Logo

Cool News

Capone Interviews Woody Allen About CASSANDRA’S DREAM!

Published at:  Jan 20, 2008 8:40:54 PM CST


Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.

How do you even begin to talk about the works of Woody Allen? For decades, the man has made the world laugh as a stand-up comic, playwright, author, actor, and, of course, as a writer and director of some of my favorite films of all time. I'm not going to sit here and list Allen's filmography; That's easy enough to look up. And if you love movies, you probably have most of the titles committed to memory. It goes without saying that when you have the sheer volume of works that Allen does (he has, without fail, put out about a movie per year for his entire career as a filmmaker), there are bound to be some that don't quite hold up; there might also be a small number of downright clunkers. But the bulk of his work remains solid, especially in the last couple of years (and, yes, I'm leaving out SCOOP), with such works as MELINDA AND MELINDA, MATCH POINT, and his latest, CASSNDRA'S DREAM, another UK-based crime drama about two brothers (Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor) who are desperate for cash. When their rich uncle (Tom Wilkinson) answers their prayers for money, they seem thrilled until they realize that all they have to do to earn it is commit murder. CASSANDRA'S DREAM is a classic morality play from Allen, and if all of his non-comedies are as strong as this and MATCH POINT, I wouldn't shed a single tear if he never made another funny movie again.

I've literally been circling around trying to get an interview with someone on this film since I saw it more than a month ago. First, I went after the actors--Farrell, McGregor, or Wilkinson--but none of them were doing press for this film, at least not internet press. For a while it looked like I'd be talking to a relatively new actress, Hayley Atwell, who plays McGregor's stunning actress girlfriend in the film, but that didn't work out either. Since Allen so infrequently does interviews, the idea of talking to him hardly crossed my mind. I think I may have mentioned his name in early conversations, but I figured he was the least likely interview subject and didn't bring it up again. So when his name was floated to me almost matter-of-factly, I nearly soiled myself. The whole time the day and time of the interview was being worked out, I kept assuming it wouldn't happen, that he would pull out. As few interviews as Allen gives in any given year, I don't think I've ever read one that he's given a geek-fueled and -focused site like AICN. But when his assistant called me Thursday afternoon ready to connect me with Woody, it finally hit me that this was happening.

For someone that doesn't do many interviews, Allen always comes off in print and on television as someone very comfortable answering questions. He's always seems very honest and open about anything, and willing to analyze and discuss his films and influences. We had very little time together--only 15 minutes--and I probably had about an hour's worth of questions for the man. How do you cover the career of a man like Woody Allen in 15 minutes? Quite simply, you don't even try. I tried to focus more on where he is now, working abroad, writing drama, things he seems exceedingly interested in today. He actually has another film coming out this year, and if I get a shot at speaking to him again, maybe I'll venture into his history a bit. I know nothing would be more thrilling for me. Anyway, enough with the preamble. Here's Woody…



Woody Allen: Hello?



Capone: Hi, Woody. How are you?



WA: Good, good.



Capone: First off, thank you so much for doing this.



WA: Oh, sure.



Capone: This wasn't originally going to be my first question, but as a part of a web-based outlet, do you do much internet surfing on a regular basis.



WA: To tell you the honest truth, I myself do not have computer (laughs). I have no idea how they work, and I've never done anything in my life on the internet.



Capone: Well, you're probably better off that way.



WA: I'm just not good at that kind of thing. It's not that I have a philosophy against it. I'm just not good at any kind of gadget or mechanical thing. I just don't take to them.



Capone: Well allow me to give you the opportunity to confirm or deny an internet rumor that just popped up about you this week. Is it true that you are doing a short film for a sort of PARIS, JE T'AIME-style anthology about New York?



WA: I know that appeared in the papers this week. It's a complete and total fabrication [laughs]. I have no idea who made up the story, or why, but it has nothing to do with me whatsoever, nothing I ever contemplated, nothing.



Capone: Okay, we'll get right on stopping that particular rumor mill.



WA: Thank you.



Capone: With your more recent works, people have been focusing a lot on your change of venue to Great Britain, but I've also noticed there's a higher body count and the guilt-ridden upheaval that seems to follow a crime. How long have you had these kinds of stories in you? And what's taken them so long to come out?



