Robert Altman has died (1 Viewer)

[MikeRS]

My memory of Altman was attempting to crash a Toronto film festival party for "Vincent & Theo". I ended up getting kicked out (I did manage a spirited discussion with Roger Ebert about his David Lynch animosity though, so it wasn't a total loss.)

At the time, I never could have imagined that Altman would be making one loud artistic "comeback" a couple of years later with "The Player" and "Shortcuts". At the time, I just considered him a living legend for MASH, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Nashville, The Long Goodbye, etc..

And Popeye....a film I obsessed over as a kid (saw it 7 times in the theater).

RIP.



BTW,

His commentary on the Criterion laserdisc of "The Player" is one of my favorites of all time.

 

[Sam Favate]

Agreed. He clearly hadn't slowed down with age and was making great films all along. I thought he'd be challenging audiences for years to come (and in truth, he will, as new generations discover his works).

I was unaware that he had had a heart transplant. Maybe his health was not as good as it appeared.

 

[Richard Kim]

A significant figure in American cinema has passed away. Hopefully, Turner Classic Movies will have a retrospective of his work soon.

RIP

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

RIP, Mr Altman.

A friend of mine e-mailed me with the news this morning, and I was stunned. The thought that Robert Altman had died just seemed impossible. I've seen most of his films from the past 15 years, although admittedly I'm not as familiar with his earlier output as I should be - a failing I intend to address.

But, even with my main knowledge being focused on his later output, I had an incredible respect for him as a filmmaker. The Player, Short Cuts (especially Short Cuts), Gosford Park, even some of his lesser fils like Cookie's Fortune - very unique and fascinating films. He didn't always make great, or even good films, but even in his bad films there was always something particular that held the interest. It's sad to realise that such an astinishing cinematic voice has gone.

 

[dpippel]

A bit of an update. According to an AP article on Mr. Altman's passing, he died due to complications from cancer and had been working with the illness while filming "A Prairie Home Companion". It did not specify what type of cancer he was afflicted with. Here's the link:

http://apnews.myway.com//article/200...D8LHPB483.html

 

[Jan H]

Thanks for the incredible body of work, Mr. Altman. You worked on your own terms, with people that loved you and on projects you were passionate about. A life to be admired and envied.

 

[MikeRS]

Brilliant review of "The Player" - encapsulates what his vision signified to cinema. It was actually printed on the back of the Criterion laser disc..



Of course, that would return in huge way during the second phase of his 'comeback" - the masterful "Short cuts"

 

[David_Blackwell]

I'm not much of an Altman fan. There are about three films of his I liked. I'm sorry that he passed. He had a vision some found great. Whether one was a fan of his work or not, it is something to respect.

 

[Mario Gauci]

I was so utterly stunned when I learned of this yesterday evening that I had to let some time elapse before I could post anything remotely coherent.

Even if I knew Altman had been born in 1925 and was therefore an octagenerian and was even aware of his having had a heart transplant. his films had always felt so much "younger" than his real age that, frankly, I thought he would be around for another decade at least as perhaps an American version of Manoel De Oliveira!

I shall be watching my DVDs of THE LONG GOODBYE (1973) and MASH (1970) in tribute to his passing. Ironically, last week when I visited the local DVD rental shop, I considered renting Altman's latest movie, A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION (2006) but then but then decided not to; I'll go again this morning and, hopefully, it will be available. It's a pity that I didn't grab any of McCABE AND MRS. MILLER (1971), THREE WOMEN (1977), THE PLAYER (1992), SHORT CUTS (1993) or GOSFORD PARK (2001) during Deep Discount DVD's latest "20% off" promotion but there you go.

Ironically, earlier this year I had already watched 3 of Altman's films from his 1970s heyday - IMAGES (1972), CALIFORNIA SPLIT (1974) and BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS OR. SITTING BULL'S HISTORY LESSON (1976) - and, now that I think of it, I had also watched at least one Glenn Ford movie - EXPERIMENT IN TERROR (1962) - and 4 Jack Pallance movies - TEN SECONDS TO HELL (1959), A PROFESSIONAL GUN (1968), COMPANEROS (1970) and COP IN BLUE JEANS (1976) - before their deaths had ever been announced! I shudder to think of all those other living actors and film-makers whose work I watched throughout 2006...

Anyway, even if Robert Altman's career was frustratingly erratic overall, one can't deny the stream of brilliantly individualistic films he gave us in the 1970s and his comeback in the early 1990s (and the belated recognition that came with it) was nothing short of astonishing. Unfortunately, Mr. Altman is probably best-known in my country for having shot the frankly awful POPEYE (1980) in its entirety over here (the impressive Sweethaven set stands to this day and is one of our major tourist attractions) but, at least, we Maltese have something even more tangible to be grateful for and remember him by.

 

[Dale MA]

RIP.

 

[Tommy G]

Mr. Altman had quite a few fine films. His work will be missed.



Mario, you still have time. The deal has been extended to 11/23. See here http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...52#post3021952

 

[Phil Florian]

Wow. This is sad news, indeed. I had just watched "Prairie..." with my wife a few weeks ago. What a sad and yet bittersweet final movie for the man. A movie about death and rebirth and the end of an era. Godspeed, Mr. Altman.

 

[TonyD]

 

[ToddJ]

I had the amazing opportunity to work on his last movie "a Prairie Home Companion" when it was shot in St Paul, Minnesota last year. I worked in extras casting, but was also a featured extra and sometimes a stand in. It was a great experience, and I will never forget seeing Tommy Lee Jones and Kevin Kline talking to Altman at his director's chair. While talking from his 'God mic' (he used a PA system to talk to the people who were on the stage at the Fitzgerald theater where they shot) he would exchange barbs back and forth with Keillor like old friends who were both used to being the boss. And when Altman said it was "adequate", you knew it was a good take. one of the most amazing things was seeing the action on stage, then watching the filming via one of the monitors that were out in the audience area. It was fascinating watching such a master at his craft. His camera movements were fluid and always in motion. He will be sorely missed.