Altmanesque

Robert Altman: The Oral Biography by Mitchell Zuckoff

Currently reading this oral biography of Robert Altman - very good read. Though sometimes I wish it were a biography proper - you can really get lost in those, journey with both author and subject - I'm happy with this; it suits Altman in a way that a regular biography would not: his affinity for having a lot of people talking at once works in this book, as it does in his movies.

Why is Altman a great director? Paul Thomas Anderson, his friend and back-up director on Prairie Home Companion, Altman's last film (the insurance companies would only insure the film of Altman had a back up on set in case he died), attributes it to the way Altman

" ...made films. Whether the films worked or not was inconsequential to the treatment of the undertaking, the fun and the seriousness and the endeavor. It's not overlapping dialogue; it's not zooms. These are just technical things, you know?...[T]he biggest thing is just the attitude. The attitude about them."

And having watched and loved Altman films - MASH, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, The Long Goodbye, Nashville, The Player, Gosford Park, A Prairie Home Companion - I feel this. I feel it very much. The quality of the films - their being - is the result of what Altman's attitude when making his films.

Listen to this: as Altman and co. were making McCabe, the set - the American western town they were building - was growing as the film was advancing (they shot the film in sequence). The town grew as the film grew. The workers were all hippies and lived in the sets they were making. Eventually the construction of the set slowed because all the set workers didn't want to use power tools that weren't available circa 1900. The set director had all the drawers filled with items even if they never had to be opened on camera. At dailies, Altman - as he did on all his films - wanted - almost demanded - anyone and everyone that worked on the film to come and watch and to support and encourage one another so that the film became a communal experience. Everyone supported each other. (NOTE: Altman looooved to party. I love him for that alone. Daily screenings were parties.)

That's what made Altman great. The atmosphere he created that allowed everyone to do their best, AND to do their best IN EXECUTING THEIR OWN IDEAS. He let actors do what they wanted. He'd say that most of his work was done in just casting a film. Just let the actors do their thing.

I couldn't agree more. I had always wanted to be a director for many years, growing up. I thought it was what I would be doing, even though I am more naturally an actor, a writer. When I went to Syracuse to study the film business, I never handled direction, I was afraid of handling a camera because I was thinking of angles, of the technical. I thought I didn't know enough. But in reading about Altman and revisiting his films I realized that I have been directing all along. I may never have picked an angle and I get fucking nervous as fuck thinking about getting the coverage I need, but the key to directing has nothing to do with that. Presence on the set. Creating the atmosphere where a great movie could be made. Handling actors; picking the correct actors. These are the things that make a fabulous director. Leading by example. TRUST.

At the very least - or the very most - this is a director I could try and be like. Someone like Robert Altman.

This is not to diminish how he handled films visually. He was great at that too. But that was second, second to the atmosphere and the trust.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to read about a man whom people loved to make films with. And a man who made some of the greatest films in the latter half of the past century. More importantly though, watch his fucking movies. They're enjoyable as fuck.

For me, I've just been realizing that I can be a director, that I have been a director. Sure, I don't know how to handle a camera. But if I just get a DP who I trust, who knows that I trust them enough to be bold and to follow their own ideas and visions, then that's all. The movie will be great.

Go watch the movies. And read the book - you can just skim it, too!

Avatar

Great fucking movie.

Fell in love with the world - Pandora - and with Neyriti, the Navi creature that -- I'll be damned -- is fucking hot.

I give the movie 4/4 stars. Yup, I'm stoked.

Before I saw the movie a lot of my buddies were harping on the visuals, etc., and saying that it was basically just a stupid sci-fi story. I couldn't disagree more. Though the story is pretty conventional and you pretty much know how everything's gonna turn out, I didn't expect a touching love story and a poignant message. Cameron has, in the words of a friend, "done it."

The best praise: the movie would've been great even if a new technology hadn't been invented.

See it to be stunned, and see it to be touched.

ANOTHER ANIMAL: Uncool as Cool/Invincible Band

The parenthical portion ["(I'm not sure they're capable of that particular expression, to be honest.)"] of this excerpt from Mark "the Collective Animal Collective's Penis Inside Me" Richardson's recent Pitchfork review is dead-on, though he doesn't seem to perceive this negatively, as I do. If you have ever listened to any two Animal Collective albums - because you might think that the seriousness was just a one album thing - you'd know that these guys take themselves and/or their music very seriously. There isn't room for self-effacing parody in Animal Collective's music, and it's a shame and a drag. The greats all make fun of themselves and what they're doing, from Warren Zevon to Dylan to the Hold Steady to the Replacements, even the Beatles. A good artist knows that when you get right down to it writing and recording music is a little silly.

Further: has anyone seen the audience that Animal Collective makes music for? The way they act, dress, and what gets them off? Mark "play Sung Tongs at my funeral" Richardson says that AC isn't trying to be cool - and I don't think they are. But he fails to mention that Animal Collective's core audience will undoubtedly think that this uncool vibe is very, very cool. And I'm not gonna say that this music is uncool, I'll just say this: many people in this audience wear cosmetic glasses; glasses not needed; glasses whose only purpose is to look like you have bad vision, which is, uh, cool.