WA: Even me comedies, right from the start, people used to say they had a sad underbelly, they had a tragic feeling to them and they were never out-and-out broad comedies, that they had elements of unhappy love, unresolved love, unfulfilled love in the end. As far back as CRIMES AND MISDEMEANSORS, ideas occurred to me that were suspenseful and crime-ridden and tense, and I wanted to make them into a story. And they always seemed to carry with them some sort of moral issues as well. So I did it with CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS; I did it again with MATCH POINT and again with CASSANDRA'S DREAM.



Capone: Even as far back as CRIMES AND MISDEMENASORS, it's sometimes tough to tell whether you hold some sort of admiration for these people who get away, literally, with murder, or whether you condemn them. Or maybe you just stay out of decision.



WA: I hope it's not hard to tell. I shouldn't be hard to tell. I don't know why it would be. I'm just depicting life as it is. In real life, people are committing crimes all the time, on a sleazy street level, on a blue-collar level, on a drug level, on a government level, everything from genocide to torture. And people get away with it. If you have no moral conscience and you're willing to do horrible things, you're not going to get stopped or punished by some heaven or hell or afterlife. You're going to have to stop yourself. The only morality we have is self-imposed. So I've depicted that in each of these films, and there are people--as in CASSANDRA'S DREAM--can commit crimes and have no moral conscience about it, and there are people who can't.



Capone: I'd imagine that the success of MATCH POINT was freeing to you as a storyteller. Was that the case?



WA: I was gratified by it; I was glad it was so well received. I felt, you know, I've always had to fight the thing of people saying “Well, he's a comedy director.” And they always expect me to do comedies, so I wanted it to be clear. I thought it was clear from CRIMES AND MISDEMEANSORS, but I wanted it to be really clear that I occasionally would make films that were not funny, and they could be enjoyable too if they were suspenseful and interesting and gripping.



Capone: I think people might link MATCH POINT and CASSANDRA'S DREAM as two sides of the same moral coin. Without giving away the ending, one could almost make the argument that the new film is an apologist's take on the ending of MATCH POINT and the fate of the murderer. Do you see it that way?



WA: Quite the opposite. First of all, I don't think anyone could logically develop the notion that they are two sides of the same coin. They have nothing to do with one another. One had to do was strictly about the role of luck in life; the other had to do with making a moral choice and how far one would go in life to rationalize the moral choice. The truth of the matter is at the end of CASSANDRA'S DREAM, the most evil character in the story--the uncle—triumphs completely. He gets everything he wants with no problem at all. There would be no reason to apologize for MATCH POINT because the point made with it is a true one. Luck plays an enormous part in life, and some people get away with terrible things because of luck. And at the end of CASSANDRA'S DREAM, in the same way, the worst character in the movie pays no penalty for what he's instigated.



Capone: That is true. Are you through with comedies for the time being?



WA: No, no. Not at all. I'm starting to shoot a broad comedy in about six or eight weeks.



Capone: Your schedule is remarkable, because I know you already have a finished film in the can ready to come out later this year.



WA: Yes, a romance in Barcelona this summer with Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, and Scarlett Johansson.



Capone: That's right, and I spoke with Javier recently, and we talked about your film. And it's funny because he said that he wasn't sure whether it was a comedy or a drama, and that it all depended on how you editing it. I've heard that about a few of your older films, that you are able to change them tonally in the editing room. Is that true?



WA: To some degree, that is true. And Javier is correct there. You could put this film together to emphasize the comedy or the drama, but basically it's a romance and it remains a romance. It's hard to explain. It's a dramatic film, but there are laughs in it and a lot of romance in it. It's a much, much lighter film than CASSANDRA'S DREAM. On the other hand, the one that I'm starting in New York is a very broad one and could not be mistaken for a drama in any way.



Capone: What can you tell me about casting on that film?



WA: I haven't cast it yet; I'm just beginning to cast it now.



Capone: Since we're talking about comedy, what do you think of the current comedic landscape, with Borat and Judd Apatow essentially leading the pack in the last couple of years?



WA: To be honest, with regards to specific films, I do find Sacha Baron Cohen funny. I find him a talented, funny guy. I probably didn't see the other films you're referring to. I'm guessing you're talking about teenage films.



