Robert Altman RIP

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RIP.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

Shit!

― chap who would dare to welcome our new stingray masters (chap), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

Oh dammit.

― Hoosteen (Hoosteen), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

whoa! damn.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

Damn...rest in peace.

― Joe Isuzu's Petals (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:37 (nineteen years ago)

!!!!

― ^@^ (map), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

Yikes. RIP.

― M. White (Miguelito), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

where are you getting this from alba?

― ^@^ (map), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

Telly.

Died at a Los Angeles hospital.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

AP is reporting that his production company released the statement.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

awww

― ken noizewater, field researcher: capitools division (Pareene), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

wow.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

CNN idiot: "You know him as the irreverent satirist behind the show MASH"

― ken noizewater, field researcher: capitools division (Pareene), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

how old was he? 80-something, right? and he probably had five movies in post-production!

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

Haha the Yahoo! headline has him as the director of The Player?!? Was that his most commercially successful film or something? It seems a random choice otherwise.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

actually, no he didn't, now that i look at imdb :(

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

anyway, thanks for the flicks mr.a. cheers!

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

OH shit.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

Sadly, the last photo I ever saw of him was when he grabbed Lindsay Lohan's ass.

― milo z (mlp), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

SADLY!?!?!?!?

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

That's how I'd like to go.

― Through a twenty deep screen of humourists (noodle vague), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, RIP.

― Through a twenty deep screen of humourists (noodle vague), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

total RIP yo

― Smegma Pi (plsmith), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:47 (nineteen years ago)

If I'm tipping the scales @ 80, and one of my last photographs is me gently palming the pert buttocks of a Hollywood starlet, then throw me in the ground right then & there!

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:47 (nineteen years ago)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6170376.stm

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:47 (nineteen years ago)

Those Oscar ppl always get the honoraries in under the wire.

APHC can truly be seen now as his LQ Jones number within the film.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

:-((((((

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

Oh my word, RIP.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:49 (nineteen years ago)

Aww. I just watched Kansas City again last week.

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

Aw, I could tell at the last Oscars that he probably wouldn't be around much longer, but still.

― Beth S. (Ex Leon), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

The High Hat had a special Altman edition out just a couple of weeks ago. I know most of the guys at the Hat, and am sure they're scrambling to get an obit up. Anyway, there's lots of great stuff about the man's ouevre there.

RI motherfuckin P

If I can, I'll get McCabe and Mrs Miller to watch tonight.

― It's the lazy and immoral way to become super hip. (Austin, Still), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

shit. rest in peace.

i rented McCabe & Mrs Miller weekend before last, but never got a chance to watch it.

― kingfish prætor (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

i've only seen two of his films, more in them than in most directors' careers. rip.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

how old was he? 80-something, right? and he probably had five movies in post-production!

He was working on the development of a TV series based on Roald Dahl's grown-up short stories, fwiw.

― === temporary username === (Mark C), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 16:59 (nineteen years ago)

From Wikipedia:

He frequently singled out "Brewster McCloud" and "Tanner '88" as being his greatest works.

Okay, Tanner, sure. But BREWSTER MCCLOUD?!!?

― It's the lazy and immoral way to become super hip. (Austin, Still), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

I just watched 3 Sisters two night's ago for the first time, The Long Goodbyed just a few days before that.
"...and it happens every day..."

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

Roald Dahl's grown-up short stories

omg

those are my favourite short stories ever (especially the 'Over To You' war story compilation). such a shame they won't get done properly now.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

I was watching a Tales Of The Unexpected the other day, with Joan Collins and Pauline Collins. It could certainly have done with Robert Altman's touch. The old man in it looked rather like him, come to think of it.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

It's time for a Search & Destroy thread, methinks...

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:10 (nineteen years ago)

RIP

http://cache.defamer.com/hollywood/altman-lohan.jpg

― StanM (StanM), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:10 (nineteen years ago)

Aw fuck. Prairie Home Companion had its problems, but I think it was fitting final chapter.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:13 (nineteen years ago)

This entertainment obit actually does strike me as extremely sad, which doesn't often happen.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:13 (nineteen years ago)

More sad for us than him.

