 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Apr 27, 2009 - 2:06 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Thor
(Member)
|
Just watched this for the first time.
It's a very good film, although not Altman's best; it's his take on the whole film noir/private dick genre. Of course, it doesn't look like the early noir classics, but Elliot Gould's version of Philipp Marlowe is clearly modelled on the Bogart character in films like THE MALTESE FALCON. From the cigarettes to the growling, mumbling, "cool guy" persona.
I'm sure I could write a whole article on the film, because it has many interesting layers and filmic effects that lend themselves to analysis. There is, of course, the almost Antonioni-inspired camera angles, witnessing the people and dialogues from afar (through windows etc.), an almost socio-anthropological, observational approach. And then there is the play with the soundtrack in true Godard fashion, a play with the diegetic and non-diegetic. In terms of speech, it is interesting how Altman externalizes Marlowe's thoughts through expressed monologue; he narrates his own actions. In terms of music, there is of course the Williams theme/song being played both as diegetic and non-diegetic throughout, segueing from car radios to door bells to grocery store muzak to characters humming the tune to actual non-diegetic use etc. The opening of the film is a dazzling display of this, and should be used in film score classes. Of course, I've been struggling to interpret the PURPOSE of this; what it signifies. Could it be the thread that binds them all together, a sort of comment that the only thing they have in common is a relation to this tune, and it kind of "mirrors" wherever the action is taking place? What is your opinions? I'm sure it's intended as more than just a gimmick.
A funny surprise was seeing none other than Arnold friggin' Schwarzenegger as a thug in the gang led by the Mark Rydell character (although he doesn't have any lines). Arnie in an Altman film?!? Who would have thought?  In terms of performances otherwise, Sterling Hayden clearly had lots of "acting room" in this film, perhaps a little too much. And, as mentioned earlier, it was fun to see director Rydell play a cheesy thug (with serious undertones), Williams' longtime collaborator.
I'm happy to have the score released on Varese, although I really don't need umpteenth variations on the theme. My personal favourite is actually the live performance with Harry Connick Jr., not available on the CD.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just watched this for the first time.
It's a very good film, although not Altman's best; it's his take on the whole film noir/private dick genre. Of course, it doesn't look like the early noir classics, but Elliot Gould's version of Philipp Marlowe is clearly modelled on the Bogart character in films like THE MALTESE FALCON. From the cigarettes to the growling, mumbling, "cool guy" persona.
I'm sure I could write a whole article on the film, because it has many interesting layers and filmic effects that lend themselves to analysis. There is, of course, the almost Antonioni-inspired camera angles, witnessing the people and dialogues from afar (through windows etc.), an almost socio-anthropological, observational approach. And then there is the play with the soundtrack in true Godard fashion, a play with the diegetic and non-diegetic. In terms of speech, it is interesting how Altman externalizes Marlowe's thoughts through expressed monologue; he narrates his own actions. In terms of music, there is of course the Williams theme/song being played both as diegetic and non-diegetic throughout, segueing from car radios to door bells to grocery store muzak to characters humming the tune to actual non-diegetic use etc. The opening of the film is a dazzling display of this, and should be used in film score classes. Of course, I've been struggling to interpret the PURPOSE of this; what it signifies. Could it be the thread that binds them all together, a sort of comment that the only thing they have in common is a relation to this tune, and it kind of "mirrors" wherever the action is taking place? What is your opinions? I'm sure it's intended as more than just a gimmick.
A funny surprise was seeing none other than Arnold friggin' Schwarzenegger as a thug in the gang led by the Mark Rydell character (although he doesn't have any lines). Arnie in an Altman film?!? Who would have thought? In terms of performances otherwise, Sterling Hayden clearly had lots of "acting room" in this film, perhaps a little too much. And, as mentioned earlier, it was fun to see director Rydell play a cheesy thug (with serious undertones), Williams' longtime collaborator.
I'm happy to have the score released on Varese, although I really don't need umpteenth variations on the theme. My personal favourite is actually the live performance with Harry Connick Jr., not available on the CD.
I'm amazed that this is the first time you've seen the film - you certainly could write a whole article, but you'd have a lot of catching up to do as people have been writing about for decades now! I would actually rank this as Altman's best film, fighting neck and neck with MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER and NASHVILLE for the title. It does for noir what MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER did for the Western, deconstructing the genre and rendering all of the genre's cruelty and hopelessness painfully vulnerable. And I would suggest that Gould is channeling more of Humphrey Boggart's in THE BIG SLEEP, since they're, you know, playing the same character. The difference is that Gould and Altman reveal more of the vulnerable helplessness behind Marlowe's wiseass facade - the further into THE LONG GOODBYE you get, the more you realize that Marlowe's wisecracks are barely hiding the fact that he's terrified, clueless, and completely out of his element. Boggart always managed to seem like a badass even when the film had him play the sucker - Gould ultimately just comes across as pathetic and helpless, the single character in the film who is naive enough to doubt a friend's painfully obvious guilt. And the fact that John Williams' sad-sack song is repeated again and again in every corner of the diegesis just emphasizes the idea that Marlowe is always going to be stuck in this pathetic loop, doomed to be repeatedly betrayed, taken advantage of, and abandoned without end. I'm amazed at how innovative Williams was when he worked with Altman, and scores like this make me wish he'd had more chances to do so before the great director passed away. Easily one of the finest films that Williams was ever involved in.
Pedestrian Wolf
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
