Spoilers
Their is so much to say about this film, that it is hard to begin in one place. This could possibly be the best film ever made. Upon my first time seeing this masterpiece, I half paid attention, but got enough out of it to realize that it demanded a second viewing. By the time I had realized I wanted to see this film again, I came to the conclusion that I had to own it. I gave it a serious look once I bought it on DVD, and am continuously drawn into its world no matter how
many times I watch it, it only gets better. Powerful is one of the many words which comes to mind, the film starts out beautifully, and subtly becomes deeper as it progresses and the layers are piled on. The stratas are wove together like a sublime tapestry or an orchestral
movement by Mozart. It begins simply with one note, and becomes a hauntingly rich harmony. The best scenes, the ones which stuck with me for days and months after, are the opening sequence with Mccabe riding in on the horse, with the
absolutely perfectly chosen Leonard Cohen soundtrack (Altman tells of listening to Leonard Cohen so much before filming Mccabe and Mrs. Miller, that he
subconsciously thinks set the tone of the film to a Leonard Cohen soundtrack, which he then added after the film was shot) The scene where Julie Christie is in bed after smoking opium and hiding under the covers like a playful child
while Mccabe says "you're a funny little woman", and the most powerful scene in the film, the innocent cowboy being gunned down on the bridge by the kid who
is trying to be a big man in front of his gang. Of course I left out all the brilliant camera work which fits perfectly, never a gratuitous pan or close up, and the final scene of Julie Christie smoking opium while on the bed. In nearly every scene a fire is lit, whether it is a lamp, fire from a fire place, or the church burning in the final scene, fire permeates this film. The warm orange glow of the fireplace in conjunction with Mccabe's giant orange coat, the orange hued leaves lightly pelted with rain, and the warming effect Julie Christie casts from the effects of the opium weave together synergistically, serving as a stark contrast to the wind and snow in the barren newly constructed frontier town. The genius of Altman, lies in shocking the audience, he is a master magician and master of surprise. It is brilliant that he made a western in the middle of winter, it is fantastic that he made the hero an anti-hero, it is magical the entire film came together seamlessly. I am a better person for having seen this film.
Their is so much to say about this film, that it is hard to begin in one place. This could possibly be the best film ever made. Upon my first time seeing this masterpiece, I half paid attention, but got enough out of it to realize that it demanded a second viewing. By the time I had realized I wanted to see this film again, I came to the conclusion that I had to own it. I gave it a serious look once I bought it on DVD, and am continuously drawn into its world no matter how
many times I watch it, it only gets better. Powerful is one of the many words which comes to mind, the film starts out beautifully, and subtly becomes deeper as it progresses and the layers are piled on. The stratas are wove together like a sublime tapestry or an orchestral
movement by Mozart. It begins simply with one note, and becomes a hauntingly rich harmony. The best scenes, the ones which stuck with me for days and months after, are the opening sequence with Mccabe riding in on the horse, with the
absolutely perfectly chosen Leonard Cohen soundtrack (Altman tells of listening to Leonard Cohen so much before filming Mccabe and Mrs. Miller, that he
subconsciously thinks set the tone of the film to a Leonard Cohen soundtrack, which he then added after the film was shot) The scene where Julie Christie is in bed after smoking opium and hiding under the covers like a playful child
while Mccabe says "you're a funny little woman", and the most powerful scene in the film, the innocent cowboy being gunned down on the bridge by the kid who
is trying to be a big man in front of his gang. Of course I left out all the brilliant camera work which fits perfectly, never a gratuitous pan or close up, and the final scene of Julie Christie smoking opium while on the bed. In nearly every scene a fire is lit, whether it is a lamp, fire from a fire place, or the church burning in the final scene, fire permeates this film. The warm orange glow of the fireplace in conjunction with Mccabe's giant orange coat, the orange hued leaves lightly pelted with rain, and the warming effect Julie Christie casts from the effects of the opium weave together synergistically, serving as a stark contrast to the wind and snow in the barren newly constructed frontier town. The genius of Altman, lies in shocking the audience, he is a master magician and master of surprise. It is brilliant that he made a western in the middle of winter, it is fantastic that he made the hero an anti-hero, it is magical the entire film came together seamlessly. I am a better person for having seen this film.