I don't always like Robert Altman's films, but they are invariably dense and ambitious and I never had the feeling Altman was calling it in, even his later years. The prolific director died at 81 of cancer this week, leaving behind a mixed legacy of impressively groundbreaking and/or 
annoyingly messy films. I loved Altman's HBO television cross-over Tanner '88 written by Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau. It took a fake presidential candidate on the real campaign trail with very droll results. The show had a reprise starring the same cast during the last prez election.
My favorite film was his 1992 inside Hollywood pic The Player - the pitch sessions are classic and hilarious. And Altman's irreverent take on characters running a mobile field hospital in Korea - M.A.S.H. was just so gritty, grim, and funny.
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I'm sure we can all agree that Altman's 1980 film 'Popeye' is among the most common of guilty pleasures...okay, so maybe just for me. RIP.
Of course! How could I forget Popeye? And have we heard from Shelley Duvall since? Here's a YouTube reprise of her as Olive Oyl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxkd122cmCU
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