This course will explore the work of Woody Allen, a major figure in American humor and one of our most influential, controversial, and prolific filmmakers. A pioneer of the American personal film, Allen made movies steeped in film history, technically masterful, intellectually ambitious and, despite all this, popular. Exploring European art cinema, satirizing American culture, transforming a genre, or criticizing himself, Allen invariably smartened whatever genre he focused upon, creating great roles for women, reinventing romantic comedy and returning resonance to the crime story—what he did with the musical we’ll talk about some other time. Taking on everyday concerns, particularly work and sex, his films point up how these entwine or neglect the meaning of life, love, and death, the value of art, the silence of God. Our course will likely view twelve of his films, including Love and Death, Annie Hall, Stardust Memories, Zelig, Purple Rose of Cairo, and Match Point. Coursework includes film screenings, readings, short weekly writings, and a collaborative filmmaking project. Critical Writing in the Major course (CWIM).