Woody Allen offers the comic and, of course, the tragic, in rare interview

[paineinthearse]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/cpress/film_woody_allen

Woody Allen offers the comic and, of course, the tragic, in rare interview


Canadian Press Photo

Thu Mar 24, 9:26 AM ET

DOUGLAS J. ROWE

NEW YORK (AP) - Woody Allen (news) doesn't give many interviews. But when he does, he'll talk about anything. His pessimism. Why he keeps making films. The many ways a movie can go wrong. The Soon-Yi scandal years ago. Even how lucky he feels with the way his life turned out, personally and professionally - although gloom looms over him continually. There were no limits to a recent conversation with Allen, indicating just how self-possessed the three-time Academy Award winner is. He's not "on" or displaying that Woody Persona so many of his fans love, but he's still funny and self-deprecating - starting with the revelation that he thought he'd learn something from making his latest film, Melinda and Melinda, as both comedy and tragedy.

"But I learned nothing," he says with a chuckle. "I say the same thing now as I said when I began . . . the cliche - that there's a thin line between comedy and tragedy. And it's true. And I guess that's why it's a cliche." He had hoped to discover a greater insight than that.

<snip>

"There are some laughs you have in life, provided by comedians and provided by fortuitous moments with your family or friends or something," he says. "But most of life is tragic. You're born, you don't know why. You're here, you don't know why. You go, you die. Your family dies. Your friends die. People suffer. People live in constant terror. The world is full of poverty and corruption and war and Nazis and tsunamis. . . . The net result, the final count is, you lose - you don't beat the house.

"If you were lucky, if you were healthy and rich and everything worked out for you, you could laugh your whole life. But ultimately, what is it? It's less than a microsecond in the long run." And yet, the 69-year-old writer-director says he was "lucky from the start. I mean I had a perfectly good childhood, and my parents were healthy. (His father lived to be 100, his mother to 95.) And, you know, I was successful at what I wanted to do. And now in my later years I've got a very happy marriage and two lovely kids."

more....

[jpgray]

1. Ebert likes his new film

I'm not interested, though.

[name not needed]

2. How long until this turns into a flamewar?

:nuke:

[Dookus]

3. I'm really looking forward to Melinda and Melinda....

sounds like one of better movies in awhile. But I find something to love in EVERY Woody Allen movie.

[Susang]

5. I'm curious to see it myself

Can't say I've found something to love in *every* Allen movie, but at least they're interesting! ;-)

BTW, my oldest friend's name is Melinda. Growing up, we used to torment her with the fact that there were no major movies with her name in the title. Now there finally is one and it opened one week before her 40th birthday. Of course, I had the classic: "Desperately Seeking Susan". :D

[XNASA]

10. I wish someone would make a movie with my name in the title.

;-)

[Susang]

11. Wouldn't that be funny?

It would have to be a political comedy. :D

[XNASA]

12. Tim Robbins could play the lead!!!!

But that just seems so far-fetched.

[Susang]

13. You should never give it up

Maybe Woody Allen will make a movie with your name just before a major birthday. ;-)

[RandomKoolzip]

4. Dude, Woody Allen is PHAT!

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

8. Zelig is my favorite "mockumentary"

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Donkeyboy75]

7. A nice, honest interview.

Can't wait for the film, although his quality has slipped of late.

[welshTerrier2]

9. but will there be car chases ???

whatever one thinks of Allen, and he is so often criticized for his immoral marriage, his neuroses, and his provincial NY "Jewishness", he is truly an intellectual in a time when intellectuals are not revered in popular culture ...

i love his movies and his humor ...

if you haven't seen "Wild Man Blues", you should ... it's a rare insight into what i believe is the "real" Woody Allen and the music is absolutely fantastic ... and, in the very final scene of the movie, his mother concludes her interview and fades to black with a "OK, that's enough ... go home ..."

i don't know about you, but it sounded just like my mom ...