Woody's latest

I'll admit it: I'm a big Woody Allen fan. I really want his films to be good and was thrilled with the triumph of Midnight in Paris, following what I believed to be a string of sub-par films (You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Whatever Works, Cassandra's Dream, Scoop, Melinda and Melinda, Anything Else) that seemed to overshadow his worthwhile projects during this period (Match Point, Vicky Cristina Barcelona.) Oh, how I longed for that Woody who had that string of great films in the 1970s, 1980s and even into the 1990s.

What followed Paris, however, was the utterly lackluster and instantly forgettable To Rome With Love.

But now he may be back on track with his upcoming Blue Jasmine. Judge for yourself:

The Best of Woody Allen

My intrepid South Florida correspondent tipped me to the fact that Slate, the on-line magazine, is running a poll on the five best and worst Woody Allen films ever made. Those selected as the five best are 1. Annie Hall, 2. Manhattan, 3. Hannah and Her Sisters, 4. Crimes and Misdemeanors and 5. Sleeper. Slate got the first four correct, but as everyone knows, Allen’s fifth best is Bullets Over Broadway. Why waste time discussing anyone’s "worst" films?

The Best of Woody Allen

Sasha Stone listed today selections for the 10 best films of Woody Allen after mentioning this quote from Allen that appeared recently in a British publication:

"Out of 40 films I should have 30 masterpieces, eight noble failures and two embarrassments, but it hasn’t worked out that way. Many of the films are enjoyable by the mean standards of movies, but look at what has been accomplished by people who have done beautiful things — Kurosawa, Bergman, Fellini, Buñuel, Truffaut — and then look at my films. I have squandered my opportunities and I have nobody to blame but myself."

I agree with Stone that Allen is underestimating himself here, and although I agree with his two top picks, my list of Allen's 10 Best and Stone's differ significantly:

Stone's 10 Best Allen Films    My 10 Best Allen Films
1.  Annie Hall                              1.  Annie Hall
2.  Manhattan                              2.  Manhattan
3.  Stardust Memories                 3.  Hannah and Her Sisters
4.  Crimes and Misdemeanors     4.  Crimes and Misdemeanors
5.  Husbands and Wives             5.   Bullets Over Broadway
6.  Hannah and Her Sisters          6.  Love and Death
7.  Another Woman                    7.  The Purple Rose of Cairo
8.  Zelig                                      8.  Take the Money and Run
9.  Sleeper                                  9.  Broadway Danny Rose
10. Radio Days                          10. Interiors

Stone, incidentally, includes film clips of his choices.

A night at the opera

Woody Allen directing an opera? Well, he is and it seems like he pulled it off, at least according to this review that appeared in today's New York Times.

The production by the Los Angeles Opera company is actually three one-act operas by Puccini, with Allen directing only the third one, "Gianni Schicchi," which Allen described as "funny compared to 'Tosca,' not funny compared to Duck Soup'." The other two operas are directed by William Friedkin, another respected film director.

And, according to this positive review in the Los Angeles Times, the idea to woo Allen to the Los Angeles opera was the brainchild of Placido Domingo.

I read recently where the Dallas Opera has hired George Steel, a man "hailed for innovative programming," as its new general director. Hmm. Woody Allen, "innovative programming." I wonder if Steel has any plans along these lines? I have contacted the Dallas Opera posing this exact question and will update this should I receive a reply.