But BREWSTER MCCLOUD?!!?

Trust the art, not the artist. (Tanner doesn't qualify, either.)

I saw Quintet in the store last night and thought "Hmmm... nahhhh."

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:14 (nineteen years ago)

Okay, Tanner, sure. But BREWSTER MCCLOUD?!!?

i think it's his best movie too

― the car, the hole, and the peekskill meteorite (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:15 (nineteen years ago)

brewster mccloud >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> tanner

― the car, the hole, and the peekskill meteorite (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:16 (nineteen years ago)

They both have their virtues. I need to resee some of the '80s stuff, cuz before Vincent & Theo I'd written him off.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:18 (nineteen years ago)

Tanner was as inoffensive and as most contemporary Democratic candidates.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:18 (nineteen years ago)

Secret Honor drags after the first hour, but it's splendid fun. Altman's commentary is almost as entertaining.

(xpost)

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:19 (nineteen years ago)

i wish i cld light a spliff in his honour:-(

― Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:21 (nineteen years ago)

i wish i cld light a spliff in his honour:-(

hmm, that's a good idea...

is there a film quite so watchable as The Long Goodbye?

― i am not a nugget (stevie), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:26 (nineteen years ago)

:(
RIP

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

I only thought 'pothead' in the bad, aimless movies ie OC and Stiggs.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

great great director, probably one of the last american directors who made films that felt alive. as for pre-v&t altman i've seen secret honor (decent), tanner (decent, not as great as i remembered it being really), and popeye (fantastic though ymmv - i like nillsson (sic?) and it was on tv like crazy when i was a very very small child), want to see HEALTH, am wary at best to see the rest. any suggestions?

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:31 (nineteen years ago)

sorry 'for pre-v&t 80s altman' that should read

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:32 (nineteen years ago)

A muddled ending marrs 3 Women but Shelley Duvall's perf is unlike anything I've ever seen.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:34 (nineteen years ago)

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:39 (nineteen years ago)

man. rip. a major dude.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:40 (nineteen years ago)

repeated Fox News Alerts on the cafeteria tv mentioned only MASH, Nashville, and The Player. anyway, rest in peace.

― barefoot manthing (Garrett Martin), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:40 (nineteen years ago)

The Long Goodbye and Thieves Like Us, revising noir lit and '30s rural crime romance, are as masterful in their way as Nashville, but since they lack the epic scope are underrated if anything. Even the minor '70s films (except Images?) BREATHE in a way arty American films generally didn't.

I thought at the time Secret Honor got way too baroque about Nixon. He was much baser than that.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:47 (nineteen years ago)

Roald Dahl & Robert Altman:

Dahl met Robert Altman in Honolulu in 1964. Altman at this point had directed his first feature film (The Delinquents) but was still an unknown, mostly working in television. Altman approached Dahl with a screenplay called Oh Death, Where is Thy Sting-a-ling-a-ling? and the two began working on it together. Yet the project fell apart in nebulous circumstances. The Dahl-approved version of events, recounted in Chris Powling's imaginatively titled 1983 profile Roald Dahl, is that Dahl secured a price of $150,000 for the script but the project fell through when Dahl loyally insisted that Altman had to direct it. More thorough biographers later on questioned this version: Jeremy Treglown's equally imaginatively titled 1994 biography Roald Dahl suggests that Dahl argued with Altman over his share of the money, and ownership of the story-line. Ultimately, says Treglown, Dahl managed to get Altman dumped off the project (despite the story being Altman's idea) and the project fell through.
Ironically, much later (in late 2004) it was announced that Altman would produce a series of television adaptations of Dahl's adult short stories (presumably along the lines of the 1970s Dahl-based series Tales of the Unexpected). Presumably, if Altman was soured on Dahl as a person, it didn't effect his regard for his work.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:51 (nineteen years ago)

I still haven't seen TLU. Nashville is way overrated; he just didn't get the culture or music. When the material didn't match his sensibilities the results were often quite disastrous, in part because he tried harder than most directors to create a believable universe.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:53 (nineteen years ago)

despite his being 81 and all, this is really, totally unexpected (and not a bit ironic - didn't he say at the oscars that he'd gotten a heart transplant from a much younger man and had a lot more years left in him to make films?). RIP, and i really need to watch the long goodbye again sometime soon.

