Woody Allen: A Documentary - Director`s Cut - DVD

Film: What you always wanted to know about Woody Allen, but never dared to ask - filmmaker Robert B. Weide gives you the answers. Over a period of almost two years, Weide has accompanied the legendary filmmaker and has created a comprehensive portrait of Woody Allen from numerous interviews with Allen himself, family members, friends, colleagues and companions, as well as with the help of numerous archive material on behalf of the American television channel PBS for the series American Masters. The TV version, over three hours long and now available on DVD, paints a very good and comprehensive picture of Allen's life and work.

Woody Allen: A Documentary looks at the director from his childhood and adolescence through his beginnings as a stand up comedian, gag writer and actor to his early successes in front of and behind the camera. Particularly worth watching in this early part of the film are old TV clips with interviews and funny stand up footage of Allen, who initially had great difficulty stepping into the limelight himself. His first directorial efforts, but especially his cult films The Urban Neurotic, Manhattan, Broadway Danny Rose or Zelig, are given special space. However, the numerous excerpts from these films also make it clear why Woody Allen enjoys such high esteem and genuine cult status as a director, actor, and artist, despite some of the cucumbers he has delivered over the course of his career.

The films from the 90s and early 2000s come up a bit short or are not mentioned at all. As good and comprehensive as the first few chapters of this cinematic biography are, their conclusion feels perfunctory and rushed. Granted, many of the films Allen made in the years leading up to Match Point simply don't have the place value of his early work, but this period of his career is still not uninteresting.

Nonetheless, Weide's documentary is a very entertaining and insightful film that also addresses more controversial parts of Allen's life, leaving the impression of a comprehensive and also honest biography. Sure, the film is first and foremost a tribute to the artist, but it's very pleasant to hear critical voices as well - even if they sometimes come from Allen himself. If you appreciate Woody Allen as a filmmaker, actor or musician, if you could especially laugh at his earlier films or if you don't know what he did before The Urban Neurotic, you'll find Woody Allen: A Documentary especially in this long version spread over two DVDs. Absolutely worth watching!

Image + Sound: The actual interviews present themselves on the DVD in clean and sharp quality and the clips from Allen's films also reveal a good visual transfer. There are minor smudges here and there in the archive footage, but otherwise the overall sharpness, colouring and contrast are spot on and are at a very good level for a documentary. The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is primarily in the front, the surround channels are hardly used at all. The documentary is only available in the original English language version with fixed German subtitles.

Extras: While the first DVD only has the first part of the documentary to offer, are on the second disc in addition to the main film a few extras worth seeing. Starting off with five cut scenes (approx. 20 min.) that include a lengthy visit to Allen's old neighborhood in Brooklyn as well as a conversation with actor John Doumanian, who, with 14 appearances, has appeared in Woody Allen's films more times than any other actor.

In addition to the cut scenes, there are 12 Questions for Woody Allen (approx. 6 min.), as well as an interview with director Robert B. Weide (approx. 6 min.), the trailer for the film, and other programming tips from the provider. Good!

Conclusion: Woody Allen: A Documentary, even in its shorter theatrical version, was a comprehensive showcase of the filmmaker's work and biography that was absolutely worth watching for his fans. In the almost one hour longer TV version available on the DVD, this impression was even strengthened. Here, certain aspects of Woody Allen's life and work are dealt with even more comprehensively and intensively. In addition, there are cut scenes and interviews in the bonus material. All this makes this double DVD a must for all film lovers and urban neurotics. Absolutely recommended!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp