Shall we Kiss?

There is a new film drawing comparisons to Woody Allen, so we thought to draw attention to it. The name of the film is Shall We Kiss?



(HT: Tim S.)

The Woody Allen of the Pampas

Novelist Marcelo Birmajer is interviewed in the current Forward:

I.S.: In his writing, Singer was playful — a simpatico — but in his life he was a rascal. Just as I came across unpublished novels (some of which are illegible) and earlier editions of well-known stories, I also discovered that, on a daily basis, he was abrasive and violent, not to mention a liar. In other words, I learned to appreciate the extent to which a famous writer is also infamous at the mundane level. In your view, what difference is there between reading Singer or, perhaps, Philip Roth in English and in Spanish? Or, for that matter, watching a Woody Allen movie in the Hispanic world?

M.B.: Woody Allen is a Jewish director of universal themes, whereas Singer and Roth are Jewish writers of Jewish themes.

I.S.: What do you mean?

M.B.: Woody Allen has never done a film about the Shoah or about Israel. Instead, these themes are central to Singer and Roth. In Woody Allen’s movies, the characters happen to be Jewish. In Singer and Roth, there would be no plot if the characters weren’t Jewish.

I.S.: You’re quite attracted to the three of them, aren’t you?

M.B.: Woody Allen becomes a focus of attention of any narcissist like me. Singer and Roth are a diversion I enjoy because of their conflictive nature. They entertain me and attract me because they are neither boring nor sophisticated. They don’t make it easy for me to identify with them. What I like most about their oeuvre is the role doubt plays in it. For non-Jews, including those in the Hispanic world, Woody Allen, whom I admire, is a good Jew, a friendly Jew, while Singer and Roth are Jewish and that’s it! Not coincidentally, Woody Allen’s public statements against Israel during the first intifada had a repercussion as wide as that of his films. In contrast, Singer and Roth’s pro-Israel statements, literary and as a matter of opinion, are far less known than their books are. But let me turn the conversation around again: How to explain the fact that two Latin American-Jewish intellectuals are as fascinated with Singer, a Pole who lived in the U.S., as you and I are? Why are we interested in a guy who didn’t speak our language?

The final two sentences read like fodder for an Isagani Cruz post. Isagani?

ISA Nominations and Tidbits

After a couple slow weeks, the Woody Allen-related universe is back to the business of expansion. Vicky Cristina Barcelona has been given an actress (Cruz) and screenplay (Allen) nomination by the ISAs.

Woody Allen's character Maria Elena continues to bring laud and honor in Cruz's direction. Dennis Hopper recently remarked,

"To me, she’s the best actress around right now.”

“She gives good performances this year - one in Woody Allen’s film Vicky Cristina Barcelona and one in Isabel Coixet’s Elegy - and they’re two of the best performances I’ve seen in years.”

We're willing to bet that this is not the last Allen-Cruz collaboration.

Elsewhere, VCB cast member Patricia Clarkson raves about working with Woody Allen on consecutive films:

"I love working with Woody [Allen], and I did another film, Whatever Works, with Woody after Vicky Cristina, so I got to work with Woody twice in the span of 10 months. I'm like the luckiest person alive," she gushed.

"Whatever Works is a completely different film but it's still classic Woody Allen. I can't even talk about it too much so I can't tell you about it, but it's very funny. I think it's going to be hysterical. I mean, it's Woody Allen and Larry David. Whereas Vicky Cristina's more soulful, beautiful, lyrical and sexual."

Finally, something more for our Talent Imitates files, comes another great review of Alex Holdridge's In Search of a Midnight Kiss, which continues to draw positive comparisons to Woody Allen's Manhattan.

It's a Los Angeles love story, photographed in black and white, considered by many to be this generation's response to Woody Allen's "Manhattan."

While Allen's characters are seen and heard against a background of a sleek Big Apple and the music of Gershwin, Holdridge's are photographed against an often faded looking downtown L.A., with much of the music provided by a United Kingdom group called Okkervil River.

Let's Talk About the Rain

Writing for The Independent, Anthony Quinn brings our attention to the new French film Let's Talk About the Rain. He writes,

Elements of Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanours peek through the story, though Jaoui's assured style and droll humour are very much her own. Her view of human fallibility has a sharp edge, but also a worldly sense of forgiveness.

