I too like Woody Allen films and I have two of his books: "Without Feathers" and "Side Effects". I think he is brilliant if films like "Crimes and Misdemeanors," "Hannah and her Sisters," "Annie Hall," and "Manhattan" are concerned. Even in his misguided homage to Bergmann film called "Shadows and Fog" has its innate charm, not only because of the use of Kurt Weill's "Seven Deadly Sins" leitmotiv but because he can coax good acting from a ensemble cast (even Madonna, though only a few minutes onscreen, is good here).
His whiny, upper middle class, Freud-addled films may come across as ultra derivative but nobody can come close to the cinematic oeuvre (sp?) that explored the heart and other entrails of New York (except for his "Love and Death" which was shot in Europe and done in 1975). And I like his clarinet playing as well. I bought a CD of his where his band (whose name has a funeral and march somewhere) played live in Europe and it is as authentic a Dixieland re-imagination than the icons of that era. His choice of music in his films is another reason to see his films. He seems to understand the music he uses as objective correlative to the films. The crescendo, the tinny piccolo sound. Remember that scene in "Hannah and Her Sisters" where Michael Caine's character seduced Barbara Hershey. He put this classical record on the turntable to create the mood -- a prelude to seduction, then when he accidentally touched the needle of the turntable and inadvertently moved the music to its crescendo earlier than he imagined, he suddenly became all passionate because that us what he would have done if he reached that part of the music. When the Soon Yi Previn case happened, I was disgusted with his person but still managed to watch his films because of the delight I associate with them. I think his most underrated film of all time is "Husbands and Wives" with great performances from everyone but most especially from Judy Davis, Sydney POllack and Juliette Lewis. I sometimes wish that with Joni's recent foray in the jazz standards repertoire and given the deep contralto and the type of songs she sings, that she might be featured in a Woody Allen film, but I guess Woody Allen's legendary attention to detail in his films will compel him to use period music even if the contemporary version is just as good. Of course, I realize that people have different views of Woody Allen as a person and as an artist. But this is how I see things and pop psychology aside, this might be revealing of my personality. Joseph in Manila np: Dee Dee Bridgewater "Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver"
