Of all the talented directors to make their name in the rush to modernity that was 1960's and 70's cinema, perhaps the one most willing to go against the grain was Robert Altman. After a substantial career in television and documentaries stretching back to the late '40s, he made his name with 1969's M*A*S*H
which got him recognised as major talent at the same time as a band of much younger filmmakers like Friedkin, Coppolla, and Scorsese broke through. Always one to buck against the system, he was more loved by critics then by audiences and after the failure of his adaptation of Popeye in 1980, he largely disappeared from the Hollywood mainstream and by the time of today's flick of the day in 1992, The Player, he had not made a studio picture in 8 years.
which got him recognised as major talent at the same time as a band of much younger filmmakers like Friedkin, Coppolla, and Scorsese broke through. Always one to buck against the system, he was more loved by critics then by audiences and after the failure of his adaptation of Popeye in 1980, he largely disappeared from the Hollywood mainstream and by the time of today's flick of the day in 1992, The Player, he had not made a studio picture in 8 years.
A biting satire of the Hollywood system and the ethics of the film industry in general, The Player
is Altman biting back at the hand that fed him. Remembered mainly for its legions of cameos from some of the biggest name in Hollywood, the film centres on a studio executive called Griffin Mill, played by a delightfully slimy Tim Robbins. Mill is receiving death threats from a disgruntled writer for whom he has committed the grievous sin of promising to call him back and never doing so. As the threats escalate, Mill decides to take things into his own hands and try and find out who the mystery writer is he has irked, there are so many possibilities. Another threat to Mill's comfortable lifestyle is the rising star executive, Larry Levy, who Griffin will have to outmanoeuvre to stay at the top. Eventually Mill tracks down a writer in Pasadena who he suspects of holding a grudge. He attempts to buy off the writer with a promise of deal, but of course he has the wrong writer. They quarrel in a car park and in a rage, Mill murders him and flees the scene. As Mill attempts to avoid the suspicions of the local police led by Whoopi Goldberg, he is also attempting to rid himself of his rival Levy by landing him with a terrible movie idea from writer Richard E Grant in a brilliant turn. He is also pursuing the dead writer's girlfriend. Ultimately, events lead to a brilliantly scabrous conclusions as Griffin Mill outdoes everyone.
is Altman biting back at the hand that fed him. Remembered mainly for its legions of cameos from some of the biggest name in Hollywood, the film centres on a studio executive called Griffin Mill, played by a delightfully slimy Tim Robbins. Mill is receiving death threats from a disgruntled writer for whom he has committed the grievous sin of promising to call him back and never doing so. As the threats escalate, Mill decides to take things into his own hands and try and find out who the mystery writer is he has irked, there are so many possibilities. Another threat to Mill's comfortable lifestyle is the rising star executive, Larry Levy, who Griffin will have to outmanoeuvre to stay at the top. Eventually Mill tracks down a writer in Pasadena who he suspects of holding a grudge. He attempts to buy off the writer with a promise of deal, but of course he has the wrong writer. They quarrel in a car park and in a rage, Mill murders him and flees the scene. As Mill attempts to avoid the suspicions of the local police led by Whoopi Goldberg, he is also attempting to rid himself of his rival Levy by landing him with a terrible movie idea from writer Richard E Grant in a brilliant turn. He is also pursuing the dead writer's girlfriend. Ultimately, events lead to a brilliantly scabrous conclusions as Griffin Mill outdoes everyone.
Altman manages to both skewer Hollywood and endear himself to the insiders judging by the legion of actors, writers and directors that lined up to make cameos in the film including A-listers like Bruce Willis and Julia Roberts. Half the fun of the film is spotting the various people who pop in and out of the rich canvas Altman creates. The film is a vicious attack on all the calling cards of the Hollywood system; Violence, Sex, Mean Spirited Humour and Happy Endings. Yet it mocks them all by containing plenty of each with a happy ending that benefits the wrong man and ironically was a big commercial success accordingly.
Griffin Mill: It lacked certain elements that we need to market a film successfully.
June: What elements?
Griffin Mill: Suspense, laughter, violence. Hope, heart, nudity, sex. Happy endings. Mainly happy endings.
June: What about reality?
It helps of course that the characterizations are so knowingly well drawn. Tim Robbins manages to be just as slimy as you imagine the average studio executive to be. The various celebrities play up to their image as either airheads or having equal contempt for the likes of Griffin Mill as the audience does.
Altman has created a fantastic film here, managing to both entertaining and a biting attack on the Hollywood system which he had grown to detest after years of watching his films butchered before release. Tim Robbins carries the film completely as an amoral cad bent on power at all costs. It is also technically strong, with an opening sequence shot lasting nearly 8 minutes without a single camera break in a homage to Welles' Touch of Evil
and Hitchcock's Rope
, which are both referenced by characters in that scene. A very fine film which reminded audiences of the natural talent of Robert Altman. Well worth seeking out.
and Hitchcock's Rope, which are both referenced by characters in that scene. A very fine film which reminded audiences of the natural talent of Robert Altman. Well worth seeking out.
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