Woody Allen: A Documentary

This time of year would have to be one of my favourites. It is Sydney Film Festival time. Each year I buy myself a 10 pack of tickets and choose 10 films to see. It can be rather difficult to go through the program and only have to choose 10 films. There is always the worry about whether I have chosen the right films. But not all can be winners and that is part of the fun.
Regular readers will know that I am a huge fan of Woody Allen. So I was really excited to choose as my first film a documentary about one of my favourite writer/director/actors. I think that as I grow older I have come to appreciate some of the more classic films and film makers. A couple of years ago I got to see some of Woody's earlier films on the big screen and it was an amazing experience. I had been a fan of his before this but my love deepened by having seen some of his earlier work. What I love most about Woody is his determination. He makes a film each year and on his own terms. Companies give him money to go away and make a movie without any interference. It is because he can make it within budget and that they make some profit that he can continue making so many films. 
I learned a great deal from this film about Woody and how he makes his movies. As a writer myself I love to find out how writers get their ideas and how they actually write. In this film we find out that Woody has been using the same typewriter almost all his life, which I found interesting. And the most interesting thing is how he 'copies and pastes' without the use of a computer. There is also the huge stack of paper he has with ideas that he goes through to help develop his films. 
One other aspect that makes me appreciate him is his ability to make such a wide variety of films. His career began with wacky, farce like films with lots of visual comedy. He then moved into more verbal comedy before making drama. Something that stunned lots of his fans. Despite that he managed to become hugely successful. His approach can bee seen as a little scatter shot as he has had many misses but he has also had many hits as we have seen with his most profitable film being released last year 'Midnight In Paris'. There is also his ability to create so many wonderful female role. Lots of actresses that have been awarded for their work in his films.
My favourite Woody Allen film is probably everyone elses favourite, 'Annie Hall'. It is a brilliantly written romantic comedy. I am also a fan of 'Manhattan' and 'Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex (But Were Afraid To Ask)'.
This was originally a TV series that was cut down for a theatrical release. I really look forward to getting the full film on DVD and learning about one of my favourite film makers.