So long, goodbye
Saturday, December 30th, 2006
1925-2006
Altman was one of the signature American directors of the 1970s. He worked for decades before and after that famed era of filmmaking, and much of that work is good, but his films of the 70s remain his best, most influential work. If we were left with only his work from those ten years, he would still be as celebrated today. (And certain directors owe their whole careers to him: Paul Thomas Anderson’s Hard Eight and Magnolia would not even exist were it not for their superior predecessors California Split and Short Cuts.)
Some of my favorites:
MASH: Unlike the embarrassing television show that followed, this film is a hilarious and touching satire. Not quite as smart or savage as Dr. Strangelove, but more moving. His first great film.
McCabe & Mrs. Miller: One of the most melancholy westerns ever made, and one of the loveliest - taking place in the Pacific Northwest, a decidedly unusual setting for the genre. The film unspools like a opium reverie.
Images & 3 Women: Two films that owe more than a little to the likes of Bunuel or Bergman, but, strangely, don’t feel derivative at all. Instead, they seem two of the most personal and enigmatic of Altman’s films (reportedly, 3 Women was drawn from one of his dreams.) The latter film is especially interesting, and was itself obviously an influence on Mulholland Dr. and other modern pyschological mysteries.
The Long Goodbye: I’m not a fan of Raymond Chandler’s books, nor of the many film adaptations of his work, but I love this movie and it’s probably my favorite Altman film. It seems as much an elegy for a lost California as Chinatown.
California Split: I don’t have much patience for people who gamble, nor do I find them all that fascinating (other than their jargon and methods) but I’d pick this as Altman’s most underrated film. Much of Altman’s work - partially because of his style and partially because of his choice of content - vibrates with the sense that “anything can happen,” and this film is an especially striking example of that desperate quality.
Nashville: What more can be said about this film? I do think it might be a little overrated (I find some of the musical numbers a little clumsy or forced, despite their importance in elucidating the film’s intentions) but it remains one of the most ambitious films of the 1970s, examining relationships between media, politics, art, family, etc. This may be the best evidence of Altman’s skill at weaving together seemingly disparate storylines through fluid camerawork, careful editing and intriguing sound design — all of which he makes seem as natural and intuitive as walking a dog or taking a bath.
