• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Blu-ray Review – Nashville (1975)

August 20, 2021 by admin

Nashville, 1975.

Directed by Robert Altman
Starring David Arkin, Barbara Baxley, Ned Beatty, Karen Black, Ronee Blakley, Timothy Brown, Keith Carradine, Geraldine Chaplin, Robert DoQui, Shelley Duvall, Allen Garfield, Henry Gibson, Scott Glenn, Jeff Goldblum, Barbara Harris, David Hayward, Michael Murphy, Allan F. Nicholls, Dave Peel, Cristina Raines, Bert Remsen, Lily Tomlin, Gwen Welles, and Keenan Wynn

SYNOPSIS:

Over the course of a few hectic days, numerous interrelated people prepare for a political convention.

Robert Altman was a gifted filmmaker whose name belongs in the pantheon of the film industry’s greatest directors, but his movie Nashville is a classic that sometimes gets overlooked among his prodigious output. Released in 1975, it’s a sprawling story that covers a wide variety of characters who intersect in various ways across five days in a city that’s synonymous with country music.

The tone is set from the beginning with a van belonging to Hal Philip Walker, who’s running for the 1976 Presidential election on the Replacement Party ticket. Huge loudspeakers attached to the top of the vehicle blare his campaign messages as it winds its way across Nashville, weaving in and out of scenes. He serves as a kind of Greek chorus for the mildly absurd nature of many of the characters, whose stories are building toward the candidate’s big fundraising celebration in five days.

There are too many roles to list here, but the major ones include: Delbert “Del” Reese (Ned Beatty), an attorney for famous country singer Haven Hamilton (Henry Gibson) and a Walker campaign organizer; Linnea Reese (Lily Tomlin), Del’s wife and a gospel singer; Connie White (Karen Black), a country singer who has a rivalry with fellow star Barbara Jean (Ronee Blakley); Tom (Keith Carradine), who wants to break away from his folk rock trio and has an interest in Linnea and BBC Radio reporter Opal (Geraldine Chaplin); and Martha (Shelley Duvall), who’s in town to see her sick aunt but instead wants to hook up with a musician.

Jeff Goldblum plays an unnamed character who rides a three-wheel motorcycle, does magic tricks, and has no dialogue. Given Altman’s penchant for improvisation, it’s amazing that the actor didn’t get a chance to use his unique delivery somewhere in the film. However, he does serve as a way to bring various characters together, since he always seems to be giving one or two of them a ride somewhere.

If you’re watching Nashville for the first time, be forewarned that it’s not a movie with a traditional three-act structure where clear protagonists and antagonists battle for control. Altman uses the camera as a voyeur in this movie, oftentimes following one or more characters before abruptly switching to someone else who happens to be walking by. When Duvall’s character is introduced, for example, she stands in the background of the scene for a couple minutes before the focus moves to her.

However, that’s not to say there’s no dramatic conflict in this film. There’s plenty of that, including Haven Hamilton’s meticulous control of his image, which he uses to further his own financial goals; the petty rivalry between Connie White and Barbara Jean; and Del and Linnea’s struggling marriage, among many others. And there is a build-up toward a more traditional climax at Walker’s fundraiser.

Nashville is part of the Paramount Presents line of classic films, and the studio says it was newly remastered from a 4K film scan. This isn’t the kind of movie that anyone will use to show off their high-end home theater system, but the image quality is solid, and if Altman was around today to see it, hopefully he would approve. The film was previously issued on Blu-ray by Criterion, although that version was remastered from a 2K scan.

Unfortunately, the abundance of bonus features on the Criterion platter aren’t included here, although you do get a code for a digital copy. A commentary track with Altman, which is likely the same one that’s been around since the film’s debut on DVD, offers some good background information on the making of the movie, but the director lapses into silence for several minutes at a time. It feels like he sat down in front of the movie without having prepared any material, and possibly without having not seen it in a long time.

However, Paramount did produce a new featurette, the 16-minute 24 Tracks: Robert Altman’s Nashville, which is based on an interview with the director’s son, Stephen, whose first job was as a production assistant on the movie. It covers the creation of the film from screenwriter John Tewkesbury’s diary of a trip to the city through to the post-production process. Altman and others show up in archival footage.

 

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

 

Filed Under: Movies, Physical Media, Reviews Tagged With: Allan F. Nicholls, Allen Garfield, Barbara Baxley, Barbara Harris, Bert Remsen, Cristina Raines, Dave Peel, David Arkin, David Hayward, Geraldine Chaplin, Gwen Welles, Henry Gibson, Jeff Goldblum, Karen Black, Keenan Wynn, Keith Carradine, lily tomlin, Michael Murphy, Nashville, Ned Beatty, Robert Altman, Robert DoQui, Ronee Blakley, Scott Glenn, Shelley Duvall, Timothy Brown

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Are we about to see The Rocknaissance?

The Best Eiza González Movies

Six Overhated Modern Horror Movies

Must-See Modern Horror Movies You Might Have Missed

10 Essential Will Smith Movies

The Bourne Difference: The Major Book vs Movie Changes

Ten Essential Films of the 1940s

The Essential Movies About Memory

The Must-See Horror Movies From Every Decade

Overhated 2000s Horror Movies That Deserve Another Look

Top Stories:

Movie Review – The Old Guard 2 (2025)

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey gets a first teaser poster

10 Great 1980s Sci-Fi Adventure Movies

Movie Review – Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)

8 Great Cult Sci-Fi Films from 1985

Movie Review – 40 Acres (2025)

4K Ultra HD Review – James Bond: The Sean Connery Collection

7 Mad Movie Doctors Who Deserve More Recognition

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

10 Great Neo-Western Movies You Need To See

10 Great Forgotten 90s Thrillers You Need To See

10 Great Movies About Twins

The Essential Action Movies of 1985

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket