Altman

I found this documentary a comprehensive review of Robert Altman's life's work, highlighting the director's determination to be independent of Hollywood conventions. Even though he was born in 1925, Altman was totally in sync with the following generation, the post-war baby boomers who first came of age in the 1960's. His anti-establishment stance never wavers as he thumbs his nose at the military, President Nixon, commercialism, and the election process. One of the most erudite talk show hosts Dick Cavett, a cultural icon of the youth generation, appears in the documentary, a nice touch.

Beginning as a writer of television scripts in the 1940's Altman eventually graduated to being a movie director. The movie MASH is one of the classic anti-war movies that treats it with a large dose of humour. Actors like Elliott Gould and Donald Sutherland seemed to fit the temper of those times. "Nashville" seems to reflect an unease with American culture under the silent majority of Richard Nixon who pandered to the culture of working class white people and their love of country music.

Later, Michael Murphy was tapped for the role of Jack Tanner in Tanner '88, a television show that Altman believes changed television as an entertainment medium. He also had worked with some of the best comediennes such as Carol Burnett and Lilly Tomlin. Altman cast Robin Williams as Popeye in the movie of the same name. It bombed and we are treated to Gene Shalit's review of the debacle. This movie highlighted Altman's belief that the major studios were only interested in blockbusters like Superman and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

One of his most critically acclaimed movies was Gosford Park, with some of the finest British talent available at the time. This movie went beyond the stage-like production of the Upstairs, Downstairs television show and presented a more biting picture of the British class system in a lavish production that also prefigured the success of a much later TV show Downton Abbey.

Among these and other films, we see home movies of Altman, his wife Kathryn and their children. We also see some trenchant comments from Altman himself about his career and work. The documentary gives us a great view of this highly creative American director and his work.

A look at the life and work of American filmmaker Robert Altman.

For anyone who loves film and its history, this is a must-see documentary. The career of Robert Altman spanned many decades and he worked with just about anyone who was anyone, making some of the greatest films of all time. Some duds, too, but that will happen.

Rather than just talking to a handful of people about their memories, this mixes in plenty of home footage, Altman's own memories, and those of his wife. While his career could fit into a much longer film, for the time frame allotted they did a great job covering his whole life and leaving us wanting more rather than opening up the possibility we could get bored.

Robert Altman is admired amongst directors and actors, but despised amongst the producers of Hollywood. Isnt it ironic that some of his best work (The Player) is a terrific parody of all the pittfalls Hollywood digs for those trying to make a movie.

I have always wondered why there is such an admiration for him as a director, but the admiration grew out of his love for movie making and his love for the actors. And that love is being returned now. He treated his actors and his movie crew in a way few other Hollywood directors did. Robert Altman's movies seemed to be sort of a family/friends gathering of like minded spirits, who supported each other.

This guy made some terrific movies and he also made quite a few stinkers, movies that really were below par. But Robert Altman's talents never faded, his passion never faded, it was the Hollywood industry that did or did not give him the chance to film the way he wanted to, resulting in periods of success and periods of drought and failures.

I'll always remember Altman for his classic movies. And after seeing this movie I'll also will dearly remember him as a sort of a father of the actor's community. Too bad he got an early stroke, after which he finally had to give up drinking. But up untill then he lived his live to the fullest, giving us audiences worldwide several beautiful movie classics!

BRAVO !!!

This movie gets a 10 from me because it accomplished what it set out to do: be a career retrospective of Robert Altman, including lots of relevant voices, film clips, home movie footage and words of wisdom from the subject himself. It was heart-felt, and made me tear up a couple times.

I didn't realize I had seen so many of this man's films: The Player (back when the '90's were so fresh and slick), MASH, Popeye. Each one I've seen, I've liked. Now, to check out Gosford Park and McCabe.

Altman's life merits a 10-hour documentary. This is only 1½ hours, but we are treated to a decent selection of Altman trivia.

Gosford Park, M.A.S.H., Nashville, Short Cuts, The Player. Just wow.

The downside of cutting it down to a feature length documentary is that you are forced to skim through many great films. First of all, he made so many movies it's hard to keep track of them. Second of all, his movies are so dense that they require multiple viewings, and more than two minutes of exposition, to fully appreciate.

Nonetheless, I think the film is well-made and never boring.

Family videos and photos, and on-location footage, provide access to a rarely-seen Altman, such as Altman-the-father.

But don't expect great revelations. There is nothing truly shocking here, no skeletons in the closet. Altman is painted as a suspiciously lovable, but subversive, Santa Claus figure. Perhaps that's just the way he was.

But one would have liked a few rough edges to be explored a bit more - like his family troubles, financial worries and personal addictions to gambling and booze. The movies gets too close to hagiography at times. But if one is to pick Saints for canonization, you could do much worse than go with Robert Altman!