Capone: Not really. I'm talking about movies like THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN and KNOCKED UP.



WA: See, I didn't see them.



[At this point, Woody's assistant comes onto the call to tell us we have to finish soon.]

Capone: I've noticed in your last few films, you seem to focus on the lives of characters much younger than yourself.



WA: That's everybody! [laughs] I gradually got to be, through no fault of my own, 72. So all of the sudden, I'm writing about younger people because that's most of the population.



Capone: Fair enough. I was thinking that it was because younger people's emotions and lives are still in flux.



WA: I'm not going to do a lot of films about 72-year-old people because the basic heroes and heroines of movies, you do want to see young people meeting and falling in love and getting into trouble at a younger age. That's just a natural thing.



Capone: You are still releasing about a film a year at this point. How much longer do you think you can keep that pace up? It's a pace that puts directors a third your age to shame. Are you still enjoying the process?



WA: Oh yeah. It's not as hard as it sounds. It's not as strenuous as it sounds, as long as people back the film. The hardest part of any film is getting the money for it. Writing, coming up with stories, and making films are not the hard parts. Raising the money is the hard part. And as long as they put the money up and my health holds out, I guess I'll just keep making films.



Capone: That's the best news I'm going to hear all day. And thank you for putting some of the most beautiful actresses in your films. I can always count on you to do that.



WA: [laughs] My own personal treat. Wait until you see Penelope and Scarlett together.



Capone: I can't wait. I think Scarlett has really shown her greatest range through the films she's made with you.



WA: She's fabulous in this romance with Penelope. You'll love it, you'll see.



Capone: Thank you so much again for doing this.



WA: You're welcome. Thank you.



Capone



    + Expand All

    Readers Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 8:46:43 PM CST

    I've never envied Capone

    by bluebottle

    until now.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 8:49:33 PM CST

    "I gradually got to be, through no fault of my own, 72."

    by holodigm

    that's hilarious. ranks right up there with the best of his Woodyisms.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 8:51:52 PM CST

    Wow Woody Doing an Aicn Interview...

    by skoobyx

    What's next Werner Herzog sitting down with Quint?

    Good job Capone.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 8:57:40 PM CST

    Penelope and Scarlett

    by kung fu hustler

    A romance between them?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 9:07:54 PM CST

    You know who IS directing a part in...

    by danielkurland

    New York, I Love You? Fucking Chan Wook-Park. I saw Cassandra's Dream at the Toronto Film Festival, and I know it's getting some flack, but I enjoyed it a lot, it's got a great ending, and maybe the only performance I've really enjoyed by Colin Farell. He does a fantastic job.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 9:11:34 PM CST

    Wow

    by sylvia fowler

    Woody Allen is, as always, present and charming and funny and still manages to seem completely out of touch with the rest of the world.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 9:12:56 PM CST

    Congrats Capone!

    by colier rannd

    Awesome interview. I think no matter what he does Woody Allen is going to always be interesting. I would love for him to open himself up more for things like this and what have you. I love that he does his own music too. If you ever get the chance, I'd love to hear him talk about that. Anyway again congratulations.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 9:17:01 PM CST

    love Woody, absolutely hated this movie

    by hauptman

    Disappointment doesn't even begin to describe how I felt about CASSANDRA'S DREAM.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 9:17:23 PM CST

    Not enough people enjoy Love and Death...

    by danielkurland

    Maybe my favorite of his movies.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 9:17:49 PM CST

    Penelope and Scarlett in a Film...

    by aquatarkusman

    ... I may be there opening night and may not leave. Thank God we have Alamo Drafthouses here so I can get all my nutritional needs taken care of.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 9:23:14 PM CST

    I wish he would make another movie with Diane Keaton....

