HealtH

Having only seen two of his pictures previously, I've come to terms with Altman. Before, though, I always labeled his style of film-making "boring." You just have to be in the right mind to appreciate his crazy genius.

"HealtH" is fairly underrated, and very questionably out of print. In fact, I don't think it's ever even been issued to VHS. Why is that? When all of these crappy films get DVD releases daily, this one is left behind for no good reason? Honestly, I had no real problems with this film. It was, for the most part, consistently amusing and funny. Almost all of the scenes are mysteriously interesting for some reason, be it the wonderful dialogue or the subtle performances. There is real skill here.

And Paul Dooley's stint on the bottom of the pool halfway through is fascinating.

If you can, try to find a copy of this forgotten little gem. It's not perfect, but it's much better than most of the sludge out there getting DVD releases. Hell, I'd be happy with a nice VHS copy of this thing.

It's often on the Fox Movie Channel, though, so look out for it.

Some of the acknowledged Altman "masterpieces" seem sadder to me now. Maybe it's me. Like the last reviewer, I even like this "lesser" Altman (shown recently on FMC), although I don't think he was aiming at a wide audience. Organization politics as a "microcosm" for public campaigns. Some of this satirical "docudrama" is now dated, like Dick Cavett watching the Tonight Show, but I found much of the dialog funny and insightful (e.g. "You are for real. That means you're no threat to anyone"). The story isn't "profound," but I liked it. And the performances are funny, especially Cavett (as "himself"), Lauren Bacall as an aging conservative figurehead, Glenda Jackson (who actually became a member of Parliament) as a left wing ideologue (in the opening scene lecturing someone dressed as a carrot on the sanctity of politics), and Carol Burnett as a basket case. All in the inimitable Altman style, although maybe not quite as inimitable as usual. But pretty inimitable.

When Altman made "Health" his career was sinking fast. Hollywood had discovered the summer special effects blockbuster and had no further need of 70's temperamental, erratic, auteurs like Altman or Bogdanovich or Cimino or Coppola. And considering that they were producing stuff like "One From the Heart", "Heaven's Gate", "Quintet", and "At Long Last Love" who can blame them.

The New York Times reviewer, maybe it was Judith Crist, was trying real, real hard to like this movie. She honestly acknowledged that she did not want Altman to go the way of Orson Welles or Erich von Stroheim and knew that his career could not survive more flops. Altman had made one flop after another since "Nashville" (then again his critically praised overlapping dialogue technique confused and alienated audiences so he had never been much of a moneymaker, just a critical darling. Now the critics were abandoning him.). The reviewer desperately wanted this film to be good enough to save Altman's career.

It wasn't anywhere close.

I was mesmereized by this movie when it played on 1983 summer TV, but haven't been able to see it again, even though I've been searching off and on (mostly off) for 20+ years.

Apparently, no one else in the known universe has anything good to say about HEALTH. Perhaps I won't, either, on a second watching. But on that first watching it was one of the best, funniest, quirkiest movies I'd ever seen. I've actually been recommending it to some of my friends ever since.

Contrary to what one commenter noted, I did recently see a reference to it on VHS, but I was hoping to find it on DVD. I guess a director's commentary would be too much to ask for <g>.

This was the very first film I was in as an actor. Robert Altman himself chose me as "The Carrot" after casting director Rick Sparks suggested me for the role. The total experience filming was nothing but positive. Mr. Altman was a delight to work with and watch him gleefully direct his cast of repertory actors. The film was "shelved" for a few years before it was finally released nationwide in limited release. His films are more for "groupies" who "get" his brand of humor, where today Christopher Guest's improvisational films featuring a "rep" group of actors seem to be more widely accepted and understood. Mr. Altman is a sincere passionate director and lets his ensemble of players breathe life into the improvisational scenes. Carol Burnett is a class act on and off the screen. Glenda Jackson equals her. Lauren Bacall was more aloof. James Garner would spend hours signing autographs on the beach for the gallery of fans in the hot sun following the long hours of shooting. He is the consummate pro. Many people may not "get" HEALTH, but it was way ahead of its time and today would be a hit with the world's political scene more controversial as this cast of characters is. P.S. I played "the carrot" in the opening and closing scenes! how's that for getting "roots" as an actor?