honoris Causa from Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona, Spain).
Academy Awards
Woody Allen has won three Academy Awards and been nominated a total of 21 times: fourteen as a screenwriter, six as a director, and one as an actor. He has more screenwriting Academy Award nominations than any other writer; all are in the "Best Original Screenplay" category. He is tied for fifth all-time with six Best Director nominations. His actors have regularly received both nominations and Academy Awards for their work in Allen films, particularly in the Best Supporting categories.
Annie Hall won four Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Actress). The film received a fifth nomination, for Allen as Best Actor. Hannah and Her Sisters won three, for Best Screenplay and both Best Supporting Actor categories; it was nominated in four other categories, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Despite friendly recognition from the Academy, Allen has consistently refused to attend the ceremony or acknowledge his Oscar wins. He broke this pattern only once. At the 2002 Oscars Allen made an unannounced appearance, making a plea for producers to continue filming their movies in New York City after the 9-11 attacks. He was given a standing ovation before introducing a montage of movie clips featuring New York.
Best Original Screenplay
Won: Annie Hall (1977)
Nominated: Interiors (1978)
Nominated: Manhattan (1979)
Nominated: Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
Nominated: The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
Won: Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Nominated: Radio Days (1987)
Nominated: Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
Nominated: Alice (1990)
Nominated: Husbands and Wives (1992)
Nominated: Bullets Over Broadway (1994)
Nominated: Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
Nominated: Deconstructing Harry (1997)
Nominated: Match Point (2005)
Best Director
Won: Annie Hall (1977)
Nominated: Interiors (1978)
Nominated: Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
Nominated: Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Nominated: Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
Nominated: Bullets Over Broadway (1994)
BAFTA
Allen has won a number of British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards and nominations for best picture, best director, best actor and best screenplay. In 1997, he received the honorary BAFTA Fellowship for his work.
1978 — Won — Best Film — Annie Hall
1978 — Won — Best Screenplay — Annie Hall (with Marshall Brickman)
1978 — Won — Best Direction — Annie Hall
1980 — Won — Best Film — Manhattan
1980 — Won — Best Screenplay — Manhattan (with Marshall Brickman)
1985 — Won — Best Screenplay — Broadway Danny Rose
1986 — Won — Best Film — The Purple Rose of Cairo
1986 — Won — Best Screenplay — The Purple Rose of Cairo
1987 — Won — Best Screenplay — Hannah and Her Sisters
1987 — Won — Best Direction — Hannah and Her Sisters
1993 — Won — Best Screenplay — Husbands and Wives
Nominated for best film for Hannah and Her Sisters, Radio Days, Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Nominated for best actor for Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters.
Nominated for best director for Manhattan, Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Nominated for best screenplay for Zelig, Radio Days, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Bullets Over Broadway (with Douglas McGrath).
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