Trevor Gilks is nearing the end of a project to watch all of Woody Allen's films in order. He edits the website Every Woody Allen Movie.
How did you become a Woody Allen fan?
My parents were fans growing up, and I remember watching movies like Annie Hall and The Purple Rose of Cairo with them as a young man. Following that, I grew up into the sort of person - neurotic, over-educated, whiny, spectacled, white - for whom Woody Allen fandom is just sort of assumed.
What was your inspiration for starting the project?
Boredom, a burning need to tell people what I think about stuff, and a long-held desire to be considered an expert in something.
What was the trickiest element to achieve?
The trickiest part is avoiding repetition - repeating myself, and repeating others. The Internet is over-populated with opinions and if I can't offer anything new, there's essentially no real justification for my existence. I don't always succeed, but I'm always trying.
Of everything you've done what have you been most pleased with?
I think grabbing the domain 'everywoodyallenmovie.com' was a stroke of genius. It makes me seem more official.
When I did my own similar project, I found it easier to watch a chunk of them together and then go back and write reviews because it meant I could see the commonalities between them more clearly. What was your method, and did you have any particular aspects that you wanted concentrate on?
My approach was more one-at-a-time - watch one, write about it, then repeat. Unlike you, I don't have any other material I can put out in between Allen movies, but I still wanted to be able to publish content on a regular, non-sporadic basis.
I didn't go into it with anything in particular I was looking for. I figured I'd just head out and see what happened. I suppose my one hope was that the unique position I was putting myself in - watching them all in order - would give me a special perspective that would allow me to notice things others might miss.
What's your favourite Woody Allen film and why?
Annie Hall and/or Manhattan are my default choices, for all the usual reasons - emotion, characters, insight. However, I've seen those movies so many times, I feel ready to retire them. If I was going to watch a Woody Allen movie right now, I'd pick Take the Money and Run, Stardust Memories or Zelig. All three of them have a wild, unpredictable energy that's very exciting and lends itself to repeat enjoyment.
What stops you from feeling listless?
Continuous distraction.
Trevor continues to watch every Woody Allen movie here.
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