    by jackislost

    B/w MAD MONEY and BECAUSE I SAID SO, she seems to be in the creative wilderness these days. Wouldn't it be so could to see the two of them in a movie again? I wanted Ben Stiller to make the two of them the Fockers but of course he didn't, b/c that would have been awesome, something MEET THE FOCKERS was definitely not. As we all know, Woody's hero is Ingmar Bergman and it would be "neat" (to borrow a term from Annie Hall) to see a long-delayed sequel to "Annie Hall" like Bergman did with "Saraband" (sequel to "Scenes from a Marriage"). Ahh, it'll never happen...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 9:48:53 PM CST

    conspiracy you are a bastard

    by stevie grant

    You hate Woody Allen, but not Mel Gibson. I'm mean, it's not like he just said some stupid shit while drunk (well worth the total rejection of the entire town). No, he only took sexual advantage of the child that had mistaken him for an asexual parental figure and provider. Holding him accountable for his perversity would be totally against the industry and scene that gave an Oscar to a man that ass-raped a child, but cannot forgive a man who said some stupid shit while drunk... God bless Hollywood.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 9:55:50 PM CST

    Wow Capone that was awesome. Congrats!!

    by allpowerfulwizardofoz

    IMO this is the biggest interview I've ever seen you land and the IMO the biggest one for this site. Woody is truly a living legend.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 9:55:56 PM CST

    Wow Capone that was awesome. Congrats!!

    by allpowerfulwizardofoz

    IMO this is the biggest interview I've ever seen you land and the IMO the biggest one for this site. Woody is truly a living legend.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 10:00:14 PM CST

    "Congrats"

    by stevie grant

    everyone who gives "congrats" to Capone for talking to this pervert needs to step back and reevaluate their life. don't fully separate "artistic actions" from "artists' actions"

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 10:06:33 PM CST

    anyone else think...

    by virtual_ninja

    that woody comes off as a pompus prick in this interview?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 10:30:14 PM CST

    Woody Allen DOES consider 40 Year Old Virgin to be a teenage fil

    by tompiltoff

    I mean, come on. "Not really. I'm talking about movies like THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN"?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 10:33:46 PM CST

    Woody pwns Capone

    by browncoatjedi

    "Quite the opposite. I don't think anyone could logically develop the notion that they are two sides of the same coin." Capone, Woody sure spanked you during the interview several times. Hilarious!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 10:35:51 PM CST

    right now, i can't help but hate you

    by larry of arabia

    and, I want to be you. Jesus...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 10:43:53 PM CST

    To be fair. Woody...

    by alonzo mosely

    only came to the phone because he thought he was talking to his pharmacist about his re-order of Viagra (she is getting a little old after all, a man needs some chemical help when they are no longer illegal)...
    I would like to apologize for that last 'joke'... Woody made some of the movies that first taught me you could tell universal truths through broad comedy, so god bless 'im, even if his morals are up for debate...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 10:55:51 PM CST

    alonzo

    by stevie grant

    fuck his morals. its his actions on which he's being judged.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 11:19:30 PM CST

    Yeah, the hipocracy in Hollywood is a comedy itself.

    by jae683

    It's kind of arbitrary in its judgments.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 11:22:21 PM CST

    Awsome. Woody is awesome

    by proman1984

    Too bad he's not involved in that NY project but I can't wait to see everything else he's doing.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 11:23:27 PM CST

    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    by excommunicated

    Where is the news about the next big genre film?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 11:23:37 PM CST

    Woody is a great man

    by king_in_yellow

    At least as great as Roman Polanski.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 11:45:23 PM CST

    Yeah thats the Woody we are talking about Conspiracy

    by industrykiller!

    And he is indeed a living legend that has made some of the best films of all time. I guess you just aren't a cool enough hipster like the rest of us to "get it" man. Cannot wait to see Cassandra's Dream, loved Match Point and felt it deserved a lot more award recognition than it got.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 11:46:49 PM CST

    You know Oscar Wilde had a thing for young men

    by industrykiller!

    So I guess that automatically makes all his art bullshit....right?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 20, 2008 11:54:36 PM CST

    IndustryKiller!

    by stevie grant

    I don't understand the moral equivalence you have that somehow equates either Woody's perversion to Wilde's homosexuality or Woody's artistic merits to Wilde's genius

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 12:01:42 AM CST

    conspiracy...

    by stevie grant

    well said

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 12:18:23 AM CST

    It seems that the whole point is lost in this TB

    by spencertrilby

    Cassandra's Dream is pretty weak, and Allen's track record on these last 15 years has been terrible with one turd after another and occasionally a decent flick. I mean, the guy made Manhattan and Purple rose of Cairo so he's no Hack Pack member by any means but I for one haven't been impressed by anything he's done since Manhattan Murder Mystery. It was in 1994 folks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 12:26:10 AM CST

