"Every show is your last show. That's my philosophy."-Garrison Keillor
The concept of this film is so bizarre that I cannot do it justice in words. It is the most fitting possible tribute to the wonderful live radio show, A Prairie Home Companion. It is an account of the final show of a fictional live radio show, also called A Prairie Home Companion, which is almost identical to the actual show, but I suppose this allows the filmmakers to take some liberties with it (like Meryl Streep as one of the show's longtime singers and Kevin Kline as Guy Noir, recast as the show's security man). (Interestingly enough, a few weeks after the film came out, Meryl Streep sang on the actual show)
It is very fitting that Robert Altman's last film should explore death so much. Death is the film's major motif. It even has a character symbol of death, a mysterious angel (credited as 'Dangerous Woman'). She shows up not only to take people away when their time is up, but also to comfort those in grief. "The death of an old man is not a tragedy," she reminds one grieving woman.
A Prarie Home Companion is a testament not only to the skill of Robert Altman, but also to the skill of every performer. He gave a very "hands-off" approach to directing the film and captured performances with multiple cameras at all times. "This stuff was caught, rather than captured," he says in one interview. Every actor in this movie is great. It really feels like you are watching their life, rather than a movie. This movie also has wonderful music, which not only is enhanced by the expressions of the performers, but also provides a masterful soundtrack to the events occurring backstage.
I love this movie. Everything about it is great. I have not mentioned yet that it is a comedy. Yes, it has a major theme of death, but Garrison Keillor's signature dry humor is sprinkled all around. Kevin Kline gives us a laugh out loud hilarious experiment in slap-sticky awkwardness. I have seen few movies that blend substance and entertainment really well. This is one of them.
It is very fitting that Robert Altman's last film should explore death so much. Death is the film's major motif. It even has a character symbol of death, a mysterious angel (credited as 'Dangerous Woman'). She shows up not only to take people away when their time is up, but also to comfort those in grief. "The death of an old man is not a tragedy," she reminds one grieving woman.
A Prarie Home Companion is a testament not only to the skill of Robert Altman, but also to the skill of every performer. He gave a very "hands-off" approach to directing the film and captured performances with multiple cameras at all times. "This stuff was caught, rather than captured," he says in one interview. Every actor in this movie is great. It really feels like you are watching their life, rather than a movie. This movie also has wonderful music, which not only is enhanced by the expressions of the performers, but also provides a masterful soundtrack to the events occurring backstage.
I love this movie. Everything about it is great. I have not mentioned yet that it is a comedy. Yes, it has a major theme of death, but Garrison Keillor's signature dry humor is sprinkled all around. Kevin Kline gives us a laugh out loud hilarious experiment in slap-sticky awkwardness. I have seen few movies that blend substance and entertainment really well. This is one of them.
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