Worst director of all time.
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johnlsullivan — 17 years ago(January 01, 2009 10:11 PM)
You throw around words like "structure," "form" and "Continuity," but what exactly do you mean by that? Altman wasn't interested in conventional plotting or storytelling. Frankly, I'm grateful for that. Does Renoir's "Rules of the Game" have a plot? Is Fellini's "8 1/2" well-structured? I think his best films, "Nashville," "McCabe and Mrs. Miller," "Three Women," "The Player," "Gosford Park" and "Short Cuts" are extraordinarily dense and interesting. Meanwhile, you probably think Ron Howard is a terrific director.
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rob169 — 17 years ago(February 15, 2009 12:21 AM)
So cocoon, splash, a beautiful mind, Apollo 13, and arrested development all suck the big one then???
There aren't many people who would agree with your Altman loving "book".
I mean have you even SEEN Popeye or Dr T? -
Movie-Jay — 17 years ago(February 17, 2009 12:42 AM)
Robert Altman is perhaps my favorite American director of all time, but I can certainly understand the dissent, because Altman was about studying characters rather than playing the usual game of "what happens next".
We're so pre-programmed to believe that "plot" and "climax" and "denouement" are what's right, and that everything else is just weird. Well, I don't accept that. Just because we had it drilled in us like those old mercury fillings, doesn't mean we can't grow up and have them removed.
His film resume is stellar. Personally, I'm glad his style failed in "H.E.A.L.T.H", "O.C. & Stiggs" and "Beyond Therapy", which are his only purely unenjoyable films, since it makes us savor how rich and colorful his great ones are, like "California Split", which I just got on DVD finally. The banter and under-the-breath dialogue between Elliot Gould and George Segal in that movie is priceless. It's sharp, authentic, poetic.
In that movie, and like many of his others, the point is to really lean in and listen to the characters. Study their behavior. Watch them in different contexts. See how they contradict or don't contradict their own natures. See how they sometimes surprise us.
I especially love "Nashville" and "Short Cuts" for their "hyperlink" style that Altman pioneered by showing a multitude of characters and threads, and getting to dive into themes and connections, and sometimes the missed connections. I love how he makes a place or a town or a city one of the characters of his films, rather than just showing pretty pictures of that place.
There are many different ways to approach the "seeing" of a movie. If you go into Altman cold, you may connect, but you may easily be put off by the fact that "nothing seems to happen". But with the right approach, I believe his movies are capable of singing and dancing inside your head for days as you turn over specific moments, or how two characters negotiated their relationship, or maybe a line of dialogue.
His movies are impressionistic. It's a lot of brush strokes that add up to one great big experience that sneaks up on you without any of the b.s. of usual plot structure where characters are paint-by-numbers and always repeat the same cliches.
Robert Altman doesn't "get" to make people think of his films as great. People come to those conclusions on their own.
I think he's my pick as most important American director of movies that really showed us something about America that other movies never did, because he saw America not from the point of view of a child who idealizes the country, but as an adult who is able to prove his love for his country by studying it inside and out and loving it in part because of it's flaws and peculiarities. -
oldjon121 — 17 years ago(February 21, 2009 12:46 AM)
You know, it's funny
I came onto the wonderful Mr. Altman's imdb page - and, subsequently, his message board - due to the fact that it's his birthday.
And, after having had a mild chuckle - at the sheer lack of intelligence/lack of comprehension - in the interest of identifying the quality in an Altman film - displayed by the creator of this, your obligatory, standard-fare "Worst - of all-time" thread I was, unexpectedly, treated to your thoughtful, intelligent post, Movie-Jay.
I agree with all of your points on the aforementioned artist and his films (in fact, I've used a lot of them, myself, in the past and haven't articulated them finer). Truly well done.
The one thing which I'll add, of my own, is this:
People (most, not all, but most) - believe that, the enjoyment of a film - is dependent upon how quickly and easily it is to perceive and absorb that which is seen, heard, felt; when, with an Altman film - as with many of other forms of art and artists - an_actual_effort is needed to be awarded with the end of that effort. I mean, sure, I laugh at Apatow-crew comedies, and am entertained by action flicks like Transformers but the reward for having to "give something, to get something" - is so much more satisfying, both emotionally and intellectually.
Bottom line:
We need more Directors like Robert Altman - who require that the viewer embrace one simple concept: "Give to receive."
Just my two cents. ^_^
On a personal note
Just before I came on here, I had re-watched the haunting and insightful introduction which Robert Altman gives on the 'Rashomon' Criterion DVD The way he talks about Kurosawa filming the sun - and his subsequently having been inspired to apply the same concept - in his own, unique style, the very next day - always gives me chills. I just love it.
Internet Message Boards: "Il Buono, il brutto, il cattivo." -
mulholland_empire — 12 years ago(November 22, 2013 04:55 PM)
wow is this a joke? i know this thread is old but i feel the need too comment. yea all those ron howard movies SUCK! and so does arrested development. id probably rather watch popeye than splash or cocoon hahaha. you obviously know nothing about film too claim Altman was one of the worst directors ever. have you ever even seen short cuts or images ?????
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poeter-54-219599 — 12 years ago(October 31, 2013 05:10 AM)
The Long Goodbye is one of his best too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUdGjcKNdx0 -
Prom_Queen_Carrie — 17 years ago(March 19, 2009 03:06 AM)
you got to love IMDB for grand overstatements like that. Are you familiar with every director of all time? Have any idea how many terrible ones have been? And you're posting this on a Robert Altman board? Fair enough if he's not your thing, not everyone's going to like him but come on whenever I see these "worst movie of all time"etc type threads it really comes off as a pathetic attempt to cry for attention over the internet. Lame.
Plainview:Carrie you are a BASTARD FROM A BASKET!
Carrie:I'll use my telekinesis on your ass! -
The_Dying_Flutchman — 16 years ago(October 14, 2009 09:26 AM)
This is only yer pitiable opinion. Among those who know and understand he was considered one of the most original. He had a huge influ16d0ence on those who followed his time. And what have you directed worth remembering??
What is the sound an imploding pimp makes?