Altman's THE LONG GOODBYE (1973)

Robert Altman's THE LONG GOODBYE has been mentioned frequently in film reviews and publications lately, mainly due to the release of Paul Thomas Anderson's INHERENT VICE.

The 1973 adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel of the same name follows the chain-smoking detective Philip Marlowe, played by Elliot Gould. The story was adapted by Leigh Brackett. In 1946, she wrote the screenplay for Howard Hawks' THE BIG SLEEP (also a Chandler adaptation featuring detective Philip Marlowe), and penned an early draft of George Lucas' THE EMPIRE STRIKE BACK. Her STAR WARS script has been regarded as laughable shit, but sometimes I wonder how much Kasdan and Lucas robbed from it--similar to when Spielberg laughed at Paul Schrader's version of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, yet leeched from it for his own version of the script. Altman's THE LONG GOODBYE was shot by Vilmos Zsigmond, with his trademark "fogged" photography, and scored by John Williams. The use of music in the film is quite interesting, as every bit of the score is just a variation of the main theme.

THE LONG GOODBYE is one of my favorite films. I admire how Altman employed some innovative ways of making it. Actually, I'm surprised it was ever made. Most of the techniques were "ballsy", even for the 70s, which may have lead to its poor reception and lack of popularity. On top of everything, it just makes for an entertaining two hours. I'm happy to see the film being revisited some 42 years later. The film has been released on Blu-Ray through out the past year by two major labels (Arrow Films and Kino Lorber) and, through out the month of December, THE LONG GOODBYE has/will be screened at three major theaters through out New York City (MoMA, BAM and Film Forum).

I think it's a fine representation of the greatness and innovation of 1970s American cinema. I don't think America's seen a better decade of films.

How many of you have seen it? And what do you make of it?

I haven't seen this film before, but I know you and Tux always give it a shout out a lot. I've bumped it up my Netflix queue so I should be able to check it out next Wednesday. :)

I got the Blu-ray last month from Kino and saw it in it's entirety for the first time. Have to say I love the movie. Was a bit nervous as I heard from some fans they felt it was a put-down of Chandler's work but I didn't quite see that, just a different take on it. Elliot Gould was a lot of fun to watch as Marlowe, a bit more comical than what I expected with the facial expressions at times but he did a good job. I also was a bit iffy on it being set in the seventies (although that was kind of a dumb prejudice given before this there was a Marlowe with James Garner set in the sixties which I did enjoy, not as good as this film but an enjoyable watch) but I think it worked out well, you kind of feel just like Marlowe does in the film as being the odd man out surrounded by strange gangsters and oddball socialites, one of which played by Sterling Hayden who was just born for the Noir genre and does so well in this film really showing his acting chops as someone a bit different than the usual cop/robber he played before. Also have to say a really damn good ending that just punctuates the film really well.

It get's the highest vote from me, kind of overtook The Big Sleep '46 as my favorite Marlowe movie.

How do you like the Kino Blu-Ray, S&Q?

Are there any bonus features? Their website doesn't list any.

Here's info on the Kino features, including a comparison to previous releases.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_60/the_long_goodbye_blu-ray.htm

Not much of a difference between the three BD releases. Nice to see that these companies have taken the time to do proper transfers.

Arrow's version has some nice features, including that isolated score. Now that they've expanded to the US, maybe they'll re-release it.

Control wrote:

How do you like the Kino Blu-Ray, S&Q?

Are there any bonus features? Their website doesn't list any.

I rather like it, a lot of people have complained about it being a shade brighter than the Arrow release but with the proper TV settings it's no biggie. The special features are the same as the previous MGM DVD but it doesn't have everything the Arrow release does. I do recommend it though if you are Region-A locked because I don't know if Arrow can get a hold of it if the licence to Kino is anything like MGM's deal with Twilight Time where there's an exclusivity time period of three years before another release is allowed.

I think I'll pick up Kino's version.

Strangways&Quarrel wrote:

Have to say I love the movie. Was a bit nervous as I heard from some fans they felt it was a put-down of Chandler's work but I didn't quite see that, just a different take on it... I think it worked out well, you kind of feel just like Marlowe does in the film as being the odd man out surrounded by strange gangsters and oddball socialites...

I thought the same. Never saw it as putting down Chandler's work. I've read some harsh reviews on how it was an absolute insult to Chandler's novels and character. Gould's performance still captures the essence of that character. Through most of the Chandler novels, Marlowe always seemed like an odd man out. I always pictured Marlowe as a bit of a lonely character (especially at the end of THE BIG SLEEP, when he's simply drinking away his sorrows and thinking of a woman he'll never see again), too, and Altman's THE LONG GOODBYE follows through with that idea.

I also liked that he still rode around in a '48 Lincoln Continental.

Vote Aldrich not Altman.

Voted superb, but I'd still rank at least 10 other Altmans over it.

It's a great movie, loved Gould as Marlowe. I think he's the only Marlowe that comes close to Bogart. Bogart made the quiet tall westcoast PI into a wiryfasttalking player. Gould madeMarlowe a loner Jew whose best friend is his cat, a great new depiction of a hardboiled hero. The end with Marlowe dancing across the border is a favourite of mine. He's been betrayed by what he thought was a friend. But he doesn't give up, he's still a fighter.

Altman's The Long Goodbye is a masterpiece.