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We're Watching Here talks Robert Altman's "Nashville"
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We're Watching Here talks Robert Altman's "Nashville"

Is this one of the great films about America?

When Perry suggested that our podcast do retrospective on Robert Altman, hitting not all the films but the most crucial ones, I was excited but also a bit leery. Excited because Altman was a giant blind spot for me. But leery because I knew so many of his films were hailed as bona fide American classics that it seemed daunting.

But man, I’ve loved this miniseries (which is actually going to take us through most the year). From the politically incorrect shenanigans of M*A*S*H to the un-Western Western of McCabe and Mrs. Miller to the sheer awesomeness that is Elliott Gould in The Long Goodbye, this has been one of the most fun runs of film education I’ve had, and I’m excited to see we’re just getting started.

Nashville was always going to be a big milestone. It’s regarded by many as Altman’s masterpiece, and it’s truly the culmination of everything he was doing with the craft at that point. It’s a sprawling ensemble and a film that has very little plot but a hell of a lot of story. It’s a big mix of music, satire, politics and empathy. It shouldn’t work, and yet the result is one of the greatest films I’ve seen about America. It’s 50 years old, but aside from its more tactile elements, much of it is still completely relevant.

So, hit “play” and listen to Perry and I dive in on Altman’s 1975 classic. And if you want to hear our thoughts on something newer, we also briefly touch on Cha Cha Real Smooth, Crimes of the Future and Top Gun: Maverick.

Reminder for our Detroit-area listeners: Chris and Perry will co-host Secret Cinema at the Maple Theater on Thursday, July 21, at 7:30 p.m. Show up for a surprise movie and a Q/A afterward! 

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