    WOODYEE GOES TO THE CHUCK E. CHEESE

    by uss cygnus

    ...Has a soda and cheets on his wife.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 12:28:39 AM CST

    You assholes are tired.

    by amychaser5

    Woody fucking Allen grants an interview with this lowly site, and all you fuckers can do is sit around and kick up the usual "oh he's an old pervert piece of shit! har-har-har!" It'd be one thing if you cocksmokes talked about his movies sucking, because at least that is a valid opinion we can discuss like adults with dignity and self-respect. But nay, let's just play the old pervert card.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 12:54:35 AM CST

    amychaser5

    by stevie grant

    from one of the "cocksmokes" to a cocksucker, "the old pervert card" is the most pertinent fact about him since he fucked his daughter. I'm not willing to segregate his personal history from his professional history. This ain't ancient Greece, he ain't Zeus, he can't get away with it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 12:58:29 AM CST

    the woodman's private life is just that...

    by red1701

    in all honesty, I don't care what the guy does in his personal life. As long as he is not axe murderer or such...whatever. He's one of my all time favorite directors. I've seen every one of his movies except for "interiors." that one just never grabbed my attention.He's got a great sensibility about human pysche and the comedy that can be everyday life. Annie Hall and Play it again Sam (with Tony Roberts and his need to let his asst know where he will be in case someone wants to talk to him, is one of the funniest things ever). I read Woody's autobiograpy back in the early 90s and thoroughly enjoyed getting more insight into his upbringing and what formed his comedic views.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 1:15:23 AM CST

    Woody Allen ain't so bad

    by felt pelt

    Terribly brave of me, but there I said it. Their custody battle is a "he said, she said" situation. The judge denied him custody but said Farrow's charges were "inconclusive." I've never seen proof that his relationship with Previn, who was not his daughter, (nor was Farrow his wife) began before she was of age. Secondly, it's strange to wish Mr. Allen and his influential films into a black hole on account of alleged horribleness in his biography, one that occurred after he made his best work.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 1:24:51 AM CST

    First - and frakk all the naysayers

    by the podosphere

    Woody rocks.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 1:25:21 AM CST

    oops - not first

    by the podosphere

    opened this window like a day ago.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 1:28:31 AM CST

    Saxon and Stevie Grant...

    by amychaser5

    You know Ray Charles? A brilliant musician who more or less pioneered an entire style, inspiring countless others along his way. Oh yeah, he was also a heroin-laced junkie who cheated on his wife constantly, and in the process fathered a good dozen illegitament children.
    So fuck his talent and legacy! The guy did drugs and cheated on his wife! Fuck that asshole!

    And John Ford? The man who created an entire body of work that represents what we can see as American cinema? The man who gave John Wayne a career and directed some of the finest work from the Duke, Henry Fonda, Maureen O'Hara, etc? Oh yeah, he was also a self-destructive drunk, a poor husband and father, and often mentally and physically tortured his cast and crew. So fuck John Ford! We wouldn't have westerns without him, but the guy was a drunk who was cruel to his family! Fuck that guy!!

    You see the point I'm getting at? No one needs to pretend that the artists we often idolize were/are saints. Like all of us, they do some shitty stuff that no one would be proud of. But the fact of the matter is that we don't know these people personally - only through their body of work can we form a positive or negative opinion. Honestly, the rest of their personal lives are of no concern to us, unless (like red1701 said) they're axe murderers or such.

    As Capone mentioned in the post, Allen has put out a flick nearly every year since he started working - some great, most of them good, a few crappers, but all watchable. And at the age of 72, his creative output hasn't dwindled. That's fucking impressive, sir. But, oh wait, he fucked his daughter! The sick bastard! Fuck that guy, right?! Well, hold on. First off, Soon-Yi was and never has been 1. his daughter 2. his step-daughter 3. his adopted daughter. Those are facts. I'm not saying that totally voids Mr. Allen of the very-apparent ick-factor of the whole scandal, or that it totally merits him as a sage old saint. All I'm saying is that for a man to put out the body of work that he has...all you can *still* bring yourself to comment on is some over-media-hyped scandal, the actual facts of which nobody doing the trash-talking can get right in the first place?