― joseph (joseph), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 17:59 (nineteen years ago)

has anyone ever seen the original jack davis posters for the long goodbye that do the film up mad magazine style? WEIRD WAY TO PROMOTE THAT MOVIE

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:07 (nineteen years ago)

oh man. so sad.
i'm glad he got to make as many films as he did, as up and down as they are - but whatever, he was great. would've been nice to see a few more from him though because he seemed to have them in him :(

― rrrobyn, breeze blown meadow of cheeriness (rrrobyn), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:15 (nineteen years ago)

xpost

it was the heart of a young woman, I think.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:19 (nineteen years ago)

Nashville is the least overrated movie of those often called "overrated" I can think of. It's right up there with Short Cuts and 3 Women as my favorite, and I don't mind being terribly predictable and middlebrow in saying so. (The overrated "classic" Altman to my mind is M*A*S*H, though I admit I haven't seen it in so long it's practically like I never saw it.)

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:23 (nineteen years ago)

This sucks. RIP.

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:25 (nineteen years ago)

rip mr. altman. you will be missed. blount otm re: last good american director, or something.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

Eric, we're of the same mind re M*A*S*H. Have you seen The Gingerbread Man? A tolerable Kenneth Branagh-as-American performance, a wonderful one by Robert Downey, Jr, and as gently querulous about genre constraints as The Long Goodbye (but not quite at that level).

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:29 (nineteen years ago)

I'd considered him to be one of the two or three greatest living directors. This is fucking terrible, especially because I was really looking forward to the next couple of films he was considering (I think one was to be a panorama of the New York art world). Didn't really care for A Prairie Home Companion, but I now suppose that was the most appropriate film to end with, what with Death stalking everyone.

― cosmo vitelli (cosmo vitelli), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:37 (nineteen years ago)

I haven't seen that one yet. I'm glad there are still "new" Altmans to watch even after his death.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, I'm not bothered by Nashville's music being 'inauthentic' anymore than Gould's Marlowe having little to do with Chandler's (but we've had this discussion).

The first I saw in a theater was A Wedding -- I think Dad was caught offguard by the Mia Farrow topless shot.

The last third of M*A*S*H kinda sucks. The technique was certainly radical for a studio comedy tho.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

There are also some Bonanza episodes to watch.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:42 (nineteen years ago)

He was great.

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

Those Oscar ppl always get the honoraries in under the wire.

Yeah, I'm just glad they got it in. As ridiculous as the Oscars are, it was really, really gratifying to see Altman finally get his moment.

― cosmo vitelli (cosmo vitelli), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 18:53 (nineteen years ago)

the whole media spin on the Prairie release had a valedictory party element to it as well.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:16 (nineteen years ago)

Aw crap...

I just received Buffalo Bill & The Indians from Netflix yesterday.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:19 (nineteen years ago)

I think Altman might have directed a splendid version of Joyce's "The Dead."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

some other dude did that already

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:22 (nineteen years ago)

The Miami Herald has posted an inane "guestbook" to which readers can affix stuff like this:

Thank you for the many years of movie enjoyment. Your talented soul
will be missed. Heaven just got a special angel!!!!!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

Man, this is a shame. My aunt and I just enthused about him after I told her the news. He gave a lot to his craft.

― Badrock Example (Barima), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

Sad news. I ordered McCabe & Mrs. Miller a couple days ago and was thumbing thru Altman On Altman at a local bookstore just yesterday. One of my favorite directors. Rest In Peace.

― Jay Vee's Return (Manon_69), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:34 (nineteen years ago)

alfred i can't get too mad about that while there are concurrent guestbooks are cheering michael richards on for 'telling it like it is'.

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:38 (nineteen years ago)

Ouch.

