woody allen a documentary
so i was kicking around my house, looking for something to do and i just happen to see a russian history book on my shelf. i thought, gee it would be funny to do a film based on all that russian literature and all those russian cliches
you know i've always had great love of heavy literature and heavy themes in general
i'm interested in them, i'm attracted to them, and i thought it was an area where i could then get in a lot of subject matter i like to talk about
philosophical themes, death and longing.
then i thought it would be fun to do that and i thought i'd do a big cartoon film about it and try to make it as funny as i could make it at the time.
annie hall (1977)
there were many people around me that said why do you wanna do a film like annie hall for?
i'll sacrifice some of the laughs for a story about human beings and they will get involved in the story in a way that they had not ever be involved before
and it will be richer, and it will be better experience for them and fun for me to try, and the worst that can happen is make a fool of myself
i think what you get from awards is favoritism. my favorite movie is annie hall. but the implication is the best movie.
the film is really about problems of an artistic sensability and how you are in your mind or out of your mind
i don't have a lot of patience in life or in general. i don't have the patience to do another take. if i've gotten what i want, then i wanna move on , finish and go on. i don't have the concentration, or the dedication that you really need to be a great artist. i'd rather be home, watching the ball game.
because of the author theory, there are a lot film makers who felt i have to make a great film who felt obliged to top themselves. woody allen has never felt obliged to top himself. he's felt obliged to do whatever interests him most, to go there with a full commitment, but when he's done, he moves on and he moves right on to the next thing.
the only thing that stands between me and greatness is me.