The younger of you know Robert Altman from the relatively recent films. “The Player” (The Player, 1992) is a satire of Hollywood, which highlighted the Tim Robbins. The parade of stars and the countless extraordinary views, and continued smoothly vertebrate “Highlights” (Short Cuts, 1993) and “Pret-a-Porter” (1994). The slightly larger, as anticipated in the early years of television (ERT and YENED) certainly saw after much anguish and fury, the “Battle” of sergeant Sonters, the Bonantza “or very tromachtiko” Alfred Hitchcock presents “extending as after midnight. The latest in business, “Kansas City” (1996), “The Gingerbread Man” (1998), “Cookie’s Fortune” (1999) and “Dr. T & the Women” (2000), not left the best impression. Returns, however severe, pidontas the window, with the British production of “Gosford Park” (2001), where leisure and reflection hand.

For the U.S. has always been very ‘profound’ several ‘artist’ to chrizetai the leading representative of the domestic ‘art cinema’. “What is kalt? That does not have enough supporters to be a minority”, commented a smile. Others consider the marginal and eikonoklasti a wildcat black stallion that kalpazei on the slopes of Hollywood. “I play violin in a corner and throw my coins. So I finish the film.” In Europe it is more distinguished, an unrepentant ironic, full of contradictions, bizarre and surprises. In this light, any Altman film, is a substantial event, and is at least worth viewing. For Hollywood says: “We are not adversaries. They sell shoes and I make gloves.” “Every time I see an American flag to fly, laughing.”

The Altman was born on 20 February 1925, in Kansas City. There followed a strict Catholic education while studying at a military academy in Lexington. In 1945 she served in aviation and as a second pilot in a B-24 bomber. After his dismissal, he wrote stories for magazines and radio scripts until recruited on behalf of Calvin Co. There he learned the movies, working in industrial documentaries, educational film and advertising. In 1955 he left the company and seized the opportunity television toudose the Hitchcock (Alfred Hitchcock Presents). The series of mystery and terror was an absolute success. For the next ten years, television will be the track champion tomorrow. Of the more than twenty television series or TV, it ’s name a few. “Maverick” (1957), “Peter Gunn” and “US Marshal” (1958), “Bonanza” (1959), “Bus Stop” (1961) and of course the “Battle” (Combat!, 1962).

The stubbornness and resistance to uniformity, delayed entry to the Mecca of American cinema. The afieromatiko dramatized documentary “The James Dean Story” (1957), had gone unnoticed. But the first post-TV business had the same fate (Countdown, 1968 and That Cold Day in the Park, 1969). The decisive moment was for him the anti-satire “M * A * S * H” (1970), which were both box and artistic success. The critics welcomed his talent and offered the Cannes of the Golden Phoenix. The main elements of his work are already here: episodic structure, black, sardonic humor, so far, the economy and absolute self-discipline, and the symbolic use of a microcosm (a mobile surgical unit in Korea) for the transport representation of a whole society in crisis.

The success of “M * A * S * H” will lead to the creation of his own production company, the Lion’s Gate, equipped with the latest audio-processing systems and editing. The production process in the studio Lion’s Gate is described as a ‘controlled chaos’. It took five years to go until the next success. Meanwhile, the unique narrative of the script, tried to revise several film types: the comedy (Brewster McCloud, 1970, and California Split, 1974), the police / nouar (The Long Goodbye, 1973 and Thieves Like us, 1974), the drama (Images, 1972) and westerns (McCabe and Mrs. Miller, 1971).

The “Nashville” (1975), the Altman composes a mosaic idiofyes a platter with words-nologies appetizers, 24 different characters involved in local political campaign, under the sounds of kantri. The film wins five nominations but only one Oscar for the song “I’m Easy” in Kith Karantain. The Elliott Gould is his favorite director, but here after participating in three other films (M * A * S * H, The Long Goodbye, California Split). Then the undervalued - or in other boring - “Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson” (1976). Then the sleeping pill, unconventional and exciting “3 Women” (1977), where the shining Sisy Speisek and interpretation takes prize at the Cannes Ntival saddles. Even mention the comedy “HEALTH” (1979), and completely failed “Popeye” (1980), only for Robin Williams.

The cap is the withdrawal from the “Ragtime” (1981), because the producer Dino De Laurentiis, the final editing. The position taken by the Milos Forman. In 1981, disappointed and sad, sell the company and turned to the theater. The return to classrooms will be eight years later, the incident at the modular “Aria” (1988), and the portrait of Van Gogh afon, “Vincent & Theo” (1990). The latter enjoys a successful and highly regarded by art lovers. Then comes “The Player”, a collage of people and situations, a light parody of Hollywood. Where impressed us with black humor and raciness, but with the comfort and handling a very rich staff.

