See also: Allen

Woody Allen , of its true name Allan Stewart Königsberg , is an actor, scenario writer, realizer and clarinettist of American Jazz born the 1 {{er}} December 1935, with Brooklyn.

Biography

Two marriages. Three children, including one adoptive. In 1952, it writes gags for a newspaper while it attends High School de Midwood. It becomes then gagman for the comic ones like Bob Hope or Buddy Hackett and then writer of the televised show of Garry Moore (1957). He is also writer (theater, novel and news). He is one of the most prolific scenario writers the most known states-uniens and of these forty last years; some add that it is also one of most European. The comedies of manners, often on psychoanalytical bottom, are incontestably its favorite field although it is tested sometimes with other kinds. He puts itself in scene as actor in a great number of his films, often incarnating a character close to itself, caricatures of the intellectual (and humor) Jewish New Yorkean in prey with tragicomic pangs. It is a realizer compulsive eater: since the beginning of the Années 1970 where its popularity exploded, it did not cease turning, practically carrying out a film per annum, which is undoubtedly a record of longevity and regularity in the production for a scenario writer. In 1997, it married with Soon-Yi Previn, the adopted girl of its ex-partner Mia Farrow.

Clarinettist, it assembled an orchestra of Jazz with which it occurs in scene. During the summer 2007, it makes to Barcelona its next film with Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona .

Early talent

Origins Russo - Austrian, Allen Stuart Konisberg is born with New York on February 1st 1935. It is more precisely in Midwood (Brooklyn) that it passes its childhood to the sides of his father (Martin Königsberg), his mother (Netty Cherrie) and her young sister (Letty), all natives of Large Apple. His/her uncles and aunts were also very often on their premises. Its education begins with the judaïque school where it will remain during 8 years before joining the public school. Finally, he will attend Midwood High School. At that time, Allen lives partly on the avenue K and is called “Red” because of the red color of its hair. Already, it impresses the other students by his extraordinary skill in the charts and its Tours of magic.

It starts to earn its living by writing gags for the agent David O. Alber who resells them with various chroniclers. Thus, the first of its Blague S to be published would be “I amndt two with Nature”. At 16 years the early age, it starts to write for stars such as Sid Caesar. It is at this time that it decides to endorse the Pseudonyme that we know to him.

Woody joined then the Université of New York where it is supposed to study the Communication and the Cinéma. However, his absence of results and his lack of interest for the studies (“I was not interested in the university, all that I wanted was to write. ” Harry in all its states ), quickly makes him give up its course. Later, he will still briefly attend City College of New York.

Of the scenario writer to the actor

At 19 years, he is author for important television programs such as The ED Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, Caesar' S hour… This last show will in addition cause the beginning of its collaboration with Danny Simon. This one will help it to structure its style and Allen will say " about it; I' ve learned has couple off things one my own since and modified things He taught me, goal everything, unequivocally, that I learned butt comedy writing I learned from him." (“I since learned one or two things by myself and modified certain things that he learned to me but all that I learned from the writing of comedy, I learned it, unambiguous, of him”).

Naturally gifted for the Comedy, in 1960, it starts a new career in the Stand-up (the albums Standup Comic and Nightclub Years 1964-1968 contain some of its sketches of which whimsical history of the dash that it takes along to a ball dressed up after having struck it with its car). Parallel to that, it contributes to from review has to Z of Broadway and starts to write for the very popular show tele Candid Camera , appearing even in some episodes. Moreover, it writes Nouvelle S published in certain magazines of which the very famous New Yorker .

Gradually, with the assistance of its manager, Allen transforms his psychological defects “” into “theatrical” qualities. It thus develops its famous character of Intellectuel neurotic, unstable and nervous. Quickly, it meets a success which opens to him the doors of the Télévision and the Nightclub S. In 1969, its popularity is such as it appears as a cover for Life Magazine at the time of the opening to Broadway of Play It Again, Sam .

With the conquest of the dark rooms

Does the cinematographic career of Woody Allen begin in 1965 when he plays in its first film What is nine, Pussycat? . It should be noted that he is only scenario writer and actor on this film. Does one year later, it officiate again for the big screen with astonishing the Lily the tiger-cat (What' S Up, Tiger Lily?) This feature-length film is in the beginning a spy film Japan board of which it rewrote the dialogs in order to make of it a burlesque work following English doubling. In 1967, it interprets the nephew of James Bond in the homonymous parody, Casino Royal . The end of the the Sixties mark the beginnings of Allen as a Réalisateur. It realizes successively and successfully Prends the sorrel and draws (Take The Money and Run) (1969), Bananas , All that you always wanted to know about the sex without never daring to ask it (Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex (Goal Were Afraid to Ask)) , Woody and the robots (Sleeper) , like War and love (and Death Coils) . These films fall under certain a continuity with its work of author of televised sketches. And due, they are exclusively pure comedies resting on large jokes and other visual gags. Allen is then strongly influenced by works of Bob Hope, Groucho Marx and Humphrey Bogart.

