From "Woody Allen’s ‘Coup de Chance’ Ignites Protests and Enthusiastic Standing Ovation at Venice Premiere" (Variety).
Quote from Allen: “I have so many ideas for films that I would be tempted to do it, if it was easy to finance. But beyond that, I don’t know if I have the same verve to go out and spend a lot of time raising money.”
Related: "'Coup de Chance' currently does not have U.S. distribution."
From a review of the movie (also in Variety)
The title of “Coup de Chance” means “Stroke of Luck”.... The question that must now be asked is: Will Woody Allen get lucky with “Coup de Chance”? He has made what is easily his best movie since “Blue Jasmine” (10 years ago), maybe since “Match Point” (18 years ago). It’s his 50th feature, and he is saying it may be his last. Should it be released in America? As a culture, I wouldn’t be too surprised if we found ourselves debating whether the time has come to give Woody Allen, as a filmmaker, another coup de chance.
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27 comments:
I suppose it’s a waste of time to contrast the number of people who believe Dylan Farrow’s unproven claims with the much smaller number who believe Ashley Biden”s assertions written in diary? More situational ethics.
Among Woody Allen’s masterpieces is Crimes and Misdemeanors, a film about murdering your lover and getting way with it. Allen’s subject matter becomes entirely relatable once you know his lover at the time was Maria de Lourdes Villiers “Mia” Farrow.
Truth.
I am overwhelmed by the bravery.
Actresses say they've discussed astrology with Mia Farrow. I believe Woody.
I love Woody Allen movies. I'm not talking about his character as a person or a man. But as a movie maker, he's one of the best of our generation. Maybe THE best.
In a nation full of people who demanded that others who did not get the vax should be fired from their jobs, removed from society, who knowingly elected a man who could barely campaign, was not allowed to talk to the public without a script, who is clearly not fully holding all of his cards, who took millions from foreign nationals to influence official US policy while VP (and probably President), being allowed to watch a movie by a guy with a less than scrupulous personal life seems almost trite.
If you hate him, don't see it. If you hate his movies, don't see it. If you want to see it, you should be able to. Stop the censoring madness.
I know people who refuse to watch any Woody Allen movie because of accusations about his personal life. Me? I still enjoy watching Roman Polanski's movies.
It's way past time for Woody Allen's career to be give the Coup de Grace. How many times can he make the same self absorbed movie about these people????? Woody Allen is the best argument ever made against immortality.
Allen claims that he doesn't speak French, but probably he'd being modest. Since it's all in French and has been well-received by French-speaking audiences, he must have some command of the language. He claims that since all the actors are fluent in English, he could give direction to them, but it seems as if you'd need a high level of understanding to direct the spoken aspect of the performances.
It's just one standing ovation after another, in Venice this year, eh? Inflation's everywhere..
Child sexual abuse was discovered as a ratings winner in the 70s, and the rest is history.
With the Hemingway girl, he was more of a fool than a predator. The allegations that were made against him by Mia were credible, but it's also plausible that maybe she was acting out of (justifiable) anger. Other than those two incidents, he seems to have been reasonably respectable for a Hollywood luminary. He certainly didn't commit any career ending crime like drugging and raping a twelve year old or saying anything nice about a Republican....I always liked Woody Allen. When news of his affair with Soon Yi first broke, I felt almost personally betrayed. He deserved all the criticism he got at the time, but it's been over forty years. Let it go....You can't say his movies exhibit toxic masculinity. The parts he writes for women are better than the parts he writes for men. The women in his movies were routinely nominated for Oscars. The feminists and the woke have silenced his voice.
European audiences also cheered Roman Polanski, so I'm not sure what to make of their taste. On the other hand, I find the abuse allegations against Allen a lot less believable than those against Polanski.
On the other other hand, Allen completely blew up his family over a romantic attachment, but even there, it's fair to notice that they've now been married for something like 25 years.
Woody Allen didn't blow up HIS family. Soon Yi was his girlfriend's adopted daughter. He never lived with Soon Yi. For that matter, he never lived with Mia Farrow! People who talk about this as if it's about incest or something really need to get their facts straight.
As for the child abuse allegation, it's an unfortunate fact that many, many aggrieved women have leveled false charges of child sexual abuse against their ex-partners in the wake of a traumatic breakup. There's no reason to give Mia's allegation any credence. No charges were brought against Woody Allen, and AFAIK, there has never been any other abuse allegation against him in his entire life. Contrast that fact with all of the cases we read about concerning priests, scout leaders, etc., who victimized scores of children over the course of their lives. Mia was angry and hurt about Soon Yi and therefore contrived the abuse allegation concerning Dylan as a way of trying to destroy him.
