I enjoy a number of his films, but I love The Company. Just a great slice of life look into what goes on with some really nice set pieces. It was Altman’s first time using digital and he took advantage of that in the performance sections. I liked how the camera was just there, capturing things and we were seldom directed to any one point of interest.
Now, as for his best film, I think the juggling on Short Cuts was amazing and bringing all the other together for one film was a giant undertaking that Altman pulled off near perfectly.
My personal favorite also happens to coincide with the one I think is his best. For me “Nashville” embodies Robert Altman; the ensemble casting, the overlapping dialogue, the improvisation. This character driven story is seamlessly entertaining. The music definately helps out too. A true masterpiece in my book.
Runners Up: (In no particular order)
“McCabe & Mrs. Miller”
“MASH”
“3 Women”
“The Player”
“Gosford Park”
“The Long Goodbye”
“Short Cuts”
“California Split”
“A Prairie Home Companion”
As you can see this is a very long list. The work of a true master.
It has to be McCabe & Mrs Miller followed by Nashville.
Heard old man had quite a few tricks up his sleeve, heard a lot abour Long Goodbye and Brewster McCloud, waiting to watch both soon.
McCabe & Mrs Miller
The Long Goodbye
M*A*S*H
California Split
3 Women
That’s my list today. Subject to change, a lot. I find some of his films sarcastic [a good thing] and some of them cynical [a bad thing]. The early films tend to be more sarcastic while the later films are more cynical.
Yes, Nashville has all of his themes and technical achievements but it just isn’t my favorite of his.
I can go on and on about Nashville and I have at:
http://mubi.com/topics/10272
and
http://mubi.com/reviews/16753
1) Nashville
2) MASH
3) The Player
4) McCabe and Mrs. Miller
5) The Long Goodbye
6) Brewster McCloud
7) Three Women
8) Gosford Park
9) California Split
10) Tanner 88
It’s a testament to Altman that the last film on Brad S’s list above – great list, by the way (I’d put “McCabe” ahead of “The Player” as my only change) – is one of the best things ever produced for television.
I’ve seen 21 of his films. Of the notable ones I’m missing: “Short Cuts” (Saving it for last), “Streamers”, “Vincent & Theo” (waiting to find the 200min version), the "Tanner"s, few others. Only ones I’ve really disliked are “That Cold Day in the Park”, “O.C. + Stiggs”, “The Delinquents”, and to a lesser extent “HealtH”, and “A Wedding”. Top Ten (top three are pretty interchangeable):
1. “McCabe & Mrs. Miller”
2. “Brewster McCloud”
3. “Nashville”
4. “The Long Goodbye”
5. “MASH”
6. “California Split”
7. “The Player”
8. “3 Women”
9. “Cookie’s Fortune”
10. “Popeye”
I think I love them all; my favorites are Prarie (which perfectly captures both the show and a lingering feeling of death and renewal). followed by Dr T and the Women (a commentary on Dallas society and also a Job story about a man in the land of women. It ends in a fantastic way and Farrah Fawcett’s condition in the film was one of cinema’s most creative inventions.)
THe Company is indeed lovely.
My favorite is Three Women, closely followed by McCabe & Mrs Miller and The Long Goodbye.
Nashville is an amazing accomplishment, but it didn’t resonate with me as much as Short Cuts, my favorite Altman. Maybe it’s that I like Raymond Carver so much, but the lives and stories of all the characters in Short Cuts really fit together and devolved nicely. Nashville has many great moments but doesn’t sweep me away as much it does other people.
1. The Long Goodbye
2. McCabe and Mrs. Miller
3. California Split
4. 3 Women
5. Secret Honor
6. Gosford Park
7. M.A.S.H.
8. Cookie’s Fortune
9. The Company
10.Nashville
11. Thieves Like US
12. The Player
13. Dr T and the Women
14. Short Cuts
15. Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson
16. Fool For Love
17. Popeye
18. Kansas City
The Long Goodbye.
Nashville
The Long Goodbye
Three Women
McCabe & Mrs Miller
Thieves Like Us
It’s a tie for me between 3 Women and McCabe & Mrs. Miller.
McCabe & Mrs. Miller! My personal favorite
Top tier:
Nashville
Long Goobye
McCabe & Mrs Miller
California Split
I’d call nashville a masterful snapshot of America in another time, but I wasn’t there for that time. We do seem to have continued down it’s path.
Periodically, I post about how Quintet is not for everyone, but if it’s for you, you’ll love it. I have some weird affection for OC & Stiggs too.
I can’t think of an Altman I totally loathe. Beyond Therapy never quite works, and I understand Chris Durang hated it. Try as I might, I still can’t get into Popeye. Even his misfires (the ones I’ve seen, that is) tend to have something I find interesting; they’re always sort of… off.
Nashville
The Long Goodbye
3 Women
…are all favorites vying for the top spot.
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Short Cuts
Thieves Like Us
…are all still incredible films.
Gosford Park
A Prairie Home Companion
…are still good.
The Log Goodbye has always been my favorite.
Nashville is probably the most influential i’m guessing. I mean, that story telling format didn’t really become the norm until the 90’s, so it was a little ahead of its time in that regard.
McCabe is my favourite though
Piping in again to say that I just watched The Player. Fits in that second tier, I think.
1. 3 Women
2. Nashville
3. The Long Goodbye
4. Short Cuts
5. McCabe and Mrs. Miller
tony1990
Last week I posted a forum asking people what their favorite Alfred Hitchcock film was. Well, this week I’m curious to see what the general consensus is for Robert Altman. What do you consider his best film? Which one is your personal favorite?