Stuff

If you were to make a list of the greatest film directors, Robert Altman would probably not come to mind, but he should. For all his variability, Mr A did make some great films.

There are many that I would say not to watch (remember, this is just my personal opinion), films that misfire on many levels, even if they do have things of interest or merit (I think all Altman films have something of interest). “Images”, “Prêt-à-Porter”, “A Wedding”, “California Split”, “Gosford Park”, “Cookie’s Fortune”, “A Prairie Home Companion”, “3 Women” (with Shelley Duvall) and so on… I don’t enjoy “Short Cuts” either, though many do I know. It does not really come together, for me.

Altman, of course, did “M*A*S*H”. This is a wonderful film, mostly. It loses its way a bit towards the end. The stuff about Painless, and the extended American football game (I’m sure it is funny if you understand the game, but it is mostly an American thing) bore.

For a time, Altman filmed plays, but in a cinematic way. “Secret Honour” is great as a character study of Richard Nixon, and I have a soft spot for “Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean”.

The much derided “Popeye” is worth a watch. Yes, it’s hard to hear what is being said sometimes, but then Popeye always did mumble anyway, that was the point. Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall lead the cast.

As a comment on small town America, it’s hilarious and spot on. Sadly, the ending is lame.

“The Long Goodbye”, based on the detective story by Raymond Chandler, gets mixed reviews. It is based on the story and true to its spirit. Marlowe really is totally down at heel. Like many of Altman’s contemporary films, it looks dated now. I think people mostly object to the ending which is much different from the book.

Another favourite Altman film is “Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson”.

Based vaguely on a play and slightly less vaguely on real events, it tells a small part of the story of Buffalo Bill and his wild west show, which many people see as the beginning of modern show business. There’s much overlapping dialogue and parts are hard to follow, but repeated viewings help, especially on the big screen. And the cast is stellar: Paul Newman, Burt Lancaster, Joel Grey, Harvey Keitel, Shelley Duvall and even Geraldine Chaplin again.

And yes, it is supposed to be sepia.

On the face of it, there are just too many reasons not to like Robert Altman’s “Nashville” from 1975:

It’s long (nearly three hours).

It has a huge cast and more characters than you can follow.

It has the dreaded country music.

The politics.

The self-conscious guest stars.

There’s the overlapping dialogue that makes it hard to hear what’s going on.

There’s an unexplained assassination at the end.

And all of that is true.

If you haven’t seen it, here’s a very brief summary of the story: a group of musicians, agents and managers, reporters and assorted misfits and hangers on arrive in Nashville at the time of a political campaign. Each person has a story, and these stories overlap. At the end there is a big gala concert for the would-be politician.

First, let’s address the cast. Yes it is large, and somehow most of the characters get to tell their part of the story. The cast includes Shelly Duvall, Jeff Goldblum, Ned Beatty, Keenan Wynn, Lily Tomlin, Karen Black and many more. None was a huge name then, which is as it should be for an ensemble piece.

Yes, the visits by Elliott Gould etc are a bit cringeworthy.

Yes, it is a bit hard to hear exactly what is going on at times from the overlapping dialogue. This was a technique Altman liked as it kept the actors on their toes. It’s ike real life too. It also means that there is more to take in on repeated viewings. And it’s not that hard to hear what is being said, just don’t try so hard.

Standout from the film is Ronnee Blakley, who donated some of her songs and also played Barbara Jean. So many of the characters are based on real people. If you know your country music you may figure it all out.

There are many songs and they are not too bad. The outdoor concert at Opryland USA is a highlight, and there are many more songs in an intimate setting, including Oscar winner “I’m Easy” by Carradine.

It’s a commentary on America, a microcosm of the country. It is astonishing that the stories do intertwine and resolve. For many, it is one of the greatest films ever made. Yes, it does look dated now, and the Geraldine Chaplin character always was annoying, but it is still a massively enjoyable film if you have the stamina to watch it properly.

Is it in the top ten greatest American films of all time? Yes, it probably is.

One of the funniest films of all time, possibly THE funniest film of all time is “Airplane!”. It’s a film that bears repeated viewings and even though you know every joke, you still laugh. Just skip the sequel.

However, before that, in 1976, came one of the first spoof disaster movies, now pretty much forgotten, “The Big Bus”.

The plot is, well, the title tells it all. The bus goes on a non-stop journey with passengers and crew.

The bus in question is heading from New York to Denver. On the way, it meets various problems, like sabotage and trucks.

There’s a superb cast, including Stockard Channing, Lynn Redgrave, Ned Beatty and the ever-lovely Sally Kellerman.

Yes, sometimes the jokes are a bit weak, or thin on the ground, but it’s still an enjoyable film, and a neglected cult classic. The bus is, or was real, though the one you see driving down the roads is ’empty’.