― cosmo vitelli (cosmo vitelli), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

xpost: John Huston did the version of The Dead

RIP, enjoyed all I saw, through thick and thin

― patita (patita), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

I know Huston directed The Dead; I'm just suggesting that Altman's version might have been primo too.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:50 (nineteen years ago)

I haven't seen that one yet. I'm glad there are still "new" Altmans to watch even after his death.

definitely. I have a lot to catch up on. he was already one of my favorites and then I saw California Split last year and was blown away. like "whoa how many more of these are there."

r.i.p.

― dmr (Renard), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 19:50 (nineteen years ago)

I'm watching California Split this afternoon. He made a handful of films I still haven't seen, including his fairly maligned Pret-A-Porter -> Dr. T run.

― cosmo vitelli (cosmo vitelli), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

maligned? He made Gosford Park before Dr. T.

― milo z (mlp), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 20:12 (nineteen years ago)

No, Dr. T was 2000, Gosford was 2001.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 20:12 (nineteen years ago)

xp - Okay, no he didn't. I thought Dr. T came out in 2002.

― milo z (mlp), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 20:13 (nineteen years ago)

I have a lot of catching up to do -- I've only seen five of his films.

― Joe Isuzu's Petals (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

Vincent & Theo is my favorite, and it's cheap. I think I got the DVD for $7.99.

― milo z (mlp), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

RIP

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 20:45 (nineteen years ago)

Oh shit, this sucks. Agreeing here with whoever said 81 and still surprising.

― g00blar (gooblar), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 21:02 (nineteen years ago)

Did Altman really direct this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBlwvSLWtj4

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 21:06 (nineteen years ago)

I guess not... should've listened to the introduction.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 21:07 (nineteen years ago)

essential reading: http://www.revue-cinemas.umontreal.ca/vol001no03/08-altman.htm

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 21:13 (nineteen years ago)

damn, RIP

― songs and ballads of the bituminous miners (sanskrit), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 21:28 (nineteen years ago)

ah, sorry Alfred, I misunderstood your post (many xposts). I can't imagine what Altman's version of the story would have been likee, but it sure would have been fascinating to see.

― patita (patita), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 21:56 (nineteen years ago)

oh man. bummerz.

i loved this guy.

― mahalo 4 ur kokua (grady), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 21:59 (nineteen years ago)

Awesome:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ANWY6w-S4JQ

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 22:13 (nineteen years ago)

Oh and of course RIP, I love this guy's movies.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 22:23 (nineteen years ago)

RIP; one of my favorite filmmakers of all time. What an incredibly diverse, rich filmography. Seriously, look through this list:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000265/

― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 22:54 (nineteen years ago)

The worst thing is now we'll never know how he would have directed Daniel Craig as 007.

― It's the lazy and immoral way to become super hip. (Austin, Still), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 22:57 (nineteen years ago)

Oh man, RIP.

brewster mccloud >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> tanner

OTM.

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 23:17 (nineteen years ago)

A lot of deserved R.I.P.'s here, but not enough mention of Altman's effect on the language of cinema. At the very least, he brought improvised acting and overlapping dialog into the mainstream, while also rescuing the zoom shot from B-movie oblivion.

― cosmo vitelli (cosmo vitelli), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

Bryan Williams of NBC devoted a segment to a surprisingly warm career overview.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 November 2006 23:52 (nineteen years ago)

don't know if i agree with these things, actually. when altman made his most famous movies, zooms were pretty frequent in all manner of hollywood films. and how many directors actually use improvisation now? and how much of altman is really improvised, as opposed to rehearsed to appear spontaneous and chaotic?

he was a great filmmaker though.

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 00:24 (nineteen years ago)

Sam Shepard once said that the two worst directors he ever worked for were Altman and Shepard -- "They don't know anything about acting," he said.

(Of course, let's remember that Shepard's style of acting was Old Hollywood projection-of-charisma, irreconcilable with Altman's methods.)

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 00:31 (nineteen years ago)

I saw this on the news today and made a pilgrimage to the 'bary to watch California Split.

I first heard about Altman in high school at a Thai restaurant during a drunken rant from my then girlfriend's father. He basically told me his life was a failure because he never made any films as good as Altman. (He directed commercials in Oklahoma). He made me promise to watch McCabe and Mrs. Miller. I'll probably try to contact him I remember that.