The period which follows is certainly most prolific and most famous of the career of Woody Allen. In less than 10 years, he writes and carries out his films the best with dimensions ones. It is the time of Annie Hall , Manhattan , the Rose crimson of Cairo (One of 100 best films of all times according to the Times Magazine and one of the three favorites of Allen itself) like Hannah and its sisters who gains three Academy Awards.

Annie Hall , film of all successes (victorious of four Academy Awards of which the Oscar of best film, that of the best realizer and that of best the Scenario), mark a major turning in the work of Allen. It is directed then towards a humor more sophisticated and enters the register of the dramatic comedies. Some will go until saying that it perhaps reinvented this kind or, at least, fixed the modern rules of them. But in addition to that, Allen especially manages to find its style, its personal key. With Annie Hall , Allen manages to be detached from the influence of its idols to impose its own character and with him, a whole complex universe of obsessing existential questions inspired by its incalculable cultural references which it makes mine solve by derision. It creates a universe where it is normal to approach an unknown factor while speaking to him about Sartre to find itself one hour to discuss later with it Kierkegaard in a Jazz club where they can both délecter of works of Cole Porter. All in all, it creates a universe egocentric person where all the characters are parts of Woody Allen.

Manhattan will be the work of the confirmation and will probably mark the apogee of the “Allen style”. The film in any case is regarded per many criticisms as its best work. Turned in black and white, it can be perceived like a homage to the town of New York, true central “character” of film. There still, the main roles represent intellectuals well-read men resulting from high social classes. However, the glance posed on this class rather ambivalent, is criticized as much as developed. The film could be regarded as a criticism of this type of pretentious intellectuals if in fact the innumerable cultural references inaccessible to the general public make some finally, to some extent, a intellectual and pretentious film. This love-hatred of the New Yorkean intellectuals (mainly) is in addition an important characteristic of the majority of its films.

Between Annie Hall and Manhattan , written Allen and the melancholic person Interiors in the style of the realizer Swedish Ingmar Bergman directs. This film is heralding one period in the work of Allen, during the Années 1980, primarily marked by the influence of the European directors such as Fellini. All its films at that time, this included/understood comedies, will be marked of a dark and philosophical key, with the image of September and Stardust Memories . " Since always, I am tried by the drama, but the comedy was my strong point. Only, when you made a comedy, there is a monster on your shoulder, which badgers you: “would be funny! Them troubles not! ” The serious one is more releasing. "

The Années 1990 will constitute one decade of tests or homages without true policy. Thus, with Shades and fog (Shadows and Fog) (1992), it pays homage to the German expressionnists . The following year, it combines suspense and black comedy to carry out mysterious Meurtre in Manhattan (Manhattan Murder Mystery) . The murder and its preparations are for him a relatively interesting subject to depict the various facets of its characters, as follows: " the homicide is an enthralling subject because it makes it possible to explore thoroughly the human weakness and the feeling of guilt "

Lastly, in 1994, it returns to less dark things with Shots on Broadway (Bullets Over Broadway) which will be worth to him a new nomination for the Oscar of the best realizer. Two years later, its musical comedy Everyone says I coils you (Everyone Says I Coils You) seems more accessible and gains a sharp success near the public. There still, it is found in race with the Golden Globes and the Césars. Between these the last two films, Allen also carried out the bizarroïde Maudite Aphrodite (Mighty Aphrodite) where its eternal New Yorkean intellectuals cross the road of simpler characters (a former actress porn and a low boxer of ceiling) as well as heroes of Greek tragedies.

In 1997 appears Harry in all its states (Deconstructing Harry) , without any doubt more “allenien” of all its films. Relatively inaccessible to the layman, this feature-length film plunges us in a complex history where fiction and fiction in the fiction mix. Allen delivers to us a followed scenario intersected with sketches which take part in the total history to lead to the meeting of an anthology of various characters who, gathered, form nothing any more but one… Harry. One finds there all the major topics of the work of Allen which signs here a Parodie of its own existence and its own difficulties with originality, creativity but especially, with a “patented” humor.

