it comes in pints?

Very sorry to hear this. One of my faves.

I can't think of any director that was as good as him at directing an *enormous* ensemble cast.

And just in case anyone is inclined - I know the guy's politics were obnoxious, but on the occassion of his death, please keep your criticisms to yourself. At least here.

So sad. He's been doing his thing for - what, 40 years? Longer?? Amazing.

Some of his movies are meandering messes (uhm, the ballet one??) - but I saw them all anyway, cause I just loved to see what he would come up with - even if it didn't work.

I'll miss looking forward to his next movies - I'll tell you that. :(

At least 50, Sheila. He directed television starting in the mid-50s.

I never saw the ballet one. The previews looked boring, and Neve Cambpell is one of those people that I just dislike irrationally.

But when he was good, he was brilliant. Short Cuts, The Player (which I have a love/hate relationship with. It's funny and very true in parts, but it's so damn cynical), Gosford Park...absolute genius, all of them.

Gosford Park is one of my all-time favorite movies, period.

I never get sick of it!

Sheila,
How could you? You have to watch it about twenty times before you can even sort out who's who and follow what's going on. I think that's one of the things I love about his movies - they're a challenge to keep up with without hitting you over the head with some pretentious "ISN'T THIS JUST SUCH A SMART MOVIE?!?!" schtick.

All of his movies had enormous casts. I'm with red. Sometimes, I got it (MASH, Prairie Home Companion) and sometimes, I didn't (Nashville, Prêt-à-Porter). I know nothing of his politics and care even less.

Also - I just love (and sorry, this is the actor thing talking - but I know you'll know what I mean) - how he's not real big on close-ups. He doesn't force you to look anywhere specific - he lets the scenes play out, sometimes wiht no cutting. Know what I mean?

Sometimes that technique fails - like with Pret a Porter - he probably could have used more close-ups in that movie, to help us get what the hell was going on - but it's truly AMAZING that Gosford Park unfolds as beautifully as it does - with that big a cast, and barely any closeups. It's so rare - nobody makes movies like that. I can't think of anyone else.

In Altman's movies - a closeup really MEANS something. Does that make sense??

That's why I never get sick of Gosford Park - because I watch the drawing room scenes - and even though I've seen the movie 10 times - suddenly I notice what is going on with Kristin Scott Thomas in the corner of the frame ... or what Maggie Smith is doing in the back - and it's all so specific, and real - I just LOVE it.

And Helen Mirren in that movie? Please. She just broke my HEART!

Agreed. One of my favorite parts of MASH is how the camera suddenly closes in on Robert Duvall while the camp serenades him with "Onward Christian Soldiers." Just the glint in his eyes that says that he lacks the sense of proportion to laugh at himself - not to take their jibes seriously - it's perfect.

I also believe that MASH is the first mainstream movie to drop an f-bomb (it's in the football scene).

Sheila,
Have you seen the extras on the DVD? If not, DO IT. NOW. You have to see him directing these people. Seriously, you will DIE faster than an OT II hearing the Xenu story if you don't.

I haven't, Emily! I will definitely do so tonight or tomorrow night - in honor of this man's passing.

I loved Bob Balaban in that movie too. (I always love him.)

Bob Balaban was excellent. I love how clueless he is while he's talking on the phone to California. Here comes this guy telling him he needs the phone to report a MURDER and Balaban is like "but I'm on the phone to California talking about my next movie!"

I know - hahahaha Perfect!!

And Maggie Smith as that Duchess or whatever she was..."I haven't a snobbish bone in my body." Talk about a complete lack of self-awareness.

Then at dinner when someone's asking Balaban about his movie and she asks how it ends and he says "I don't want to spoil it for you" and she bluntly replies "but none of us will see it," completely oblvious to what a rude thing she'd just said.

There are so many little subtle things in this movie, like in the beginning when Balaban's character is being introduced to Lord Stockbridge who notes his Jewish name and does a double take and asks him to repeat it...the seeds of anti-Semitism taking root in Europe in the early 30s. And that eerie comment one of the women made at dinner..."so long as our sons are spared what you all went through" in reference to the veterans of World War I. Their sons weren't so lucky.

Yeah, Maggie Smith - that has to be one of the most comedic performances (wihtout ever trying to be funny) I've ever seen!!

And Clive Owen's general sexy studliness is always appreciated. At least my this audience member. Lying on his back on his bed, smoking? Yowza.

Is there anybody contemporary you can think of that does intense better than Clive Owen. The guy he played in Closer...that scene where Julia Roberts breaks up with him...if that were me, I would have run from the room in fear.

Ahem, I must confess that I nodded off during Gosford Park. I ought to watch it again though. Was that "Balaban's character" Ivor Novello's manager?

What was the semi-remake of La Règle du Jeu with Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins? (Googles) The Remains of the Day that was it. That was a fine country house drama with the same under currents Emily was talking about a moment ago.

Oh man. When he suddenly got mean in that scene in Closer?

You could actually see all the color drain from Julia's face. It was horrifying.

SCARY!!!

Bob Balaban was the "funny little American" that produced the Charlie Chan movies.

"It's called Charlie Chan in London."

"So, it's going to be set in London?"

"No."

I alwasy loved that.

Sheila,
His whole character was frightening, like the way he managed to convey this sort of sadistic streak without really being outright mean (except in the end when he was messing with Jude Law).

"So it's going to be set in London?"
"No."

HAHAHA

Oh man - I'm watching that movie again tonight.

In the extras, Emily, do they talk about how much of the whole thing was scripted? It looks so improvisational - but was there a final script?

A little bit. I think there are two commentary tracks - one w/ Altman and Balaban and one with Julian Fellowes (which I don't think I've listened to). There's also a feature with the cast in one of those QA sessions where they're all lined up on a stage in directors chairs where they might talk about that. I think a lot of the background chatter might have been improvised, if I recall correctly.

Oh - and I've seen the shooting script in stores, so it's available if you're really curious about how much was changed.

Here's an observation I got today from a friend concerning a scene (deleted within a day or two) in "Gosford Park.".Anybody have a recollection?

"I saw Gosford Park at the Uptown Theater on opening day. In the opening scene, Maggie Smith makes a derogatory anti-Semitic remark about Bob Balaban's character. Something like his being an American Jew. It was when Balaban's car stopped to offer help in the rain. My recollection is very strong. When I saw it again a day or two later, the remark had been cut. I've wondered about it and how it could be done to an Altman film. Wrote to Roger Ebert but got no reply. I wonder if it's included in the DVD. Do you remember the remark in the version you saw ? "

I don't care about his politics, I just didn't like his movies, though I only saw three of them. 'Short Cuts' is three hours of my life I'm not gonna get back.