July 2010 Artist of the Month: Woody Allen

There have been a couple of artists I’ve had in mind since the inception of the Artist of the Month program here at Widescreen Warrior. Most of them are people who work behind the camera, with a body of work too valuable to ignore. Yet, many of them have careers that I’ve only had a passing familiarity with. At the top of that list is Woody Allen.

There’s no denying Allen’s impact on the film industry, even if you don’t care for his films. He’s been such an iconic presence, the whiny, neurotic, Jewish figure, that contemporary actors who fit the same description are titled “the Woody Allen” type. He’s the kind of director who finds a muse in a particular actress, and returns to work with her again and again. Yet, he’s a filmmaker who considers himself a bit lazy, and has even stated that he feels like he’s squandered his own abilities.

This month, we feature the films of Woody Allen on the site and as part of our weekly discussion on the Weekly Blend Audio Show. Even if you feel like he’s a filmmaker you don’t like, try to visit at least one of our picks and make that an informed decision, sounding off on our message boards and story comments sections.

Widescreen Warrior.com Presents: Woody Allen

July 11th - The Early Years:
• Take the Money and Run (1969)
• Play it Again, Sam (1972)

July 18th - The Diane Keaton Years:
• Annie Hall (1977)
• Manhattan (1979)

July 25th - The Mia Farrow Years:
• Hannah and her Sisters (1986)
• Husbands & Wives (1992)

August 1st - The Scarlet Johannson Years:
• Match Point (2005)
• Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008)

Full filmography available at IMDb