POO: Altman films

(nashville can fuck off, it's like some indie guy "sees through" chart music)

At one time I would've picked "Nashville" as the best, and it's genius film, but these days I think I like "The Long Goodbye" best. But it's a small difference between those two. "Thieves Like Us" and "MASH" come in close after those two.

I haven't seen all his films, but I like most of them I have seen. I even liked "Dr. T." There is something very, very stoned and somewhat OFF about Altman even at his best, though--I can't quite put my finger on it. But he respects so many other things that most directors don't even notice/consider, so it evens out.

A lot of people would rank "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" up there--I need to see this one again, it's been a while.

His comeback movies--"Short Cuts" and "The Player" are both fine, I think.

something like that, and I even saw it at the peak of my populist jihad.

But since this is "pick only one," I'll throw my support out for 3 Women, which I've heard is finally coming to video (in the form of a DVD with muthafucking commentary by Altman).

Here's to hoping the disc release isn't held up (he's confirmed that he's actually recorded the commentary so it shouldn't be too much longer).

Brewster McCloud... I had to struggle to get through this one. I guess it sort of taught me what it feels like for other people who did the same with Popeye, Quintet, Images and Buffalo Bill and the Indians... all of which plenty have likened to having teeth pulled even though I found all four to be (if not in the same league as 3 Women, Goodbye or Nashville, still very much) worth investing serious time.

BTW, there's a good book about Brewster floating around that was published in 1971. It was consists of three parts: A day-by-day account of the shooting, a transcript of the film itself, and the original script by Doran William Cannon, which is very, very different from the finished product (for example: it was set in NYC instead of Houston, there was no detective subplot etc.)

http://www.criterionco.com/content/images/full_boxshot/230_box_348x490.jpg

Eric you have just made my weekend! Thank you!

I'm surprised that it was originally set in NYC, because Houston is the logical place for it. 1970 Houston is the home of NASA ("Space City" as the radio identifies at the beginning) - the maximization of the technological and bureaucratic form of flying that Brewster rejects.

The detective is a total transparent riff on Bullitt down to the name (Frank Shaft vs. Frank Bullitt), their home (San Francisco), their clothes, Steve McQueen's detached-acting, heck even the cars in the car chase (Shaft drives a Camaro - equivalent to Bullitt's Mustang. Brewster is in a Plymouth Road Runner - equivalent to the Dodge Charger in Bullitt. I've always found it hilarious that Altman has the detective off himself at the end of the chase rather than accept defeat.

In the end though, the Establishment wins - kinda like the ending of Vanishing Point but Brewster's end isn't transformative as Kowalski's.

It's also entirely possible that Altman and co. were just smoking a lot of weed and making stuff up on MGM's dime.

Brewster McCloud??

I just saw it for the first time. I'm baffled. I honestly HATED it for the first 3/4, kinda got more into it once the Brewster/Shelley Duval thing heated up. though the prolonged car chase was execrable, but maybe that was a relatively "new" device then?? Fuck if I know. I'm glad it ended so weirdly, though, that was kind of reassuring, somehow.

I don't normally have a problem with more abstruse films, but this one, honestly, just seemed bad. Real bad. Except for Shelley Duvall. Holy mackerel.

Actually, this comment from Eric H is interesting; that's precisely the thought process I had watching this thing. Like: now I know what it must feel like on those occasions when I drag some of my friends who aren't big cinephiles along to a more unconventional film. I think the fact that this film induced an uncomfortable feeling is probably a good thing, but I need to tease it out some more..

McCabe and Mrs. Miller WINS ALL!

and Short Cuts, Nashville come in close behind.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=378&item=6919072445&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

I reccomend it to anybody interested in the film. It's also quite rare. (BTW, I'm not the merchant)

Nashville
M*A*S*H* (I thought these were both okay, w/Nashville having the higher high points, but neither prepared me for the unbelievable greatness of...)
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
The Long Goodbye

I've seen almost all his post-Player stuff. So I'm trying to fill in the blanks in the 70s and 80s. Particularly curious about Brewster McCloud, the Buffalo Bill movie, the Nixon movie, and 3 Women.

next on the plate are probably Brewster McCloud and Thieves Like Us, tho the wife anxiously wants to see Pret-a-Porter, which I do not have fond memories of...

1. Nashville (1975)
2. The Long Goodbye (1973)
3. Short Cuts (1993)
4. McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
5. MASH (1970)
6. Buffalo Bill and the Indians (1976)
7. Tanner '88 (1988)
8. Gosford Park (2001)
9. The Player (1992)

Frankly, the top 4 are all even in my book.

Should I go see That Cold Day in the Park? Sandy Dennis as a lead makes me wary.

Altman's (better) films almost require multiple viewings. There's often so much going on in the frame and on the soundtrack that it's impossible to take it all in on a single viewing. I think I catch new dialogue every time I see the tavern scenes in McCabe.

