Still directing to the end of his life and the director of Short Cuts, one of the greatest films ever IMO. He just won the Lifetime Achievement award at the Oscars and mentioned he had a 20 or 30 year old woman's heart put in him. He's probably more well known here as the director of M*A*S*H.

1925-2006 RIP

FUCK.

This sucks. But yet, I shouldn't be surprised. The guy was 81 years old.

You know, a friend of mine that saw A PRARIE HOME COMPANION in theaters, and remarked it as "a movie to end a career on". Now he feels weird for having said that.

It sucks that he had another movie ready for shooting in the spring, much like David Lean and Sergio Leone croaked while ready to direct theirs.

Anyway, Altman was a great filmmaker, among the best of American cinema in the latter half of the 20th century. M*A*S*H, MRS & MRS MACABE, NASHVILLE, THE PLAYER(which I reviewed years back and really damn good), SHORT CUTS, you name it.

Now Sidney Lumet is on the death watch.

I'll just add a movie that has not been remembered so far.

Gosford Park, another remarkable example of Altman's qualities.

Thank you Lavi.

BTW, where's Capo? I figured he would have given us his quarters and vinegar on Altman by now.

"Mr. and Mrs. Smith get married, they have problems, they get back together and they live happily ever after. End of the movie. Two weeks later, he kills her, grinds her body up, feeds it to his girlfriend who dies of ptomaine poisoning, and her husband is prosecuted and sent to the electric chair for it--but here's our own little story with the happy ending. What is an ending? There's no such thing. Death is the only ending."

- Robert Altman




I'm watching Short Cuts later today. I can't wait.

I posted on the film board, but I'll post further thoughts here.

Altman I think should be admired for his extraordinary use of sound primarily; nobody created such rich audio textures as he did. And his camerawork, a casual, free-roaming camera, helped accentuate that. I'd call him a master of what I call aesthetic texture; the narrative in his films comes and goes, but you never get a sense of fabrication. They never really begin, never really end; they're just in constant states of exposition. Worlds entirely involved with themselves.

RIP.

Thank god that greasy, talentless hack is gone. Good ridance.

Actually, this reminds me, I still need to see Short Cuts. I believe I've only seen two or three of his films, at most, all of which were fantastic. I wish I had explored further into his work before he passed, though. May as well do it now... especially with the influence I understand he had on PT Anderson (although, I see more Scorsese than anyone... I'll have to re-assess after I hit up a few more Altman films).

PTA himself spoke of how he told Altman on their first meeting that all he (PTA) does is rip Altman off. Altman liked what he saw and had PTA help him on one of his films.

I was never a fan of Robert Altman's films. His style was a bit 'surreal' for me.

I saw a bit of 'Nashville' a few months ago...thought it was kind've wierd, although Henry Gibson's character was a real hoot.

Anyway, RIP.

Apple

Surreal?

Or original?

Original? Perhaps...and he's definitely to be credited for that.

But still...surreal in my opinion.

Apple

Yeah, on the Boogie Nights commentary (which is superb, may I interject), PTA makes several comments in that he just stole exact shots from Altman and Scorsese. Now, I may have only seen but two Altman films, but I'd say Boogie Nights was about 95% Scorsese. Not that it lessens the film for me, I absolutely love it. But I mean, come on Boogie even had the same ending as Raging Bull.

Magnolia, from what I understand, is the child of heavy Altman influence.

I wish I could find Short Cuts someplace near by.