Here is the trailer, albeit in French.



Does anyone know more about Agnes Jaoui or Jean-Pierre Bacri? We'd like to know more.

Bollywood Tries its Luck at Match Point

Indian director Anurag Basu is currently filming with Hrithik Roshan in a rumored remake of Match Point. We know precious little about this project, but will post more information as it becomes available.

Update: More information on the project here. Its working title is Kites. The film is based on Match Point, but is being shot in several countries. A loose adaptation, we'd assume. There is still no word whether or not Woody Allen is aware of the project, let alone involved.

Chabrol's A Girl Cut in Two

Last week, we ran across a P.T. Anderson interview (R rated, here) wherein he credits Zelig as an inspirational co-conspirator to what would become Boogie Nights. Did you see that coming? Neither did we.

This morning Curt Holman alerts Woody Watchers to Claude Chabrol's new film, A Girl Cut in Two. It's French, so a nod to Allen is expected, the comedian would say. Holman writes

It's hard to pigeonhole A Girl Cut in Two. Chabrol made his reputation as "the French Alfred Hitchcock" for suspense thrillers such as The Butcher, and the 78-year-old filmmaker keeps some plot points mysterious before taking a melodramatic turn in the last act. For most of its running time, however, it plays like a low-key comedy, with whimsical music trailing Paul like cheap cologne. When one character mentions a Woody Allen anecdote, the film's intentions snap into focus. Like Allen's recent films, A Girl Cut in Two involves intellectuals who find their good intentions at war with their desires. A Girl Cut in Two features a coda involving a bit of stage magic that seems like an outtake from an Allen film. Chabrol's movie feels more relaxed than Allen's serious work, even though his themes prove surprisingly modest.

Follow the link above for the full review, which includes more talk of Allen.

Inimitable or no imitators?

Woody Allen has said that current movies are bereft of his influence. "Everyone is influenced by Marty, no one by myself," the line goes. A modest sentiment, but untrue.

Woody Allen does in fact have imitators, but we'll leave that aside for a moment.

There is an old joke that has a would-be director pleading with a producer, "...but I want to make a Woody Allen movie!?" "Kid, only Woody Allen makes Woody Allen movies," comes the reply. Not entirely the case, but it's more or less true.

Woody Allen is inimitable. He voice is singular. His ability to interweave humor into life's most pressing conversations, to captivate an audience with dialogue, not explosions or gritty violence, and to transform his back drop into a character, is unique. In other words, it's not that people don't try to imitate Woody Allen, it's that they can't. And when they can, they can't get money.

Occassionally, however, a film passes through the gauntlet and is flattering in its imitation. A couple weeks back we brought your attention to In Search of a Midnight Kiss. That movie is on the mind of Susan Dunne, who has this to say

[Alex] Holdridge is heavily influenced by Woody Allen's " Manhattan," a black-and-white masterpiece that was as much a love letter to Allen's favorite city as it was to the idea of love. Holdridge doesn't have Allen's legendary cinematographer Gordon Willis, but he gets beautiful low-budget black-and-white work from Robert Murphy, bathing L.A. in romantic shadows and focusing on the most distinctive building exteriors and interiors.

Talent: In Search of a Midnight Kiss

There is a new movie which has drawn favorable comparison to Woody Allen films: In Search of a Midnight Kiss. Indie upstart Alex Holdridge is at the helm as writer/director. Walter Addiego draws light comparisons to Allen here. Patrick Peters says it recalls Manhattan here.

"A Woody Allen film" has become something of a genre label. Years back it was pasted, however fairly, on the forehead of Whit Stillman. This, of course, is a short-sighted way to describe film; Woody Allen imitates as much as he is imitated. Because of this, GSF will occasionally look at this strain of movies by highlighting films and filmmakers who have influenced or have been influenced by Allen. Look for the tag Talent Imitates, Genius Steals. If you see a post entitled "Talent:..." it will discuss those who have appropriated Allen; If you see a post entitled "Genius:..." it will discuss those whom Allen appropriates. We acknowledge upfront that this is inexact science that will focus on apparent similarities, whether or not those connections are actually there is at your discretion.