The Significance of Cities in Woody Allen’s Feature Films

VARGA, Tomáš. The Significance of Cities in Woody Allen’s Feature Films. In Place, Space, Region and Cultural Identity in Anglophone Literatures, Arts and Cultures, Prešov, Slovakia, November 20-21, 2018. 2018.

Basic information

• Original name: The Significance of Cities in Woody Allen’s Feature Films
• Authors: VARGA, Tomáš (703 Slovakia, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Place, Space, Region and Cultural Identity in Anglophone Literatures, Arts and Cultures, Prešov, Slovakia, November 20-21, 2018, 2018.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Presentations at conferences
• Field of Study: 50802 Media and socio-cultural communication
• Country of publisher: Slovakia
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14210/18:00104574
• Organization unit: Faculty of Arts
• Keywords in English: Woody Allen; feature films; place; city
• Tags: rivok
• Tags: International impact

Abstract

The presentation will analyze three films directed by Woody Allen—their unifying element is their genre, they are all comedies with slight difference in sub-genres—Midnight in Paris (2011, fantasy comedy), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993, murder mystery comedy), and Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008, romantic comedy-drama). The main focus will be given to the influence of Paris, New York, and Barcelona/Oviedo in respective films. Romantic and dramatic clash between the city-natives and the city-newbies will be among the analyzed aspects of the city’s impact on the story. The hypothesis is that the individual storylines are heavily influenced by the city they are set in. The idea is to present evidence from selected films to show the differences in plots, characters, and overall plot. For example, Midnight in Paris works mostly with nostalgic views of the city and longing for the Golden era, while in Manhattan Murder Mystery, the city is a place of intrigues and greed. Barcelona and Oviedo in Vicky Cristina Barcelona help establishing the environment full of passion and intimacy. The presentation hopes to proclaim the effect of cities on the films, which are set in them. By extension, it also stresses the importance of choosing the right place for the right action.

Links

• MUNI/A/1003/2017, interní kód MU: Name: Profilace výzkumných zaměření v anglofonní lingvistické a literární vědě III (Acronym: PROVYZAN III)

Investor: Masaryk University, Category A