Woody Allen Reflects On Love, Life And His Bed

THE ONLY place Woody Allen ever really wants to be is in his bed. "My spot on the bed is my spot in the world," he explains. It's where he watches baseball games, and reads, and where he writes, usually in the morning, because if he starts at night, he sometimes gets so excited he can't go to sleep. It's where the act of imagination is actually "pleasurable and I might go cast the people and see my characters come to life. And I put the music in and I see the characters playing their scenes to the beautiful music behind them. You know, I get a kick out of that. And if nobody else does, that's too bad."

He sounds less defiant than resigned. Of all the major American artists, Allen has experienced one of the cruelest and most violent whipsaws of fortune, of tumbling from audience adulation to mass approbation. His solution to the vagaries of public estimation is to hold fast to the belief that none of it means anything. "When you're a kid you think to yourself, 'Fame and fortune and it's going to be so exciting and . . .' -- but then you quickly find after three or four films, you find, 'Wait a minute, the upside is nothing and the downside is nothing.' The adulation of the multitudes or of the critics is an impersonal experience, and the negative feelings [from] people is an impersonal experience. The contract that the audience has with the person is you entertain us and we'll show up. And that is as the contract should be."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[nopartygal]

Not to split hairs or nuthin' but, if writers are going to use big, long, complicated (4 syllable) words, they should perhaps look up the meaning of same words first?...? Just F.Y.I.: 'Approbation' means approval. What she (Rachel Abramowitz) meant to say is 'disapprobation'. But I guess that would have been a REALLY long word... Best would have been to keep it simple and just say disapproval.

[SEQUOIABISON]

A true cinematic genius. The Charlie Chaplin of the talkies.

[GerryS]

a child molester-

[marymansour]

Not a child molester - a genius for real.

[sufi66]

"the platoon of piffles" ??????????????

There's not one American director who wouldn't give anything to have one of Allen's "piffles."

Although Woody would disagree, there is probably no director/writer/actor in the world who had achieved more.

So keep your cheap shots to yourself.

[mamacat]

If he had only ever made but a single movie, Annie Hall, his reputation would be secure. Come to think of it, that may be the only movie of his that I appreciate.

[KillgoreTrout43]

Sorry to hear that.

[rockyersocksoff]

I especially like his earlier, funny movies.

Oh, and: subjectivity is objective.

Not in an irrational scheme of perception.

[michaelescher]

His bed?

Just about the last thing I want to think about. Ick!

[lolyla]

His wife better watch out -- she may be getting too old for him. He sure has been cozying up to Scarlett Johannson for several of his latest movies.

[KillgoreTrout43]

Read the article. He is quite happy with his present family. At 71, the male libido is not what it used to be. Although, Scarlett could arouse a dead man.

[TurgidCaterwauling]

It's impossible to know what happened between he and Mia Farrow. Maybe he indeed was the worst person imaginable, or maybe she was. Or maybe this was yet another relationship doomed by multiple factors. Whether or not I agreed with the way things went is simply not my business, any more
than my relationship with my wife is Woody's business or anyone's. That he is a celebrity doesn't make his personal relationships fair game. My only interest in Woody Allen and other celebrities is their professional contributions.

[rockyersocksoff]

His Mia/Soon-Yi swap was icky, creepy, cheesy. But not illegal. Feh.

I was a huge fan at the time, and it did sour me on Woody.

Well, I think his movies got shittier after that.

But hell, they're still married, so maybe it wasn't so creepy.

And let's not forget 19 year old Mia Farrow marrying 41 year old Frank Sinatra.

CREEPY!

But, let's quit bitching and send some ramen noodles and Evian to Darfur?

[KillgoreTrout43]

Oh grow up.

[nopartygal]

TurgidCaterwauling- " your whole comment"

Wow! An actual adult comment! Next you'll be telling us the John Edwards saga is nobody's business but his and Elizabeth's and the third party's...

If so - Kudos to you!!!

nopartygal

[dzent1]

It's a frightening thing that some of you commenting on Woody Allen's love life (none of your business in any account) are going to be allowed to vote. You obviously never take the time to reach an informed opinion before mouthing off. Louts.

[KillgoreTrout43]

My sentiment exactly, dzent1. Some people just can't rise above the tabloid mentality.

[andvoodoo2]

Allen is one of those famous people who never cease to remind me that famous people are just people. He is just as neurotic in real life as he is in his movies. I love many of his movies ("Hannah And Her Sisters", "Annie Hall", "Radio Days", "Mighty Aphrodite", "Crimes and Misdemeanors" and others) and I respect him as a musician. That said, he is quite the regular human.

[johnnygoodwud]

sounds like the woodster is all out of wood

[Sloane7]

I still really like Woody Allen's movies, some are favorites. I wish he would just keep making movies and not give interviews so I could watch the movies without being reminded.

[Agentlady007]

I would like to write a movie called " Peter Pan Got Old" and star him in it.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Aren't these women a little too old for you Woody?

[KillgoreTrout43]

Jerk!

[marymansour]

I simply dote on Woody Allen. His private life got slammed but it doesn't affect his very real genius. I wish Woody well. He has afforded his fans with glimpses at a world we wouldn't have known without him. Good health and luck to you, Woody.

[Jain]

He MARRIED HIS DAUGHTER.
How is this not child molestation? He should be in jail.
You dote? Have you seen the naked pictures he took of her through the glass table?

[GeorgeKaplan]

She was 22... not young enough for jail time. He was also accused of child molestation of his biological child by Mia. The problem was there was not one shred of evidence to support it. Those are the facts.

[marymansour]

She was 22 years old and adopted.

[marymansour]

And may I add a post script to what I said below: She was 22 years old and adopted by Mia Farrow his girlfriend at the time. He and Mia didn't even live together.

[pizzmoe]

Wasn't his daughter.

[GeorgeKaplan]

"Have you seen the naked pictures he took of her through the glass table?"

Have you? Has anybody? And what is your point?