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I've always loved San Francisco and just got back from a short vacation there, then found out Woody's shooting/setting his next film there. London, Barcelona, Paris, Rome...San Francisco, seemed like a natural progression of him stepping outside his comfort zone of New York and exploring interesting cosmopolitan cities, until I realized he made a couple of his earliest films there, so this actually is a return to his beginnings as a director. Aside from hardly being able to wait to see how he films the city, the cast includes Louis CK and Michael Emerson! (and...Andrew Dice Clay...?) Dice notwithstanding this just shot to the top of my most eagerly anticipated films of 2013.

From what I understand Louie is using Susan Morse as Editor, so that's probably how Louis CK hooked up with Woody Allen.

Woody must not have seen that episode of Louie where Louis acted in a movie.

Spoiler

He was terrible!

And yes, I'm on a first name basis with both of these guys.

He actually failed his first audition, which was for one of the principals...

Looks like the film's title is Blue Jasmine.

Great title. Is it just me or do the cast and (brief, vague) plot description hint toward a more dramatic direction this time around?

Markson wrote:Great title. Is it just me or do the cast and (brief, vague) plot description hint toward a more dramatic direction this time around?

That's what the rumor is and Woody has called this one a "disappointment" already. Not that it means anything because he views his work by how closely the finished product is to how he imagined it.

ShellOilJunior wrote:Woody has called this one a "disappointment" already.

Considering that when it comes to his films, Woody is a contrarian, this might actually be good news. Maybe it's so great, he's already getting some distance from it.

Markson wrote:Great title.

Really? For me Woody's titles have ranged from pretty bad to middling for a while now, much like the films themselves.

That visual is very Purple Rose of Cairo, Gregory.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger was a great title (pretty lame film, though). To Rome With Love would have had a great title too if he'd stuck with Bop Decameron

warren oates wrote:

Markson wrote:Great title.

Really? For me Woody's titles have ranged from pretty bad to middling for a while now, much like the films themselves.

Well, Blue Jasmine ain't genius, I'll admit, but it––to me––is at least mildly poetic and evocative of the sensual following two blandly literal city-centric titles (albeit attached to two films I did enjoy).

Slated for a 7/26/13 release in NY and LA.

First still.

Wow. Seeing Andrew Dice Clay's name on such an ornate poster is so bizarre. Well, seeing his name on ANY poster is so bizarre, since I think this is the last time anyone actually let him act

Apparently he was on Entourage, and his appearance was well liked, which is why he's having a minor career resurgence. Though the idea of Woody Allen watching Entourage is both bizarre and mildly upsetting.

Have you people already forgotten his dual performance in One Night at McCool's!?

I like the simplicity of the poster. I suspect it will make even more sense once the film is released as to why they chose that design.

Trailer
Basically "A Streetcar Named Desire" remake. Title makes more sense now.

The male casting certainly makes sense now

Man, that Dice line delivery is death

Looks great, and yes, there does seem to be a strong Tennessee Williams influence. Neat to know now that the title specifically speaks to the emotional state of Blanchett's protagonist, but to me Blue Jasmine also sounds like the name of a lost Hoagy Carmichael tune. The trailer has also revealed this to be his third film shot in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio (following Manhattan and Anything Else).

Trailer looks good. I'm looking forward to Woody tackling more drama and a meatier plot. To Rome with Love was fun but very light.