Top Ten Altman Films

Jaspers · Top Ten Altman Films

The first in a series of Top Ten lists to organize my esoteric, garbled thought processes into coherent, understandable opinion.

We start with one of my favorite directors: The top ten Robert Altman films

10) Vincent & Theo
- A biopic about Vincent Van Gogh and his lesser known brother, Theo. There are many strange similarities between this film and Reservoir Dogs, such as both star Tim Roth, both used colors as a major theme, both feature a man having an ear cut off, and both feature Tim Roth dying slowly from a belly wound.

Also of note is its interesting musical score; the life and times of a nineteenth century Dutch artist is backed with what sounds like Trent Reznor B-sides.

9) Brewster McCloud
- The second major film of Altman's career is also one of the least representative. Rather than his typical/triumphant stream-of-thoughts, shifting genre narratives Altman is known for, Brewster McCloud plays with absurdism, surreality, and avant-gardeism, assuming that last one is actually a word.

Very trippy. I'm glad Altman abandoned this style in favor what he actually went on to do, but this film proved he wasn't doing it by default.

8.) A Prairie Home Companion
- Altman's swan song. It proved he knew what he was doing right until the very end. I still claim it as his own personal remake of Nashville, but I cannot confirm this theory with anyone because apparently I'm the only freaking person in this state who has seen both films.

Paul Thomas Anderson was brought on board to direct in case the increasingly ailing Altman became too incapacitated to finish the film. IThis was never the case; Altman remained in the director's chair until the film's completion, even taking a champagne cork to the face by an unobservant Kevin Kline. Anderson has frequently been called Altman's contemporary, and was the natural choice as proxy. So far, this comparison seems true.

In case you don't understand the magnitude of these two directors, let me put it bluntly: They made me believe for several months that Lindsay Lohan was a competent actress. Then Altman died, Lohan wrote a eulogy with the grammar skills of a 4Chan user, and I was snapped out of my stupor.

7) The Player
- This would probably be ranked higher if I hadn't been required to watch the friggin' movie 85 times since I began college. The seven minute, non-edited opening sequence is enough to tell you that this film will be a great watch even if it's nothing more than a balding man sitting in a chair for three hours looking pensive (thankfully, it's not.)

At this point in his career, Altman had a lot of clout, even if his box-office draws were less than stellar for the preceding decade. According to my most reliable source (Wikipedia), there were 60 major actors with cameos in this film. And not in the modern 'Guerilla filmmaking-bother celebrities at a minor red carpet event-give me an ambiguous soundbyte' cameo, the cameos for The Player were actually selected individuals brought to a studio, given lines, and simply because they were happy for the privilege to work with Altman. That is power.

The film also features a minor part by Dean Stockwell, AKA Al from Quantum Leap. Every time I see the film, I add my own personal lines of dialogue: "Well Sam, it's 1992, you are a Hollywood producer, and Ziggy says there's a 98% chance that someone is trying to kill you." That is pathetic.

6) A Wedding
- On the tail end of his 1970's success, A Wedding tried to revive the multiple storylines, black comedy, and huge friggin' cast format present in Nashville, and not revisited until Short Cuts and Gosford Park. While the plebeian public gave A Wedding a resounding "Meh," I still consider it a great film.

I personally blame the film's poor success on its title. The only way it could be more vanilla is if it were called 'An Event.' I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but come on, what else are we supposed to judge it on?

5) Short Cuts
- I wish I could tell you what this movie is about, but doing so would be like explaining fireworks to Helen Keller. The most accurate description I can think up is a depiction of the entire city of Los Angeles over a one-week period.

There was, at one point during production, an official screenplay for the film. Altman was notorious for scrapping all organization in favor of ad-libbing. It's so painfully obvious when someone tells you, but invisible until then. It's an experience. Hope I didn't ruin it for you.

My favorite part of any Altman film is in this movie: a five-year-old points out just how stupid Captain Planet is.

4) California Split
- Okay, I'll admit I have a bias towards films with casino themes: Casino Royale, Ocean's Eleven, Swingers, etc. etc. It's a sickness. California Split is probably nowhere near as good as I'm going to try and claim it is, but considering this list is as authoritative as anything else on the internet, my word is bond.

The film has no genre, and trips back and forth between styles: it's a comedy, it's a drama, it's a thriller, it's a love story, it's a mob film, it's a buddy film, etc. The lack of genre lets the film grow to its full potential, and all for the better.

If anybody knows what a 'California Split' refers to, please tell me. I watched the film three times for an oral report, and I still have no clue.

3) Nashville
- The film in which Robert Altman stood up and told Hollywood "We don't need no steenkin' plotline!" and then got himself sued by John Huston for copyright infringement. If you're not careful you may wind up watching the deleted scenes reel and never know the difference.

Even if you hate country music, the film's thoroughly enjoyable. Far from glamorizing the industry, you get to sit back and watch with the most malicious schadenfreud as the country bumpkins run into pratfalls and horrors.

Plus, how can you hate the song 'I'm Easy?' It's a great little kitschy number that transcends the podunk overtones.

