Farewell, Robert Altman

Robert Altman passed away yesterday. He was 81. I recently saw the last movie he directed, A Prairie Home Companion, starring (from most to least favorite actor) Kevin Kline, John C. Reilly, Garrison Keillor, Virginia Madsen, Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, Lily Tomlin, and Lindsay Lohan. It also featured the regular performers from the radio show of the same name, but I must admit a failure to recall their names without cheating and looking them up. With time and regular listening, I'll eventually have them memorized.

My favorite Altman film is Gosford Park. I love the characters, the story, and the setting of the movie. I love how the camera flows through rooms full of people (e.g. a drawing room with an assortment of well-to-do couples and guests) and captures bits and pieces of their conversations; every bit and piece providing a revealing glimpse of each person. I love how the camera is always moving and how easily one forgets it's moving. It's the film that made me a fan of Clive Owen, Kelly MacDonald, and Helen Mirren. It's also one of the few films I never get tired of watching.

I haven't seen many of Altman's films, but I plan to rectify that in the coming weeks. I just finished my mini-marathon of Christopher Guest movies (Spinal Tap, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind) as a prelude to seeing For Your Consideration, so I've lined up three Altman classics for immediate viewing: M*A*S*H, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, and Nashville. They're mainly a refresher course. After that, I plan to see some of his movies that are truly new to me.

Do you have any favorite Robert Altman films that you would recommend watching?