woody allen claims he is a "failed artist"
10-28-02, 04:54 PM
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woody allen claims he is a "failed artist"
Woody Allen Says Is Failed Artist
Monday October 28 1:20 PM ET
ROME (AP) He's won three Oscars and is considered by many to be one of the best movie directors of our time. But Woody Allen says if he had three words to define himself, "I would say I am a failed artist."
"I am not even an actor," the 66-year-old Allen was quoted as saying by La Repubblica daily and other Italian newspapers over the weekend. "Dustin Hoffman is an actor, Jack Nicholson is an actor, I'm not."
Allen has appeared in many of his own films, including "Annie Hall," "Hannah and Her Sisters," "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" and "Hollywood Ending."
"If I weren't famous, nobody would come to my concerts," he told the Rome daily Il Messaggero. "I'm less than mediocre with the clarinet."
Allen was in Rome to promote "Hollywood Ending," which was a box-office disappointment in the United States.
He won Oscars for best director and best original screenplay for 1977's "Annie Hall" and for best original screenplay for 1986's "Hannah and Her Sisters."
Monday October 28 1:20 PM ET
ROME (AP) He's won three Oscars and is considered by many to be one of the best movie directors of our time. But Woody Allen says if he had three words to define himself, "I would say I am a failed artist."
"I am not even an actor," the 66-year-old Allen was quoted as saying by La Repubblica daily and other Italian newspapers over the weekend. "Dustin Hoffman is an actor, Jack Nicholson is an actor, I'm not."
Allen has appeared in many of his own films, including "Annie Hall," "Hannah and Her Sisters," "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" and "Hollywood Ending."
"If I weren't famous, nobody would come to my concerts," he told the Rome daily Il Messaggero. "I'm less than mediocre with the clarinet."
Allen was in Rome to promote "Hollywood Ending," which was a box-office disappointment in the United States.
He won Oscars for best director and best original screenplay for 1977's "Annie Hall" and for best original screenplay for 1986's "Hannah and Her Sisters."
10-28-02, 05:55 PM
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Well, being that the self is usually the strongest critic, and given his common theme of self-criticism in many of his films, this is not a surprising statement from Allen. However, this does not change the fact that he's one of cinema's greats. Allen is always hypochondriacal and self-deprecating, but that doesn't take away from what he's done. He's easily in my top ten of American directors...
10-28-02, 06:01 PM
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I read this too. But it seems to me that he is referring only to his acting and musical abilities. He laments that he doesn't like himself as an actor and that he is a bad musician. He doesn't say anything about himself being a bad director, which he isn't, although he has stunk since Deconstructing Harry.
10-28-02, 07:04 PM
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I've always admired Allen's humility. It's something a hell of a lot of younger directors could learn from. I give the man credit for always keeping at work, and putting out a movie every year nearly even if they aren't all classics. I'd still rather watch mediocre Allen like "Curse Of The Jade Scorpion" over almost anything else in the box office top ten every week.
10-28-02, 07:33 PM
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He's never been a good actor and he's at best just average as a clarinet player. If he aspired to be better, and can't get to that level, then he's definitely failed. What's the big deal?
10-29-02, 10:16 AM
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I've always said that he's a good director, but I wish he would stop putting himself in his films.
I like this quote from him:
I like this quote from him:
(Allen) was even more deprecating about Hollywood, calling it "a place where people spend a huge amount of money and yet make very few, if any, decent films." Even films that are regarded as Hollywood's greatest masterpieces compare poorly with such European films as The Bicycle Thief, Grand Illusion or 8 1/2, which are, he said, "deeper works of art."
10-29-02, 01:02 PM
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Another thread which enables all the Allen haters to offer their deep and insightful thoughts on why they don't like his films
10-29-02, 01:16 PM
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Word!