The Long Goodbye is pretty much the best movie ever. I wonder if Ah-nold will pay tribute? I always steal this Gould/Sterling Hayden bit of dialogue for real life: "What'll you have to drink?" "Well, I'm drinking what you're drinking."

Regarding some posts above, don't you think "most people" nowadays would know him as the director of Gosford Park? I've never seen Brewster McCloud, but the other day at a wedding this MAJOR film buff director-type told me it was his favorite movie ever. Is it on DVD?

anyway, altman was just a genuine bad-ass. he never seemed caught up in his own myth like Hunter S. Thompson or Cassavetes, even with those lighting-up-a-digestspliff-in-front-of-Tony Blair stories.

Here's a sweet quotation from the Reuters article: "Warren [Beatty] has never said a kind word about 'McCabe and Mrs. Miller' even though he got the best reviews of his career from it. When I die if that egotistical bastard says anything nice about me, then you know he's lying, but I'll haunt him to his grave for the unprofessional way that he treated me and our cast and crew.... Other than him I've loved every actor I've ever worked with." haha

well.. RIP. several beers already consumed in your honor.

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 04:12 (nineteen years ago)

California Split is such a great movie, but Long Goodbye & McCabe & 3 Women will always be my faves. His "comeback" years left me cold tho :( Rest In Peace.

― timmy tannin (pompous), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 04:26 (nineteen years ago)

when altman made his most famous movies, zooms were pretty frequent in all manner of hollywood films.

Yes, but his became a more stylish zoom-and-pan which instantly identified the films as his. And he kept it up, decades after Hollywood banished the zoom.

how many directors actually use improvisation now? and how much of altman is really improvised, as opposed to rehearsed to appear spontaneous and chaotic?

I should have stated my thought better. He brought his experimental techniques with actors and sound to a wide audience in the '70's and again, to a lesser degree, in the '90's. From what I understand there is a good amount of improv in his films, seamlessly interwoven with the "rehearsed chaos" you mentioned. Of course, I can't quantify the amount. : )

And while I admire the great risks he took as a film-maker, I always wonder if his audio experiments got the better of him on McCabe & Mrs. Miller. A lot of the dialog is unintelligable because he would place a single mic in the room and let the actors (at times several) talk over each other. Maybe he was just more interested in the sounds of genuine human interaction than the actual words they were speaking.

― cosmo vitelli (cosmo vitelli), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 04:55 (nineteen years ago)

Blount mentioned this upthread. In all it's glory, "National Lampoon's The Long Goodbye":

http://www.impawards.com/1973/posters/long_goodbye_ver2.jpg

― cosmo vitelli (cosmo vitelli), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 09:26 (nineteen years ago)

If I'm tipping the scales @ 80, and one of my last photographs is me gently palming the pert buttocks of a Hollywood starlet, then throw me in the ground right then & there!

OTMFM!!

RIP. I have a special place in my heart for M*A*S*H (which I rewatched recently and enjoyed just as much). Now on to McCabe after the fine quote above it seems as good a place as any to start!

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 09:28 (nineteen years ago)

His production company says he died from complications from cancer, which he had been battling for the past 18 months.

― g00blar (gooblar), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 12:22 (nineteen years ago)

RIP.

i want to say that gosford park is a straight up masterpiece.

― geoff (gcannon), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

>>A lot of deserved R.I.P.'s here, but not enough mention of Altman's effect on the language of cinema. At the very least, he brought improvised acting and overlapping dialog into the mainstream, while also rescuing the zoom shot from B-movie oblivion.

Well, he as the king of the unobtrusive, extremely long ingle take--the absolute inverse of the showy DePalma long take--and a huge influence on the present master of the unobtrusive long take, Joss Whedon.

The improv was real. The overlapping dialgue was partially a result of that, I think. And I get the sense that he used it as his own stylistic approximation of early Mamet overlap/truncation. I thi k he was trying to get what mattered to chracters by having one character repeat key phrases another said by way of showing what mattered to both characters, a sort of mirrorong effect.

His dialogue effect was one of characters mirroring each other.

