my love affair with woody allen (pt. 1)

The opening sequence of this movie, on its own, made me fall in love with New York City. All romantically done in black & white, with Woody’s hilarious voiceover. The most alienating fact about me is that I ADORE WOODY ALLEN. I know. I’ve probably lost half my readers/friends. It’s ok. The truth is: you just don’t know him like I do. Since this is MY blog, I will continue to alienate everyone by going on and on and on about his genius. Today, I’m pressed for time, so I’ll just stick to my favorite movie of all time: Manhattan (1979). It was made the same year I was born. Coincidence? Couldn’t be.

What is it about this movie that appeals to me so? It starts off with Woody in his 40s dating a senior in high school played by one foxy Mariel Hemingway. Yeah, I know, sounds gross, but to me, it’s hot. I suppose I fancied myself a VERY mature 17 year old, and if given the opportunity to runaway with one of my teacher’s or some brainy writer, at the time I think I would have jumped at it, or perhaps jumped on him, teehee, or her. There are so many fantastic people in this movie: Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep (as Woody’s ex. She left him for another woman) and a short cameo by Wallace Shawn. The whole movie is madly in love with the urban complexity. We all hold so much neurosis in our minds. The conversations and quotes of this movie literally changed my life and what I consider to be funny. From talks of having the wrong kind of orgasms, to the ridiculous way people describe artwork, it all touches me.

Do you want to have a debate on Woody’s private life and how it should diminish his work? I don’t mind having it. Is he a child molester? It’s debatable. Would he make a good partner? Certainly not. And frankly, his movies in the last decade have been embarrassing. We can get into that later (if I haven’t lost ALL of my readers).