Thursday, April 16, 2009

Nashville Sans Nashville


Nashville Film Festival ~ Opening Night
I'm off to the kick off film (500 Days of Summer) and party (...Party). But first, I must share an ultra specific horror with y'all. I've already talked to three people today at festival headquarters who looked blankly away when I mentioned Robert Altman's Nashville (and this wasn't because I forgot my toothbrush since my hotel took care of that, bless). How can this be? One filmmaker casually responded like so "I haven't seen that one" the way one might casually mention one had never tried Ethiopian cuisine or bungee jumped. Admitted it without shame, he did! Stop whatever you're doing out there if you share this debilitating problem. "Add to Queue". "Move to Top of Queue" . You know what to do. Nashville celebrates its 35th anniversary next year so I will surely be moved to discuss. You have time to watch it twice or thrice before then. Here, I'll help you.

You'll thank me.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so embarrassed for my city! People at a FILM FESTIVAL didn't know it? Where's a rock so that I can hide under it.

To make amends I followed the link you provided. Thank you for helping me change my wicked ways. I bumped Nashville to the top of my queue, but for the record, it was already at position #102!

Sean said...

It really is disgusting how underseen Nashville is. It should be mandatory viewing for every American citizen. It's strange how Altman can make me slide into totalitarianism so easily.

Erik L. said...

A lot of people in Nashville don't see NASHVILLE because they feel it's anti-Nashville. Or so I've been told. Country musicians feel like it's making fun of country music by, you know, those damned Hollywood types. Or so I've been told.

You, of course, have the chance to find out first-hand. I expect a good report.

Erik L. said...

Put another way: Some people in Minnesota still don't like FARGO. And that was MADE by Minnesotans.

Ben said...

I'm a native Minnesotan and that's so true about "Fargo." I was in high school when it came out and my drama teacher gave us a lecture about how offensive it was to our state. It just gave me another reason to dislike it.

Nashville is probably in my top 5 movies of all time. I could watch it every month. I think I might just buy it (something I rarely do in the days of Netflix).

Mason Mahoney said...

I'm also from Minnesota and I think the dislike for Fargo comes from the ridiculous accents. We don't all sound like that (at least not that heavy). When I'm traveling, I hate telling people I'm from MN because they ask me to say words like 'boat' and 'car'...no thanks :)

All that being said, I LOVE Fargo.

Nat, you should do the direct link to Add to queue more often...sooo convenient!

On a side note: Can you imagine Juno with those thick Minnesotan accents? Cringe.

Lev Lewis said...

I guiltily admit to not having seen this yet, although it's pretty high up on my ZipList (Canadian Netflix) and I hope to view it as soon as possible.

NicksFlickPicks said...

Oh my God, did I not specifically tell you that I would bring you a toothbrush if you wound up forgetting one. Did I somehow put the idea in your head? Should I actually bring you one?

rosengje said...

Julie Christie is in Nashville. That should make it mandatory viewing.

NATHANIEL R said...

Point: Rosengje

Nick M. said...

Do you have a schedule of film (however tentative) that you're planning to see? I would be curious to see what it is included, and what you would think of:

"Afterschool"
"For the Love of Movies"
"Lake Tahoe"
"Sita Sings the Blues"
"True Adolescents"
"We Live in Public"

Wayne B. said...

I think that there's a lot of snobbery about movies pre-1980. People tend to dismiss them claiming that they're old-fashioned or hokey and they end up not giving the movies a fair shot. I know so many people who REFUSE to watch anything in black & white.
Kinda sad actually cause I think it's worthwhile to watch the older stuff. Nothing better than a classic original!

BLH said...

Nashville might be my all-time favorite picture if not for McCabe & Mrs. Miller.

Ronnie Blakely performing "Dues" - I wanna frame that moment and affix it to the ceiling above my bed.

Sparky said...

I have tried to see this film three times and failed each time.

Three times it was scheduled to be shown as part of my University course. Once the DVD went missing and the other time the projector broke and finally the teacher decided it wasn't as important a Hollywood film as "Woman Under the Influence", so we watched that instead.

I can't wait till this comes out as a region 2 DVD so I can get my hands on it.

Deborah said...

Holy shit, it's like THE movie. The greatest movie with the giant ensemble schtick. The greatest "Altmanesque" movie. The greatest free-form, documentary-feel, naturalistic movie. The. Greatest. It lays the groundwork for SO MANY movies.

How do you not see Nashville? I am SO CONFUSED.

Anonymous said...

I just seen Nashville, and I am in love!!!!!!! Ronee Blakely stole the show for me. her voice is absolutely gorgeous. her breath control is crazy. Were those songs sung live? if so, she is ridiculously talented