― Grey, Ian (IanBrooklyn), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 17:15 (nineteen years ago)

Today's IMDB poll. Vote for Nashville.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 17:25 (nineteen years ago)

The King. I'm not sure of much, but I do know my life would of been a lot worse if I hadn't been introduced to Altman's work.

RIP

BTW, Brewster McCloud's probably one of the best films about Houston (albeit filtered through a fun house mirror) EVAH.

― The Dusty Baker Selection (Charles McCain), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

I would like to see a film this year as good as Cookie's Fortune.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 23 November 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

four months pass...

Holy shit, I finally saw The Long Goodbye last night. It was everything I wanted (and I was expecting A LOT). I feel like I could watch that movie for ages...instantly one of my favorites.

― G00blar, Monday, 26 March 2007 11:14 (eighteen years ago)

Yes, it's great. Easily Elliot Gould's finest hour as well.

― Neil S, Monday, 26 March 2007 11:42 (eighteen years ago)

yeh I gotta buy a copy of that. Lots of little things I love about it, but just to mention one in particular - the soundtrack/scoring technique of having different versions of the same song appear as incidental music = genius

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 26 March 2007 17:12 (eighteen years ago)

I have that at home right now -- haven't watched it yet.

― jaymc, Monday, 26 March 2007 17:13 (eighteen years ago)

soundtrack/scoring technique of having different versions of the same song appear as incidental music = genius

I loved this..down to the elevator music and the 'Mexican' version in Tijuana.

― G00blar, Monday, 26 March 2007 17:36 (eighteen years ago)

Either I had not heard that he had died, or I had completely forgotten. I clicked on this thinking Alba had come up with some hot news. Which he had, at the time.

― PJ Miller, Monday, 26 March 2007 17:50 (eighteen years ago)

> Yes, it's great. Easily Elliot Gould's finest hour as well.

I love it, but come on. California Split!

― Oilyrags, Monday, 26 March 2007 17:51 (eighteen years ago)

chicagoans - music box is doing an altman retrospective in may

― deej, Monday, 26 March 2007 17:51 (eighteen years ago)

Wow, how had I never heard of California Split? Gould and Segal!!?

― G00blar, Monday, 26 March 2007 17:55 (eighteen years ago)

California Split is a lot of fun but I don't think its a patch on The Long Goodbye.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 26 March 2007 17:58 (eighteen years ago)

is there a DVD out of Brewster McCloud? I'm annoyed that's one of the few 70s Altman movies I haven't seen. That and Thieves Like Us (also not on DVD...?)

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 26 March 2007 17:59 (eighteen years ago)

Well, it's gonna be tough for me to find out--not out on dvd apparently (well, LoveFilm doesn't have it, so I assume..).

― G00blar, Monday, 26 March 2007 17:59 (eighteen years ago)

I got my best friend to admit last Sat night he copped some of his key mannerisms/speech patterns from Gould's Marlowe.

― Dr Morbius, Monday, 26 March 2007 18:00 (eighteen years ago)

OK it is on dvd, but I bet not in the uk.

― G00blar, Monday, 26 March 2007 18:00 (eighteen years ago)

xpost "That's ok with me"

― G00blar, Monday, 26 March 2007 18:01 (eighteen years ago)

ooh Amazon sez Thieves Like Us DVD (US) out April 17th!

― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 26 March 2007 18:01 (eighteen years ago)

No Brewster McCloud dvd but it is on YouTube in 10 parts.

― Chris L, Monday, 26 March 2007 18:04 (eighteen years ago)

I think California Split is as good as the Long Goodbye. Not as funny, sure, but there's more depth of character. It's also a jewel of cinematic naturalism if you're a nut like me and think that's a good thing. Ah, the glory of the quotidian.

― fife, Monday, 26 March 2007 18:13 (eighteen years ago)

no word on a release of Thieves Like Us, eh?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 26 March 2007 18:18 (eighteen years ago)

April 17

― Dr Morbius, Monday, 26 March 2007 18:22 (eighteen years ago)

Calisplit is definitely available on disc.