10-29-02, 01:50 PM
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Originally posted by Jaymole
Another thread which enables all the Allen haters to offer their deep and insightful thoughts on why they don't like his films
Another thread which enables all the Allen haters to offer their deep and insightful thoughts on why they don't like his films
10-29-02, 03:09 PM
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In my opinion, Allen has been in a complete tailspin since Crimes and Misdemeanors. His entire 1990's output has been truly embarrassing. And this is speaking from someone who dutifully went every opening weekend from A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy through Small Town Crooks, even when I knew the films were going to both suck and blow.
My theory is that even the greatest of great directors only have a brief time when they do their really exceptional work that is both artistically engaging and well admired. It's only a decade or so of consistently good work. The corollary to this is that as soon as a filmmaker has enough notoriety that the average moviegoer knows his name and can recognize his face it's almost a sure bet that the movie is going to be lousy. At least that's almost always the case with American films -- my historical perspective regarding non-American filmmakers isn't nearly as complete.
Allen had a really exceptional run from, say, Annie Hall through Hannah and Her Sisters. He should be proud of that. But it's way over for him.
My theory is that even the greatest of great directors only have a brief time when they do their really exceptional work that is both artistically engaging and well admired. It's only a decade or so of consistently good work. The corollary to this is that as soon as a filmmaker has enough notoriety that the average moviegoer knows his name and can recognize his face it's almost a sure bet that the movie is going to be lousy. At least that's almost always the case with American films -- my historical perspective regarding non-American filmmakers isn't nearly as complete.
Allen had a really exceptional run from, say, Annie Hall through Hannah and Her Sisters. He should be proud of that. But it's way over for him.
10-29-02, 04:20 PM
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Originally posted by auntiewinnie
In my opinion, Allen has been in a complete tailspin since Crimes and Misdemeanors. His entire 1990's output has been truly embarrassing. And this is speaking from someone who dutifully went every opening weekend from A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy through Small Town Crooks, even when I knew the films were going to both suck and blow.
My theory is that even the greatest of great directors only have a brief time when they do their really exceptional work that is both artistically engaging and well admired. It's only a decade or so of consistently good work. The corollary to this is that as soon as a filmmaker has enough notoriety that the average moviegoer knows his name and can recognize his face it's almost a sure bet that the movie is going to be lousy. At least that's almost always the case with American films -- my historical perspective regarding non-American filmmakers isn't nearly as complete.
Allen had a really exceptional run from, say, Annie Hall through Hannah and Her Sisters. He should be proud of that. But it's way over for him.
In my opinion, Allen has been in a complete tailspin since Crimes and Misdemeanors. His entire 1990's output has been truly embarrassing. And this is speaking from someone who dutifully went every opening weekend from A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy through Small Town Crooks, even when I knew the films were going to both suck and blow.
My theory is that even the greatest of great directors only have a brief time when they do their really exceptional work that is both artistically engaging and well admired. It's only a decade or so of consistently good work. The corollary to this is that as soon as a filmmaker has enough notoriety that the average moviegoer knows his name and can recognize his face it's almost a sure bet that the movie is going to be lousy. At least that's almost always the case with American films -- my historical perspective regarding non-American filmmakers isn't nearly as complete.
Allen had a really exceptional run from, say, Annie Hall through Hannah and Her Sisters. He should be proud of that. But it's way over for him.
The 80's was probably my favorite Allen decade though.
10-29-02, 05:14 PM
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Unlike many I really don't like his work, so I fully agree with him
BTW: IMHO his statement is just him on an ego trip. He knows how successful he is considered by the great majority. By him saying that he is a failure I guess we're supposed to be impressed. He probably wants us to say, "Wow, if he considers all that he's accomplished a failure, he must really be a genius."
If you like him that's ok with me. However, as far as I'm concerned I'd rather watch an Ed Wood movie than a Woody Allen movie and he's a looser as far as his private life is concerned too.
BTW: IMHO his statement is just him on an ego trip. He knows how successful he is considered by the great majority. By him saying that he is a failure I guess we're supposed to be impressed. He probably wants us to say, "Wow, if he considers all that he's accomplished a failure, he must really be a genius."
If you like him that's ok with me. However, as far as I'm concerned I'd rather watch an Ed Wood movie than a Woody Allen movie and he's a looser as far as his private life is concerned too.