I was really saddened to hear that Robert Altman had died last week, more saddened than maybe one should be for a man they'd never met because it meant there would be no more of his signature movies.
He is my absolute favorite American director with Nashville, The Player, Short Cuts, Gosford Park, M*A*S*H, The Long Goodbye and Brewster McCloud under his belt. The latter of which, with any luck will finally make its way to DVD in a commemorative box set, perhaps? Let's hope so.
A renegade filmmaker in a sea of copycats, Altman broke the rules and lived as a Hollywood outsider for most of his career. He was a complex man, considered both a father figure and a saint as well as a prickly bastard and an egoist. But aren't we all. If you have never seen his movies, do yourself a favor and start with the ones listed above. He will be greatly missed.
But what do you think?