The equally enjoyable “Highlights” (Short Cuts, 1993), comes as a natural continuation of “Nashville”, a psychografia life in Southern California. These nine stories, inspired by similar romance of Raymond Carver, which interrelate and enter or touching each other. The same pattern will move in “Pret-a-Porte” (1994) a tour in the world of fashion, with tragelafika comments on the ephemeral and intrigkes area. In this mixed game and real modistroi, but rather many actors. All travel at speeds demonstration models and actors in pasareles world of good. There are references to great moments of cinema-past, as the romantic comedy (my nice lady), Jacques Tati syndrome or “but Italian Wedding” duet with Marcello Mastrogiani - Sophia Loren.

The reason of this article is of course the “Gosford Park” (2001). Having always hidden aces in the sleeve, The Altman traveled to England, found producers, and decided to hit with his glance poniri British coquetry and mimicry of the carryings discourteous’ noble ‘(with transatlantic shots, again against Hollywood) . We are in 1932. A Jew producer, slightly gay, is a British guest pyrgodespoti, aiming at a true copy of the environment and transposes into comical episode, titled “Charlie Chan in London”. The Altman manages to present a smart all the background to Wander several film genres (comedy, drama, police, film era, social, musicals), have fun, to fascinate, to emotions, to sow anxiety, to frighten, to kataplixei.

The film is artistically original (reminiscent of several productions Aivori-Mertsant-Tzampvala), but has many contradictions and reversals of the rules of storytelling structure top-middle-end, the plot and the Protocol. First ceaselessly bombarding us with new people (over 40), which we see fleeting, and requires our full attention in order to fill gaps related or other links between them. Secondly, putting large and important actors in roles to kontarochtypiountai servants (Alan Bates, Helen Mirren, Derek Jacobi, Emily Watson, Richard E. Grant, Clive Owen, etc.) and leaves too lax noble some important soloists among them (Michael Gambon, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Charles Dance), and three wild ‘American’ (Jeremy Northam, Bob Balaban and Ryan Phillippe).

Thirdly and diaskedastikoteron, divides the world into more (deep dukes and countess) and down (and amounting alive, pantognostes servants). The above world shows signs of rot, forfeiture, infighting, corruption and moral Advanced deduction. The below hand, vibrate its vigor, vitality, passion desires, thirst for life, for love, dance, song and strong peripaichtiki available on the above faux pas of the kind, slip and sins. Another interesting feature is a realistic line that agetai by two real people, the actor Aivor Novelo (Jeremy Northam), Garbo partner and leader of the “occupier” (The Lodger, 1926) of Hitchcock, and producer Morris Gouaisman ( Bob Balaban) who represents the style ‘producer ferret’ and the legend of Charlie Chan.

In this recipe palavi add little Agkatha Christy (10 small turkeys), a little Sherlock Holmes (the delectable Stephen Fry in the role of inspector gkafatzi Tomson, who constantly pipilaei the pipe), the astonishing and brilliant Kelly MacDonald (the maid of Maggie Smith ) undermines everything as female Hercules Pouaro, and a passage of aoidou Neither Lemper, and have a great movie that deserves the full seven nominations for Oscar (best film, direction, original script, artistic direction, costumes). Two of them in the same category: the Maggie Smith and Helen Miren claim the statuette of the second female role. But I do not need to wait for the verdict of eklektoron. Invest fear the pleasure you give the viewing of the film.

References
The long filmography of Robert Altman
The official site of Gosford Park
A short interview of the author.

YG1: The choice of Altman by the producers of “M * A * S * H” (1970) was probably a gesture of despair. They had already rejected fifteen other colleagues.

YG2: They may have failed the “Popeye” (1980) and wants to achieve the “Asterix and Cleopatra.” The many effects and ffects spring as a brother.

YG3: The influences of many directors to future generations. Particularly epidrastikos stood for and protected the assistant, Alan Rudolph, whose producer was in the films “Welcome to Los Angeles” (Welcome to LA, 1977) and “The spiral of Mrs. Parker” (Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, 1994).

YG4: The new work is called “Voltage” (2002), based on a novel by Robert Grossbach, while the scenario helps Alan Rudolph. We lead the Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Steve Buscemi, Bob Balaban, Harry Belafonte, William H. Macy, Tony Shalhoub, Elliott Gould and Liv Tyler.