R.I.P. Robert Altman

[Damien]

From Reuters:

LINDSAY LOHAN'S PUBLICIST FIRES BACK AT MEDIA
Says journalist crossed the line by mocking Robert Altman letter

LOS ANGELES - Lindsay Lohan’s publicist fired back at the media Thursday, saying journalists had crossed a line by mocking a heartfelt letter the actress wrote following director Robert Altman’s death last week.

Spokeswoman Leslie Sloane said the note — which one columnist suggested was composed by Lohan on “one of her legendary party benders” — was instead dashed off by the distraught 20-year-old actress on a Blackberry, moments after she learned Altman had died.

Altman, who died on Nov. 20 at age 81, directed Lohan in the last film of his career, “A Prairie Home Companion.”

“When I got the reports that he had died, I reached Lindsay on her cell phone, and she had no idea. She was devastated. She started crying,” Sloane told Reuters. “She quickly put something together on her Blackberry.”

“Here was a girl who found something special in this man that she felt so close to,” Sloane said. “And she was completely shocked and blown away that he just died. It was written very quickly and it was from the heart.”

Lohan titled her Nov. 21 e-mail “Dead is hard, Life is much easier,” a quote she attributes to actor Jack Nicholson. In it, she sent condolences to Altman’s family, adding, “I feel as I’ve just had the wind knocked out of me.”

The film star, who is estranged from her father, also describes Altman as “the closest thing to my father and grandfather that I really do believe I’ve had in several years.”

Days after the missive was made public, Los Angeles Times columnist Patt Morrison ridiculed it on a Web site as “alarmingly incoherent,” apparently referring to misspellings and grammatical errors by Lohan, and wrote that Altman himself might find it “comedic.”

Andrew Gumbel wrote in the London Independent that the letter, which ends with the odd sign-off “Be Adequite,” had become the talk of Hollywood.

“Was the actress on a misguided — and utterly botched — quest for publicity, exploiting the death of a revered director for her own purposes?” Gumbel wrote. “Had she been on one of her legendary party benders? Or was this Exhibit A for the indictment of America’s education system?”

[Sonic Youth]

She's half-blind, on given days.

[Big Magilla]

I'm old and half blind, what's her excuse?

[Franz Ferdinand]

"grammatcial"? "hepatitus"? Let's not knock Lindsey just yet, people!

[Sonic Youth]

From Roger Friedman's write-up:


Politics excited him but movies were his passion, and he didn’t mind criticizing his peers.

"Titanic," he told me for a 2002 interview, "was the most dreadful piece of work I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Another film I think is equally bad is 'American Beauty.' So badly acted and directed. [Kevin] Spacey, for one, looked like he really wished he wasn’t in that movie."

[Penelope]

She's an idiot, but she's an endearing idiot with some genuine talent, unlike all the Paris's and Jessica's littering the landscape.

[Sabin]

Go easy on her. It takes a special kind of moron to mistake grace and poise for hepatitus.

[Big Magilla]

Maybe she was stoned when she wrote it. Who is the idiot that released this drivel to the press? Was it really intended for the Altman family, or for her own fanbase of party-going losers?

She seems sincere, but my nine year-old nephew could have written a better letter of condolence and without the the spelling and grammatcial errors.

[Reza]

As a side note, Robert Altman interviewed seriously my wife for the part of the Madame in McCabe, but because of a death in the family, she declined. The interviewer was a particularly "dirty old man", she said.The idea was to "come across" and she would get the part.

I wonder if the same interviewer ''came across'' Julie Christie as well? Or was she a combined casting package with Beatty (since they were an item at the time)?

[anonymous1980]

Is it just me or does this letter could've used a proof-reader?

Lindsay Lohan released a statement Tuesday extending her condolences to Robert Altman's family:
"I would like to send my condolences out to Catherine Altman, Robert Altmans wife, as well as all of his immediate family, close friends, co-workers, and all of his inner circle.

"I feel as if I've just had the wind knocked out of me and my heart aches.

"If not only my heart but the heart of Mr. Altman's wife and family and many fellow actors/artists that admire him for his work and love him for making people laugh whenever and however he could..

"Robert altman made dreams possible for many independent aspiring filmmakers, as well as creating roles for countless actors.

"I am lucky enough to of been able to work with Robert Altman amongst the other greats on a film that I can genuinely say created a turning point in my career.

"I learned so much from Altman and he was the closest thing to my father and grandfather that I really do believe I've had in several years.

"The point is, he made a difference.

"He left us with a legend that all of us have the ability to do.

"So every day when you wake up.

"Look in the mirror and thank god for every second you have and cherish all moments.

"The fighting, the anger, the drama is tedious.

"Please just take each moment day by day and consider yourself lucky to breathe and feel at all and smile. Be thankful.

"Life comes once, doesn't 'keep coming back' and we all take such advantage of what we have.

"When we shouldn't..... '

"Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of yourselves' (12st book) -everytime there's a triumph in the world a million souls hafta be trampled on.-altman Its true. But treasure each triumph as they come.

"If I can do anything for those who are in a very hard time right now, as I'm one of them with hearing this news, please take advantage of the fact that I'm just a phone call away.

God Bless, peace and love always.

Thank You,

"BE ADEQUITE"

Lindsay Lohan

[Hustler]

Relive Robert Altman's Honorary Oscar Tribute here.

anonymous, you were very kind by posting it. After watching again his acceptance speech, I can´t believe he is dead. He looked so healthy, so plenty of life!

[99-1100896887]

Although Altman made two films in Vancouver( McCabe and Mrs. Miller and Brewster McLeod) only the first was represented in the paper's filmography. A close friend was in the production company of the latter, and we got to see it ata special showing. I thought it was perfectly dreadful, and wished I had not gone, and had to think of something non-committal but pleasant to our friend. Saw the film awhile ago, and I think everyone was stoned.
As a side note, Robert Altman interviewed seriously my wife for the part of the Madame in McCabe, but because of a death in the family, she declined. The interviewer was a particularly "dirty old man", she said.The idea was to "come across" and she would get the part.

[Reza]

What a shock! The way his career was going lately, it seemed he would be around forever. What a relief the Academy had the good sense to give him the honorary award when they did.

Must get my hands on Quintet now. Have been looking for this forever even though it is regarded as a bomb by everyone.

[anonymous1980]

Relive Robert Altman's Honorary Oscar Tribute here.

[Hustler]

What a sad day! I had the feeling he would live longer and that we would keep on enjoying his films. I prefer to remember him with three of his most memorable films: Mash, Images and Brewster Mc Cloud.