As for Shots on Broadway (John Cusack), in Celebrity (1998), Allen entrusts “its” role to another actor. In fact, it is Kenneth Branagh which is stuck to it successfully in a surprising film. Turned partly in black and white, with unusual actors (Leonardo Di Caprio, Melanie Griffith…), the events are connected at an incredible speed in a history (once more) very complex, implying a crowd of character whom the incapacity to communicate blocks in a position of spectators of their own life. This film, while keeping a style very “allenien”, can appear, by certain sides, like surprising in the work of the artist.

The following year, with Agreements and dissensions (Sweet and Lowdown) , it once more pays homage to the one of its passions: jazz. Built like a Documentary biographical, this film treats of a fictitious Guitariste in a musical universe real good where one crosses and recrosses the road of most famous manouches: Django Reinhardt . This time, Allen succeeds in the feat of ingenuity to invent of any part a complex character, at the same time pathetic and attractive, as brilliant as ridiculous, hateful as much as tenderizing. Been used by a music of quality and a phenomenal interpretation as Sean Penn, Allen delivers this time a dramatic comedy completely to share and completely successful.

Between 2000 and 2003, Allen turns over to its first loves: the pure comedy. It delivers Escroc to us but not too (Small time crooks) , the Magic spell of the jade scorpion (The curse off Jade scorpion) , Hollywood Ending and the Life and all the remainder (Anything else) . The public does not follow, criticisms are wild. Even the original Melinda and Melinda (Melinda, Melinda) will not manage to make it return to the front of the scene. It is claimed already that its best years are derrières him. It was without counting on the resources of the genius. In 2005 leaves Match not , a film carried out with London, a new city, with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Scarlett Johansson, of new actors. Criticism is unanimous, the impressed public. As opposed to what the press in said, this strange and black film, is not in total rupture with its works preceding (cf Crimes and offenses, Another woman , etc and other dark films of the scenario writer). She is worth several nominations with the Oscars, Golden Globes and Césars to him. Woody Allen will say in an interview with the magazine Première which it is about its best film.

In 2006, Allen makes a second film to London, Scoop , which receives criticisms mitigated. Third the work London is envisaged in 2007, Cassandra' S Dream , while untiring Woody Allen will join the Spain for one énième realization and, which knows, perhaps one énième masterpiece.

Reconsidering its career with the cinema: " I believe that I am neither purely comic, nor purely tragedy, simply realistic . "

Music of the heart

At 14 years, Woody Allen has its first very favorite for Sidney Bechet, clarinettist and saxophonist of New Orleans, which he had heard with the radio (he will in addition give the name of Bechet to the girl which he adopted with Soon-Yi). It has nourished for this day a passion for the Jazz. It began to learn the saxophone, but little endowed, it turns to the clarinet. The first name of Woody which it chose comes in addition from the patronym of one of its idols, the Clarinettiste Woody Hermann. Each Monday, Allen occurs in Carlyle Hotel of Manhattan with its Jazz Band “New Orleans”. In 1996, it also carried out a European round with the group which gave place to a documentary heading Wild Man Blues . In all, the group left two albums: The Bunk Project (1993) and the BO of Wild Man Blues (1997).

Woody and women

Just like for its characters, the relations between Woody Allen and the Femmes are complex and ambiguous.

It Marie for the first time at the 20 years age in 1956 with a young coed in philosophy, Harlene Rosen, which he had known in a community center. The idylle will last six years and will end in a Procès for Diffamation following a doubtful joke of Woody on its ex-wife.

He marries then Louise Lasser (1966) who will play in two of her films: Bananas and Everything You Always Wanted To Know Butt Sex (Goal Were Afraid to Ask) . There still, the relation will be of short duration, the couple separating after three years hardly. By afterwards, Allen Marie more, which succeeds to him a little better since it maintains its relation with Diane Keaton during nearly 10 years before sharing 12 years of its life with Mia Farrow. Together, they will adopt a little girl (Dylan). They will have also a natural child (Satchel). Woody will also decide to adopt one of (many) the children of Mia (Moses).

But in 1992, Mia leaves it after having discovered its attraction for his/her adopted girl (that of Mia only) Soon-Yi Previn (Allen held photographs of the entirely undressed young girl). Directly, Allen settles with the latter (22 years old). They will end up marrying in 1997. In this adventure, Allen lost the right to see his/her children (it cannot see Dylan any more, Moses refuses to see it and it exclusively has a right of access for Satchel under monitoring). Remain that it estimates that its departure with Soon-Yi was a good thing, an advantageous turning in its life. If Woody Allen were subjected to the criminal Law French, the Loi would condemn this relation considered as incestueuse, in the sense that he married a person placed at the origin under his authority.

