A lot of Woody Allen fans might go so far as to say that Woody always plays himself. No matter the role into which he casts himself, he’s always funny, fast-talking, witty, cynical, bashfully charming, and overly neurotic.
“I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member,” Woody says while playing Alvy Singer in “Annie Hall“, delivering one of the most famous monologues of perhaps all American cinema. Its longevity likely stems from the fact that the humorous, self-deprecating observations he makes — sometimes over-dramatized, sometimes tenderly tragic — are universally observed, just not always stated aloud.
Its probably why you’re never too surprised to encounter melancholic individuals in NYC sporting a pair of black plastic frames, crumpling their hair, hunching over a little more than necessary, speeding up their words per minute, and throwing in thick Brooklyn accents for kicks. Sometimes imitation just makes more sense, especially when someone has already ‘said it best’ and proven that the worst life experiences might conveniently still have the makings of great human comedy.
So what happens when we hold a gathering where quite a few such Woody Allen enthusiasts are expected to attend? Clearly, it’ll be a bit of a roller coaster ride. You might agree that Woody has already ‘said it best’, but whom among you imitators can reproduce ‘what he said’ best, and in ‘the best possible way’? This Monday, August 8th, we’ll all have the chance to find out.
So break out your freudian quips, memories of love lost, and the rare Woody factoids you’ve accumulated over the years, and get over to Coney Island for the Epix Movie Free-for-All screening of “Annie Hall“, presented in partnership with Verizon Fios and Coney Island Flicks on the Beach. At around 8pm, we’ll be asking trivia questions and holding a Woody Allen impersonation contest, after which the film will begin.The Coney Island History Project will also be there, giving away prizes for the trivia questions. The organization strives to increase awareness of Coney Island’s legendary and colorful past, which “Annie Hall” so wonderfully illuminates, as well as to encourage appreciation of the Coney Island neighborhood of today.
For the Impression Contest, the winner will get a signed copy of “Wild Ride: A Coney Island Roller Coaster Family“, about the Sicilian-born Joseph Bonsignore, who created a better life for his family in the burgeoning amusement industry in Coney Island. That’s right folks, Alvy Singer’s imagination may have been a tad overactive, but some people really did grow up “under the roller coaster”! The award-winning author of the book, Charles Denson will also be in attendance, to talk about Coney Island and a little story about the filming of Annie Hall.
Email woody@rooftopfilms.com to enter the Impression Contest. All you have to do is show up and give us your best Woody impression. The audience will pick the winner. Hope to see you there.
“ANNIE HALL”
Venue: On the Beach at Coney Island. W 12th and the beach, right near Luna Park.
Train: Take the F train to Coney Island, walk to the beach and make a left.
7:00 PM DJ
8:20 PM Woody Allen Trivia and Impersonator Contest
8:30 PM Rooftop Films presents Bottle
8:40 PM Annie Hall
No admission charge.
ABOUT THE EPIX MOVIE FREE-FOR-ALL
All summer long, the EPIX Movie Free-For-All is hosting FREE movie screenings in four NYC parks! Sit under the stars and watch movies in The East Village, Long Island City, Williamsburg and Coney Island. And not just the movies are free. EPIX is giving away prizes and swag at each event and also on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and Online! Go to EpixHD.com/FreeForAll and sign-up for the EPIX Movie Free-For-All newsletter to find out how to enter to win a ton of really cool stuff.
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