As to the Fall Be Kind EP itself: dank stuff. I like it. I like all of Animal Collective's music and this EP is not an exception. Two things, though:

1) Mark "Avey Cock" Richardson says he can't imagine them failing - as if that is a good thing! How utterly fucking boring. The only band that has never failed musically is - wait for it - The Beatles, and you could debate that issue and I just might agree with you. But a band that you can't imagine failing? That's horrible. That's part of the excitement, listening to a band you love, knowing they take chances, and wondering, Is this gonna suck? Are they gonna fuck up? And then, when it's good, it's that much sweeter.

and 2) If you're reading this Animal Collective, let's get a little less serious and start smirking a bit, eh? I've met YOU, Avey Tare, in the flesh, and I could see that stick poking out of your asshole. Let's get it out and start realizing that you're just making music and maybe it's time to embrace some levity and start laughing at yourselves for making ridiculous albeit good music - and the masks aren't enough because you've stopped doing it and that was part of some attempt to seperate musician/performer from the audience blah blah blah that's fucking stupid: why the fuck would you want to distance yourself from the audience, that's what I say.

Anyways, that's it. Another critical blog post about Animal Collective. But hey, any band that would cause me to write this much about them must be doing something right - I mean, they ain't doing anything wrong because, you know, they can't fail.

PHUCK YEAH PHISH: PRE SHOW

Aight, so I'm going to a Phish show tonight at MSG, their phirst of three gigs there (they'll play Thursday and Phriday nights, too) and my phirst Phish show since November 2003, six years ago.

It certainly doesn't pheel that long ago. Not at all. But to think I was a junior in high school seeing Phish...

I remember the phirst Phish show I bought - Live 01, 12.14.95, Broome County Arena, Binghamton, New York - and not knowing what it was that I had purchased. As with many things musical, it is often when you get something simply by chance or on a whim that it has the greatest effect on you, maybe because there is the added value of, "Wow! I lucked out!" and "I'm glad this doesn't suck!"

Listening to Live 01, I was surprised that the songs lasted, like, a long time, man. Like, 10 minutes plus, bra. I didn't know Phish was a "jam band." I don't think I was even familiar with term.

I was a little put off. It initially didnt' click. [Note: I think this lasts to this day. I enjoy Phish, always have to varying degrees, but I never had that moment where BAM! you know this shit is for you.] but as time went on I started to dig it. I think some things helped this process -- cough! cough! -- my friends' eventual unbridled enthusiasm for them-- though there is a moment that sticks in my mind:

I'm waiting phor my mom to pick me up from school -- I wanna say I'm a high school phreshman, maybe sophomore, so this is a good year at least before I phirst saw Phish live -- and I'm listening to the aphorementioned live release on my discman. It's a crisp phall day and phor some reason I am almost certain I am wearing my red Billabong hoodie. "Tweezer" is playing -- "Look who's in the phreezer/Uncle Ebenezer" -- and the combination of the weather and the music was just right. Phrom then on, I have always looked upon Phish phavorably.

I'd say my peak interest in Phish was in high school, starting with that December day. Since then I've rarely listened to them on my own, though I've constantly been around many phans. Occasionally I'd go through a short spurt, i.e., a night or day of Phish music.

But I'm seeing them tonight. And I'm pumped. Real pumped. More than I thought I'd be. Maybe it's cuz I just randomly got the ticket by chance less than 24 hours ago -- yes, that's definitely a part of it -- but I'm looking forward to connecting with something from what is essentialy my past. I mean, to some it may not seem that long ago (Moms, Dads) but in the terms of my life thus phar, it's not unsignifcant. It's December and getting cold: it's like that day waiting phor my mom to pick me up. The timing couldn't be better. Plus, the show's at MSG. That always sweetens the deal since there's a certain amunt of excitement that comes phrom seeing a show at the world's most phamous arena.

Oh, and let's not phorget that this is still the phabled reunion tour. It may seem like they've been back together phorever already (maybe because every knew they were going to sooner rather than later) but it still adds some more excitement to the whole thing.

So I'll blog about the experience either tomorrow or ASAP. I can't wait to see what they play! I feel like I have a knack for getting disappointing setlists (ex. Bruce at the Meadowlands; my phirst Phish show at Nassau Colliseum). I hope that isn't the case tonight. And, yes, there is a part of me that is dreading those looonngg jams - never so much my thing, less so in the last three, four years -- but it doesn't matter. I'm seeing Phish again. Life is good. And though this hookup came via an unfortunate occurance (WE LOVE YOU, MAN!) it'd be in every one's best interest for me to soak up the vibes and music tonight.

SHOW OPENER CALL: Prince Caspian (LEGENDARY)