Refocus: the Later Films and Legacy of Robert Altman

Examines an under-analysed period of Robert Altman's careerProvides new critical perspectives on the Altman oeuvreFeatures original interviews with key Altman collaboratorsOffers case studies of Popeye, Tanner '88, Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, Cookie's Fortune and A Prairie Home Companion, among othersIlluminating the industrial, cultural and aesthetic significance of the later years of one of American cinema's most influential auteurs, this anthology combines scholarly essays, original interviews with Robert Altman's collaborators and previously unseen photographs from the Robert Altman Papers held at the Special Collections Research Center, University of Michigan Library. The book considers post-1970s Altman as a way to rethink and reconceive his authorship, expanding our understanding of the development of Altman's personal aesthetic and production practices; his adaptation of existing source material; the representation of sex, gender and identity in his films; his relation to the changing landscape of American independent cinema; and his unfinished projects. Interviews with key Altman collaborators like Alan Rudolph, Ira Deutchman and Anne Rapp highlight their contributions to Altman's career. Rather than place aside the extensive work on Robert Altman to date, this comprehensive book offers texture and depth to previous ways of thinking about Altman's creativity and contribution to American cinema.