2) The Long Goodbye
-Let's play a game: Which one of these is not like the others?:
Dick Powell in 1944
Humphrey Bogart in 1946
Elliot Gould in 1973

The first two played detective Philip Marlowe in two film noir classics, Murder, My Sweet and The Big Sleep, respectively. Both were adapted from Raymond Chandler novels. A third novel, The Long Goodbye, wouldn't be adapted until 1973 starring Elliot Gould of all people.

Gould's Marlowe is more fully developed as a character. He has neighbors, an apartment, friends and acquaintances. Unlike Bogart’s and Powell’s depictions, Gould makes the character less like a lone gun, unstoppable by emotion, and more like an actual human being. An introverted nebbish one, but a human nonetheless.

Because I'm legally bound by academic standards to mention the male gaze at least once per month, I shall fulfill this requirement now:
Contrary to any film theorist who tries to perpetuate the male gaze, Marlowe seems detached from his sexual desires. He lives next door to a group of nudist, druggist, possibly nymphomaniac women, but pays them no heed. Near the end of the film, accosted by a group of angry thugs who remove their shirts in front of him, Marlowe is neither confused nor offended by the gesture, as opposed to everyone at my film screening who emitted a simultaneous "wuh?..."

There, that's the male gaze critique. I'm good 'til finals.

1) MASH
- First and foremost, I don't spell it with the asterisks. A film title should never be so cumbersome that punctuation is essential.

Second, the film is number one on my list because everything about it screams Altman, and everything being screamed is fantastic. It's dark, it's funny, it's sincere, it's got a huge cast, it tangents, there's a copious amount of zooms, the dialogue overlaps and is largely improvised, and it has a thematic-triviality dichotomy the size of the Grand Canyon.

Third, the film is Altman's first major movie and his most successful. Altman had a career of great films, it seems ridiculous that they all pale in comparison to his first go. That's a success story you only hear about in bad movies that omit major facts.

Well, those are my opinions. Let's hear yours. More lists coming soon because I enjoy procrastination.

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Secrets of Success at an Interview

The subject of today's talk is interviews.
The key words here are preparation and confidence, which will carry you far.
Do your homework first. (lotro gold)
Find out all you can about the job you are applying for and the organization you hope to work for.
Many of the employers I interviewed made the same criticism of candidates. "They have no idea what the day to day work of the job brings about. They have vague notions of 'furthering the company's prospects' or of 'serving the community', but have never taken the trouble to find out the actual tasks they will be required to do."
Do not let this be said of you. It shows an unattractive indifference to your employer and to your job.
Take the time to put yourself into the interviewer's place. He wants somebody who is hard-working with a pleasant personality and a real interest in the job. wow power leveling
Anything that you find out about the prospective employer can be used to your advantage during the interview to show that you have bothered to master some facts about the people who you hope to work for.
Write down (and remember) the questions you want to ask the interviewer(s) so that you are not speechless when they invite your questions. Make sure that holidays and pay are not the first things you ask about. If all your questions have been answered during the interview, replay: "I did have several questions, but you have already answered them all."
Do not be afraid to ask for clarification of something that has been said during the interview if you want to be sure what was implied, but do be polite.
Just before you go to the interview, look again at the original advertisement that you answered, any correspondence from your prospective employer, photocopies of your letter of application or application form and your resume.
Then you will remember what you said and what they want. This is very important if you have applied for many jobs in a short time as it is easy to become confused and give an impression of inefficiency. wow gold
Make sure you know where and when you have to report for the interview. Go to the building (but not inside the office) a day or two before, if necessary, to find out how long the journey takes and where exactly the place is.
Aim to arrive five or ten minutes early for the actual interview, then you will have a little time in hand and you will not panic if you are delayed. You start at a disadvantage if you arrive worried and ten minutes late.
Dress in clean, neat, conservative clothes. Now is NOT the time to experiment with the punk look or (girls) to wear low-cut dresses with miniskirts. Make sure that your shoes, hands and hair (and teeth) are clean and neat.
Have the letter inviting you for an interview ready to show in case there is any difficulty in communication.
You may find yourself facing one interviewer or a panel. The latter is far more intimidating, but do not let it worry you too much. The interviewer will probably have a table in front of him/her. Do not put your things or arms on it.
If you have a bag or a case, put it on the floor beside your chair. Do not clutch it nervously or, worse still, drop it, spilling everything.
wow gold,Shake hands if the interviewer offers his hand first. There is little likelihood that a panel of five wants to go though the process of all shaking hands with you in turn. So you do not be upset if no one offers.
Shake hands firmly - a weak hand suggests a weak personality, and a crushing grip is obviously painful. Do not drop the hand as soon as yours has touched it as this will seem to show you do not like the other person.
Speak politely and naturally even if you are feeling shy. Think before you answer any questions.
If you cannot understand, ask: "Would you mind rephrasing the question, please?" The question will then be repeated in different words.
If you are not definitely accepted or turned down on the spot, ask: "When may I expect to hear the results of this interview?"
If you do receive a letter offering you the job, you must reply by letter (keep a photocopy) as soon as possible.
Good luck! world of warcraft power leveling