POO: Altman films

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.

I've always found it hilarious that Altman has the detective off himself at the end of the chase rather than accept defeat.

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

^yes to these thoughts^

re: brewster mccloud btw

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

One of my professors was a camera loader on the film and he basically confirmed this.

so much hate indifference for Beyond Therapy.
Julie Hagerty is still my neurotic dreamgirl.

Wow I don't get the Brewster McCloud hate on this thread AT ALL...

i love it! it's perfect altman for ppl who hate 'nashville' (like me).

Was watching "Short Cuts" for the first time in years. I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that I think every female star (even Frances McDormand) is given a nude scene, or at least an underwear scene, including a suicide attempt and the dead body in the river. Something about it just seemed so ... gratuitous in their casualness. Like, if this were a stage play, one of the actresses would have a casual nude scene, just in passing, matter of fact. Or just Julianne Moore's famous scene. I wonder, if this movie were made a few years later, if Altman would have had more of his male stars get naked, too, beyond Huey Lewis flashing his wiener.

NASHVILLE tho Short Cuts a close second

mccabe

finally watched 3 women the other day, rly natural+confident homegrown u.s. surrealism-- made me think of persona of course but not because it felt made after studying it. (also so deeply a california movie, without having to openly stress it as much as the long goodbye or the player or p.t. anderson.) duvall rly great, as pretty much always. maybe too much of the murals shot thru water i guess.

Check out Images (out on blu soon via Arrow) for more of Altman in a similar mode.

Images, out 3/20 on blu-ray---good?

https://mvd.cloud/images/AA025.jpg

The early seventies were a period of remarkable activity for Robert Altman, producing masterpiece after masterpiece. At the time he came to make Images, MASH and McCabe & Mrs. Miller were behind him, with The Long Goodbye, California Split and Nashville still to come. Originally conceived in the mid-sixties, Images concerns a pregnant children's author (Susannah York, who won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival) whose husband (Rene Auberjonois) may or may not be having an affair. While on vacation in Ireland, her mental state becomes increasingly unstable resulting in paranoia, hallucinations and visions of a doppelgänger. Scored by an Oscar-nominated John Williams, with "sounds" by Stomu Yamash'ta (The Man Who Fell to Earth), Images also boasts the remarkable cinematography of Vilmos Zsigmond (Close Encounters of the Third Kind).

more info:
https://mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AA025
https://mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AA025

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