Deconstructing Woody

I had no idea who or what Woody Allen was.

My first initiation came during schooldays through that awesome newspaper - Indian Express. One of their Sunday cartoon strips was something called Inside Woody Allen. It was based on this thin, bespectacled, neurotic, diffident, angst-ridden, Jewish mini basketcase. Of course, at that time I didn't know most of those words! But I still was able to grasp some of the not-so-subtle parts of the humour. Inside Woody Allen was not as simple, and hence, as funny as Bringing Up Father But I still preferred it to the supremely unfunny Peanuts.

The years passed by and to my surprise I discovered that Woody Allen was an actual person. The nonexistence of Internet and a healthy lack of too much curiosity made me not investigate further. Later on, in college, I found that he was an actor and a director. Which was a big surprise, as in small-town Kerala where I came from, I was pretty much an expert on Hollywood movies (ah, the arrogance, the impertinence!). And I had never seen any of Woody's movies, nor even heard of them. I promised myself I would watch them and judge them myself. I have made a lot of promises to myself.

Anyway, time passed. The idea of Woody became more important than the movies of Woody. I saw a couple of his films in passing. Nothing more. I am now in a point of my life where I am acutely aware of my mortality. Something Woody has been screaming from the rooftops, it seems! And so, I am embarking on my great project. See all Woody Allen movies. Review them. Share my opinions.

Join me as I go on my journey of Deconstructing Woody. I don't know when and if I will complete it. But I'll be damned if I don't give it a shot!

Play it again, Woody. This time, for only my sake.