tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413013422636027916.post4523968335502462216..comments2024-03-05T10:32:32.208+00:00Comments on IRRESISTIBLE TARGETS: WOODY ALLEN: ROBERT WEIDE'S DOCUMENTARY PART ONE: From Birth to Stardust MemoriesMichael Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04490121869284175945noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413013422636027916.post-52179838120022759142013-08-06T01:03:31.028+01:002013-08-06T01:03:31.028+01:00I think I'll have to look for these. Even if ...I think I'll have to look for these. Even if they are just clip fests, this is a body of work that would make for a very entertaining clip fest. <br /><br />While I agree with most of what you say here, I think what you consider a fault in Annie Hall, I'd consider a strength. It's really his story, which makes his intrusions into it acceptable in my view. I do think he becomes much more generous in giving other people the punch lines in later movies. <br /><br />I suspect Stardust Memories is the best place to divide his career, too.James Chesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15513098688123346055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413013422636027916.post-88962471010236744582013-08-03T12:19:34.215+01:002013-08-03T12:19:34.215+01:00After watching the second part, I'd agree, bec...After watching the second part, I'd agree, because most of the valuable stuff is in the first section, and just what you say. I found FX Feeney interesting, and Leonard Maltin good but perhaps too uncriticial--and no one really addressed the problem of Woody's own voice appearing in other characters even at the most serious moments...but still, re-evaluating him is good because I have been very dismissive of much of his work, including (especially) the later hitsMichael Carlsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04490121869284175945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413013422636027916.post-14240869745181640292013-07-30T19:37:22.145+01:002013-07-30T19:37:22.145+01:00Saw this last year on a flight - which meant that ...Saw this last year on a flight - which meant that it was very much an unknown quantity: no Yentob Seal of Approval. So I watched it without knowing if it was High Quality or just a clip collection. And to be honest my impression was that it was a little of both: a lot of interesting footage about Allen's family background, and the early nightclub (and pre-nightclub) years, but an awful lot of pointless talking heads saying nothing much, and some analysis that verged on the uncritical. Even watching it again, and now knowing it to be something high value, I can't help but feel that it's a missed opportunity: yes we learn something about Allen himself, but there's little challenge to anything that he says - and not much sense of critical engagement. An easy watch, but not a lot more.Ruzzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12275149878354848397noreply@blogger.com