Last week at the Golden Globes there was a lifetime tribute to Woody Allen. The next day the internet exploded with a simple yet troubling question: can we really celebrate a great filmmaker if all signs point to him being inappropriate with minors... or way worse?
It seems whenever Woody Allen is praised this same question comes up. The internet seems to divide into two camps: Allen Lovers and Allen Haters.
I'm both. Let me explain... and how this has anything to do with Britney Spears.
I love Allen's earlier works and a handful of late entries. They stand apart from his person as art and deserve lifetime recognition. There's enough people like me in agreement over his craft that -- frankly -- his artistry is no longer up for debate.
I hate Allen's breadcrumb trail that leads to likely pedophile inclinations. I'm not talking about his private life but the breadcrumbs left in his art.
In LOVE AND DEATH, Woody asks the wisest old man in the village for ultimate wisdom, and the long bearded sage highly recommends twin 14 year old girls. Ahem.
MANHATTAN is in my top ten of Best Movies ever. (It's far superior to Best Picture winner ANNIE HALL.) The story is about Woody Allen having a thing for a girl who does homework in high school. Ahem. I was able to enjoy the film back in the day because I was the age of the girl and so it didn't seem weird to me that she was attractive.
Jailbait L'Amour returns again in HUSBANDS AND WIVES. By the time that film opened the allegations from kind of wife Mia Farrow were everywhere. Ahem ahem.
Not long after that Woody produced the stellar drama CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS -- which asks if a very successful man who is respected within his community can get away with committing morally heinous crimes like adultery and murder. Ahem ahem ahem.
So when Allen Lovers suggest nothing was proved in court that Allen did anything wrong, and that Allen and Soon-Yi seem happy -- those many 'ahems' beg to differ.
There's no right way for a 'step-father' to seduce his 'step-daughter'. Period. I don't mean to pass judgment here as much as say I completely understand why Allen haters aren't cool with this. Society frowns up on this... no matter how funny SLEEPER is.
What I hope you see from all this is that I'm a huge fan of Allen's better work and not the least bit of an apologist regarding his painfully obvious personal doings. I come not to bury Woody Allen --
-- but turn the looking glass at society.
Britney Spears. Embraced by millions and millions worldwide. Embraced for doing what exactly? Her major breakthrough was dressing up as an underage girl in a revealing school girl uniform via the worldwide smash video Baby One More Time.
Here's that video on YouTube... with over 91 million hits --
http://www.youtube.com/...
She was 18 at the time. Essentially jailbait herself. The planet has had little problem with her promoting underage sexuality. Please note that her mouth is open really wide. A lot. Her lips are extra red. Teen softcore -- shock and awe division.
No one ever complains much about this. Right? I remember parents who had no problem with their extremely young daughters getting up and imitating Britney whenever that video was on TV... which was about every ten minutes back in the day.
I'm not a prude. I'm certainly not a Christian. But I know Christians that want to crucify Allen never seem to bring up Britney. I mean Britney is in Vegas right now... still gyrating to this song... and nobody seems to speak up that it's more disturbing for the mass media to embrace underage sexuality than Woody Allen to embrace Soon Yi.
That is because we live in a global patriarchy. In a male run society, it's okay for Britney for slut up. Why? She's 'hot'.
Woody Allen? As hot as dry ice. Soon Yi? Hot as melted ice.
And it's as simple as that.
The one sign of hope on this issue was the backlash Miley Cyrus has received for dressing like a twelve year old and dancing with giant stuffed bears. Even patriarchy itself finally cringed a little and said.... eww.
Here's a belated Christmas Card from Miley you might enjoy --
http://www.funnyordie.com/...
If you enjoyed this bit of cognitive co-mingling, please read my first post on the KOS... where I co-mingle Edward Snowden with DARK KNIGHT RISES, TREK INTO DARKNESS, and MAN OF STEEL. They are related.. in a really weird way.
http://www.dailykos.com/...