Wild Man Blues (1997)

Academy Award-winner Barbara Kopple directs this documentary portrait of Academy Award and Golden Globe-winner Woody Allen, seen traveling with friends and fellow musicians during their New... See full summary »

Director:

Barbara Kopple

Stars:

Woody Allen, Letty Aronson, Soon-Yi Previn

4 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Letty Aronson	...	Herself - Sister of Woody Allen
Soon-Yi Previn	...	Herself (as Soon Yi Previn)
Dan Barrett	...	Himself - the Trombonist
Simon Wettenhall	...	Himself - the Trumpeter (as Simon Wettenthall)
John Gill	...	Himself - the Drummer and Vocalist
Greg Cohen	...	Himself - the Bassist
Cynthia Sayer	...	Herself - the Pianist
Eddy Davis	...	Himself - the Band Director and Banjoist
Woody Allen	...	Himself - The Clarinetist
Nettie Konigsberg	...	Herself - Mother of Woody Allen
Martin Konigsberg	...	Himself - Father of Woody Allen

Storyline

Academy Award-winner Barbara Kopple directs this documentary portrait of Academy Award and Golden Globe-winner Woody Allen, seen traveling with friends and fellow musicians during their New Orleans jazz band's 1996 European tour. Allen's relationship with his wife Soon-Yi Previn is captured on film here for the first time, and others on the European jaunt include Allen's sister Letty Aronson. Followed by press, paparazzi, and gushing admirers, Allen returns home to face a more realistic critical assessment during "the lunch from hell" with his aged parents.

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Plot Keywords:

title directed by female | paparazzi | jazz | jazz score | bologna | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Fine Line

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Italian

Release Date:

17 April 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blues del hombre salvaje

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$54,458, 19 April 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$425,788, 29 May 1998

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jean Doumanian Productions, Cabin Creek Films, Sweetland Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Woody Allen's parents, who were well into their 90s at the time of filming, appear on-screen late in the film. This marked the first time that Martin Konigsberg and Nettie Konigsberg had anything even remotely to do with their son's film career (although they were consistently satirized throughout the years).

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Quotes

Woody Allen: They won't pay ten cents to see one of my movies, but passing in a gondola, they love it.

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Crazy Credits

Subtitles credit Letty Aronson and Soon-Li Previn. The band members are credited orally by Woody Allen as he introduces them to an audience. Allen himself is credited by marquees during the trip.

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Connections

Featured in Scene by Scene: Woody Allen (2000)

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Soundtracks

Shine
Music by Ford Dabney
Lyrics by Lew Brown and Cecil Mack
Used by permission of Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., Inc.

User Reviews

A look behind the scenes of Woody Allen's life.

This film provides a deeper insight into Woody Allen's private life, not to mention a treat for anyone who loves old New Orlean's jazz.

What I found most interesting was seeing Woody Allen as he really is which isn't much different from his characters in his movies. His interactions with people, his humor, his moods, his explanations of himself, seeing his interaction with his parents.

It was very real. Very human. Just what you'd expect from Woody Allen.

Some key quotes:

His wife, Soon yi said: "When she came to see you play, she said that's the most movement she's seen from you from the whole time she's known you."

Woody: "The most movement? What does she expect? I mean, I'm not gonna bob my head and tap my feet when I'm talking about politics or literature or something. I'm not going to keep time. Right? Be reasonable. I'm appropriately animated for a human in the context within which I exist."

Lady: "You are so intelligent. You are so happy to be so intelligent." Woody (jokingly): "Well, yes. It is a burden though sometimes. With this much intelligence comes great responsibility. You know. It's lonely at the top."

In the hotel restaurant walking around: "Oh, there's the band. Oh, my goodness, they're eating like their going to the 'chair'."

"Whenever I travel, I always have to have my own bathroom because I'm crazy. So I always wind up taking an extra room or an extra suite of rooms. Then I can place around all my unctions and vanishing creams and the cosmetics that give me this look."

With his wife at breakfast in their Milan hotel: "You know, this being Milan, I hope our laundry doesn't come back breaded."

"I've got the kind of personality that when I'm here (Europe) I miss New York and when I'm in New York I miss Europe. I just don't like being where I am at any given moment. I would rather be somewhere else. So you know there's no way to beat that problem because no matter where you are, you know what I mean, it's chronic dissatisfaction."

In London with a bad cold: "What a drag. I was looking forward to giving a good show tonight. I don't want to just go out there and make an achievement till I get through the show. I want the show to be very good cause if I'm not good, these people will hate me in my own language."