One of the country's most influential filmmakers has died.
His body of work was considerable - notable for some very high highs, and some pretty low lows. But it was by most accounts a brilliant career. So this seems an excellent time to comment on what you think of his career. What did you think was great? What's underrated? What was overrated? And which of his classics have you missed?
Personally, I thought Gosford Park, MASH, and The Player were his "best" films as that term tends to be used. But then I've never seen some of his classics from the 1970's (like 3 Women, Nashville, Brewster McCloud, McCabe & Mrs. Miller). Nonetheless, those three films were all excellent - which is something of a testament to his gifts right there, given how different those three works are.
What hasn't gotten its due? I thought The Company was great. I liked it a lot. And while A Wedding isn't necessarily at the same level as some of his absolutely best works, it's got a lot going for it and I enjoyed it a good deal too (and Carol Burnet and Pat McCormick are sooooo funny).
And as to the bandwagons I just can't get on ... I think Short Cuts is hugely overrated (though, as usual, Frances McDormand rocks), The Long Goodbye might be interesting as a genre piece, but I didn't like it, and as to Pret-a-Porter ... well, that film's pretty much been dissed to death already, so why ad yet another pan?Altman might have had an amazing career - but as you would expect to be the case with such a prolific director, it does have a blemish or two (or three ...).
Posted by armand at November 21, 2006 01:14 PM | TrackBack | Posted to MoviesWell I'll jump in in defense of Short Cuts. In hindsight, after a decade plus of consuming standard indie cinema, I can see its flaws, but in more than a few ways it provided my entry to cinema with claims to more artistic ambitions and for that reason it will always occupy a dear place in my heart. I maintain that it's a worthy movie in every dimension, full of all sorts of fantastic performances, and representative of Altman's peculiar aptitude for ensemble filmmaking.
I've got more of an anecdote that enriches this story, but it's not directly Altman-related, and it can wait for a more casual forum.
Still, though, while I grant (how could I not) the merits of MASH and The Player, Short Cuts rates pretty highly with me. And the Company is on my short list.
Posted by: moon at November 21, 2006 10:58 PM | PERMALINK