The Real Departed - Chau Sr. Altman

Robert Altman died last week at age 81, with his boots on, just as he’d hoped. For those that aren’t immediately familiar with that name, log on to Netflix or go to the local video store and rent any of his truly great American masterpiece films, all made with NO traditional Hollywood financial backing - true independent filmmaking at its finest.

Maybe you'd like his first film, the original MASH, or the fantastic The Long Goodbye with Elliot Gould's impeccable portrayal of a modern-day Philip Marlowe, or there's one of the greatest westerns ever made, McCabe & Mrs. Miller with Warren Beaty and Juile Christie, or how about the star-studded 70's mega-musical Nashville, or The Player with Tim Robins, and of course, least we forget one of my top five personal favorite films of all time - Shortcuts - a bitingly dark, brooding and hilarious look at several characters all intermingling with each other in the greater Los Angeles area, based on several short stories by Raymond Carver.

Chiming along with The Social Worker, I also say thanks to you Mr. Altman. Thanks for those memories and for your efforts, all forty or so of them, including the ones I haven’t seen.

Since we're on the topic of movies and Hollywood, had to mention Scorseses’ latest, The Departed, or Los Infiltrados (The Infiltrated in Spanish) (1) that I caught yesterday, escaping gale-force winds from the West for a dark, quite and pleasing Hollywood getaway. OK, I mentioned it... maybe more later, but just to say that "I'm impressed Marty, that you're still able (barely) to pull out the stops, digging deep back to your roots - the streets, the mean ones - giving us an entertaininng, provocative and well-made tough guy film. Nice one Marty and Chau Bob Altman, you and your work will not be forgotten.

1 - Note, the film's running time, listed at 150 minutes, is long. So long that here in Argentina they had to take INTERMISSION! WHAT?! Right in the middle of the film, with no forewarning - CUT!