The reluctant art of Woody Allen

In ´´Shadows and Fog´´, one of Allen´ s characters says of a circus magician, ´´Oh yes, everyone loves his illusions!´´. In examining Allen´ s filmmaking career, this book demonstrates that his movies often question whether the projected illusions of magicians/artists benefit audience of artists. Other Allen films dramatize the opposed coniction that the consoling, life-redeeming illusions of art are the best solution humanity has devised to the existential dilemma of being a death-foreseeing animal.