At this year's Cannes Film Festival, Woody Allen talks about the meaning of life while presenting his latest film, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger. In this well captured interview, Allen stays true to how we've always known him to be: showing off his classic intellectually neurotic New Yorker vibe that only Woody Allen can emit inside as well as outside of his films.
The interview conjures up a very famous scene from one of his earlier films: all time favorite Annie Hall, about how the universe is at a constant state of expansion, delivered via one of his characters--based on himself, a kid named Alvy. The context behind it: Alvy's mother takes him to the doctor because he's been showing some signs of depression as of late.
The infamous scene, depicts the film maker essentially as a young child growing up in Brooklyn and at a very young age, stumbling upon the biggest road block that all mortals have to face: What is the point of this life? The film debuted in 1977; and over 30 years later, Allen is still debating this very same dilemma of a finite life, but this time he does finally add some very insightful deductions as to what the point is, if in fact the universe is expanding (however not in Brooklyn, or in Allen's now current setting-- at least not in Cannes) and how we can overcome such debilitating human concerns.
Mother: He's been depressed all of sudden he can't do anything!
Doctor: Why are you depressed Alvy?
Mother: Tell Doctor Flicker. It's something he read.
Doctor: Something you read eh?
Alvy: The universe is expanding.
Doctor: The universe is expanding?
Alvy: Well the universe is everything; and if it's expanding, someday it will break apart; and that will be the end of everything.
Mother: What is that your business!? He stopped doing his homework!
Alvy: What's the point?
Mother: What has the universe got to do with it!? You are here in Brooklyn! Brooklyn is not expanding!
Doctor: It won't be expanding for billions of years here Alvy, and we've got to enjoy ourselves while we're here ah? ah? Ha hahahhaaha!
The infamous scene, depicts the film maker essentially as a young child growing up in Brooklyn and at a very young age, stumbling upon the biggest road block that all mortals have to face: What is the point of this life? The film debuted in 1977; and over 30 years later, Allen is still debating this very same dilemma of a finite life, but this time he does finally add some very insightful deductions as to what the point is, if in fact the universe is expanding (however not in Brooklyn, or in Allen's now current setting-- at least not in Cannes) and how we can overcome such debilitating human concerns.
Opening Scene, Annie Hall