    Ah, screw it. The old bastard is a freak. He made Sleeper, Love and Death, Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors, and Match Point (to name only a few).....but fuck that shit. He fucked his daughter, right? Fuck that guy then.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 1:28:53 AM CST

    Congrats, Capone.

    by tattooedbillionaire

    It's not everyday one gets to interview such a fantastic writer/director/actor/etc. Say what you will about Woody's personal life, but he has made some of the greatest films of all-time.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 1:30:41 AM CST

    Woody is casting for a New York comedy!

    by benbraddock

    Best news in this piece! I hope he gets his groove back on his home turf.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 1:40:24 AM CST

    amychaser5

    by stevie grant

    you're right. he's not guilty of any legal form of incest, and other people in the industry have been total dicks. obviously, it was wrong of me to think a much older man who helped raise a child in a parental manner, only to later fuck that child, is in the wrong. you fuckwad.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 2:06:57 AM CST

    You missed my point entirely, but...

    by amychaser5

    it's clear that this has become a moot point for the lot of us. If you guys are willing, I say let's move on to another topic regarding Woody, because as you pointed out, Saxon, this is a Woody Allen talkback. My favorites of his are the ones I listed in my previous post? Agree with those flicks, disagree? Are you gents in the "Allen lost his gift long ago" camp?"

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 2:09:05 AM CST

    some typos there, sorry

    by amychaser5

    Let me retype those last few sentences.

    --My favorites of Allen's are the flicks I listed in my previous post. Do you agree with those flicks, disagree? Are you gents in the "Allen lost his gift long ago" camp of thinking?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 2:14:42 AM CST

    And c'mon, Saxon...

    by amychaser5

    Nobody is trampling on anyone else's right to free-speech here. You know that wasn't what I getting at. I mean, look at us, sir. It's in the middle of the goddamn night and we're bickering at each other, probably on two different sides of the continent. This is free speech at its finest! Our grandparents would be proud.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 2:18:42 AM CST

    Agreed as well, Saxon

    by amychaser5

    The "seperate his work from his life" things was simply the point I was attempting to make, obviously in a much more messy and rant-fueled way.

    Deconstructing Harry was one I forgot to mention earlier, but that it certainly another winner. But yeah, check out Match Point sometime. It shows (I thought, at least) a maturity and confidence in tone on Allen's part I hadn't seen in his other work. And the flick he did after that, Scoop, got trashed on alot, but I thought it was a mildly amusing comedy. Not great, but not terrible. It's mostly just Allen and Scarlett cracking silly one-liners at each other for 90 minutes. Not a bad way to spend some time.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 2:50:25 AM CST

    EEEWWWWWWWWWWW!

    by dr.bulber

    gah! i need a shower.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 3:13:33 AM CST

    Polanski and Allen

    by darth fart

    Firstly, Polanski was in prison for what? 60 days? Something like that. If you read his bio he said he entered a 13 year old girl and quickly withdrew - yeah, the guy was stupid but he paid for it. He went to prison but the judge wanted him to pay because other Hollywood stars were doing dubious things too. He wanted to make an example of Roman. The director paid for his crime, but now he's married and has children of his own. Roman had a very liberated view of sex; it's very European.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 3:26:47 AM CST

    Woody Allen is a legend

    by kwisatzhaderach

    Thanks for sharing that with us. Scarlett and Penelope in a film together! Holy potatoes! That's a must see.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 4:17:27 AM CST

    I preferred Scoop over Match Point...

    by evilgeek1

    I remember catching Scoop in Hollywood while on vacation and the one thing that infuriated me was that it never got an Irish release, because I loved. Ian Mc Shane! Match Point was good, don't get me wrong, but Scoop had a beautiful surrealism to it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 4:59:49 AM CST

    Mr. Saxon, couldn't agree with you more

    by grammaton cleric binks

    but in Hollywood they don't care about your personal life if you're considered a creative genius. In the real world Allen and Polanski would be sharing a cell together. I guess it's just me, but I don't support pedophiles.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 5:57:40 AM CST

    learn to interview

    by happy boy

    Capone: So... how about that internet?
    WA:I've never done anything in my life on the internet.
    Capone: Well, you're probably better off that way. Oh really? Is he better off never having used the internet? Christ people wtf kind of show are you running? Why dont you go ahead and ask him what his favorite color is? PS amychaser you are scum, you a big fan of OJ too? I hate it when they play that old murderer card with him. Sheez how annoying

