Quite often, if you don't like the music prominently featured in a film, you won't like the film itself. If you like the film but not the music, that is better. If you don't like the music but actually like everything presented, then you know the film is great. I hate country music, but the music presented here is actually really good. If Taylor Swift was played in this movie, that would have diminished everything.
Robert Altman started the new wave of American cinema in the 70s (an era which saw the surge of young American directors such as Hal Ashby and Brian DePalma) with his anti-war comedy "M*A*S*H." People often regard his 1975 ensemble epic "Nashville" as his magnum opus. I personally prefer a couple of other films if his (ie, Short Cuts, The Player), but I am not discrediting this wonderful modern epic of Americana.
A common thing that Altman did was not use protagonists with his ensemble casts. With about two dozen overlapping characters, very few people are less important than others. One example of a minor character is Shelley Duvall playing a young groupie whose uncle owns a bed & breakfast. Although not fleshed out like the Lily Tomlin or Henry Gibson characters, she is still memorable and in-place.
That is one thing about Robert Altman that's so great with his ensemble pieces: his characters are placed perfectly and not there to take up space in the camera. It is very common for films and tv shows with as many different storylines as this to lose focus and to get confused as to who's who. Even in the beloved "Games of Thrones," keeping track of the characters and stories can be quite the challenge. Altman never has the problem and "Nashville" is no exception.
What is this 1975 epic about? In simplest form, a group of people and celebrities cross paths over the course of five days for a major country music festival. But it actually has a whole bunch of stories, each with their own identity. One story could have its own film but having a bunch of great stories that intersect is clever ways is breathtaking. (Some say they are all about America, but it goes much farther than one country). They are so poignant and well-told. So many films have troubles with just one story; look at what Robert Altman does! And this wasn't his first time using an ensemble with multiple stories!
In the 70s, hippie music was still huge, but there was also the emergence of heavy metal and punk rock. Country really seemed to be at the back of the popular music genres. But this was when country was listenable. The songs presented here are well-written with great lyrics that make for a mighty fine soundtrack.
4/4
Robert Altman started the new wave of American cinema in the 70s (an era which saw the surge of young American directors such as Hal Ashby and Brian DePalma) with his anti-war comedy "M*A*S*H." People often regard his 1975 ensemble epic "Nashville" as his magnum opus. I personally prefer a couple of other films if his (ie, Short Cuts, The Player), but I am not discrediting this wonderful modern epic of Americana.
A common thing that Altman did was not use protagonists with his ensemble casts. With about two dozen overlapping characters, very few people are less important than others. One example of a minor character is Shelley Duvall playing a young groupie whose uncle owns a bed & breakfast. Although not fleshed out like the Lily Tomlin or Henry Gibson characters, she is still memorable and in-place.
That is one thing about Robert Altman that's so great with his ensemble pieces: his characters are placed perfectly and not there to take up space in the camera. It is very common for films and tv shows with as many different storylines as this to lose focus and to get confused as to who's who. Even in the beloved "Games of Thrones," keeping track of the characters and stories can be quite the challenge. Altman never has the problem and "Nashville" is no exception.
What is this 1975 epic about? In simplest form, a group of people and celebrities cross paths over the course of five days for a major country music festival. But it actually has a whole bunch of stories, each with their own identity. One story could have its own film but having a bunch of great stories that intersect is clever ways is breathtaking. (Some say they are all about America, but it goes much farther than one country). They are so poignant and well-told. So many films have troubles with just one story; look at what Robert Altman does! And this wasn't his first time using an ensemble with multiple stories!
In the 70s, hippie music was still huge, but there was also the emergence of heavy metal and punk rock. Country really seemed to be at the back of the popular music genres. But this was when country was listenable. The songs presented here are well-written with great lyrics that make for a mighty fine soundtrack.
4/4