Robert Altman

Robert Altman, b. Kansas City, Missouri, 1925 1955; The Delinquents. 1957; The James Dean Story. 1964: Nightmare in Chicago. 1967: Countdown. 1969: That CM Day in the Park. 1970: M’A’S’H; Brewster McCloud. 1971: McCabe rind Mrs. Millar. 1972: Images; The Long Goodbye. 1974-. Thieves Like Os; California Split. 1975: Nashville. 1976: Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson. 1977: 3 Women. 1978: A Wedding.1979: Quintet’ A Perfect Couple. 1980: Health; Popeye. 1982: Come Back to the 5 6- Dime, jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. 1983: Streamers. 1984: Secret Honor. 1985: Fool for Lone. 1987: “Les Boreades,” an episode from Aria; Beyond Therapy; O.C. and Sfiggs. 1988: Tanner ’88 (TV). 1990: Vincent and Theo. 1992: The Player. 1993: Short Cuts. In 1975, before I had seen Nashville, 1 wrote, “Altman seems less interested in structure than in atmosphere; scheme and character recede as chronic, garrulous discontinuity holds sway.” The tone was critical, and when I fell asleep in Nashville and then faced the unquestionable disaster of Buffalo Bill, I felt confirmed in my opinion of a director who could not tell stories but allowed us to assume or hope that he was interested in something else. As this is written, 1 remain uncertain about everything except the absence of a flawless film in Ajtman’s work. But going back to Nashville, some of the earlier films, and the first half of 3 Women made me reflect.