But the fact remains that Woody Allen, the filmmaker, is one of our more interesting directors. While Oscar nominations are not normally a garentee of greatness, Allen`s own track record is impressive. He is tied with Billy Wilder for the most nominated screenwriter, with more than 10 screenplays to be credited. He has been also nominated six times for Best Director. This is alll the more interesting when it is known that Woody himself has no liking for the Academy. In other words, instead of buttering up the Academy members, he does things his own way, yet still gets nominated. This must suggest that Woody Allen must have some degree of skill. And while there may be a lot of sameness in his films, on account of Allen`s persona, the fact is that there is a lot of variation in his work. When he began his directing career, Allen created farcical, slapstick comedies (Sleeper, Bananas, etc), then graduated onto more deeper comedies such as Annie Hall and Manhattan. Along the way he has managed to do a musical (Everyone Says I Love You), a few more serious works (Crimes and Misdemeanours, for example), and a number of films in which he does not exploit his own persona and remained behind the camera (Bullets Over Broadway, Sweet and Lowdown, etc.)
Interiors (1978) is without much doubt the black sheep of the Woody Allen repertoire. The follow-up to the Oscar-winning Best Picture Annie Hall, Interiors is like nothing you would expect from a comedian. The film, a strict, rigid, extremly quiet, and grim drama, was meant to prove to the world that Woody Allen was indeed a Serious Filmmaker. Instead, the film bombed, while apparently insulting fans who were subjected to not just a drama, but a completly inacessable piece of celluloid. While Interiors received five Oscar nominations, and was admired by a few viewers and critics, like Roger Ebert, the film was pretty much forgotten.
I`m actually one of those few admirers, as I can be as I`m not strongly attached to Woody Allen`s work. While some of his films are good, I`m not a rabid fan, which means I don`t expect to see the same old thing every time. This film certainly has a number of fascinating elements. Yet I do understand why peple would avoid this film. Interiors is a completly unfashionable film, even for the 1970`s. The film avoids any attempt at juicing up the action, with pumped-up emotions and musical scores, the script is talky and very self-reflecting, even pretentious, and there is very little emotion, especially humour, the one thing we`d expect from Allen. Even I found it difficult to "like" or "enjoy"; this is not light entertainment. Unlike possibly any other film, even Crimes and Misdemeanours, another fairly pessimistic work, Interiors is a film which appears to be completely outside Woody`s creative character.
Go To Page: 1 2