― Oilyrags, Monday, 26 March 2007 18:27 (eighteen years ago)

The California Split DVD was available, but went OOP last year when Sony purged a bunch of their niche titles. If you shop around you can still find it, altough some of the online prices (like on Amazon marketplace) are getting pretty high. If you happen to live somewhere where there is a Half Price Books store, stop in and check their DVD racks, because the chain bought a bunch of Sony's backstock (including California Split) and is selling it off for four to seven bucks a disc. Fail that, you still can rent it from Netflix though.

Some notes on the disc:

*There is about three minutes of footage that's been cut out of the film due to Music Rights issues, which is apparently why the film was out of circulation for so long. The theatrical prints of the film (such as the ones that will presumably pop up at any Altman retros near you) retain this footage, as do most bootleg tapes.

*The DVD contains a excellent roundtable commentary track featuring Altman, Gould, Segal, and Joseph Walsh (who wrote and acted in the film).

― C. Grisso/McCain, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 15:44 (eighteen years ago)

Huh. I thought for sure I watched a Criterion version of it last year (didn't check the extra features, though, and no idea if it had been edited for music rights.)

― Oilyrags, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 15:50 (eighteen years ago)

Man, I can't believe they wouldn't sub cheaper music for those 3 mins (the usual solution).

― Dr Morbius, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 15:50 (eighteen years ago)

According to DVD Beaver, some of the stuff were bits of dialogue, such as on-screen singing, which would be harder to replace. I hadn't noticed it before, but it also is pointed out that Altman himself oversaw the new edit. It's still kind of annoying though.

― C. Grisso/McCain, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 16:05 (eighteen years ago)

Well, fortunately I saw it last in a theater a couple years ago... and still don't like it much.

― Dr Morbius, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 16:18 (eighteen years ago)

My wife Netflixed Quintet and got about 30 minutes into it yesterday and gave up. I thought about watching it, decided naaaah and sent it back today. Should I have given it a shot?

― Rock Hardy, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 17:00 (eighteen years ago)

No.

California Split made no impression either. Karel Reisz's The Gambler is formally inferior in most ways, but the perfs more striking.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 17:32 (eighteen years ago)

Segal and Gould are funny, and a little sad. It's worth seeing once.

― Dr Morbius, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 17:36 (eighteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Brewster McCloud In Houston At The End of May

Might bode well for a DVD release.

― C. Grisso/McCain, Thursday, 12 April 2007 18:23 (eighteen years ago)

I have never seen that one and would kill for a DVD release of it!! the VHS copy at my local spot is dead :(

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 12 April 2007 18:32 (eighteen years ago)

Thieves Like Us out tomorrow!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 16 April 2007 13:46 (eighteen years ago)

Just screend TLU -- one of his very best. Thick, atmospheric, almost soft at times, in large part thanks to Keith Carradine and Shelley Duvall's utterly charming performances (I think I prefer her here to 3 Women). Typically bright Altman commentary ("I always assumed Mississippi was dirty and brown").

Took me a few minutes to recognize Louise Fletcher in bad flapper hair and a cig in her mouth.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 00:10 (eighteen years ago)

Fine piece on The Long Goodbye in Sunday's New York Times. Terrence Rafferty.

― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 00:17 (eighteen years ago)

He wrote a terrific appreciation in spring 2006.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 14:04 (eighteen years ago)

one month passes...

Caught Brewster over the weekend. It's just so amazingly fried.

The film is gonna be in Austinon a double bill with McCabe at the end of June.

― C. Grisso/McCain, Wednesday, 30 May 2007 17:00 (eighteen years ago)

eight years pass...

RIP Kathryn Reed Altman

http://www.showbiz411.com/2016/03/10/kathryn-reed-altman-widow-of-director-robert-altman-has-passed-away-at-age-91

― Now I Know How Joan of Arcadia Felt (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 10 March 2016 21:16 (ten years ago)

rip. She sat behind me (with Annie Ross) at a screening of Kansas City last year.

― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 10 March 2016 21:20 (ten years ago)

RIP. Last year's Altman coffee table book that she helped put together is fantastic.

― Going To Town On Aunt May's Mezze Platter (Old Lunch), Thursday, 10 March 2016 22:47 (ten years ago)

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