Robert Altman

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how Robert Altman is a true auteur in the sense that he gravitates toward projects and source texts that are already strong in story so that he can make the work his own by masterfully weaving in and emphasizing the themes and issues which preoccupy him, like class and gender identity. In particular, the paper looks at how this is exemplified in "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" and "Gosford Park", which are among his earliest and latest works.

From the Paper:

"In Gosford Park, the problem of privacy is equally prevalent. For the upstairs aristocrats, there is hardly such a thing as a secret. How can there be, when there are so many people in such a closed space? Not to mention that the servants are nearly invisible to their masters, always just around the corner, or lurking in the background until they are needed--they are witness and privy to all kinds of information, which circulates like wildfire below stairs. Altman uses camerawork to emphasis the feeling of a lurking watcher and listener; he has commented to many sources that he makes the audience feel like a sneaky looker-on by using cameras that virtually never cease to move, although almost imperceptibly. The cameras mimic the motion of lurking. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Altman, Robert. Altman on Altman. Ed. David Thompson. London: Faber and Faber, 2006.
• Braudy, Leo and Cohen, M, ed. Film Theory and Criticism. 6th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
• Kolker, Robert P. A Cinema of Loneliness: Penn, Kubrick, Scorsese, Spielberg, Altman. 2 ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. pp. 303-382.
• Pramaggiore, Maria and Wallis T. Film: A Critical Introduction. Ed. Molly Taylor.Boston: Pearson Education, 2006.
• Rickey, Carrie. "Fassbinder and Altman: Approaches to Filmmaking." Performing Arts Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2. (Autumn, 1977), pp. 33-48.

More papers on Robert Altman:

• Comparison Essay # 22499 : "A Clockwork Orange" ( Stanley Kubrick ) and "The Player" ( Robert Altman )"
• Article Review # 149552 : "Impact of International Trade"
• Film Review # 124016 : "Hollywood as a Metaphor in "The Player"

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