Woody Allen has made a lot of movies. Most of them not very good, but a few real classics. At this point, I don't really get the character assassination--sure, when it all came down, leaving his long-time girlfriend for that girlfriend's adopted daughter was icky, creepy. But Woody and Soon Yi have been married for 25 years. It's real and the time to complain about it has long past.
Coup de Chance’ Review: Woody Allen’s Drama of Upper-Middle-Class Murder Is His Best Movie Since ‘Blue Jasmine’ (or Maybe ‘Match Point’)
High praise indeed.
Please God, could Woody just retire? Finally and forever. He's always remaking the same 3 movies over and over again. I think Midnight in paris was the last one I watched. And I'm not watching his "new" one.
Goody for Woody. I have not seen many of his post-1970s movies, but this one looks tempting, subtitles and all.
AFAIU Woody has spent much of his life in France, and he probably is fairly fluent.
I've forgotten why Woody Allen is such a reprobate.
I’m interested in the Leonard Bernstein biopic ‘Maestro’. I remember growing up and watching Leonard Bernstein on TV teach about classical music. He was fantastic and made it understandable.
Another one is ‘The Count’ — where Pinochet and Thatcher are reborn as vampires in a blood-soaked satire. Reminds me of a mix between "Pan's Labyrinth" (a first for representing Francoists, following the Spanish Civil War) and the nice Hefner song, "The Day that Thatcher Dies".
I have no idea where the truth lies in the allegations made against Allen. I am literally agnostic about the matter, so it won't impact my enjoyment of his movies. I believe the allegations made about Polanski, and yet I still watch Chinatown about once every 2 to 3 years. However, had Allen been accused of being transphobic, for example, he would have been a pariah at the festival and surely not even invited to present a film.
If only they didn't also tend to give Polanski the same reception, this would mean more. And though he hasn't made a must-see movie since 1989, and it's annoying when he mails in the characterizations of "Republicans" as crypto-Nazis, the mass belief that he molested his little daughter is nothing short of insanity.
"European audiences also cheered Roman Polanski, so I'm not sure what to make of their taste. On the other hand, I find the abuse allegations against Allen a lot less believable than those against Polanski."
Polanski had been convinced by a jury before he fled to Europe from America. Allen on the other hand was investigated by the police in two states and they could not find any evidence to charge him with anything. And we all know that a politically ambitious prosecutor would have loved the spotlight of a celebrity trial.
So in the end Woody and Mia could have been the most upscale guests ever on the Jerry Springer Show in an episode titled "My Man Ran Off With My Adopted Adult Daughter." You know you would have tuned in to watch Mia throw a chair at Woody.
“Should it be released in America? As a culture, I wouldn’t be too surprised if we found ourselves debating whether the time has come to give Woody Allen, as a filmmaker, another coup de chance.”
In America debate is a hate crime. These things are now decided by our Ministry of Truth and Goodstuff.
"Woody Allen is the best argument ever made against immortality."
Truer words have never been written.
...it seems as if you'd need a high level of understanding to direct the spoken aspect of the performances.
My understanding is he gives very little direction. That's why actors like to work with him...
Why is anyone comparing Polanski to Allen. Polanksi raped a girl, was indicted, and then fled and skipped bail rather than face a trial. He's never denied having sex with a 13 year old, after plying her with booze and pills.
Allen has never been charged with anything. He was investigated and no charges were brought. And Its not about "believing Polanksi was innocent" - he was guilty as sin.
Hollywood has given both Allen and Polanski standing O's. So, any idea that its just so nasty Euros is absurd. Its "Show biz folk" in both continents.
As for watching Chinatown despite being made by a child rapist, i see nothing wrong with that. His art stands on its own. That'also why I think films by Nazis or Commies - assuming they aren't advocating overt race hatred - should be shown and made available too.
Personally, I liked Chinatown the 1st time, and thought it was tedious/unbelievable after the 2nd. Maybe because I was 20 years older.
I suppose it’s a waste of time to contrast the number of people who believe Dylan Farrow’s unproven claims with the much smaller number who believe Ashley Biden's assertions written in (her) diary?
Believing Dylan Farrow doesn't make it easier for Trump to become president again.
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