L’September 11, 2001 it was the turning point of our century. There are photos before and after terrorist attacks committed by militants Al Qaeda which killed three thousand people and injured more than twice as many people. Some of them died in the days and weeks that followed, others several years later. Twin Towers New York, symbol of the Greater Male’ skyline and center of economic power Manhattan they were shot down by two airliners hijacked by Islamic terrorists; collapsed, forever changing the face of the island, but above all, undermining our security and completely revolutionizing the way of life of civil society. We know this story well.
In 2001 Woody Allenwho always described New York as his only, true, beloved, was preparing to enter the big screen”Curse of the Jade Scorpion“, a film he wrote and directed, with Helen Hunt, Dan Aykroyd, Charlize Theron AND David Ogden Stiers in the cast. A comedy that had moderate success, which only grew in subsequent years. On September 11, 2001, Allen was in New York. During a European tour to present the film, he made several statements about the attacks and the foreign policy of the then US President. George Bush.
In Venice, he said that while he was shocked by the event, also because it affected his beloved city, he did not consider himself completely surprised. “We knew that not a single country in the world, not a single city in the world is immune from terrorism. We didn’t expect New York to be like this. But we are shocked by the irrationality of the act itself, because senseless death of 5000 people” However, on the occasion of the San Sebastian festival in Spain, he said ironically: “If you look at Bush, it’s quite funny. If you listen to him while he speaks, if you follow him closely, you will laugh a lot,” adding that if he had been re-elected (which happened later), it would have been an “extremely tragic” event.
A few months later in Paris, another of Allen’s favorite cities, he strongly condemned Bush’s actions, calling the reasons for the United States declaring war on the United States “unconvincing.”Iraq. To a French newspaper Magazine Du Dimanche explained this: “Like most Americans, I think Bush has not made a compelling case for war. Therefore, we have the disturbing impression that he insists on this for personal and political reasons.”
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Manhattan (1979)
Chapter One: “He loved New York. He idolized her immensely…” No, it’s better “he mythologized her immensely,” that’s all. “For him, no matter the season, it was still a city that existed in black and white and pulsed with the great melodies of George Gershwin.” No, let me start over…
Chapter One: “He was too romantic about Manhattan, as about everything else: he found strength in the feverish movements of crowds and traffic. To him, New York meant beautiful women, smart guys who seemed broken in any way to navigate.” Oh no, stale, stale, delicious things… come on, try a little more… all over again.
Chapter One. “He loved New York. For him, it was a metaphor for the decline of modern culture: the same lack of individual integrity that drives so many people to take the easy way out was quickly turning the city of his dreams into one city…” Wouldn’t that be too instructive? Long story short, let’s face it: I’m going to have to sell this book.
Chapter One. “He loved New York, although for him it was a metaphor for the decline of modern culture. How difficult it was to exist in a society desensitized to drugs, loud music, television, crime, garbage…” Too angry. I don’t need to be angry.
Chapter One. “He was as tough and romantic as the city he loved. Behind his black-rimmed glasses, crouched but ready to pounce, the sexual power of a tiger…” No, wait, there they are: “New York was his city and always will be.”