McCabe demands multiple viewings, yes. My only reaction upon seeing it in high school was "huh?" Now I could be easily convinced that it is his best.

I had a similar reaction to 3 Women at first blush. It grows in my esteem with every rewatch.

I loved 3 Women on my first viewing, but I can probably credit that to my having already seen both Persona and Mulholland Dr.

oooh true

That says a lot for 3 Women, which I saw when it first came out, and remains the clearest and most compelling--scenes still still roll in memory with no known cue, the swimming pool murals appeared as I was waking up a couple mornings ago---- more recently, "Wellll, you two have a lot in common." "Lak whut?" "Oh, I don't know! Aren't you both from Texas or something?" kept coming up while I was trying to wait patiently for the doctor.

(I'd like to see Buffalo Bill especially). He's never struck me as having anything particularly trenchant to say about any sort of social or historical concern, and seems more interesting as a weaver of tall tales with sometimes-interesting character portraits. He seems most interesting, however, as an at least semifictional observer and to some extent participant in what he really knows - the popular or semi popular performing arts world he inhabits -
Which is why you might like Buffalo Bill, on a night when he's ramblin' around, gassin' about previous events and what he made of them, with the travelling Wild West Shows, Indian actors/re-enactors and all---Lester Bangs connected this to Dylan's theatrical self-presentation in his '74 reunion tour with The Band: a battered Americana legend-merchant in "full scraggle" (the raspy rattle of "It's Alright Ma" on that year's live Before The Flood is a good example).

That is, Bangs specifically cited this movie as a thematic link to Dylan's self-presentation, whether D. was thinking of or had seen this movie or not.

Watched OC & Stiggs again this weekend and yah I still think it's aged well and gets a bad rep. It's really fun seeing the Altman-isms translated for an 80s teen comedy. I don't get the hate for this.

FYI..."Images" is free to watch if you have Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07578H9YR/
Susannah York is very good in it, and the score works well (never would have guessed John Williams and avant-garde Japanese percussionist Stomu Yamashta would team up), but its variations on a theme get a little tiresome (ok, she's schizophrenic, this isn't real, I get it). Cathryn Harrison, who was the lead in Malle's "Black Moon," is also in it. Altman fans should check it out, but don't expect a masterpiece.

1. California Split
2. Nashville
3. The Long Goodbye
4. Brewster McCloud
5. 3 Women
6. The Player
7. Short Cuts
8. A Wedding
9. McCabe & Mrs. Miller
10. Secret Honor

not my thing: Thieves Like Us
Dud: Images, Buffalo Bill, MASH

haven't seen the rest
but I have Kansas City and Streamers waiting

McCabe below Short Cuts and A Wedding is completely looney tunes but at least you're in the ballpark. I wouldn't put California Split first but I def rate it higher than most.

Musts to see if you haven't yet: Gosford Park, The Company, Tanner '88 (probably in my top five Altman projects)

Thieves Like Us might be as high as #3 for me

never liked Brewster

Also Vincent & Theo and Prairie Home Companion were quite good iirc but it's been a while since I saw either.

01. Nashville
02. 3 Women
03. Short Cuts
04. McCabe & Mrs. Miller
05. The Company
06. The Long Goodbye

Those six are his undying masterpieces. The rest is a great jumble of movies I like a great deal more than most (Popeye) and a great deal less than most (California Split).

1. The Long Goodbye
2. McCabe and Mrs. Miller
3. Thieves Like Us
4. The Player
5. 3 Women
6. Nashville
7. Vincent and Theo
8. Gosford Park
9. Secret Honor
10. The Company

1. California Split
2. The Long Goodbye
3. McCabe & Mrs Miller
4. Nashville
5. Brewster McCloud
6. Short Cuts
7. The Player
8. Gosford Park

I havent seen 3 Women, Thieves Like Us (well ive seen bits of it), A Wedding, The Company, Tanner '88

Cannot believe the disrespect being shown to O.C. & Stiggs itt rn.

Dr T and The Women much better on the rewatch. I'm not even sure why I thought it was middling back when it came out. That ending is insane!

01. Nashville
02. 3 Women
03. Short Cuts
04. McCabe & Mrs. Miller
05. The Company
06. The Long Goodbye

Those six are his undying masterpieces. The rest is a great jumble of movies I like a great deal more than most (Popeye) and a great deal less than most (California Split).

― zama roma ding dong (Eric H.), Sunday, February 10, 2019 12:48 PM (two years ago)

You know, four slots on the ILX all-time 100 was a lot, but I still can't begrudge him the "honor." When he was on he was kind of the best American filmmaker ever.

Thank you for tooting the Company horn. It'll probably be another couple decades before that film finally gets its proper recognition.

The cutest James Franco ever was, and that's an accomplishment.

That was before he decided he wanted us to all know he wishes he were gay.

OC and Stiggs would make a good double bill with The Beach Bum. Both movies about self-styled rebels who are riding the wave like everyone else