Has He Ever Made a Good Movie?
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sugreev2001-1 — 16 years ago(April 01, 2010 07:51 AM)
I have to agree with the OP,I think a vast majority of Altman's filmography are too boring to sit through.But I did enjoy both MASH and The Player
"What the world needs is more geniuses with humility, there are so few of us left." -
TheEtiquette — 16 years ago(April 07, 2010 02:51 AM)
Robert Altman is one of the greatest directors of all time. But then again, his films are not simple, so I'm not surprised they don't appeal to
the lowest of the low
As the saying goes the time to make up your mind about people is never -
BooHarv — 15 years ago(April 12, 2010 09:13 AM)
I agree with the OP, there's an old saying that any aspiring writer learns in their first high school creative writing class: "2000Never include something that fails to advance the plot". You can break this rule if you're Queentin Tarantino because your dialogue is so entertaining ("Grand Royale with cheese") also because in his case it does help to define his characters. Or in the case of the Asian suitor in Fargo they are so odd they just kind of fit in a surreal way. Altman's dialogue is never that interesting, take for instance "The Long Goodbye" the first ten minutes is wasted on a cat related joke that is mildly amusing but a complete waste of time and unnecessary. I could get more interesting cat related anecdotes from some random old lady at the bus stop who loves telling stories about her cats. I don't need my time wasted with useless improved scenes that make the film meandering and which fail to go anywhere. All of his films have this problem.
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McGonigle — 15 years ago(April 12, 2010 12:05 PM)
Yeah, what a shame that Altman never achieved the magnificent directorial heights of Quentin "Royale with Cheese" Tarantino. Thanks so much for your incredibly trenchant and insightful analysis.
I know I'm shouting, I like to shout. -
franzkabuki — 15 years ago(April 12, 2010 03:18 PM)
Whoever it was that this "old saying" originates from, was full of it, of course. I mean, how boring would cinema be if all dialogue were only there in order to advance the plot? Which isnt to say that the non-informative parts of the dialogue in Altman movies is just pointless, irrelevant rambling - its used for many different purposes such as build character, create mood and tone etc. If you dont find it witty or entertaining, well, thats just your opinion. Many disagree.
As for the first 10 minutes of The Long Goodbye, the so-called non-action is there to establish the sense of displacement a 50s character feels in the 70s environment as well as his loyalty (the dude goes shopping in the middle of the night just to provide his cat with her favorite food) that, as well see, is at odds with pretty much everyone around him.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan -
bimsie99 — 14 years ago(May 12, 2011 01:25 AM)
I think both his biggest strength and biggest weakness is allowing his actors to improvise so much.And his writing and directing style can be very sit-comy.And often his points are so obvious as to be annoying.
"1)There is a God,and 2)Im not him." -
franzkabuki — 14 years ago(May 19, 2011 11:28 AM)
"His writing and directing style can be very sit-comy".
That might just be the most outrageously & ridiculously inaccurate thing anyone has ever said about Altman.
"Often his points are so obvious as to be annoying".
Another completely mind boggling statement as the only film I can think of where he chooses to be fairly obvious as far as the central "message" is concerned, would be The Player which, of course, doesnt make it a bad film exactly. Generally, Altmans films are about as understated and ambiguous as they come. Im quite sure youre thinking of someone else.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan -
SimplemindedSociety — 14 years ago(October 02, 2011 02:35 AM)
'But then again, his films are not simple, so I'm not surprised they don't appeal to the lowest of the low '
Really?
And does making them pseudo-sophisticated mean they are good, or just pretentious? Better yet, does it make you feel like you have the 'inside track' on art that others miss? -
ltarex — 15 years ago(January 24, 2011 01:54 PM)
Altman made a few great movies (Short Cuts, MASH), but most of his films are average (McCabe and Mrs. Miller, The Long Goodbye, Brewster McCloud) or simply awful (Popeye, Thieves Like Us, A Prairie Home Companion, Dr. T and the Women, The Gingerbread Man), so I'd guess he's not a rb68eally great director.
"A voice from behind me reminds me. Spread out your wings you are an angel." -