"The Academy of Music had a history of showing first-run films, but stopped doing that a few years back. And now different people work on doing special film projects," said Bob Climan of the Northampton Arts Council. This weekend, the Council will be putting on a film festival dedicated to Robert Altman and his body of work.
The Northampton Arts Council is a non-profit organization that gives out grants to local artists. This event is being put on with hopes of raising more money for more grants. Robert Altman is a great choice as a director to feature due to the way he operates.
Altman is one of America's most profound and unique filmmakers. He fought against the Hollywood system. He set out to tell of the American experience in many of his films with a style of his own.
"In a time when we're all focused on the election and looking at America, it's really interesting to see it through the eyes of a filmmaker," says Climan "We hope that people will be educated about Altman."
Sadly, Altman died after completing "Prairie Home Companion" in 2006. P.T. Anderson ("Boogie Nights," "There Will be Blood") was hired during the filming as a secondary director who would step in and finish the filming if Altman passed away during the shooting.
Climan hopes this film series will open the eyes of the younger generation of movie enthusiasts in the Pioneer Valley, especially film students. "I can't imagine going through a film course and not knowing about Altman," said Climan
Altman is most widely known for one of his earliest films "MASH.", which went on to be nominated for five Oscars, winning one (Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium), and earning Altman the first of his seven nominations (five as a director). The movie also helped spur one of the most celebrated television shows in American history.
In 2006 Altman was awarded an honorary Oscar for his artistic choices and visionary films that changed the landscape of filmmaking. Altman was known for his artistic undertakings as a director who never compromised his beliefs for Hollywood or money.
With his trademark techniques of overlapping dialogue and ensemble casts, Altman created a film genre all his own, as well as the adjective "Altmanesque."
The overlapping dialogue allowed actors to create a real life feel in a film. With multiple characters talking at once, conversations at a party would become more than one or two characters discoursing back and forth. They'd become scenes where the audience gets to know all the characters. To do this, Altman encouraged improvised dialogue between characters.
"In a way, [Altman] is one of the most interesting filmmakers in America and he certainly tells the story of what America is about," said Climan. Altman filmed with a passion and worked on the American way of life in so many films. "MASH" is an anti-war film full of satire. "A Wedding" explores the ceremony of wedlock with a certain eye and humor that sheds light on tradition. He even went so far as to mock his own bosses in Hollywood with "The Player." He also took on radio with his final project when he directed "Prairie Home Companion."
Climan and the Northampton Arts Council are taking these classic films and giving them the respect they deserve on the big screen. "We're showing really pristine 35mm prints of the archived films," said Climan. "A lot of people are showing DVDs in theatres these days. It's not a film experience at all. We're really very conscious of showing film properly, especially at a theatre like the Academy."
The academy's screen is the biggest in the Pioneer Valley and will be one of the busiest this weekend with the Altman Festival.
A showing of "MASH" will kick the festival off today at 6 p.m. The Feelies will follow with a live performance at 9 p.m.
The film series runs Friday through Monday. Individual movie tickets cost $7 while there are many packages available. An entire festival pass is $30, Saturday and Sunday all-day passes cost $15. And then there is also a two-film deal that costs $10. For more information, go to www.northhamptonartscouncil.org .
Kevin Koczwara can be reached at kevinkoczwara@dailycollegian.com
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