Woody Allen: A Life in Film

by Richard Schickel

In an unprecedented television program last year, Woody Allen spoke to the camera for the first time about the entire range of his work, in an interview with Richard Schickel, the distinguished film critic and historian. Mr. Allen talked about how he does it, why he does it, its roots in his early life, and his current thinking about the state of his art. The result Woody A Life in Film, was one of the most popular and critically acclaimed programs in the history of Turner Classic Movies. But the presentation contained only a small fraction of Mr. Schickel's four-hour interview with the famed writer-director-actor. This new book reprints the complete conversation between the two men and includes a long essay of introduction by Mr. Schickel, which places Woody Allen's entire career in critical perspective. Readers will find Mr. Allen's reflections on his major preoccupations-the battle of the sexes; the conflict between reality and fantasy in his major films; mortality, religion, and the role that chance plays in the unfolding of our lives. The book also offers insights into Mr. Allen's working methods as a writer and the growth of his skills as a director, as well as his assessment of himself as an actor and his surprising views of his long life in the public eye. Brief but sharply honed, Woody A Life in Film is an essential book for anyone seeking to understand the life and times of one of the most important and least understood American filmmakers of our era.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Film

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Richard Schickel is an important American film historian, journalist, author, filmmaker, screenwriter, documentarian, and film and literary critic.

Mr. Schickel is featured in For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism. In this 2009 documentary film he discusses early film critics in the 1960s, and how he and other young critics, rejected the moralizing opposition of Bosley Crowther of The New York Times who had railed against violent movies such as Bonnie and Clyde.

In addition to film, Schickel has also critiqued and documented cartoons, particularly Peanuts.

Schickel was a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1964. He has also lectured at Yale University and University of Southern California's School of Film and Television.

Reviews

[Luke Umar-Khitab · Rating 4 out of 5]

can you tell I'm working on a paper

[Samrat Sen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strictly for die hard Woody Allen fans. Discusses his movies, his political ideas, his philosophy, his views on life.

I personally do not subscribe to Mr. Allen’s views on luck and magical realism as they do not pass the litmus test of my rational mind. However, from a story telling and movie making point of view, I can understand his position.

From the movies point of view, I became fascinated with Mr. Allen’s movies as the extensive discussions among various characters made me interested in the view points and made me think of and understand the border less nature of relationships in real life today.

You make me think constructively Mr. Allen. And this book goes a long way in you communicating to us off-screen.

[Philip Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

(borrowed from the Jan Platt Library in Tampa)

Schickel,with his essay and his extended interview (done for a PBS special), gets deep into Woody's films.

(more later)