Sunday, November 26, 2006

Robert Altman

Caroline Young checks in to tell us that Robert Altman died while we were on "blog"cation. This is very sad news. Only very occasionally are we moved to produce a sad "post." But Mr. Altman made some of our favorite movies. At the end of his final movie, the last frames of which (I'm going to give something away now) are filled with the white trenchcoat of the lovely angel of death as she comes closer and closer to the camera, the audience, the screen, I told my sister that Mr. Altman was trying to tell us something, and I was worried and nervous. My favorite Altman movie is either NASHVILLE or MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER. Theresa loves THE LONG GOODBYE the most by far. He made plenty of other movies that are just as good as those. But even his supposedly "lesser" movies are just crammed with treasure: A WEDDING, CALIFORNIA SPLIT, BUFFALO BILL & THE INDIANS... some people hate those. It's a free country! I think they're beautiful gems. (Let me say right now that the "internet" is nothing but strangers giving out their opinions - sorry! I started because my publisher told me to and now I do it because I have a serious problem. And why should you care how I feel about Robert Altman? But anyway...) Go find your own favorite. Lucky for all of us, there are many to choose from and they reward repeated viewings. Take it from me, an anonymous stranger with a "blog"!