In Memoriam, Robert Altman

I was sad to hear that director Robert Altman passed away last night at the age of 81. I won't say he was a genius, or that I loved every movie he made. But he was unique, if an acquired taste.

The first Altman film I saw was "Mash", as part of a double bill with "Patton". The general irreverence, confusion, and insanity made a deep impression on me. As a young teen boy, I was mildly frustrated by the brief nudity, but otherwise enjoyed the movie.

Padre and I went to see "Nashville" a few years later. Padre was especially impressed with Henry Gibson's jingoist character. Padre perceived the character as a good stab at that personality type (for whom he had little tolerance).

As I say, Altman's work was an acquired taste, and I can't say I necessarily acquired a taste for his style. What I saw, I liked; just not enough to seek out more of the same.

This changed with "The Player", which I loved. I'm fairly certain I saw every film he made afterward. Including what is likely to be his last, "Prairie Home Companion."

I have come to have an appreciation of his style, which helped me to appreciate the work of a number of directors who have similar styles – Alan Parker and Paul Thomas Anderson come immediately to mind. It's not likely we would have films like "Babel" or "Crash", with their interweaving storylines, if not for Altman.