Woody the writer

There exists, in French, some publications interesting of news or other reflections of Woody Allen among which (dates to be checked) :

  • to finish of it good once for all with the culture/Opus 2 ( Getting even , 1973)

  • God, Shakespeare and me/Opus 1 ( Without feathers , 1975)
  • twisted Destins ( Side effects , 1988)
  • All that you always wanted to know about the sex without never daring to ask it (1990)
  • Adultères ( Three one-act plays , 2005)
  • West Central Park - It acts of the one of the 3 parts belonging to Adulteries (2006)
  • To err is human ( Mere anarchy , 2007)

Woody and the theater

He wrote some plays of which most recent are:

  • Second Hand Memory (created in New York in 2004, put in scene by Woody Allen)

  • Puzzle (2007) a psychological suspense, a psychoanalytical comedy. A part of Woody Allen. French Adaptation by Sebastien Azzopardi of " Second Hand Memory". Part created in 2007, with the Theater of the Palais Royal in Paris, with Michel Aumont, Anne Loiret, Sebastien Azzapardi, Gerard Lartigau, Genevieve Fontanel, Julie De Bona and Marie Camwood.

Catalog of films

As an actor

As a realizer, a sometimes actor

Rewards

Principal rewards

Nominations

Quotations

On the topic of the cinema and art

  • "The life does not imitate art, it imitates bad the télévision."

  • " For I do not know which reason, people in France like me more than in America. The subtitles must be excellents." there;
  • " My first film was so bad that in the United States, in seven states, one uses it to replace the sorrow of mort."
  • " When I listen to too much Wagner, I want to invade Pologne."

On the topic of God and the religion

  • "God died, Marx died and myself, I do not feel… " very well;

  • " If God exists, I hope that it has good a excuse."
  • " So only God gave me a real proof of his existence! As for example to deposit a large sum with my name in a bank suisse."
  • " The Man was made with the image of God. But do you really think that God is red-headed and carries glasses? "

On the topic of the seduction

  • "A good pupil, it is that which remains with the library even when there is no more tempting girl in the pièce."

  • " A short note on oral contraception. I asked a girl to sleep with me and she said " non". "
  • " The last time that I penetrated a woman, it was by visiting the statue of Liberté."
  • " I spent one super moment. It was as with the lawsuit of Nuremberg."

On the topic of the family

  • "My parents lived forty years together, but by pure animosité."

  • " This watch, I hold to with it much. It comes me from my grandfather. It sold it to me on its bed of mort."
  • " All that is good according to the parents, is not it. Sun, milk, red meat, the college… "
  • " My parents very seldom beat me. I believe that they beat me only once in fact. They started to beat me on December 23rd, 1942 until the end of spring 1944."

On the topic of the intelligence

  • "The advantage of being intelligent, it is that one can always make the imbecile, whereas the reverse is completely impossible."

  • " The artificial intelligence is defined as the opposite of the silly thing naturelle."
  • " I am so intelligent that my brain is my second favorite body! "
  • " I do not like to make exercise. I prefer atrophier."

On the topic of death

  • "My death does not worry me. I would simply like not to be there when that produira."

  • " I prefer the incineration with the burial, and both to one weekend with my famille."
  • " I do not want to reach immortality by my work, I want to reach while not dying pas." it;
  • " As long as the man will be mortal, it will be never décontracté."

On the topic of the sex

  • "The first time that I saw a naked lady, I believed that it was about a erreur."

  • " The sex reduces the tensions, while the love the provoque."
  • " When it was asked to me whether I found that the physical love was dirty, I answered: " Ca is, if it is practiced correctement".
  • " For my part, I am heterosexual. But it should be recognized, the bisexual one has twice more chances Saturday evening. "

On the topic of work and money

  • "I am Marxiste… Groucho." tendency;

  • " The money is preferable with poverty, would be this only for reasons financières."
  • " In your professional rise, be always very nice towards those which you exceed while going up. You will find them at the same place in redescendant."

Philosophical thoughts

  • "The doubt corrodes me. And if all were only illusion? If nothing existed? In this case, I would have paid my fitted carpet too much cher."

  • " Errors, I made some. Initially, I was born. First error! "
  • " The life is divided into two categories: horror and the malheur."
  • " Eternity it is long, especially towards the fin."

Maxims of Woody Allen

  • "One forever considering a blind man in a camp of nudistes."

  • " A hitch-hiker is an young woman, generally pretty and short vêtue, which is on your road when you are with your femme."
  • " A clock broken rightly at least twice in the journée."
  • " The troubles, it is like toilet paper, one draws one from them, it comes from there dix."

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