Robert Altman Films on Blu-ray

[brainofj72]

One of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Pretty sad how much of his work is currently unavailable and languishing in obscurity.



Not available on Blu-ray:

The James Dean Story (1957) (Documentary)
Nightmare in Chicago (1964) (TV Movie)
Countdown (1967)
California Split (1974)
A Wedding (1978)
Quintet (1979)
A Perfect Couple (1979)
HealtH (1980)
Rattlesnake in a Cooler (1982) (TV Movie)
Precious Blood (1982) (TV Movie)
Streamers (1983)
Secret Honor (1984)
The Laundromat (1985) (TV Movie)
O.C. and Stiggs (1985)
Basements (1987) (TV Movie)
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1988) (TV Movie)
Dr. T & the Women (2000)
The Company (2003)
A Prairie Home Companion (2006)

[Dubstar]

I really hope someone could put the complete original cut of 'California Split' on blu as it's currently being presented as such on Amazon Prime - I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

[Dailyan]

"California Split" will be coming from Indicator.

[Pondosinatra]

Love Short Cuts!

[Smegma]

Everyone hates O.C. and Stiggs

... But not me. I love it.

[murphywmm]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

"California Split" will be coming from Indicator.

Looking forward to this one, especially since it seems they are now able to release it with the original music soundtrack. The DVD release was badly edited.

[Rayjg]

I wish someone had released his late 70’s Fox films before Disney stepped in. They might not be as strong as his earlier work, with the exception of 3 Women, but I still find them fascinating. I was hoping to revisit Quintet on Blu-ray but that now seems very unlikely.

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

"California Split" will be coming from Indicator.

Yes, it has had a "will be coming from Indicator" status for 2 years now. And for 3 years from Criterion.

If they can't/won't release California Split, I hope that Criterion will at least be upgrading their Secret Honor DVD soon:



I'm really surprised that Popeye doesn't have a release on blu as of yet. It's one of the most well-known Altmans, and is popular among those who aren't into Altman. It would've been a perfect choice for the "Paramount Presents" label. I don't know if it's because the rights for Popeye the character have changed that have complicated the release of this movie.

[tellybox]

I watched Secret Honor a few months back when it was available on The Criterion Channel. Phillip Baker Hall gives the definitive performance of Richard Nixon on film. He captures his paranoia, and does a pretty good voice too. I'd love to see a Criterion release.

Does anybody else like those smaller pictures based on plays he did in the 80's? Especially after all those high profile releases from the 1970s.

[thatguamguy]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

I'm really surprised that Popeye doesn't have a release on blu as of yet. It's one of the most well-known Altmans, and is popular among those who aren't into Altman. It would've been a perfect choice for the "Paramount Presents" label. I don't know if it's because the rights for Popeye the character have changed that have complicated the release of this movie.

Part of the problem with Popeye is that Paramount only owns the US rights to it. I think it's Disney that owns international, where it's a shorter cut. I think the issue is that neither side cares about the movie enough to either put up all the money to restore it or to negotiate the sharing of the costs.

[thatguamguy]

OP, "Killer App" is not a TV movie, that is just how IMDb lists unsold pilots. "Nightmare in Chicago" is sort of more properly filed under television as well; although it was aired as a TV movie, it was just an expanded edit of an episode of a TV anthology show, "Once Upon A Savage Night".

[brainofj72]

Originally Posted by tellybox

Does anybody else like those smaller pictures based on plays he did in the 80's? Especially after all those high profile releases from the 1970s.

This is actually Altman’s most interesting period, IMO. Jimmy Dean and Fool for Love, for example, are two of his best films.

[tellybox]

Originally Posted by brainofj72

This is actually Altman’s most interesting period, IMO. Jimmy Dean and Fool for Love, for example, are two of his best films.

Agreed. I especially love his direction in Jimmy Dean. From the seamless, dream-like way he drifts from the present to the past to the performances it’s classic Altman but on a more stripped down level. Good stuff.

[BlueRagtop]

Not on Blu-ray (but still on Criterion DVD and streaming on HBO Max)

Also not on Blu-ray

[mja345]

Originally Posted by brainofj72

This is actually Altman’s most interesting period, IMO. Jimmy Dean and Fool for Love, for example, are two of his best films.

"Streamers" is also one of my favorite Altman films from that period. Shout released the DVD a while back.

[Nicage22]

So many unreleased...

[beamish13]

Originally Posted by Nicage22

So many unreleased...

.


HEALTH would be a dream come true, but I’m not holding my breath. Jazz ‘34 as well

The Laundromat, Rattlesnake in a Cooler, and Killer App can all be found online now, and they’re uniformly wonderful.

I love O.C & Stiggs, too. It’s at once a piss-take on comedies of the era and a very angry rebuke to Reagan politics, like HEALTH is as well. It looked gorgeous when I saw it in 35mm some years back

[Rayjg]

Arrow didn’t include Jazz ‘34 with Kansas City because it was a rush job and no one bothered to clear the music for home video at the time. Too bad because I know Jonathan Rosenbaum put it on his top 1000 films of all-time list.

[beamish13]

Frustratingly, Olive’s Blu of That Cold Day in the Park doesn’t have two rediscovered deleted sequences that the UCLA Film & Television Archive unearthed when they restored it. They’re basically extensions of the dinner sequence near the beginning and Sandy Dennis’ visit to get doctor, but they’re very funny, and they show that the film was his real artistic breakthrough. It’s a mesmerizing work, and I recognize how it can put some people off, but I’ve always been very partial to it

[HipsterTrash]

Originally Posted by Nicage22

So many unreleased...

But as time goes on I'm sure more labels will attempt to get them to see the light.