Must Listen: Altman by Zuckoff (Audio book)

As discussed last night at the screening of Ron Mann's documentary Altman during the q&a with Kathryn Reed, it was the audio book of Mitchell Zuckoff's book that was the catalyst for the making of Altman. It's one of Mann's best - and all of his documentaries from Twist, Grass, Know Your Mushrooms etc are great - and most popular film (in the best sense of the word). The unseen footage and graceful editing are what makes the documentary masterful (Altman is better at talking about his films than most of his critics) and the 18 hours of this audiobook provides a thorough examination of his life. One of the greatest American directors who we still have much to learn from.

Altman Documentary

In preparation for Company Man: The Best of Robert Altman (August 7th - 31st), which includes another special screening of McCabe & Mrs. Miller introduced by Vilmos Zsigmond, the TIFF Cinematheque will be presenting Ron Mann's new documentary Altman on the revered American director (August 1st, 7PM), with Mann and Robert's widow Kathryn Altman in attendance for a q&a. Its interviews - which Variety describes as "in a bold formal stroke, he [Mann] asks each of these subjects — elegantly photographed in medium closeup against a black background by Mann and d.p. Simon Ennis — only a single question: to define, in their own words, the term Altmanesque." - sound fascinating. Also read Liam Lacey's great review in the Globe.