Robert B. Weide‘s Woody Allen: A Documentary will air in two parts as a PBS American Masters presentation on 11.20 and 11.21. The measure of it, for me, will be whether it accepts and explores the things in his life that were not wonderful, that didn’t go so well, that were somehow banal or involved discord or shortfalls. The less-than-triumphant stuff. Because relentless ass-kissing is not interesting.

I never said this when it was timely, but Allen’s decision to abandon Bop Decameron in favor of Nero Fiddles as the title of his latest film is one of the worst calls in his career. I loved the sound of Bop Decameron.

“In my next life I want to live my life backwards. You start out dead and get that out of the way. Then you wake up in an old people’s home feeling better every day. You get kicked out for being too healthy, go collect your pension, and then when you start work, you get a gold watch and a party on your first day. You work for 40 years until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement. You party, drink alcohol, and are generally promiscuous, then you are ready for high school. You then go to primary school, you become a kid, you play. You have no responsibilities, you become a baby until you are born. And then you spend your last 9 months floating in luxurious spa-like conditions with central heating and room service on tap, larger quarters every day and then Voila! You finish off as an orgasm!” — Woody Allen.