December 1, 2015 marked Woody Allen’s 80th birthday, followed four months later by the 50th anniversary of his screen debut as one of the major writer-directors of modern cinema. With nearly 50 movies to his credit, from cult slapstick films, to romantic comedies, to introspective character studies and crime thrillers, Woody Allen’s work is still keenly anticipated prior to a new release. From his directorial debut to his latest release Irrational Man, Woody Allen’s output has always been prodigious, making more or less a film a year since the early 1970s. He has won numerous accolades, including four Oscars, nine BAFTAs, two Golden Globes and in 2014 the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille award for contribution to cinema. In this timely retrospective, Tom Shone concisely reviews Woody Allen’s entire career. His informed commentaries are combined with many classic quotes from Allen that define his self-deprecating humour and acute thinking about his life and times.