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 6:45:46 AM CST

    Woody films bomb don't they?

    by dazzler69

    I always thought his movies was for douche bags and he is just a symbol for making a movie with for word of mouth. I liked him in Antz however.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 7:39:01 AM CST

    Capone should have questioned...

    by landrvr1

    why Penelope Cruz? She's butt ugly - no where near the beauty of Scarlett - and cannot act her way out of a wet paper bag.....

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 9:05:04 AM CST

    Penelope is my MOMMA!

    by hatespeech

    Give me a break, my momma am cutes!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 9:28:42 AM CST

    Woody Allen needs to talk to Chris Hansen

    by norrinrad

    Come on, Dateline, take him down.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 9:32:07 AM CST

    uh, how d'you mean European?

    by batjack

    I'm European, and I certainly wouldn't sleep with any under-age children, related sort-of or not.
    Why do you Americans think all we Europeans have this laid back laissez-faire attitude to sex?
    We're not like that at all. Well, maybe the French - think Roman Polanski.
    Us Brits, however, are quite circumspect.
    Except when it comes to weekends and parties.
    And I've had the injections to prove it.
    Check any of our films out.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 10:51:53 AM CST

    Thank you for agreeing to this interview, mr pedophile

    by arcadiands

    This interview was a gigantic internet ass kiss and shows that even the staff still considers this website to be a glorified myspace blog.
    youtube for some of the old school ET reports about Harry, back when his website was legendary in Hollywood for having spies on every set, posting stolen movie scripts, and being able to report super-secret casting info long before the likes of Variety ever found out.
    how far we have fallen.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 11:56:11 AM CST

    That's karma, Capone

    by cherryvalance

    Just when I thought I didn't believe in that stuff, you got to interview Woody Allen because your house blew apart. That's awesome. Congratulations. :D

    I can't wait to see 'Cassandra's Dream'. I don't quite understand why they decided to push it back a few weeks to make it ineligible for Oscar this year. I love all those guys, Allen, Farrell, McGregor, Wilkinson. So I've been looking forward to it for a while now. I've seen most of his films and I have to say I enjoy the newer ones more than the older ones for the most part. I even thought 'Scoop' was cute. Don't get the hate on that one. But wow, you interviewed Woody Allen!!! And you didn't even mess it up. I would have been like Chris Farley in those interviewing skits on SNL. :D

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 12:30:23 PM CST

    "CRIMES AND MISDEMENASORS"

    by toonol

    It takes a lot of work to generate that big of a typo.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 2:18:35 PM CST

    Thanks Saxon, here goes: I wish Allen and

    by grammaton cleric binks

    Polanski were both cops from the future so Preston could pistol whip their bitch asses for being the ultimate sense offenders. Stupid pedophiles, the gun-kata of Grammaton Cleric Preston would own you. Equilibrium rules.(deep breath, calm down, thanks Saxon, I needed that)

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 4:01:26 PM CST

    I liked the MONSTERTIT going apeshit...

    by travis-dane

    great shit!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 5:15:18 PM CST

    Let's be fair

    by azmodien

    I don't think anyone would deny that his marriage to Farrow's adopted daughter is fucked up, but I can't seem to find any evidence that he was a pedophile.

    Correct me if I'm wrong but everything I have read about the situation states that Soon-Yi was of-age when the relationship was discovered and the molestation accusations haven't been corroborated by the other children.

    He very well could be a sick fuck, but the evidence regarding underage molestation seems like mostly hearsay.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 5:30:51 PM CST

    If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck

    by grammaton cleric binks

    okay azmodien, I'll be fair. It just takes too long to type the word alleged.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Jan 21, 2008 7:59:17 PM CST

    OK, this movie sucked.

    by polyh3dron

    And I was a big fan of Match Point.

    Reply to Talkback

User Login

Forgot password? Retrieve it here

or register as new user

Quick Talkback Form

Please login to post talkback