Robert Altman Profile – Episode #46 (January 12th, 2016)

Popcorn Talk proudly presents Profiles with Malone and Mantz! In this vodcast series hosts Alicia Malone and Scott “Movie” Mantz break down and focus on some of the most prolific Hollywood directors, writers and actors in the entertainment industry – past & present. Comment and Rate us on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/profiles/id908850713?mt=2 Today it’s all about Robert Altman! Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. A five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, Altman was considered a “maverick” in making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective unlike most Hollywood films. He is consistently ranked as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers in history. His style of filmmaking was unique among directors, in that his subjects covered most genres, but with a “subversive” twist that typically relies on satire and humor to express his personal vision. Altman developed a reputation for being “anti-Hollywood” and non-conformist in both his themes and directing style. However, actors especially enjoyed working under his direction because he encouraged them to improvise, thereby inspiring their own creativity. He preferred large ensemble casts for his films, and developed a multitrack recording technique which produced overlapping dialogue from multiple actors. This produced a more natural, more dynamic, and more complex experience for the viewer. He also used highly mobile camera work and zoom lenses to enhance the activity taking place on the screen. Critic Pauline Kael, writing about his directing style, said that Altman could “make film fireworks out of next to nothing.” Follow Alicia on Twitter! Follow Scott on Twitter! SUBSCRIBE TO PROFILES ON ITUNES!